Hereafter (The Lost Princesses Book 3)

by Jody Hedlund

  “I am sorry, Emmeline,” Maribel whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “I wish now Edmund and his men had tried to find your home and your parents before leaving the forest.”

  “They did what they thought was best,” I replied, feeling no ill will toward the rebels or my sisters. How could I, when I’d plotted deception against them?

  “I am not surprised the king would aspire to have Lance and Felicia,” Adelaide added.

  “Now they languish in the dungeons where the king has ordered them to be tortured and killed. If I bring him the key, he will spare one of them.”

  “Oh, Emmeline,” Maribel murmured with such depth of emotion I couldn’t hold back my tears. They spilled over and began to run down my cheeks, even though I swiped at them.

  “My parents were good to me and made so many sacrifices. I cannot bear to think of their suffering.”

  “We cannot bear it, either!” Maribel said, tears wetting her cheeks too.

  Adelaide pressed a finger against her lips as her attention shifted to the tent walls and door.

  Maribel dropped to a whisper. “They saved us all those years ago. We must do something now to save them, Adelaide.”

  For several long moments, Adelaide sat in contemplation, so that the outside sounds penetrated the thin canvas and brought the distant grinding of iron against whetstones, the clanking of swords from soldiers still at drill, and the deep voices of men in conversation.

  “His desperation for the key and the treasure means only one thing,” Adelaide finally spoke. “He is looking for a way to pay mercenaries to come to his aid.”

  “I wish I knew,” I said. “But I admit I haven’t pried for information the way I could have.”

  Adelaide stared at the tent wall as if staring into the future. “If the king finds the treasure, he will have riches to hire half the continent to fight on his behalf.”

  “But no one knows for certain if the treasure still remains,” Maribel said.

  “It does,” I remarked.

  At my quick affirmation, they both turned wide eyes upon me.

  “I’ve read enough of the ancient history texts to know that King Solomon’s ancient treasure has most certainly been preserved. In fact, from the various records I’ve come across, different powerful kings have added wealth so that the treasure far exceeds what it was in King Solomon’s day.”

  While I’d always known the books hidden in our cottage had been rare, it hadn’t been until I’d ventured into the Delsworth scriptorium that I truly grasped their worth. From browsing the titles filling the scriptorium, I’d realized there were no other books anywhere about the labyrinth, that perhaps someone long ago had made a point of pulling all traces of the labyrinth and its clues from the shelves. That meant I’d accumulated a wealth of information regarding the labyrinth that no one else had. Did that also mean I bore an even greater responsibility to my family and to Mercia than I’d realized?

  “During the reign of King William, the great-great-grandfather of Alfred the Peacemaker,” I continued with what I’d learned, “the kingdom was threatened by invasion. King William secretly finished carving out the ruins of a labyrinth left from ancient times. He moved the treasure into the labyrinth and made sure it was full of deadly traps as well as beasts to act as guardians.”

  Maribel nodded. “Edmund and I faced a few traps and a terrible beast while we were in the Labyrinth of Death. It was horrific and deadly during the long hours we were within its confines.”

  As she shared her experience down in the depths of the labyrinth, I listened with fascination and plied her with questions. I was particularly interested in her encounter with the dragon-like creature and in knowing she’d helped to heal it. I was also impressed she and Edmund had managed to navigate the outer rim and find another entrance with only their third of the map.

  “Although I wanted to explore further in,” Maribel finished, “Edmund said we must not attempt it without a complete map.”

  “Even with a complete map,” I replied, “the treasure was—and still is—nearly impossible to claim.”

  Adelaide pushed her bench away from the table. “Then you do not believe the king will be able to retrieve it even with the third and final key?”

  “Without the right knowledge and guidance, any attempt would be foolhardy.”

  “If he is desperate, he will surely try.”

  “Then he will send his men to certain death.”

