Royal Escape: The Complete Series

by Peak, Renna

  Someone clears their throat beside me. Andrew.

  “I’m afraid Nick won’t be attending the ball anymore,” Andrew says. “We’re making arrangements to have him transported back to the capital as we speak. He needs the palace physicians—”

  “No. I’m going to the ball,” Nick says. He looks up at me with those stunning blue eyes. “Clara’s promised me a dance.”

  “Don’t be absurd.” His Majesty steps forward, worry making him look even sterner than usual. “Even if Nicholas weren’t injured, public events are out of the question until that bastard is caught.” He glares at me as if challenging me to defy him. Judging by the look in his eyes, I wouldn’t be surprised if he attempted to throw me in prison for speaking out against him now.

  But I’m not the one arguing. Nick stares defiantly at his father from his pillow.

  “I’m going to the ball,” he says, tightening his grip on my hand. “And I’m not going anywhere. You’ll just have to bring the palace physicians here instead.”

  “Out of the question,” the king snaps. “I’m not going to risk your life for something so frivolous.”

  The queen places her hand on her husband’s arm. “Perhaps the ball is a little optimistic,” she says gently, “but bringing the physicians here isn’t a bad idea. It will probably be faster and safer than transporting him there. We don’t want to move him unnecessarily.”

  The king might be stubborn, but he’s also quick to see sense—especially, I wager, when it comes from his beloved queen.

  “Very well,” he says. “I’ll give the order immediately. But the ball is still out of the question.” As he marches away from the bed to see it done, I give Nick a small, encouraging smile. But even I’m a little skeptical about seeing him on his feet again soon. He looks so pale, and that glazed look in his eyes makes my stomach turn.

  “I’m all right,” he says softly, reading the look in my eyes. “I’m going to be just fine.”

  “You have no idea how much it scared me, seeing Adam pop up out of nowhere and…” I can’t even say it. “There was so much blood, Nick, and they dragged me away before I could even…”

  “I know.” Feebly, he lifts my hand toward his lips and brushes a kiss against my fingertips. “But I’m all right now. You can see that I’m all right.”

  It’s still incredibly painful. And it makes it even clearer to me that something must be done about Adam—and soon.

  He squeezes my hand again, once more reading my thoughts. “This isn’t your fault, Clara.”

  It is, but I refuse to argue with him right now. I’m already trying to figure out how I might sneak out with this place so heavily guarded.

  “I love you,” I say, leaning down and kissing him tenderly on the forehead.

  When I straighten, he’s eyeing me with suspicion.

  “Promise me you won’t do anything drastic,” he says, his gaze holding mine.

  “Nick, I—”

  “Promise me. Nothing drastic. Promise me you’ll stay safe inside the manor.”

  It nearly breaks my heart to say it, but I do. “I promise.”

  Nicholas

  I spend the next couple of days drifting in and out of consciousness. There are all sorts of people about—my mother and father are here at times, nurses and doctors, my brothers—I’m pretty sure I even see William at one point. And of course, Sophia flits in and out, chirping at me the way she does.

  But through it all—every single time I open my eyes—Clara is beside me.

  “What day is it?” I ask her—I think the haze has finally cleared from my mind. I’m not certain what sorts of drugs they’ve been giving me, but whatever they were, I’ve certainly not been thinking clearly.

  “Thursday? I think?” She smiles at me. “It doesn’t matter.” She places a hand on my forehead before caressing to my cheek. “You’re still here.”

  I reach up to place my hand over hers, tilting my head to kiss the inside of her wrist. “Have I been very awful to you?”

  “Awful? You’ve been asleep.” She lets out a long breath. “And you probably still are. I guess I should be grateful for these moments of lucidity.”

  “Have there been very many?” I search my mind, but I can’t recall much after being in the garden with her. I have a vague recollection that someone told me I was stabbed—and that Adam did it—but I don’t recall much more than that.

  “Not really, no.” She smiles down at me. “And I don’t expect this one to last very long, either.”

