But things couldn’t remain so pleasant for long. At the end of our second week together, dinner was interrupted by the arrival of a footman. Liam paused in his animated story about some mischief he’d entangled himself in as a boy and reluctantly turned his attention to the servant, who executed a crisp bow.
“Forgive the interruption, Your Highnesses, but I must inform you of an unusual occurrence that just took place belowstairs.”
Liam raised his eyebrows as he leaned back in his seat. “An unusual occurrence? That sounds intriguing. The dragon hasn’t escaped the dungeon, has it?” He gave me a sly smile.
The footman’s expression didn’t even falter; he was undoubtedly used to Liam’s antics. “No, Your Highness, he’s fed and chained for the night.”
“What a relief.” Liam winked at me. His smile widened at my giggle before he turned back to the footman. “What is the real situation?”
“A servant from the Lycerian palace has paid an unexpected visit, making inquiries. He now requests an audience with Her Highness.” The footman’s gaze flickered towards me.
I jolted, horror eclipsing my curiosity as I realized who this Lycerian palace servant must be. Archer…he’d undoubtedly returned from his hunting trip to discover me missing and was now frantically searching for me.
Liam gave me a puzzled look at my reaction. I took a steadying breath in an attempt to remain calm, a near impossible task with the way my heart now pounded wildly in my chest. “Who is this servant?”
“His name is Archer, Your Highness, and he claims to be a member of the Lycerian Royal Hunt. He’s looking for a handmaiden named Anwen, whom he says used to be in service to Princess Lavena. He asked whether or not he was mistaken and she’s still in your service, but I informed him there’s no servant here by that name.”
Liam frowned. “How puzzling. You don’t have a servant named Anwen, do you, Lavena?”
“I used to, but she’s no longer my handmaiden.”
The footman was still awaiting further instructions. “What should I tell him, Your Highness?”
My chest tightened as my mind scrambled for what to do. Archer was here. I couldn’t just send him away without easing his worries. Could I possibly manage to change undetected into my handmaiden outfit and meet with him in order to assure him I was alright? But even if I managed to convince him that Princess Lavena had decided to keep me in her service after all, he’d undoubtedly try to get a position serving the Dracerian royal family in order to remain near me, which would undoubtedly lead to his discovery of the role I played before long.
My heart lifted at this thought. Archer’s realization would grant me the escape I’d been searching for ever since I’d become trapped in this charade. He’d be able to figure out what was going on without my breaching the ring’s contract; he could petition Nolan, and then—
A flash of heat shot through my hand, grinding the remainder of this tentative plan to a halt. The ring would forbid me from seeing my brother if it meant exposing the switch.
But I couldn’t give up; I couldn’t bear for him to worry about what had become of me when I could ease his heart. I’d no sooner made the decision to meet him than the ring heated once more, warning me to be very careful in what I said to him.
“Your Highness?” The footman eyed me, awaiting my instructions.
I shakily rose from my seat. “If he requests an audience, then I should see him.”
Liam immediately stood as well. “I’ll accompany you.”
I stiffened, my heartbeat escalating. “There’s no need.” I forced a smile. He narrowed his eyes at it, his look suspicious, and too late I remembered the rumors that the Lycerian princess took too much interest in her male servants.
My face burned at how my desire to speak with Archer alone appeared—not as a concerned sister who needed to ease his heart, but as a princess with an unsavory reputation spending time with a servant she had no business interacting with.
“I insist.” Liam’s tone left no room for argument. I twisted the ring as I frantically tried to think of a way out of this mess, but there wasn’t one I could see except for the path that would break my brother’s heart.
I slumped in defeat and turned to the footman. “On second thought, I won’t see the hunter. Inform him that there is no servant by the name of Anwen currently serving at the palace.”
The footman nodded. “And should he inquire for further details, what should I tell him? He gave the impression that she’s missing and seemed to believe you’d know of her whereabouts.”
