Chapter 14
Sabine entered the courtyard, inspecting it. Her tea party was due to start in fifteen minutes, and she hoped there wouldn’t be any problems. A large round table had been set up near the center of the area, next to the water fountain. A white cloth covered it along with several plates and teacups.
Claire approached with a large smile on her face. “What do you think?” she asked. “Is it to your liking?” She swept her hand out toward the table. In the middle, a vase with bright pink flowers stood.
“It’s beautiful.” The sun was out, the air was the perfect temperature, and the flowers smelled divine.
“A few minutes after everyone arrives, a servant will bring the refreshments along with some treats. The guards have been instructed to remain at the perimeter of the courtyard.” Claire folded her hands behind her back, giving the area a once over. “Anything else?”
“And you’re sure it’s acceptable for me to be serving mead with fruit instead of traditional tea?”
Claire laughed. “Yes. Besides putting everyone more at ease, I’m sure it’ll get the ladies talking more freely.”
“Which is what I want if I’m to make any real friends here.”
Claire placed her hand on Sabine’s shoulder. “I’m glad you listened to me and wore the red outfit. It looks stunning with your eyes. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to make sure everything is ready in the kitchen.”
This centrally located courtyard was the perfect location. People at the palace would see her talking and laughing with the few carefully chosen high ranking ladies that would be in attendance. By making the small gathering exclusive, she hoped others would want to befriend her and be included in future events. To find the killer, she needed all the gossip she could get. And what better way than through those married to the most powerful men in Lynk. Since Rainer only seemed to be focused on suspects from other kingdoms, Sabine wanted to be sure there wasn’t someone right in his own palace that he’d missed. Or at the very least, see if anyone saw or heard anything that could help find the killer.
A woman in her early fifties strode through one of the archways. With her head held high, she glided over to Sabine and bowed. “I’m surprised you invited me given how my son spoke to you the other night.” She straightened.
This had to be Cutler’s mother, Lady Regina. Given that her husband was the commander of the army and Cutler a captain, Sabine needed to tread carefully. “Welcome.” She forced a pleasant smile on her face. She didn’t recall meeting this woman the night she’d been introduced to the court. “I believe your son was just making sure I knew he was going to marry Heather.”
Regina raised a single eyebrow. “I believe he wants to make sure everyone in the kingdom is aware of that fact.”
Lottie entered the courtyard, her arm clasped with another young woman’s who looked vaguely familiar. “Greetings,” Lottie said. “I ran into Duchess Marin on the way here.”
Sabine silently thanked Lottie for reminding her who the woman was. Duchess Marin had just married a man who owned the smallest and weakest duchy of the kingdom. However, a duchess was a duchess, nonetheless. While Sabine remembered meeting the woman, she didn’t remember having a conversation with her.
Movement through the archway to the right caught Sabine’s attention, and she looked to see Duchess Cassandra and Lady Karmen enter the courtyard. “The last of our party has arrived.” She’d invited Cassandra because she was the duchess of the wealthiest duchy in the kingdom. Karmen, on the other hand, had been invited because she seemed to know a little something about everything.
Once the women had all assembled around Sabine, she said, “Ladies, I hope we can all forgo our titles for this afternoon. I don’t feel the need to be called princess every time someone wishes to speak to me, and I invited you all here so that I can get to know some people here in Lynk. I could use a friend or two.” She smiled sweetly at all of them, wanting to come across as non-threatening but needing to show she could be a powerful ally as well. Besides, since people from Bakley seemed to have a reputation for being stiff and overly formal, this was Sabine’s chance to show them she could be one of them—that she was more Lynk than Bakley.
“I believe every one of us could use a friend,” Lottie said. She headed to the table.
Everyone else agreed and followed suit.
After they were all seated, Cassandra said, “I was surprised to receive your invitation to this gathering, but when I saw it was a tea party, it made sense.” She was a large woman in her late forties with beautiful chestnut hair that was starting to turn gray.
“And why is that?” Sabine asked, amusement dancing in her voice.