  “You should get some rest. Get something to eat.” I kiss her wrist again. “You’ve been here every time I’ve woken up—”

  “You remember waking up?” She tilts her head. “I somehow doubt that—”

  “Bits and pieces. But you’ve been here every time.” I try to sit up, but pain sears through my flank.

  “I’ll get the nurse to get you some more pain medicine.” She pulls her hand away, but I grab it before she can stand.

  “No. I don’t want any more.” I lace my fingers through hers. “If it’s Thursday, that means the ball is in a few days.”

  She gives me a grim nod. “They decided to go ahead with it. Mostly because you told them to.” She cocks her head. “I tried to tell everyone that it wasn’t really you talking. You’ve said lots of things since they’ve had you all drugged up.”

  “Have I?” I can’t help but smile. “What sorts of things?”

  “Crazy things. Telling me you want to have fourteen children with me was the last one.” She grins. “I’m sorry, Nick. I love you, but I’m not giving you fourteen kids.”

  I laugh, but the pain makes me stop almost instantly. I rub at my side—I can’t tell what’s there exactly, other than a thick bandage.

  Clara must sense what I’m thinking. “He nicked your liver. They sewed it up, but you lost a lot of blood before they did.”

  “Ah. I seem to remember something about me needing blood.”

  She nods. “Leopold gave you a few pints. And Pax gave you a few more.”

  “Pax?” I try not to groan. I’ve forgiven him for how he’s treated me in the past, but the last thing I’d like is to owe him for anything.

  She smiles down at me. “He said you might have that reaction if you found out.”

  “He would.” I rub at my side again. “So it seems I’m going to live.”

  “It seems like it.” Her smile widens. “But you’d better not scare me like that again.”

  For a second, I consider saying something about it not being me who should scare her, but then I think better of it.

  “They haven’t caught him.” Her smile goes instantly to a frown again. “They thought…I don’t know what they thought. He stole a guard’s uniform, I guess. Now all the guardsmen are wearing their dress uniforms. And everything has to be accounted for every shift. It’s crazy—they’re counting every individual piece. I wouldn’t want to be the one in charge of that, especially for how many of those guys are running around now.”

  “Hm.” There isn’t much more I can say about it—if Adam wants to infiltrate the manor, he’s clearly smart enough to figure out how to do it. There isn’t much that’s going to stop him.

  “We’re on the third floor…I don’t know if you noticed.” She smiles down at me again. “The window doesn’t open, and there’s only one door in and out. Your dad thought it would be the safest room for you. And he has his private guards at the door. The most trusted ones or whatever.”

  I give a single nod. I suppose I should be grateful that my family is looking out for my safety, but I can’t help but think it’s probably all for naught.

  We sit in silence for a moment before I speak. “You were thinking of going to him.”

  Her smile falls, and her brow furrows. “How could you possibly know that?”

  “I just…did. I remember forcing myself to wake up—I don’t know how I knew, but I did.”

  “Near-death experience, huh?” A small smile returns to her lips. �
��I’m not going to lie, Nick. I think it might be best if I do something to get him out of here. It’s my fault—”

  “How many times do I have to tell you that his behavior is not your fault?” I shake my head. “You cannot blame yourself. And look at me…I’m fine.”

  She lets out a small laugh. “You are so not fine, Nick.” I see her eyes begin to shine with tears. “And I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you.”

  “Well, you didn’t. And it’ll take a lot more than some madman to take me away.”

  She presses her lips together, shaking her head. “That’s just it, though. That’s all it will take.”

  Clara

  The next couple of days pass slowly, but every day Nick looks better and better. Soon Nick is actually able to walk short distances with assistance, and shortly after that, he can walk without any help at all, just in time for Lord Frederick’s birthday ball. Despite the fact that Adam is still at large, they still haven’t changed their minds about going through with the celebrations—with extra security measures in place, of course. Caspar tells me it’s because his father refuses to let himself be bullied into fear by anyone, especially some psychotic American kidnapper.

