Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
The following morning, Sabine awoke and found several crates had been placed in her room next to her closet.
She climbed out of bed and went over, peering inside them.
Each one was filled to the brim with clothing.
The seamstress in town must have worked all night to create these outfits for her.
She’d have to make sure the woman was heavily compensated.
After bathing, Sabine put on one of the outfits made from pale yellow silk.
The top portion covered each breast and the bottom covered the front and back of her buttocks.
Then a sheer material hung from tiny straps on her shoulders.
A jeweled belt latched around her waist, holding the delicate fabric to her body.
While it made her uncomfortable showing so much skin, this was exactly what she’d hoped for—it was Lynk through and through.
The outfit would garner her the attention she desired.
When she exited her suite, she took in her guards’ expressions.
No one blushed and no one’s eyes widened in shock which meant she wasn’t dressed too provocatively.
However, if her mother saw her like this, she’d receive a stern scolding.
If her brothers saw her, they would take off their tunics to cover her. It was best Otto had left.
“Queen Sabine,” Drew said with a kind smile. “You look exceptionally lovely today. I see you found your special deliveries.”
“Yes, thank you for taking care of that.”
Her guards led her to the royal dining room. When she entered, she found Anton and Axel both already eating breakfast.
Anton went still, his eyes bulging in shock.
A smile slid across Axel’s face and he set his spoon down, admiring her. “I see you came to play.”
Anton glanced at him, his brows pulling together in question.
“Our dear, sweet queen must know that our beloved brother returned with his mistress,” Axel said as he leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.
With a sigh, Anton resumed eating, focusing on his plate as he spoke. “He’s a fool. You’d think he’d be more worried about the state of the kingdom than who’s in his bed.”
It was embarrassing how everyone knew Rainer was sleeping with another woman.
She took a seat at the head of the table, thinking about her own parents.
Her father would never have treated her mother this way.
Even her two brothers who were married loved their wives and wouldn’t consider taking a mistress.
A servant entered, setting a plate before her.
“Perhaps the state of the kingdom wouldn’t be so dire if the king weren’t so eager to go to war and destroy the League.” She plopped a blueberry in her mouth, her irritation growing. “Perhaps his own brothers could offer him counsel and encourage him to do the right thing.”
“Maybe,” Anton said. “If Rainer would listen to us, we could do that. But Rainer does what he wants with no regard to our feelings. We’re only half-brothers after all.”
“He put you in charge of the League and his spies,” she replied. “That has to mean he trusts you.”
Anton rubbed his face. “The League position goes to a prince of the kingdom, so he didn’t have many options. And as for the spies…” He chuckled.
Sabine so rarely saw Anton laugh that the sight made her pause. “Are you all right?”
Axel picked up his fork and resumed eating. “The late king caught Anton spying,” he explained. “That’s why he put him in charge of all that. Rainer has just kept the status quo since being crowned.”
She took a sip of her tea. “How old were you when that happened?”
Anton shrugged but didn’t answer as he took a bite of his toast.
“My dear Sabine,” Axel said, his words taking on a sing-song quality “I’m glad you’re here. You definitely keep things interesting.” He took a bite of his eggs, winking at her.
She plucked a blueberry from her plate and chucked it at him, hitting him in the head.
Startled, his eyes widened. “See, I didn’t expect you to do that.” He picked up the blueberry, tossing it in his mouth.
Shaking her head, Sabine took another sip of her tea.
She heard movement at the entrance to the room and suspected Rainer had finally arrived.
He’d always gotten upset with her for dressing too demurely.
Hopefully this outfit would please him and show him how hard she was trying to be the queen he wanted and needed.
Although, that wasn’t the real reason she’d chosen this dress.
The real reason was needing the people here in the palace to see and believe she was one of them.
In order to stop the war, she needed them on her side.
Nonchalantly, she peeked at Rainer to see his reaction and almost dropped her fork when she spotted Heather walking in behind him. He sat in the chair opposite Sabine, not even bothering to look her way.
Swallowing her fury, Sabine set her cup on the saucer and decided to play dumb. “I need some fresh hot water for my tea,” she said to Heather.
Heather sat in the chair to Rainer’s left, not realizing Sabine had even been addressing her.
