Chapter 18
Rainer cursed. “Is the delegation at the palace?”
“No,” Mika answered as he straightened. “They’ve just started disembarking from their boat.”
“We have to beat them to the palace.” Rainer placed his large hand on the small of Sabine’s back, ushering her down the aisle and toward the doors.
Sabine assumed he was leading her to the bedchamber to consummate their marriage as quickly as possible so they could return to the palace. She tried to mentally prepare herself for what was to come.
Out in the hallway, he said, “I need to find Harta.” He dropped his hand from her back as he strode down the corridor at a brisk pace.
Not knowing what else to do, Sabine hurried after him, trying to keep up.
“Change and get your things. Meet me in the sitting room in ten minutes.” He glanced behind her. “Markis, don’t leave her side. Anton, you’re with me.”
She hadn’t even realized they were being followed. Instead of responding, she turned down the hallway to the left, going to the queen’s bedchamber. Her bedchamber. If they were trying to beat the delegation to the palace, that gave her some time before she had to worry about sharing Rainer’s bed. She took a deep breath, trying to relax.
“What are you doing here?” Sabine asked Markis.
“I came to serve as a witness for the kingdom of Bakley.”
That made sense. She lowered her voice and said, “I didn’t realize you’d swear fealty to me under Lynk’s banner.”
He shrugged. “I’ve already sworn to protect you. It makes no difference to me whether it’s on Lynk or Bakley’s behalf. Besides, I wanted to make the declaration in front of King Rainer. I’m hoping he’ll keep me on a bit longer.”
She remembered Rainer saying something about only letting Markis stay in Lynk until the marriage took place. “While I want you to remain until the assassin has been brought to justice, I know you have family back home.”
They arrived at the bedchamber. “I won’t leave until you’re ready for me to. My loyalty is to you.”
Reaching out, she took his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you.”
In her room, she quickly changed while Markis waited out in the hallway. Not wanting to leave the crown, she shoved it in the bottom of her bag, next to the journal, and then made sure it was covered with her clothing. After cinching the bag closed, she exited the room.
“Are you ready?” Markis asked.
“I need you to do something for me,” she whispered so her voice wouldn’t carry down the corridors. While she didn’t see anyone else close by, she couldn’t risk anyone overhearing.
“Anything.”
She handed him her bag. “Keep hold of this. See that it makes it to my chambers in the palace but put it somewhere out of sight.” She didn’t want Rainer to see it and be tempted to look through it and discover the hidden journal. Since she could be spending the night with him, she needed to take precautions.
He took the bag, slinging the strap over his shoulder. “Is everything all right?”
She nodded.
“When I heard there was an attempt on your life, I ran to see you. But you were already on your way to this location. I didn’t know where you were being taken or with whom. No one could tell me anything.”
Not once had she thought about letting Markis know what was going on. She’d done whatever Rainer said without question. “We’ll have to make sure to rectify that situation for future incidents.”
They began walking. “Let’s hope there aren’t any more. I’ve had about all the excitement I can handle for a lifetime.”
She laughed. “I agree.”
“I need to ask you something,” he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Do you know why you married today in a private ceremony instead of as planned in public?”
She quickly reiterated everything Rainer had told her.
Markis ran a hand over his face. “So the king knows who hired an assassin to kill you.” It wasn’t a question.
“He thinks he knows. And he obviously feels I’m still in danger which is why we married. The person has to be in the palace if he’s in Rainer’s inner circle.”
“I agree,” Markis mumbled. “I need to think all this through and come up with a plan. He really didn’t tell you who he suspects?”
“Not yet. I plan to ask him though.”
“I doubt he’ll tell you.”
“Why is that?” she asked.
“Because if he planned to tell you, he would have done it by now.”
They entered the sitting room where Rainer stood with Anton and Harta on either side of him. He’d changed into black pants and a dark blue tunic.
“Move your wedding ring to your right hand,” Rainer commanded.
She did as he instructed, noticing her hands were shaking.
“Make sure you keep that ring on at all times. It’s the queen’s ring and will give you the protection you need.”
Sabine nodded, wanting to demand to know who it would give her protection from. However, she knew she couldn’t ask with others around. If she had any hope of getting him to talk to her, to confide in and trust her, she needed to have that conversation with him in private.
The marriage binder joined them.
“Now that we’re all here, let’s go.” Rainer led the way to the small room that lowered down to the boat. They split into two groups to make it easier on Mika since he had to manually control the pulleys.