“Inform him that I haven’t seen her since she left my service.” The lie pierced my heart with guilt at the thought of how it’d torment my worried brother. Tears burned my eyes but I hastily blinked them away. I had to remain calm, even though my heart was breaking.
The footman bowed and left to carry out my instructions, and I collapsed back into my seat, utterly spent.
“Lavena?”
I startled and swiveled to face Liam, frowning at me. “What is it?” I squeaked.
Liam’s previous suspicions softened into concern. “You seem troubled. Are you alright?” He hesitated. “Do you know this Archer?”
I sighed. I couldn’t ease Archer’s worries, but I could at least attempt to do so for Liam. “I may have met him before; he’s the twin brother of my former handmaiden.” How strange it was to talk about my real self with him.
Liam frowned. “The handmaiden he believes is missing?”
“Yes. I felt it was my duty to ease his mind concerning the matter, considering she used to be under my charge.”
Liam considered this explanation before nodding to himself, accepting it. Relief spread over me, especially when we returned to our meal with our previous ease. Yet while Liam resumed his animated story, it was impossible for me to focus on him, not with my thoughts eclipsed by dear Archer. Tears burned my eyes, and the guilt for sending Archer away without news of me weighed heavily on my heart, pressing against my chest until it became difficult to breathe.
I couldn’t do that to him. The ring might keep me from him or I might be discovered, but I had to at least try to speak with him, no matter the consequences.
I jolted to my feet, rattling the table in my haste. “I need some fresh air,” I said breathlessly.
“Do you want me to accompany—” Liam began, but I cut him off.
“No, thank you. I want to be alone.”
He started to stand, as if to follow me—he undoubtedly didn’t trust me—but before he could, I hurried from the dining room. As soon as I was out of Liam’s sight, I lifted my skirts and darted through the corridors, hurrying past many startled servants before making my way outside.
The light was beginning to fade, the lowering sun bathing the sky in sunset. I searched the grounds for Archer, but there was no sign of him. Undeterred, I ran across the grounds towards the gate. Ignoring the surprised and baffled looks from the flanking guards, I pressed my face against the bars and searched the dusk for him.
Nothing. He’d gone. The disappointment returned, pressing against my chest. I should have insisted on speaking with him the moment the footman alerted me of his arrival and smoothed it over with Liam later. Now I’d lost my chance.
I sighed and trudged away from the gate, but I didn’t return to the palace. Instead, I wandered the manicured grounds until I arrived at the nearby meadow, where I paused at the familiar honking of geese.
I squinted through the fading light to see a goose girl rounding up her geese to return them to their pen for the night. Naturally, the mischievous birds didn’t seem inclined to listen to her, more content to graze for the remainder of the evening.
I inched forward, staring hungrily at the birds, similar to the geese I’d tended at home before the princess had forced me into her service five years earlier. Aching homesickness filled my breast. How I missed the simple days of being a goose girl, spending all day outside tending my delightful birds.
A goose escaped t
he gaggle and wandered over to me. I crouched on my heels and extended my hand. It tilted its head, as if discerning whether I was friend or foe, before slowly waddling close enough for me to pet its head. For the first time since Archer’s unexpected arrival a wave of calm washed over me, dispelling the tension that had knotted my stomach.
“No, Minnow, you can’t approach the princess.” The goose girl had noticed her goose’s mischief and was hurrying over, her eyes wide, as if expecting me to reprimand her. I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile.
“It’s quite alright. I’m fond of geese.”
The goose girl gaped at me. “You’re fond of geese, Your Highness?”
I nodded as I turned back to the goose called Minnow and tickled beneath its beak. With each stroke, more of my unease slipped away. I felt the parts of Anwen I’d securely locked away emerge, a reminder that even though I’d lost my brother once more, I was still here. It was such a comforting thought.
“Lavena?”
