Chapter 4
S ixteen ladies had passed the initial assessment and would be staying in the castle for at least a month. From the whispers I heard amongst the contestants while serving lunch, the second trial promised to be much more rigorous. The stressful atmosphere, it seemed, wouldn’t be limited to the kitchens.
Wiping my hands on my linen apron, I leaned against the counter. To say it had been a long day would be a shadow of the truth.
A pile of dirty china loomed in front of me, the last obstacle between me and the comfort of my bed.
On days like this, I wished I could stay in the castle with everyone else, if only to avoid the journey home. I wasn’t looking forward to the cold walk or the snide comments I knew Mother would make. That is, if she deigned to speak to me at all.
As I started to wash the goblets piled up by the sink, the warm suds of the water a pleasant sensation on my tired hands, James came bounding into the room breathlessly.
“Quinn!” The sound of my name startled me. We had worked together for over a week, so I supposed I shouldn’t be surprised that he knew it, but I could count on one hand the number of conversations we’d held. The few words we had exchanged didn’t go further than “Can you please hand me the sugar?” though he sometimes looked like he wished he could say more. Serena was always around, and she made it abundantly clear that he was her friend and she was not willing to share.
“Quinn!” he repeated, all but skidding to a stop. “The prince has decided to dine in his chambers tonight and he’s asked for you to bring him his food. Any idea why?” My heart dropped into my stomach.
“None,” I lied, my collar heating. I didn’t know why he’d wish to see me ever again after our earlier confrontation, but I was sure that whatever his reason, it couldn’t be good.
Serena snorted from across the room. She seemed to be a big fan of that noise where I was concerned.
“Just when I thought you couldn’t get any more special treatment . . .” she seethed. “Then again, maybe this explains your ‘special dispensation from the Crown.’ Are you bargaining with the pleasure of your company?” The innuendo made me sick.
“For the gods’ sake, Serena, what is wrong with you? I just met the man. I understand that you have an issue with me, but let’s at least try to steer clear of treasonous accusations, all right?”
Raising her eyebrows, she affected an air of haughty superiority. “Yes, well, you’ve been here less than two weeks and you’ve had more conversations with the Crown than I have in five years. Most of us wouldn’t have gotten away with the little show you put on the other day.” With that, she sauntered away.
My pulse thundered in my veins until I took a few slow breaths to calm myself. Serena wasn’t worth it, and I didn’t need to get myself into any more trouble by fighting with her.
Fragrant thyme wafted to meet my nose as I piled a tray high with tonight’s dinner, glazed mutton with buttery mashed potatoes and sauced carrots.
One positive thing about my recent revelations was that I was no longer worried about Mellie losing her position. From the sound of it, the queen wouldn’t fire her because her assistant was a hothead. They had a personal relationship, and it seemed Queen Evalina likely understood all too well the struggle of having a child who was a bit short-tempered.
This time I had James write down the directions to complete my delivery and set out. With any luck, I’d be able to hand the food to a manservant and go on my way.
Maybe this is just a strange power trip to make me climb the four flights of stairs, I thought hopefully, trudging up and up and up.
By the time I reached the fourth floor, my heart was pounding. I told myself it was only because of the arduous climb and that I wouldn’t let my nerves get the best of me again.
One, two, three, four, I counted the doors on the right as I walked down the hallway. This was the one. It was ajar, and I could hear the quiet rustling of pages within. My safest option was to knock, so I lifted a shaky hand, doing my best to avoid a second upset tray, and rapped on the wood three times.
The sudden sound of chair legs scraping across the floor was the most terrible noise I had ever heard.
Please let it be a manservant. Please let it be a manservant.
The door opened further, and I found myself at eye level with a white linen undershirt, its ties hanging loose. The result was a span of bare chest that, if I was being honest with myself, threatened to make my heart beat faster for reasons entirely unrelated to the climb or fear for my job.
The foreign thought shocked me, and I stepped back from the door, once again unable to meet the prince’s eyes. This was absolutely not the time. In fact, I was fairly sure there was no time when it would be appropriate to ogle the crown prince, especially since every interaction we’d ever shared had been a disaster. I was sure he wasn’t any fonder of me than I was of him.
