Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Kole was standing in the hallway when I emerged from my chambers. His stance was rigid, his jaw set.
I twisted my hands together, and guilt fired through me. “Good morning,” I offered.
He dipped his head. “Morning, Prim.”
I was relieved to hear that his tone didn’t hold any reproach. “I, um, I’m sorry about yesterday. I was a bit out of sorts.”
Something flashed in his eyes, and he glanced over his shoulder and down my wing, but we were alone. He faced me, his eyebrows drawing together, and his aura brushed over me. It was soft, warm, and inviting. “No apology is necessary,” he said quietly.
For a moment, I allowed myself to revel in the feel of him. Kole beckoned safety and love, but then his strong heartbeat began to command my attention. And his alluring scent followed.
Stirrings began in my core. Vampiric responses. Not mine.
I clenched my hands into fists and took a step away from him. Stiffly, I nodded down the hall. “I’ve been told my parents want me to join them for lunch, so it’s unlikely I’ll be able to venture to the libraries this morning.”
He watched me, unmoving, and his expression was entirely veiled. “I’ve been told the same,” he finally replied.
I took off at a brisk walk, and he trailed closely behind me.
Thankfully, I’d had enough wherewithal to strengthen my glamour and take another one of Arnel’s potions to mask my vampiric stench.
To the outward realm, I was Primelle Manafold, third daughter of the royal line, versus what I truly was—a deceased nightmare.
“Prim?” Kole’s quiet question cut through the air just as we neared the end of my wing. “Can you stop for a second?”
My shoulders stiffened, and warily, I faced him.
Light pulsed in the warrior’s eyes as he assessed me. The same light that had alerted me to the fact that he was my mate. Was that truly only days ago? It felt like a lifetime.
Kole took a step closer to me, his nostrils flaring in an inhale. A flicker came from his aura, and his eyebrows drew together. “Prim, if something’s happened, something you want to talk about—”
“Not this again.” Panic fired through me, but I laughed lightly and took a huge step away from him, then called upon my old self to respond.
“You’re starting to sound like a fretting hen,” I added in a teasing tone.
I poked him, just because it was something I would have done before, then batted my eyelashes.
“Don’t worry. Everything’s fine. I just had a bad day yesterday. ”
I whirled away before he could see the terror that was slicing through me, and I tried to keep my steps heavy.
Tried not to glide along the carpet as though I were floating.
But my joints were so smooth now, my speed hard to control.
It took everything in me to act normal and fae as we traveled through the palace.
But when we reached the private dining chambers that my parents reserved for family, I couldn’t help my nerves from coiling my stomach or the way my senses instantly detected Arnel’s scent inside.
The need to stand to attention for him and do whatever he wanted had me gliding forward as though pulled by an invisible string.
The guards at the door bowed, but I breezed past them, my focus on pleasing the fairy inside even though I loathed him with every fiber of my being.
Kole followed me into the room, and I could have sworn that his aura was rising again, but the second I saw Arnel, all thoughts of Kole, my parents, and my sisters disappeared.
My uncle turned to face me, a cup of tea in one hand, and he grinned brightly. “Ah, there’s my darling niece. How are you, Primelle?” His mustache, recently trimmed, gleamed golden in the fairy lights.
Koraline and Lillith were also there. Amazingly, Koraline dipped her head slightly in my direction, the very first time she’d ever acknowledged me first, and Lillith called out a greeting.
Their budding acceptance of me would have meant the realm to me if my uncle wasn’t there.
But as it was, my entire being focused on him.
“Come join us, Prim,” my mother called sweetly and beckoned me forward.
“Hello, Uncle.” I then murmured greetings to everyone else.
“Did you sleep well?” my father asked. He gestured for everyone to take their seats around the table. “Your servant reported that you were still sleeping at ten when she opened your door to check on you.”
“You’re not coming down with something, are you?” Lillith’s mouth pinched together, and my mother frowned.
The queen inclined her head. “Perhaps we should have Surrep stop by to see you after—”
“No, that’s all right.” I plastered a smile on my face and pulled out my chair. The last thing I wanted was a visit from the palace’s elderly lead healer. “I was just tired. The days have been long lately.”
Arnel laughed. “I daresay when Primelle was visiting me, we barely slept. The library held so many exciting things for us to discuss. It was a most rewarding visit with her.”
I stiffened at his easy tone but made sure to keep my smile locked into place.
At the wall, Kole stood entirely still, but I could feel his attention burning through me.
As though realizing the same, my father nodded toward the door. “No need to stay, Kole. Grab some lunch for yourself in the kitchens. Prim’s safe in here for the time being.”
The king flashed him a stiff smile, and I could only imagine how awkward he felt knowing that Kole was my mate. But he shouldn’t have been looking at the warrior as though he were the threat.
Because the true monster was seated at the table beside him. But as much as I wanted to voice that, scream that, my lips had frozen, and my mind had stilled.
Kole bowed stiffly. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
Even though I wasn’t looking at the door, I could have sworn that Kole turned back to glance at me, but I kept my attention forward, lest he read something in my body language that gave away the terror cascading through me.
Because I knew that if my uncle had unexpectedly taken a trip to the palace, it wasn’t to spend time with his dear twin brother and family.
Arnel had new orders for me.
And I was dreading to learn what they would be.