Rainer went first with Anton and Herold.
Sabine went second with Markis and Harta.
As they were being lowered, Markis leaned closer to her. “Something feels off.”
“I agree.” Ever since Rainer had brought her here, she’d had a feeling of wrongness that she couldn’t explain or pinpoint.
“Do you have a weapon on you?”
“Yes.” She’d left the knife strapped to her thigh.
“Good. Be extra vigilant.”
When Sabine exited the room, she noticed this boat was much larger than the one they’d rowed over on.
Rainer sat at the front with Anton, Sabine and Harta took the middle bench, while Markis and Herold sat at the other end. The men all took up an oar. Rainer gave instructions and the four of them started rowing the boat out of the cave.
“You’re sure it’s safe for me to return?” Sabine asked no one in particular. Somehow the ring on her finger didn’t feel like enough to protect her from a skilled killer.
“We have no choice,” Rainer answered. “If we’re not there to greet the delegation, it’ll be seen as an affront. I can’t afford to make such a blunder so early on after taking up the crown.”
The boat made its way across the open ocean and toward the shore. The sun was high above them, indicating early afternoon. The wind rushed around them, making Sabine cold, so she cuddled into Harta, trying to steal the dog’s warmth.
The boat headed directly toward the rocky shore.
“I don’t see the cave,” Sabine commented. And she had no desire to smash against the rocks, especially since she wasn’t the best at swimming.
“That’s because we’re not going there,” Rainer replied. “This boat is too big for the cave so we’re landing at a beach just past those rocks.”
The men steered the boat to the right, parallel to the shore for a few minutes, and then they turned, heading around a peak and into a small alcove that hadn’t been visible before. Sabine wouldn’t call where they were headed a beach since there was barely any sand, but at least it didn’t have nearly as many rocks to smash against.
When the boat hit bottom, Rainer and Anton jumped out, pulling the boat up onto land where everyone else disembarked.
Rainer led them to a dirt path that cut up the side of the cliff.
Since the path was so narrow, Sabine kept a hand on the rocky side to maintain her sense of balance. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as she’d imagined, and they reached the top within a few minutes. Straight ahead, she spotted the palace perched atop the mountain. They just had to cross the valley to get there. Harta barked and ran ahead, apparently knowing where to go. The dog really was well trained.
The five of them traveled at a brisk pace and after fifteen minutes, reached the base of the mountain next to the palace. Instead of heading up as she thought they’d do, Rainer led them over to a grouping of trees where a wooden home was situated, Harta sitting at the front step.
Rainer knocked on the door.
Sabine didn’t see any lights or smoke, so she didn’t think anyone was home.
Rainer knocked again.
A minute later, a small, hunched over woman answered. “Your Majesty,” she said, her voice raspy. “The donkeys are in the back.” She bowed her head and closed the door.
Sabine had so many questions but knew now was not the time to voice any of them. At the back of the house, she didn’t see any donkeys or even a pen for them. Rainer went another twenty feet or so to where the jungle started. He ducked between two bushes and disappeared. A moment later he returned, leading two donkeys. He handed one to Sabine and he took the other.
“There are three more in there,” Rainer pointed behind him. “The two of us are going to set out.” He mounted the donkey and Sabine did the same. “There’s a fairly wide path,” he assured her. “It’s different from the one you took on your journey here. We’re taking that to the top. Let the donkey lead; it knows the way and has done this hundreds of times.”
Too terrified to argue, Sabine grabbed the animal’s harness and held on for dear life as the donkeys made their way to the base of the cliff.
Harta trotted behind them like a good doggie. Markis, Anton, and Herold joined them a few minutes later. The five of them gradually made their way up the side of the cliff, each on a donkey. Sabine assumed they were on the quickest route since they were trying to beat the Avoni delegation to the palace. As to which way the delegation would be going, she had no idea.
As Rainer told her it would be, the path they traveled on was fairly wide—at least ten feet. Regardless, the donkeys hugged the side closest to the cliff. This had to be the route people took when bringing supplies up the mountain since it was large enough to accommodate a wagon.
At the top, they left the donkeys in a pen near another wooden house. Then the five of them hurried through the town, taking side streets as they made their way to the palace. When they reached the end of the main road, a loud groan shuddered as both sides of the bridge lowered. They hurried across it, the wind starting to pick up.
