by Mary Dublin
Table of Contents
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Epilogue
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Epilogue
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Epilogue
The Heart Between Kingdoms
The Heart Between Kingdoms
A novel by Mary Dublin and Anne Kendsley
ISBN: 9781521542149
First edition. 2017.
Cover Design and Interior Formatting by Maggie Munyon.
To my amazing mom, who supported me with unfailing love in everything I pursued all these years. Thank you for raising me to believe that magic is present everywhere if you only look closely enough. And to Anne— a true fairy at heart if I ever met one.
-Mary
To my friends and family, who have been profoundly supportive of my writing endeavors. And to Mary, for taking another magical adventure with me.
-Anne
Table of Contents
Beautiful Lies
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
Thieving Glory
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
Spellbound Terrors
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
Beautiful Lies
PART ONE
Chapter
One
Alittle more time.
All she needed was a little more time, but there was no one who could give it to her. The third sunset was closing in, and Daniel should have returned to her ages ago. The meetings with his advisors never lasted so long.
The skirt of her deep red gown danced heavily around her legs as she strode through the vast castle corridor. Three days, and she still wasn't accustomed to the thick fabric of the dresses that had been graciously given to her. The type of clothing she had worn all her life was far lighter and floated upon the faintest breeze.
Thankfully, the corridor was quiet. Most of the servants would be downstairs, preparing the dining hall for dinner. If she could only find Daniel, she would have the perfect opportunity to be alone with him. All would be well.
"Princess Esmae?"
She stopped in her tracks and found a young woman with an armful of folded linens staring from a doorway that branched off from the corridor. She was one of the more curious servants, kind and always smiling.
Heart racing, Esmae slowed her steps impatiently. "Yes, Arlette?"
"You seem distraught, Your Highness. Is everything alright?"
"Everything is fine." The sharp lie tasted foul in her mouth. "No need to fret. I'm looking for Prince Daniel. He's been away at his meeting for hours. I only worry about what could be keeping him."
"I see." Arlette offered a clueless nod of encouragement. "There could be good news waiting for you, then. Perhaps your caravan or the highwaymen you escaped from have finally been found. Wouldn't that be relieving?"
Esmae smiled tightly. Lies, lies, lies.
"Yes, of course. Thank you. If you happen to see the prince, do tell him I'm looking for him." With that, she continued down the corridor, forcing herself to move at a calmer pace, lest Arlette's concern interfere.
The servant's voice floated down after her. "I pray for good news, Your Highness!"
"As do I," Esmae whispered.
As she walked, she found herself taking a longer look at the tapestries that adorned the steep stone walls. The craftsmanship, like everything else in the palace, was breathtaking. Gold and emerald threads told stories of valiant knights and kings past. Daniel would soon be inscribed there along the others, she knew. His father was not a young man.
The council chamber sat corner to the throne room on the very first floor. She had only been inside those grand doors once, when her fate was first being decided. Her lips quirked at the memory. Daniel had been so gracious, insisting on offering her shelter. Believing her lies.
Drawing closer to the towering doors, she caught pieces of the ongoing discussion, muddled through the thick walls. She glanced around furtively, half-expecting another servant to round the corner. When the halls remained empty, Esmae crept closer to the doors and angled her ear towards the crack.
"...must take action, Your Highness. Sooner rather than later."
"You think I'm not taking this seriously, Edmund?" This voice was Daniel's. She'd never heard him so close to anger. "This is near treasonous, if what you're saying is true."
Esmae's heart twisted. Whatever the issue was, it was crucial that she ease Daniel back into his usual self soon. There was no more time to waste. She was confident that she would succeed this time, if she only had the chance to try.
Then again, she had been confident the first day, and the second. But now… now it was imperative.
"There is no question about it," Edmund went on firmly. "We have the evidence to support—"
He stopped short when Esmae worked up the nerve to knock on the door. She stepped back, folding her hands at waist-level and wearing the most innocent expression she could conjure. She felt awful for interrupting a matter of great importance, but the tunnel-vision of her own problem convinced her that apologies would suffice.
Heavy footsteps strode closer within the chamber, and the door was thrown inward gruffly, revealing a tall man with dark blond hair and a neatly trimmed beard. Edmund had been openly wary about her presence since the beginning, though she had done everything she could to win him over.
Luckily, Daniel had met her hours before any of his advisors could give their opinion on her or her supposed plight.
Edmund gave her a dark look. "Young lady, perhaps your customs in Evrosea differ from ours, but I believe we've made it quite clear to never interrupt anything held in this chamber."
