Chapter 5 #2
“The girl we met in the dressmaker’s shop,” Xavier said promptly. “Not the one who works there, the dark-haired one. Her name is Alina.”
He picked up the ledger sitting on the table, where one of the aides had jotted down the names of each person they’d spoken to. The man had spelled Alina’s name with two Ls, and Xavier absently corrected it with the lead stump sitting nearby.
For a moment he was distracted by the sight of her name, so unemotionally scrawled amongst all the others.
It was official—she was back in his life.
He could hardly believe he’d found her. Not that he’d come on this investigation to search for her.
A boring, unrefined town on the edge of the desert was the last place he would have expected to find Alina.
“There,” he said, coming back to himself as he jabbed a finger at her name. “This one.”
“Yes, I remember her.”
The captain’s muted tone told Xavier he remembered all of it, including the fact that Xavier had followed her unceremoniously onto the street and interrogated her alone for several minutes, and that none of the contents of that conversation had been reported back to the captain or anyone else.
“Why her, Your Highness?” Captain Mitchell said at last. “I was going to suggest the tavern owner. He seems intelligent and disposed to be helpful to us. And he would surely have access to the goings on of the town, given his place of business.”
“But that’s just it,” Xavier said. “He has a business to run. He won’t be able to give us his full focus. Besides which, it’s not in his interests to help us progress our investigation quickly, since the longer we stay here, the more custom we’ll bring his tavern.”
“True,” Mitchell admitted. “But no one is a perfect choice.”
“Alina is a better one,” Xavier said firmly.
“You could tell from the behavior of the dressmaker that she’s well liked.
She was working at the tavern last night, as well, so she has as much chance as the owner of knowing what goes on.
And she told me today that she used to live in the forest, so she has connections beyond just this town, which could be useful to us as we expand our search.
On top of all of that, a young woman without position is unassuming in a way an older man who’s a well-known business owner never could be.
People will be more likely to talk freely to her. ”
Captain Mitchell looked struck by these arguments, the hint of surprise again exasperating Xavier.
He shouldn’t be troubled. He knew that most people assumed his head was empty of serious matters given he chose not to engage with them.
But his thoughts were as sharp as Theo’s, and he was as capable of being strategic in getting what he wanted as his father was.
True, what he wanted had less to do with the investigation than he’d made it sound. But he fully intended to succeed in that goal as well, and what he’d observed of Alina’s interactions was enough to convince him she really could be an asset if she was inclined to help them.
That was a fairly significant if, of course.
“Well, it’s your decision,” Captain Mitchell said. “If that’s what you wish, I can make contact with this young woman and learn if she’s willing to assist us.”
“No need,” Xavier said, with a flash of triumph. He’d almost forgotten that his father wasn’t present, and he could just make the call he wanted without having to convince anyone. “I’ll take care of that.”
There was a moment of silence as Mitchell considered him, then the captain spoke again.
“Your Highness, may I speak freely?”
“Of course, Captain, at any time.”
In spite of the permission, it was another pregnant moment before the captain spoke.
“Is this young woman perhaps the reason for our change in plans as to where the team is to be based?”
Xavier raised an eyebrow, and to his credit, Captain Mitchell didn’t blink.
“I noticed that you were quite struck when we met her in the dressmaker’s shop.”
“Well, she’s very pretty, don’t you think?” Xavier said flippantly, not pleased with the captain’s shrewdness. He regretted having let his guard down, but for those first few moments, the strength of his shock had been too much for him to hide.
“I can’t say I noticed one way or the other, Your Highness,” Captain Mitchell said. “But she seems…different from the women who usually catch your attention.”
“You’re certainly speaking freely, Mitchell,” Xavier said ruefully.
The captain’s voice was somber, but there was the hint of a smile in the lines of his face. “As you gave me leave to do, Your Highness.”
“I take it you’re concerned about distraction,” Xavier said. “But I’m committed to the investigation. The fact that Miss Alina has skill with magic is surely to our benefit.”
“It may prove to be useful,” Mitchell acknowledged.
His tone was unconvinced, however, and Xavier suspected he still thought Alina more likely to be a distraction than a help. He was probably right, but Xavier wasn’t going to admit as much. Not given the stakes.
“I’ll make contact with her first thing,” Xavier said. “In the meantime, I think I will help select the man for the Alton mission after all.”
“Very good, Your Highness.”
Bless his long-suffering heart, Captain Mitchell seemed pleased, in spite of the fact that Xavier’s involvement was surely more hindrance than help at this stage.
Not for too much longer, Xavier was determined.
He’d come on this trip mainly to get away from Theo’s plans for him, but somehow he seemed to find himself with a great deal to prove.
Including his capacity to be more than a flighty burden to the investigation.
Xavier rose with the sun the next morning, a turn of events so startling that Charles actually gasped when he emerged into the private parlor for breakfast.
“Good morning, Charles,” Xavier told the servant pleasantly. “From your face, I gather that I surprised you in the act of something illegal.”
“Of course not, Your Highness!” Charles spluttered. “I was merely—”
“It’s all right, Charles,” Xavier cut him off, removing Zuzu from his shoulder as he lowered himself onto a chair. “I won’t attempt to uncover your crimes. Your secrets are safe with me.”
He placed the anzu on the table next to his plate, offering her a small piece of ham with a hopeful gesture. She sniffed it experimentally but didn’t take it.
“Disappointing,” Xavier sighed. “I’m very ready for you to acquire the ability to eat real food. Feeding you milk several times a day is losing its charm.”
“Is the investigation team starting further questioning early this morning, Your Highness?” Charles asked.
Xavier shook his head. “No, I’ll be carrying out another task which doesn’t require the rest of the team.”
“Surely you’re not going to wander through town alone,” Charles said.
“Sadly not this time, Charles. You forget that I’ve made the critical error of embarking on this adventure as part of an official investigation.”
Xavier saw that Charles looked blank, and he smiled in a friendly way at the young servant.
“Ah, of course, I’m the one forgetting that you’re still new in my employ. I hate to shock you, but I have been known to take off from the capital on unsanctioned trips without a proper escort from time to time.”
“I’m not so new as to be shocked by that, Your Highness,” Charles told him.
Xavier chuckled. “Good lad, you’ve got some spirit in you, don’t let yourself forget it.
At any rate, I’m sure I’ll have at least two guards trotting along in my shadow wherever I go today, so you don’t need to be concerned about my safety.
” He paused as he bit into a still-steaming bread roll before polishing off the ham Zuzu had rejected.
“You don’t need to pity me too much, either.
My personal guards have honed their skills to perfection.
They’re experts at keeping close enough to ensure my physical safety but not so close as to blush at my conversation. ”
“Is that a skill commonly required by personal guards to royalty?” Charles asked, a little too innocently.
“You, like my guards, need to learn the art of the fine balance, Charles,” Xavier complained. “Not too much spirit, thank you, especially not before I’ve finished my breakfast.”