Over the following days, her father taught her to speak like an Eberoni. Her sisters learned, too, so they could help her practice. Several of the nuns had come from Eberon, so they were enlisted to assist. One sister, a former noblewoman, had been to court, so she taught Luciana how to do the court dances and dress in Tatiana’s gowns.
When the ground had dried enough, they buried Tatiana. Luciana had wept, not so much for her sister, since Tatiana’s ghost spent each day tormenting her. No, she had wept for her father, who was grieving deeply.
Luciana shuddered whenever she thought about the headstone that marked her sister’s grave. It had been engraved with the name LUCIANA.
She was now Tatiana. Tatiana Vintello, the Lady of Vindalyn. On the morrow, they would arrive at the castle of Vindemar on the coast of the Southern Sea.
But her heart remained with her sisters. They had wanted to write to each other, but her father had warned them that too much correspondence would look suspicious. Every three months, he bought books from the convent and paid for them by sending cases of wine. That was how he’d communicated with Mother Ginessa over the years, and it was the safest way for Luciana to keep in touch with her sisters. But three months seemed like an eternity to them, so they devised a secret plan that would allow them to exchange letters soon after Luciana’s arrival.
Now, twelve days later, she was on board a ship, wondering if she would ever see her sisters again. Grief tore at her, and the words of the Song of Mourning filled her mind. Women on the Isle of Moon sang it whenever they lost their men at sea, but it seemed fitting since she’d lost those who were dearest to her heart.
Facing the Isle of Moon, she sang softly. “My true love lies in the ocean blue. My true love sleeps in the sea. Whenever the moons shine over you, please remember me.”
“Keep singing like an islander, and they’ll kill you for sure,” a soft voice said behind her.
Luciana spun around to find Tatiana smirking at her. She glanced around quickly to make sure they were alone, then whispered, “What are you doing here?”
With a shrug, Tatiana glided up to the railing. “Did you expect me to stay where I was buried?”
“Well, yes, actually.”
“How could I spend eternity at that boring place? All they ever talk about are books. And all that praying—” Tatiana shuddered. “They don’t even have any men there!”
“It’s called a convent.”
Tatiana scoffed. “More like hell. Wait till you see all the guards at Vindemar. Sometimes, in the heat of summer, they practice wrestling without their shirts.”
“Why haven’t you tried passing into the Realm of the Heavens? You could be at peace—”
“Boring!” Tatiana interrupted. “Besides, I can’t watch you fail if I don’t tag along. Do me a favor, will you, and wear my blue brocade gown to your execution? The blue matches the color of our eyes, and I’d like everyone to remember me looking my prettiest.”
Luciana gripped the railing. “Why are ye so eager for me self to fail?”
“Because it’s not fair! You get to sleep in my bed and wear my gowns—”
“And for that, ye want me to die?” Luciana gave her an incredulous look. “Do ye even know how petty ye sound?”
“Sound?” Tatiana stomped a foot silently. “I can’t make a sound at all! I’m dead! And you’re alive. Why shouldn’t that make me angry?”
Luciana took a deep breath. She was letting her frustration cause her speech to slip, something she couldn’t afford to do once they landed at Vindalyn. Even now, it would be bad for any of the ship’s crew to hear her accent or wonder why she was talking to an empty space.
She lowered her voice to a whisper. “No one wanted you to die. Don’t you realize that if I fail, our father will, too? Do you want to see him executed alongside me?”
Tatiana frowned.
“You could help me so much. For our father’s sake.”
“What can I do? I’m dead. My only consolation is I no longer have to marry the Beast.” She slanted a sly smile at Luciana. “Now you have the honor of being his bride.”
A chill skittered down Luciana’s spine. “Why is he called the Beast?”
“He’s a monster.” Tatiana leaned close and whispered, “I heard he killed his nanny and his mother.”
Luciana gasped.
