The countess laughed. "And what are you here for, then, your grace?" she said in a low tone. Her brow was raised to her hairline in question.
"I am here for Her Majesty's pleasure, as we all are," I replied and motioned to Queen Celeste. The queen threw her head back in laughter at that same moment. The court ladies who surrounded her did the same; their twittering sounded like a flock of birds. A servant stood by with a platter of grapes, and the queen plucked one and popped it into her mouth.
"Yes, I can see that." The countess smirked. "Have you met my companion?" She motioned towards Antoinette. "I found this charming creature wandering about the palace, quite lost."
"I have not had the pleasure, mademoiselle." I bowed to Antoinette.
She giggled. "Thank you, madame."
"The duchess is the ambassador's wife. You should address her as 'your grace'," the countess corrected, not unkindly.
Antoinette looked up at me, her eyes wide. "I am so sorry, your grace, forgive me. I am rather new to these courtesies." She blushed and lowered her eyes.
"Think nothing of it. I was not born a duchess. I married above my station, one might say. I have not seen you at court before; did you recently arrive?"
Her smile faltered. "I am new to court, but I shall only be here for a time, I suspect." She fidgeted in her seat and touched a tendril that had come loose from her hair. She twirled it around her finger and gazed about the garden. "I would love to stay here forever. It's like something out of a fairytale." She sighed.
What is she doing here? Are the players performing? I glanced around, expecting to see Elenna, but I saw no sign of the other players. I regarded Antoinette as if staring at her would yield answers to my unasked questions. Or does the countess know who I really am and she is using Antoinette to taunt me. Why else would one of the players be here?
"Duchess Sixton, if I could have your ear on a matter that has perplexed me as of late, I would be forever in your debt," Countess Lorelle said.
I looked back to the countess. "I would be happy to help in any way I can."
"There seems to be an increase in the Danhadine soldiers about the palace. I wondered if your husband may have wanted to increase the guard around his new bride." She smiled, but it was a calculating smile. Her gaze flickered towards the queen, and I looked back over at her. The guards that stood a few feet away were wearing royal colors of gold and crimson, but when I looked closer, I realized that their features were fair. The queen is being attended by Danhadine guards. Is this the reason the Danhadine soldiers came to the palace, to guard the royal family? Why? Was this part of Adair and the Order's plan?
I laughed. What are you trying to discover? I was undecided if she was a friend or a foe. I was sure she had slipped the tonic into Jon's drink, which had made him behave strangely, but she was also working with Damara.
"I think not. Perhaps they are a gift from our new queen. She is of Neaux descent. Perhaps she has sent them to guard her mother. With so much of the Neaux force in the south, the family would be vulnerable to attack," I replied.
"I have heard it said if you fear assault, you need only look within to prevent it."
A chill ran up my spine. Are you warning me? Or are you toying with me? A servant came around with a platter that held cups of wine. I took one and took a long draught to take the edge off my nerves. The countess smiled at the servant and took a cup from him. Antoinette waved off the wine.
"I think I have had too much sun," Antoinette announced. "I am going to retire inside, if you'll excuse me." She stood and brushed past me. I took little notice because I was focused upon the countess.
"That girl has a few secrets," the countess said in a low whisper.
I glanced over towards Antoinette. She was at the garden's edge and speaking with someone in the shadows of a large oak tree. She smiled and tossed her head as she spoke with them. She reached out to touch them, and the hand batted her away. Is this her mysterious admirer? Then he was a lord, but which lord?
"And do you know what secret she holds?" I asked.
The countess shrugged. "Mayhap. You could ask me if you wanted."
I did not like the teasing tone, and I suspected it was a trap. I glanced back to where Antoinette had been, but she was gone. "I thank you, but I'd rather not meddle in others' affairs." I bowed and took my leave of her. Johai trailed after me. She had information to give, but I was not certain I was willing to take the bait just yet. Whatever reason Damara had for working for the countess, I would have to wait to find out. For now, I was curious who this mysterious admirer of Antoinette's was. I wanted to find out more without the countess' help. I walked at first towards the garden path that led out of the garden and then edged around the clearing, pretending to admire the flower beds and decorative touches that had been set about.