Esmae was so taken aback she nearly dropped her apologetic facade. His words weren't any harsher than usual, but his tone was sharp as a blade. Even if Edmund hadn't been welcoming, he had never spoken to her with such open harshness.
"My apologies. I wasn't aware that the meeting was still underway." In her impatience, the lie almost didn't hurt.
She tried to peer past Edmund, finding several other advisors seated within the room, but she only had eyes for who sat at the head of the table: Danie
l. He met her gaze, and she smiled. He had said himself that he liked her smile. But he didn't smile back. His eyes were dark, brooding.
"I was only looking for Prince Daniel," she said with a meek slump of her shoulders. "I was wondering if maybe he wasn't busy anymore…"
Edmund sneered. "The crown prince has more important matters to attend to than the whims of some woman." His tone implied that he had a different word in mind.
"That's enough," Daniel commanded, sounding weary. Reluctantly, Edmund stepped back.
"Perhaps her arrival is fortunate." Another man sat at the table sat forward. Esmae hadn't seen him before, but she didn't like the eagerness on his face. "The young lady could join us in discussion."
"Yes," another chimed in. "Let's hear what she has to say on the matter."
"No," Daniel blurted. The growing murmurs were silenced as he rose from his seat. He braced his hands on the table's edge as if he were burdened with a heavy load. "No. I think we're finished talking here."
All eyes followed him as he strode for the door. Esmae could feel the weight of their collective judgement as he stopped before her.
"May I speak with you privately, Esmae?" Daniel whispered. He did not wait for an answer as he took her hand and tugged her towards the hall.
Her heart raced; she would never get used to being so near to him, touching. After having no choice but to admire him from afar for so long, his presence would never cease to be surreal. Fingers tightening into his, she allowed herself to be led away. It was easier to think without the stares of his council pointed at her.
However, the thought of their expressions rivaled whatever relief she gained from having her prince by her side. Something was off, but she refused to assume the worst. Not when she was so close.
One kiss. After everything she had gone through, after playing her part so well, surely getting a kiss wouldn't be as difficult as all the lies.
"Is something wrong, Daniel?" she asked, resting her free hand on his arm. "You seem upset."
He dipped his chin to glance down at her—he's still so tall!—and sighed out through his nose.
"I'm afraid I've heard some unsettling news," he answered briskly.
"Nothing serious, I hope?" Worry crept in, lurking at the corners of her mind. Her pulse quickened, and she wondered if Daniel could feel it as he held her hand.
"That remains to be seen."
She swallowed. They had reached the end of a nondescript staircase that led below, and Daniel released her hand to push open a barred door. He motioned politely for her to enter before him, though she got the feeling she had no choice in the matter.
She hesitated, giving Daniel a perplexed frown. Alone time with him was precisely what she needed, but dread prickled down her spine like cold fingertips, warning her that she should flee. Daniel inclined his head toward the door, patient despite the uncertainty brewing in his eyes.
She could trust him. Whatever was happening, she could trust him.
The room was practically barren. The door creaked and she turned to face him, wringing her hands viciously. The only thing that made her composure worth holding was the knowledge that one slip-up could ruin everything.
"What's this about?" she questioned softly.
Daniel shut the door behind him, slow to face her. "When I found you in the forest, you told me stories of your kingdom and its people. Miles of fertile land where dewdrops bed, a palace made of wood and crystal, if one can believe such a thing… and rivers wide as lakes."
Esmae forced a weak smile. "You remember well."
She did not have the strength to back away as he advanced, replying, "I shared these stories with my best cartographers, hoping to do you good. They returned with a tale of their own."
He was standing right before her, so close she could merely rise on her tiptoes if she wished to kiss him—and oh, how she ached to. But he was shaking his head with pain in his eyes, and his whispered words were not those of a lover.
"There is no princess of Evrosea," Daniel said. "Or any kingdom of that name, for that matter."
Her heart sank like a stone in water, twisting with fear all the way down. Surely fate wasn't cruel enough to make one of her few truths her downfall. "But Evrosea is real," she insisted, her voice shaking with the seeds of panic. "And it's precisely how I told you. It's a hidden gem. Humans—your cartographers, I mean, wouldn't know of it."
His icy blue eyes bore into her, searching. He wanted to believe her, she could see it. "Since they have no knowledge of it, surely you can tell me where it is."
Esmae looked down then with a shudder, racing to conjure up an explanation. Instead, all she could whisper was, "I can't." She made the mistake of peering up at him. The disappointment and betrayal clouding his expression was worse than a slap to the face.
"Can you tell me which direction you were traveling from?" he went on, his patience fleeting. "Can you tell me where your carriages were attacked, or why my men have found no evidence of this?"
