by Genia Avers
Another chair materialized and Tam sat happily by her side. When Subena caught him staring at her food, she asked him if he wanted the chocolates sitting on a golden plate near her place setting. He nodded vigorously and grabbed a candy in each hand. The little boy smiled and popped both pieces into his mouth.
At first, only Winsome spoke, but as curiosity overcame shyness, the ladies of Gatsle bombarded Subena with questions.
She enjoyed herself until Rekita spoke. “The dress you are wearing, princess, is quite beautiful.” The way the she said “princess” made the title sound dirty. “I have a gown exactly like it, only in red. With my complexion, I can wear bolder colors.” The shrew actually smiled. “I don’t generally think much of imported goods, but I do like your country’s fabrics.”
Subena glared at her, confused. “This is Gatsle fabric.”
“No.” Rekita’s second smile emanated pure malice. “It’s Mydrian. Don’t you recognize your country’s goods? I presumed it was a gift from Duke Taslin since I saw it in his carriage.”
The apple salad she’d just swallowed returned to her throat. Taslin had given her a gift? Part of her felt thrilled, but embarrassment washed over her. Wearing a gift from another man only a week after her marriage was unacceptable.
The Gastlians stared with open mouths. Winsome became fascinated with her napkin.
“I thought the dress was a gift from Kamber,” she said loudly.
“Of course you did.” The floozy didn’t believe her. Subena doubted anyone else believed her either.
Rekita leaned forward and whispered so only she could hear. “Kamber did give me my dress. I conceived that very night.”
Spots appeared in front of Subena. She found it hard to breathe. Marrying a skirt-chasing Neanderthal was one thing. Knowing his harlot carried a child was something else.
Rekita flashed an emerald ring under Subena’s nose. “He gave me this to symbolize our love. It belonged to his grandmother. You may be his wife, but I have his heart.”
Subena swallowed, envisioning calm. She would not give Rekita her desired reaction.
Tam shrieked.
Subena whirled, Rekita forgotten. Tam held his stomach. The little boy gasped for air.
Only seconds earlier, he’d seemed in perfect health. Without thinking, she lifted him onto a nearby settee. She shouted at the closest female. “Get me a compress for his head. Hurry.” Her eyes looked at another guest. “You. Get the healer.”
Subena remembered she was in Gatsle. Winsome was the child’s mother.
Her gaze darted to the queen. The monarch’s bronzed skin had grown very pale. The hand she held over her mouth was shaking.
“He probably wants his mother,” Subena prompted her. “Here, can you hold his head?”
The queen’s face grew paler, but she followed Subena’s direction. She lifted the little boy into her arms. Subena continued to rub his arms and forehead with the cold compress.
Winsome whispered, “Should we get some backa juice for the pain?”
Subena called upon her empathy, allowing her body to feel what the boy felt. Her stomach churned. The cramping sensation doubled her over.
“No.” Her voice rattled. “He needs to empty his stomach. I believe he’s eaten some bad food.” She looked at another young hovering female. “Bring soapy water.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Subena sat with her mother-in-law, the queen’s hand in hers. They’d spoken little during the two hours since Tam had fallen ill.
Winsome looked at Subena, her face ghostly. “I’m sorry about Rekita. She wasn’t invited.”
Subena blinked, surprised the queen would think of that witch with Tam in grave danger. “It’s okay. She isn’t important.”
The queen nodded. “I didn’t know how to get rid of her without causing another scene. I never know how to act around that awful creature.”
Kamber cleared his throat. Subena had sensed his presence before he’d entered the chamber. He’d overheard his mother’s words.
Ronan and Barkley followed him into the room. “How’s the little guy?” Kamber asked.
Winsome started to speak, but closed her mouth. She burst into fresh tears.
Subena stood. She walked behind the settee and patted the Queen’s shoulder. “We don’t know. The healer’s with him. I think we purged him in time.”
