“Why are you asking her this now?” Dexter demanded, his hand tightening around Reid’s. “We’ve already discussed why we should marry. You and I have already agreed. There is no need to rehash it.”
Shaking his head, Henrick said, “That was before. Everything is different now since you will take up the mantle as king. It is a huge responsibility. Reid should have a choice. She needs to be a willing participant. Quite simply, I’m not convinced Reid wants to be queen.”
She didn’t want to be queen. The mere thought overwhelmed her. She had no idea what her responsibilities would be in such a position.
“We can train her,” Anna insisted.
“I’m sorry,” Dexter said, addressing Anna. “But if anyone is going to help Reid navigate her duties, it will be my mother, Princess Nara. You’re dead. As such, you have no say in Reid’s life.” He looked at Reid. “I’m sorry if I’ve overstepped my place,” he murmured so only she could hear.
“Thank you all for your concern,” Reid said, addressing those present. “However, I intend to stand by Dexter’s side. If that means I will be the queen of Marsden, then so be it.” Turning, she glided out of the room, Dexter behind her.
She supposed she would have to get used to standing up for herself if she were to be queen. Thoughts of Harlow formed. What would happen to Harlow once Eldon was dead? The conversation Reid had with the queen still haunted her. Harlow had said not everyone supported the removal of the king. Did that include her?
When Dexter and Reid entered their bedchamber, Dexter started pacing.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, pulling off her boots and tossing them on the floor.
“I can’t stay in this manor.” He tilted his head, cracking his neck. “Not with Anna here. I don’t trust her.”
Reid was about to respond—to say the feeling was mutual—when someone knocked on the door. Dexter opened it.
“Reid,” Duke Ellington said, peering around Dexter. “I’ll show you to your room.”
Knowing she couldn’t share a room with Dexter, she grabbed her boots and followed her father to the other end of the hallway.
After ushering her inside an empty bedchamber, Duke Ellington closed the door. He lit two candles. “We need to talk.”
Tears threatened. “How could you lie to my sisters and me for all these years?” They all believed their mother was dead. Reid couldn’t even count the number of nights she’d spent crying over her mother’s death.
“There was no other way. I needed to oversee the county of Ellington, and Anna had to control the Knights.”
The Knights did a stellar job moving undetected throughout the kingdom of Marsden. They even managed to sneak into Axian to train. Surely Anna could have found a way to visit her family on occasion. “Aren’t you mad at her for abandoning us?”
“Raising five daughters alone hasn’t been easy,” Duke Ellington admitted. “But what other choice did I have?” He went over to the window, pulling the curtains shut.
“There were plenty of other options besides telling us Mother was dead.” She shook her head.
“We’ve all made sacrifices to get here.”
“What does that mean?” A cold chill slid over Reid’s skin.
“Everything we’ve done has been to get us to this point—to get rid of the Winstons. This is finally our chance.”
“The Winstons?” Reid asked. “Dexter is a Winston. When we marry, I will be a Winston, too.”
He nodded absently. “I meant to make positive changes throughout Marsden, so things are fair and equal.”
Suddenly, Reid wasn’t so sure. She needed time alone to dissect everything that had happened.
“It’s been a long day. Get some sleep. We’ll talk more in the morning.” He exited the room, closing the door behind him.
Although exhausted, Reid wasn’t tired. Not bothering to change, she stretched out on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The events of the past few days inundated her—her almost wedding to Dexter, Eldon issuing the kill order on all the Knights, and the Melenia soldiers invading Marsden to do Eldon’s bidding. She closed her eyes. Images of Gytha turning to face the oncoming soldiers so Reid could escape with Dexter, Ackley, and Gordon tormented her. At least Gytha was a formidable fighter capable of taking on two soldiers at once. Reid had to have faith the warrior woman had found her way out of the underground tunnels.
The thought of Nara stuck in the palace and grieving over Henrick still bothered Reid. Would the king feel threatened by her? Would he do anything to harm her? Or would he leave Nara alone? And what about Gordon’s wife, Dana? Was she in danger?
Reid sighed, thinking about the people in her life, starting with her mother. What did Anna hope to accomplish? Did she simply want to remove the king from power? Reid got the feeling that part of Anna’s plan had always been for Reid to be queen. Did Anna hope to influence laws and policies through her daughter?
And what about Ackley and Gordon? Why were the two brothers going along with Anna’s plan? Reid had spent enough time with them to know neither would approve of it. Gordon was the commander of the Marsden army. He didn’t have to take orders from Anna. The mere idea of taking a contingent of men to attack and dispose of the Melenia soldiers didn’t make sense. A large scale attack seemed like a better idea.
A queasy feeling overcame Reid. It could be something she ate or the events of the past few days. An unexplained desire to flee the manor assaulted her. Jumping off the bed, she hurried to the door. She reached for the handle. It wouldn’t budge. Why had her father locked the door? Running her hands through her hair, she tried to think logically. Duke Ellington probably wanted to make sure Dexter didn’t try to sneak into Reid’s bedchamber at night. That had to be the reason. There was no need to panic. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and reopened them, trying to remain calm.
What if there was a fire? How would she get out? She jiggled the handle, trying to force the lock to pop open. When it didn’t, she banged on the door.
“Reid?” Ackley said from out in the hallway.
“I’m in here. The door is locked.”
“Hang on.” There was a clicking sound, the handle moved, and the door swung open. “Why didn’t you pick the lock?” he asked as he slipped inside, closing the door behind him.
“I don’t know how.” She’d never learned.
“Lucky for you I was passing by.”
“What’s in the bag?” she asked. And why was he wearing black pants and a plain black shirt?
“I’m pretending to accompany Gordon to the City of Buckley.”
“Where are you really going?”
He winked. “To Ellington. I intend to get my mother and Idina. I don’t want them up there all alone while the king prepares for war.”
“What about the Knights’ plan to stop him?”
“It’ll never work.”
“Then why did you agree to go along with it?”
Ackley set his bag down, then leaned against the dresser. “I’ve known Anna for several years. I’ve learned not to argue with her. She always gets her way.”
Reid sat on the end of the bed. “Your plan is to leave with Gordon tomorrow morning?”