by Ashlee Price
On the lowermost tier, two women stand in nearly identical gowns, one midnight blue and the other magenta. They look almost the same, too, except one has her pale hair in a braid and the other has it twisted in a chignon.
Twins?
The crowns on their heads gleam under the sunlight.
Twin princesses?
Then my eyes move further up and I see a man dressed in black and gold. A purple sash hangs from one of his shoulders to his waist. His light blond hair falls over his eyes and...
I stop.
My heart stops as the float passes right in front of me and I get a better look at that face.
It's Steff.
There's no mistaking it.
I pat the shoulder of the man next to me.
"Who is that?" I point to the float just as it passes by.
"Who?"
"The man on the float," I answer. "The one in black and gold."
"Oh, you mean Prince Steffan?"
My breath catches.
Prince?
"Prince Steffan Alezzander Aldnoah," the man informs me proudly. "The second son of King Darien and Queen Celene and Second Prince of Brelv."
"Second?"
"The Crown Prince had an accident, I'm afraid." He beats his hand over his chest. "May the great gods restore his health."
My gaze drops.
Steff is a prince? A real prince?
No wonder he always seemed to have this air of grace and charm about him. No wonder he was so... noble. No wonder he knew so much. No wonder he was used to being in the spotlight.
And no wonder he could pull off the role of a prince so well. He was born for it. Literally.
Suddenly, I remember that time in Orlando when someone called him 'Your Highness'. That's why he ran-because someone recognized him and he didn't want his secret to be discovered.
But why? Why didn't he tell me who he really was?
Well, he did tell me he was from a wealthy family, which wasn't a lie.
Just a gross understatement.
Why didn't Steff tell me the truth?
Wait. Was that what he was planning on telling me the night he ran away instead?
"Is it your first time here in Brelv?" the man beside me asks.
I nod.
"No wonder you look shocked," he says. "Never seen royalty before?"
Well, I have but...
"Or are you in love with the Prince?"
My eyes grow wide.
"That's it, isn't it? Every woman who sees him falls in love with him. Prince Steffan, that is. He is more charming than Prince Viktor, after all-no offense meant-and the fact that he's got a rebellious streak seems to make the girls go wild."
I can see that. Even now, I can hear screams in the distance where the float is passing by.
"Well, it's not just the women who admire him. Us men, too. He's brave, and he often mingles with us common folk. He's the people's prince, if you ask me."
The people's prince. And yet he's been living with me in LA all this time.
Why?
"Did he just return from a trip?" I ask.
The man turns to me with look of surprise.
"I'm only asking because I heard he was away," I lie.
"It's not the first time," the man answers. "But he's always around when the kingdom needs him."
So this man doesn't know where Steff has been and why. But now, I know why he left me.
"Excuse me," I say as I turn to leave.
"If you wait a little longer, there will be some free food and drinks," the man says.
"I'm fine," I tell him. "Thank you."
"Oh, and if you have time, visit the caves of Anturion and the meadows of Larein. They are the most beautiful parts of Brelv."
"Thank you," I say again.
I give him a faint smile and make my way out of the crowd.
It's not easy. There really are a lot of people. It's almost as if all of Brelv is here right now.
I end up getting led here and there, pushed this way and that, and when I finally manage to get myself untangled from the crowd, I don't know where I am.
I frown.
Oh, shit.
I decide to keep walking until I find a place where I can sit and think. Unfortunately, all the stores seem to be closed.
Eventually, I come to a quiet, secluded alley away from the crowd. I'm so tired I sit on a low stool beside a pile of broken furniture.
I rest my head against the cold wall and look up at the narrow strip of blue sky.
What am I really doing here?
Well, I came to find out why Steff left, and now I know.
He's a prince. His kingdom needs him.
Now I know why he said we couldn't be together.
My chest hurts and I place my hand over it. Tears sting my eyes.
Lisbeth said that I shouldn't come home without telling Steff I love him, but there's no way that can happen now.
So what if I love Steff? So what if he loves me? He's a prince, and everyone knows that princes can't marry nobodies.
Nor do they live with nobodies. But Steff did.
That voice in my head-or is it from my heart?-gives me a flicker of hope, but I extinguish it quickly with a shake of my head.
There's no way this is going to work.
No way.
If I stay, I'll only cause him trouble and end up hurting myself.
I touch my belly.
Sorry, sweetheart. But it'll just have to be the two of us.
"That damn prince," a voice says from the other side of the pile. "He should never have come back."
My eyebrows go up.
Are they talking about Steff?
"You should have killed him when you had the chance," another voice says.
This one belongs to a man, too, but it's deeper and sounds more refined.
"I panicked, okay? I'm not used to killing royalty."
"Just fucking them?"
I hear a laugh.
What are they talking about?
"Anyway, it doesn't matter," the deeper voice says. "It doesn't matter that he's back. We'll get rid of him once and for all. He won't escape this time."
Fear clutches my chest. I clamp my hand over my mouth to suppress a gasp.
