CHAPTER 13
Axel
B
linking, Axel struggled to focus his bleary eyes. He’d been dreaming about yesterday’s letter. Muddled anger over the noblemen’s refusal to support him mingled with Katy’s words. It didn’t help his comprehension. “What are you talking about, my love?”
“I had a dream. No, a memory.” It was too early to see with the curtains closed, but he thought the shadows moved above him. She must be sitting up. “I was eleven, and I heard you sing at your sister’s birthday party. I snuck in because I wanted to see you.”
He fought through his sleep haze. “Are you sure your dreams aren’t mixing Michael and Arabella’s trip into things? Reineggburg was abandoned for a long time before they decided to vacation there.”
“For twelve years, Axel.” Katy’s voice shook. Scooting closer, he found her back and set his hand on it. “And how long since we believed Helena died?”
“Twelve years.” He frowned. “But that doesn’t prove anything.”
“It’s everything,” she whispered. “Why was the castle abandoned?”
Instead of replying, he propped himself up on his elbows, then rolled over and felt around on the nightstand for a candle. After lighting it, he set it down and faced his wife, surprised to find her curled in on herself. “No one remembers. Katy, what’s wrong?”
“You told me in the memory. Helena was cursed, and the magic drove everyone from the castle and made us forget. It’s probably been keeping us from questioning it.
” She lifted her head out of her hands and looked at him with frantic eyes.
“That’s why you reminded me of my friend when I saw you in The Tanner’s Secret. You were him!”
Crawling over to her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “It still sounds like your pixie shoes to me. But even if it’s true, why is that a bad thing? Shouldn’t you be happy that he—I—didn’t abandon you on purpose?”
She buried her head again, digging her fingers into her hair. “It changes everything. Everything!” she wailed.
Before he could decide on a response, a loud knock sounded at the outer door of their suite.
He might have ignored it, but that volume usually accompanied the “won’t wait” variety of message, especially this early.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before sliding off the bed.
“Yes?” Axel hid a yawn behind his hand as he opened the door. The footman on the other side fixed his eyes on a point over Axel’s shoulder, avoiding the prince’s tousled hair and rumpled nightshirt.
“His Majesty requests the presence of his son and daughter-in-law in his study as soon as possible,” the footman reported. His voice was smooth and professional. “A messenger from Prince Michael has just arrived with news that cannot wait.”
“From Michael?” Axel repeated blankly. First Katy, now this? “Um…all right, we’ll be there in a few minutes.” The footman nodded, spun smartly on his heel, and disappeared down the hall.
Axel closed the door slowly, his brain struggling to catch up. He gave his head a quick shake to clear it before striding back to the bedroom.
“Time to get dressed, my love,” he announced, planting one more kiss on her head. “We’ve been summoned. Are you up to it?”
Katy leaned into him. “I’ll manage. What’s going on?”
“No idea,” he replied. After another squeeze, he headed for his wardrobe, stripping off his nightshirt as he went. “Father received a message from Michael and wants us in his study five minutes ago.”
The mattress squeaked with the loss of Katy’s weight. As Axel threw on his clothes, he heard the quiet rustle as she pulled out a dress. “That sounds ominous.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Fastening the top button on his shirt, Axel grabbed a waistcoat without looking. “Did this figure into your dream?”
“It wasn’t a dream, Axel. It was a memory,” she insisted. He could hear a quiver in her voice, almost of tears, and then a light slap of skin against skin.
Spinning, he saw her hand clamped over her mouth. “Katy, are you feeling all right?”
She nodded and lowered her hand. “I’m fine. It’s—I’ll be fine.”
“Are you certain?” He set a hand on her shoulder. “Your face is pale. Again.”
“Let’s just get to your father’s study.” Showing him her back, she asked, “Button me up?”
Seven minutes later, they were passing the heavy wooden door of the king’s study.
Axel’s mother stood by one of the windows, staring out at the white landscape, with her arms wrapped around her torso.
Father paced behind his desk, his left arm folded behind his waist and his right hand bobbing in agitation.
Axel closed the door gently behind Katy and cleared his throat. “You wished to see us, Father?”