“They say he’s murdered hundreds. Thousands, even.” Tatiana’s eyes gleamed. “All he has to do is touch them and poof! They’re dead. You’ll be lucky if you live through the wedding night.”
“That can’t be true.” How could someone’s touch kill?
“I heard he’s Embraced, but no one can kill him for it because he kills them first. That’s his gift. He fries people with his touch.” Tatiana waggled her fingers in her sister’s face. “Sizzle.”
Luciana flinched and made the sign of the moons.
Tatiana snorted. “Won’t that get you killed?”
“If I fail, Father fails. Remember that.”
“Are you still practicing?” Lucas Vintello asked.
Luciana whirled around to find her father approaching. He must have heard her whispering. “Good evening, Father.”
He stopped beside her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Did you study the list I gave you?”
“Yes.” That morning, he’d given her a long list of the servants who worked at Vindemar. “There are so many. I’m afraid I’ll call someone by the wrong name.” She slanted a look at Tatiana to let her know this was something she could help with, but she shrugged and looked away.
“I wouldn’t fret over it. Tatiana rarely called a servant by name.” Her father leaned an elbow on the railing. “I heard you helped in the galley this evening.”
Luciana nodded. “There are twenty mouths on board and only one cook. I thought he needed some help.”
“I’m sure he appreciated it, but unfortunately, it confirmed a serious problem I’ve been worried about.” He shook his head. “No one will believe you are Tatiana.”
Tatiana scoffed. “Told you so.”
“But I’ve practiced so hard,” Luciana protested. “And my speech is near perfect. You said so yourself—”
“I know how hard you’ve worked. But the problem is you’re too kind.” When she blinked in surprise, he gave her a wry smile. “Don’t misunderstand. I love how kindhearted you are, but I fear it will put you in danger.”
“Too stupid to live,” Tatiana muttered.
Luciana groaned inwardly. In order to survive, she would have to spend the rest of her life being obnoxious?
Her father turned to face the ocean. “It’s all my fault. After your mother died and I lost you, all I had left was Tatiana. And she cried for days after the two of you were separated. I felt so guilty that I did everything I could to make her happy. Too late, I realized that I’d made a dreadful mistake. My poor Tatiana. She’d become…”
“What?” Tatiana leaned closer. “Endearing? Adorable?”
Father sighed. “Demanding and selfish.”
“What?” Tatiana shrieked.
Luciana winced. “I’m sure she wasn’t that bad.”
“I’m afraid so.” Father tapped his fist against the railing. “Whenever I tried to remedy the situation and impose restrictions, she would throw a fit. Break things or refuse to eat until she got her way.”
With a huff, Tatiana crossed her arms.
“I don’t really need to know—” Luciana began.
“She was thoroughly spoiled, I’m sorry to say,” Father continued. “Not to mention, vain and lazy. I could never get her to study. She was barely literate.”
Tatiana sniffed. “Why is he being so mean?”
“Father, please,” Luciana urged him. “We shouldn’t speak ill of the dead.”
“But you need to understand how different you are,” he insisted. “You’re naturally kind to people, but Tatiana was arrogant and rude. None of the servants liked—”
“Enough!” Tatiana screeched.
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“Stop!” Luciana grabbed her father’s arm. “Don’t say another word. Not now.”
He gave her a confused look, then slowly, his eyes widened with horror. “You have the same gift. You can see her?” When she nodded, he grimaced. “And she’s here?”
Luciana glanced to the side, but her sister had vanished. “She just left.”
With a groan, he dragged his hands down his face. “The Light help me, what have I done?” He turned toward her quickly. “When you see her again, will you tell her how sorry I am, how much I love her?”
“Of course. I-I should have told you about my gift.”
He waved that aside. “I should have realized it before. And it’s good that you’ve learned to keep it a secret. You must continue that on the mainland. No one can ever know you’re Embraced. Understand?” After she nodded, he added, “How long have you been seeing her?”
“Since the day I met you.”
He smiled. “So the two of you have been reunited! You must be thrilled.”
