Chapter 1
Chapter
One
“It does look unstable.”
Elowen squinted up at the moss-covered walls of the watchtower, a remnant from centuries past, when the Peninsula had been at war with the kingdoms of the continent.
“I suspect Father will order it pulled down.”
“You’re probably right,” agreed Sophia amicably.
Her friend’s agreement came as no surprise to Elowen. Sophia was the most good-natured creature alive. Elowen sometimes wished her friend had more independence of mind—for Sophia’s own sake—but no one could accuse her of being unpleasant company.
“If you ask for my opinion, I think His Majesty would be wasting resources to pull it down.”
The second voice was less welcome as Sophia’s brother inserted himself into the conversation. Elowen had to stop herself from reminding Bertrand that no one had asked his opinion.
“Why do you say that?” she said instead, mustering the politeness expected of a princess speaking to the son of her father’s most influential duke.
The viscount shrugged. “It will come down by itself, sooner or later.”
“No doubt.” It was difficult to keep the incredulity from her voice. “On top of the livestock that graze in this area, or even the children from the local village whom we saw playing around the base of the tower when we rode up.”
“They shouldn’t be playing here,” Bertrand said dismissively. He eyed his sister. “Speaking of people who shouldn’t be here…Sophia, how did you end up on the prince’s escort today? Princess Elowen is one thing, but you shouldn’t be riding out of the city with a troop of guards. It’s not seemly.”
“I was invited, Bertrand.” Sophia frowned at her brother, although she spoke without much heat. “Elowen wanted me to come.”
“Of course I did,” said Elowen firmly. “Sophia and I rarely get the chance for a decent ride, the opportunity was too good to pass up.”
“Say no more.” Bertrand swept an elegant bow, his narrow face split by a grin as he straightened.
“You know, dearest princess, that I would never want to stand in the way of your enjoyment.” He took in her disapproving expression, his smile only growing as he added, “Even if you may not always know your best interests. You can do better than Sophia for a companion in your adventures, you know.” He sent her a wink.
“We’ll have to agree to disagree,” she said stonily.
He considered her face with an indulgent air that set her back up.
“Tell me the truth, Princess, is this outing a last snatch at freedom? Doesn’t your dashing foreign prince arrive tomorrow?”
He said the words with a hint of disdain, and Elowen felt a flush rise to her cheeks. To her annoyance, Bertrand had clearly noticed it. He looked much too pleased with himself as he went on.
“No, I’ve got that wrong, haven’t I?” he asked lazily. “Crown Prince Xavier is supposed to be the dashing one. Rumor says Prince Theodore is the stiff, dull brother. Let’s hope that for once, rumor is wrong, and he lives up to the high standards we Torrenese expect for our princess.”
With a final smirk that stopped just short of a wink, he sauntered away.
Elowen waited until he’d rounded the tower before letting out an irritated huff. She wasn’t in a hurry to comment on his mocking words about her upcoming betrothal, but his disparagement of his sister she couldn’t let pass.
“Do better for a companion? As if I wouldn’t prefer your company a hundred times over his.”
Sophia smiled at her indignant tone. “Don’t mind Bertrand’s jokes. He’s too charming for his own good sometimes, but I know you love us in spite of it.”
Elowen hardly knew what to say to her friend. She understood the impulse to defend her brother, but did Sophia really think that Bertrand’s manner was charming?
“I love you, Sophia,” she settled on. “I tolerate Bertrand.”
“Oh no, that’s not true.” Sophia turned to her in distress. “You know it’s not.” Her eyes strayed in the direction her brother had gone, her forehead pinched in concern. “He walked around very close to the tower, didn’t he? Do you really think it’s unstable enough to just collapse by itself?”
Sophia looked around, her eyes falling at once on a slight, sandy-haired young man who’d just moved forward from where he was hovering beside their horses.
“Do you want me to check that Lord Bertrand is all right, Lady Sophia?” the man asked respectfully.
“Yes please, Simeon.”
Sophia looked relieved, and Elowen understood why.
Simeon was reliable—he would see that no harm came to the over-confident young viscount.
He’d been a quietly consistent presence beside his employer for years.
Elowen was surprised Bertrand had gone off without him—he usually kept the servant close at hand, for ready access to his magical capabilities.
