by W. J. May
“What?” he demanded, turning to her in shock. “You never told me that!”
“You may have been mumbling something about bears…”
“Rae!” He dropped his voice quickly, glancing anxiously around. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”
She shrugged indifferently; his surprise wasn’t their top priority right now. “I’d just found out about my mother, Luke was having brain surgery. I had a lot of things on my mind.”
He took a deep breath and brushed it off as well as he could under the circumstances. To be honest, slips like these kind of came with the territory. “Okay, well, I’m sure there’s a way we can explain that. Say that I was in a skiing accident. Or a yachting accident. Or however else people this rich tend to get hurt.”
Rae raised her eyebrows, but remained silent. People this rich? That’s pretty rich itself coming from you. Did he think everyone grew up with a mansion in the English countryside, only to become a super-agent with unlimited resources and funds?
“We’ll say it was falconing,” he decided. “I was attacked by a falcon.” Rae stifled a smile as he instantly approved this plan and then leaned down with a whispered undertone. “There’s only one thing I forget,” he muttered as they approached a pair of extravagant, gold-inlaid doors, “your name was Karen, but what was my name again?’
Rae smiled sweetly as the ushers on both sides knocked then threw open the doors. “Oh, honey,” she patted him sympathetically on the arm, “I don’t think that’s going to matter much at this point.”
Sarah and Philip were sitting side by side on two heavily embroidered chairs, talking in hushed voices with their heads tilted towards each other. But the second Rae and Devon walked inside, Sarah’s face lit up excitedly and she leapt to her feet.
“Rae! Devon!” She rushed forward to embrace them. “It’s so good to see you again!”
Rae caught her mid-hug, but Devon froze in total shock.
“Devon?” he mouthed behind her back, raising a dangerous eyebrow.
Rae grimaced apologetically and buried her face in the hair of the future queen.
Perhaps one or two other details had slipped through the cracks…
Chapter 7
Perhaps, in any other situation the scene might have looked quite normal. Two lovely girls locked arm in arm, chattering away at a thousand miles a minute as their men trailed along patiently behind, unable to get a word in edgewise.
Except the girls in question were a super-agent and a princess. The men had the ability to move mountains—one figuratively, one a bit more literally. And the grounds they were strolling happened to be the gardens of a palace. Buckingham Palace, to be exact.
Not to mention, the girls were speaking Basque.
It wasn’t until they’d taken their third turn around the roses that both Devon and Philip cleared their throats at the same time. Both looked at each other in surprise, before Devon instantly conceded and Philip took a gracious step forward.
“Darling,” he tapped Sarah on the shoulder with an affectionate smile, “do you think perhaps the two of you could slow down for a moment? Or maybe just switch to a language we can all understand?”
Sarah’s lips parted in surprise, before she turned to Rae with an uncharacteristic giggle. “We weren’t speaking English?”
Rae held up her hands innocently. “Hey, I was just following your lead.”
Devon smiled at the ground, shifting a bit restlessly in his tux, while Philip chuckled and drew his fiancée to his side. “It isn’t often she gets to practice, I’m afraid,” he explained, his fingers automatically tracing little circles on her arm. “I speak five languages myself, but she’s already so bored with them that it isn’t much help. I’m learning Russian to entertain her,” he cast her an indulgent smile, “but not at a pace quick enough for her liking.”
Sarah’s tinkling laugh filled the lovely grounds and Rae couldn’t help but grin. The girl was a princess, through and through. And Philip was most definitely her prince. It wasn’t often that people got to see the fairytale up close; even less often did it turn out to be anything more than propaganda when they finally did. Yet Sarah and Philip were the real deal. They were a couple Rae and Devon would have befriended even if they didn’t happen to be royal. And the fact that Sarah’s tatù allowed both her and Rae to understand and speak every language on the planet?
That was just icing on the cake.
“You’re making great strides, my love. I think it’s just a bit too guttural for your Western European sensibilities.”
