The Queen's Crown

Chapter 9

The next morning, when Claire arrived with breakfast, Sabine put her first plan into action. “Good morning,” she practically sang. “Will you keep me company for a bit? I’m so lonely.” She smiled sweetly at Claire, wanting to befriend the young woman. If Sabine was to have any hope of learning the secrets of the palace, she needed her lady’s maid as a confidant.

“Of course. Shall we sit outside?”

“That is an excellent idea.”

Situated on the balcony were a table and chairs on one side and and a sofa on the other side.

Claire set the tray on the table and took a seat.

Sabine sat across from her. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” She pulled the tray closer, examining the bowl of oatmeal, the plate of cut apples, and the muffin. She didn’t notice any yellow powder or anything odd smelling. Still, she hesitated, not knowing if it had been through a food taster.

“There’s nothing to tell.” Claire shrugged. “I’m the youngest of three girls. We all work here in the palace, including my mother and father. My mother works in the kitchen and my father is a guard.”

Knowing her mother worked in the kitchen and the food had most likely gone from cook to Claire, Sabine relaxed and took a small bite of oatmeal. “I’m the youngest of six.”

Claire smiled. “It’s hard being the youngest sometimes.”

“Yes, it is.” She leaned back in her chair. “How long have you worked in the palace?”

“Since I was sixteen, so about three years now.”

They were roughly the same age then. “What did you do before I arrived?”

“I was assigned to Princess Alina. Prior to that, I apprenticed for the resident seamstress.”

Sabine found that interesting. She didn’t know how one went from working with a seamstress to being the future queen’s lady’s maid. “Working with the seamstress sounds far more exciting than helping me.” Not wanting to sound like she was fishing for information, she asked casually, “What about your sisters? What do they do?” She plucked an apple and put it in her mouth.

Claire’s eyes widened. “Why do you ask?”

Obviously, Sabine had stumbled on something with regards to Claire’s sisters. She needed to try and discover what it was.

Sabine shrugged, trying not to appear too interested. “I’m just curious. You told me what your parents do but not your sisters. Since you’ll be attending to me, I thought we should get to know each other. I’m desperate for a kind friend here in this strange kingdom.” Sabine forced a smile on her face, thrilled with the prospect of her first clue. Granted, it might not have anything to do with Alina, but there was something amiss and she was determined to discover what it was.

“The king tasked me as your lady’s maid to ensure you dress and look the part. Given my background with the seamstress, I’m sure you can understand that I have a knack for fashion. That is the only reason I’m here.” She abruptly stood.

“I’m sorry if I said something to offend you. Are we not permitted to be friends?”

“No. I mean, yes, we can be friends. But I need to go. I have some other tasks I must attend to.”

Sabine wanted to ask what other jobs she had but refrained from doing so. Claire was far too skittish and untrusting now. Sabine would have to nudge her slowly.

That evening, Sabine sat at the desk composing a letter to her mother. For the first two paragraphs, she detailed her perilous journey to Lynk. Then in the next paragraph, she described the palace and the people she’d met. Her mother would be able to draw the same conclusions Sabine had with regards to possible suspects and motives.

Someone knocked on her door. “Come in,” she called out.

Axel stepped into her room wearing loose black pants and a black tunic open in the front. It was stitched with intricate gold embroidery along the edges.

She stood, surprised to see him. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“I know it’s late, but I’d like to escort you to the rooftop to show you the nearby town. It’s exquisite at night.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why?” She doubted he wanted to be nice or get to know her. He had to have an ulterior motive.

He slid his hands into his pockets and watched her a moment before responding. “I thought you might like to get out of your room,” he admitted. “The roof is secluded, so we don’t have to worry about anyone seeing you. And…I thought we could talk.”

Curiosity got the better of her and she wondered if he had anything to say regarding her sister. “I would like that.” Not that she cared to go to a secluded place with this man, but for her sister and the possibility for information, she would.

Axel held the door open for her, and she exited the room.

“You’re all to remain here,” he said to her guards as he headed to the right.

