“So, did you enjoy my bed?” Tatiana grumbled.
Luciana shifted her gaze to the foot of the bed where her sister’s ghost was hovering. “It’s very comfortable. I’ve never slept so late in my life.”
Tatiana scoffed. “Well, that’s the first smart thing I’ve seen you do. You should always sleep late if you want to convince everyone you’re me.”
Luciana smiled. Perhaps her sister was going to start being helpful. “Did you sleep well, too?”
Tatiana sighed. “I don’t seem to need sleep anymore. But I do miss my pretty bed.” She reached out to touch the embroidered blue brocade coverlet, but her hand passed through it. “I hate it when that happens!”
“I’m sorry. Wait just a minute, and I’ll be right back.” Luciana hurried to the adjoining dressing room to relieve herself, then brought back a gray linen gown to change into. “I told Father you’ve forgiven him—”
“That’s not true! I’m still angry.”
“And he still loves you.” Luciana dropped the gown on the bed.
Tatiana huffed. “You picked the ugliest gown I own. I haven’t worn that in years. You might as well make a public proclamation that you’re not me.”
“Then help me,” Luciana said as she quickly braided her hair. “Tell me what you used to do every day. Did you sew your pretty gowns? Work in the rose garden?”
“That’s what servants are for.” Tatiana rolled her eyes. “You’re such a peasant.”
“Then tell me, please.”
“All right.” Tatiana smirked. “I would start every day with a long bath. And my maid, Gabriella, would add things to the water. Rose petals. Lavender. I liked to mix it up, always something different every day to make it exciting.”
Luciana groaned to herself. “And then?”
“I had to wait for my hair to dry and for Gabriella to arrange it. And then I had to choose which gown to—”
The door flew open and Gabriella ran inside. “My lady! The army has been spotted. The Lord Protector will be here within the hour!”
Luciana gasped. Her betrothed was arriving today?
“The Beast is coming!” Tatiana’s eyes widened as she regarded her sister. “Oh, your days are numbered now.”
A wave of light-headedness struck Luciana. Goddesses help me! Her knees gave out and she plopped onto the bed.
“I’ve ordered some hot water for your bath.” Gabriella dashed into the dressing room. “You’ll need to wear one of your finest gowns. Maybe the emerald-green velvet.”
“Good choice!” Tatiana floated behind her.
While servants rushed about readying her bath, Luciana attempted to calm her racing heart. Perhaps it wouldn’t be as bad as she feared. After all, the Telling Stones had predicted she would meet a tall and handsome stranger in two weeks, and now that she thought about it, she realized that this was the fourteenth day. But that is only a game, she chided herself. This was real life, and there were real reasons why her betrothed was called a Beast.
But hadn’t she always dreamed of meeting a tall and handsome man who would be her true love?
As she bathed in rose-scented water, her thoughts waffled back and forth from excited anticipation to outright terror. The more Gabriella fussed over her, the more tense she became.
The maid had just helped her into the green velvet gown when her guard banged on the bedchamber door. “They’re here! You can see the army from the battlements.”
“We have to go!” Luciana couldn’t bear the suspense any longer. Was her betrothed a tall and handsome stranger or a horrid beast? She flung open the door.
“But your hair,” Gabriella objected. “It’s still damp.”
“It can dry in the sun.” Luciana lifted her heavy skirts and ran down the hall, followed by her maid and guard. She wondered briefly what had happened to her new canine friend, Pirate. Maybe he’d gone in search of food.
She exited the keep and ran across the sheep pasture to the outer wall. The castle guards were in full uniform, blue and white. Some were lined up in front of the gatehouse, while others stood along the outer wall.
Quickly, she mounted the stairs to the wall walk. She didn’t want to disturb the guards who were on duty, so she stood off to the side, a distance from the main gate.
Beside her, Gabriella gasped.
Stunned, Luciana made the sign of the moons, then she quickly fisted her hands. The entire horizon to the north was taken up by the army. She hadn’t realized the Eberoni army was so huge. But then, it would have to be, wouldn’t it, if the country was always at war with its neighbors?
