“Incendium,” I murmured, and the adder burned and turned to ash. I felt the world shift, as if it were pulling away from me, a magical shunning or recoil as it disapproved of my actions to kill so easily.
I kneeled by the young girl. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head, but I could see the faint scratches from thorns across her arms and skin. With a quick spell, I ran my fingers across the cuts and they healed.
“Can you walk?” Again a headshake. “I’m going to carry you, okay?”
Her eyes went wide; she couldn’t look away from the pile of ash that was the remains of the adder. I picked up the girl, but my skirt that I had just spent an hour adding length to was now too long and hindered my steps. Gently, I placed her back on the ground and regretfully tore off the edge of my servant skirt to expose my ankles, knowing I was really ripping my green gown.
She wrapped her wrists around my neck, and I carried her back out of the hedgerows, never making a turn, just whispering to the plants and bushes to move out of my way. Through each row we passed, I heard her squeak of fear as she watched the hedge close up on itself again.
My eyes closed and I bit my lips when I heard her utter the word “witch” again.
“What’s your name?” I asked as I stepped through another row of hedges. We had to be nearing the edge soon.
“Ameline.”
“That’s a beautiful name,” I murmured. “I’m—”
“I know who you are,” she said impudently, but immediately regretted her tone and cast her eyes down.
After trudging through the next row, we were through the maze, and I came out one hundred feet from the entrance to the palace. Turning, I adjusted my course across the lawn to head to the doors, but none other than Prince Xander was standing at the fountain, scanning the grounds.
“Ameline!” he cried out in alarm. “Are you all right? What happened?”
She began to pout, and even though she had been calm mere moments before, the waterworks turned on for Prince Xander.
The light of day did not diminish his looks but highlighted them, accentuating his tan skin. His brows furrowed and he glared at me, taking her roughly from my arms. “Explain yourself,” he snapped. His eyes were bloodshot, and I would dare guess that he was sporting a terrible headache from his drinking last night. It was obvious he remembered me very clearly, based on the heated glance he gave me and the hatred that was now rolling off him in waves.
My cheeks burned in embarrassment, but I was able to gather my thoughts. “I was playing with Ameline, and we were startled by a Sion adder.”
“You must be mistaken. There are no such adders in our land.”
I scowled and snapped. “I can only tell you what I saw, and I don’t lie.”
“Then show me this creature.” He carefully put Ameline down on the stone path and took a step toward the maze.
My heart plummeted and I murmured, “It’s gone.” There was no way he would look upon a pile of ash and believe I, a young maid, had destroyed this enchanted creature on my own. He would surely call me a liar.
Xander sighed and looked up at the palace; then his face darkened and his voice became bitter. “It must be the curse brought on by the daughter of Eville. Only she could bring forth such a creature.”
“Oh really?” I said in disbelief. I balled my hands into fists, ready to summon forth a fire elemental into his trousers, but he wasn’t finished with his tirade.
“First my marriage is ruined, then Florin arrives, and now an adder attacks my sister. It’s because of her.” Xander closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I can only say that the future looks bleak. There will be more deaths before the moon runs a full cycle.”
“More deaths?” I asked fearfully.
He ignored my question, looking down upon his sister. “Ameline shouldn’t have been left alone,” he reprimanded me.
“I didn’t, and I’m not a ser—”
“You’re not?” He looked down at my servant’s dress and shook his head. “You could have fooled me. How dare you pretend to be a lady when in fact you’re nothing more than a servant? You should be ashamed.”
“I can explain.”
“Impersonating someone of higher class is considered a crime.”
“I wasn’t.” He wasn’t letting me clarify, but I could see he didn’t like being deceived, and his pride was hurt. There would be no amount of rationalization that would satisfy his ego, and I refused to belittle myself and beg for his understanding.
“You were lax in your duties, and in doing so, you endangered the princess. You should be reassigned. You obviously are not suited for nursery duty.”
“I beg to differ,” I stretched the truth. I loved children, but they generally feared me. I wasn’t going to tell that to the prince though.
His dark amber eyes were filled with loathing, and I knew that no matter what I said, he had already formed his opinion of me. I rested my hands on my hips and glared back in challenge. I wasn’t going to back down.
A wry grin crept onto his face. “I know. Why don’t you go and serve my new wife.”
“But, Xan.” Ameline pulled on his sleeve as she tried to warn him of his folly.
“Hush, Ameline,” he commanded, and the child fell silent. She looked up at me, her eyes twinkling with the secret she seemed inclined to keep. “I’ve already heard that she’s complained about not having servants or seamstresses available at her beck and call, so I will assign you to her from now on.”
With the way he was grinning at me, I believed he thought it was going to be a cruel form of punishment.
A page came running out of the palace to greet the prince. His face was red, and he looked out of breath. “Your Highness, the king is about to meet with the emissary from Florin.”
“This isn’t good. Did they come alone?”
“Just Lord Earlsgaarde and his retinue, sir.”
Prince Xander stilled and stared off into the distance. “What an auspicious day for them to arrive. Did they say what they want?”
“No, sir.”
“Double the guards on the queen and my sister. Have more patrols out until they’re gone from the palace. I want all eyes on them. Do you hear?”
The page bowed and ran to obey the prince’s orders while questions filled my mind.
“Is there anything I can do?” I asked, forgetting my place.
“Do?” Xander gave me a seething look. “What could you possibly do? Wait. See to it that my wife stays out of my sight and out of the way of the emissary. Her presence will only muddy the waters as I try and navigate this delicate situation.”
“But wouldn’t you want—” I started, wanting to plead my case to be by his side. It was the wrong thing to say.
Xander snapped at me, his eyes blazing with warning. “Don’t ever presume to know what I want. That would be folly on your part.” He cocked his head and studied me, silently wondering how much education I probably received as a servant. What he didn’t know was that I received plenty of tutelage, and that it was my naivety that was getting me in trouble.
“I’m clever enough to know that you’re stupid to believe all this that’s befallen your household is because of one woman.”