CHAPTER 25
When I finally awoke the following morning, Lukas was nowhere to be found. Just like he’d promised, I’d slept alone in his bed, and as dawn broke over the horizon, servants arrived to help me dress. They’d selected a low-cut, flowing red gown adorned with gold trim, and while it certainly wasn’t my usual style, I couldn’t bear the thought of sending a servant all the way to my chambers to fetch another, so I allowed them to help lace me in.
Catching sight of myself in the mirror, a silent gasp escaped my throat. Just a few weeks ago, I felt like nothing more than a child who’d wandered into a grand palace after losing her way. But now, with the lavish red gown hugging me in all the right places and my blonde hair still curled from the ball last night, I finally felt like royalty.
“You look lovely today, Your Highness,” an older servant remarked after she finished lacing my gown.
“Thank you.” I smiled back at her. Warmth pooled in my chest as my gaze wandered from the mirror to explore the prince’s chambers. Near the back wall, sunlight filtered through a large, ornate stained-glass window, casting hundreds of different coloured rays onto the polished wooden floors. It was so beautiful. Just standing there, I felt so beautiful. With a quiet laugh, I wondered if everything had always been this beautiful and I’d just never noticed it before?
“Let us know if you need anything else, Your Highness,” the same servant told me, dipping her head. Before she left, she shot a knowing smile to the other handmaidens, and one of them whispered something that sent hushed giggles rippling through the group. If this had been any other day, perhaps I would’ve demanded they share the joke that was clearly made at my expense, but for some reason, I didn’t care. Even I laughed after they left. Everything around me seemed so pleasant and bright, it was hard not to.
In the centre of Lukas’s chambers stood a grand four-poster bed draped with plush velvet sheets, while the walls were lined with several bookshelves. I’d never pictured Lukas as the sort who liked to read, but the sheer amount of books clearly suggested otherwise. As I moved towards them and ran my fingers over the spines, I wondered what else I would soon learn about him.
It was only when a faint knocking sounded at the door that I finally emerged from my daydream.
“Naria, are you in there?” a sweet voice chimed from the hallway outside.
“Do come in, Raena,” I answered, beaming as the door swung open to reveal my friend dressed in a typically lovely peony-coloured gown.
As usual, her face was stunningly made up in golden-brown tones, but for some reason, there was worry behind her rosy cheeks. “Are you alright?” She rushed towards me, clasping my hands. “When you didn’t come back to your chambers last night, I went looking for you. Erik told me something bad happened in the palace grounds and that the prince brought you here. What was it? What happened?”
I sniffed with laughter, shaking my head. “Oh, Raena, you mustn’t worry, everything is fine. I had a scare in the garden with the Prince of Hallshire, but then Lukas found me and, well…” Imaginary roses bloomed in my chest. “Everything is fine now.”
For a moment, Raena’s lips thinned as she studied me. Then her gaze flew over my shoulder to the unmade bed in the centre of the room. As her mouth formed a small ‘o’, I could almost hear the gears turning in her mind.
“Did you?” Heat flooded to her cheeks. “Naria, tell me you didn’t… last night?” Her eyes darted around the room. “Or this morning?”
I gasped at her bizarre conclusion. The surprise sent me into a coughing fit as I struggled to catch my breath. “No!” I blurted out between gasps. “No, we didn’t. He slept somewhere else!”
Raena cocked an eyebrow, a devious smirk landing on her smug face. “That never stopped anyone.”
“I promise, nothing like that happened!” My hands flapped wildly. “We just shared a nice moment in the gardens, and then he carried me up here. That’s all!”
Raena’s whole body shook with laughter. “Oh, sweet innocent Naria.” She patted my arm in a jokingly condescending way. “I’m glad you enjoyed your moment, and I’m really happy you’re making progress with the prince.” A sincere smile warmed her face. “Does this mean you’re not going back to the fae? You seem so happy this morning. Has Prince Lukas finally agreed to help with your kingdom?”
All the golden light vanished from the room, my body stiffened, and suddenly his bedchamber felt ice cold. With a shiver, goosebumps covered my tense arms. Where had all the warmth gone?