For Winsome’s sake, she didn’t add, “But he’s so little, we just don’t know.” Nor did she mention that she’d gotten the faintest whiff of poison.
Kamber scowled. He seemed to understand what she hadn’t said.
The next hour seemed like twelve as they waited. Ronan paced. No one talked.
Subena decided she would join Ronan in his pacing path. Just as she stood, the healer returned.
“Your Majesty,” he addressed the queen. He looked pointedly at Subena. “Did you induce vomiting?”
“I… Yes. Was that wrong?” She didn’t know why she asked. She’d done the right thing.
“You probably saved his life. The young lad was poisoned.” The healer shook his head. “If you hadn’t made him regurgitate when you did…it was a powerful potion. Too much will kill—even our kind.”
“Poisoned?” The queen looked as though she might collapse.
The healer nodded. “Do not fear. Prince Tam will be as good as new.”
Kamber narrowed his eyes and spoke directly to his mother. “Was anyone else sick?”
“No.”
“What did he eat that no one else ate?”
The queen shook her head. The motion sent a tear rolling down her cheek. “I don’t know.”
Kamber’s questions crystallized the hypothesis Subena had been forming. “The chocolates,” she whispered.
Kamber spun and met her eyes. “What?”
“My chocolates. Tam ate my chocolates.”
* * * *
Subena sat on the floor by Tam’s bed, watching him sleep. It was long past midnight, but Winsome refused to leave her son’s side, even though she desperately needed some rest. When Subena offered to stay with the boy, the queen agreed to lie on the sofa in the adjoining room.
Subena looked at Tam’s handsome little face as Winsome’s soft snores echoed through the room. It amazed her that the child had become so dear in only two days.
She felt a presence beside her and knew without looking it was Kamber. He sat down on the floor beside her. “Subena, I… Thank you for what you did. If Tam had…”
He reached for her chin, gently turning her face toward his. “I’m worried about you. When the carriage was attacked, it could’ve been me they were after, but the chocolates were meant for you. We’ve questioned the staff. No one knows how they got on your plate.”
“I gave the candy to Tam.” She bit her lip. “I could’ve killed him.” Tears blurred her vision.
Kamber embraced her. “Shhh. You didn’t poison the chocolate. You saved his life.”
He held her tighter and stroked her hair. “Tam’s fine. We have to worry about you now.”
Subena stared up at him. Her breath caught, as it always did when she looked into his beautiful eyes. “I’m fine.”
“Ronan told me about the arrow.”
“I left you a note. Didn’t you get it?”
He shook his head and pulled her tighter against his chest. “It will be all right.”
The motion pulled his tunic away revealing the jagged diamond birthmark. Her vision had just played out—very real, but nothing like her dream.
Subena huffed out a breath, doing her best to quell the dizzy sensation threatening to overtake her. She didn’t respond—she couldn’t. It was too much—the altered vision, the new place, Rekita’s claim, the arrow, the poison.
She wouldn’t cry. She tried to sit straighter, push Kamber away, but she couldn’t seem to extract herself from his arms. Correction, she didn’t want to leave his embrace.
“I figured you’d be too emotional to help me figure this out.”
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Her head popped. She searched for the appropriate words to spew at the prince, but the sleeping queen and ill child precluded a scathing retort.
She settled for an icy glare. The cad smiled back. He actually smiled.
Her fury abated as quickly as it had risen. He’d tried to make her feel better by making her mad. She closed her mouth and turned away, not wanting him to know his gesture touched her.
“We have to talk about this,” he whispered into her ear. “I trust our cook completely and she will personally see to your meals, but whoever did this may try something else. I want you to stay with me or Remington at all times. Will you do that?”
She started to say no, but his point was valid. “I don’t know.”
“Then I must take you back to Mydrias.”
“Isn’t that what you want anyway?” She jerked out of his embrace and spun to face him. “If you are rid of me, you can have Rekita.”
Her words didn’t have the fire she’d intended. They sounded petty—even to her ears.
