Carden quickly agreed. “Yes, you do look like you might be wilting, somewhat.”
“You’ll be joining us?” she asked, directing her question to Carden and Raya.
“Absolutely,” he asserted, an ornery smirk on his face. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
“And you?” Mina turned to Raya, brows raised self-importantly as she waited for her answer.
“I’m afraid I won’t be there,” Raya replied tactfully. “I have plans to meet a friend for dinner this evening.”
“Pity,” Mina retorted. “I was hoping to get to know you better. We are from the same region, after all.”
Raya gave her a fake smile. “Perhaps another time.”
“That would be lovely,” Mina answered pompously.
With that, Mina squeezed my arm and pulled me away from them. I could hear Carden’s laughter as they continued in the opposite direction.
Chapter twenty-eight
RAYA
“Don’t worry about her,” Carden scoffed, trying to reassure me. “She can’t compete with you.”
“Are you blind? Did you see how beautiful she was? She was walking around the village in a glittering, golden ball gown, for crying out loud! Her hair was perfect; despite the wind, not even a strand was out of place. And she has the posture of a princess. They looked good together,” I added wistfully. “That’s who he needs. Not someone like me.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Raya,” Carden refuted. “Even if you were wearing a sack, you’d still be a thousand times more beautiful than Mina or any other woman like her. Women like her only care about appearances, and that is most certainly not what Trevor needs. That’s not what any man needs. And he’s a fool if he can’t see you standing right in front of him.”
“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” I laughed.
Carden lightly hit my shoulder. “Don’t get used to it, Princess.”
We continued to walk all around Galder just so I could avoid Trevor and Mina. Just thinking of her arm wrapped possessively around his made me ridiculously angry. Carden insisted he understood my jealousy, but I wasn’t sure the word ‘jealous’ was strong enough for the way I felt. It wasn’t simple longing; it was white-hot rage that coursed beneath the surface of my skin, through my veins. I didn’t want him to end up with her. I wanted Trevor.
My stomach was in knots…because they looked like they belonged together. A southern Prince and his northern Lady. Their stroll around the village didn’t go unnoticed by the people of Galder. No matter where we went, I had to endure the whispers about the mystery woman on the Prince’s arm, and about how quickly he had forgotten me.
Carden was surprisingly kind. “They talk about the lives of others because their own lives are boring and monotonous.”
“That may be true, but they’re right.”
“He hasn’t forgotten you.”
“There never was an ‘us’,” I responded sadly. “We were always just friends.”
Carden gave a sharp laugh. “I’ve never seen ‘just friends’ look at each other the way you do. And not just back there. It’s like there’s a cord stretching between you and him. He always knows where you are, and if I’m right, you know where he is, as well.”
“I didn’t expect to see him just now.” I gave a long, slow sigh. “It doesn’t matter anyway. Yurak will push those two together, or push him into the arms of another woman in the coming weeks. Eventually he’ll choose one of them, I’ll move into my tower, you’ll sail away to the Southern Isle, and life will go on for all of us, our paths diverging in different directions.”
“Is that what you want?” he asked. “For him to choose someone else to be his wife?”
“No.”
He sat on a bench in the back garden of the castle and patted the stone beside him. I plopped down, immediately and painfully aware of how ungraceful a princess I was. “When was the last time you spoke with Trevor?”
I bit the inside of my lip to avoid answering. I hadn’t really spoken to him since his father insulted me at dinner, since I asked him to leave my room.
“I see,” Carden intuited. “Has he told you that Aelawyn is sending a party to attend the Ball?”
“He mentioned it.”
Carden’s brows shot up. “So you know who’s coming?”
My mind started to whirl. No. Why would she come, of all people? “Not her.”
“Yes, her,” he confirmed. “Ella and Asher are due to arrive tomorrow.”
“Well, that’s just perfect. With Mina hanging on his arm, and Ella here, he won’t even know I’m in the room.”
Carden stretched his legs. “His attention is yours if you want it. You just have to claim it.”
I crossed my arms. “Why should I? He doesn’t want me, so why should I bother?”
Closing his eyes, Carden stretched his arms along the back of the bench. “Why, indeed? You can always sail away with me.”
I rolled my eyes. “There’s nothing on the Southern Isle that interests me.”
“That’s just because I’m not there yet,” he teased.
“You’re ridiculous.” I rolled my eyes at him.
“So I’ve been told. Look, life isn’t always fair. It almost always gives you things you don’t expect, and rarely makes sense.”
“Things like losing your birthright?”
He pursed his lips. “Yes, things like that. But in the end, I gained some level of freedom. You lost your kingdom, freedom, and entire family, but were rescued and now have a new home and friends. Trevor was denied Ella, but my guess is that she, who meant the most to him years ago, doesn’t mean much to him now at all. Now he has other things in his life... other people... who are much dearer to him,” he added with raised brows.
I knew he was implying that I was what Trevor wanted, but I still couldn’t get the image of Trevor and Mina out of my mind.
Carden might be wrong or he might be right. I wasn’t sure. There were times when a familiar sense of intimacy stretched between Trevor and me. I could feel it as surely as I could feel my own fingers, and I knew he felt it, too.