The sun gleamed off countless shields. Long poles were topped with banners bearing the Eberoni royal insignia. The royal colors, red and black, flapped in the breeze that constantly blew in from the sea.
Red and black. Luciana took a deep breath as she recalled the colored stones she’d picked two weeks ago.
Her guard wandered over to the other guardsmen, who were all gossiping about the size of the army.
“I need to make sure your gown is ready for tonight,” Gabriella said and ran back down the stairs.
There was a blast from several horns, then a group of horsemen broke off from the army and rode toward the main gate. The sun gleamed off their silver helmets and chest armor. They came to a stop in front of the drawbridge.
“Impressive, aren’t they?” Tatiana whispered, and Luciana started. She hadn’t realized her sister had followed her there.
The castle guard marched out in a double row and positioned themselves on the drawbridge.
“There’s Alberto!” Tatiana pointed at the captain of the guard in front. “Isn’t he the most handsome man ever?”
Luciana was too distraught to answer. She clenched her fists as the lead horseman dismounted. Was this the man she would have to marry? Was he the Beast?
The Duke of Vindalyn strode across the drawbridge.
“Papa looks grand, don’t you think?” Tatiana asked.
He did, but Luciana held her breath as the lead horseman removed his helmet and greeted her father.
She gasped.
Tatiana broke into laughter. “No wonder they call him the Beast. Look at him!”
Luciana struggled to breathe. The man was bald with a gray beard and a hideous scar running down his face. She looked away. How could she marry him? A breeze whipped her hair in front of her face, and she pulled it back.
And then she saw him.
Far to the left, under the shade of a tree, a man sat on a horse. A black horse. He wore a black cloak, the hood drawn forward to cast his face in shadow. She couldn’t see his eyes, but she could feel him looking at her.
The skin at the back of her neck tingled. Time seemed to slow to a halt as she stared at him. And he stared back.
“What are you looking at?” Tatiana asked.
The envoy, Captain Harden, and another man approached the cloaked man on the black horse. They seemed to be talking to him, but as far as Luciana could tell he was still focused on her.
Suddenly he stiffened and ran a gloved hand over his head, causing his hood to fall back.
Luciana gasped. Red hair. Black horse. Red and black.
“Oh, I see him,” Tatiana said. “He’s a handsome one, all right. Much better than the Beast you have to marry.”
Luciana’s heart sank. Why couldn’t this man be her betrothed?
* * *
Since the fortress of Vindemar lay on the Southern Sea, it enjoyed warmer weather than Leo was accustomed to. He and his army had crossed the duchy’s northern border the day before, and it had taken all day and half of this morning to reach Vindemar. After traversing miles of well-tended vineyards, olive groves, and prosperous villages, Leo could see why his uncle craved this land.
Leo had never met Lucas Vintello before, but he grew more impressed with him the more he saw of the duke’s domain. The man took excellent care of his land and people. And he was wise enough to remain here instead of frequenting the royal cou
rt where constant intrigue and inconstant loyalties could easily cause a nobleman to lose his head before the age of thirty.
When the army reached Vindemar and made camp, Leo put General Harden in charge and retired to his tent. There he removed his uniform and put on black breeches, a white shirt, and a hooded black cloak. He rode off alone, seeking a place where he could observe the proceedings unnoticed.
As he neared the castle, his heart began to pound. This could be his future home. And his future wife was nearby. She’d invaded his thoughts more and more over the last few days. Was she as beautiful as the rumors claimed? Would she be able to accept him as a husband?
He’d grown tired of referring to her as his betrothed or the duke’s daughter, so a few nights ago, he’d dug through the letters from his uncle, searching for her name. He’d found it.
Tatiana.
As he neared the coast, a breeze brushed his face with the scent of sea and salt. He spotted an oak tree, growing at an angle caused by the constant wind from the sea. He reined his horse underneath.