  Adelaide was quiet again, perhaps deep in thought or prayer—or both. “When Sister Katherine came to visit Maribel and me, she told us both about an old prophecy that foretells a young ruler filled with wisdom who will use the ancient treasure to help drive evil from the land and usher in a time of peace like never before seen or ever seen again.”

  “Yes,” I answered. “I’ve read the prophecy in the Book of Dierum. But how can you know for certain if you are that young ruler?”

  Adelaide shrugged. “Sister Katherine believed I was and insisted the three of us be reunited so we can use the keys to unlock a treasure that will help restore the land.”

  “I would like nothing more than a time of peace and restoration rather than continued war and discord. In fact, I’d hoped in part that my marriage to Prince Ethelrex would bring about peace.”

  “Perhaps it still shall,” Adelaide said but her tone was too vague to assure me.

  “Then you are of the same mind as Sister Katherine, that unlocking the treasure is necessary for peace?”

  “I do not have all the answers to the riddle yet. But I am coming to believe perhaps real treasure lies not in the wealth deep in the labyrinth, but in the gifts God has bestowed upon us—gifts we can use for the greater good of the kingdom and the people.”

  Everything Adelaide said resonated within me. Even so, I was caught in the middle of the battle over the throne. While I admired Adelaide and wished I could join her, I couldn’t abandon my parents and their plight. And I wasn’t sure I could yet abandon Rex either.

  Adelaide stood and stretched. “Both of you must help me shed my armor.”

  Maribel hastened to obey, but I held back.

  “Come now, Emmeline.” Adelaide beckoned. “Do not be shy now. I am giving you the chance to take what you came for.”

  My mouth dropped open, and I could only stare at my sister.

  Maribel smiled at me even as she worked to unlace the pauldron upon Adelaide’s shoulder.

  I still couldn’t move.

  “You will tell the prince you did what you came to do,” Adelaide said. “In so doing, you will save one of your parents. It is the least we can do for them.”

  Relief and gratitude swelled within my chest. I tried to stand to thank Adelaide, but instead I fell to my knees, buried my face in my hands, and wept.

  Chapter

  16

  Rex

  The Earl of Langley was a cunning man and kept me occupied with conversation and food during the entire visit so that I had no choice but to sit with him at the table his men brought into the clearing.

  The spot was far enough from the queen’s tent to allow the women privacy. But it was also close enough I could hear Emmeline shout if she was in any distress. Even so, I didn’t let down my guard. I knew that in coming with Emmeline rather than allowing my guards to escort her, I was in imminent danger. What would the king say when he learned I’d put myself in such a position? Would he care?

  Of course, he’d care, I told myself. If the enemy decided to hold me for ransom, he’d do everything he could to save me. Wouldn’t he?

  When the tent flap opened and Emmeline finally ducked through, I expelled my first full breath since she’d disappeared inside.

  The earl’s eyes were upon me. “I did not expect to like you.”

  “There is no reason you should.” I assessed Emmeline, making sure she was unharmed. Other than the flush of her cheeks and the redness around her eyes, not a detail had changed.

  She scanned the open area until she
found me. Although she didn’t meet my eyes, the slight release of tension from her shoulders told me she’d been worried about me. It also reaffirmed what her kiss had shown—that perhaps she would be quicker to forgive than I deserved.

  I stood. “I am your enemy, Lord Langley. If we meet on the battlefield, I shall kill you.”

  “And I, you.”

  I had no doubt he’d be a formidable foe. His reputation in Norland fighting for King Draybane preceded him. Nevertheless, I was more skilled than he and would vanquish him eventually.

  “Even so,” the earl said, “I like you. I did not believe such a thing possible considering my fierce hatred of your father.”

  I finally spared the earl a glance to find his eyes somber and his expression sincere. I had the feeling if we hadn’t been on opposing sides of this war I might have liked him too. However, he was the husband of the greatest threat to my future ascension as king. As such, I ought to plunge my dagger through his heart and be done with him.

