CHAPTER THREE #2
As I grabbed her, my heart raced. Carefully, I placed her down on the bed on her stomach to avoid aggravating her injuries.
A body-swapping gift! No one had heard of one of those in centuries, but it had to be, because clearly I’d ended up in a different body.
Given Princess Antonia’s young age, her power had probably only just appeared.
How had the princess picked me of all people?
We’d only just met at the incident at the carriage earlier that day.
More importantly, I had to get someone to tend to those injuries. I ran into the hallway and screamed, “Doctor!”
The door nearly hit a maid in the face, so she must have been about to open it.
Stumbling, she curtsied. “Your Grace.” Her voice held a raspy note.
A red curl poked out of her white cap. She had full cheeks and a distinctive jawline.
Even with her head lowered, I could not fail to notice her beauty.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
The maid nearly fell over. She looked around as if trying to tell who had spoken, because clearly it couldn’t be me. “Did you say you’re … jolly? Delighted to hear you are in such a good mood, Your Grace.”
Whoa, did it ever feel odd to have people treat me with such deference that they didn’t even believe their own ears when I said sorry.
I fought off an urge to apologize again.
For what reason, I wasn’t sure. Existing?
Accidentally glancing at her breasts so fast I hoped she hadn’t noticed?
I attempted to sound commanding, but my voice squeaked.
“I need you to fetch a doctor. The princess has been injured.” Or more likely, using her power had knocked her out.
With such a strong power, I wasn’t surprised it was one use only.
“Yes, Your Grace.” She lowered her eyes, but not before I saw a flash of fury.
If she’d heard the princess screaming, then she would have instantly assumed I’d beaten the poor girl unconscious.
I must look like the worst scum in the world.
How could I deny it had been me when I was currently occupying the body of the one responsible?
“I have already summoned a doctor.” She gestured down the hallway.
A short, thin man with a long face poked his head around the corner. He seemed to be trying to hide behind the high collar of his black coat. Sweat dripped down his crooked nose. He took a slow step forward.
I waved my hands. “Hurry!” I almost asked what he was waiting for, but it seemed obvious—he was terrified of the duchess. The maid had probably faked an interruption in hopes of sneaking the doctor in. At least someone in this palace gave half a damn about the princess.
The doctor rushed past me into the room.
He gasped upon seeing the princess’s condition, then opened up his medical bag.
The maid dropped to her knees beside the bed and took Antonia’s hand, murmuring something soft.
The girl did not stir. I hoped this had more to do with her exhaustion than her injuries.
I stepped into the room. “Uh … can I do anything to help … ?”
Fury burned so bright in the maid’s eyes that she could not hide it. My cheeks heating, I stepped backward. “Or … not …”
The maid bowed her head, and her tone became subservient. “Your Grace, I came to fetch you. You need to hurry in order to make it to the execution in time.”
“Execution … Donya’s execution? Right now?”
Hesitantly, the maid nodded.
I’d been too late to bring help to save Donya! Damn the insane Blood Duchess! Wait a minute. I was the Blood Duchess. “Stop the execution!” I screamed.
“Your Grace?” She raised her eyebrows slightly.
I turned for the door. My borrowed, too-long legs got tangled up in my heavy black dress, and I nearly fell.
How did the duchess walk around in a dress covered in gemstones?
This thing must weigh as much as my whole body!
I gripped the wall, panting. “Someone get me a carriage! Ugh, and someone help me down the stairs. Dammit! I’m going to stop the execution! ”
The maid and the doctor exchanged confused glances. Slowly, the maid asked, “Your Grace, have you perhaps been drinking? Or did you try any new relics with possible side effects?”
I seized on the excuse. “Yes, I must have been drunk when I ordered the countess’s execution. Get me a carriage!”
The doctor cowered when I shouted. The maid leapt to her feet and offered me her arm.
I noticed that she flinched when I touched her.
Even though I knew this must be because of the duchess’s cruelty and not my weight, I still felt disgusting.
A soft, poisonous voice, one I hadn’t heard in a very long time, returned to my mind: You’re revolting, a giant elephant, inconveniencing everyone.
Donya needed me. This was no time for my issues. I gritted my teeth and moved faster. The maid got me down the stairs and spoke to a guard, who then brought around a carriage. As I collapsed into the seat, she ran up the stairs, no doubt returning to the princess’s side.
This whole situation was a nightmare. Would I be killed the instant the guards around the carriage realized I was a fake? What had happened to my body? Was the duchess inside of it? What might she do with my face? Would it even be possible to switch back?
I pulled my knees up to my chest. Except they weren’t “my” knees and feeling the jiggling and the lighter, downy hair reminded me.
Every single movement of my new chest felt strange.
I did not know how to flex my fingers with so many rings on them.
The entire world did not quite feel real.
If only this was all a dream. A tear trickled down my cheek.
No, no, the Blood Duchess wouldn’t cry. I had to keep up this act for at least a few minutes longer.
Donya needed me. That gave me the strength to pull myself together.
I must have terrified the driver by shrieking at him to go faster. When the carriage pulled into the town square, I yanked the door open.
Once again, my legs got tangled up in my overburdened dress. I fell, landing several feet away on my hands and knees.
Looking up, I stared straight at the hastily erected scaffold in the middle of the square. Sherdan guards formed a blockade, not letting anyone close. With no time for a guillotine, they’d erected a wooden block. A guard stood next to it holding an axe. Another guard forced Donya’s head down.
“Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!” I screamed. I ran like I’d never run before, instantly losing my breath. This body could barely move without getting winded! My knees felt like they might pop out of their sockets. Cold air stung my cheeks.
With aching legs, I leapt up the stairs. The guards took one look at my disheveled state, blonde hair falling in frozen clumps, and fled the execution stand.
I grabbed Donya and yanked her into a hug. “Are you okay? What did they do to you? Ah! You have a bruise on your cheek! Those monsters!”
Despite the rope around her arms, Donya tried to get away from me. She growled. “I don’t know what you’re playing at, but I refuse to be fooled. I won’t beg for my life!”
I let go. “The execution is canceled.” Unfortunately, I could hardly admit I wasn’t the real duchess in front of her guards, but I would explain to Donya later. “Just a little joke on my part. Ha-ha.”
Donya gave me the stare that I deserved.
I struggled to my feet—ow, my knees—and clapped my hands. “Let’s get my new best friend back to the palace and cleaned up. Joke time is over! I hope you all appreciated some of our traditional Sherdan humor.”
The guards stared at me in astonishment.
So many eyes on me suddenly made me realize the Blood Duchess favored very low-cut dresses—much lower than I felt comfortable with.
I clamped a hand over my (her?) chest. Then I let go because I feared I was acting out of character.
Then my hands returned because it was cold, dammit. I was freezing my tits off, literally.
From behind the barricade, the citizenry stared with undisguised hostility. Metal weapons glinted from among the crowd. A teenage boy held up a match and a doll wearing a black dress with blonde straw hair. “Burn the Blood Duchess!” he cried, setting fire to the skirt.
With a growl, a guard started toward the child, drawing his sword.
“No!” I shouted. “Don’t worry, I can take what I dish out. Execution jokes. I love them. That’s a wonderful effigy of me. Someone give that child a gold coin.” I smiled so broadly, my face hurt.
The guard eyed me with bemusement. “If you say so, Your Grace.”
The coachman actually reached into a purse and tossed a coin into the crowd. That distracted them long enough for me to drag Donya into the carriage.