by W. J. May
He quickly sat down again.
Rae headed out the main room to the hallway lobby where the restrooms were. Alfie stood by a door, which Rae assumed led to the women's bathroom.
He held his hand up when she approached. “You'll have to wait a moment.”
“Okay.” At least her hunch had been right on where Sarah had gone. Rae glanced around the beautiful brightly lit hall. The crystal chandeliers matched the enormous large ones inside the banquet-ball room. Hey Maria. All's well here. How are you guys doing? Might as well test to see how far their ‘head-talking' could reach. Rae had once reached Carter through thick stone walls. How far could she reach now?
Rae pretended not to notice Alfie's raised eyebrows as she tried to whistle while waiting for the restroom door to open. Maria? Can you hear me? Were they too far apart? Testing one, two… Testing one, two. Maria? Just seeing if you can hear me? She cleared her throat. It had to work. Wasn't that one of the reasons the Privy Council wanted Maria working on this case? Maria! It's me, Rae. Everything is fine. I'm just trying to see if we can communicate through the walls. This is where the Masquerade is going to be and if it doesn't work, we need to come up with something else.
Alfie knocked politely on the bathroom door. “Mum?”
Rae stopped trying to talk to Maria and walked over to the lady's bathroom. “Everything okay?”
Alfie frowned. Rae wasn't sure if it was because of the situation or because she was asking.
Rae's back tingled. She sensed another tatù nearby but had no idea if it was Sarah's or someone else. “Let me go check on her.” She reached for the door and tried to pull it open.
Alfie held it tightly shut with his foot. “You are not permitted inside!”
She pulled and rattled the handle trying to get in. “If she's sick…”
Alfie grabbed her wrist and twisted it behind her back. “You are not permitted in there!” he repeated.
It took every ounce of control not to resist him with a tatù. He was doing his job, protecting the soon-to-be princess, even while in the loo. “Ow!” she whispered, the tight grip hurt. “I'm just trying to help. If she's ill, she'll prefer me coming in, not you.”
Alfie loosened his hold then slowly let her go.
A loud crash inside the bathroom sent them both into action.
Rae shook her wrist and grabbed the door with her other hand. She switched her tatù to electricity, ready to zap an intruder should they be in there. She rushed inside, Alfie right on her heels.
A window near the far wall banged against its frame. The old brass and glass made an eerie horror movie kind of sound. Rae surveyed the rest of the room. Where was Sarah? The powder room section sat vacant. She ran into the toilet section and ducked down to check for feet under the three stalls. Empty.
Alfie spoke into his wrist. “Code Ice.” He pulled out his gun and began checking the powder room under the long skirt tables.
Rae ran for the window and shoved it open. The old window hung by two hinges at the top and easily opened and slammed shut again. On tippy toes, she pushed her head through and switched to Devon's tatù for the better vision. She couldn't see anybody in the quiet parking area below, let alone someone dragging or carrying Sarah in her red dress. There was black rope on the ground and a white van parked not too far away. Nobody was in it. About to mention it to Alfie, she bit her tongue when she saw Curtis carrying two cups and slip into the back of the van. Dummy had gone for coffee while someone tried to get Sarah! She was going to skin him alive later.
“Sarah?” Alfie called. “Are you here?”
Rae dipped her head back inside.
A small noise came from inside one of the stalls. A metal click sounded, and the middle stall door opened slowly.
“Alfie? I'm okay.” Sarah opened the door further and stepped down from off the toilet and onto the floor.
Rae rushed to her side the same time Alfie did.
“What happened?” he demanded and then into his wrist barked, “Stand down. Cancel ice.”
Sarah looked shaken, and Rae grabbed a cup from the fancy sink and poured her some water. She handed it to Sarah.
Sarah gave her a smile as she took it. “I'm fine. Please, please don't alarm everyone. Do not get Philip! He will only worry. Everything is fine. Tell them, Alfie. Now.”
