“He has. He’s just getting ready for the interview now, but he has no clothes to wear.”
“Surely, he had some clothes with him when he left Thalia?”
“That was days ago now. They are all dirty. I don’t think he packed much. We left in rather a hurry, if you remember?”
“Can’t he conjure something up?” Luca asked irritably.
“No. Magic doesn’t work like that. To conjure a suit, he’d have to make it disappear from somewhere else. He isn’t a thief.”
“I never said he was,” replied Luca defensively. I realized I’d gone too far.
“I was hoping he could borrow something of yours.”
“He can’t wear my clothes. The public would know.”
“So?”
“So. I am a prince, he is a servant. They would know in a second that he was wearing my things.”
“He’s telling the truth there,” piped up my mother who had suddenly started to take an interest. “It wouldn’t be right for him to be wearing Luca’s clothes. If you like, I could ring down to the servant’s quarters and see if we have any of his old uniforms?”
“No,” I sighed. That’s exactly what I wanted to get away from.
I pondered over it and then remembered there was another man in the house. A man who always dressed smartly, no matter what the occasion.
I searched the whole palace before finding Leo in the Library. He was sitting in one of the leather-backed chairs, with his nose in a book.”
He seemed surprised to see me as I ran through the library door.
“Charmaine! What a pleasant surprise. I’ve barely had a chance to see you in the past few weeks what with everything going on. How are you doing?”
“I need to borrow one of your suits,” I replied, out of breath from running up and down the palace corridors.
“Ok,” he said without even asking why. “Go to my room and take one, but first I need you to look at this.”
He handed me an old photo. The young man in the center of it was undeniably Cynder. Beside him were two women. Both were dressed in the finest clothes money could buy, but despite this, they managed to look extremely unattractive. The photo was old, probably taken about five years or so ago. Cynder looked so young in it.
“What is this? Where did you find it?” I asked.
“I’ve been keeping an eye on things for a while now. When this whole thing with Cynder cropped up, I thought I’d look into him. I found out that he was the member of The Freedom of Magic group. They are a group of Magi, who have been trying to overthrow the monarchy for a number of years now.”
“I already know. He’s told me all about it. Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about everything, but it’s been so hectic these past couple of days. I’ll have to make time to have a meeting with you and bring you up to speed.” I turned to leave, desperate to get back.
Leo grabbed my arm to stop me.
“What is it?” I asked, noticing the serious look on his face for the first time.
“Did he also tell you he is already married? That’s his wife.”
The Revelation
I looked down at the photo again. I wanted to ask which one, but it didn’t really matter.
“Who is she?”
“As far as I can tell, she’s one of the daughters of the Countess Bloom. The other woman is her sister.”
I barely heard him. Cynder was married. He’d kept his involvement with the Freedom of Magic group from me, and I’d forgiven him for that, but this? Not once had he mentioned having a girlfriend, let alone a wife.
He looked so young in the picture; he couldn’t have been more than sixteen years old. Neither woman was holding his hand. They both pouted into the camera while he stood in the middle looking sullen. Nothing about the photo shouted out that he and one of them was a married couple. They looked quite a few years older than him for a start. It didn’t add up at all, and yet, when had Leo ever been wrong? He had friends in high places, and when they couldn’t help him, he used money to do the talking. Not once, had he steered me wrong, and what reason would he have to lie about it?
“Are you ok?” Leo asked in concern. “I thought that if you knew about him, it would make it easier for you. Both Elise and I thought having Cynder back was a mistake. Elise is really worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” I lied. I was anything but. Leo was right though. Knowing Cynder had lied to me, or at least not told me the truth about having a wife, would make this ridiculous competition a whole lot easier for me. I’d do what I had to do and when the time came to pick, I’d not have a problem choosing Luca again. Maybe I’d even show the photo of Cynder and his wife to the public. They’d understand then, why I couldn’t marry him. No one would blame me, and maybe the Magi would stay.
“What else do you know about her?” I asked, fingering the corner of the photo between my fingernails. I had to resist the urge to rip it into shreds.
“Not so much. The Countess Bloom is a very wealthy woman, and her two daughters have been trying to marry into royalty for years. I’m not sure what prompted Drusilla to end up with Cynder when her taste in men, much like her sister’s, is one of position, power, and money, of which, Cynder has none. Her sister, the one on the right is still unmarried as far as I’m aware.”
I looked down at the photo again, this time, focusing on the woman to Cynder’s left. She was so unattractive and overly made-up that I couldn’t see what Cynder saw in her. I knew I was being shallow, but I was feeling angry.
“Can I keep this?” I asked Leo.
“Sure. Listen, I’ll find out what I can for you. I’m sure this is all for the best in the circumstances.”
“Yes, you are probably right,” I sighed. I slipped the photo into my pocket and headed upstairs to get Cynder a suit.
Elise was in her room as Leo had said.
“Charmaine!” she squealed as she opened the door. I put the photo to the back of my mind as I took in the scene before me.
Her bed was covered in hundreds of tiny pink silk roses, and she had a needle and thread in her hands.