Safely on the other side, a handful of soldiers surrounded the five of them as they made their way into the palace. Rainer started barking out orders, none of which Sabine paid any attention to.
“Princess,” Markis said, the word sounding clipped. “This way.”
Sabine followed him and two additional soldiers as they escorted her to her bedchamber, Harta diligently at her side. When she opened her door, she found Claire coming out of the closet holding an outfit.
“What happened to your hair?” Claire asked, her eyes wide.
Sabine reached up, feeling it sticking out in several different directions. “I suppose I should comb it out.” It had been quite windy when they rowed across the ocean.
“Dunk yourself in the bathtub. When you’re done, I’ll run some oil through your hair to detangle it.”
Sabine gladly peeled her clothes off and climbed into the warm bath. While under the water, she unbraided her hair. When she got out, she sat at her vanity table while Claire put the oil in her hair and easily combed through it.
“King Rainer wants you dressed and ready to greet the delegation as soon as possible,” Claire said, pointing to the bed. “Put that on.”
Sabine stood and slid the blue dress on, assuming she’d be matching Rainer. As far as outfits went, this was one of the prettier ones she’d worn in Lynk. The silky fabric attached around her neck and then hung straight down to the floor, flowing loosely around her. Claire came over and attached a braided belt, cinching it around her waist.
“My shoulders and arms feel oddly exposed,” Sabine said. “Should I wear a bracelet?”
“No,” Claire said. “I like the coloring of your skin against the dress. The contrast is beautiful. Jewelry will only take away from the elegance of it.”
“Very well. And my hair?”
“Let’s leave it down,” Claire said as she took a step back, examining Sabine. “It’s hot enough that it’ll dry quickly.”
Someone knocked on the door.
“The delegation must have arrived,” Claire said. “Your guards will escort you to the room you’ll receive them in. Good luck.”
“Thank you.” Sabine kissed the top of Harta’s head before leaving the room. Since no one was supposed to know she’d married the king, she wondered if she’d have to share his bed tonight. Their marriage wouldn’t be official until they consummated it, so Rainer would probably want to do so. Other than the guard at the door leading to the royal suite, the only other person she’d ever seen in there was Gunther—and even he had to sleep at night. If they dismissed Gunther and the guard, then no one would know. However, that could be a problem in and of itself as someone needed to verify the deed was done. Sabine decided she’d worry about it later. Right now, she needed to focus on the delegation and ensuring she and Rainer received approval to marry.
After her guards formed a tight circle around her, they led the way to a small room downstairs that she’d never been in before. Rainer and his three siblings stood inside, waiting for her.
Rainer instructed her guards to wait outside.
The second the door clicked shut, Lottie said, “My brother told us something extraordinary.” She came and stood before Sabine, folding her arms across her chest. “He said he went and married you in a private ceremony.” She lifted her eyebrows, awaiting confirmation.
Sabine didn’t respond since she didn’t know what Rainer had told them.
Lottie reached forward and took hold of Sabine’s hands, examining them until she spotted the queen’s ring. “It’s true.” Her voice held a hint of shock to it. She released Sabine and turned toward her brother. “How dare you get married and not have me there to see it.” She whacked Rainer’s shoulder.
“Anton was there,” he said, as if that explained everything.
Lottie rolled her eyes. “And Anton won’t tell me a single thing about it. At least Axel would give me details if you’d allowed him to be present.”
Rainer, wearing the same shade of blue as Sabine, moved to stand beside her. He wore the traditional loose fitted pants and long-sleeved jacket unbuttoned up the front, leaving his toned chest on full display. Tonight, she’d probably be running her hands over that bare chest. Her face warmed just thinking about it.
Axel chuckled, shaking his head, but he didn’t say anything as he slid his hands in his pockets and turned away from them just as the door swung open.
“It’s time,” Rainer mumbled.
Sabine heard the royal family being announced.
Lottie went first, followed by the twins.
“We’ll go together,” Rainer said as he placed his hand on the small of her back, ushering her toward the door.
It would have been nice if he’d told her what to expect and if there were any Lynk customs she should be aware of. However, she’d been to a hundred of these in Bakley, so she held her head high as she glided into a large wall-less room unlike anything Sabine had ever seen before. A dozen or so pillars supported the domed-shaped ceiling. The only wall was a small section around the door that they’d just walked through. The sun began to set, lighting the space in a soft orange, making the mountains in the distance appear as if they were glowing. On each pillar in the room, an oil lamp burned. Hanging from the ceiling, hundreds of candles twinkled like stars.
