With a frightened whimper, Eviana wrapped her arms around Gwennore’s legs.
“Oh, my!” Queen Freya pressed a hand to her chest as she straightened. “Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” several of her ladies-in-waiting murmured.
Gwennore cleared her throat. “Your Majesty, may I present Eviana, the daughter of Queen Luci—”
“Eviana?” Queen Freya looked confused for a moment, then nodded with a smile. “Yes, of course. That is what I named her. I chose a lovely name, didn’t I?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” another of her ladies answered.
Gwennore gave the ladies-in-waiting a wary look. Why were they agreeing? “I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but Eviana was named by her mother, Queen Luciana of Eber—”
“Liar!” Anger flashed in the queen’s eyes. “The child is mine. I was in labor all yesterday and last night.”
“This little girl is three years—”
“I would know my own baby!” the queen interrupted Gwennore. “She is mine. Is she not, Captain?”
Karlan nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Gwennore shot him an astonished look, and he turned away, avoiding her gaze. She glanced at the ladies-in-waiting, but they, too, refused to look at her.
“She looks just like her father, King Petras.” Freya smiled at Eviana. “She has his black hair and green eyes.”
“Her father is King Leofric—”
“You lie!” Freya glared at her. When she waved a hand imperiously, the sun glistened off her ruby rings. “Who is this elfin woman?”
“Her name is Gwennore, Your Majesty,” Karlan replied.
Freya narrowed her eyes. “Why is she here? Has she come from Woodwyn to steal my baby?”
“Your Majesty, I would never harm Eviana.” Gwennore held the girl close. At first, she’d thought the queen was merely deceitful, but now she had a terrible feeling that the queen actually believed Eviana was hers.
Gwennore glanced at the others, but they all looked away, their faces shuttered with embarrassment and guilt. Good goddesses. The truth struck her hard.
The queen was mad. And all these people knew it.
“Give her to me!” Freya made a grab at Eviana’s arm, and the little girl screamed.
“You’re frightening her.” Gwennore stopped the queen by grasping her around the wrist. The contact immediately triggered her gift, and she gasped at how quickly she was bombarded with information. Never had her gift reacted this strongly. But then, never had she touched someone this ill.
Sickness permeated the queen’s entire body. How she even managed to stand was a miracle.
Freya tried to yank her hand away, but Gwennore tightened her grip and concentrated. The queen’s mind and body were deteriorating, but why? She was so close to seeing the cause.
“Let go of me!” Freya screamed.
Poison. “Your Majesty, I can help—”
“How dare you touch me!” Freya wrenched her hand away and stumbled, nearly losing her balance. “Arrest her!”
“Your Majesty.” Gwennore reached out to steady her. “I can help you. I’m a—”
“You’re an assassin!” Freya slapped her hand away. “You came here to kill me and my baby! Arrest her!”
Karlan and one of his guards grabbed Gwennore. Eviana wailed, clinging to her skirt.
“Please, Your Majesty,” Gwennore pleaded. She knew the queen didn’t care about her, but surely, she cared for the child she believed was hers. “This is frightening Eviana. Let me take her someplace quiet so she can rest.”
“You are going to the dungeon,” Freya announced. “And then tomorrow, I will decide whether you live or die.”
Gwennore’s heart lurched. Good goddesses, how could she escape this? She couldn’t reason with a woman who was mad. She looked around frantically. All the gates were shut and guarded. And Eberon was so far away. Could the dragon help her? Puff, can you hear me? I’m in trouble!
“Take her away!” Freya waved her hand.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Karlan tugged at Gwennore, and she stumbled. Eviana clung to her, crying.
Gwennore struggled to breathe as panic threatened to swallow her whole. This couldn’t be happening. It was a nightmare, and she needed to wake up. Now.
“Release her.” A deep, compelling voice echoed across the courtyard.
Immediately the guards let go. Gwennore fell to her knees as she pulled Eviana close. Am I waking up now? Will we be back in the nursery at Ebton Palace? Please let it be so. Then Eviana would have no memory of today.