  But Adam isn’t my only concern when it comes to the ball.

  “You’re still recovering,” I point out to Nick that morning. “I know you want to go, but you need to rest as much as possible. I’ll stay here with you and keep you company.”

  Nick shakes his head. “You’re not missing the ball. And neither am I. You promised to dance with me.”

  In spite of myself, I smile. “We can dance here. In the safety of this room.” And close to the physicians, just in case he extends himself too far.

  But Nick doesn’t like that idea. “I know how excited you’ve been about this ball, Clara. I don’t want you to miss it on my account.”

  “Your health and safety are more important to me than some ball. If we’re to be married then I’m sure there will be plenty of balls in my future.”

  I can tell from the look in Nick’s eyes that he’s going to be stubborn about this, though, and I doubt anything I can say will change his mind. I consider finding his father and making him talk some sense into Nick, but I doubt that will ingratiate me with either of them.

  And later, when Sophia stops by to offer to help me get ready, Nick gives me an encouraging smile. I’m not sure how to refuse. He’s right about one thing—I have been looking forward to tonight. Surely stopping by for a little while and sharing a couple of short dances can’t hurt. I’ll make sure to have Nick back in bed within an hour.

  Decision made, I give Nick a quick kiss on the forehead and follow Sophia up to the suite she’s sharing with Pax. It feels funny, walking about Wintervale Manor again after days of sitting by Nick’s side. The last week has felt like one long dream.

  “Wait until you see the dress I brought for you,” Sophia says, grinning at me as she leads me over to the closet. “You’re going to love it. And it’s going to look amazing with your hair.”

  I’ll admit it—I gasp when she shows me the gown. It’s a bright sky blue, trimmed in lace and intricate beadwork, and it features a tight bodice and a wide, sweeping skirt like a true princess dress.

  “It’s gorgeous,” I tell her, reaching out to touch the delicate neckline.

  “And I have the perfect mask for it, too,” she says. She grabs a beautiful carved wooden box and pops open the lid. Inside is an intricate mask in a hundred shades of blue, decorated with little feathers and gems that sparkle in the light.

  It’s so pretty I don’t even have words.

  “Do you like it?” she asks me.

  “I love it.” And I can’t believe I get to wear it.

  “Then go ahead and try it all on,” she says. “Let’s see how you look.”

  She doesn’t have to tell me twice. In no time at all I’m wearing both the gown and the mask and twirling in front of the closet’s mirror, feeling every bit the princess.

  “You look amazing,” she tells me. She’s already put on her dress for the night, too—a lovely scarlet gown with shimmery black embroidery. Her mask is black with dark red fabric roses growing out of the sides. “I think you should wear your hair half up. What do you think?”

  I’m willing to defer to her opinion. Honestly, I can’t stop staring in the mirror long enough to come up with any opinions of my own.

  Fortunately, Sophia has a maid who knows just what to do with my hair. By the time she’s done with me, the top section of my hair has been twisted up and secured with a sapphire-studded clip, while the bottom section of my hair spills down across my shoulders in loose curls.

  “Nick is going to lose his mind when he sees you,” Sophia says, grinning.

  I hope so. I can’t help but smile back at Sophia. Nick was right after all—I would have been incredibly disappointed to miss tonight’s event. I still plan to have Nick back in bed within an hour, but until then, I plan to enjoy every minute of the festivities.

  A knock sounds on the door, and Sophia shoots me one more smile before going to answer it.

  To my surprise, Caspar is standing there. He’s dressed as formally as Sophia and I am, in an emerald green suit with gold embroidery. His mask is gold and reminiscent of an eagle’s noble face.

  “Your Highness,” he says, bowing to Sophia. “And Ms. Weaver. I was told I might find you here.”

  Until this moment, I’d completely forgotten that I’d agreed to be Caspar’s date to the ball—not that I had much say in the matter, but a promise is a promise. Still, I hesitate as I look at his outstretched hand.

