“So how do my uncle and Cinzia know each other?”
Darian burst into laughter. “Do you mean Baron Alessio? Why, they’re married, of course!”
“Married!”
“Yes! Years ago, the baroness was too ill to travel with your family on the voyage aboard the Carnelian. Since Alessio disappeared along with the rest of the ship, those two have been separated until today.”
“It’s so strange to hear you call him that.”
“You’ll be hearing a lot of strange things from now on.”
Her eyes widened. “The painting!”
“The painting?”
She nodded. “When Cinzia took me upstairs to the guest chambers for the first time, I saw the portrait of she and her husband and I knew I recognized his face. But I just assumed it was because he looked like Arrie. But the young man in the painting is Uncle Al!”
He laughed. “Indeed.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t see it sooner,” she muttered, shaking her head. “But how did all of us get from here to Earth?”
“I shall allow your uncle the privilege of telling you that one.”
“How do you know so much?”
“Patience, my darling. You don’t need to know everything all at once. In fact, it would be much better if you received the news in little bits,” he said.
“Little bits?”
“You’ve already had so much to process in recent days, and there will be plenty more in the days to come. We wouldn’t wish you to suffer from—what do you call it again? Ah, yes—sensory overload.”
“Too late for that!”
When the dance ended, Darian and Marisa rejoined their families. She was surprised to hear her uncle speaking fluent Crocine.
“Uncle Al, why didn’t you tell us sooner?” she chided him.
His eyes glistened with tears. “Oh, Marisa, believe me, I wanted to so badly. But your father made us all promise never to reveal anything about Carnelia to either you or Mark.”
“But why?”
Uncle Al sighed. “I don’t exactly know. Perhaps he didn’t want you to go through life always feeling as if you didn’t fit in.”
“But I’ve always felt different.”
“You were different. Are different.”
“And now you’ve broken your promise?”
Uncle Al sighed. “Your father felt it was best if you never found out about this past since you would never get to see it anyway. Or at least, that’s what he thought. In light of what’s happened, I feel duty-bound to tell you anything you want to know. It’s what he would have wanted.”
She turned to her brother. “And why aren’t you freaking out like I did when I first got here?”
Mark shrugged. “Uncle Al told me what had happened to you the very first night.”
“You already knew where I was?” she asked her uncle.
“When Mike Stevens called to tell me that your Mustang was parked up at the stables but there was no sign of you or Siena, I knew something was up,” said Uncle Al. He nudged her gently. “Why do you think we always warned you to stay out of those woods?”
“Anyhow,” Mark continued, “I kept asking questions—like why weren’t we calling the police. Finally, he spilled the whole story. At first I didn’t buy it. And I still didn’t believe it right up until the time that Celino brought us back—”
She interrupted. “He told me he was working on something in the testing phase. Where is Celino, anyway?”
“He was so excited about it all that he wanted to go home to write up his notes while they were still fresh in his mind,” said Uncle Al.
She turned to Darian. “So you probably paid Celino a king’s ransom to go back and pick up Uncle Al and Mark and bring them here. Why would you do that?”
“The reason should be obvious, Marisa. You are the rightful heir to the throne. I could not in clear conscience keep this knowledge to myself. That plus the fact that I might have an extremely difficult time proving your identity without your uncle’s help,” he chuckled.
Marisa decided to drop all the questions and just enjoy the rest of the evening. There was still plenty of time to ask questions and Darian was right about taking the time to absorb the information.
Everyone danced late into the night, and when the last guests had finally left, Darian escorted Marisa back to her room. He hadn’t let go of her since making the big announcement.
They climbed the grand staircase and Marisa noticed the missing portraits had been hung back up on the walls. In a prominent spot, there was a magnificent, life-sized portrait of a young woman. She gasped when she recognized the face.
“That’s me!” she exclaimed, pointing at the painting.
“It’s your mother,” he said softly.
The beautiful young monarch was dressed in a luxurious cream satin dress. Except for her hair which was nearly black, the woman bore an uncanny resemblance to Marisa.
She studied the painting in awe, noticing the subtle details such as the glints of light sparkling in her diamond tiara and the graceful curve of her hand as it rested on a marble stand. Tears formed in her eyes as she stood face-to-face with the mother she had lost so long ago.
“This portrait was commissioned for your mother’s eighteenth birthday, just before she ascended the throne,” Darian said. “She was about the same age as you are now when it was completed. Of course, I had to order the staff to remove it when we arrived so you wouldn’t see it.”
“I don’t think I can take anymore,” she said weakly.
He put an arm around her. “Come, let’s go have a cup of tea and calm you down so you can sleep tonight.”
Once they entered her room, Darian asked Anna to bring them some tea. He grabbed her cloak, slipped it around her shoulders, and led her outside onto the balcony. Gently he pulled her towards him and rested her head against his chest.
“Darian?”
“Yes?”
“There’s something I still don’t understand. Why did you tell Arrie that you were engaged to Lady Matilda? I overheard you talking that night after I fell in the cave.”
