As they waited to be received, Lyneah kissed Tobey's hand. But that wasn't enough for him, so he kissed her lips as well. He would have kissed her again, and deeper, if not for the fact that Princess Isabella entered the foyer.
“Good day.” Princess Isabella dipped into a curtsy as she greeted her guest. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Queen Lyneah.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you... Isabella? Is that correct?”
“Yes. I am Isabella.” The girl's thin, pale lips were pulled into a forced smile. Isabella was such a diminutive girl, she looked even younger than her seventeen years. Lyneah was hardly tall, but Isabella was even smaller. “I'm sure it seems odd that I'm the one who's greeting you. It should have been my father, but he's been ill, and now my stepmother isn't well. Neither of them will be joining us for supper, I'm afraid.”
“Your father and stepmother are ill?” Lyneah exchanged glances with Tobey who, judging from his dubious expression, was thinking the same thing she was. Was Empress Maria faking illness to avoid a confrontation?
“Yes, but don't worry. It isn't an epidemic or anything awful like that. I believe they suffer from different afflictions. My stepmother will likely recover within the week, but my father...” Isabella's eyes were suddenly downcast. “His health has been declining for some time.”
Lyneah raised a curious brow. “You know, that sounds familiar.”
“Familiar? In what way?” Isabella asked.
“Oh... it's just that... several months ago, my father was ill. In fact, he was ill for a long time. He got more weak and more frail, until finally...”
“I'm sorry,” Isabella was ready with condolences even before Lyneah's story was finished. “That must have been so difficult.”
“Actually, I was away from the castle when he passed, so I never knew how bad it got. But I heard he suffered greatly.” Once again, Lyneah and Tobey exchanged knowing glances. “I hope that doesn't happen to your father, Princess.”
“I hope so too.” When Isabella turned her attention to Tobey, she looked a bit intimidated. Lyneah wondered why: was it his height or his handsome face? “You're Tobias Robb, aren't you? Lyneah's fiance?”
“I am,” Tobias answered with a smile. When it dawned on him that he hadn't stuttered all day, his smile expanded.
“I've heard of you. When you took back the castle together, it was big news here. Everyone was talking about it,” Isabella told them. “So... will you require one room or two?”
“One,” Lyneah answered on their behalf, then she followed Isabella down a dark, dimly lit corridor.
“Supper will be ready in two hours. Your bedchamber has already been prepared, and it's on the second floor. I hope that's not too inconvenient. It's one of the best guest rooms we have, so I imagine you won't be too disappointed.” Isabella's voice was soft and monotone as she escorted them down the hall and to the stairs. Lyneah thought she sounded like a butler. “My brother, Nico, will probably join us for supper. But I should warn you... he's been acting a bit odd.”
“How so?” Lyneah asked, even though it was likely none of her business.
“I don't know. It's difficult to explain. Nico hasn't been acting like himself, that's for sure. He's been acting like a child. When you meet him, try not to judge him too harshly.” Isabella expelled a heavy sigh as she climbed the spiral staircase. Lyneah wasn't sure if the sigh meant she was exhausted, exasperated, or both.
When Isabella heard clamoring on the stairs behind them, she gasped. It took her a moment to realize it was the armored footsteps of Lyneah's knights, dutifully following their queen.
“Well, here we are!” Isabella threw open the door to Lyneah and Tobey's new bedroom. “I hope it's up to your standards? If not, I could ask someone to swap the furniture, or I could move you to a different room.”
“It's perfect,” Lyneah assured her. And it was. The wooden furniture was intricately carved, the curtains were dark and elegant, and the four-poster bed, covered in silk, was superior to her bed back home.
“If there is nothing else you require, I will excuse myself until dinner,” Isabella said, sounding painfully formal.
“I think we're alright,” Tobias answered.
“Good.” Before she left, Isabella dropped into another curtsy. “I look forward to getting to know you better. Both of you.”
As soon as the princess was gone, Lyneah didn't waste time.
She locked the door, stripped Tobias out of his clothes, kissed him, and dragged him into bed.
Meanwhile, on the palace's sixth floor, Loreina was in the middle of a panic attack, and Thomas Harriot was looking for a way to escape it.