“I’ve been sewing these for the wedding. Do you think there are enough?”
“What exactly are they for?” I answered with a question of my own.
“I’m not exactly sure,” she laughed. “I just thought they might come in handy. Maybe we could sew them onto the wedding gown?”
“If they are for my dress, then there are too many!” I replied, filled with horror at the thought of it.
“Well, I guess we could use them for the tablecloths instead,” mused Elise. “What can I do for you? I’m surprised you aren’t spending time with Cynder. I can’t wait to meet him.”
I tried not to show how much my stomach churned at the thought of it. Elise knew how I felt about him. To her, Cynder was a wonderful fairytale. If only she knew that not all fairytales have a happy ending.
“Actually, I just saw Leo in the library, and he told me I could borrow one of his suits if you don’t mind getting one for me. A nice one.”
“All of Leo’s suits are nice. So, can I meet Cynder?”
“He’s having the Xavi treatment, but I’ll introduce you to him before the interview if you like.” No point telling her the truth. Perhaps, Leo would tell her, saving me a job.
She grabbed a suit out of the closet and handed it to me, managing to hug me at the same time. “I’m so excited!”
She jumped up and down on her feet like a child who’s just been told they can have candy.
Were we really sisters? We were so different personality-wise, and she was much prettier than I could ever hope to be. With her, it was effortless.
I said a quick thanks and bounded back down the corridor to the dressing room. I’d already been gone more than half an hour. Xavi would be waiting impatiently for the suit.
I rushed through the door to find Cynder sitting in a chair having his hair cut, and wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. I couldn’t
help the flush that rose to my cheeks as I handed the suit to Xavi.
“About time!” she admonished. “The poor boy’s freezing.”
I looked over at him. He appeared perfectly content to be sitting there with Jon washing his hair. Alezis would take over soon to cut it into a style.
“He’s very cute, though,” Xavi carried on under her breath, before winking at me.
I’d never seen her lose her cool once, so to see her blushing over a man, was strange, to say the least. Not that I could blame her. He was way too skinny for his height, but his lean body had muscles in all the right places. His washboard stomach rippled with the hint of a six-pack, and his arms were much thicker than I had expected them to be. He was still way too thin, though, and would benefit from a good meal or two. I made a mental note to tell the kitchen to give him extra portions at every meal. He might have been married, and a liar to boot, but I couldn’t bear the thought of him starving.
I took a spare chair and watched as Alezis played with Cynder’s hair for way too long. Just as he had done with mine, he examined every part of it in great detail before even beginning with the first cut. I was used to him by now. A haircut, even a simple trim could take upwards of two hours, but I could see Cynder getting impatient.
I walked over to the two men. Almost without thinking, I rested my hand on Cynder’s bare shoulder. The thrill that ran through me was not entirely unexpected, but the intensity of it took me by surprise. How could that happen when I was so angry at him? I tried to ignore it as I spoke to Alezis.
“Please, can you work a little faster? The interview is in a couple of hours, and we still have to fit in lunch.”
Alezis hated to be rushed, but he sniffed and nodded his head.
“I will do it, but don’t expect my usual excellence if you are going to rush me.”
“I know whatever you do will be a work of art, Alezis,” I said, laying it on thickly. “It always is. Just don’t cut too much off. I like his curls.”
He brought his hand to his chest in mock horror. “I wouldn’t dream of cutting off these gorgeous curls!”
I smiled as I went back to my seat. I had a feeling that Alezis might have developed a crush on Cynder.
Once I was finished with makeup, and someone had brought me a pair of blue shoes to match the dress. I found myself waiting for time with Alezis. He didn’t seem to notice me waiting as he continued his conversation with Cynder. As far as I was aware, he’d not chopped a single hair on Cynder’s head, although I noticed he was spending quite a lot of time running his fingers through it.
Cynder saw me through the mirror in front of him and gave a small cough. “I think Her Majesty is waiting for you?” he said to Alezis.
With great reluctance, he let Cynder up from his chair. Both Alezis and I let our eyes fall to the towel. Cynder was whisked away to the room with the dresses in it where he would no doubt be getting dressed in Leo’s suit.
As Alezis had taken so much time with Cynder, I had to be content with a quick style. He pulled my hair up and loosely put it up into a high bun. It was not what I was used to with him—Alezis liked extravagance, but I liked it. I looked a little like a smart secretary with my smart suit.
I glanced at my watch and noticed how late it actually was. We would miss lunch if we weren’t careful.
Cynder appeared from the dressing room. I heard Alezis gasp as he took in the sight of Cynder in a suit. He looked breathtaking. The suit was a little too large for him as Leo was slightly more muscular, but it made such a difference to see him in something so smart and distinct from the uniforms and rags I was used to seeing him in.
“Purple flower or not?” asked Xavi.
“Sorry?”
“The suit is black. Do you want him to wear a purple flower to mark him as a Mage?”
“No!” I hated that the Magi were marked in some way. It was a practice I wanted to get away from.