“Are you okay?” Rainer whispered in her ear.
“This is beautiful,” she replied. Like something out of a fairytale.
“There’s so much of Lynk you haven’t seen,” he said, smiling down at her. “I hope to take you on a tour once things have settled down.”
“I’d like that.” Then she could meet the commoners and understand their needs better, see the land, and gain a new perspective of Lynk.
They joined the three siblings, Anton and Axel on one side, Lottie on the other. The five of them stood on a low platform, facing the crowd that had gathered.
Rainer welcomed the Avoni delegation before thanking his subjects for coming to greet their esteemed guests.
Sabine tuned him out and began surveying those before her. Hundreds of people were in attendance—probably every single person staying at the palace had shown up. A group of about two dozen stood at the front of the crowd, directly in her line of sight, wearing dark clothing covering every part of their bodies except for their faces. They even wore gloves. They must be the Avoni delegation. Given the warm air and the fact that this room was open, these people had to be hot. Granted, what they wore would keep them warm in a boat out on the open ocean.
Most of the people in the delegation were men; she only spotted two women. Like the men, the women wore pants. The Avoni people all had paler skin. Several had lighter hair as well. One even had dark red hair with freckles on his skin.
“Again, the kingdom of Lynk welcomes you,” Rainer’s voice boomed.
One of the Avoni men stepped forward. “Thank you, King Rainer.” He bowed. “I would like to request a meeting tomorrow with you and your intended to discuss some pertinent matters.”
“My steward will arrange everything,” Rainer responded. And with that, he headed back to the door through which he’d entered the room.
Sabine took off after him while the princes and princess followed her. She thought there would have been more to the welcoming than that.
Alone in the antechamber with the door closed, Rainer said, “Was the League member with them?”
“Yes,” Anton replied. “And he didn’t look happy. He kept glaring at Sabine.”
Rainer rubbed his face. “That’s to be expected.”
“They’re not going to allow you and Sabine to marry.”
“Which is why we already have,” Rainer snapped.
Sabine thought they’d married to keep her alive since the assassin was in Rainer’s inner circle.
“Is it worth going to war over?” Anton asked. “Because that’s the direction this is headed with you not heeding their concerns.”
Axel chuckled. “We all told you this was a bad idea.”
Rainer stormed from the room.
“I don’t understand,” Sabine said.
“Of course you don’t,” Axel responded. “You’re not supposed to.” With that, he winked and left the room.
Sabine huffed before turning to face Anton, hoping he’d explain the situation to her.
“My first loyalty is to the League,” he muttered before leaving the room as well.
“That was entertaining,” Lottie said, crossing her arms. “My brothers can be a bit dramatic if you ask me. Want to go to the tavern for a drink?”
Sabine blinked. “No.” She did not care for a drink. She needed to figure out how to ensure her marriage didn’t fall apart so she could secure troops to send to Bakley.
She left the room and her guards immediately surrounded her, escorting her back to her bedchamber. When she arrived, she found a letter from her mother sitting on her desk. She immediately broke the seal, reading its contents. Her mother had written using an old code she’d learned as a child, so it took her a few moments to decipher the message.
When she finished, she set the letter aside, an uneasy feeling taking hold. Her mother urged her to use caution saying Rolf had discovered conflicting evidence and he believed games were afoot. Her mother also said she feared for Sabine’s life and questioned if they’d agreed to her marrying too hastily.
Sabine rubbed her temple. It was a little late to second-guess the marriage now that the contract had already been signed and the ceremony had taken place. If Rolf had discovered something important, her mother should have told her what it was. Since Sabine was alone in a foreign kingdom, keeping information from her could be detrimental. Making decisions not knowing everything could mean the difference between saving her kingdom or dooming it.
It felt as if the walls of her room began closing in on her, suffocating her. Rushing out onto the balcony, she sucked in the fresh air, trying to calm down. Standing at the railing, she reveled in the feel of the wind against her skin as it tossed her hair about. The wind felt uncontrolled—like her life. She’d mistakenly believed she could come here, find her sister’s murderer, and save her kingdom. What a naive fool she’d been.
“What are you doing out there?” Claire asked.
Sabine jumped. She hadn’t heard anyone enter her room. “I’m just getting some fresh air.”