Karlan came to attention, tapping a fist against his chest. Each of the guards did the same.
The queen turned toward the northwestern tower. Her ladies-in-waiting gave a collective sigh.
Thump, thump, thump. The sound of booted feet echoed across the courtyard.
Gwennore rose shakily to her feet to face the newcomers. The late-afternoon sun shone into the courtyard at an angle, casting much of the western portion in shadow, so she couldn’t see the men clearly.
There were three of them, tall with long-legged strides. The one in front had set the pace, and the two flanking him had matched it, so all three sets of boots rang out in unison.
Thump, thump, thump, thump. They walked—no, stalked—toward her, for their strides were powerful and determined. While they were in shadow, she could only see that they were dressed alike. Army uniforms, perhaps, since Karlan and his guards were still standing at attention.
As the first man stepped into the sunlight, the ladies-in-waiting gave another collective sigh. And Gwennore’s heart stilled in her chest.
He was beautiful. His hair, black and wavy, ended at his shoulders. Incredibly broad shoulders. The cut of his jaw, the sharpness of his cheekbones, the smooth breadth of his brow, pale against the dark slashes of his eyebrows—it all added up to make a remarkably handsome man. And his eyes, a brilliant green, were looking at her.
With a jerk, she pulled her gaze away so she wouldn’t be caught gawking at him. The other two men were visible now. Not quite as handsome, but their looks and uniforms were similar. Brown leather boots and breeches. Leather breastplates over dark-green shirts. Their green capes billowed behind them as they crossed the courtyard.
Her gaze drifted back to the one who was watching her. He was more than beautiful. There was an aura of power about him. He must be the general that Puff had said would come, for he looked capable of controlling an entire army. Even the fiercest of dragons would obey his command.
Goddesses help her, she no longer wanted this to be a dream. For even with all the danger around her, she wanted this man to be real. She wanted him to be the tall and handsome stranger that the Telling Stones foretold.
Three. The numbered stone could refer to the three men. Or Eviana turning three. And the colored stones—with a small shock she realized they were the same as his uniform.
Green and brown.
Chapter Three
As the three men came to a stop, Gwennore noted that the ladies-in-waiting were curtsying, so she did, too.
Karlan bowed. “My lord general.”
“At ease,” the gorgeous man in the middle said.
Freya rushed to his side. “Silas, you arrived just in time. I’ve discovered an assassin.” She pointed at Gwennore. “You should arrest her!”
Gwennore popped up from her curtsy, ready to defend herself. But before she could say anything, the general had enveloped the queen’s hand in his own and turned her away.
“Your Majesty.” He flashed a smile that caused a few of the ladies to stumble as they rose from their curtsies. “I came as quickly as I could after hearing the news. May I congratulate you on the birth of your daughter?”
“Why, yes.” Freya blushed. “Thank you. I was in labor a dreadfully long time, you know.”
“Yes, so I hear.” He patted her hand. “But thank the Light, you and the babe are doing remarkably well.”
What nonsense was
this? The gorgeous general was acting like the others—playing along with the queen’s delusion. Gwennore drew in a deep breath to voice her objection, but the general shot her a warning look with his sharp green eyes.
When she lifted her eyebrows as if to question him, he inclined his head ever so slightly. He’s asking me to trust him. It was as clear as if he had spoken. For a moment she wondered if she was experiencing a mental connection with him like she had with Puff.
Don’t jump to conclusions, she chided herself. She was only hoping for a connection because he was the most handsome man she’d ever met.
Something flared in his eyes, a spark of gold in the emerald green, and her knees grew weak. Good goddesses, was she about to swoon like these other silly women? She needed to be stronger than this.
“Thank you, Silas,” Freya said, drawing his attention back to her. “Doesn’t the baby look just like her father?”
“Yes, indeed.” The general glanced at Eviana, who was still clinging to Gwennore’s legs. “And to mark the occasion, I have brought you a gift.” He motioned to Gwennore. “A nanny. As you can see, the princess has already developed a special fondness for her.”