The meal passed as most did. Plenty of food, drinks, and laughs. Koraline thawed a bit more. She even asked me a question. Perhaps the testimonials at the king’s council meeting had made an impression on her after all.
But my attention kept shifting to my charismatic uncle. Arnel was being particularly charming and kept singing my praises, but when the meal came to a close, and I rose from my chair in hopes of escaping, Arnel moved easily around the table to reach my side.
“Primelle, might I have a word?” he asked with a wide smile and innocent expression. “I wanted to share a book with you that I discovered the other day. It’s about plants, particularly unusual ones found near the Infinite Falls in Ironcrest Kingdom.”
My mother’s eyes lit up. “I’m sure Primelle would be delighted to see it. Plants are her main area of interest and study. Isn’t that right, Primelle?”
I dipped my head, my smile stiff.
“Wonderful, in that case, why don’t you join me?” Arnel laughed lightly. “Silly me. I left it in my carriage. Would you like to walk with me on my way out?”
“Of course,” I replied automatically.
My father clapped Arnel on the back. “How thoughtful of you, brother, and best of luck procuring those tiles you’re looking for.”
Arnel laughed too. “Thank you. I shall need it.”
During the luncheon, I’d come to learn that my uncle had traveled to the capital in search of new tiles for his outdoor fountain.
A very talented and coveted mosaic designer was said to be traveling through Whiteolf at this time, and he was scheduled to meet with my uncle.
Apparently, he was renowned throughout the continent for his artistic creations, and my uncle had been trying to set up a meeting with him for months.
I had no idea if a meeting truly was occurring today or not, or if the designer was truly in Whiteolf, but my parents obviously believed it to be true. Not once had anyone looked twice at my uncle or questioned his motives. Nobody suspected a thing.
And I would know. I could hear everyone’s heartbeats like drums steadily thudding throughout the room. But nobody’s pulse ever began to race, and nobody’s scent changed either.
They were all completely fooled by our insidious relation.
Arnel strode toward the door, and I obediently followed. Everyone else left the dining chambers too, the others going through the corner door that would lead to the central area of the palace. Only Arnel and I exited our door, but in the hall, Kole waited.
My gaze immediately shot to his.
He stood tall, his expression giving away nothing, and he dutifully fell into step behind us.
My uncle began to chat about the weather, commenting on the cooler temperatures making for nice days reading by the fire.
I nodded when expected to and kept pace beside him.
When we reached a converging area between wings, my uncle snapped his fingers. “Ah, I just remembered something. There’s a book in the library that I wanted to borrow from Russem. He’d mentioned it last time I was here.” He turned his attention on Kole. “Would you mind collecting it for me?”
Kole’s face stayed entirely impassive. “I’m afraid I don’t leave the princess, but I’m sure a servant would be more than happy to retrieve it.”
“Oh, of course.” My uncle feigned a frown. “Have there been any recent attacks lately on the palace by those horrid creatures?”
I stiffened. My uncle knew there hadn’t been. He was the vamfeers’ creator and commander after all.
Kole’s expression didn’t falter. “No, nothing new. In fact, there have been no sign of any creatures for several days now.”
“How wonderful!” My uncle clapped his hands. “I suppose that means you won’t be needed much longer if the threat is over?”
For a moment, Kole didn’t respond, but his gaze didn’t waver from Arnel’s. Not once. Finally, he said, “I’ll be staying until the crown says otherwise.”
“Of course, of course.” Arnel rocked back on his heels. “Well, no matter. I shall return to the palace and fetch that book from Russem once I finish my meeting with the tile maker.”
“You’re coming back?” I tried to keep my question light, but a tremor shot into it.
My uncle’s eyes narrowed, just slightly, but then he laughed. “Oh, I don’t mind. I’m in no hurry today. Now, as for that book I have for you . . .”
I followed along at my uncle’s side until we reached the cobblestoned courtyard at the front of the palace, and when his carriage came around, he gestured for me to get into it. “I know you’ve been wanting to see my carriage, Prim, and the book’s just inside. You can kill two birds with one stone.”
He opened the door for me.
I swallowed, my body moving of its own accord, and the next thing I knew, I was inside my uncle’s carriage, the door closed, as Kole stood watch outside.
“Did you visit Lordling Torleaf?” Arnel asked so quietly that I knew Kole couldn’t hear him through the carriage’s walls.
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Good, and how did it go?”
“He was resistant, but my magic persuaded him to believe the idea was his own. He’ll bring it up at the next council meeting.”
“Excellent.” A dark light entered my uncle’s eyes. “In that case, I want you to speak with your father tonight before he goes to bed, Prim. And I want you to make him think the new mining tunnels are also an excellent idea.”
“You want me to use my magic on your brother?” Tears threatened to fill my eyes. “My father?”
“No crying,” he said in a low, harsh tone.
I instantly blinked my tears away. “I’m sorry.”
“And yes, you’re to use your magic on the king. Do you understand what I’m telling you to do, Prim?”
I dipped my head, and even though I wanted to sob, I didn’t allow the tears to come. “Yes, Uncle.”
He grinned. “Very good. Now, as for that book . . .” He began to rummage around in his compartments until he found it.
Book in hand, I exited his carriage and waved a farewell. To the outside realm, I was sure my smile looked wide and my eyes bright, but inside I was dying.
My uncle had just commanded me to use my deadly magic on my father, and I had to obey.