“I feel a storm coming. You should come inside so you don’t catch a cold.”
Sabine headed back into her bedchamber. “I can get myself ready for bed.” She felt like being alone.
“The king asked me to remain with you this evening.” Claire went into the dressing closet to get Sabine’s nightdress.
Sabine pursed her lips. “Very well.” She quickly removed her clothing. If Claire was with her this evening, then that meant the king wouldn’t be visiting her bed to consummate the marriage—which was just fine by her.
After dressing, she climbed into bed. Harta jumped up, curling into a ball next to Sabine.
Claire snuffed out the candles, then sat in a chair near the door.
“Tell me,” Sabine whispered, “why are you really here?”
“The king wants someone inside your bedchamber to ensure your safety,” Claire revealed.
“Are you trained to handle an intruder?”
“In a way.” Claire sighed.
“I don’t understand.”
“I’m here to get in his way so you can escape.”
“Even if it means your death?” Sabine asked.
“Yes.”
Silence hung in the air. Sabine didn’t know what to say to that.
A thought occurred to her. Maybe it was because of her mother’s letter, but it was there, nonetheless. “Claire, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Why is Lynk in need of food?”
“Everyone needs food,” she said as if talking to a child.
“No. Why do you need Bakley’s grain? Do you not have farmers?” On her way here, she hadn’t seen any large fields for planting and the land seemed mostly inhospitable. Regardless, they’d been managing to provide food for their people for centuries so something must have changed.
“I’m not well versed in politics, Your Highness.”
Sabine’s heart pounded at Claire’s use of her title, making her wonder if she was lying or hiding something. She’d have to investigate this issue in more detail when she had the chance.
Claire settled on the chair a few feet away.
Sabine wished Markis could be in the room instead of Claire. His strong presence would make her feel safer. Besides, Markis could fight and protect Sabine without having to sacrifice himself to do so. However, Rainer would never concede to a male guard being in her room.
At least she had Harta with her. Rolling onto her side, she wrapped her arm around the dog, thankful for its warmth and protection.
The wind blew into her room, sending a chill over it. She could feel the storm coming, too.
Sabine entered the royal dining hall for breakfast and found not only the entire royal family in attendance but the Avoni delegation as well. Like last night, the Avoni people wore clothing covering almost every inch of skin except for their faces. It appeared the material was mostly leather and consisted of entirely dark colors. Dressed like that, they had to be hot in this humid climate.
Once Sabine took her seat, the food was brought in, and people began eating. Conversations picked up between various individuals. Since no one seemed to pay her any heed, she relaxed, thankful she could just sit there and eat, not having to worry about paying attention since everyone seemed to be doing their own thing.
Last night, she hadn’t slept well. The wind had been howling and every little noise made her jump. She kept imagining her door opening and the assassin creeping into her room to hold her mouth open and pour poison into her body, killing her. All the while Harta and Claire slept peacefully, with no idea of what was really happening.
“It looks like rain, does it not, Princess Sabine?” the Avoni man sitting to her left said.
Dark clouds filled the sky, concealing the sun. “It does.” She took a bite of her toast, hoping he wouldn’t ask her anything else. It was too early, and she didn’t feel fully awake. She rubbed her temples, wishing Harta was by her side instead of being forced to wait out in the hallway for her.
“We arrived just in time,” the man said. “Sailing over rough waters isn’t fun.”
“No, I imagine it wouldn’t be. However, I’ve never been on a ship before.” She’d been on small boats, but never a large one like the one they must have sailed on.
“Do you find Lynk vastly different from Bakley?” he asked, not formally introducing himself or offering his name.
“I do.” This was why she usually had breakfast in her bedchamber—it was more peaceful and quieter there. She wasn’t much of a morning person, and she hated making meaningless chit chat.
“Why did you decide to take your sister’s place?” the Avoni man asked. He took a bite of food, waiting for her answer.
He was testing her. Perhaps this man was part of the League and would decide her fate. If she wanted to save her kingdom, she had to convince him her marriage was vital to the success of Bakley. “I did it to help my people. Isn’t that what a dedicated princess does?” She twisted to face him.
“How is marrying the king of Lynk helping your kingdom?” He also turned to face her.
“Lynk needs food. Bakley can provide that to them, so people don’t starve. In Bakley’s border towns, children are being stolen. Since we have no army, we can’t save our people. King Rainer will send some soldiers to assist our kingdom.”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what you’ve been told?”