Axel chuckled, shaking his head, enjoying this far more than he should.
“The hot water isn’t going to magically appear on the table, Heather,” she said, using the woman’s name to make it clear she was speaking to her.
“Excuse me?” Heather said, confusion showing on her face.
Sabine snapped her fingers and pointed at her tea cup.
“I need hot water. And pregnant or not, sitting at the royal family’s table is inappropriate.
Servants have their own quarters. If you need to work less, take that up with your husband.
Don’t embarrass yourself in front of your king and queen by sitting down on the job. ”
Rainer’s cheeks reddened. “Heather is not a servant,” he said, his voice low, finally looking at Sabine. When he saw her outfit, he blinked several times, then looked away.
“Isn’t Heather’s sister, Claire, my lady’s maid?”
“Yes, she is,” Rainer ground out, the words sounding forced and strained.
“Claire told me her parents and sisters work in the palace. Is Claire mistaken?” She dared Rainer to say Heather was his lover.
It was one thing for him to take Heather to his bed discretely, it was another matter entirely to parade her in front of the family and the court.
She refused to be embarrassed like that.
“Heather is here as my guest,” he replied, his knuckles turning white as he clutched his fork in his hand.
“Oh, I didn’t realize we had guests. Please forgive me.
” Sabine turned her attention to Heather.
“I assume your husband is here as well?” She smiled at the woman, wanting to put her on the spot and either embarrass her or make her leave.
It was petty, but she didn’t care. Her pride had been injured, and she wanted to make Heather hurt the way she hurt.
“He is, but he’s working,” Heather said, an eyebrow raised as she glared at Sabine.
“He’s working,” Sabine said, “but you’re not?” She placed a single finger on her lips as if contemplating this.
Heather rolled her eyes. “Yes,” she said, a bit too forcefully.
Sabine had to bite back her smile. She was finally getting under Heather’s skin. “Is your husband working here in the palace?”
Heather set her fork down and turned to face Sabine. “He’s at the military compound,” she said, the words edged with anger. “Do you have any other questions? Or can I finally eat my breakfast in peace?”
Sabine opened her mouth to respond when Rainer said, “Enough with the questions.”
Shock rolled through her that Rainer was defending Heather so openly. It made her want to chuck a blueberry at him, but she refrained from doing so. Now that she knew where Cutler was, she had more pressing matters to attend to. “If you’ll excuse me,” she said, standing slowly.
Rainer’s eyes scanned her body, taking in every inch of her.
Sabine walked over to him and leaned down, placing a kiss on his cheek as her fingers trailed along the back of his neck.
“Welcome home,” she purred in his ear. As she stood, her breast brushed his arm.
He stiffened. She smiled and strutted from the room knowing every single set of eyes watched her retreating form.
“She’s quite stunning, isn’t she brother?” Axel said. “Every man at court is jealous of you, including me. Anyone would be lucky to have someone so beautiful. You truly are a lucky king.”
Sabine had moved too far down the hallway to hear Rainer’s response—if he even had one.
Her hands shook, so she curled her fingers into two fists, refusing to let anyone see how much this incident had upset her.
“Where to, Your Majesty?” Drew asked, coming to her side as they headed along the corridor.
Unable to look at him for fear she’d see pity in his eyes, she simply replied, “The military training center.” She headed toward the palace’s main entrance.
“There’s another, much easier way,” Drew said. “It’s the path the royal family uses.”
She recalled hearing there was another way. “By all means.” She gestured for him to show her.
He led her back the way they’d come from and to a corridor she’d never ventured in before. At a nondescript door, Drew unlocked it, pulling it open for her.
Sabine stepped onto a platform about ten feet by ten feet.
To the right, a wooden staircase spiraled downward so far she couldn’t see where it ended.
Clutching the railing, she descended until she reached the bottom, where a long, tube-shaped tunnel stretched straight ahead, lit by torches.
The air had turned cold. This underground tunnel must lead to the cavern used by the army for training.
Drew joined her, leading the way, until they reached a locked door. He pulled out a key.
“Why don’t I have a key?” she asked. If this way was used by the royal family, she should have access to it.
He pursed his lips. “I don’t know. You’ll have to speak to the king regarding that matter.”
“Do all the guards have one?”