CHAPTER 8
The palace grounds looked absolutely spectacular under the relentless heat of the Latesummer sun. I’d never seen so many different types of flowers and blooming shrubs, all neatly trimmed into ornate miniature gardens. Dozens of gardeners bustled about, pruning hedges and picking up after the crowds of nobles who were promenading their latest waistcoats or elaborate gowns in the sunshine. Were it not for the rushing servant at my side, I could’ve spent hours out here, exploring every inch of this vast place.
When we finally reached the prince, it took everything in my power to not storm straight back to the palace and lock myself forever inside my tower bedroom. We’d arrived at a little secluded rose garden, tucked far from the entrance of the palace grounds. Some of the rose shrubs had been shaped into angelic figures, while others formed arches over elegantly crafted iron benches. Near the back of the garden, Prince Lukas lounged on one of those lovely iron benches. And as my gaze caught his, I thought about how this perhaps might’ve been quite a romantic encounter, had it not been for the giggling copper-haired beauty that was perched upon his lap.
I wanted to be sick on the grass.
“Fiancée!” Lukas exclaimed with a grin as Ryan continued ushering me closer to the prince and his ‘companion’. “Please, join us. You must tell me, how are you liking my gardens?”
As the young woman on his lap caught my eye, her pretty face instantly soured. I expected her to say something, perhaps even mutter an apology, but instead, she chose to lean further into Lukas’s chest, nuzzling his white tunic.
“The gardens are indeed beautiful,” I said calmly, after forcing my attention away from the limpet. “But as much as I’d love to stay and chat, I was actually quite busy. So, if you’ll excuse me—”
“Busy?” Lukas cut in. “I didn’t see you at breakfast, or lunch for that matter. What could possibly be so important?”
The copper-haired girl tittered. “Rolling in cobwebs, perhaps?” She shot a sly glance at my skirts and grimaced. Unfortunately, Raena wasn’t exaggerating about the dust problem in the library.
Ignoring her, I answered flatly, “I had breakfast delivered to my room. And as for lunch, I was with Lady Raena. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Wait.” Lukas leaned forward, causing the copper-haired girl to shriek as she nearly fell from his lap. He scowled at her, then gestured dismissively for her to stand. “Leave us, Giselle.”
The young woman hurried to her feet and gave Lukas a curt nod. There was no denying the fury that burned across her face as she stalked away. I’d have to ask Raena about her later.
“You know, if you are to be Queen, you’ll need to leave your room and engage with the court.” Lukas rose from the ornate bench. He was so tall as he stared down at me, his dark brown hair glinting in the sunlight. “I know my mother is not the best example, but I refuse to let you follow her behaviour.”
“Well, fortunately for you, I have no intention of becoming your queen.” I tilted my chin up to meet his fierce gaze. “So perhaps you can go and say all this to Giselle, or whichever other lady is unlucky enough to become your bride.” My skirts twirled as I began to turn away, but he quickly seized my wrist, gripping it tightly.
“Let. Go.” My voice was deathly calm.
“You would do well to remember your place, forest princess.” He matched my tone, keeping a firm grip on me. “You’re lucky that I am a patient man.”
“Patient?” I scoffed. “Just how long did you wait here for me before summoning another lady to keep you company?”
His lips curled into a devious smile. “Jealous, fiancée?”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” I scowled. “I only ask that next time, you keep your playthings in your chambers. It’s already bad enough that the entire palace knows we are engaged. I’d rather not deal with any pitiful stares, too.”
“You know, it is not my fault that it took my servant almost half a day to find you.” He tugged my wrist closer to study my dust-covered fingers, his thumb sweeping gently over my palm. “I told him to visit the tower first. Although, perhaps I should’ve sent him to search the stables instead.” He lowered my wrist. “Giselle just so happened to be walking by and we struck up a conversation. Besides, as Crown Prince, am I really not allowed to indulge in the pleasures of my own court?” His cruel smile felt like a dagger plunging into my chest. So I smiled too, except my smile was sweeter than candied plums.
“Oh please, indulge all you like.” I dipped my head in a mockingly innocent way. “Of course, we royals should never be deprived of our pleasures.” My lips then drew closer to his ear as I giggled in a way that mimicked Raena’s when she had once spotted a handsome guard. “And if we’re speaking candidly, now that I’m here, there are a few highborns I’ve been eager to catch alone myself… Oh, and don’t even get me started on the guards; some of them could be angels!” I squealed playfully. Of course, this was all a lie. There was no one, noble or common, who had ever caught my eye here, but it would take one look at Lukas’s furious face to see that clearly he hadn’t realised that.
“That’s absurd,” he growled. “Queens can’t have lovers.”
How predictably hypocritical.
“Oh, that’s a shame, Sir Curtis will be very disappointed when I share the news.” I pouted with a dramatic tilt of my head. “Though, I suppose it’s a good thing I still have no intention of becoming your queen. So perhaps there is hope for dear Curty and I after all.”
I prayed that there wasn’t actually some poor soul named Sir Curtis within this palace. Judging by the murderous look that darkened over Lukas’s face, even if ‘Curty’ did exist, he wouldn’t be alive for much longer.
“What are you talking about?” he demanded. “Who is… Enough of this!” His voice hardened, and he drew closer until I could feel his breath on my lips. “You shall not have lovers. I forbid it. And besides, once we are married, you will have no choice but to ascend the throne. So stop with this nonsense about not being Queen.”
“If we are married,” I hissed. “You have made it perfectly clear that you have no intention of helping me rebuild my kingdom and—” I gestured to where Giselle had sauntered off to – “you clearly have more than enough ladies who would gladly take my place.” Lukas’s grip on my wrist finally loosened as I let my arm fall away, but I didn’t step back. “You are not the only man in this realm with power, Lukas.” I reminded him, our bodies only inches apart. “I will find someone else who can help, and I pray to the Ancients that I find him soon, so I don’t need to deal with you or your silly court any longer than I have to.”
“Do not be like this, Naria,” he started, but I had already turned to leave the rose garden. “You will regret this!”
“Maybe I will,” I snapped over my shoulder. “Or maybe I will find another prince to marry. Maybe one who actually has some empathy.”
Perhaps I shouldn’t have said those exact words, but in that moment, all I could see was red – and it was certainly not the deep crimson of the roses. Even Ryan didn’t dare to stop me as I stormed out of the garden and back towards the palace. I needed some space away from everyone, desperately. With every second that passed, I felt less and less like a princess and more like a hopelessly lost child. I couldn’t stay here, in this palace, but I had no way of returning to Honeymeade. And I was sure, even if I did find a way back, that they would return me immediately to the palace and straight into Lukas’s lap.
This palace was the grandest prison anyone could ever call a home.