53. A Private Audience
~ GRACE ~
‘I’m here. I’m watching.’
Voski’s voice in my head was so warm, so deep, so close, I sucked in and instinctively looked over my shoulder.
Breckon glanced down at me from the side, but saw nothing that interested him and went back to his conversation with one of the other men who’d joined us at lunch.
I was struggling to pretend interest—or even attention—anymore.
Voski had appeared close enough to speak hours earlier, bringing a rush of relief so intense I’d almost cried.
I’d fallen asleep the night before with a smile on my face and feeling safer than I had since we left the hut.
But woke this morning, cold. Frantic when he didn’t answer my immediate call through the link.
Only Koa’s reassurance that they were already on their way back to us and would arrive today kept me sane.
I’d thought since we arrived at the castle, I’d done well. I hadn’t lived in fear. I’d planned. Hoped. I’d kept my balance.
But this day had been one stumbling mess after another, my heart thudding in my chest and my pulse pounding in my ears at every turn. Every movement at the corner of my eye kicked my reflexes and I whirled like a startled deer.
I was so jumpy, and nervous, even Breckon grew concerned on our walk to the ballroom this evening. I had startled because a servant emerged from a hidden stairwell. After we’d passed the poor maid, he tugged me into a corner alcove and demanded I calm.
“What has unsettled you?” he muttered. “You cannot expect them to believe you don’t carry a babe when you twitch and shriek at the appearance of a mere servant! They all know how fragile a woman becomes during pregnancy.”
I wanted to glare at him, but kept my eyes on the floor, apologized, and followed him meekly into the ballroom. Yet, throughout the boring evening, my heart raced.
Voski drew nearer with every passing moment. Every sense had come alive with him an hour earlier, and I could feel him as I had in the Keep. He was here.
‘Where are you?’
‘Keeping myself out from under Breckon’s nose,’ he returned darkly. ‘And working out how to get close enough to touch you.’
This castle was peppered with secret passages, hidden servants’ stairs and corridors, and so many shadowy alcoves and corners, it was barely an effort to disappear when no eyes were upon you.
I’d familiarized myself with most of them on my last visit, and knew Voski was even more skilled.
And yet, I should have told him no. That it wasn’t worth the risk.
Breckon was too present. We had to find our way out of this marriage before we could truly reunite.
But I was too weak, my body aching for him, my heart thumping.
Already, my eyes stung with unshed tears of joy as he sent an image of holding me, cupping my face, pulling me into a kiss, and clinging to each other.
I had to blow out a breath and steady myself. I’d already lived through the dragons reuniting twice. Both times, Koa brimmed with such joy and love, it made me happy. But the perpetual smiling irritated Breckon.
‘You are beautiful, my love,’ Voski whispered in my head and I wanted to dance.
‘Where are you?’ I darted a glance over my shoulder again, scanning the room.
He had to be physically close for me to sense him so clearly.
Had he hidden among the servants? Or was he like Hanson, sitting in a chair along the edge of the room, peering between sleeves and skirts, like a lion in the grass?
He didn’t answer, but the images he sent flipped my heart in my chest. Ignoring Breckon, he showed me myself—walking down the corridor toward the ballroom, my hair swept up in the currently fashionable coil, select curls dusting my jaw and collarbones, my eyes sparkling, smiling bright.
Because I could sense him.
But it wasn’t the image that made me want to weep with happiness, it was the vision of it. Somehow, he’d imbued the picture of me with a particular softness, strength, admiration. I looked impossibly beautiful. Intelligent. Strong in body as well as mind. So, the watcher yearned. For me.
Even with Koa, I had never felt more wanted, more loveable. More necessary to another heart.
I bit my lip, blinking back happy tears as Breckon led me through the ballroom, stopping to speak along the way to the men he sought to impress.
It wasn’t until he’d chuckled and bragged, and we turned away from the third cluster of bored men, that he leaned a hair closer, muttering in my ear, his hot breath rushing against my bare shoulder and making my skin crawl.
“What makes you so damn happy?”
“I told you, my lord: I am an ecstatic bride-to-be.”
He glared at me from the corner of his eye, but I brightened my smile further.
“Isn’t that what you wanted?”
I shoveled love toward Voski in the bond as Breckon scowled like he’d curse me. But he brightened immediately, when the king called his name, and the entire room turned to watch as, both the royals beckoned us to join them near the refreshment table.
It was a stunning honor.
Breckon had never been prouder, traversing the ballroom with most of the Court watching enviously. And I had never been more unsettled.
‘What makes you nervous?’
‘The king is showing personal favor to Breckon, and I don’t understand why.
’ I felt a jangle of unease from Voski, but it only affirmed my instincts.
To receive this kind of favor so publicly was no mistake.
Usually, if the most powerful couple in the kingdom wished to gain the attention of a particular person, a servant would be sent to escort them for a private audience.
Yet here, the royals made a point to let everyone see them call to Breckon like a childhood friend.
I would have gaped, but Breckon muttered, “Don’t fuck this up,” then tugged me along.
I curtseyed as we reached them, grateful that Breckon finally released my arm to more properly bow, allowing me to shift to his other side and speak with the queen.
“Your Majesty,” I said quietly. “It’s very good to see you again.”
“Yes, yes, dear. Very nice,” she said, patting my arm. But her attention was clearly on the men. The king had gripped Breckon’s shoulder like a brother and leaned into his ear. The two exchanged quiet words, then separated.
Breckon smiled, nodding. “Of course, Sire.”