One thing was for sure – I was never going to let a woman-child like Mina look down her nose at me again. If she wanted to fight for him, a fight she would receive.
Evelyn and I reached a new understanding almost overnight. I needed her help. Whether I particularly liked King Yurak or not, he was hosting this Ball to honor me as well as his son, and that event was in seven days. I needed to look and act like the crown Princess of Paruth.
Instead of arguing with Evelyn, I asked for her to help me dress. I didn’t complain about what she picked out for me. I didn’t grumble or hiss when she brushed and then braided my hair, no matter how much she pulled it. We weren’t friends, but we were no longer enemies. In truth, it made the morning routine much more enjoyable for both of us.
She held the pale blue dress she’d picked out in front of me. “Lady Mina is wearing a bright pink monstrosity of a gown, which makes her look very much like the inside of a beet. But this will look perfect on you.”
It would look perfect, and I was surprised she’d figured out my motives without me voicing them.
She slid the pale silk over my head and I stuck my arms through the sleeves. The seamstress had measured me again last night for the ball gown she was making. When she asked what color I wanted it to be, her eyes glittered when I told her. I could almost see the possibilities spin through her mind, like the bottom of a ball gown filled with air as the woman wearing it was spun around the floor.
Evelyn was a great asset to have on my side. She listened to what was going on in the castle. And, frankly, she snooped. “Do you know what kind of dress Lady Mina’s wearing to the Ball?” I asked innocently.
Evelyn’s eyes lit up as she finished lacing the back of my bodice. “It looks like a wedding dress, to be sure,” she whispered conspiratorially. “It’s stark white, and the silks have a pattern of icicles throughout. It’
s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. And if I may be so bold, very presumptuous on her part.” She bent to straighten the hem of my dress and added, “The guests from Halron should be here soon.”
“And what about Aelawyn?” I wondered when Ella would arrive. She married Asher, but were they still happy together? Did she regret her choice? Just seeing her was going to hurt Trevor, and watching him pine for her was going to kill me.
I was worried that seeing Ella would drive him straight into Mina’s very open arms. I knew he was just getting to know her. I had yet to see passion or a spark of interest from his side; not that a royal couple needed passion to secure their nuptials.
But Ella was a completely different story. When you loved someone, you couldn’t just turn that love off. You couldn’t make it go away, even if they didn’t want you in return. If there was anyone who could empathize with the terrible, crushing feeling of unrequited love, it was me. I knew exactly how Trevor felt when he saw Ella with the blacksmith. Like everything he wanted was within reach, yet completely unattainable. I felt it, too.
Carden was adamant that Trevor felt something for me, and in truth, there was definitely a spark in the small, but meaningful moments we spent in the tower by the sea. Since we had been rescued those moments became fewer and farther in-between, and the night of the argument with his father at dinner, they disappeared altogether.
I wasn’t dressing up for Trevor, though. He would have to make his decision on his own. I just wanted to present myself as a viable option. No, from this point forward, I was dressing up for me. For my pride. For my kingdom. And so that snotty witch would never dismiss me again while I stood in her presence.
I twisted in front of the mirror, taking in the hairstyle Evelyn had carefully pinned, and the dress picked out with its glittering beadwork. Her face appeared over my shoulder.
“You look pale.” She held her hands up, making a pinching motion, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I spun around and let her pinch my cheeks. Then I let her stuff my feet into pointed high heels.
It was strange what small, and seemingly insignificant details I remembered about my parents, but in that moment, I clearly remembered my mother telling me that a smile was the best accessory I had. And that morning, I was smiling when I walked out of my room toward the great hall to break my fast.
I just hoped I didn’t break my face by falling in these ridiculous shoes.
When I arrived, the meal had already been served. Servants scrambled to pull out my chair and make sure I had everything I needed. One poured water into a glass while another ran to fill a plate with food.
King Yurak was seated in his usual place at the head of the table. Prince Vincent sat in the honored position at his right hand, while Emily sat at his left. Mina sat beside her mother, and Trevor, of course, was seated beside her.
Carden was next to Prince Vincent, and I sat next to him, which meant I was directly across from Trevor.
Mina shot daggers at me with her eyes as I sat down, and wrinkled her nose in distaste as she examined my dress and hair. I couldn’t stop myself from smirking at her gown, even though it was mean to do so. It was exactly like Evelyn described; every detail designed to catch the eye.
Yurak surprisingly stifled a laugh, coughing into his napkin and drawing the attention of Prince Vincent and Emily away. The three began discussing northern crops and how the growing season was going thus far. In the north, it had really just begun. The soil would be nearly thawed and ready for planting.
A servant brought my food, and delicious steam plumed from the dish as he lifted the lid away. An assortment of fruits, boiled eggs, cheeses, and fresh bread with apples baked on top. It was beautiful. Before I could bring a bite to my mouth, Trevor’s foot found my shin under the table.
My eyes snapped to his. He mouthed the words, “You look beautiful.” If Evelyn hadn’t pinched the life out of my cheeks, he would have seen my blush.