She hadn’t been down the corridor this way yet. “Markis will come with me,” she said loud enough for Markis to hear.

“You don’t need him. You have me to protect you.” Axel winked. “Besides, it’ll give us more privacy to talk.”

Having seen him with that lady last night, she figured he had a way with women and enjoyed flirting. Or at least using his charm to his advantage. Too bad it wouldn’t work on her. Having grown up with four older brothers, she knew most of their tricks. The key to dealing with Axel would be to treat him as she would one of her own brothers. “Markis will remain with me.” She noticed Markis kept a careful three-foot distance behind her.

“Don’t you trust me?” Axel asked, his hand to his chest as if wounded.

She tilted her head and looked up at him. “Do you trust me?” she countered.

He considered her for a moment. “I hadn’t really thought about it.” He led her to a flight of stairs.

“You never considered the possibility that I might have a weapon on me and try to assassinate you as revenge for the death of my sister?”

His face paled.

She laughed. “I’m only toying with you.” She winked. “Maybe.”

At that he chuckled. “You’re nothing like Alina.”

“No, I’m not.” She stopped halfway up the stairs and turned to face him. “What do you consider me?” she asked. “Am I your future sister? A pawn? A toy?”

He chuckled, the sound low and sultry, and then gestured for her to continue up the steps. At the top, he placed his hand on her lower back and whispered in her ear, “You’re all of those things and more.”

She suspected he wanted something from her, and she’d need to keep her guard up around him.

The roof turned out to be a twenty-foot wide flat space on top of one of the palace turrets. There were other decks with slanted rooflines that she could see from where she stood.

Axel dropped his hand from her back and then meandered over to the edge of the rooftop, leaning on the railing. “Care to join me?”

Sabine stood in the middle, taking it all in. The view of the town and nearby mountains was breathtaking under the moonlight. Since she could see it all from where she stood, she decided not to go any closer to the edge, especially with Axel there.

“Why did you really bring me here?” she asked.

He leaned back against the railing, facing her. “You’re much more direct than your sister.”

“I’m a very different person than my sister.” She folded her arms. “I thought we’d already established that.”

Axel turned and faced away from her, resting his forearms on the railing. “Anton and I are opposites as well, even though we’re twins. However, I assumed since you’re so young…” He didn’t finish his sentence.

Sabine could fill in the blanks. He’d assumed she was innocent, inexperienced, and naive. Especially after meeting Alina. “You thought wrong. Since I am the youngest of six…” She purposely didn’t finish her sentence, allowing him to draw his own conclusions. Whatever came out of this, he needed to know he couldn’t push her around.

“I’m sorry about your sister.”

It was the second time he’d said something along those lines. “Why are you sorry? Did you have something to do with her death?” She hadn’t meant to be so blunt, but she needed answers.

He glanced over his shoulder at her. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just ask that.”

While he seemed genuinely offended, he’d failed to deny his involvement. However, she didn’t say anything else. She simply stood there, waiting for him to get to the point of why he’d brought her here.

She glanced at Markis who’d remained in the stairwell, giving them the illusion of privacy. If she was aware of his presence, then Axel had to be as well. Markis nodded at her, as if giving her permission, so she moved closer to Axel, knowing Markis wouldn’t take his eyes off her and he’d protect her at all cost.

If Axel simply wanted to get to know her better, he could have done so over supper, not an evening stroll on the rooftop. “Axel,” she whispered, using his name, and foregoing his title, “what do you want?”

At first, she thought he hadn’t heard her. She was about to repeat herself when he turned to face her.

“What do I want?” he mused, a small smile playing on his lips. “That is a good question. And one I’m used to only hearing in the bedroom.” He smirked.

Sabine wanted to roll her eyes. He reminded her so much of Viktor. Instead of acknowledging his comment as she was certain he wanted her to do, she sighed, trying to look bored.

He rubbed his forehead and focused his attention back to the town in the distance again. “What do you know of Lynk’s politics?”