Tears stung the back of her eyes. Everything was falling apart, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. One more day. If his cartographers and advising staff could have waited only one more day, Daniel needn't have heard their version of her lies.
"I can't tell you," she said, grasping both his hands. There was no view from the outside to be seen from the dank room, but she could practically feel the sunlight slipping through her fingers. She looked at him desperately. "I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't yet. Please. Forget about this for only a moment. Think about what you want. Do… do you care for me?"
He tilted his head at her, regarding her sadly. "I don't even know who you are."
"Yes, you do!" Esmae clutched at him tighter, as if that would keep him from disappearing. "These last few days spent together, you've seen precisely who I am. I swear! Please, trust me."
But he didn't, and it showed in his face as he scoffed. "How can I believe you?" Daniel demanded. "You lied about everything."
The pain and anger battling on his face was too much to bear. Somehow, a simple girl like her had caused something to break in the man of her dreams.
"I didn't want to," she protested weakly. "I know how it sounds, but I had no choice!"
"Of course," he snapped, seizing his hands back. "What could you possibly have to gain from conning a prince?"
"It wasn't like that! I don't want power or riches. Only you."
But he merely glowered, too far gone to look past her blatant ruse. The weight of her lies made her sick. Why would he spare even a second to listen to her now that she'd been discovered a liar? The spots of truth in her story couldn't overshadow everything else she had told him. Even so, she couldn't stop herself from inching closer, pleading for him to understand.
"You may not know everything about my past, but I've shown you who I am." She hesitated, sucking in her lower lip. The kiss must be true, the witch's words echoed. Esmae couldn't expect Daniel to kiss her of his own accord at this point. She had no choice. "Kiss me," she whispered. "Kiss me, and then I can explain everything."
His face contorted. "Surely, you're joking."
"Daniel, I'm begging you. Once you understand—"
"No." The prince held up his hands in a call for silence. "I don't want to hear any more."
Flinching, Esmae obeyed. She ducked her head swiftly to hide the tears spilling from both eyes, and stood meekly before him. Daniel took a shaky breath to recompose himself, his posture turning to that of a ruler rather than a friend.
"You should be imprisoned for this," he muttered. Catching the stark terror on her face, he softened somewhat. "I'm not going to, mind you. Father would call it weakness, but gods, I truly considered you a friend. Despite what you've done, I can't bear to see you in a cell."
He paused, raking his piercing gaze over her head to toe. Esmae found herself racing to memorize the way he looked, every heart-wrenching detail. The pinch of the frown on his face. The blue of his eyes. The fine leather
coat tailored perfectly to suit him. Knowing this was the last time she would see him like this brought more tears stinging at her eyes. The hesitation on his face made it all the more painful when he turned his back on her and wrenched open the heavy door.
I had a chance, after all.
"You have until dawn to collect your things and be gone."
His footsteps retreated upon the staircase. Esmae drew in a shaky breath, fighting the urge to protest. It was too late. There was no way to make him see that she never meant to hurt him. His memories of her would be drenched in lies, while her memories would be drenched with the pain of what could have been.
"I'm sorry, my prince," she said, sincere as she truly was. His footsteps faltered for the briefest moment before carrying on at a brisker pace.
When the sound of him faded into nothing, Esmae glumly made her way up the stairs. Brennan had warned her no good would come of this. He was right. She should have counted herself lucky that she hadn't been dragged to the dungeons, but her thoughts were clouded with wondering how she could face her family, her friends, her people, after what she had done.
Perhaps like Daniel, they'd want nothing to do with her anymore.
Those thoughts dissolved when a sharp and terribly familiar ache erupted from her core and flooded her senses like a splash of boiling water. She gasped and lurched down upon the steps of the stone staircase, bracing one hand to the ground and another to her forehead.
Through vision blurred with tears and pain, she glimpsed the corner of a window at the top of the stairs, painted with the red of the dying sunset.
"No," she breathed. "Not now."
Forcing herself to stand, she climbed to the top of the stairs, able to carry herself more steadily once she was on even ground. With heavy breaths, she hurried down the corridor and tried to ignore the sunset taunting her through the ceiling-high windows.
Thankfully, she crossed paths with none of Daniel's family, staff, or servants. News that the strange foreign girl had been conning the prince would surely spread through the castle like wildfire.
There was no time to escape the grounds, Esmae realized with dismay. Already, she could barely keep herself upright, and her sight became dimmer with each passing second. Her head pounded, making it difficult to think. Her skin was hot to the touch, but ice felt as though it was forming within her.