I inclined my head graciously, watching from beneath my lashes to see if Mina saw the exchange, and grinning sweetly at her when she narrowed her eyes at me.
Chapter twenty-nine
TREVOR
Beneath the table, I gave Raya’s shin a little nudge. When she looked up, I mouthed the words You look beautiful, because she did. I wasn’t sure if the motivation to wear one of the new gowns the seamstress had delivered to her chamber was because of Mina’s reaction to her in the village yesterday, or because she was doing exactly as my father asked. In my eyes, it didn’t matter what she wore. Raya was always beautiful.
Unfortunately, Carden seemed to notice, too.
He leaned in, brushed a strand of hair off her shoulder, and whispered something in her ear. When she beamed a smile at him in response, my fingers tightened into fists around my fork and knife. Mina’s hand landed on my forearm.
“What would you like to do today?” she asked, batting her eyelashes coyly.
I hadn’t planned on entertaining her again, but Lady Emily leaned in. “It would be lovely if you could take Mina to see your beaches. I’ve heard they are much different from the ones we have in the north.”
Prince Vincent and my father turned their attention to our conversation, observing the exchange quietly.
“Of course. As long as you don’t need me, Father.” I hoped he took the hint. Mina was nothing if not persistent. Despite her complaints of feeling poorly in the village yesterday, she seemed to miraculously recover once we stepped inside the castle. I saw her to her chamber and left her there, but for the rest of the evening, if I turned a corner, she was there. When I walked into the great hall to greet our guests before dinner, she giggled loudly at something Carden said, all the while keeping her eagle-sharp eyes pinned on me. And the moment I looked at her, she excused herself from him and attached herself to me.
As she rushed across the room, Carden gave me a smirk. I was glad he was leaving. I could only handle his regal arrogance in small doses.
Mina didn’t let me out of her sight the rest of the evening, even when I tried to kindly introduce her to someone else just to get rid of her. I knew that, without a doubt, I could never ask her to be my wife, and would never want to be her husband. I would rather go back to the deserted island.
Raya didn’t come to dinner last night, so I was surprised when she waltzed into the room for breakfast this morning a few minutes later than everyone else.
I needed to speak with her, but with Mina refusing to let me out of her sight, I wasn’t sure when I would get the chance. And then there was Carden, who always seemed to be lurking around Raya when I was fortunate enough to see her.
The Ball couldn’t come soon enough. After that, Mina and her parents would travel back to Waverley, and I wouldn’t have to worry about entertaining her or them anymore. Plus, Carden would board a ship and sail south, thereby eliminating all my aggravators.
Prince Vincent cleared his throat. “I understand that representatives from Aelawyn and Halron should arrive today or tomorrow. I spoke with your father about it last night, Trevor, but you should know that Princess Tenna of Halron was married on the first day of spring.”
I sat my fork down and tugged at my collar. “Is that right? Whom did she marry?” I didn’t care who the girl married, or why or when, and I stopped listening the moment the words left my mouth. However, Mina hung on every word of gossip, interjecting her opinion and occasionally glancing at me from the corner of her eye. I wasn’t sure if she was making sure I was paying attention, or considering the odds of me asking for her hand—which was never going to happen. It didn’t matter who was already married or which unmarried nobles showed up to the Ball. I didn’t want them.
I fixed my eyes on the woman I knew I couldn’t live without.
Carden whispered something to Raya again and the two shared a quiet laugh. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed her laughter, her company, until that moment. I mean, I knew I missed her, but seeing her beside him enjoying his company... a jealous wave rushed through
me, more intense than I’d ever felt before.
Maybe Mina’s arrival was a blessing in disguise. She showed me what I didn’t want in life. I left Galder to find a wife, but then after the shipwreck, I didn’t think I deserved to be happy. No I realized I wanted it. I wanted happiness, and I wanted it with the woman who literally and figuratively saved me. I fell for her the moment she hid behind a door and scared the be-jeesus out of me, and laughed when I yelled and jumped back from her. I fell in love with her smile, her spirit, and her kindness.
I just hoped she felt the same way.
“Trevor,” Father called out as Mina’s hand clamped onto mine. “See that you’re back by midday. And Lady Mina, I hope you find our beaches to your liking.”
Mina gave me a wide grin.
I looked to Raya. Carden was helping her up, offering her his hand.
The muscle in my jaw ticked.
I would have a word with him as well.
She wasn’t happy with him. The smile she wore didn’t quite reach her eyes. But the fact they were spending so much time together worried me. Men and women often married without loving one another first, and worse than that was the possibility that he could talk her into going south with him.
I led Mina out of the room before I turned around and confronted Carden in front of everyone.
Mina was not impressed with the aquamarine sea or the glistening sand. She held the bottom of her gown up to “avoid getting nasty grains in the fabric.” She squealed when a gull flew overhead, and complained about the breeze coming off the water. I think the girl would have fainted if Tross was out here.
“Don’t you swim in the ocean?” I asked curiously.
“Absolutely not!” she exclaimed. “There are fish in the water and things that sting, as well as slimy eels and all manner of abhorrent creatures. Not to mention the fact that the northern sea is far too cold.”
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