Practically nothing. Instead of saying that, she answered, “Lynk is like any other kingdom. There is someone sitting on the throne, someone vying for the throne, someone who craves power, someone who doesn’t want it…it’s all the same. Different kingdoms, different players, same game.”

“True.” Axel chuckled. “You’re more pessimistic than I expected.”

“Why do you ask?” she said, trying to nudge him to get to the point.

A single shoulder rose and fell. “You’re very different from Heather,” Axel mumbled under his breath. “I wonder what he’ll do about that.”

She refused to take the bait and instead, filed the information away for later. She’d have to discover who Heather was and the man who Axel was referring to, though she suspected it was the king. She wished she knew more about the man she was supposed to marry. The man whom Alina had been writing to for weeks before they met in person.

“You’re harder to read than your sister,” Axel said. “I wonder how long you’ll last.”

A cold chill slid down Sabine’s spine. Her initial reaction was to grab her dagger and ram it into Axel’s back. However, she couldn’t act so foolishly simply because he kept trying to bait her. “I think it’s time I return to my room. My guard will escort me. Goodnight.” She turned and left, not giving him a chance to respond.

At the stairwell, Markis took her arm and ushered her quickly down the steps. “I want you to stay away from that man,” he whispered near her ear so Axel wouldn’t overhear.

At the bottom of the staircase, he released her but kept a quick pace.

“Don’t worry,” she assured him. “I was just trying to discover if he knew anything about Alina’s death. I have no intention of forming any sort of friendship with that man.”

“Sabine,” Axel called after her, not even bothering to use her title. Footsteps pounded down the stairs not far behind them.

“Keep moving,” Markis said. “I don’t trust him.”

The feeling was mutual.

“Sabine,” Axel called out again. “Don’t run away from me. Most women run to me, not from me. Running is only going to make me want you more.”

“I’m going to kill him,” she murmured.

“That makes two of us,” Markis said. “Although I think he’s just trying to get a rise out of you.”

“Oh, I know he is, which is why I’m not stopping to engage with him.” Anger, irritation, and fury rose within Sabine as she headed along the corridor back toward her bedchamber.

Markis steered her around the corner, and she slammed into something hard. Stumbling back, Markis grabbed her, keeping her upright.

“Watch where you’re going,” a man sneered.

“You watch where you’re going,” Sabine snapped, looking up and up until she found the face attached to the snide comment. A rather tall, devastatingly handsome gentleman stood before her, dressed similarly as Axel.

“Brother,” Axel said as he came up behind her. “So lovely of you to join us. Princess Sabine and I are just returning from a romantic rooftop stroll. There are lots of stars out tonight. Beautiful, don’t you think?”

Horror filled Sabine as she realized this man before her must be her future husband, Rainer, the king of Lynk. She didn’t know if she should curtsy or apologize for barreling into him.

Rainer’s eyes narrowed, focused solely on his brother, his body blocking the entire hallway so Sabine couldn’t move around him.

It dawned on her that Axel didn’t seem at all surprised to see his brother. She’d been in enough dalliances to know a set up when she saw one. If she had to guess, she’d say Axel was next in line for the throne. Either he wanted to make his brother jealous by forming a relationship with her, or he wanted to prevent the wedding altogether so he could take the throne. If that were the case, it put him on the top of her list of suspects for her sister’s murder. Not that she thought he’d dirty his hands by doing it himself. More likely, he’d hired someone to kill Alina for him.

“Axel,” Rainer said, “it’s late, and I am tired. We will talk tomorrow.” His attention turned to Sabine.

She hadn’t been prepared for the weight of his piercing gaze. As if he could see right inside of her with his mahogany-colored eyes. While he looked like his siblings, he had an older, more mature face adorned with dark hair that had a slight curl to it.

Axel winked as he walked by, leaving her alone with Rainer, Markis hovering behind her somewhere out of sight. The king towered over her by at least a foot, putting her eyes level with his muscular chest…which she did not need to be looking at or thinking about right now. She needed to stay focused.

“You’re a little young,” Rainer mused, his voice deep and appealing.