They're planning on getting rid of... Steff?
Their laughter crisps the air before their footsteps fade into the distance.
In the silence, I sit still with my trembling hands and my racing heart.
I can't just leave now.
I might have been willing to let him go, but I don't want him dead. And if I don't say anything, he might end up that way.
How could I be a good mother knowing I'd let my child's father die?
Slowly, I stand up. I take a deep breath and square my shoulders.
I have to warn Steff that his life is in danger.
~
"Please," I tell the black-clad soldier, who doesn't even seem to be blinking. "I have to speak with Prince Steffan. It's an urgent matter."
The soldier stays still as a statue.
"Please. His life is in danger!"
Still nothing.
I put a hand over my forehead.
Oh, what was I thinking? That they would believe I knew the prince and open these huge golden gates for me? I'm not even Brelvan.
Still, I can't just give up now.
I pace back and forth.
How can I convince them to let me speak to Steffan?
Then I remember the ring. I haven't been wearing it, because the woman at the consulate told me not to, but I have it in my pocket. I take it out now and show it to the guard.
His eyes grow wide.
Finally, a reaction.
"Please," I beg him. "I just need a few moments with him. If you could just tell him I'm here. Please, he has to know..."
"Who's this?" a voice from beyond the gates interrupts me.
I turn my head and see a tall man in his late thirties with pale shoulder-length hair
and a slight cleft in his chin. His white-and-gold attire suggest he's not a guard nor a servant.
Who is he, then? A noble, I suppose.
He approaches the gates, and when he sees the ring in my hand, his eyes grow wide as well.
"That ring."
It does seem to get that reaction.
"I didn't steal it, I promise," I tell him. "And I'll give it back. I just need to see Ste... Prince Steffan."
For a moment, the man says nothing. Then he nods.
"Of course. Please forgive the delay."
He opens the gate and offers me his hand. I take it as I put the ring back in my pocket. His lips curve into a grin.
"Please come with me."
Chapter 32
Steff
"Come on, Vik. You're not just going to lie there and make me do all the work, are you?"
I speak to my brother as I sit on the chair beside his bed. As before, though, I get no response.
Not a word. Not a smile. Not a nod. Not a bat of an eyelash.
I glance at all the screens around him and all the tubes attached to his body.
I run my hands through my hair.
Why isn't he awake yet? Didn't they say he was out of the woods?
I remember the last time he was like this. That was when he fell from his horse, too, years ago. He had tubes attached to him, too, and bandages, but fewer. And he woke up just the day after.
I was right by his side, trying to hold back tears of relief. Viktor noticed it and patted my head and promised me he would never scare me like that again.
Yet here I am, scared once more about what will become of my brother.
"It's unfair," I whisper under my breath. "You're being unfair, Viktor."
Just then, a hand falls on my shoulder.
I turn around and find myself gazing into blue eyes just like mine.
"Charisse."
"Don't rush him," she says. "His body is repairing itself."
"I know." I place my hand over hers. "I just don't like seeing him like this, I guess." I look at her. "We haven't been able to talk much."
"Well, you've been busy with princely duties. It can't be helped," Charisse says.
I sigh. "Why did this have to happen to Viktor at a time like this?"
"Oh, come on." She pats my back, none too gently. "You don't get to act like a prince very often."
I narrow my eyes at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Besides, didn't you hear the crowd cheering, the women screaming your name?" Charisse adds. "They were so happy to see you back."
"And what about you?" I ask her. "Are you happy to see me back?"
"Are you happy to be back?"
I fall silent.
My sister pinches my cheek.
"Ouch." I rub my cheek as I glance at her. "What was that for?"
"For leaving without saying a word," Charisse answers. "For getting me a doll. How old do you think I am?"
"It was supposed to be a souvenir, not a toy," I tell her.
"And most of all, for coming back with something missing."
I glance at my hand. "My ring?"
She punches my shoulder playfully. "Not that, silly."
"Oh."
Of course she'd notice that I'm not my usual self. Nothing escapes her, either.
"Celia's thrilled to have you back, though," Charisse says. "At least, she would be if she wasn't buried under a ton of dresses. I told her she couldn't do it, but as always, she never listens to me."
"I thought you stopped her when she tried to come after me."
"Well, usually, she doesn't listen to me," Charisse corrects herself.
I get off the chair and pat her head. "You've grown up to be such a fine woman, you know. You and Celia. I'm proud of you both."
Charisse smiles.
I glance at the bed. "I'm sure Viktor is proud of you, too."
"Hey, Steff." Charisse tugs at my shirt.
I turn to her. "What?"
"Do you really think you know Viktor?"
My eyebrows arch. "What kind of a question is that?"
Instead of answering, she walks away.
"Charisse?"
She crooks a finger at me.
I follow her out of Viktor's chambers and towards the fountain down the hall. When she sits on the bench, I sit beside her.
"What do you mean?" I ask her.
"You always thought Viktor was perfect, didn't you?"
"Compared to me, yeah."