Luciana shifted her weight.
His smile faded. “What’s wrong? Is she all right?”
“She’s a bit … miffed. About being dead and all.”
“Poor child. She never could handle disappointment very well.” He winced. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. So is she directing her anger at you?”
“A little.” Luciana smiled. “You know her so well, but you still love her. I like that.”
He gave her a wry look. “You were trying to spare her feelings, weren’t you? Even after she’s been mean to you.”
Luciana shrugged. “She’s been through a great deal.”
“You’re a treasure.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “As much as I hate putting you in danger, I’m glad it is you who will be going to court. You’re clever and cautious. Much better equipped to survive than your sister ever could have been.”
Luciana’s heart squeezed in her chest. She loved his compliments, but still, she couldn’t help but worry. “You said no one would believe I’m Tatiana.”
He nodded. “Your kind heart. I don’t want you to lose that, so I’ve come up with a story.”
He held her by the shoulders. “You were dying from the plague, so I took you to the convent for the good sisters to take care of you. While you were near death, you deeply regretted your past sins, so with help from the sisters and many hours of reflection, you were able to reach a higher level of spiritual understanding. And now that the Light has seen fit to restore your good health, you wish to spend the rest of your days spreading kindness and goodwill.”
Luciana bit her lip. “Will people believe it?”
“When they see how nice you’ve become, they’ll fall on their knees and praise the Light for his mercy.”
She supposed it would work. What servant would complain about being treated well? “I guess I’ll have to attend mass for the Light?”
“Yes. And you’ll need to go to confession beforehand. Remember the priests are spies for the king, so never confess anything the king could use against you.”
“Then what should I say?”
He chuckled. “Tatiana’s favorites were I slept past noon or I looked at myself in the mirror for an hour.”
“Those might have been true.”
He snorted. “Probably so.” He kissed her brow. “Thank you for doing this. I know you’ll do well.”
Luciana smiled. She was glad she could help her father. And with his new story to explain her change of heart, she could now feel free to be herself. She might even enjoy some exciting new adventures.
The problem was the Beast. How could she survive him?
* * *
After rejoining the army, Leo had headed south toward the Duchy of Vindalyn. Tonight, they had set up camp by the Ron River. He was in his tent, finishing supper. He preferred to eat with his gloves off, which meant that for everyone’s safety, he had to dine alone.
Alone again. He extended his right hand toward his goblet and willed it to move toward him. As if it were drawn to a magnet, the metal cup slid right into his grasp.
He took a long drink. The wine helped with the headaches. And the nightmares. Like the one that replayed the death of his nanny or the one where he saw his mother murdered by the king’s assassins.
“Permission to enter?” Nevis called from outside.
“Come in.” Leo tugged on his gloves as Nevis pulled aside the flap and entered with the dog shifter. Edmund rushed in and gathered Leo’s empty dishes on a tray.
“Bring another tray for Brody,” Leo said to his squire, and Edmund hurried off.
Nevis shot Brody a wry look. “You wouldn’t be so hungry if you didn’t spend all your time as a dog.”
Brody scoffed. “What’s your excuse for overeating?”
“This is muscle!” Nevis thumped his chest.
“Enough.” Leo passed a goblet to the dog shifter. “What did you learn in Ronsmouth?”
“No plague.” Brody took a sip. “I found the inn where the duke stayed and overheard a meeting in the alley. The innkeeper was complaining to a guy in a hooded cloak that three of his customers had died and it was destroying his business. He was mad about having to poison so much of his food just to target the duke and the daughter.”
Leo sucked in a breath. “So it was attempted murder.”
“Real murder for the three who died,” Brody said wryly. “The innkeeper demanded more money. The cloaked man said he’d take care of it, then he slit the guy’s throat.”
“Whoa,” Nevis breathed.
No honor among criminals, Leo thought. “And then?”