“Did you hear me state plainly that I was engaged to Matilda?”
She looked him in the eye. “Well, no—but it was implied…”
A smile spread across his face. “Yes, you see, the inherent danger in eavesdropping is that you can almost always be certain you will misinterpret the true meaning of the words spoken.”
“Say what?”
“Indeed I was speaking to Arrie about being engaged to a young woman, but that woman wasn’t Lady Matilda.”
“Oh.”
“I told you that afternoon by the lake that I loved you and I knew no other woman would do.”
He took her face in his hands and covered her soft lips with his firm ones. It was a kiss so tender that it made her want never to be apart from him. This is not a dream—this is actually happening.
“Just tell me one thing,” she said. “That first day we met—why did you seem so disgusted with me?” She searched his face. “You seemed to hate me with everything you had. I couldn’t understand what in the world I’d done to deserve it.”
He smiled, shrugged. “I don’t know, I was in shock, I suppose. When I saw you there, lying on the road unconscious, I honestly believed my eyes were playing tricks on me.”
“But how did you even recognize me after so long?”
“You looked exactly how I remembered your mother, Queen Elyse. In my heart, I wanted to believe it was you, but the reason in my head told me it couldn’t possibly be you.
“Those first few days, I hated you for owning the face I’d lost so long ago. But by the time I knew with absolute certainty it really was you, it was too late. I had already fallen deeply in love.”
She smiled softly.
“Then Savino appeared in your life. When I saw him kissing you near the waterfall, I was sure I’d lost you forever. And when he proposed marrying you instead of Adalina, my torment was comple
te. And I had no one else to blame but myself.
“From the very beginning, I had made myself utterly unavailable to you. I’d convinced myself that I had to shut you out for my own protection. Because I could not yet reveal your true identity, I also could not make any promises. I tried to conceal my feelings, but I failed miserably.
“Knowing I’d locked myself away for far too long, you had every right to refuse me in favor of Savino. But I still prayed that even if you could not love me, you would never marry him. I had to wait for you to make your decision about Savino before I could even try to win your heart.”
She shook her head. “Incredible.”
“You have really tried my patience, woman.”
“I think it’s gonna take me a while to get over the shock of all this.”
His face softened. “You have no idea of the agony I suffered that day you informed me of your plans to marry Savino. But I knew I only had myself to blame.”
“I just can’t believe what I’m hearing,” she said, shaking her head. “I have been searching nonstop ever since I came to Carnelia for some kind of guidance—for some sort of direction in my life. But on the day I think my entire life is falling apart, the pieces are flung into the air and they all fall neatly into place. It’s just too good to be true. There’s gotta be a catch.”
“There’s no catch. With Garon, all things are possible, and everything happens for a reason. I know this.”
“So you’re saying there’s no such thing as coincidence?”
He cocked his head at her. “Just what do you think the odds are of us ever finding each other again after all these years? And after living in separate worlds?”
“Hmm, I see your point. Probably about a million to one.”
“I’d say about a billion to one,” he said with a smile.
“Darian, I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know how to be a queen. You’ve grown up in the palace, but I haven’t.”
“Don’t worry, I will help you. We’ll take it step-by-step, and you will learn everything at your own pace. Don’t forget you’ll have my mother, Adalina, Cinzia, Arrie, and your uncle to help you too.”
“But it’s such a huge responsibility. How am I supposed to rule a country I don’t know anything about?”
“You won’t be the first ruler to have asked those very same questions. But I do have a quick answer for you—pray for wisdom,” he said.
“Why are the Knights of the Crimson Court gonna want to listen to some eighteen-year-old girl from another world?”
“Just think of it. You are part of an extraordinary legacy that has managed to transcend worlds and survive against all odds. That never could have happened without the blessings and protection of Garon. You are the rightful heir to the throne of Crocetta and this is your birthright. You must step up and claim it.”
She just stared at him, unconvinced.
“Marisa, I love you, and you have what it takes to be queen. I’ve seen it. Your father saw it, too. We have our whole lives ahead of us and we shall accept this challenge together. We’ve got each other and we’ve got Garon. Both of those things can carry us through.”
“I love you, Darian,” she whispered. “It almost killed me when I thought we could never be together. But now that I know the truth, I can only do this if you’ll be there with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Remember, it was you who left me, after all.” He chuckled, pulled her in a tight embrace. “This has been a highly emotional day for you, and now you need to rest.”
“What an understatement.”
“There is much to be done in the coming days, weeks, and months, but we shall take it one day at a time,” he said as he led her back inside. “Your Royal Highness, I bid you good night and shall see you first thing in the morning. Sleep well, my beautiful princess.”
“Good night, sweet prince.” She pulled him close to kiss him one last time. Darian grinned at her as she slowly shut the door.
Marisa fell back onto the bed feeling drained and exhausted. She wriggled out of the dress, ripped off the corset, and pulled her nightgown over her head.
