Chapter 8 The One that Got Away #2
“No,” I scoffed. “It’s just nice to smell something other than roses.” I straightened and focused intently on Lilyanna’s offensive posture, tracking her lunge across the training floor.
“So, you did, then?”
I could hear the smile in his voice, the swallowed chuckle. My cheeks burned as I ignored his perusal of my face, but I kept my side aligned with his, refusing to move away.
Prince Bellinor pulled back, the point of his sword dropping to the floor.
Sweat dripped from his brow and a grimace replaced the cute dimples.
Lilyanna in her cropped leggings and gold tunic waited patiently, not a hair out of place.
She shot me a small smile, her blue eyes shining with enjoyment before resuming her modest, patient visage.
I needed the prince to lose his temper and to show the dark side that he must keep hidden.
Those previous women didn’t murder themselves.
Could he really be innocent? It’d be easier if he were involved, then I’d be doing a great service to the public and not committing treason just for a heavy coin purse.
One of the brackets on the wall guttered.
There was no breeze here. The walls were stone, the floor marble and the large window cemented shut for the winter like all the others.
I blinked and righted myself, pushing away from the wall I’d leaned on instead of Clement.
My magic sent a sharp pulse through my system in response.
If it was one of the staff and not the prince to blame, then I’d need to get Lilyanna out of here as well. Maybe that’s why the guards took their jobs so seriously. Even the prince needed saving.
Finally, they both sheathed their sabers.
Lilyanna ducked her head in a curtsey, but he pulled her to her feet. “Nonsense, my lady.” He bowed low before collapsing to his knees, prostrating his arms in front. “You clearly wiped the floor with me.”
She giggled, her eyes darting to me in delight.
I raised my eyebrows and smiled. The prince pushed back to his knees and extended his hand.
She gently pulled him up, then twined her arm around his as they walked over to us.
They looked like such a perfect couple, maybe they could truly make this work.
Be happy, or whatever it is people tried to do in relationships.
My magic boomed again, louder, stronger, making me flinch.
A large ewer filled with pungently sweet lavender water sat in the center of a small folding table. Purple petals hung suspended in the liquid as the prince poured two glasses. For once, I was thankful not to be included.
Prince Bellinor turned and gestured to the room. “This is my ancestral home. My mothers rarely make the trek up here anymore and this place fell into quite a state of disrepair. There are still areas of the castle that are quite dangerous to wander through.”
He didn’t look at me, but heat prickled my chest. It was like he knew I’d been roaming the corridors last night and was gently warning me from doing it again. To confirm, Clement elbowed me.
“But that’s also where I found some of these valuables,” the prince continued. “All these beasts are hundreds of years old. They came with the castle, and I didn’t have the heart to throw them out.”
I followed his gaze, skimming over a huge buck mounted to the wall, a towering black bear wedged into the corner and a skein of geese suspended in flight along the far side.
Maybe if I released the bindings on the bear, it would topple forward at just the right moment.
Its large, rough pads could come down directly on the prince and in an effort to save him, when I dragged him out from underneath, I could ‘accidentally’ scratch his arm.
I’d be a hero and back squarely in Siobhan’s good graces.
She may even delay forcing my partnership with her if I proved too valuable on the ground.
He took a few paces across the floor and lifted his glass toward a semi-circular fountain in the corner.
The bust of a rearing horse extruded from the stone wall above, water running down its white mane and pooling in the basin at its feet.
“The kelpie would lure travelers, appearing like an innocent, gentle horse. They would climb on its back and be stuck fast to its hide where it would then return to its loch and drown them.”
I wrinkled my nose. That’s what it felt like in this Goddessforsaken castle.
From the corner of my eye, the light shifted. The nearest sconce quivered before toppling from its alcove directly where Lilyanna stood.
Clement lunged for her, and they both fell forward.
Her glass shattered on the stone, small sprigs of lavender floating in the sticky water.
Flames danced down her back, catching the gold tunic.
I grabbed the ewer and sloshed it over her while Clement patted the rest out.
He helped her to her feet before the prince swooped his arm around her waist, whispering soothing words in her ear.