The king looked up without ceasing his movement. “We received a message from Reineggburg.” He gestured toward a folded piece of paper on his desk. “It—I can’t—you should read it.”
Mother lifted a hand to cover her mouth; Axel thought he could see the shimmer of tears in her eyes. He picked up the letter, feelings of apprehension coiling in his stomach. Had there been another tragedy? Something to justify the superstition surrounding the old castle?
He slipped his thumbs into the folds, holding it so that Katy could see as well.
To His Royal Majesty King Steffan,
I hope this letter finds you well. Far be it from me to command you, but I suggest you sit down before continuing. I have wonderful news, but it may come as a shock.
Your daughter is alive.
The paper crinkled as his fingers twitched. What was Michael playing at?
As my memories are returning, I trust that yours are as well, and that you remember the curse placed upon her at her christening by the sorcerer Fabian.
Though we believed she was dead, she has been in an enchanted sleep in the unreachable tower of Reineggburg.
She is now awake, and as vibrant as ever.
“I told you they were memories,” Katy whispered. Her hands shook where they gripped his upper arm. “Here’s the proof.”
It seemed that way, but Axel struggled to believe it. His sister had been dead for twelve years. Aside from that being one of the central truths of his world, Michael’s story could only be true with magic. And magic didn’t exist.
But Katy’s dream… She’d claimed Helena had been cursed before she knew anything about this letter.
“My baby,” the queen sobbed from the window. She turned to face him. “My baby is alive!”
“According to Prince Michael,” Father corrected, bringing his right hand to his chin for a moment before it resumed its waving motion. “We must—it must—”
“I’ll go,” Axel volunteered. It was impossible, but Michael didn’t play pranks; he was too serious.
And something niggled at the back of Axel’s mind, whispering stories of exploring the Felsig with his sister and a young Katy.
“I can be on the road within an hour, which will give me plenty of time to reach Reineggburg and return tonight.”
Father swiped his right hand through the air. “The council meeting is today. It will not help our case to postpone it.”
Axel could feel Katy’s frown in her hands, but he ignored it.
Now wasn’t the time. “You might fare better without my presence, Father.” Just thinking about Lord Ulrich and his proposal made Axel’s blood boil.
“The meeting can proceed as planned, and you can give me the bad news when Katy and I return tonight. With Helena, if what Michael says is true.”
“What?” Katy startled next to him. “Me?”
Twisting his hand so the letter hung to the side, he used his pinky finger to brush her hair from her face. “Of course, my love. Why wouldn’t you come with me?” Between the council meeting and his unsettled feelings in the face of this unexpected news, he didn’t want to ride off alone.
“But I—” She released him and wrapped her arms around herself. Axel’s eyebrows pinched together at the uncharacteristic action. “I can’t go, Axel.”
“Because of your illness?” He wanted to kick himself for not thinking of it. “I suppose you wouldn’t want to ride.”
“Are you still unwell, Katrin?” the queen cut in. Her expression shifted from joy to concern. “I thought you were improving.”
Katy cringed, turning away from them. “It’s related. But it’s not the reason.” She took a deep breath, rubbed her palms down her sides, and then took Axel’s hand in both of hers. They were trembling, and she wasn’t looking at him.
“What is it, my love?” He faced her, tossing the letter back on Father’s desk and wrapping both hands around hers.
He lifted them to his chest. First the council meeting to look forward to, then the impossible news that his sister was still alive.
Now his wife squeezed his hand as if it were her only lifeline in the face of her lingering health issues. And the sun was barely up.
He wasn’t sure he could take the news. What did she suspect?
“I haven’t confirmed it with the physician, but I shouldn’t go because…” She trailed off, taking a big gulp as her eyes darted to his father and then his mother. Both were watching in silence; Father had stopped pacing.
Finally, she lifted her eyes to Axel’s. He pressed her hands more firmly, willing strength into her for the words he might not want to hear. A tremulous smile tried to cheer up her face.
“Just spit it out, Katy,” he whispered, searching her brown eyes. “Whatever it is, please tell me.”
“Axel…I’m pregnant.”