"That girl is from the playhouse," I told Johai as we walked. "She mentioned to me a lord who had called upon her. I do not think it is coincidence that she is here now."
There was a hidden pathway between two oak trees where Antoinette had been speaking with the man. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching. The countess had gone to the far side of the garden, and her back was turned to me. I hurried down the path with Johai behind me.
I heard voices before I saw the figures. The pathway divided in two, and Princess Arlene stood at the crossroads. She and the lord of the privy seal, Eeland, were speaking together with their backs turned towards me. She was gesturing with her hands, and he nodded his head as she spoke. I wished I had a reason to walk over there and see what they were talking about in such impassioned whispers, but nothing came to mind that would not be transparent as to my motives. I already suspected that she questioned my position at court.
"I could cloak us so we could get closer," Johai offered, seemingly reading my thoughts.
I shook my head. I dared not risk using any more of his power. Not after he had lost control. Adjacent to where they stood was some thick brush that was overgrown just enough for me to hide behind. The trees were thinner there, and the ground was covered in soft leaves, damp and rotting after a recent rainfall. If I were to walk along the other side, I could hear their conversation undetected. I motioned to Johai, and we crept along the bushes until the sound of their voices drifted through the thick foliage.
"She does not go anywhere unless she is attended by one of the Danhadine guards," Eeland said.
"Has she met alone with my uncle?" Arlene asked.
"Not that I have seen, nor have my eyes and ears."
Arlene sighed. "She is cleverer than I would have given her credit for. Even now my father continues to waste away while she revels."
"She is secure in her position and her allies."
"For now. What of the council; have the open positions been filled?"
"Everything has been done to your specifications. What of the ambassador and his wife?"
My heart clenched in my chest. Johai grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me close to his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat calmed me.
"He does not seem a real threat, but I was told his wife was seen with the prince at the banquet."
"Do you think she is one of them?"
"My sources say no. She is an anomaly."
"She is, and that is why I want the rumors to continue. No one shall welcome her to their home. The less she learns, the safer our plans shall be."
"As you wish."
Their footsteps faded away, and I stood glued to the spot. Johai's breath fanned across my neck and brought me back to the present. The princess suspected me and had spread a rumor to turn the court opinion against me. She was more formidable than I had accounted for. As for her plans, I was certain they were designs for the throne. How does this relate to Sarelle? How does this help me to save Johai?
Johai shook me gently. "We should go before we are seen."
I nodded, my head in a fog. "Yes, you're right." I gave up on finding Antoinette. She and her suitor were
long gone by now.
We returned to the villa, and I retired early without supper. I was feeling defeated and confused. I changed into a night shift and fell onto the down-filled mattress. I cocooned myself in blankets and let the feeling of the blankets' embrace lull me to sleep. When I slept, I dreamed.
"Princess," a voice murmured behind me. I turned to face the speaker. A servant bowed low as I looked down at them imperiously. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, the king is dead."
My stomach clenched with panic. "I see."
The servant nodded and twisted his hands together. "Prince Reynard has claimed the throne as his own."
A sigh escaped my lips, a great gush of air that seemed to take all life out of me. "It comes to this, then." I felt weary, but I knew what must be done, for the good of the kingdom. "Gather the men. We must fight for the kingdom."
The scene altered, and I was sitting beside a shrouded body. Blood-red curtains were pulled back to reveal a gaunt man, his eyes closed and hands folded over his chest.
"I will do my best for the kingdom, Father." I kissed his cold brow before standing up and turning to face Eeland. I spoke to him. "I leave matters in your hands. I must look to our allies to help us do what is right for this kingdom."