Freya gasped. “You brought the elf here?”
“Of course.” He gave Gwennore a wry look as if he was daring her to contradict him. “She’s a noblewoman I captured some time ago in battle, but since then, she’s learned our language and proven herself quite useful.”
So General Gorgeous had no problem spinning lies or manipulating a madwoman. Gwennore snorted. But since she was in danger of being imprisoned and even executed, she was not in any position to reject his solution.
Even so, she wondered if she could actually trust him. As the general of the Norveshki army, wouldn’t he see her as an enemy?
“We dare not trust an elf,” Freya muttered. “She could be a spy. Or an assassin.”
“We can trust her,” the general insisted. “Lady Gwennore cares deeply for the princess. Enough to risk her life for her.”
Gwennore’s heart lurched into a fast pace. He knew her name? And what she’d done? Puff must have told him everything that had happened. That meant General Gorgeous could hear dragon voices, too. It made sense, she figured, since his job would require him to communicate with dragons. But did that mean he had ordered the first dragon to kidnap Eviana? Or perhaps, he had ordered Puff to try to stop the kidnapping. Which side was he on?
“But elves are such violent creatures,” Freya whined.
“They are fierce warriors, that is true,” the general agreed. “That is why Lady Gwennore will make an excellent nanny. No one will protect your daughter as well as she.”
“Well…” Freya looked confused. Her hands fluttered around her chest, causing the rubies to sparkle in the afternoon sun. “I suppose we can give her a try.”
“Excellent.” He turned toward Karlan. “You and your men may return to your posts.”
Gwennore exhaled with relief. She wasn’t going to the dungeon. And as the official nanny, she could remain close to Eviana.
“And remember.” The general stepped closer to Karlan and added softly, “Lady Gwennore is my guest. She will be treated with respect.”
“Yes, my lord.” Karlan motioned for his men to follow him back to the main gatehouse.
With Gwennore’s superior hearing, she’d heard the general’s whisper. He had to be on her side. For one thing, he kept referring to her as a lady. The status of noblewoman would shield her from any physical abuse during her stay here in Draven Castle.
So, most probably, she had two allies in Norveshka—Puff and General Gorgeous. She could only hope they would both prove to be trustworthy and honorable.
The general turned to the nearest lady-in-waiting. “Your name, please?”
The woman stumbled back a step. “O-Olenka, my lord general.”
“Lady Olenka, would you please escort Lady Gwennore and the princess to the nursery? And make sure they are well taken care of.”
“Yes, yes, of course, my lord general.” Olenka nodded, then curtsied again.
“I’ll drop by to check on you later.” The general shot a pointed look at Gwennore. “Till then.”
Gwennore inclined her head, understanding he intended to have a talk with her. That was fine. She needed to talk to him, too.
“Oh, everything will be perfect, my lord general! You can trust me.” Olenka motioned for Gwennore to follow her. “Come along now.”
Gwennore lifted Eviana in her arms and walked toward Lady Olenka. As she passed the queen, she bowed her head. “Good day, Your Majesty.”
Freya narrowed her eyes. “If anything happens to my daughter, I’ll have your head. I will not lose another child!”
Another child? How many had the queen lost? “I will protect her with my life,” Gwennore told her, then followed Lady Olenka toward the northwestern tower.
As she neared the general’s two companions, she noted there was a slight difference in their uniforms. One had three brass stars embedded in his leather breastplate, while the other had two. Did that mean they were officers? The general had four stars on his breastplate.
These men were handsome like the general—tall, muscular, long dark hair. No doubt they knew how to make a few ladies swoon. She blinked in surprise when they both smiled at her.
The general cleared his throat. “Aleksi, see if His Majesty is available. I need to speak to him.”
The one with two stars nodded. “Yes, my lord.”
“And Dimitri.” The general addressed the other officer. “You will go to the nursery and stand guard.”
Dimitri stiffened. “The nursery?”
“You’ve been promoted to chief babysitter.” Aleksi smirked, then winced when Dimitri elbowed him in the ribs.