Devon’s twinkling eyes caught Rae’s behind the couple’s back, and the two shared a secret grin as Rae switched into her telepathy.
Okay, new relationship standard: unless you promptly learn Russian for me, we are no longer in love.
He fought a chuckle as Philip turned his way. “I hope you don’t mind that your charming girlfriend here gave up your cover. She and Sarah seemed to have struck up quite a bond after the whole incident at the ball, and I’m afraid they have no more secrets between them. But speaking of the ball, I was thrilled when your people requested an audience, because I was never able to thank you in person for the bit you did to keep Sarah safe.” He reached out and shook Devon’s hand, his eyes brimming with sincerity. “Honestly, I don’t know how the two of you do it. You look about the same age as Sarah and I, and yet you’re undercover spies for a secret organization of people with superpowers?” For a split second, his impeccable composure dropped and he looked like a little kid, his eyes twinkling excitedly with the possibilities. “It’s like something you would read in a book, something that couldn’t possibly be real life. Come to think of it,” he chuckled, “I don’t even know if Rae is actually your girlfriend. I guess I just assumed…”
Devon smiled graciously. To someone who knew him as well as Rae, he looked a bit overwhelmed with such a profound show of gratitude from his future king. But to a casual observer, he was as collected and refined as Philip himself.
“Well, it was my honor to help. If there’s ever any way that the Privy Council can be of assistance, you need only ask. And yes,” he added in a voice that sounded much more like his own, “Rae is my girlfriend.”
“Well…yes and no.” Rae met his eyes, before casting a nervous smile at Sarah. “Devon asked me to marry him a few days ago.” She had no idea what made her say that. It wasn’t like Philip and Sarah were exactly their closest friends. Quite the contrary, they lived completely isolated in their own royal world. Perhaps that was exactly the reason she told them. They were people who could sincerely share in her excitement, without any strings attached. No one would find out; no one could fall into potential harm from their impending happiness.
For maybe the only time, they could share the news and have it just be…normal—royalty aside.
As Philip grabbed Devon’s hand again in congratulations, Sarah’s eyes grew wide and she threw her arms around Rae’s neck with complete unrefined abandon.
“That’s such wonderful news! Congratulations!” she trilled, clapping her hands excitedly as she pulled away. Her blond hair bounced in curls around her, and her eyes brimmed over with joy.
For the first time, Rae realized who the lovely royal reminded her of. Molly. The two girls’ reactions were almost identical. Granted, Molly upped the crazy factor by several thousand volts.
“She said yes, didn’t she?” Philip murmured conspiratorially, drawing a laugh from Devon as he released his hand.
“Yes, thank heavens,” he replied. “Although she did leave me hanging for a while.” He winked at Rae.
“Good for you,” Sarah whispered, throwing Rae a wink as well.
Philip nodded knowingly. “So did Sarah. We were flying back from a NATO conference in Zurich, and she promised me an answer by the time we touched down. I thought that would be simple enough, just a few hours, but she made my pilot keep circling the northern hemisphere while she made up her mind. We had to refuel over Finland!”
Rae
and Devon blinked.
“Yeah…” Rae said slowly. “Same thing happened to us.”
The four of them dissolved into laughter once more, laughter that grew abruptly more subdued as a trio of cabinet members breezed past, bowing to Philip and Sarah as they went.
The two shared a quick look, before Sarah took Rae’s hand and pulled her closer. “I know you said there was something of great importance you wanted to discuss. But the fact of the matter is, the palace has eyes and ears everywhere. Only a handful of people know about your world of tatùs, much less my involvement, and we’d love to keep it that way.”
Rae nodded thoughtfully. “So what do you suggest?”
Philip took over. “Actually, there’s a house my grandparents keep over in Esher. It’s just an hour’s drive from here. Sarah and I were hoping the two of you would accompany us there for the night. The whole thing could look like a couples’ retreat and wouldn’t draw suspicion, and we’d be able to speak freely without fear of being overheard.”