From there, he studied the fortress. Surrounded on three sides by water, it was well prepared for a naval attack. The walls were thick, and the wide towers were topped with trebuchets. The fortress’s true weakness lay on the northern side where it was attached to the mainland.
Leo surveyed the dry moat, drawbridge, and gatehouse, mentally marking where he would make improvements. On top of the gatehouse, some guardsmen in blue-and-white uniforms were posted, and he winced at their lax behavior. The men were gossiping and pointing at the army like an excited group of children at a fair. Even though the castle was in no danger at the moment, there was no excuse for failing to attend one’s duties. Leo made a mental note to dismiss the current captain of the guard and have General Harden give the soldiers some serious training.
He moved his gaze back along the curtain wall, then stopped. His heart stilled.
A young woman had come into view. Her long black hair was loose and fluttered in the breeze. He couldn’t see her face well, but he knew she must be beautiful.
His hand tightened on the reins. Was she Tatiana?
He had to know. Now.
His eyes narrowed, searching for clues. She was clearly a noblewoman. Her green gown was rich and elaborate. Her lack of headdress was unusual, but he liked seeing her long black hair stirring in the breeze.
A series of images jumped into his mind. Her hair spread across a white pillow in bed. Her hair sweeping against his chest as she leaned over him. Her hair wrapped around his fist as he pulled her down for a kiss.
Not possible. He shoved the images away.
A guard and maid were accompanying her, although the guard quickly abandoned her to go talk to his friends. Leo winced. The man was neglecting his duty.
Her maid left, and she was alone. Vulnerable. He scanned her surroundings, assessing the danger. If an assassin was standing on the battlements atop the keep, he could shoot an arrow at her. Or one of the guards on the wall walk could approach her and stab her with a knife.
The horns blasted behind him, and Leo twisted in his saddle to watch General Harden and his entourage start their ride toward the gatehouse. A dozen of the castle guard marched out to position themselves on the drawbridge.
He returned his gaze to the woman. She was watching the general arrive. Alone and unprotected. Dammit to hell.
Suddenly she stiffened, and he caught his breath, wondering if she’d been hit by a weapon he couldn’t see. He followed her line of sight and saw that General Harden had removed his helmet and was greeting the duke.
She looked away, and a breeze swept her hair across her face. With a graceful gesture, she brushed her hair back, then she stilled.
She’d spotted him. She was looking straight at him with an intensity that took his breath away. Time seemed to stop, and he no longer heard the sounds of his army or the call of seagulls. He no longer felt the heat of the sun or the breeze from the sea.
How long he stared at her, how long she stared back, he didn’t know. Didn’t care. For in those few seconds that stretched into an eternity, he felt like an essential truth was being imprinted on his soul, a truth that would remain as eternal as the sea and sky.
She was meant for him.
She was the one he wanted.
A second truth struck him hard, like a hammer shattering his soul into the jagged fragments of a broken mirror. And in those fragments, he saw his own reflection. Multiple images of himself. The Beast.
No matter how much he wanted this woman, no matter how much he felt she was destined for him, he could never touch her. His heart squeezed painfully in his chest. How cruel of fate to reveal her to him only to keep her beyond his reach.
You knew it was impossible before you came here, he reminded himself. Why do you let it torment you now? But back then he hadn’t seen her yet. Hadn’t felt her eyes upon him.
Now he knew she was real.
“Leo!”
Brody’s shout drew his attention. The dog shifter and Nevis were standing right next to him. Damn, he hadn’t even heard their approach.
“You’re alive,” Nevis muttered.
“Of course I’m alive,” Leo replied.
“We said my lord six times,” Brody grumbled. “We were beginning to think you were asleep on your horse.”
“Or in a trance,” Nevis added.
Leo ignored that and motioned with his head toward the woman. “Is she the Lady of Vindalyn?”
“Where?” Nevis looked toward the fortress wall. “Oh. Aye. That’s her.”
Yes! Leo smiled to himself. Tatiana. He’d known it was her.
Nevis snorted. “He is in a trance.”
“Sod off,” Leo replied, although he was too relieved to be angry. His betrothed was also the woman he wanted.
