“This is all my fault. I did this to you.” King Gerald waved his arms in the air.
“I swear on my crown and my life that if there’s a way to undo what’s been done, I will find it. Even if it means making another deal with the witch.”
Xander shook his head. “You did what you needed to save my life. I’m the one who will live with those consequences. This should be my decision, but the question is how do we protect the queen and our country from Florin’s emissary? I swear that man is like a hound dog. He’ll find out all of our secrets.”
“If the hound dog wants a scent trail, then give him something to hunt. Take him beyond the wards and fin—”
“No,” Xander cut him off. “I will find a way to solve all of our problems without resorting to violence.”
King Gerald’s voice deepened in warning. “Violence is the only way Florin knows how to solve their problems. If you don’t strike first, they will—with a knife to your gut. You have a gift.”
“It’s a curse,” Xander growled. “And a prison sentence.”
“Not if you go beyond the wards.” King Gerald walked up to his son and poked him in the chest.
The doors opened.
“Apologies, Your Majesty, Your Highness. I did not know you were here,” a deep voice interrupted them. Peeking around the corner, I saw Gaven had entered and stumbled upon their argument. “You haven’t seen a most rare beauty pass through here, have you?”
Xander shook his head. “There’s no one here.”
King Gerald turned back to Xander, his voice low and threatening. “You will take care of this inconvenience. I will figure out the rest.”
Xander and his father left and headed down to dinner, and I stood alone in my hiding spot, angry at what I’d overheard.
Am I the inconvenience?
“Rose?” Gaven called softly into the library. His footsteps came up behind me, and I felt myself stiffen. “Here you are. Are you ready?”
Smoothing my dress, I gave him a forced smile. “Yes.”
Chapter Six
On Gaven’s arm, I felt like a glittering diamond as we walked side by side, but my heart was as bitter and burnt as coal. Was it only yesterday that the prince was kissing me in the darkness? I dared not face Xander for fear my burning anger and hatred would give me away.
Thankfully, the tables were spread out among the main hall, and Gaven took me to the lower table below the prince. Taking a seat, I couldn’t help but look up at the high table where I should have been sitting to see a surly Prince Xander. His face was a mask of pain as he reclined in his chair, his boots crossed and sitting on the tabletop, directly in the spot where my own plate would be. His eyes were buried in his hand as if he had a headache, and he gave very little care to the rest of the room.
Trumpets announced the arrival of the king and queen, and everyone in the room stood, chairs scraping across the floor as we watched the double doors swing open, but only the king entered, Queen Anya absent from his side. His normally flustered color was gone; instead he was pale as he moved to stand next to the high-back chair beside his son. King Gerald signaled the servants to bring out the first course.
I glanced over at Yasmin, who was sitting at a separate table directly across from me, and couldn’t help but watch the pitiful looks she kept casting the prince, her bottom lip quivering. Her father, Yassa, placed his hand over hers, giving it a reassuring pat. He didn’t cast such sad looks; his gaze was heated and filled with anger.
Lord Verner, a portly gentleman seated on my right, tapped my elbow, gave me a wink, and lifted his glass in a salute. I shuddered at the rosy tinge of his cheeks and his very inebriated state. “It’s a pity what happened to him, being forced to marry the witch. If it were me, I would’ve run for the hills.”
“Even if she were beautiful?” Gaven asked.
“Yes, but she won’t be. I heard her carriage was pulled by three demons,” Lord Verner added salaciously. His thinning hair was wet with sweat, his eyes bloodshot as he leaned forward to whisper as if relaying a deep secret, “It’s very scandalous. Not to have the woman he desires and trapped in a marriage with the one he despises.” He took another drink.
“How can he despise someone he’s never met?” I asked.
“Easy. Just imagine someone taking your prized stallion away and replacing it with a donkey, then ordering you to be happy with your donkey.”
“I hardly think the bride and donkey are the same,” I corrected.
“Are they not? It’s all very tragic. I bet you they’ll write stories about it,” Gaven added, jumping on the bandwagon.
“Oh, you think so?” I asked, momentarily wondering how I would be portrayed—a forlorn love lost, or the abandoned princess.
“Yes, horror stories,” Lord Verner chuckled.
All the men within earshot laughed aloud.
“So it is true, then, the rumors?” a weaselly voice asked Gaven. “The prince married one of Lady Eville’s daughters. Do you happen to know which one?”
I had been taking a drink of honey wine and began to choke. Being so awkward with all of the attention, I only just noticed the three other gentlemen from Florin on Gaven’s left, also dressed in matching deep red uniforms trimmed in gold. One of them had a white sash across his coat. The mouse-like man with a mustache that twitched erratically was named Earlsgaarde. The rest of his retinue did not speak to any of the guests on their side, and from the way they kept staring at the king and prince, there was no love lost between the countries.
Gaven laughed. “No, there’s a whole brood of them, and we haven’t seen her yet other than the wedding.”
“Pity, because I hear the oldest is as strong as the stepmother.” Earlsgaarde rubbed his chin. He seemed to know more about my family than anyone else here. “But it sounds like this is not a happy arrangement for all involved.” He pointed to the prince, then the empty plate and seat next to him.
“No,” Gaven admitted. “The king and prince both regret the circumstances by which the marriage came about. As for the witch, we’re all hoping for the day she turns into a bird and flies away.”
“Interesting, very interesting. Then I may need to speak with them,” Earlsgaarde pondered aloud.
Gaven leaned forward, eager to continue his conversation with Earlsgaarde, even though he had previously shown his disdain for the men from Florin. Not wanting to hear any more, I tried to tune them out and focus on my meal.
The food was delicious, but after the first few bites, and with the way the conversation turned, everything began to taste the same. I couldn’t help but feel miserable for the prince. He neither ate nor drank. He would only rarely look up, but then his eyes would alight on Yasmin; then he’d glance to Earlsgaarde, and his face would turn sour and he would go back to sulking.
Even though I tried to pay attention to Gaven’s conversation regarding boyhood stories of growing up in the palace with the prince and his vast hunting expeditions, I was only listening with half an ear.
“Then I chased the animal into Sion and killed it, but not before it left me a token.” Gaven rolled up his sleeve to show off the ragged scar from the beast’s claws. “But I killed the creature, skinned it, and wear its fur to remind myself that I am stronger than any man or beast.”