“I’ll wear the flower,” smiled Cynder, plucking the dyed rose from Xavi’s hand. I could practically feel her melt next to me. This guy had more magic than he knew. The whole of Xavi’s team was mesmerized by him. He turned to me. “Showing the kingdom I’m a Mage is what this is all about right?”
I nodded.
“I’m going to need some socks and shoes too,” he said. I looked down at his bare feet. He wiggled his toes.
“I forgot, sorry,” I said, feeling flustered. “I’ll take you to Leo and Elise’s room to get some.”
Much to the disappointment of the team, I took Cynder’s arm and pulled him from the room.
“I don’t have any underwear either,” he whispered, causing my blush to deepen. I could hear the amusement in his voice. He knew exactly what he was doing to me, and for the first time, I was beginning to hate him for it.
The Siren
After managing to find a pair of shoes and socks that not only fit but matched the suit, the two of us headed to lunch, the photo still burning a hole in my pocket. I wanted to ask him why he’d lied to me, but I decided to wait until after his interview in the afternoon. If I talked to him now about it, I was going to be angry, and the last thing the public needed to see right now was the pair of us arguing. I also couldn’t begin to formulate the words needed anyway. My head was way too messed up with the whole situation.
Even though I’d spent practically the whole morning with him, we’d barely spoken. I felt more nervous than I probably should have as we walked into the dining hall. My heart thumped as we opened the door and I made sure not to be standing too close to him.
My mother stood and came running over to us. She shook Cynder warmly by the hand.
“I never had a thing against the Magi, you know. I just picked out the best men for the ball.”
I knew my mother was referring to a TV interview she had been part of the previous year where the interviewer had pointed out how no Magi had been invited to my ball despite there being a hundred men to choose from. I tried not to smile. My mother had always been a woman of the people and hated to upset anyone. I’d be extremely surprised if Cynder had even seen the TV interview in question.
“It’s fine, Your Royal Highness. I’m sure you picked the best men in the land, and who wouldn’t want the best for Her Majesty? She deserves the best.”
If my mother blushed, it was nothing compared to the flaming red color my cheeks felt likely to be.
“Good thing she found the best then, really,” said Luca strolling over and clapping Cynder on the back a little too strongly. I began to wonder if Luca’s motivation for inviting Cynder was what he told me it was.
Elise ran over and hugged Cynder so hard, she almost knocked him over with her enthusiasm, and Leo shook his hand although I noticed he was hesitant to do so.
If Cynder was nervous, he didn’t show it. Even when the waiters came in to serve our food, he sat back and waited patiently until it was his turn as though it hadn’t been him on the other side just days before.
When I looked at my plate, I was surprised to find that I had chicken, whereas everyone else had salmon. I was just about to inquire as to why when I noticed a sly grin on Cynder’s face as he quickly hid his wand under his jacket. He’d made it a point to serve me plain chicken last year when I told him I preferred it to the lobster and pheasant that were being served at the ball. He’d remembered.
As he was seated at the further end of the table from me, any conversation I had with him would have been heard by everyone else around the table, so I turned to Leo instead, while Cynder chatted with my mother and Elise.
“I’ve not found out anything else yet, but I have someone looking into it,” whispered Leo. “What did he say? Did he deny it?”
I sighed. “I’ve not asked him. I’m worried if this all comes out before the interview, it will mess everything up. I was going to speak to him about it later.”
Leo opened his mouth to reply when the palace sirens went off. I’d not heard them since the day of my wedding to Xavier, and that had s
ignaled a riot where a lot of people died. Before that, we’d been sent to the safe room because someone had set off a bomb. My family jumped up, leaving their food half-eaten, and Luca took my hand. I let him guide me to the entrance to the basement in the hallway, but as one of the guards opened the door, I halted.
“You go in. I’m going to find out what this is all about.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If there is a threat, let the guards deal with it,” hissed Luca, trying to pull me to the stairway.
“The sirens have gone off over nothing before,” I replied, remembering a couple of times last year when they went off just because there was a demonstration outside the palace. On that occasion, my father had stayed out to find out what was going on. As much as I hated most of what he stood for, I always admired his bravery in times like this and I was damned if I wasn’t going to equal that bravery.
“You don’t know that it’s nothing! Come down, I’ll stay out in your place and let you know.”
“I’m the queen! Let me go.” I pulled my hand from his roughly. He responded by picking me up, putting me over his shoulder, and carrying me down the basement steps. Behind us, the basement door closed.
The others headed past the shelves of antiques to the small living space at the end while Luca finally let me down.
“How dare you!” I hissed, under my breath. “I’m the queen! You’ve completely embarrassed me in front of my family, not to mention the staff.”
“Not to mention Cynder is more like it.”
“What?”
“I didn’t expect you to be spending the whole morning with him.”
“Is that what this is about? You picking me up was your way of showing him that you own me? Some male dominance thing?”
“No. I picked you up because I care about you and don’t want you getting shot or blown up.” He raised his voice. “If you remember, it was only a few days ago that someone tried to assassinate you outside my parents’ castle.”
He didn’t give me time to argue back; he stormed off towards the others who were all watching.
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