“For a smart lady, you’re sometimes quite stupid.”
“You sleep with Rekita and have the nerve to say I’m stupid.”
“Touché.” His face looked pained. “But it’s slept with Rekita—past tense.”
If only she could believe that. If only Rekita hadn’t mentioned an unborn child. Her anger refueled. She grabbed Kamber’s ear and pinched.
“Ouch.”
Winsome’s soft snoring halted. Both she and Kamber froze.
When the sounds of the queen’s slumber resumed, Subena whispered, “So you say.”
“Say what?” Kamber looked confused.
“That Rekita is past tense. She has…never mind.” Fighting with Kamber seemed pointless while Tam struggled to fight off a deadly poison.
The prince didn’t speak for several seconds. “I sense we have much to resolve, but your safety comes first. If you don’t want me around, promise you’ll let my guards watch over you. At least for a couple of days. And…” He waited until she met his gaze. “I haven’t slept with Rekita since before our wedding. I never will again.”
Her husband had chosen his words carefully—he said he hadn’t slept with the harpy, but he hadn’t denied that he wanted to be with her. She wished she could tell him what he could do with his help, but fear triumphed over pride.
“I will allow my privacy to be invaded, but only if it isn’t you who watches me.”
He nodded, his face a mask. “I’ll send Remington.”
“All right.”
Kamber stared at her for several seconds. “Are you disappointed I didn’t assign the task to Tail-Spin? I see you’re still wearing his dress.”
Subena looked down at her clothing. She’d forgotten about the gown. The party seemed ages ago. “I thought the dress was from you.”
He smirked. “Are you kidding? I would’ve given you another equestor.” He started to say more but abruptly turned and left the room.
“So where did this dress come from?” she whispered.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Subena felt like she’d been in Gatsle for ten months instead of ten days. In addition to a fulltime bodyguard, she was under constant scrutiny. No matter what she did, where she went, people gawked.
The opera proved to be no exception. The lights dimmed, the first act began, yet people watched the royal balcony more than they watched the stage. Subena cursed the skills that made her aware of the inspection. She intensified her efforts to concentrate on the production.
“Do you want to leave?” Kamber whispered into her ear, his breath tickling her neck.
Absolutely. “No.” She held her head high, trying to emulate her mother, who’d always been able to work a crowd.
“You sure?” Her spouse squeezed her fingers reassuringly.
She nodded, finding it strange that he understood.
The prince hadn’t kept his promise about letting someone else guard her, but as he reminded her daily, he hadn’t actually promised. She’d snubbed him for two days but, Bockle help her, she’d missed him. He’d worn her down with teasing and challenging.
The cur made her laugh and she’d softened. He asked for her help with an engineering problem and she’d caved further. Finally, he’d gifted her a baby equestor, Pollina, and she’d completely melted.
I’m too easily swayed.
Worse, her body yearned for him. Afraid of yielding to temptation, she’d kept the door between their suites locked. His “good night” would echo through the walls and she’d toss and turn well into the night.
Her greatest test had come when he’d refused to let her have her crystal. She hadn’t needed it, but she knew the light would help her mood.
“That thing will kill you,” he’d scoffed.
Kamber had offered her blood instead. He’d dipped his finger into the flask and held it to her lips. She’d tried to resist, but the heady aroma and the pulse thumping in his wrist seduced her completely. After she’d licked his finger clean, he held her back against his chest and let her sip from the flask. His arm rested between her breasts, his breath caressed her neck, and moisture pooled between her legs. When desire threatened to consume her, she’d pushed away and run back to her room like the coward she was.
She frowned. The dillweed still hadn’t told her where he’d gotten the velvety liquid. It tasted too sweet to have come from rats.
Subena huffed a deep breath, glad for the darkness that gave her some respite from being on display, from worrying that she would do something wrong and her new people would detest her.
Kamber stood and bowed.
“Where are you going?” she asked. “The scene isn’t over.”