“I can't believe it... I can't believe it!” She threw up her hands and shrieked. “My daughter's here... here, of all places! I can't get away from her, I swear! Do you think she knows I'm here? Do you think she followed me?”
“I doubt it, Your Grace.” Harriot laid a gloved hand on her shoulder. He was trying his best to comfort her, but he was hardly a gentle or compassionate man. When the hand on Loreina's shoulder did nothing but lay like a dead fish, she shrugged it off. “How could she possibly know your whereabouts?”
“There was a snitch, remember? A snitch!” Loreina squawked. “Did you take care of him?”
“He's been dealt with.”
“Good.” Loreina dragged her hands through her long, dark hair. Ever since she learned of her daughter's arrival, she swore there were more gray strands. “How long is she supposed to be here? A week? How am I going to avoid my daughter for a week? She's going to see me eventually!”
“Stay on the sixth floor,” Harriot calmly advised her. “I doubt Queen Lyneah will feel compelled to explore that far.”
“Queen Lyneah.” Loreina grumbled. “I hate to hear those words. I despise them! How dare you speak those words to me, Harriot!” She roughly swatted his rear end, which he accepted without flinching. “You can call her a whore or you can call her a traitor, but do not call that girl a queen!”
“I'm sorry, Your Grace.”
“I need you to spy on her,” Loreina commanded him. “Get close to her. Talk to her. Find out how much she knows. At the same time, don't say anything that might make her suspicious. Can you do that for me, Harriot?”
“I will definitely try.”
His uncertainty wasn't good enough. “Can you do that?” Loreina sharply repeated.
“I can.”
“Good.” When Loreina laid back on her elbows, she felt a bit more relaxed. She also undressed him with her eyes. Thomas Harriot was odd—that much was true. And he might have been hideous under his mask, but she didn't care. His wide shoulders filled out his greatcoat to perfection, and at least half of his face was handsome enough. “Tom, would you like to lie down with me for a bit? If you're going to encounter my daughter, I pity you. I should pamper you. Perhaps I could... give you a massage?”
“Actually, Your Grace, I should make my way to the dining room.” As he took a step backward, Harriot tipped his hat. “Perhaps another time.”
As Harriot retreated from the room, he heard Loreina cursing his name. The empress was an attractive woman, but he had no interest in embroiling himself in a royal love affair. He had neither the time nor the desire.
Harriot climbed down several flights of stairs to get to the dining room, and when he entered, he groaned. Gemellus was sitting by himself, vigorously licking an empty plate.
“Gemellus...” Harriot said with a sigh. “What are you doing, exactly?”
“I'm lickin' gravy,” Gem told him. “It's real good.”
“Should you be licking your plate, or is that a disgusting lack of manners?”
Gemellus' shoulders dropped as he arrived at his answer. “It's a disgusting lack of manners.”
“And why are you eating before anyone else has arrived?” Harriot asked, sinking into the chair next to Gemellus. “Why didn't you wait for the rest of us?”
“I dunno. I got hungry. I told them to bring me
some. If you want, I can stay and eat more.”
Harriot was hesitant to give an answer. On one hand, he didn't look forward to making excuses for “Nico's” odd behavior. On the other hand, there were guests in the castle. If the prince didn't show up for the supper, it would be the height of rudeness.
“Stay,” Harriot finally decided. “I just hope you're hungry enough for seconds.”
When Princess Isabella arrived, Harriot was on his feet again. His mother always taught him to stand when a lady entered the room. Judging from Isabella's blushing cheeks, it wasn't something she experienced often, even as a princess. Harriot stayed on his feet when Lyneah and Tobey entered after her. Finally, when everyone was seated, the cook delivered supper. Everyone was served at once, including Gemellus, who looked thrilled by the prospect of a second plate of food.
“Gravy,” Gemellus whispered to Harriot. “Wait til you try the gravy!”
When dinner was underway, Isabella took it upon herself to introduce everyone. “Queen Lyneah, Mr. Robb... we're very happy to have you with us,” the princess began. “My brother, Nico, is sitting at my right.”