While there was a six-year age gap, she was old enough to marry and be queen of Lynk. Instead of responding to his jab, she forced herself to meet his intense eyes. “I’m tired and am going to bed. We can try this again tomorrow.” She went to step around him.

He reached out, grabbing her arm and stopping her in place.

Markis made an odd sound, sort of like a hiss. Sabine tried not to laugh knowing Markis’s hands were tied. While he may have wanted to protect her, he couldn’t intervene with the king.

“Who are you?” Rainer demanded.

“Lieutenant Markis Belle, Your Majesty.”

“You’re not one of my guards.” It was a statement, not a question.

The fact that Rainer knew Markis wasn’t one of the guards since they all wore the same thing, including masks over their faces, said a lot. Sabine would have to remember that.

“No, Your Majesty. I am Princess Sabine’s personal guard. I escorted her here and King Franz tasked me with her safety.”

“The princess won’t be requiring your services any longer. You’re dismissed.”

Sabine stiffened. If Markis left, she’d be all alone. She needed someone she trusted watching her back.

“With all due respect,” Markis said, “given what happened with Princess Alina, I think it best I remain here.”

Rainer’s fingers tightened on her arm.

“You may release me,” she said. “We can discuss this matter tomorrow when we aren’t so tired.”

“No one is allowed to cross the bridge and enter my palace unless I’ve vetted them.” Rainer released Sabine and peered down at her. “I can’t have another incident in my home.”

“Incident?” She wanted to wrap her hands around his thick neck and squeeze. How dare he call her sister’s murder an incident.

“However, if you can vouch for Lieutenant Markis, he can remain here until tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow, when we discuss this matter.” He articulated each word slowly, as if speaking to a child.

She needed to collect herself and get her emotions under control. “Of course, I personally vouch for Lieutenant Markis.” She tried to make her voice sound as calm and haughty as possible so he wouldn’t know how intimidated she was by his presence. Someone like Axel she could handle since she knew what to expect. But Rainer made her feel off kilter.

The king pinched the bridge of his nose, mumbling something under his breath. Sabine used the distraction to step around him. This time, he didn’t try to stop her.

The next morning, Sabine awoke to a knock on her door. She went over and opened it and found Claire standing there. “Is something the matter?”

Claire folded her hands together. “The king wishes to have his breakfast with you this morning.”

Sabine yawned and stretched. “Very well.” She needed to speak with Rainer about her sister’s murder and keeping Markis as her personal guard. “Please let him know I’ll get dressed and be along shortly.” She started to close the door.

Claire stuck her hand out, stopping it. “His Majesty sent me to help you get ready.” She stepped into the room.

“Let me grab one of my sister’s dresses.” Sabine headed over to where she had the trunks organized.

“His Majesty gave me very specific instructions,” Claire said. “I’m to make sure you’re dressed appropriately.”

Sabine glanced over at her lady’s maid. “Which means I’m supposed to wear an outfit from the dressing closet?”

Claire bit her bottom lip.

“What?” Sabine asked.

“The king wishes for me to pick out your outfit and do your hair.”

“I would love to have your help,” she forced herself to say. Never in her life had a lady’s maid picked out her clothing. However, she was in a foreign land and needed to assimilate. To get information on her sister’s killer, she needed to play by their rules.

Claire’s shoulders relaxed as she headed to Sabine’s closet, exiting a few minutes later with three outfits. “I need to see these colors with your hair and skin tone.” She held up each one to Sabine. “This is the one.” She placed the pale yellow one on the bed and then returned to the closet.

Sabine removed her bedclothes and pulled on the outfit. “Are you sure about this?” she asked, looking down at herself. The fabric tied behind her neck, going straight down over her breasts, leaving her entire back exposed. It flowed to the floor and had two long slits in front of each leg, going up to her thighs. “I feel naked.”

Claire stood back and examined her. “Hang on.” She went to the closet and returned a moment later, tying a piece of braided fabric around Sabine’s waist, letting the ends hang down off to the side. “You look perfect. This style is very fashionable right now.”