The servants entered, setting several trays on the table, and then leaving.
“Everyone knows how much people from Bakley like their tea.”
“That we do,” Sabine said, gesturing to the table. “Why don’t you all help yourself to some tea.”
The guests began reaching for the tea pots and pouring the liquid into their cups.
Karmen took a sip and then began laughing. “This isn’t tea.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “I like you. I think we are going to be great friends.” She saluted her teacup in Sabine’s direction.
The other women looked confused.
“No, it’s not tea,” Sabine explained. “Oftentimes things aren’t what they appear.” She reached forward, taking her own cup in hand.
The women all took small sips, then smiled in understanding.
“Forgive me,” Cassandra said, “but you’re nothing like your sister.”
“Do you have siblings?” Sabine asked.
“I do.”
“And you are the same as your siblings?”
“Well, no. We are each vastly different. I see your point.”
Sabine pretended to take a sip from her own cup. The last thing she wanted was for her own lips to be loose, so she couldn’t drink the strong mead. Hopefully, everyone else would open up once they started drinking.
“I think court is going to be much more interesting with you around,” Karmen said. “You’ve already livened things up.”
Within a few minutes, the women began to gossip. Apparently, two different women had been seen kissing the very handsome and available Duke Trenton. Then the conversation steered to what fashions seemed to be up and coming for the season, who Lottie should consider marrying, and so on. No one said anything about Alina and her murder. Sabine would have to find a way to steer the conversation in that direction if the opportunity afforded itself.
“My servants are all gossiping about a new handsome guard here in the palace,” Marin said. “I think he’s one of your soldiers.” She nodded her chin toward Sabine.
“Markis?” Sabine said, startled by the change in topics. “My guard from Bakley?”
“Oh yes,” Karmen said. “He’s all anyone is talking about.”
“He is easy on the eyes,” Lottie added, smirking. “I’m sure that’s why Sabine keeps him around.”
“How do any of you know what he looks like since he’s always wearing a mask?” Sabine asked.
“When he fought the king, he didn’t have a mask,” Marin said. “All of my servants were there watching.”
“More like drooling,” Lottie mumbled with a chuckle.
“And it’s his eyes,” Karmen said with a sigh. “There’s something so powerful and sexy about them.”
Glancing at the perimeter of the courtyard where her guards stood watch, Sabine hoped they couldn’t overhear them—especially Markis. Wanting to redirect this conversation, Sabine leaned forward. “I’ll let you all in on a little secret.” All the women leaned forward as well; their eyes gleaming with excitement. Sabine took another pretend sip of her drink, as if she might be slightly tipsy, which was why she was so readily divulging this information. “Markis is here to help me find my sister’s killer.” She put her finger at her lips, as if this were a secret.
The information seemed to surprise them all.
“And once you find the killer,” Cassandra asked, “then what?”
“I need to make sure I stay far away from him,” Sabine said, trying to keep the tone light, so the women would continue to talk.
“Let’s face it,” Regina said as she poured herself another cup of mead, “it’s a trained assassin. No regular person could have slipped the princess poison like that.”
“Cutler told me the poison made it past the royal food taster. That’s why the person was executed.”
“If it was a trained assassin from another kingdom, he is probably long gone,” Cassandra said. “Surely he went back to wherever he’s from, don’t you think?”
“Possibly,” Sabine mused. “Or…” She set her cup on the table for dramatic effect. “He is hiding somewhere in the palace. He could be among us now. Waiting to strike again.”
No one spoke and all eyes focused on Sabine.
“If he’s still here in the palace,” Lottie whispered, breaking the silence, “then why hasn’t he killed you yet? What do you think he’s waiting for?”
A very good question. “Perhaps he just hasn’t had a chance.”
Lottie glanced at the mezzanine above, as if searching for an assassin lurking in the shadows.
“Maybe you should go inside,” Marin suggested. “That way you aren’t so exposed.”
Sabine loved that these women seemed to care for her wellbeing. “I’m tired of hiding inside. I just want to find this killer.”