The fake prince raised a hand and waved it rapidly. “Hello.”
“And sitting beside him,” Isabella continued, “is his friend, Thomas Harriot.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you both,” Lyneah said, though she looked a bit puzzled by Harriot's mask. She was even more puzzled by the size of her portions. Her plate was practically overflowing with food, and all of it was delicious.
“So...” Isabella folded her hands and leaned forward. Unlike her brother, who was shoveling buckets of potatoes into his mouth, she was more interested in her guests than her food. “If it's not too presumptuous of me, may I ask you how you fell in love? Mr. Robb is a commoner, is he not? A queen getting engaged to a commoner is unprecedented.” A dreamy sigh escaped the princess' lips. “And it's so romantic.”
“Of course it's not presumptuous! I'm happy to tell the story.” Under the table, Lyneah secretly stroked Tobias' leg. He was already uneasy about being the center of attention, but when he felt Lyneah's hand on him, his cheeks blushed brighter. “I had escaped from the castle and had been on my own for some time. For many days, I was alone. Then I met Tobias, who was a bartender at a pub called Lucky's.”
“When I saw her, I thought she was my fr-friend, Kitt,” Tobias added to the story. “They look a lot alike.”
Lyneah nodded and continued, “I started working at Lucky's with Tobey. To be honest... it was an awful place.”
“I didn't know you thought it was awful!” Tobey exclaimed.
“Of course it is! I don't know how you could think Lucky's was anything but awful! There was daily violence, there was that old man who babbles to himself, and the patrons' hands were always touching me in inappropriate places!”
Isabella gasped. She was shocked by the bawdier parts of Lyneah's tale. “Oh my! They... touched you?”
Harriot's thoughts drifted. He had no interest in hearing the love story between the queen and her beau. Instead, he fondly reflected on torturing the snitch, the man who revealed Loreina's identity. He still remembered what it felt like to break the man's fingers, one by one. Every snapping bone gave him a rush of euphoria.
Harriot heard Tobias say, “I fell in love with her during a p-picnic.”
In the corner of his eye, he saw Gemellus licking his plate again, so he subtly swatted the back of his head. Fortunately, Isabella was too engrossed in Lyneah's story to witness her brother's beastly manners.
“Tobey gave up everything for me. He was my only comfort during those dark times,” Lyneah said, exchanging smiles with the man she loved. “That was the moment I realized I couldn't live without him.”
“That is so sweet!” Isabella exclaimed. “I'm positively envious! I want to experience a love like that!”
During dessert, the inane conversation continued, much to Harriot's dismay. He didn't add much to the discussion, and neither did Nico. Harriot was grateful for that. It was bad enough when the fake prince slurped chocolate from his fingers.
When the meal concluded and everyone retired from the dining room, Harriot made his move. He seized Lyneah's arm and dragged her toward him.
“You mentioned a girl who looks like you. Kitt. That was her name, yes? I've heard the story before.”
Lyneah, who wasn't often intimidated, could feel herself shrinking under Harriot's blue-eyed gaze. If not for his metal mask, he might not have looked quite so menacing.
“Haven't you ever wondered why she looked so much like you?” Harriot continued. “Has the thought ever crossed your mind?”
Lyneah shook her head. “I assumed it was a coincidence.”
“Yes...” Harriot chuckled softly. “It's probably a coincidence.” When he saw Lyneah's fiance hovering in the doorway, looking concerned, Harriot loosened his grip on her arm. “Why are you here, Queen Lyneah? Why did you come all the way to Columbigo? What was your purpose?”
Lyneah raised her chin and coldly replied, “Why does that matter to you? I don't know who you are, Thomas Harriot, but what I do is none of your concern!”
When Tobias returned to his fiance's side, his brow was pinched with worry. “Lyneah, are you alright?”
“I'm fine, Tobey.” Pulling away from Harriot, she grabbed Tobias' hand. “And now I should probably take my leave. Have a wonderful evening, Mr. Harriot.”
“And you as well, Your Majesty,” Harriot said with a bow.
At the end of the day, he learned absolutely nothing.
Loreina wouldn't be happy with him.