I jolted at Liam’s voice and swiveled around to see him approaching. So he had followed me. He arrived and sat on his heels beside me, looking first at me and then Minnow, now waddling after the goose girl to join its gaggle.
“What are you doing?”
“Just…petting a goose.”
He raised his eyebrows even as his lips quirked up into my favorite dimpled smile. I ached to reach out and press my fingertip in his adorable dimple; I bunched my hands to resist this impulse.
“I didn’t know you had an affinity for geese,” he said.
Oops. Princess Lavena wouldn’t. In my need to connect with my real self I’d allowed my role to slip. I forced a smile. “When the goose waddled over to say hello, I couldn’t resist her charms; as a princess, I must treat all my subjects with respect.”
Liam chuckled. “I can’t argue with that.” He settled beside me, so close we were practically touching. “Are you alright? You still seem a bit unsettled from the news of that servant’s arrival.”
“I’m fine,” I lied. His frowned deepened, unconvinced.
“What was his name again?” He scrunched his forehead, trying to remember. “Oh yes, Archer. You say you’ve met him before?” He had the most peculiar look on his face, as if he’d formed a theory about my interest in Archer that he was desperate to disprove. Apparently, he hadn’t believed my earlier explanation after all.
“Just once or twice when he visited Anwen.”
Liam perused my expression, as if gauging my sincerity, before his countenance softened. “I’m relieved that there’s an explanation, because for a moment, I feared…”
I stiffened. He studied me for a moment more before he shook his head and forced a smile.
“Forgive my suspicions. I’m doing my best to forget our past and trust that things have changed. It’s getting easier every day, especially the more I come to know you.”
“I’m sorry that my worry for my former handmaiden gave you cause to be suspicious. I’m merely upset that she may be missing. Do you think she’s alright? What could have happened to her?” I fought to keep my voice steady while the lie wrenched my heart with guilt, especially considering Anwen was in reality sitting right beside him.
He reached out a hesitant hand and, after a moment’s pause and a soft blush, he rested it over mine. “I’m not sure, but it’s touching you’re worried for her.”
“Of course. She served me for years.” I ached to say more, to open up to him and share not only the parts of Anwen I’d hidden away but my true feelings—my guilt for Archer’s distress, the fact that I wasn’t really Lavena, the difficulty of pretending, and my fear of being discovered; all my thoughts, secrets, and burdens. What better man to do so with than my husband? The fact that I couldn’t was agonizing.
The ring throbbed threateningly, reminding me for the umpteenth time I had a part to play. But after this first week as friends, I realized hiding myself would be far more difficult—and painful—than I’d initially anticipated. I had to maintain emotional distance between us, because when Lavena returned, I would lose him. My heart ached at the thought, and for the first time since the charade began, I realized that a part of me wanted it to never end.
Liam was still watching me, his look both curious and incredibly sweet. Even if I wouldn’t be able to confide my fears and worries to him, I yearned to give him any piece of Anwen that I could. I glanced at the retreating geese, nearly out of the meadow. “Would you like to know a secret? I’m quite fond of geese. Isn’t that shocking for a princess?”
Liam smiled. “Quite shocking. I may need to be bribed to keep such a scandalous thing quiet.” He scooted closer and once again reached out to touch me, this time lightly resting his hand on my arm. “As interesting as that tidbit about my wife is, I’ve made an even more important discovery about you.”
I held my breath, waiting. He leaned forward, eyes aglow, as if to impart a secret. I naturally leaned closer, drawn to him.
“You’re incredibly kind,” he whispered, his voice tender. “How could I have not known that before now?”
My heart leapt. “How do you know I’m kind?”
“I’ve been watching you these past two weeks,” he said. “You’re gentle and sweet with everyone you’ve interacted with—you’ve even treated me the same way despite my trying to push you away—and you’re the type of woman who will notice what others deem insignificant.” He motioned towards the geese just as they left the meadow. “And now you’re concerned for your former servant when most in your station wouldn’t give her a second thought.”