“Don’t worry,” Lottie said. “I’m sure my brother will find him. He was furious the murder happened in his own home and wants to prove he is in control. When he sets his mind to something, he always follows through.”
Lottie made a valid point. Rainer was a new king. If someone here at court wanted to prove the king incompetent, a murder such as Alina’s would certainly accomplish that. Especially if there were no suspects. Sabine would have to start learning who here at court didn’t want Rainer to succeed as the next king.
“How would one even go about hiring an assassin?” Karmen asked. “I’m assuming we have them here in Lynk, but who are they and how do you contact them?”
“There are a few men in the army tasked with such things,” Regina said. “I’m sure they do side jobs. I imagine the pay would be astronomical.”
The conversation turned away from Alina and moved to other topics. The more the women drank, the louder they became. By the end of the afternoon, Sabine found herself laughing right along with them even though she hadn’t finished a single cup of mead.
Sabine sprawled out on her bed, thankful for the soft breeze coming into her room. Exhaustion consumed her from her tea party, and her eyes became heavy.
A soft knock sounded on the door.
“Your Highness,” Claire said as she stepped into the room. “The king wishes for you to take your supper with him and his family this evening.”
Sabine groaned. “Any idea why?” She’d been planning on skipping supper and staying in bed.
“I am simply the messenger.”
With a dramatic sigh, she sat up. “The tea party was a hit,” she said as she slid off the bed and stretched.
“So I hear. Gossip is already spreading through the palace as to who you invited.”
Pleased with that bit of information, Sabine ran her hands through her hair. “Should I change for dinner?” She still had on the red outfit from earlier.
“What you have on is appropriate. Besides, King Rainer wants you to come now.”
Sabine glanced outside at the sun still shining brightly. “Isn’t it a little early for supper?”
Claire shrugged.
“Very well.” She gestured for Claire to lead the way. The sooner she got supper over with, the sooner she could climb back into bed to sleep.
Out in the hallway, the guards fell into place behind Sabine. Peering over her shoulder, she spotted Markis on her left. She had no idea how to do this stealthily, so she just decided to be blunt about it. “I need a word with my guard.” She pointed to Markis.
Claire’s brows bent together and she opened her mouth to say something, but Sabine turned her back to Claire and faced Markis.
“Is everything all right, Your Highness?” Markis asked in a soft voice so the others wouldn’t overhear.
“I want you to do something for me,” Sabine whispered. She glanced at the other guards, making sure they kept their distance.
“What do you need?”
“Find out who the designated assassins in the army are. See if any were recently hired for a private job or if any are missing.”
“I understand.”
Knowing she could trust him to handle the matter, she resumed her trek to the dining room, her guards once again falling into place behind her.
“Is everything all right?” Claire asked.
“Yes.” As the future queen, she didn’t have to justify her actions. However, she wanted to make sure Claire trusted her, so she smiled and said, “I simply told him since he will be staying here for a while, he is permitted to write home to his family. I’m not sure he wants anyone here to know about his private life.”
Her explanation seemed to appease Claire since she didn’t press the matter any further.
When they reached the dining room, Sabine entered alone. It felt like the last time she was here had been a lifetime ago. A moan came from the right. She swung toward the sound and found Lottie sitting at the table, her head resting on her arms. “Are you all right?” Sabine inquired.
“I’m sleeping,” Lottie mumbled.
“Did you have too much to drink this afternoon?” She tried to sound shocked and not as if that had been her plan all along.
Lottie tilted her head, opening an eyelid. “Your tea is quite potent.” She closed her eye again. “I’m assuming that’s a reflection on you.”
Sabine patted Lottie’s back before heading out onto the balcony. She slid her hands over the railing and sucked in a deep breath. A hawk flew a few feet below.
“It’s going to rain,” Anton said as he came to stand beside her. “I can feel it.”
She eyed him. “You feel rain coming?” There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
“My knee hurts—and it’s never wrong.”
“From an old injury?”
He nodded. “Axel dared me to jump from one rooftop to another. I missed.”