At least the outfit was comfortable and light so she wouldn’t sweat.

“Now for the shoes.”

Sabine wouldn’t call them shoes. They had a flat piece for the bottom and then leather straps that tied around her ankles. Regardless, she didn’t say anything as she put them on, trying to be amiable.

“If you’ll sit at the vanity table, I’ll do the finishing touches.”

Sabine felt like a doll as she sat, allowing Claire to make her presentable. Claire brushed out Sabine’s hair, leaving it down which she appreciated since her back was exposed. Claire then applied some dusting powder to Sabine’s face. Once finished, Claire handed her a handful of gold bracelets, matching earrings, and a simple necklace.

As Sabine put the jewelry on, a wave of sadness hit her. She used to do this sort of thing with her sister.

“Is something the matter?” Claire asked.

Taking a deep breath, Sabine realized she had an opportunity here that she couldn’t pass up. She looked at her lady’s maid in the mirror. “You remind me of my sister,” she whispered. “She used to love helping me get ready for a party or a ball.” She glanced away and twisted the bracelet around her wrist. “You mentioned you have sisters.”

“Two,” Claire answered. “Heather and Sarah.”

Not wanting to push too hard and scare Claire off, Sabine stood. At least she had two names now. That was more than she had before. And she could start inquiring about Heather and Sarah who worked here in the palace.

She reached out and took hold of Claire’s hand, squeezing it. “Thank you for your help. I appreciate your kindness. It means a lot to me.” She released her. “You’re certain I look okay?” The makeup seemed too dark and heavy. However, if this was the way people in Lynk wore it, then she would too.

“You look like our future queen—and that is the point.”

The word queen gave her goosebumps. When she heard that word, she thought of her mother, not herself. This entire situation still felt surreal to her. And right now, she was about to face the king of Lynk. Hopefully, by looking the part as the future queen, King Rainer would be more amiable toward her. She needed to have a decent rapport with him to glean what information she could about her sister’s murder.

“Where am I meeting the king for breakfast?” Her hands started to become sweaty, a nasty product of being nervous.

“I’ll escort you there.”

The two of them exited the bedchamber.

Out in the hallway, Markis’s eyes widened at the sight of Sabine, and the tiny bit of skin visible around his eyes turned a deep shade of red. While she understood this was not an appropriate outfit in Bakley—if her brothers saw her like this, they’d cover her with their jackets and probably pull a sword on the person responsible for dressing her—it was the Lynk way. Rolling her shoulders back with false bravado, Sabine ignored Markis and followed Claire. They turned down the corridor to the left and went to the end, stopping before a door.

Claire knocked, and the king’s personal steward—the one who’d delivered the news of Alina’s death—opened the door.

“Your Highness,” he said with a bow.

“Good morning, Gunther,” she said, hoping she’d remembered his name correctly.

He smiled. “Please come in.” She stepped inside, and Gunther closed the door, leaving her guards and Claire out in the hallway. “The king is expecting you.”

The steward led her into the royal quarters. They passed by several sofas and chairs, all lightly colored. If this was considered the king’s personal sitting area, it lacked a fireplace. Come to think of it, her room did as well. Perhaps it didn’t get cold enough for one. She had a hard time imagining that.

Gunther stopped before a small, private dining room where the king sat at the head of a rectangular table with six chairs. Four archways adorned the wall to the left, sheer curtains hanging next to them, gently blowing in the breeze, revealing a narrow balcony, only three feet wide on the other side.

The king stood, commanding her attention. “Princess Sabine Ludwig. Welcome.” He wore a sleeveless vest that exposed his tanned, muscular torso and arms. It looked as if he spent his days training with the army. Maybe he did. After all, Lynk was known for its military might.

“King Rainer Manfred,” Sabine said as she stepped into the room.

Rainer motioned for her to take the seat to his right, so she did.

A servant rushed in, placing several trays laden with food on the table.

“Help yourself,” the king said.