"May your ancestors guide you on your quest, Princess."
I nodded and turned to leave, but a woman was standing in the doorway. Elenna tilted her head to regard me. "Princess Arlene is the key to the kingdom. You must trust her to find the answers you seek."
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" I asked.
Elenna only smiled. "You weren't ready yet."
I awoke late at night. My fire had long since died down, and the stars were struggling through the sheer curtains at my window. I sat up and pressed a finger to my temple. I had been inside the princess. What did it mean? She wanted the throne; I knew that much. All of Sanore knew she had designs for the throne. She had made it no secret. But what did it mean if Reynard took the throne? Was I meant to stop him? Was he Princess Arlene Sarelle's killer? What were these clues telling me? Elenna never spoke of her visitation to my dreams, and I wondered if it was reality or a manifestation of the prophecy.
Whatever the case, I was inclined to heed her advice. It appeared Princess Arlene suspected her mother and uncle of some foul play. I shivered to think of Reynard dancing to Adair's whims. If Reynard was Adair's puppet, then that meant the throne of Neaux may very well be within his grasp. Perhaps he had placed those Danhadine soldiers around the queen to control her. But why? I had thought Arlene was an enemy. I was convinced she had killed Sarelle, but if Reynard were to take the throne and he was in the Order, that would mean Adair won, and I could not abide that.
I felt restless and decided I needed a moment to think. I got up and put on my housecoat. I padded down the hall to Jon's study. The light was on when I approached. I eased open the door and saw a figure silhouetted against the fireplace.
Johai turned around, having heard my entry.
"Maea." He was perplexed and maybe a bit happy. I slipped inside, closing the door after me. "What are you doing up at this hour?" he asked.
I stood with my back against the door. I had been trying so hard to put distance between Johai and I. I feared him as much as I was drawn to him. With his hair down loose at his shoulders and a book in his hand, his place marked with his thumb, it was the closest he had been to his old self in a long while. Despite that, I knew it was better if I turned around and left. Nothing good could come of a union between us, yet when I saw him like this, surrounded by books and bathed in flickering firelight, my affection for him was awoken. I should leave, I thought. We should not be alone.
My heart would not listen to my brain. I wanted to be near him, the real him, even if it was just for a moment.
"I had a premonition of King Reginald's death. When that happens, Prince Reynard will claim the throne as his own."
Johai studied my face and then said, "It is his right as the second in line to the throne."
"True, but I fear he is in Adair's pocket. The night of the victory feast, I saw the Order's emblem on his breast. He is one of them; I am sure of it."
Johai paced before the fireplace. "This is troubling news, indeed. Have you consulted the water? Maybe there is more to it than your dreams reveal."
I turned away from him and crossed my hands over my chest. "I have not sought out the sight since we left Keisan. I will not."
He stopped pacing, and silence stretched out. "Why?" he asked.
I considered running away. I did not want to face the truth. He came over to me and grabbed my forearm. I turned around and upturned my gaze to him. His eyes were the magnificent blue I knew and loved. There was no hint of the specter in them.
"I'm afraid," I exhaled.
He wrapped his arms around me and brought my head to rest against his chest. No words were exchanged, but I clung to the back of his shirt, hesitant to let go. Maybe if I held on, I would never have to let go and things would be different for us. Perhaps we could be together and there would be no dire prophecies or looming threats. But that was not our lot.
He pulled away and then took a few steps back, putting distance between us. The fact remained that I had cut off any hope for us the moment I agreed to be Jon's wife. I could see that recognition in his eyes, and I hated myself for hurting him this way.
"I am not going to scold you or instruct you on your decisions, but I am sure you are aware if Adair gets control of Neaux, it will effect much more than our fates." He gestured between us.
I fought back the overwhelming emotion that threatened to strangle me. "You're right. I will look but not yet."