Eighteen
“Give us a kiss, little girl.” Harvey had been eyeing the pretty young bread seller for the last few days, and now he was ready to make his move. “Give us a kiss, and we won't have to take what's in your bag right here.” One of his cracked, bulbous fingers pointed at Ella's tatty reticule, which she clung to with all her strength.
“Please, just leave me alone!” Ella begged the cretin. Harvey's accomplice, Ivan, had already ripped the wicker basket from her hand. Ivan cackled maniacally as he rifled through it, chucking out all the baguettes and muffins. It was a terrible waste of food, but it would be worse if they stole her reticule. There was a week's worth of profits inside, as well as medicine for her brother's pain. “Let me go home. It doesn't have to be like this!”
“Oh, but it does!” Harvey disagreed. As he crept toward her, Ella kept stepping backward, which only worked until her back hit a street lamp. “Whenever I see a pretty young thing, I always take the pretty young thing for myself. Do you understand that?”
“Uh huh,” Ivan agreed. “Harvey gets what he wants, he does.”
“Is it money?” Ella asked. “Is that what you want?”
“No, dear, you ain't been listenin!” Like a mad dog, Harvey bared his teeth, which were black and brown from decay. “If I wanted money, I could take it out of your hand right now.” To prove it, he snatched Ella's reticule and twisted it away from her grasping fingers. Then he tossed the bag to Ivan, who explored its contents with a mad squeal. “I want you, lovely girl.”
Ella tried to run, even though she knew it would be impossible to get away. Her assailant was twice as large and probably twice as fast. As soon as she dashed away from the street lamp, Harvey grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off her feet. She flailed, kicked and thrashed, which only inspired him to tighten his grip on her. As soon as she heard the roar of an approaching vehicle, she screamed, “Help! Someone! Help please!”
Mae and Nico were on the other side of Bordeaux, far away from The Velvet Dame. They nearly reached the town's exit before they heard Ella's screaming.
“Help!” Ella watched helplessly as Harvey and Ivan tossed her reticule back and forth, taunting her. “Someone, please!”
“Stop the motocarriage,” Nico demanded. If two thugs were torturing a young woman, he couldn't just look the other way and pretend he didn't see it. “Pull over. We have to hel
p!”
“No, Nico,” Mae quietly objected. “I know you want to help, but this is Bordeaux. This kind of thing happens all the time. Believe me, you don't want to get involved!”
“Stop! Stop driving!” the prince insisted. He tried to seize the wheel from Mae, who deflected him with her elbow.
“I mean it, Nico! We shouldn't interfere. I know you mean well, but honestly, making enemies in Bordeaux is suicide. You shouldn't--”
Nico leapt from his seat before Mae finished her protest. As he confronted the girl's attackers, he tried to sound as brave and confident as possible. “I think you should leave the girl alone.”
“Says who? You?” Harvey slapped his knee and chuckled. “Don't make me laugh, boy-o!” When Ella tried to get away, he reeled her back in and roughly kissed her cheek.
Mae halted the motocarriage and reached for the pistol she stole from Kieran. While she wasn't thrilled with the idea of using it, Nico's antics would probably make it necessary. Mae didn't know what he was thinking, or if he was even thinking at all. Nico was neither broad nor small, neither tall nor short. He was painstakingly average, and he wasn't equipped to take on two men at once, especially one who was much larger than he was. Ivan, in particular, was a giant.
“Why would you attack a nice young lady?” Nico asked. “Who would do that? Have you ever asked yourself... is this the sort of man I want to be?”
“You're gonna be flattened in a minute. Is that the sort of man you want to be?” It was Harvey who spoke, but both men chuckled. “Or maybe I'll have Ivan knock out all your teeth. Would you like that?”
“You're welcome to try.” As Nico rolled up his sleeves, he knew it was a bad idea. He was a prince, not a brawler! When Ivan advanced on him, and Nico realized he was a foot taller than him, he suddenly wished he would have taken Mae's advice.
Ivan swung at him twice. Both times, Nico leaned back, out of range. When Ivan swung a third time, Mae raised her gun and shouted, “Hey! Hey, stop this!” But no one cared to listen to her.
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