Chapter Thirty-One - The Wife #2
To her surprise it was Prince Gawain that made his way towards Dorian. There was no nod, no hand clasped on the shoulder. Just a wave of his hand and the Templars that surrounded Dorian saluted and filed out. Before the last one had left there was another.
“Innocent, of course.”
Luceran pulled himself up from the chair lazily. When he came to stand beside Gawain, he looked up at their box and locked eyes with his wife. Seraphine gave him a thin smile and a nod.
It all came down to the Fifth brother.
The man that had arrested Dorian.
Bastian’s closest confident.
Lavinia’s husband.
Like Luceran, Cedric also looked to the Royal Box, searching for his wife.
Rosamund had thought Lavinia would have ignored him like she usually did, but instead she saw the red head staring right back at him.
There was no smile, no nod, though the two of them had locked on to each other, a growing intensity in both their faces.
Whatever the result of their silent conversation, Cedric rose to his feet. Rosamund held her breath.
“Innocent.”
There was not so much a cheer as a cacophony of noise as Cedric approached his brother, key in hand, to remove the chains. Some applauded, some called for a retrial, some hurled insults at Bastian. But she did not care. Innocent. They had done it. They had proven him innocent. He was free.
Over the noise the Queen called out, “Prince Dorian Mordane, you have been declared innocent by the princes of this court. All titles and lands are returned to you.”
“Your majesty,” he croaked, attempting a bow as Cedric still worked to remove the chains.
“As for Prince Bastian,” said the Queen she turned her cold stare towards the man crumpled in the chair, “you will be brought to the Celestine Palace, and we will discuss your future. Princess Elswyth,” she stood on shaky feet, Rosamund holding her arm to help her, “are you fit to manage your husbands estates until a suitable alternative can be found?”
“I…I am your majesty,” said Elswyth, astonished, she was not the only one.
“Very well,” said the Queen with a nod, “this court is closed.”
With that the noise rose, and the people began to swarm as the Queen left with her attendants.
“We did it! We did it,” cried Marianne happily, still grasping Rosamund’s hand in hers.
“Go,” Elswyth said to her, seeing where Rosamund was looking.
“I don’t want to leave you,” said Rosamund, though her gaze stayed on Dorian.
“I’ll be fine,” said Elswyth.
“She’s got us,” said Isolde, who took up Elswyth’s arm, “go!”
Rosamund did not need telling again. Her heart raced as she dived into the moving crowd.
Cedric had removed the chains, and Dorian had all but collapsed were it not for Aurelian and Emrys rushing to hold him up.
Dorian fought them off, no doubt concerned his ever-present drain might return and harm them, but he could barely stand on his own.
I’m coming, I’m coming my love.
Just as she was about to break through the crowd a hand grabbed her wrist in a tight grip. She was spun round and a sharp sensation crawled up her arm.
“Well played Lady Valehart, I almost didn’t think you would manage it,” said Luceran in that quiet way of his, his mouth close to her ear, “then again, women were always Bastian’s blind spot. Still, I was thoroughly impressed, despite already knowing the outcome.”
She watched as Seraphine gracefully came to stand beside him, her expression as pinched and unimpressed as he was amused.
“And you even managed to do it without telling anyone that you handed Darnwell the plans,” said Luceran, even more quietly.
Rosamund felt her heart stop. She pulled against his grip, but he held fast.
“Shhh, shhh,” he said mockingly, “don’t panic, little sister, it can be our little secret. Besides, you didn’t need it in the end, did you?”
She wanted to tell him she did not know what he was talking about. That he had insulted her. Anything to move away from whatever web he was weaving around her. Instead, unbidden and unwilling, she heard herself say, “no, I didn’t.”
Luceran laughed quietly, as one of Cedric’s guards came rushing into the room to speak to the Iron Prince. The guard hurriedly whispered in the Prince’s ear who immediately followed him out of the room.
“Using your betrothed’s trial as a distraction,” said Luceran with a grin, “oh that is deliciously cold. Does he know?”
Rosamund’s face twisted in pain as she tried to keep the words back, but like before they came tumbling out, “Not yet.”
“Well you better hurry,” said Luceran, finally releasing her wrist as Seraphine watched, “before he finds out himself.”
Dorian had warned her. In her pursuit of Bastian she had forgotten that none of his brothers could be trusted.
Bastian had been cruel and brash, but Luceran, as she looked at him now, she saw him for what he was.
The true predator amongst the princes’. A snake lying in wait for his opportune moment to strike.
Maybe they all go bad in the end.
Emrys’ words came back to her again, even as she ran from Luceran and his wife.
“I look forward to playing with you little sister.”
Luceran was right. Dorian could not hear what she had done from anyone else.
Others may not have known it was her, but he would, and he had to hear it from her.
She forced her way through the crowd to where Aurelian and Emrys were now helping Dorian to the carriage.
She watched as Tomas jumped down from his seat, a beaming grin across his face as he bowed low to the princes and opened the door.
“Dorian!”
He turned and took a step towards her, but he was still weak from the chains.
Aurelian and Emrys quickly moved forward to help him.
He shrugged them off as she grew closer and she flew into his arms, holding him close and burying her face into his chest. Tentatively he wrapped his arms around her.
The familiar cold was returning. It was him.
He was himself. He was here. She quickly pulled her face back and coughed.
“Sorry, not many baths in the Iron keep.”
“Well, we have plenty at home,” her eyes tearing up as she grinned at him.
“Home. Thanks to you I’ll get to see it again,” he said as he tilted her face up towards hers, “though…what kind of home it will be now.”
She saw a mix of emotions there; relief, hurt, concern.
“I’m sorry, I had to do something, I,” she started to say but he shook his head.
“Let’s discuss it, later”
She tried to look away from him, but he turned her head back to him, “thank you. For…for everything.”
“It wasn’t just me,” she said softly.
“No, but you were here.”
Her heart soared as she looked up at him. Despite everything. Despite what she had done, had he seen why? Had he felt her?
“Always,” she whispered back.
She had been so lost in him, that she had not seen the guard that approached Aurelian. Had not seen him whisper to him and the Prince’s shocked expression that morphed into a laugh.
“Well, anyone else who wants to charge you with treason will have a hard time,” said Aurelian, slapping his brother on the back.
“What do you mean?” asked Dorian with a frown.
“There’s been another attempt on the Onyx Tower,” said Aurelian, “and no one can say you were involved this time.”
It was worse that he did not look at her. He only said, “really?” in that cold tone of his that terrified her, “well, I should head home before any other charges are forthcoming.”
“As you should brother,” said Aurelian joyfully, before turning to Rosamund to help her up, “well done Lady Rosamund.”
“Thank you,” she said nervously, and then to Emrys, “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Emrys bowed to her, “It was a pleasure my lady. Though, perhaps next time we could do something a little less intense.”
She had laughed but felt a rising panic within her as she climbed into the carriage, Tomas closing the door behind her.
“Rosamund,” he said, his pained expression fixed upon her, “what have you done?”