She sighs. "Maybe that's why he tried to hide it."
"Hide what?"
Charisse draws a deep breath.
"When Viktor had his 'accident', I was one of the first in his room. One of the doctors asked me to look in his medicine cabinet for some verise to treat his less serious wounds. I found it, but I also found something else. It looked like verise at first, but I knew it wasn't. When I did some research later on, I found out it was a different herb, not as rare as verise but not too common, either."
"What kind of herb?" I ask.
"It's something that's supposed to help with... impotence."
My eyes grow wide. "Are you saying...?"
"I investigated some more," Charisse goes on. "And I talked to the doctor who treated him when he fell from his horse the first time. He told me it was possible that he... well, due to that..."
I place my hand on my forehead. So it's my fault.
"He should have told me."
Was that what he had been trying to say that time we were near the stables? Before Natasia interrupted us?
Natasia.
"Wait," I tell Charisse. "But Natasia is..."
"What?"
Charisse doesn't know. But I do. Danni said Natasia's pregnant, but if Viktor can't have a child, that means...
I stand up.
"Steff?"
"I'm sorry," I tell my sister. "But I have to go. I have some questions that need immediate answers."
~
"You're saying you followed this man with the scar and he disappeared into Lord Kester's house here in Aldnoah?" I ask Danni after hearing her report.
"Yes," she confirms.
I touch my chin.
I can't believe it. The Duke of Olvant has always been one of the royal family's closest friends and strongest allies. Why would he harbor a mercenary in his home? Or is that man under his employ? Is he the one behind all this?
"What are you thinking?" Danni asks me. "What have you found out?"
I tell her what Charisse told me and also what I've learned from questioning a few of Natasia's maids.
"You believe the child Princess Natasia is carrying is not your brother's?"
I nod. "That's why she wasn't eager to make her pregnancy known. No one is supposed to know until after Viktor is gone. Then everyone will believe she's carrying his child, and she will retain her position. In fact, she may become Queen Regent."
"But Prince Viktor found out she was pregnant, didn't he? And so she tried to get rid of him."
"That's what I thought at first, but then I realized that she's not the only one who benefits from this. Also, the more I think of it, the more I believe Natasia isn't capable of pulling all this off on her own. Maybe she wasn't even capable of conceiving such a plot. It should have occurred to me before."
"So someone put her up to it?"
I nod. "And who better to do it than her lover, the father of her child? A Queen Regent is not forbidden to remarry. With Viktor out of the way, she'd be able to marry that man, and they would both hold power over the kingdom."
Danni pushes her glasses up. "And now you think the Duke of Olvant is her lover?"
I give another nod.
"Well, he has been seeking a new wife lately," Danni adds. "And I suppose a man can never have enough power."
I sigh. "I just didn't think Lord Kester was that kind of man. He has my father's trust."
"Which is why he has the confidence to do this," Danni says. "What will you do, then? Do you want m
e to go to his house and get proof of his crimes? Do you want me to make Natasia confess?"
I shake my head. "I will go to Lord Kester's mansion myself. And if I find proof, I will bring him back here to the Palace in chains."
Chapter 33
Jess
I tug at the ropes around my wrists, but to no avail. The hemp digs into my skin with each tug, and it's obvious that it will soon scrape it away.
I can't have that. I can't have myself losing blood.
I can't just sit still in this dark cellar and do nothing, though. If only I can free my wrists, I'm sure I can get to that small window near the ceiling and crawl out. I'm sure I can escape.
I have to.
I have to warn Steff of the grave danger he's in. The fact that I'm being held prisoner right now is proof of how serious it is.
I don't remember exactly what happened. All I know is that I was following that guy and then I smelled something funny and then I fainted. When I woke up, I was here in this dank cellar that stinks of dead rats. At least, I hope they're all dead. The smell is enough to make me queasy, but I'm doing my best not to think of it.
I have to be strong. For Steff's sake and my baby's sake, I can't fall apart right now.
I have to escape.
But how?
Keith gave me a personal safety pen before I left, and I have it hidden beneath my sweater. It has an LED flashlight on one end, a button that activates an ear-piercing alarm in the middle, and a laser pointer on the other end-but no cutting edge.
I look around the room. Nothing but a shelf full of cobwebs, some crates, some empty bottles and...
Empty bottles.
If I break one of those, then I can use the sharp edge of a fragment to...
My idea trails away as the door opens.
The man with the cleft chin appears, a flashlight in his gloved hand. The bright light shines on my face and I look away.
"Ah. I see you're awake," he says.
He puts the flashlight down on the table near the door and leans against it.
"I'm sorry I couldn't provide you with better accommodations. I know you must think you deserve a chamber in the Palace, but I'm afraid things aren't going smoothly there right now. And they're about to get worse."
He grins.
"I do believe the real Midsummer Festivities are about to begin."
I glare at him. "Who are you?"
"The question is: Who are you?" He steps forward. "I thought Steffan might have given his ring away. Imagine my surprise when I saw it in your hand."