Alfie didn't look like he believed her, but he did as commanded. “Stand down. False alarm. Back to your stations.” He frowned before checking to make sure the bathroom main door was locked. “What the hell just happened?”
Sarah glanced at Rae before replying. “I freshened my make up in the powder room and then stopped into the loo. I heard the window open, which seemed strange because we are basically on the second floor. I panicked and crawled up to hide on the seat.” She giggled, probably from shock. “Guess that was the smart thing to do. Someone climbed in through the window. They paused a moment before pushing open the stall beside me.” She laughed again. “Then you two made a bunch of ruckus at the door and must have scared them off. I think they jetted back out through the window.”
Alfie raced to the window.
“I saw something on the ground before,” Rae said. “A black rope or a cable or something.”
Alfie's head disappeared, along with the infamous wrist. He sent people to patrol and check the grounds before dropping the window back down. “There's nothing on the ground. You must have imagined it.”
“I'm pretty sure I saw a rope.”
“Maybe it was a branch.” He pressed his lips in a tight line. “My men are checking now. If there's anything, they will find it.”
“I need to get back to the luncheon. People are going to wonder where I am.” Sarah moved to the sink to wash her hands.
Rae noticed they were calm, unlike her shaking ones clenched at her sides.
“We need to get you out of here, Sarah.” Alfie raised his arm.
Sarah put her wet hand over his wrist. “No, you do not. I am staying. Nothing happened. I'm completely fine. No scoundrel is going to scare me from my duty.”
Rae blinked. This was no faint of heart princess! She liked her more already. She offered her arm to Sarah. “Come on. I'll walk back with you. We can say we were gossiping in the bathroom.”
Alfie cleared his throat.
“Fine.” Rae rolled her eyes. “We were catching up.”
Sarah slipped her arm through Rae's. “Alfie's mad at me, not you. However, catching up is much better.”
“I'm just doing my job, Mum.” Alfie followed them out but did not stop them.
“We keep this a secret.” Sarah looked at Rae and then Alfie. “At least till after the luncheon?” Alfie frowned but gave her a curt nod.
As they returned to the large banquet hall, Maria's gentle voice sounded inside Rae's head. Everything okay?
Where were you? Rae didn't know whether to sigh with relief or scream in irritation.
What do you mean?
I was trying to get a hold of you a few minutes ago. Rae forced a smile on her face as she and Sarah made their way back to their seats, everyone oblivious to what had just happened in the bathroom. Someone tried to attack the prince's fiancé! Then I see Curtis carrying coffee! What the hell?
What? I've been here the whole time.
Your van has full view of the restrooms. Someone climbed up and snuck into the bathroom.
Impossible! I would have seen them.
Something happened. Sarah wouldn't make this up. I was there.
Maria didn't say anything for a moment. Rae took her seat beside Devon and let Sarah cover what happened.
I'm sorry, Rae. Curtis and I screwed up. He went to grab coffee, and I grabbed us a sandwich. We were gone five minutes tops! One of us should have stayed here. I just didn't… You and Devon are inside… We figured… I guess we shouldn't have gone. Is everything okay? Is the future princess okay?
Rae felt bad for Maria. She could hear the guilt in her friend's voice. The future princess is fine. Eve
rything's okay. Her secret service men are scouting the grounds now.
It'll never happen again.
I know Maria. I'm sorry, too.
Devon had switched places with Rae and was sitting beside the prince now. He leaned close to Rae and whispered so softly only she could hear. “Everything all right?”
“It is. Bit of a mix up. I'll explain later.”
Chapter 11
After lunch had finished, Devon and Rae made the rounds, saying hello and greeting the other people attending the lunch. Devon shook each person's hand as he introduced himself, giving Rae the opportunity to do the same. No one else in the room carried a tatù.