  But as he and his men had shown honor toward me and the white flag we’d raised, I could do no less than honor him at this moment. “I thank you for your kind treatment of my wife.”

  “I can see that you are kind to her as well.”

  I wasn’t sure I’d treated her kindly of late. But his affirmation was a dose of encouragement I needed after my recent failure to make her happy.

  If the king didn’t find the treasure to hire the Danes, I feared we’d have a difficult siege, and the battle with the queen’s army would drag on. If things didn’t go our way, Langley was the type of warrior who would act swiftly and decisively to bring about a victory.

  “I pray that whatever the future holds,” I said, “you will continue to show Emmeline kindness regardless of my fate.”

  “Of course. I shall endeavor to keep her safe.”

  I nodded my thanks. Then I motioned to my men that it was time to go.

  We rode in silence back into Delsworth. Once the city gates clanged shut behind us, I slowed my horse to a trot next to Emmeline.

  She’d been quiet since leaving Adelaide’s tent, giving me no indication whether she’d found the key or not. From the slight redness rimming her eyes, I guessed she’d cried during her meeting with her sisters. I could only imagine what the reunion had been like—meeting family for the first time.

  From the night I’d spent on her floor, she’d shared enough for me to know she’d had a happy childhood, that Lance and Felicia had been good to her, and that she hadn’t been lonely. Even so, I’d learned that fears overtook her at times—fears likely borne of always hiding and waiting to be discovered.

  If only she’d had the chance for a carefree childhood. One without any worries. One with the sisters who obviously loved her. Perhaps, in spite of forcing her to get the key, some good had come out of the occasion because she’d finally been able to meet her sisters.

  “I pray your visit with your sisters went well,” I offered, my voice stiffer and more formal than I wanted it to be.

  “You needn’t worry any longer.” She tossed her pouch to me.

  I caught it easily. Through the leather, I could feel the design of the key, its weight, even the engraving on the bit, so similar and yet so different from the other two.

  “I accomplished what you desired.”

  What the king desired. But instead of correcting her I pressed on and gentled my tone. “I do hope the reunion was satisfying.”

  She bit her bottom lip, which served only to remind me of the kiss I’d taken from her before her meeting with the queen. That kiss had been intended to show everyone Emmeline was mine. Why, then, had the kiss weakened me and made me feel as though Emmeline had ownership of me instead?

  “Did you like them?” I tore my mind from thoughts of kissing her again.

  “I loved them.” Sudden bright tears shone in her eyes.

  I reached for her hand and twined my fingers through hers. I was thankful when she didn’t pull away.

  “I regret I resisted meeting them for so long,” she said. “Maybe if I’d left for Norland earlier when my father first suggested it . . .”

  If she’d gone, would I have been able to find her? Would I have missed the chance to have her for my wife? Now that I had her, I couldn’t imagine ever wanting anyone else. But clearly, she didn’t feel as deeply about me if she wished she could have left the country before I’d found her.

  I needed to work harder to win her, especially since she blamed me for the king’s decision regarding her parents. Could I convince him to spare them, perhaps hold them as prisoners in the tower rather than execute them? I doubted there was anything I could say to change his mind. In fact, I suspected contradicting him would make matters only worse for her parents. And yet, I had to do something, didn’t I?

  When we finally entered the castle grounds, I didn’t want to release my hold of her hand and break the tenuous connection we’d formed again. So after helping her from her horse, I swept her into my arms and carried her inside. She didn’t resist and leaned her head against my shoulder as I made my way to her room.

  Once there, I reluctantly lowered her. The king would be waiting for my report on every detail regarding our time with the enemy. He’d want to know about their size, the strength of their siege engines, and any plans I’d overheard.

  Most of all he’d want the key.

  Regardless, I couldn’t make myself turn and walk away yet.

  Ruby bounded over to Emmeline, and she bent to scratch the pup’s head. The servants had discreetly disappeared, which only made me want to linger and take advantage of the moment of privacy.