Devon’s head jerked up sharply. “In Esher, you said?”
Philip nodded while Rae looked over curiously. “Why? Do you know it?”
“Not at all.” Devon shook his head quickly, then cleared his face with a little grin. “But if the drive takes you a full hour, perhaps we should take my car. We’d get there in half the time.”
Philip laughed, his eyes flashing competitively. “Oh, I think the palace can outmatch the Privy Council in terms of horsepower. But it’s adorable that you’d think otherwise.”
Sarah rolled her eyes and took Rae once more by the arm, leading her back inside. “If only Devon hadn’t made it about cars. Philip will be at this for hours.”
“Adorable?” Devon shot back with mock sarcasm. “Okay, whatever you say, Your Highass, I mean Highness.”
There was something not quite sincere in the way he said ‘Your Highness.’ Rae heard it with a nervous gulp and glanced anxiously between the two men. Philip apparently heard it clearly, too. Suddenly he just threw back his head and laughed. There weren’t lines between them anymore. At least, not for the moment. Rae and Devon had secrets, Philip and Sarah had secrets. But they had none from each other. In a strange way, it put them on exactly the same footing. So while they might be a super-agent and a prince, for the moment they were just two twenty-year-old guys, aching to show off the latest convertible.
“How about Rae drives?” Sarah asked sweetly, ever the diplomat.
The men answered in perfect unison.
“Not a chance.”
* * *
After browsing through a garage the likes of which even Rae could appreciate, both Philip and Devon couldn’t decide which car to take to Esher. So they ended up taking two. They’d phrased it as a perfectly reasonable solution to their problem, but in reality they were just itching for the chance to race. Rae and Sarah shook their heads and went along with it, and in only twenty-five minutes’ time, they were both streaking towards the house in Esher.
Calling it a ‘house’ was a laughable abuse of the word, but that’s what Philip had called it, so that’s what Rae was calling it as well. In reality, it was a ten-bedroom, eight-bath estate complete with tennis courts, stables, a miniature labyrinth of shrubs, and a heli-pad out back.
Maybe it’s something Devon would call home, Rae smirked to herself as they neared the iron gate.
There was only room enough for one car to fit through at a time, and both cars were tearing towards it at breakneck speeds, the countryside blurring past as they raced, neck and neck. Finally, when it became clear that one ego would have to take a check or everyone involved would die, Rae muttered softly, “He’s the prince,” and Devon grudgingly lifted his foot off the gas.
A distinct smirk flashed across Philip’s face as he and Sarah went flying in first, visible even from the other car. Devon stared after them with petulant eyes, a muscle twitching in the back of his jaw as he followed them up the drive.
Rae bit her lip and patted him consolingly on the shoulder. “I know, I know. You don’t like to lose. Think of it this way: you did it for king and country.”
Devon took on a rather martyred expression as he tried to play the whole thing off. “For the record, I didn’t lose. I let him win. There’s a difference.” He pulled in next to the royal couple and turned off the engine.
“Sure you did.” Rae grinned as she slipped quickly out of the car and out of reach of his vengeance. As he followed her, Philip strode towards them with a winning smile.
“That was a brilliant effort, Wardell. Really. I’m thinking of making a special advisory council of people who came in second place, just for you.”
Devon’s jaw clenched again, but he forced his face into a gracious smile. “What can I say, Your Highness, you’re clearly the superior driver.”
“Oh, don’t encourage him,” Sarah teased, swatting her intended lightly on the shoulder. “I distinctly remember you saying, ‘Watch! He’s going to let me win,’ the second we saw the gate.”
Devon raised his eyebrows in amusement while Philip turned to Sarah, looking slightly betrayed. “You know, once we’re married I’m going to have to explain to you what ‘always take my side no matter what’ really means. I’ll have the counsel’s Wing take you through it.”
Rae threw back her head and laughed, liking the couple more and more, when another car pulled suddenly down the drive, sneaking through the iron gates before they closed.