The prince and future princess moved about the room talking. Rae watched them and marvelled at their ability to communicate and interact with whomever they met. Rae had never paid much attention to politics or royalty, especially growing up in America. She knew who the Queen was in England, and the royal family, but that was it. Now, she was beginning to realize they were so much more than just a cultural/traditional icon. Prince Philip and Sarah represented a new age of royalty. One with social media interaction, and the ability to reach out to a new generation, to make a difference.
From the conversations Rae picked up with her strong tatù hearing ability, they were both passionate about making a difference, and changing things for the better; the environment, poverty, endangered animals, education and more. Rae couldn't keep up with how much each of them knew on every subject. Rae and Devon had talents with their tatùs, but these two were using their social status to teach others. Rae could imagine little children following them and loving them. They were a fairy-tale couple.
“Rae?” Devon's lightly calloused fingers intertwined with hers. “Want to go for a walk?”
“Pardon?” She blinked, trying to focus on his words instead of the tingling warmth his fingers created against her skin.
He smiled at her, his dimple appearing for a moment. “You're helping Sarah this afternoon and the prince has asked me to join him. I just thought a walk would give us a moment alone.”
Her heart sped. “S-Sure.”
“I'll just let Philip know.” Devon squeezed her hand before letting go and walking over to the prince.
He carried himself confidently. Rae could see he had changed since her first year at Guilder. He was still the same old Devon in some ways, but a more mature, grown-up version. It wasn't hard to see why the Privy Council wanted him. He was the better version of his father.
Was she the better version of her mother?
She highly doubted it.
Devon returned. “Ready?”
“Sure. Where are we going?”
Devon shrugged. “Just around the block.” He held the door open for her as they stepped outside the antique building. He waved at the chauffeur to let him know they were walking. His fingers pressed against the inside of Rae's elbow as he steered her to the right and onto the sidewalk.
Where are you going? Maria's voice interrupted Rae's thoughts. She stumbled, not expecting to hear Maria.
Devon's hand curled gently around her upper arm to help her. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Rae rolled her eyes and tapped her forehead. “Maria just spoke in my head, surprised me.”
“What does she want?”
“She asked where we were going.”
“Tell her and Curtis that we're going over what happened earlier without spying eyes.”
Rae felt her cheeks grow warm. She had misunderstood his suggestion for a walk completely. She straightened and cleared her throat. She needed to wake up and focus on her job. Whatever la-la dreams and hopes she was having needed to leave her thoughts completely. Maria, just going over what happened earlier with Devon. No interruption. Did you guys find anything or find any information about the intruder?
From the long pause, Rae assumed they had nothing.
Not yet. Still working on it. Queen's Guard haven't found anything either. They stopped and questioned us as well. When we told them who we worked for, they asked us to collaborate and help them out. We found nothing. You sure someone was really there? Could you have imagined it?
Rae inhaled a harsh breath through her nose and forced it out again. Sarah heard someone. She wouldn't lie. Whoever it was had a tatù. Maybe a shifting ability. Keep looking.
“Sorry,” she said to Devon. “Just seeing if they have any information.”
“About what?” Devon asked. The sun peeked its bright head out of a pair of grey clouds and seemed to light the cement in front of them with a trail of the sunshine.
“There was an incident earlier.” Rae had the feeling Devon wasn't going to be too impressed with what she was about to tell him. “When I left to nip to the loo, Sarah was using the bathroom, so I waited outside.”
“Were there Queen's Guards at the door?”
She nodded. “Alfie. At least I could see him. There were more, but they weren't exposed. After a bit, I went to go and check on her. I just had this hunch, you know… Alfie and I heard something and raced inside. I thought at first that someone had kidnapped Sarah-”
Devon grabbed her by the waist to stop her from walking. He swung her around, so she stood facing him. To any onlooker, it would have seemed he had spun her and pulled her close for a lover's embrace. “Slow down. Backup. Someone attacked Sarah?”
Rae found her breath that had gone missing when Devon wrapped his arms around her. “Yes. No. Wait!” She pressed her back against his arms. When he didn't let her go, she sent a small shock of electricity from her tatù against him.