Brody took another drink. “I followed the cloaked guy, and he met another hooded man close to the docks. The second man reported that the duke and his daughter had fled by ship. Both still alive. So the first man told him to send three assassins to Vindemar to kill the duke and daughter before you arrive.”
“Bastards,” Nevis grumbled.
Leo tapped his fingers on the desk as he considered what to do. “The army will reach Vindemar in two days. I want you to go ahead of us. Nevis, I’ll give you a letter to pass on to the duke, warning him of the danger. You will guard the duke. Brody, you will guard the daughter.”
Brody nodded. “Aye, my lord.”
Leo sat back in his chair. “Since the assassins are supposed to finish before I arrive, we’ll keep my presence a secret. General Harden can say I’ve been delayed a few days. That will force the assassins to move quickly.”
“We’ll leave at dawn. I just have one question.” Nevis smirked at Brody. “Did you bring back any fleas?”
“No. I just drooled all over your clothes.”
“Brody,” Leo said quietly.
“What now?”
“Keep her safe.” Leo was beginning to feel protective of a woman he’d never met. Maybe because she was a pawn like him. And the king wanted them both dead. It was a sad thing to have in common.
She is truly beautiful. She’d be lucky to live till the wedding day. And even luckier if she survived as his bride.
Chapter Six
Big, Luciana thought. That one word best described her new life. The first time she’d spotted the fortress of Vindemar from the sea, she’d been amazed by how big it was.
The promontory it sat upon was wide and flat on top. On three sides, it was surrounded by water. Waves crashed against the cliffs, leaving white foam to drizzle down the cracks and crannies. The northern side of the fortress was connected to the mainland, separated by a dry moat. A high curtain wall of gray stone circled the perimeter of the promontory, interspersed with tall, round towers. A flag in the blue and white colors of Vindalyn topped each tower and flapped in the constant breeze from the sea. Inside the walls, there was a big pasture for sheep and goats, in case the fortress was ever besieged.
The stables were big, as were the guard barracks, kitchens, and gardens. Even the chapel was big. The castle keep was huge,
three stories high, built in a square around a courtyard. A round tower marked each corner, and the top was lined with battlements. In the northeast corner of the stone-paved courtyard, a deep well provided water.
Beneath the castle, the wine cellars were as large as caverns. Long, dark catacombs housed the bones of those who had died at Vindemar for the past sixty years.
Luciana and her father had arrived the day before, and so far, so good. No one seemed to doubt her identity.
She’d supped with her father in the Great Hall at the high table set on a dais at one end. The only mishap that had occurred was when a servant had placed a platter of food on the table in front of her, and she’d said, “Thank you.” The poor servant had been so shocked, he’d tripped and fallen off the dais, landing facedown in a soup tureen another servant was carrying. Everyone had been too busy laughing to even question the Lady of Vindalyn’s sudden attack of manners.
She’d also made a new friend at dinner. A shaggy black-and-white dog had crept up onto the dais to sit by her feet. She’d thought him adorable with his cute grin, striking blue eyes, and black patch over his left eye. That’s when she’d decided to name him Pirate. She’d slipped him a pork chop under the table, and ever since then he’d followed her around. He’d even curled up outside her bedchamber door last night to sleep.
An envoy from the Lord Protector had arrived shortly before dinner, and he’d been invited to sup with them. After eating heartily, the envoy, Captain Harden, had requested a private meeting with the Duke of Vindalyn. Her father didn’t tell her what was discussed, but he’d immediately posted a guard outside her bedchamber door. And he’d warned her that the Lord Protector and his army were on their way.
Now it was the next day, and she woke in her sister’s bedchamber. Just like everything else at Vindemar, the room was big. Well furnished, also, with a round table and two upholstered armchairs in front of a wide fireplace.
She sat up in bed and peered at the large windows. Good goddesses, the sun was already high in the sky. It must be nearly noon. She’d been too nervous to sleep her last night at the convent or on the boat journey, so her state of exhaustion had finally caught up with her.
How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days Page 6