Suddenly, I was ushered out of the ballroom in the wake of the royals. Breckon’s guards fell in behind us as we passed out of the double-doors from the ballroom, into the hallway. I grew even more wary when Breckon urged me to keep up.
“Don’t worry, you’ll remain safe while I’m engaged.”
“Engaged?” I asked. I could feel Voski’s tension, as he could feel mine. I wished there was a way to share this with him, to show him what I saw. I would try to send the memories later when I was less distracted, and see if he had any insight.
“The king wishes to speak with me. We have much to discuss in preparation for the wedding.”
That meant I would be left with the queen. “I will ensure the queen isn’t bored,” I said dutifully. “She likes to talk about fashion, and the wedding dress is an excellent—”
“The queen will be with us. What we discuss involves both of them,” he said briskly. I waited, but he offered nothing else.
Then, to my surprise, we were escorted toward the king’s private office, here on the ground floor.
It was his sanctuary. At the end of a hall, guarded at all times, and only entered when invited personally by the king himself.
Men were sometimes welcomed for cards or drinks on these nights, but never so early in the festivities.
And never, to my knowledge, only one man.
‘I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m nervous. We’ve been invited to the king’s private study—or at least, Breckon has.’ I showed Voski the corridor as we passed the guards to enter. Thankfully, he recognized it.
‘I’ll be there in minutes. Just keep talking.’
‘You can’t come here!’ I was so frantic to get through to him, I clung more tightly to Breckon’s arm. He thought I was impressed by the massive sculptures in the alcoves, and our entrée into this private domain, and he smiled smugly.
“Don’t worry, dear. Anything that benefits me, benefits you, in the end. No need to be nervous. Yet.”
Yet? I glared up at Breckon, but we’d just reached another door. The king and queen swept through, Breckon leading me right behind them.
But when the door was closed by the guards behind us, the short, narrow hallway was so dimly lit, and so silent, it raised the hair on the back of my neck.
All sounds of the castle beyond, the hum of the crowds in the adjoining corridor, the servants moving through the spaces, even the guards…
it was cloaked entirely behind that door.
Which meant any sound on this side would be equally deadened.
And the guards hadn’t accompanied us here.
The king murmured and the queen giggled, then they opened a very normal looking door at the end of the short hallway, which opened out into a small, square anteroom.
There was another door, directly opposite the one we’d just used to enter, but to left and right, the square space widened.
The walls were covered in thick curtains, like the alcoves in the grand corridors between residential wings.
Each, shadowy, curtained half-square, home to a wide bench seat and nothing more.
I wasn’t sure, but my stomach went cold when the king threw a pointed look at Breckon over his shoulder, then walked through the next door.
Breckon tugged me to a halt as I caught a glimpse of a massive room beyond that door, with plush carpet, floor-to-ceiling shelves, an ancient, stone fireplace, and wide, masculine furniture.
But he tugged me around, pulling me to a halt facing the door through which we’d entered, instead, and smiling.
“You’ll stay here,” he said, tipping his head toward one of the benches. “This discussion will be private.”
I blinked—and my heart rose. I hadn’t been alone in weeks. “Of course,” I said breathlessly.
Breckon’s smile widened. “Don’t get any ideas.
Through that door, you will find the royals—and don’t believe they won’t punish you if you make an appearance where you aren’t invited.
And through the other, the hallway through which we arrived, with guards beyond the door there.
This is not your chance for escape dear, I’m very sorry to disappoint. ”
My heart sank, but I didn’t let it show, only clasped my hands to my chest. “I would never flee you, Breckon. Not after all this. I’m the grateful, happy bride… remember?”
He huffed and rolled his eyes. “Just stay quiet. Sleep if you wish. But we will return to the ball after this, so take care to keep yourself in order. And don’t embarrass both of us by attempting to talk the guards into freeing you. They aren’t men who can be bribed, or persuaded. Trust me.”
Dammit. “I would never presume…” I said softly, sinking into a formal curtsey.
His eyes narrowed like he thought I’d been disrespectful, but wasn’t sure how. But then he let go of my arm and marched into the office, after the king, turning to shoot a dark look at me, before closing the door between us.
I stood there a moment, gaping, uncertain what had just happened. But then I plopped down onto the velvet bench seat and stared at the door. And a tiny thread of hope opened in my chest.
‘I’m alone. Truly alone. I can’t leave, but I can talk!’
A rumble of something reached me through the bond. ‘Are you certain no one is watching you?’
‘Yes. Closed doors on both sides. There’s a little anteroom here. A waiting room for the king’s pleasure, I think. In any case, Breckon told me I could sleep if I needed to. They obviously plan to be in there a while.’
‘Are you certain you’re alone?’
‘Yes! Now, please, tell me what’s—’
A small rush of cool air fluttered one of the curtains behind the bench, chilling the backs of my ankles… then it died.
I frowned and turned to look—gasping when the velvet curtain billowed out suddenly, revealing black shadows and a blank wall behind it—and two, thick, masculine arms, hands clawed, and reaching for me.
I would have shrieked, but one of those calloused palms clapped over my mouth, and the other wrapped around my waist, pulling me backward from the bench seat and into a dank, narrow stone corridor behind the curtain. I flailed, and grabbed for those arms to fight.
‘I’ve got you. Grace… it’s me.’
I went still. Eyes wide. Breath huffing from my nose, over the hand clapped over my mouth.
‘Voski?’
The hands turned me. The door into this space had mostly closed behind the curtain, so there was barely any light that reached where I stood, my back to the chilled stone. But I’d recognize the gleam of those eyes anywhere.
I sucked in a breath and threw myself at him in the same moment, Voski descended on me with a tormented groan.