Raena chewed her lower lip, as if sensing the change in the air, too. “I see.” Reassuringly, she squeezed my arm. “If you feel like you’re growing closer, then perhaps he will change his mind about your kingdom?” Hope, or something equally as foolish, danced in her brown eyes. “Confess to visiting the faeries. Tell him that they are offering to help your people. Maybe then he’ll understand the importance of this situation.” She drew closer, lowering her voice. “I saw you dancing together last night. The way he looked at you… Naria, I know that look. He won’t want to let you go.”
I wanted to believe her, but deep down, I knew this was all so silly. Love, or whatever this strange thing between us might be, shouldn’t be affecting my decision. I was a princess. It was my duty to marry for the good of my own kingdom. Lukas was offering nothing, so no matter how I felt during the ball when he spun me in the air in that enchanting way, I couldn’t marry him. Not when I had faeries offering me – offering Corlixir – so much more.
“You might be right,” I finally answered. “He may have feelings for me, but,” I paused, my heart aching, “that doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t care for my kingdom.”
“You don’t know that!” she protested. “Please, just try one more time to get through to him.”
I’d tried so many times to extinguish the small flame of hope that flickered away in my chest, but there Raena was, reigniting it while my foolish heart only stoked the flames.
“Fine,” I decided gruffly, mentally preparing myself for the inevitable hurt and rejection. “I don’t even know where he is though. He must’ve left long before I woke up.”
A glimmer of excitement flashed across Raena’s smile. “I think I know where he might be. Come on, Princess.” She took my hand. “Let’s go and save Corlixir.”
The sun was high in the sky by the time we’d tracked down the location of this week’s duelling club. Due to the warm weather, the nobles had commandeered a small stage nestled in a far corner of the palace grounds. Surrounding the cobblestone stage were dense clusters of royal blue and ivory hydrangeas, while the thick canopies of oak trees provided shade. The audience was smaller this time too, and a fair number of the people watching were seated on the lush grass, fanning their pert highborn faces and gasping every time a sword came close to hitting someone’s tunic.
“There he is,” I whispered to Raena, pointing towards one of the masked duellers who was sitting on a patch of grass off to the side.
From our spot near the back of the small crowd, she squinted at the gaggle of duellers. “How can you tell? They all look the same to me.”
Before I had a chance to gush about his unmistakable broad shoulders or the cascade of dark brown waves that sat atop his head, Raena cut me off.
“Actually, don’t answer that. I believe you.” She laughed knowingly. “Let’s wait here until they’re finished, then you can catch him before he leaves.” Flicking open her hand fan, she fluttered it against her face in a mockingly seductive way. “Try not to blush too hard when he wins.”
“Stop it!” I swatted her playfully.
A few metres ahead, wooden swords clashed away as the duel continued on the stage. The nearest dueller, a taller man with a thickset build, swung his sword with a deliberate force, while his opponent, a much smaller, more nimble boy, parried each blow with graceful finesse. Every time the broader man swung, the boy darted to the side, and as the duel progressed, it became clear that the smaller one was the crowd favourite. Another lightning-fast dodge, another cheer from the crowd. Though, this only seemed to anger the larger man, as each attack became more and more fuelled by the raging fire within him.
Eventually, after avoiding another lumbering blow, the smaller dueller bolted forward and sliced his wooden sword against the man’s tunic. Had that been a real sword, the larger man would be in two pieces.
“We have a winner!” the announcer cried as the crowd erupted into cheers. The smaller dueller grinned triumphantly and took a sweeping bow. Then, he slipped off the thin black mask to reveal a familiar youthful face. There was no hiding the joy that overcame my cheeks when I realised who he was.
“Bravo, Nathan! Winning again!” a young woman called from the crowd. Glancing over, I caught sight of Giselle’s copper hair as she squealed with happiness. The victor was her younger brother, the boy who, just a few days ago, had been brought back from the dead with heartflow restoration performed by myself in the palace grounds. It was so relieving to see him well again, and despite our past differences, I couldn’t help but cheer along with his sister.