That sounded painful. “I assume you were much younger when this happened?”
“Sort of.” He laughed. “Axel and I have a long history of getting into trouble. If it’s not me, it’s him to be sure. We used to drive my father crazy.” His voice sounded wistful.
He reminded her of her brothers, making her miss home even more today. “You’re twenty-two but not engaged?” she asked. That seemed a little old, at least by Bakley standards, to not be betrothed.
He raised his eyebrows and looked at her. “No. Why?”
“Just curious.” It was odd that not one of the four siblings was married.
“I’m not sure how it is in Bakley, but for us here in Lynk, the king will decide who Axel, Lottie, and I marry. I can’t believe my brother is going to choose my bride.”
“Do you fancy someone?” She bumped her shoulder against his. “Maybe I can put in a good word for you,” she teased. This was what she missed about her home. The banter with her siblings.
“I wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, the three of us must marry to strengthen our kingdom. I’m sure you understand that seeing as how it’s why you’re here.”
“Yes.” Her finger trailed along the edge of the railing. Duty. What an ugly little word that could be quite inconvenient. However, she supposed everyone had it in some form or other. Her duty was to her family and kingdom. Someone like a servant had a duty to provide for their family as well, just on a different scale. It seemed everyone had a rope tethering them to something.
“What are you two discussing out here?” Axel asked as he joined them on the balcony.
“Nothing of importance,” Sabine said, turning back to look at the sun setting over the mountain in the distance.
Axel shoved his hands into his pockets. “Can I ask why Lottie is passed out on the dining table?”
“She drank too much tea,” Sabine said, trying not to smile.
Axel chuckled, the sound deep and throaty. “That so?”
“Rainer is here,” Anton said, nodding inside.
The three of them made their way into the dining room.
“Did you see what Sabine did to Lottie?” Axel said to Rainer as he sat down.
Rainer’s eyes narrowed. “Is she drunk?” he asked with disbelief.
“I’m fine,” Lottie moaned. “I just went to Sabine’s tea party.”
“At any minute she is going to start snoring,” Anton mumbled.
“Tea must mean something different in Bakley,” Axel said, a grin on his face. “And here I thought all those tea parties your kingdom had were a total bore.”
Sabine ignored them and took her seat, wondering why Rainer had insisted they all have supper together.
The servants brought in a dozen or so trays of food and then left.
“Eat something,” Rainer commanded Lottie. “I need you alert for this conversation.”
Lottie rolled her eyes and sat up, grabbing a tray of food and pulling it closer so she could load her plate with chicken and rice. When she finished, Sabine did the same.
“What’s going on?” Axel asked.
“What I say right now remains in this room with the five of us. Understood?” Rainer looked at everyone, waiting for each to acknowledge and agree. “A delegation from Avoni is on their way here.”
He’d mentioned that to Sabine before, so she didn’t think too much about it as she shoved a spoonful of rice in her mouth.
“Whatever for?” Lottie asked. “People from Avoni are so weird.”
Sabine didn’t know much about Avoni, so she had no opinion whether they acted or behaved strangely or not. According to Lottie, people from Bakley were probably odd, too.
“A member of the League will be traveling with them,” Rainer said. “This person will be the deciding vote as to whether my marriage to Sabine can take place or not.”
Sabine almost choked on her mouthful of food. Deciding vote?
“The tiebreaker vote?” Axel said.
“Yes.” Rainer leaned back on his chair.
“Besides swapping out princesses, what else changed?” Axel inquired.
Sabine nodded, wanting to know as well.
“King Franz asked for an additional five hundred soldiers. I agreed.”
If her father had asked for more soldiers, it was for good reason. They needed to get their border secure. When her mouth was empty, she said, “I don’t understand why anyone else has a say in what we do.”
The siblings all looked at her as if she were daft. Now was probably not a good time to admit she didn’t even know what the League was.
“Father did warn you the other kingdoms would be testing you once he died,” Axel said, his voice soft. “Maybe this is their way of doing it by seeing how you handle the situation.”