As she snuggled deep under the covers, her mind began to replay the most fantastic birthday she’d ever experienced. A wave of exhaustion quickly consumed her, and for the first time in weeks, she sank into a deep and restful sleep.
CHAPTER 30
MARAYA
THE NEXT MORNING, MARISA awoke to a light tapping sound in the hall. She grabbed the earpiece from the nightstand and slid out of bed. She tiptoed across the cold stone floor and peeked out in the hall. There was a young man hanging a picture on the wall and as soon as he saw her, he bowed.
“I apologize, Your Royal Highness. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
She shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile. As she closed the door, the events of the previous day came flooding back. The fact that she had no memory of ever being a princess totally boggled her mind.
She climbed back into bed and snuggled under the warm covers. What was it that Darian had said the night before? Only if you want to be was his response when she’d asked him if they were still engaged.
She gazed down at her mother’s ring. It seemed to be glowing and pulsing from within. Curiously she removed it and saw it return to its clear diamond color before she slipped it back on again and watched it transform into a deep purple. So many questions swirled in her head. Now that she and everyone else knew she was a princess, it was going to be a busy day.
After she had bathed and dressed, she took one last look in the mirror before heading down the corridor toward the dining room. Once she had sat down at the table, members of the kitchen staff practically fell over one another as each one tried to please her. Obviously they had recently become aware of her position and had no intention of screwing things up for themselves.
Darian had told her from day one that he always questioned the motivations of the people surrounding him. Marisa wondered if people would be falling over themselves for her all the time now. She had only been a princess for a few hours but was already beginning to understand the complexities of Darian’s life as a royal.
The door creaked open as he entered.
“Good morning, Your Supreme Highness,” Darian said. His baritone voice echoed in the airy hall as he leaned down to kiss her.
“Okay, we’re going to have to make some kind of deal that you don’t call me that. I can deal with hearing it from just about everybody else, but not from you,” she said, returning his smile.
He laid the napkin in his lap. “Yes, dearest, but actually, protocol demands that I address you as such because now you outrank me,” he teased, tugging a lock of her hair.
“This is gonna take some getting used to,” she said with a sigh.
“Of course you shall start right away with the language lessons. That will be a challenge in itself,” he said in a mock serious tone.
“Language lessons?”
“But of course. How else are you supposed to communicate with your subjects? You shall learn Crocine as well as three other dialects,” he said, spreading butter on his toast.
“Okay—stop! Too much information already,” she said with a laugh, lifting her hand in protest.
“Stop what?” Uncle Al asked as he sat down at the table.
“Darian was just telling me I’m gonna have lessons in at least four different languages. I’ve already got English and French—don’t they count for something?”
“Neither of those languages will do you much good here, darlin’,” Uncle Al replied, stirring his tea.
“Where’s Mark?” she asked.
“Do you mean Prince Marcus?” Uncle Al corrected. “He’s still asleep, I think.”
Okay, I need some answers,” she said. “And I need them now.”
The two men exchanged glances. “Fire away,” said Uncle Al.
“First of all, how did our family get to Earth?”
Uncle Al stared down at his plate fo
r a moment. He took a sip of tea and leaned back in his chair.
“You were only four and Mark almost three when your parents, Queen Elyse and King Alano, set out on a diplomatic mission to the neighboring kingdom of Terracina. Your father and I were born there, and it was the desire of many in both houses that we would foster an even tighter alliance with our uncle, the king. With our kingdoms combined, we could better defend our lands from the kings of the east, who were determined to annex and rule both our countries.
“My wife, Cinzia, and I were both asked to join the voyage while Arrie stayed behind. But knowing it would be a long trip both ways, your mother refused to leave you and your brother in Crocetta. The night before we were to set sail, Cinzia became terribly ill, and only after I insisted she wasn’t in a state to travel did she decide to stay here in Crocetta.”
“Cinzia is my aunt, right?” Marisa asked.
“Yes, and she’s really looking forward to getting to know you.”
She smiled. “I’ve always wanted an aunt.”
“Anyway,” Uncle Al continued, “the next day, the Carnelian set sail to cross the Sea of Pyrgos. We’d been gone for about four days when the ship hit a severe storm in the early evening. It lasted for several hours, and we were tossed and turned violently by the sea.
“I was so relieved that Cinzia had stayed behind. But your mother just sat on her bunk, hugging you and Mark, trying to calm you both down. You were so frightened. Later that night, a member of the crew spotted a maelstrom, and before we knew it, we were being sucked down. There was terrible thunder and lightning all around us. Every last man and woman on that ship began to pray to Garon for mercy.”
Marisa became engrossed in the story as Uncle Al recounted the haunting images burned on his retina forever. Adalina, Arrie and Cinzia entered the room one by one and quietly and sat listening to Uncle Al’s account.
“Just as the ship was being sucked down into the maelstrom, there were these strange blue-light flashes of lightning. The wind swirled all around us and the last thing I saw was a shining full moon and a high wall of black seawater coming straight for us.
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