"Very well." He turned to face away from me then. "The hour grows late. I shall retire to bed." The unspoken 'as should you' lay between us. We were gifted these rare moments in the twilight hours, and once the daylight came, he would be lost to me once more. The pair of us were tangled up in these threads, unable to escape, and I could not help but feel guilty for it.
"I think I shall return to my chamber, as well. Good night, Johai."
"Good night, Maea."
I grasped the sound of my name coming from his lips. I held it close to my heart. I slipped back into my bedchamber and curled up into a ball, bringing my knees to my chest, and for the first time in a long time, I wept. Only in the dark will I reveal my weakness. When the daylight comes, I will do what I must. Still I held that lingering moment where I had been in Johai's arms and I had felt safe for a time. And with that, I finally fell asleep.
Chapter Seventeen
QUEEN CELESTE WAS ATTENDED by Danhadine guards. Prince Reynard wore the emblem of the Order of the Oak. Princess Arlene gifted land to Princess Sarelle, which Prince Reynard inherited. Princess Sarelle died in a hunting accident, just as Princess Arlene's betrothed had. One of these three had a hand in Sarelle's murder. If I unlocked the murder, I could save Johai. My dream of Arlene had only confused me further. She wanted the crown. Prince Reynard was set to inherit after his brother. Are they allies, or is it a farce? Is the queen in bed with Danhad, or is she, too, being used? The Elenna in my dreams said Arlene was the key. What does she unlock, Sarelle's murder or something else entirely?
I paced the study and thought. My mind was a twisted pathway without conclusion. Jon came in as the twilight was settling in and sat at his desk, with his feet propped up.
"Are you going to pace around forevermore?" he teased.
I did not even stop to scowl at him. My mind continued to loop through what I knew. He laughed and picked up a piece of parchment I had written notes on.
"Arlene seems most likely, which makes me think she did not have a hand in Sarelle's death," Jon said.
I stopped pacing to frown at him. "What led you to that conclusion?" Is he tricking me or purposefully leading me off track? Then why would he have helped me up until now? My head felt likely to burst.
He shrugged. "Arlene's betrothed died when he was thrown from a horse. Princess
Sarelle died in a similar manner. On the surface it appears to be a correlation, but considering her death occurred within a month of her engagement to Prince Reynard, it would seem someone did not want their marriage to happen."
"Then it must be Arlene," I said.
"Why do you say that?"
"She has the motive. She wants the throne in her uncle's place."
"Yes, but you have seen the princess and spoken with her. Does she seem the type to engage in subterfuge?"
"She is using the lord privy seal to spy for her on the queen." I bristled defensively. Princess Arlene was my number-one suspect.
"Why do you think she is spying on the queen, then?"
My frown deepened as I considered his question. Initially, I had assumed she was trying to see if Reynard was contacting the queen. "She suspects the queen of something, or she is trying to get information that the queen has." I frowned as the realization dawned on me.
"Exactly." He winked.
"If you knew this, why did you not tell me before?" I pointed a finger at him.
He laughed. "I didn't know. It was here in your scribbling. The answers were there before you, but you just needed to pluck them out."
I scowled at him then.
"You should not make such a face. It does not suit your beauty." He smiled and sauntered over to me. He brushed a curling tendril away from my cheek.
I turned my head away. I may be his wife in name but nothing else.
"What will you do now?"
The decision became clear. I must speak with Princess Arlene, and I had just the bait to tempt her. "Send for Countess Lorelle."
Now Jon frowned. "Why the countess?"
"Call it a hunch." I smiled.
Jon shook his head but did as I bid, calling for a servant to deliver my letter. The countess was trying to tell me something, I suspected, and she was working with Damara, of that I was certain. The time was coming for me to reveal myself to my allies. I was tired of hiding behind the glamour. The countess responded to my letter that same evening, and a meeting was arranged for the following day. As I placed my pieces upon the board, I only hoped I had planned true and those whom I had put my trust in could be trusted.
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