“Why would anyone test King Rainer?” Sabine asked. “Everyone knows Lynk has a huge army.” To go up against them would be suicide. And just because he was the youngest ruling king on the continent didn’t mean he wasn’t qualified for the job.
“That could be why someone assassinated Princess Alina,” Anton said. “It’s a way to test our king without using an army. One simple assassin. What will the king of Lynk do?”
This entire time, Sabine had assumed her sister’s assassination had to do with preventing a wedding, not testing a king.
“It’s a possibility,” Rainer said. “Since I’m young, people are probably wondering if I can maintain control over my army or not. I’m sure the neighboring kingdoms fear that someone from within could assassinate me. Then who would be in control, and would they follow the League’s treaty? Plus, Princess Alina was killed under my roof—that shows I’m weak. Vulnerable. If I don’t find the assassin and bring him to justice, I’ll constantly be challenged from both home and abroad.” He took hold of the stem of his goblet, twisting it.
“I have my men investigating,” Anton assured him. “We’ll find the assassin.”
“Your men?” Sabine asked.
“I oversee intelligence.”
She had no idea Anton handled the spies for the kingdom.
“Lottie, make sure you keep up with your training,” Rainer said.
Lottie shoved some bread in her mouth. “No need to worry. I have great motivation to stay alive. I won’t miss a session. What about Sabine?”
“Tomorrow before breakfast, Sabine and I will train together.”
“When is Avoni due to arrive?” Axel asked.
“My guess is within the next fortnight. I’m hoping once they’re here, we can gain their approval and move forward with the wedding as planned.”
“No offense,” Axel said, “but are we sure we want this wedding to happen?”
Sabine eyed him, wondering what he was getting at.
“Our people need Bakley’s food,” Rainer said. “I won’t sacrifice my own people just to appease some League.”
“Are you saying if they don’t approve, you’ll go against the League?” Anton asked. “As Lynk’s representative, I need to know.”
“I’ll make that decision when the time comes,” Rainer responded. “For now, we need to put all our focus on getting them to agree.”
“Rainer,” Anton said, his voice low. “You can’t consider going to war.”
“Every treaty eventually comes to an end. Now, I’d prefer to maintain peace. But I won’t sacrifice my people to do it.”
Anton nodded. “Duly noted.”
“All of this talk about politics is giving me a headache,” Lottie said.
“I think that’s Sabine’s special tea and not our stimulating conversation,” Axel said. He lifted his goblet and saluted Sabine.
“Are we free to go?” Lottie asked.
“Yes,” Rainer replied.
Lottie shoved her chair back and stood. “Now that my head has cleared, I’d like for Sabine to accompany me.”
“Where to?” Axel asked.
“None of your business.” Lottie headed toward the door. “Are you coming?” She glanced over her shoulder at Sabine.
Nodding, Sabine got up and hurried after her, assuming Lottie wanted to have some girl time. While Lottie could never take Alina’s place, Sabine welcomed the friendship. Craved it even.
Out in the hallway, Lottie looped her arm through Sabine’s, a wicked smile on her face. “Now it’s time to make sure you actually drink and enjoy yourself. I watched you this afternoon. You didn’t touch your tea.”
The keen observation startled her. She hadn’t thought anyone noticed. “Sure I did,” Sabine lied as Lottie dragged her along the corridor.
“You may have touched it, but you didn’t drink it.” She eyed her sidelong. “Well played, by the way. I’m impressed.”
The two of them traveled down several stairwells, the temperature dropping.
“Are we still in the palace?” Sabine asked. She thought there were only five levels, but they’d gone down more than that.
“Technically.”
They descended another narrow stairwell and came to a door. Lottie knocked.
The top portion of the door slid open, and a man eyed them. “Just the two of you?”
“Now, Tim,” Lottie said, her voice practically singing, “you know our future queen can’t come in without a guard.”
He grunted. “Fine. She can have one.”
Lottie smiled and looked at Sabine. “Now it’s time to have some real fun.”