“Your supper, your Highness.”
His boots vanished from the floor in front of me.
“Yes, you can leave it on the table in my study.”
I entered the doorway and thanked whichever god was looking over me as he continued straight through the antechamber, gesturing for me to turn right.
Stepping through the threshold into the dim room, a small gasp escaped my mouth. The walls of the study were at least twelve feet high and stacked to the ceiling with shelves and shelves of books. Gilded covers gleamed next to worn leather spines, and there were several volumes lying open on the dark mahogany desk.
Moving one of the tomes on the workspace, I set the tray down, careful not to disturb any of the pieces of parchment that were strewn over the wooden surface. My eyes lingered on its title: The Eriargen Encounter.
I snorted. Not subtly, either.
“Another comment, Ms. Parry?” The prince leaned on the doorframe behind me, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
“No sir.”
“Oh come, don’t start holding back now.” A sparkle in his eyes dared me to speak.
“It’s just that I finished this book recently and it doesn’t strike me as your type of reading.” I chose my words as carefully as possible.
“And why is that?” he asked.
“I just didn’t think you would have time to read fiction, I suppose.”
Pushing off the door frame, he took a few steps into the room. “We all need to escape our reality every so often. Better to do it with a tale of romance and selflessness than with drink.”
“Romance?” I asked, raising my brows.
“I found Astrid and Galadaer’s love to be honest and moving. To think that love can spur someone to take such great risks and triumph despite all obstacles is inspiring.”
Try as I might, I couldn’t hold myself back from refuting that comment. “But Astrid didn’t do it for him! She did it for her kingdom. That’s the real love story of the piece.”
“You didn’t care for Galadaer?” Now it was his turn to raise a brow. “I thought all young ladies loved a white knight.”
“If the knight had a brain, maybe,” I scoffed. “Astrid carried the weight of the entire plot. And she wouldn’t have had to sacrifice her power at all if he had stopped to think for more than a second before running into battle.”f
“I hadn’t reached that portion yet,” he said, unsuccessfully attempting to hide his smirk at my tirade.
“Well, prepare yourself,” I barreled on. “He’s handsome and dashing, but the man doesn’t have two thoughts to rub together. A typical spoiled prince, more interested in showing off and painting himself as the hero than in the actual result of his actions.”
Stopping to consider my words, I quickly backpedaled.
“Not you, of course, your Highness. It’s only that–”
Where I had expected anger, there was only a light chuckle and genuine warmth in his eyes.
“No, please don’t apologize. I appreciate your candor. And your . . . spirit. Too many of the staff here are afraid to tell me what they really think. This has been refreshing.”
I wasn’t sure what to do with that. An awkward pause hung in the air before he changed the subject.
“About our earlier conversation . . .”
“What conversation?” Maddox had been very clear about acting as if our confrontation hadn’t happened. I wasn’t sure how literal she had been, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
The line between the prince’s brows softened in relief as he cleared his throat. “Nothing. Nothing. Well, I appreciate the meal. You are dismissed.”
Another anticlimactic confrontation. Heeding Mellie’s advice to keep my head down, I retreated toward the door.
I nearly made it before, unable to help myself, I blurted the question that had been plaguing me since I had received his summons.
“Why did you request me tonight?”
The prince assessed me, a strange look in his eye. “I just needed to confirm something,” he said cryptically. “Although I must admit this was the most interesting conversation I’ve had in weeks.”
With a contest for his hand and a crown he was about to inherit, I very much doubted that, but I nodded anyway. I shouldn’t have asked to begin with.
My hand on the doorknob, I felt the energy in the room shift, as if deciding something pivotal before settling into place.
“Will you return with my tray tomorrow night as well?”
So close. I was so close to making it out of this conversation unscathed.
“Is that an order?”
He paused, tilting his head slightly before answering.
“No. A request. I haven’t quite finished The Eriargen Encounter, but I’d be interested to get your thoughts when I do. It’s been too long since I talked to someone who isn’t afraid to disagree with me.”
“Of course, your Highness.” Fixing my eyes on the floor, I dipped into a curtsy. I couldn’t refuse my prince, I told myself. That’s why I’d agreed.
A small voice in the back of my head whispered “ Liar.”