My heart lifted. Princess Lavena wasn’t kind; Anwen was, and despite the mask I was forced to wear, he’d noticed the difference. Warmth filled me at the realization that he’d seen a portion of the real me, no matter how small. Would the ring allow me to show him more? Could I do so while still guarding my heart from the pain of our inevitable separation? It was a dangerous desire, one I shouldn’t risk acting on, no matter how much I yearned to…yet I knew that throughout our charade together, I would at least try.
Chapter 8
I treasured each day and each moment I spent with Liam, all filled with warmth, as if Liam were the sun and I were a flower that blossomed from his easy smiles, contagious laughter, and fun-loving personality. Although our relationship didn’t go deeper, I cherished the friendship we’d developed so far.
The chill and tension that used to fill the stretches of suffocating silence between us had vanished, so now whenever there was silence—something that became less common with each passing day—it was a comfortable sort, as if unspoken conversations were filling the space instead. Liam often paused to watch me with a peculiar look, as if not only seeing me for the first time, but also as if searching for something he’d lost and was desperate to find.
One evening after dinner, we adjourned to the library, where Liam strode purposefully to a shelf and yanked out a book without even looking at it. He noticed my raised eyebrow and grinned.
“Reading a random book is more of an adventure than purposely choosing one,” he explained. “I believe the book you are meant to discover next will always find you.” He plopped down on the rug in the center of the room and opened his book to the middle.
I fought my smile as I watched. “Do you always begin in the middle of a book? Is that because you like to imagine what the story could be rather than what it actually is?”
As was becoming more and more common, he grinned widely. “Exactly. This way I can come up with my own possible beginning. It’s like a game.”
“So what do you imagine for this story?”
He read a few sentences from his place in the middle of the book. “Hmm, I’m imagining a murder mystery full of political intrigue. Let’s see how accurate that is.” He flipped the book over to see the title: Quest for the Lady’s Heart. He wrinkled his nose. “A romance? Ugh.” He unceremoniously tossed the book over his shoulder and stood to retrieve another.
“Oh no, you don’t.�
�� I scooped up his discarded book. “You told me the correct book finds you. Choosing another now would be cheating.”
He scowled, but his dancing eyes revealed he wasn’t truly upset. “It appears I’m forced to endure a sappy tale. If you hear me sniggering, you’ll know why.” He re-examined the cover. “On second thought, perhaps this is the book for me…if it’ll provide tips for me to succeed in my newest quest.”
My heart flared to life at his words and my cheeks warmed. What did he mean by that? He smiled softly, as if my reaction to his words pleased him.
“What book will you read?” he asked. “Shall I find one for you?”
“And ruin my own adventure? I need to find the perfect fit, which will only come from searching myself.”
I took refuge in the shelves, using their cover to wait for my warm cheeks to cool before beginning to peruse the titles. I sensed the heat of Liam’s gaze and glanced over to find him staring at me, his expression soft. He offered me a mischievous smile before returning to his book, only to look up and watch me again. Each time, my settling heartbeat pattered wildly.
It took fifteen minutes of exploring the shelves to find something to read. I passed the entomology books half a dozen times, each time forcing myself to resist the intriguing volumes. It wasn’t until I promised myself I’d return later and smuggle a few to my room, where I could study insects in secret, that I settled on a book of fairy tales.
Liam was where I’d left him but was now propped on his side, mindlessly turning pages, stopping occasionally to read passages.
“How’s the story?” I asked.
“Mushy. Do women really like this stuff?”
I shrugged. “I’ve never read a romance.”
He cocked his eyebrow. “Then I’ll demonstrate. Come here.” He patted the spot next to him. I hesitated, unsure if it was wise to abuse my heart by sitting so close to him. “Don’t be scared, Lavena. I don’t bite…usually.” He wriggled his eyebrows and patted the spot again.
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