He dropped his arms quickly. “Hey!”
She ignored him. “Nobody was in the bathroom when we walked in. An old window was banging either from the wind or someone escaping. There was no one about, down below or above. I thought I saw a cable or rope or something but it was gone when I checked again, and Maria confirmed there was nothing collected from the Queen's Guards or them.”
“Where was Sarah?”
“Hiding in a stall. She stood on a toilet and crouched down. Apparently when Alfie and I jostled the door to get in we scared the intruder.”
“Did you see anyone?”
She shook her head. “I felt a tatù, but it could have been Sarah's. Whoever planned it, didn't execute it very well. Or wasn't planning on getting caught inside the toilets.”
Devon began to pace, rubbing his hand along the small stubble of his chin line. “They could be amateurs with no clue what they are doing. Or experts knowing she would be in the bathroom alone and tried to seize the opportunity. They wouldn't plan on kidnapping Sarah. They'd kill her on the spot.”
“Ouch! That's harsh.” Rae couldn't believe he had said the words so matter of fact.
“But true.” He stopped pacing. “What did Maria and Curtis see? They had eyes on the building.”
Rae swallowed. “Um… That's where we hit a bit of a snag.”
“What do you mean?” A single eyebrow rose on Devon's rugged face.
“Apparently Curtis went to grab them some coffee. I saw him carrying the cups to the van when I stuck my head out the window. And…” She began picking invisible lint off her small cardigan. “Maria said she nipped out to grab them some lunch.”
Devon's jawline twitched as he clenched his jaw tight.
“Rookie mistake?” Rae offered.
Devon huffed. “Curtis isn't a rookie! He's one of the guys that helped crack the brainwashing device your father created! He knows better!”
“Maybe he thought Maria knew to stay on the lookout. She realized her mistake and apologized. I probably would have done the same thing.”
“No. You wouldn't have.” His jawline muscles twitched. “No way at all.”
Rae watched him a few moments. “So what do we do now?”
“We let Carter know.”
“Will Maria and Curtis get in trouble?”
“Rae, this isn't Guilder. There is a whole lot more at stake than worrying about being a tattletale. Real
life, real people. We may be pretending to be together in high-class society as our job, but for the rest of those people in there, this is their life.”
“I'm not…” She didn't finish her sentence. What was the use in arguing a point that she agreed with? She crossed her arms over her chest and stepped back to look at him. “When did you get so grown up, Devon Wardell?”
His head tilted slightly as he stared at her in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“You always had the mentor thing in you, since I've known you, but now you're all responsible. Wait! You've always been that as well.” She pretended to stare hard at him and twirled with a strand of her hair. “It's something else about you.” She snapped her fingers. “You're an adult now! That's it.”
He didn't see the humor in her teasing. “This is a serious job, Rae. If you don't take it seriously, people die.”
“People die when you take it seriously, too.” She knew that better than anyone. “This job took my mother away. It killed her. Even if I believe she might still be alive, I lost her when I was six. I mourned her. That mother is dead. Nobody can give her back to me.”
“She chose to work for the Privy Council. She went undercover to stop your father. She's a hero.”
“She killed my father. That doesn't make her a martyr. She left me an orphan with no idea of what would happen when I turned sixteen.”
“It's not her fault.”
Rae blinked back the unshed tears. It hurt to swallow, but she did it anyways. She was not going to cry over this. “It is. She knew the risk of marrying my father, had an idea about inks crossing and still she chose to go through with it. She chose to work for the Privy Council. She sent me out to play in the treehouse as she casually planned on killing her husband!”
Devon reached out for her. “She sacrificed everything for you.”
Rae stepped back so he couldn't touch her. “She didn't do it for me. She did it for the Privy Council. That was her only focus. I see that now. Job and country. Just like you.”
“It's not…”
“Don't defend it,” Rae cut him off. “It's true. That's why you broke up with me. You can't have both. You're just like my mom.”