I put the jug back on the table as Clement stalked toward me.
“Why weren’t you paying attention?” he hissed.
“I was. I was listening to the story.”
“That’s not your job. You’re supposed to guard Lady Lilyanna, not listen to the prince brag about his hunting exploits.”
“Well, I was obviously paying more attention than you because that’s not what he was talking about.”
Clement gritted his teeth, lowering his face toward mine. “Do I need to tell you again—”
“Well, my friends.” The prince clapped Clement on the shoulder, and he backed away a step, freeing my airspace.
“Now that we both know how interesting you find my topics of conversation...” He winked at me.
Clement's cheeks pulled taut beneath the dark stubble, a faint blush coloring his neck.
“How about we return to more pressing issues.”
“Is it an omen?” Lilyanna’s voice trembled.
The prince turned to her, his smile tight. “Lilyanna, my dear, this castle is very old and very temperamental. Do not take any of its quirks to heart, there will be plenty of time for you both to become acquainted.”
“Both as in Lilyanna and me, or the castle and her?” I asked.
“All of the above, Tam.”
“Your Highness, a word?” Clement asked. The prince nodded, and they stepped to the side.
“She needs to leave,” Clement said, not bothering to lower his voice and jabbing a finger toward me.
“She’s not doing her job. There’s going to be an accident, and there are already many whispers circulating about the mysterious deaths.
It’d be better for everyone involved if one of your personal guards looked after Lady Lilyanna instead. ”
What was his problem? It was like he’d been waiting for an opportunity to kick me out.
He dropped his defenses every now again, drawing me closer, even flirting with me, in his own restrained way, but it was all an act.
Well, I could do that too, I’d had years of practice keeping people at arm’s length, but I needed to stay physically close now.
If I were forced out of the castle, I’d never be able to get near to the prince again.
“No! I can do it,” I called.
They both turned to me. The prince bore a half-smile, amusement dancing across his face while Clement’s jaw tightened, a muscle ticking beneath the thick stubble.
Eventually, the prince walked back over to Lilyanna and gently took her hand. “What do you think, my love?”
The pause she took made my stomach somersault. Maybe she hadn’t forgiven me for the non-existent flirtation with the prince when I’d met him in the corridor.
“She has to stay. I only want her.” She brushed at her side and winced. A strip of charred fabric fluttered to the floor. “I’d like to return to my rooms.” Her smile was weak, her face ashen.
I stepped forward to help her, but Clement blocked me again.
“What are you doing?” I hissed and sidestepped him, but he flung out an arm to keep me back.
“It’s quite alright, Clement,” the prince said. “I will escort both ladies back to their rooms.” He held out his other hand to me.
Clement froze. His arm remained flung across my chest, his body between us.
Did he really think I was that dangerous?
I had only bitten him a little bit last night after he had disarmed me first with practiced ease.
Maybe he thought it was my fault accidents kept befalling Lilyanna, and that bad luck may mar the prince as well.
Whatever the reason, it was clear he didn’t trust me.
I fought back the burn in my chest, trying to ignore how much it stung.
At least it had been confirmed that any softness before was just an act, a way to pass the time.
He didn’t want me here, he didn’t even like me. Why did that hurt so much?
The silence stretched.
Clement refused to move. His teeth remained locked together, gaze fixated on the floor.
The prince shrugged. “As you like.” He winked at me, dimples reappearing in his cheeks. “My guards do take their jobs a tad seriously.”
“As they should,” I said.
“Yes, quite. Don’t worry, Tam. We will have plenty of time to become acquainted”—Clement’s body shifted further in front of me—“I heard you are like a big sister to my dear Lilyanna.”
Did she tell him that? I’d been privy to their every conversation since arriving here.
They never discussed anything other than trivial events.
Lilyanna spoke at length to me about her family, her friends, her country, but never breathed a word of it to him.
Or had I missed it? My insides iced as my stomach clenched.
I grunted a reply. He turned, and they walked arm in arm from the room, both guards following at a respectable distance. Clement glared at me over his shoulder whenever I tried to sneak past and catch up. I rolled my eyes and stomped along behind him, studying the walls for new holes as I went.