He flashed a mischievous grin and stepped into the darkness. She refused to look in the direction he’d gone, but every part of her wanted to jump up and run after him. That would be rude so she stayed in her seat. And seethed.
Jerk. How dare he leave her alone? He’d probably slipped away to rendezvous with Rekita.
The soprano began to sing, his voice clear and haunting. Unlike opera in Mydrias, this was beautiful. After a few minutes, she put Kamber out of her mind and gave herself to the music, absorbing the sound into her very soul.
Engrossed in the performance, she almost screamed when something bumped her leg. Years of etiquette training kept her from falling out of her chair.
“Shhh, little one.” Kamber laughed. The wicked man reclined in front of her, propped up on one elbow. “It’s only me so don’t make a scene. It won’t look good for Mydrias if little Bena doesn’t behave at the opera.”
She kicked at him. He caught her leg and planted a kiss on her ankle.
“Monster,” she hissed. “How did you get down there?”
“I have my ways.” He pulled his body into a sitting position, his head just below the balcony wall.
He had ways all right. Blink and he was there. Blink and he was gone.
“Stay down,” she murmured, wishing she could yell at him. “You can’t just raise your head now. People will think…”
“Now there’s an idea.” He snuggled his body against her legs.
She gasped at the implication. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Such language,” Kamber whispered. He ran a hand over her calf and lifted the hem of her skirt, folding it into her lap.
“Don’t.” She doubled her fist and struck at his shoulder. The patron in the next box turned to stare.
Subena smiled at the lady and turned her face toward the stage. She couldn’t see the performers. Embarrassment made it impossible to focus. “I said ‘stop.’”
Kamber chuckled and kissed the back of her knee.
Her options were limited. She could leave the opera box. That would cause a stir and the other theatre-goers would stare again. They might even wonder where the prince had gone.
She could sit calmly and not draw attention to herself. Any attempt to push Kamber away would make too much noise.
There was nothing she could do that wouldn’t create a scene. That meant Kamber could do whatever he wanted.
“Stop it. Now,” she whispered, covering her mouth with her program. “I swear you’ll pay for this later.”
“Ah, but it will be so worth it.” To emphasize his point, the heathen ran his hand over her thigh and kissed her other knee.
Maybe she should leave the box after all. She tried to stand, but instantly fell back into her seat.
Not smart. If she tried to move with him kneeling between her legs, she’d fall on her face.
She exhaled softly. She couldn’t just let him win.
There was one thing she could do. She could ignore him. Nothing got to a man like deflating his ego. She might have to endure his touch, but she wouldn’t let it affect her.
Why did his hands have to feel so good on her skin? Okay, she just wouldn’t let him know he affected her.
He pried her thighs apart. Mother of Bockle.
She pushed at his arm, but he was too strong. Before she attempted an all-out shove, she used her opera glasses to scan the crowd. Most people were enthralled with the drama onstage, but a few people still glanced, or openly stared, at their box. She couldn’t risk a commotion.
As she contemplated her options, she felt something cold against the edge of her upper thigh and then a faint ripping noise. Her eyes darted to see if anyone else heard.
No one seemed to have noticed. She sucked in a breath. The cad had sliced through her undergarment. What was he thinking?
Oh, mercy. He couldn’t be doing what she thought he was doing. Even in Mydrias where people pretended they hadn’t seen lovers slip away to the garden or a secret closet, no one would act lasciviously at the opera.
He wouldn’t dare.
He would. The suspense mounted, both on the stage and under her chair. Hands roamed over her bare hips. A finger stroked between her legs. A tiny squeal escaped her lips.
She slapped a hand over her mouth. How could he?
More important, why didn’t she want him to stop?
Using both hands, he rubbed her with feathery strokes. Subena tried to remember to breathe as his fingers fondled and teased, stopping just short of touching the one spot that demanded contact. She stared straight ahead, doing her best not to slump down in the chair.