  As though sensing my need, Emmeline straightened and faced me, her expression turning serious. Even then, she was more beautiful than both her sisters. I reached out and brushed her long hair off her shoulder and in the process let my fingers graze her neck.

  At the contact, she drew in a breath.

  My attention fell to the rise of her chest, the elegance of her neck, and the pounding pulse at the hollow of her throat. I brushed the hair off her other shoulder, once more letting my fingers skim her neck.

  Her breath hitched again, and she closed her eyes as though the merest of my touches could vanquish her resistance. Could it? The kiss earlier had certainly helped. Dare I try it again?

  “Rex.” She spoke my name in a breathy whisper.

  With her neck so close and beckoning, I angled in and brushed a kiss there.

  She arched back, giving me more access. It was an invitation I couldn’t refuse—didn’t want to refuse. I pressed a kiss higher beneath her chin, relishing the softness and sweetness of her skin.

  “Rex,” she whispered. “Please, will you not ask your father to spare both my parents?”

  At that moment, I wanted to give her the world and everything in it. If I’d wondered whether I was in love with her, I had no doubt any longer. I loved her and needed her and wanted her happiness more than anything.

  Though I yearned to continue my path up her neck to her lips, I gathered her into my arms, wanting to prove to myself and her that my intentions were honorable, that in response to her request I’d ask for nothing in return.

  “Yes,” I whispered. “I shall ask him.”

  She nestled against me. “Thank you.”

  I rested my chin on her head. “My plea may do no good.”

  “I know. But I’m grateful you will consider it.”

  She knew enough about the king to realize he was not easily swayed, not even by his sons.

  I wanted to believe that if the matter was truly imperative to me, the king would listen and try to understand my perspective. But a dark, hidden part of me feared I wasn’t important enough to him. It was the same part that a short while ago, during the meeting with the rebels, had wondered what the king would do if the enemy decided to make me their prisoner. What would he have sacrificed to get me back? The keys? The treasure? Even his kingdom?

  Although I didn’t want to admit the answ
er, the truth sometimes had a way of creeping out and haunting me—the truth that the keys and treasure and his kingdom were more valuable than his sons, perhaps even more than his beloved wife.

  “I see I am interrupting you newlyweds.” The king’s voice came from the doorway.

  Emmeline tugged away from me, her lashes dropping against flushed cheeks, making her all the more appealing. As the king crossed into the room, I looped my arm around her and drew her to my side. In the hallway behind him stood several other men, half peeking, probably curious to know what the king had interrupted.

  “The key?” He got straight to the point, clearly anxious enough to seek me out rather than waiting for me to petition for an audience with him.

  I loosened the pouch and tugged out the third ancient key. I studied it only momentarily before releasing Emmeline, striding to the king, and kneeling. I bowed my head and then held out the key as my gift to him. “Your Majesty.”

  He snatched it from my outstretched hands and began to examine it. I stayed on my knees a moment longer, waiting for his words of approval, even a brief offer of thanks. But he was too busy scrutinizing the artifact.

  Steeling myself, I stood and returned to Emmeline’s side. “Since Emmeline did so well with what we requested, I suggest we give her the release of both parents.”

  The king looked up. “Since she did so well, I suggest we keep them both right where they are, as we may have use of them again.”

  “No!” Emmeline cried.

  I quickly cupped my hand over her mouth before she could say something that would only anger the king and make matters worse. She struggled against me, but at my warning glare, she ceased thrashing.

  The king watched our interaction with raised brows before returning his attention to the key.

  “Your Majesty,” I continued, “we promised we would release one of her parents—”

  “If you are to be a great king, you must learn to take advantage of people’s weaknesses whenever possible.”

  My frustration quickly reached the surface, but I had to mask it lest the king conceive it as a weakness. “If you will not do it for Emmeline, I ask that you consider freeing them for me.”