Chapter 45
Forty-Five
CHERYL
ELLNESARI, PRESENT DAY
R onan and I stayed with the children for as long as we could, but eventually, the ladies-in-waiting showed up and ushered us out of their room.
It was time to get ready for the royal luncheon.
No word yet about King Ruel and whether he would arrive today, which was worrying. What could be delaying him?
I allowed myself to be distracted by pretty gowns and pampering, but now that I’m all buffered, the uneasiness has returned to gnaw at my insides.
We shouldn’t be attending fancy royal events when we don’t know the fate of Karl and Manu.
I’m not one to stick my head in the sand and pretend everything is fine—or worse, let others take care of things while I wait on the sidelines.
I get ready in a different room, and when I return to the bedroom, Ronan is waiting for me wearing a dashing suit that makes him look like a fairy-tale prince.
The butterflies awaken in my stomach even though my heart is heavy.
He scans me from the tips of my toes, traveling up the length of my body slowly.
When our gazes connect again, it feels like all the air has gone out of the room.
My breathing is erratic as he stands up from the couch and walks over. I take that opportunity to appreciate the view of his wide shoulders, which fill his tailored jacket as if it was made for him.
“You look stunning, Cher.” He stops in front of me and runs his fingers over my collarbone, giving me goose bumps.
My dress is a strapless dream made of tulle and embroidered flowers in a soft blue.
The lady-in-waiting who helped me dress also braided my hair on top and left the rest loose in soft curls.
I know I look pretty, but it’s the appreciation I read in Ronan’s eyes that makes me feel like the hottest woman on earth.
“You don’t look bad either.”
His lips turn up right before he kisses me softly, making my toes curl in my sandals. In an instant, he turns me into flames, but sadly, there isn’t time for another round of lovemaking. The king and queen await.
He pulls back too quickly, leaving me wanting more. “We should go,” he says in a thick voice.
“Yeah.” I keep my eyes glued to his lips.
Ronan clears his throat and steps back. “I’m keen to find out the purpose of this luncheon.”
His tone is serious now, and it sobers me too. “Same. But Ronan…” I pause, not wanting to say what’s on my mind out loud for fear of being overheard by the ladies-in-waiting in the children’s room. It’s probably a silly fear, because I can’t hear them.
He seems to understand what I want to say, though. “I know. If nothing changes by tonight, we’ll have to go look for Karl and Manu on our own. We can’t wait.”
I glance at the door connecting our room to the children’s. “I’d have asked to leave already if it weren’t for Ollie and Rio. We can’t take them with us on a rescue mission. It’ll be too dangerous.”
“This is weighing on me as well, my love.” He caresses my cheek. “But let’s not lose hope. Maybe King Ruel will come today.”
I nod, even though being optimistic was never my forte.
T he luncheon is held in a grand ballroom with floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows. Crystal chandeliers hang from the high ceiling, and courtiers wearing their finest mingle about the room, talking animatedly as if they hadn’t witnessed the most awful death last night.
King Koran and Queen Endaya are sitting on their thrones on a dais, receiving the guests who approach them to pay their respects. Ronan and I wait until the herald announces us. After we bow, the queen asks, “How are you settling in?”
Her words sound an alarm in my head. “Settling in” means we aren’t leaving anytime soon.
“We thank you for the hospitality, Your Majesty,” Ronan replies before I can blurt out our plans. Right now, diplomacy is our best course of action.
“Yes, thank you for providing everything we might need,” I add.
Let her believe we aren’t planning on taking off as soon as we can.
“Of course, my dear.” She nods.
From the corner of my eye, I spot Castiel coming our way. He’s wearing a dark purple suit with silver embroidery details and a cape that adds a flare of drama to his ensemble. He also wears the silver crown, as I suppose he does to every official royal event.
“Father. Mother. May I steal Ronan and Cheryl for a moment?”
“Naturally, my son,” the king replies.
Castiel leads us out of the grand ballroom and into a beautiful garden with wisteria-like trees and multicolored flowers similar to the ones we encountered upon our arrival. There are several statues of lynxes spread about.
“I’m sorry to whisk you away from the luncheon, but I just received an urgent message, and I don’t want my parents to know yet.”
His expression indicates that the content of the message is very serious.
“Who sent it?” I ask.
“It was signed by Dukie Mularkey.”
“That’s the little boy who helped us at Featherlight Village. He took us to his mother.”
“That explains the childlike handwriting.” Castiel’s gaze grows even more troubled. “Ronwen and the healer were arrested by Queen Maewe’s soldiers. The kid managed to escape.”
“What does that mean? Do you think she knows about King Ruel’s plans?” I ask.
Castiel rubs his face, looking into the distance. “There’s a high chance.”
Panic rises to my throat. “What about my brother? If she knows, she’ll likely try to stop him.”
He turns to me, and the pitiful glimmer in his eyes makes my stomach bottom out. Karl and Manu are on their own.
Before Castiel can reply, a guard comes running toward us. “Forgive me, Your Highness. You must return to the luncheon with haste.”
“Why?”
“It’s Telar Nyrk.”
Castiel’s face seems to drain of color. Without a word, he runs back into the palace, and naturally, Ronan and I follow him. Telar supposedly returned to Aquila with Ronwen. Did the captain betray us? The letter from Dukie doesn’t mention him, but the kid wouldn’t know anything about Telar.
The courtiers are gathered near the dais, blocking our view of some sort of commotion. But the smell of blood tells me someone is hurt. They part for Castiel, and suddenly, the prince falters. “Telar!”
He sprints toward the Aquila captain, who’s on the floor, kneeling and clutching his middle. Even though his hand is covering his stomach, I see the big bloodstain on his tunic, plus all the bruises and cuts on his face. He was beaten to a pulp.
“What happened?” Castiel asks.
“I’m so sorry,” Telar whimpers, closing his eyes and toppling forward into Castiel’s arms.
“No, Telar! Wake up.” Castiel shakes him.
The captain opens his eyes again, but barely.
“What does Queen Maewe know?” the king asks.
“She knows about the quest in the Valley of Lost Souls,” Telar grits out with difficulty.
I cover my mouth, trying to hide a gasp. She knows about Karl, then. Ronan throws his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to his side.
“Does she know about Lynx’s involvement?” King Koran leans forward, his shrewd gaze more cunning than ever.
Telar closes his eyes again, and Castiel cradles him as if he were a child. No, not a child. His lover. “Now isn’t the time to interrogate him. He needs a healer!”
“He’s compromised, son. We can’t trust him,” the king replies.
Castiel lifts Telar off the floor and glowers at his father. “I don’t care.”
He walks the wind, taking Telar with him. The courtiers all start to speak at once as the king and queen look at each other as if communicating mind to mind.
Ronan and I move away from the center of the party into a deserted corner of the room. “We can’t stay here,” I say.
“I know. But we can’t rush into Aquila without knowing more. It’s possible Karl and Manu are still in the Valley of Lost Souls. Right now, it’s possibly the safest place for them.”
Tears prickle my eyes. “I know. I hope you’re right.”
If he isn’t, then my brother and Manu will most likely die.