Sabine scooped some fruit on her plate and a piece of bread drizzled with honey. Examining the food, she didn’t notice anything of concern. However, she kept her focus on her plate instead of the man sitting next to her. The king. Who made her slightly uncomfortable. While he was the same age as Alina, Sabine felt the gap in years acutely between them. Physically, he felt much older than her, older than Rolf and Karl even. Perhaps it was the wide set of his shoulders, his towering height, or the light dusting of hair on his chest.

“Thank you for meeting with me this morning,” he said, his deep voice rumbly like horse hooves racing across the field. “I would like to first offer my condolences. Alina—Princess Alina—was a remarkable woman who didn’t deserve to die as she did. I hold myself fully responsible and vow to find the murderer.”

Stunned by his words, Sabine set her fork down, observing him. “Thank you.” His eyes held hers, making her face feel warm. “I want nothing more than to discover the person who killed my sister.” She hadn’t expected him to care about Alina’s death since he barely knew her. If they worked together, they could solve her murder.

“I hear you had a dangerous encounter on your trip here.” He reached out as he spoke, placing his large, calloused hand on her forearm.

“I did.” She blinked a few times, not knowing what to make of his touch. In Bakley, such an intimate gesture was something only two people who were familiar with one another did. But they were to marry soon, and such things were common among couples. It was just that his warm hand felt like boiling water, searing her with a burning warmth she didn’t understand. Over the years, she’d danced, walked, and even conversed in dark corners with men. Well, technically boys her own age. This, whatever this was that she felt toward King Rainer, seemed different. Somehow more potent and it scared her.

“When my men and I met up with your carriage and soldiers, I was stunned to learn what had transpired and that you had gone on ahead with a single soldier for protection.” He removed his hand from her arm and leaned back in his chair, watching her with his dark eyes.

Axel had told her Rainer was out investigating Alina’s death. If that were the case, he had no business being anywhere near her carriage. She couldn’t help but wonder if he had something to do with the attack. She licked her lips, trying to find a way to ask him what he’d been doing there in the first place. “Is my carriage here at the palace?” she asked, pulling off a piece of her bread and eating it.

“No. It’ll be here in a day or two. After I spoke with your soldiers, I returned home, hoping to arrive before you did. I’m sorry I was not here to greet you.”

“Why did you meet up with my carriage?” she asked, needing to hear his explanation. Her hands began to shake, so she set them on her lap where he couldn’t see them. Maybe him touching her and looking at her as if she were important was his way of trying to throw her off. She’d done the same by flirting with men to learn a bit of gossip or to get something she wanted. Right now, it seemed like Rainer was trying to get her to trust him, which meant she needed to keep her guard up. While she wanted to believe he was sincere, they’d only just met, and she was no fool.

Rainer took a drink from his goblet before answering. “I had to travel to Carlon to meet with the League. When your father wrote to me, telling me you’d take your sister’s place, he changed a few minor details of the contract. I had to give the League the new contract for approval.”

His answer only caused Sabine to question even more. However, she didn’t want to appear like a simpleton, so she refrained from speaking.

“On my way back to Lynk, I came across your carriage as there are only two main roads leading to my kingdom.”

She was certain Axel told her that Rainer was out investigating Alina’s murder. Which meant that either Axel had lied, or Rainer was lying right now.

He was staring at her, as if waiting for her to say something.

“My father didn’t mention that he’d altered the contract at all.” She would have to write to him to ask if he had and if so, why.

“Minor details. Regardless, I am required to follow protocol.”

She nodded as if she knew this already.

“I’ll be honest,” he said as he propped his elbow on the back of the chair, pulling his vest wider and exposing his entire muscled stomach to her. “I was disappointed when I learned you weren’t with your carriage.”

“Why?” The question slipped out before she could stop herself.

He stared at her for an uncomfortable minute before replying. “I wanted to meet you to make sure we are aligned in our goals.”

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and Sabine felt danger rising like a lake during a downpour. “Please explain.” It sounded an awful lot like he could be her sister’s killer. As if he would have done the same to Sabine if he found them not aligned. Maybe he’d kill her now if he discovered that to be the case. She needed to tread carefully.