“I think she’s looking at us,” Brody said.
Me, she’s looking at me.
“The rumor about her beauty was true,” Brody added.
“I hope some of the rumors are false,” Nevis grumbled.
Leo slanted a quick glance at him. “Why?”
“It’s nothing,” Brody said, shooting Nevis a pointed look. “The castle is full of servants who gossip for entertainment. It would be foolish to believe it all.”
Nevis scoffed. “You just think she’s perfect because she gave you a pork chop and rubs your ears.”
“It’s more than that,” Brody protested.
“What?” Nevis smirked. “Did she rub your belly?”
Leo gritted his teeth.
“I’m not the only one she’s been kind to,” Brody explained. “She’s kind to all the servants.”
“She’s all the servants talk about,” Nevis said.
“Why?” Leo growled, his jaw still clenched.
Brody heaved a sigh. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but there’s a rumor that she has changed a bit.”
“More than a bit.” Nevis glanced at the woman on the wall. “She wasn’t always kind. They say she was vain and rude before she and her father left for court. But during their travels, she came close to dying.”
Leo nodded. “She was nearly poisoned to death.”
“Aye,” Nevis agreed. “Although her father believed it was a plague until I told him otherwise. Anyway, her brush with death made a huge impact on her, and she decided to change her ways.”
“For the better,” Brody added. “Her inner beauty now matches her outer beauty.”
Leo eyed the dog shifter. He seemed more than a bit smitten with her. Somehow the woman had managed to earn his loyalty in only one day. Maybe she had rubbed his belly.
“And there’s more—” Nevis began.
“I don’t think it’s true,” Brody interrupted him.
“He still needs to hear it.” Nevis gave Leo a sympathetic look. “It’s rumored that she has a lover.”
Leo jolted back in his saddle. No. He ran a gloved hand over his hair, accidentally knocking off his hood. No. She was his betrothed.
He looked at her, and for some reason, she appeared equally stunned. She stared at him, her eyes wide, her face pale. Would she do that if she loved someone else?
“I heard she’s having an affair with one of the guards,” Nevis said.
“I don’t believe it,” Brody insisted. “I haven’t seen her meet anyone or make any attempts to arrange a meeting. Look at her. My lord, she has eyes only for you.”
True, Leo thought, as he watched her. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. She will be mine.
Suddenly she turned and walked away.
He winced. She wasn’t his yet.
Caw, caw. The seagulls mocked him. “Any leads on who the assassins could be?”
“Aye,” Nevis replied. “In the last two weeks, three new guardsmen were hired. I think they’re the assassins.”
Brody shook his head. “I think one of them is a priest. A few days ago, two new priests arrived.”
“Two priests?” Leo asked.
“Aye,” Brody replied. “There’s an elderly priest here who wanted to retire, so he requested a replacement, and the king sent two. An older man and a younger one, who looks too athletic to be a priest, if you ask me.”
Leo nodded. “The five newcomers are our best suspects. But we need to watch everyone. The king could have planted someone here long ago or recently bribed someone to switch loyalties. Nevis, I want you and your father to work with the guardsmen. While you’re training them, watch them like a hawk. Use as many of our soldiers as you need and rotate them, so the guards don’t realize they’re being watched. We want the assassins to make their move, so we can catch them.”
“Aye, sir,” Nevis replied with a quick nod.
“Brody will continue to watch over the Lady of Vindalyn.” Leo glanced up at the empty space where she had been standing. “Keep her safe.”
“Aye, my lord.” Brody inclined his head. “What about the priests?”
“I’ll go to the chapel soon to check on them.” Leo flexed his gloved hands. He agreed with Brody that the young priest seemed suspicious. The king already used his priests as spies. Why not use them as assassins, too?
Chapter Seven
Luciana rushed back to her bedchamber. It had been a shock to see the handsome, redheaded man on the black horse, especially when he seemed to match her prediction so well. But the Telling Stones were only a game. The gorgeous man could never change the truth.
How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days Page 7