  He seems to read my mind.

  “Nicholas is being accompanied to the ballroom by a small contingent of his father’s guards,” he says. “He’ll meet you there.”

  Then I guess there’s no reason to delay. I take Caspar’s hand and glance at Sophia.

  “Pax should be here any minute to get me,” she says. “I asked him to get ready in Leo’s rooms so he’d be surprised when he sees me.”

  I nod and let Caspar sweep me out of the room.

  I underestimated how heavy this gown would be, but I still feel like I’m floating on air as we head down the long hallways together. The skirt swirls about me as I walk, just begging me for a good twirl, but I resist. Instead, my mind starts to wander to the more serious concerns of the evening—namely, keeping Nick safe.

  “The ballroom has been heavily secured,” Caspar tells me, once again guessing my thoughts. “There are guards stationed at every entrance and every window. Anyone who wishes to enter or exit—servants included—must remove their masks.”

  I nod. “That’s good.” I’d like to say that Adam isn’t foolish enough to attempt to enter the manor now, but honestly, I don’t know if that’s the truth. I just have to trust that the guards know what they’re doing. That’s not my only concern tonight, though.

  “Promise me one thing,” I say to Casper. “Swear that you’ll go easy on Nick tonight. I know he’s fun to tease, but—”

  “Even my brothers and I have our limits,” he replies. “Nicholas has been through an ordeal this week, and his recovery is more important than a few jokes. You may consider our little prank war on hold until further notice.”

  His warm smile appears genuine, and I smile right back. “Good. Thank you.”

  “Tonight, we just want you to enjoy yourself,” he says. “Nicholas, too.”

  We’ve reached the corridor just outside Wintervale Manor’s main ballroom, and I can already hear music and the hum of voices coming from inside. I can’t believe I’m about to attend my first ball.

  “Are you ready?” Caspar asks, his blue eyes bright with excitement.

  Am I ever.

  “Lead the way,” I tell him, grinning. I’m practically shaking with excitement.

  He ushers me towards the guards at the door, and for the first time since arriving in Montovia, I feel like an actual princess.

  Nicholas
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br />   Every step I take hurts more than the last, but I refuse to miss out on this ball—if only to see how much Clara is going to enjoy herself. Personally, I’ve never understood the fascination women have with these masquerade balls, but I know Clara has been looking forward to it since we found out about it after our arrival in Wintervale.

  Of all people, Pax is the one helping me to get to the ballroom. Sophia is on my other side, but she isn’t able to do much more than keep me from bumping into things. Of course, the Guard surrounds us on all sides, but Pax has his arm slung around my waist—perhaps I should have taken up the offer of a wheelchair, or even a cane.

  We have to stop to rest far more times than I can count before we make it to the ballroom. I feel ridiculous in my costume, but Sophia insists it matches perfectly with Clara’s outfit. Mine is a dark grey suit—complete with a cape—and my mask has ridiculous feathers plastered upon it, surely Sophia’s doing.

  I try to ignore the pain in my side, but I’m sure that tonight I’ll have to take quite a lot of pain medication.

  I suppose I shouldn’t have come, but I want nothing more than my dance with Clara. I can’t even really say why it’s so important to me, only that it is. And I want to prove that madman wrong—he may have knocked me down for a short while, but nothing is going to keep me from the woman I love.

  Pax and Sophia help me to a table near the entrance, carefully placing me in a seat before they go off to dance. I search the room for Clara—it isn’t difficult to find her. I’d be surprised if all eyes weren’t on her. Her dress is beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as she is.

  I can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy in my gut as I watch Caspar twirl her around the room. That should be me, I think. And if only I could get past the pain that takes over my body every time I stand, it would be me.

  I think for a moment that I’ll ring the physician and have her bring me some pain medication after all—it might help me to be able to stand for longer than a few moments, which I suppose I should have thought of when it was offered to me earlier.