“Alina and I exchanged letters before we agreed to marry one another. I am intimately aware of your kingdom’s troubles, just as Alina knew about mine. We…agreed on several issues.”

Markis had mentioned something about Alina and Rainer’s letters. He wanted to find them so her brother Rolf could read them to see if there was anything important in them.

“It is my understanding that you sent a contract, asking for my sister’s hand in marriage, and she agreed. Is that when you started writing to one another?”

“No,” he revealed. “If I’d simply wanted a wife, I could have chosen anyone. I chose Alina after we wrote to one another on two separate occasions and decided on some issues.”

Sabine knew her sister, but her sister had never told her any of this.

“After the contract was signed, we wrote to one another more intimately.” The way he said that sentence, softer, almost like a secret, made Sabine’s toes curl.

With raised eyebrows, she considered this man before her. He was the most sensual man she’d ever met—and she was going to marry him. However, he’d chosen Alina, not her. “Are you suggesting you don’t wish to proceed with the wedding?” Bakley needed his soldiers. If Lynk backed out, her father would accuse her of ruining the alliance, and her mother would be devastated Alina hadn’t received the justice she deserved.

“No,” he answered. “I signed the new contract your father sent to me. I’ve agreed to its terms. He told me a little about you, though I’d like to get to know you for myself.”

“What would you like to know?” She couldn’t think of a single question she wanted to ask him about himself at the moment. Everything she thought of related to his kingdom, the palace, or her sister. But not him personally.

He leaned forward, resting his arms on the edge of the table as he neared her and said, “Everything I need to know I’ve learned watching you eat your breakfast.”

She leaned back in her chair, wanting to put some space between them, realizing she was in over her head.

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Knowing he expected her to ask something about himself, she decided not to. “When will our wedding take place?” In other words, how long did she have to get her bearings around this palace before she became queen.

“Everything is ready. Once we have permission, we’ll wed.”

“Permission?”

“From the League.”

She needed to figure out what this League was. As soon as she had the chance, she’d write to Rolf and ask him. He had to tell her, especially now that she was going to be Lynk’s queen. She had a right and deserved to know.

“Before you go,” Rainer said, “we have one last matter to discuss. You understand that I must maintain a secure palace. I have a duty to protect my people and ensure no one else is killed here in my home.”

“Of course.”

“Then you understand why your guard, Markis, must return to Bakley.”

Terror gripped her. If Markis left, she’d be completely alone in a foreign kingdom with no one to protect her. Right now, she didn’t trust a single person here besides him. “And you must understand that this is where my beloved sister was assassinated. I won’t feel safe unless I have someone loyal guarding me.”

“I will ensure your safety,” Rainer insisted.

She shook her head. “Until the assassin is caught, Markis will be my personal guard.”

“I can vouch for each of my men,” he said. “Your safety is my top concern.”

“I’m sure you told Alina that same thing.” And look how that had turned out.

He stiffened. “Your sister had her Bakley guards with her. They failed to protect her.” His voice held a hint of suppressed fury. “I will not allow you to be guarded by subpar sentries. My men will protect you.”

“And your men can protect me so long as Markis is one of them.” She stood, wanting to end this argument.

“I’ll make you a deal,” he said, standing as well. “I will personally assess Markis and decide if he is worthy to be in my guard. If I deem him capable, he can remain under my employment so long as he swears fealty to me.”

“Markis has a family to return to. All I’m requesting is that he remain with me until I’m settled. I’m not asking that he remain here permanently.”

The corners of Rainer’s lips pulled down ever so slightly, the only indication that what she’d said surprised him.

He folded his hands behind his back and walked out of the dining room. “Very well. If I deem Markis capable, he can remain here for the time being. However, no one else from Bakley will be allowed to stay. When your carriage arrives, your things will be unloaded and then your soldiers dismissed.” He stopped by the door and turned to face her.

“Very well.” She could live with that. She hoped.