“Aye, and he’ll be damned good at it.” The general waved at the two men. “Go.”
Even though the general’s voice was brusque, Gwennore didn’t miss the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. The two men saluted him, giving him wry looks. As Aleksi strode toward the northern wing, Dimitri headed toward the northwestern tower with Lady Olenka and Gwennore.
“By the Light, my heart is still pounding,” Olenka whispered as they neared a large double door. She glanced back at the general and sighed dramatically. “Did you hear him? He called me by my name.”
Gwennore snorted. “What else would he call you?” With her superior hearing, she caught the rest of the general’s conversation with the queen.
“Your Majesty.” He tucked her hand under his arm. “You must be exhausted. Please allow me to escort you back to your suite, so you can rest.”
“That is very kind of you, Silas.” The queen went meekly along with him while the other ladies-in-waiting followed. “I fear I’m not feeling quite myself these days.”
“Yes, I gathered that,” the general said, and the melancholy tone of his voice pricked at Gwennore’s heart. He did feel sorry for the queen after all.
“This way.” Olenka opened the door to enter the square-shaped tower. “Quickly now!”
Gwennore looked around as she stepped into the foyer. It was rather plain with a stone-paved floor and unadorned wooden paneling along the walls. The only furniture was a wooden table topped with seven pillar candles. The candles were marked with the hours of the day, and the lit one had burned down to early evening. The large, circular tray the candles sat on was decorated with seven jewels around the perimeter. A small metal arrow pointed toward the ruby. For Rubeday, she realized.
“Look,” she whispered in Eberoni to the little girl in her arms. “’Tis a weekly clock.”
Eviana turned her head to look. “It’s pwetty. Gwennie, when are we going home?”
“Soon, sweetie.” I hope.
“I don’t like it here. I can’t undesand anybody.” Eviana wrinkled her nose. “And my clothes are wet.”
Gwennore brushed back the little girl’s hair. “We’ll find something else for ye to wear. And give ye a bath. And have
something to eat, all right?”
Eviana nodded.
“Will you please stop dawdling?” Olenka fussed in Norveshki as she rushed up the stairs. “We must hurry! The general will be checking on us soon, and we mustn’t disappoint him.”
Gwennore suppressed an urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she muttered in Eberoni, “Does he cause the sun to rise in the morning?”
Dimitri choked back a laugh.
Gwennore winced. Apparently, the officer had understood her. “Sorry.”
He stepped closer and said in Eberoni, “The nursery is on the top floor. Shall I carry the child for you?”
Eviana tightened her grip around Gwennore’s neck and buried her face against her shoulder.
Gwennore smiled. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll have to keep her with me.”
Dimitri nodded, then switched to Norveshki. “I’m sure it’s been a difficult day for you both.”
Olenka stopped on the first landing of the stairs and glared down at them. “What’s taking you so long?”
“We’re coming.” Gwennore started up the stairs, slowly since she was carrying Eviana. She winced as the little girl’s wet clothes soaked into her bodice.
“I have to make sure everything’s perfect.” Olenka frowned as she smoothed her hands over the skirt of her burgundy gown. “If we hurry, I might have time to change clothes. But should I wear something bright and bold?” She struck a dramatic pose. “Or something more soft and sedate.” She folded her hands primly together.
Gwennore groaned inwardly. “I think the gown you’re wearing is perfectly lovely.”
Olenka sneered at her. “What would an elf know about anything?” She turned to Dimitri, who was trudging up the stairs. “Tell me, Colonel. What sort of woman does the general prefer?”
He gave her a wry look. “One with good manners.”
“Ah.” Olenka waved a dismissive hand. “Well, I have that covered.”
When Dimitri snorted, Gwennore bit her lip to keep from smiling.
Olenka brushed back a red curl from her brow. “If only I had washed my hair this morning!”
Gwennore sighed as she reached the landing. “There are more important things to fret about.” Like how traumatized Eviana would be. Or how soon she could get the child back home.
Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon--A Novel of the Embraced Page 4