Simeon was unusually skilled at the craft of magic.
The two girls watched him go, Elowen half wishing Sophia would see sense when it came to her brother, and half regretting her words.
She shouldn’t speak so critically of the son of a duke, no matter how accurate her complaints were.
She just wished that both Bertrand and Sophia would take the hint that she didn’t find his charm at all charming.
“I’m also surprised you were allowed to come,” Sophia commented. “With the Siqualian delegation arriving tomorrow.”
“I didn’t ask permission,” Elowen admitted.
“Well, I did from Patrick.” Her eyes strayed to her brother, sitting astride his horse and talking to the castle’s head builder next to the crumbling tower.
He looked every bit the confident crown prince.
“He just assumed I’d cleared it with Mother and Father, and I didn’t correct him. ”
Sophia’s laugh was a little pained. “I wish I had your courage, Elowen.”
Elowen just shrugged, not in the mood to celebrate the minuscule win against the constant restrictions of her life. Small skirmishes like this one mattered little when she was about to surrender the whole battle and enter a bloodless marriage.
“Let’s ask Patrick what he’s going to do about the tower,” she said, walking forward with her friend beside her.
There was no need to ask, however. As they drew close, she could hear her brother giving instructions to the builder.
“Yes, it will have to be pulled down, the local masons were right. And we shouldn’t delay.
I’ll initiate the process immediately for formal royal approval to dismantle a historic building.
It’s a shame, but there are other sites that can serve as a monument to our victory in the war against the continent. ”
Elowen glanced idly up at the watchtower, then froze.
“Patrick! Look!”
Her brother followed her gaze, rapping out a command as he also saw the top layers of stone wobbling visibly.
“Clear the area!” He looked at his sister. “Elowen, move back. It looks like it’s going to fall the other way, but we should still be cautious.”
It was Sophia he should have been worried about. Her face had gone pale, and she jumped forward before Elowen realized what she was about.
“Sophia, stay here!” She darted after her friend, intending to pull her back.
“Bertrand and Simeon went around there!” Sophia said, eluding Elowen’s grip. “They’ll be crushed!”
Elowen heard her brother’s sharp cry behind her, but she couldn’t just let her friend run beneath a collapsing building. She tried once more to grab at Sophia’s arm.
She’d just seized her when an angry rumbling sound made them both freeze. There wasn’t time to do anything but look up at the huge slabs of deteriorated stone now falling toward them.
Elowen closed her eyes, wishing her ears weren’t full of shocked screams in her final moments, but nothing struck her.
Crashing and cracking sounded all around them, but when her eyes flew open, she and Sophia were untouched.
Her friend’s gasp drew Elowen’s eyes upward, to see several large stone blocks hovering impossibly above their heads.
“Simeon.” As Sophia murmured the name, Elowen understood.
Her eyes searched the area for the servant, even as she tugged the still-frozen Sophia out from under the boulders. As soon as they were clear, the stones crashed to the ground.
A stumbling motion revealed the source of their rescue, as Simeon appeared from alongside the partially collapsed building and leaned on an upended boulder for support.
Sophia made as if to run toward him, but then Bertrand appeared at his servant’s side, and she checked herself.
In moments, they were swarmed by members of the royal guard, who all but dragged both girls further from the tower, back to where the prince was surrounded by a small human barrier of his own guards.
Bertrand and Simeon followed, the latter’s movements labored.
“You saved our lives,” Elowen said as soon as they were close enough to hear. Her knees were belatedly shaking as she realized how close she’d been to disaster. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“No thanks necessary, Princess.” The satisfied words came from Bertrand. “I was concerned about something like this happening. It’s a very good thing that I thought to bring my craftsman along. When I realized the upper level was falling, I sent him around immediately to clear the area.”
“Your foresight is to your credit,” Patrick said, inclining his head toward Bertrand. He’d dismounted and moved to his sister’s side. “It’s very fortunate you came, Bertrand.”
Elowen’s noise of protest was lost amid the general chaos. She saw a flash of something go over Simeon’s face, but the next moment it was gone, his usual respectful expression restored. His attention seemed focused on the still-quivering Sophia, and he started when the prince spoke to him.
“You did well also, young man. You should be commended.”