“Bravo!” I clapped my hands together delightedly.
Noticing our cheers, the taller opponent whipped off his mask and huffed as he slapped dust from his tunic. He was red-faced, likely both from the humiliation of losing and the intense exercise. After a few ragged breaths, he glared in my direction, his brow furrowing as he spotted me.
“Well, well,” he sneered, loud enough for the rest of the audience to hear, “if it isn’t Princess Naria.” My name and title slid off his tongue laced with disgust. “Coming to check on your little patient, are we? Why don’t you come up here and kiss him again? Certainly got his heart pumping last time.”
My jaw tightened as I felt Raena’s hand rest on my shoulder. I knew she wanted me to leave it, but I couldn’t help myself. Squaring my shoulders, I met his taunt with my own fiery gaze. “You know nothing, sir. I did what I had to do to save a life.”
“Absolute Goblinspit!” A collective gasp sounded from the crowd at his bold retort. “You are a shameless harlot. That boy would’ve lived whether you slathered yourself onto him or not. Say, if I were the prince I would—”
“That’s enough, Lord Webster.” Lukas’s voice rang out like thunder, silencing the furious oaf. Still masked, he rose from where he was resting on the soft grass. “You will not speak to my fiancée in that way.” He then stepped forward, his tone rivalling the dueller’s. “And unless you wish to spend a night in the dungeons, see to it that you never use such abhorrent words in reference to any of the good ladies of my court. Do I make myself clear?”
Lord Webster shook with rage, his face turning a ghastly shade of beetroot. The swirling anger within him simmered, and for a moment, it seemed like he might comply with Lukas’s demands. But then my stomach flipped as he lunged forward, swinging a wild punch aimed right at the prince’s jaw. It landed with a painful crack, sending Lukas stumbling backwards.
Gasps and shouts erupted from the crowd, and suddenly there was a flurry of motion. Lord Webster’s face twisted with rage, but before he could strike again, several men leapt up from the grass to force his lumbering body down. Curses and threats spewed from his lips as he was pinned to the stone floor.
With my heart in my throat, I couldn’t stand by and watch for a second longer. Rushing forward, I shoved through the panicking crowd and found Lukas. Both anger and surprise clouded his stormy eyes as he held his cheek, breathing heavily.
“Are you alright?” I blurted out. A trickle of blood was dripping down the hand that covered the side of his jaw. “Please, let me see.”
“I’ll be fine,” he said through gritted teeth, barely even acknowledging me. Twisting his body to face Lord Webster, he snarled, “You, sir, will regret this!”
Above us, thick clouds that I could’ve sworn weren’t there before began to drizzle us in a light rain, while thunder rumbled in the distance. Nobody else seemed to notice it, though, as Lord Webster still writhed with fury against the men who restrained him.
“At least if I am exiled, I won’t be ruled by a weak boy king and his harlot bride!” he spat.
Lukas charged towards him, roaring with anger, just as lightning struck nearby, forcing more panic into the already flustered crowd around us.
“Stop!” I cried, lunging forward to throw myself between them. “Stop this, please!”
“Naria, step aside,” Lukas growled. “I don’t want to hurt you.” His burning glare was fixed on the writhing man.
Reaching for his shoulders, I squeezed gently. “Please.” I stared up at him, waiting until his thunderous gaze met mine. “Please do not waste another second on this imbecile. He’s not worth it.” My tone was soothing, or at least as soothing as it could be with the roaring man behind us. My words seemed to help, though. The hurricane of anger that was raging across Lukas’s face calmed slightly. Even the rain, which had for a moment turned torrential, slowed too. The Latesummer heat certainly seemed to be wreaking havoc on the weather here.
Glancing back over my shoulder, I addressed the tall man who had his boot planted down onto Lord Webster’s arm. “Do you know where to take him?”
He nodded. “Straight to the dungeons, Your Highness.”
“Good.” I swallowed, steading my voice. “Take him there now, and if he misbehaves,” I cast a heavy look at the pitiful excuse for a man on the floor, “don’t be afraid to beat him.”