Several things happened at once.
As Sarah and Philip were both still turning their heads, Rae and Devon sprang into instant action, darting forward into protective, offensive positions and shielding them from sight.
Devon had two guns in his hands, standing squarely in front of the prince, with the barrels pointed at the tires. Rae was angled directly in front of Sarah, hands raised and tiny blue flames sneaking preemptively up her wrists.
Sarah had said that they’d be completely alone. Nothing but a cook and a sparse wait staff, none of whom would be coming from the outside. Whoever this was, it was no one they were expecting.
“That’s far enough!” Devon shouted.
The car stopped dead in its tracks as Sarah and Philip cast each other wide-eyed looks of astonishment. Then the door opened and the two agents shouted again.
Sarah was the first to recover herself. “Wait! Wait!” she cried, placing a tentative hand on Rae’s shoulder, then quickly pulling it away when she felt the heat. “That’s just Alfie, my bodyguard! I forgot to tell you about him. I’m sorry.”
Behind Devon, Philip was eyeing the guns with a look of carefully controlled panic. “We’ve learned not to include Alfie when we say we’re going to be alone. He comes everywhere with us.”
Rae and Devon shared a quick look. Then an angry-sounding British voice called out from the car, and the guns lowered half an inch.
“Honestly, Miss Kerrigan! If I didn’t already know you had a penchant for the theatrics, I’d consider this a rather poor welcome all around!”
Rae grinned and let her hands fall back to her sides. The flames disappeared at once, though Philip and Sarah were still staring in wonder at the lingering smoke.
“Sorry about that, Alfie,” she called cheerfully. “Just doing our bit for the Crown.”
He popped his head out from behind the door, looking exactly as she remembered him. Tall, unsmiling, and entirely too stern. “Your Highness, I hope this deranged girl and her partner haven’t upset you beyond repair.”
Rae noticed he directed this primarily to Sarah, giving Philip—the only one with actual royal blood—only a cursory glance.
Philip caught her watching and offered a small smile. “Sarah is the most precious thing in the world to Alfie. He loves her like his own daughter. I’ve always been more of an afterthought.”
He said it casually, but Rae got the feeling it must have been a bit of a relief. Both the intense protection of the woman he loved, and not being the center of the universe for once. Rae n
odded. “Perhaps if he knew of your extraordinary driving skills, he’d pay you more attention,” she teased lightly, drawing another smile.
Alfie had joined them by now and was watching Devon spin the guns back into their holsters with a begrudging kind of respect. “Now that your welcoming committee is finished, I suspect there’s a reason you called us all the way out here,” he said sternly.
Devon straightened up a bit in spite of himself. “Well, actually it was—”
“It was my idea, Alfie,” Sarah volunteered. “Rae said she had something important to tell us and I wanted to find somewhere we could speak privately. And on that note,” she gestured up the granite staircase to the house, “let me show you inside. You and Devon can get cleaned up for dinner, and we can talk there.”
After an awkward moment of ‘what is the proper etiquette as to who carries whose bags,’ followed by an equally awkward explanation of why Rae’s conjuring ability meant that she and Devon never had to carry any, the four of them finally made it inside, with Alfie hot on their heels.
The room Rae and Devon were set up in actually reminded her a great deal of Heath Hall. It had the same four-poster canopy bed, all the luxurious trappings, and a spa-like bathroom alongside.
She slipped off her coat and flopped down onto the center of the bed with a soft sigh.
“What is it?” Devon asked, running his hands back through his perfectly combed hair as he settled down beside her.
“How did our lives get so strange?” she murmured. It was a rather rhetorical question, and when the silence had gone on long enough, she glanced up at him. “You want to know why I told Sarah and Philip that we were engaged?”
He nodded silently, focused intently on her face.
“Because telling someone like them was going to be about the most normal way we’re going to get to do it. Telling them…would be the most normal.”