Pathways (The Kingdom Chronicles Book 1)

by Camille Peters

  “Because I’m not a princess,” I snapped, finally managing to get the words out.

  Alaina seemed not to hear me in her agitated state as she snatched my dress and, to my horror, tossed it into the fire.

  I leapt forward. “No!”

  But it was too late. I gritted my teeth as I watched one of my only dresses go up in smoke. Fine, I supposed wandering the Forest in my underclothes would have to do.

  Unfortunately, my jailer still had me on a tight leash as she took my arm and led me to the wardrobe, where she held up the most beautiful gown I’d ever seen—soft blue-grey silk with floral patterns embroidered in silver thread and pearls lacing the bodice. I gaped at it.

  “It’s beautiful.” I tentatively reached out to touch the dress. The silk felt smooth between my fingers.

  “Princess Elodie was kind enough to lend it to you. Isn’t that sweet of her?”

  If this belonged to a real princess, I couldn’t wear it, no matter how much I longed to. Alaina stepped forward to begin dressing me. I flinched away. “I can’t wear that.”

  “You must. You haven’t anything else.”

  And whose fault was that? I glowered at the ashes in the hearth. But I had no excuse adequate enough to resist wearing the dress, especially as my protests died in my throat the moment it slid over my head. It not only fit like a glove, but the silk gown was so soft I felt as if I were wearing water.

  I stared wide-eyed at my reflection as Alaina arranged my dark hair in the most elegant style I’d ever worn. By the time she’d finished I truly felt transformed, for me and the woman in my reflection couldn’t possibly be the same person.

  I raised my hand and pressed my fingers to the glass, causing my fingers and the mirror Eileen’s fingers to touch. “Is that really me?”

  “Of course it is, Your Highness.”

  I continued to stare. I’d never considered myself beyond merely pretty, but the woman in the mirror was stunning, simply from wearing an elegant gown and hairstyle.

  I felt like the biggest fraud.

  Alaina surveyed me with approval before motioning for me to follow her. “I’ll escort you to the dining room so there’s no chance of your getting lost.” She opened the door to reveal the guard from the night before waiting for us. “Guard Alastar.” She curtsied.

  He bowed crisply in return. “I’m to escort Her Highness to the dining room.”

  I took in his strong guard build and the sword strapped to his waist and sighed. He would be impossible to slip away from. That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to try, though.

  “Thank you, Guard Alastar. That would be most helpful; I have other duties I need to attend to.” Alaina curtsied to me before bustling away, leaving me at the mercy of this guard. For a moment, he studied me with the same serious expression he wore last night, as if trying to discern whether or not I was an imposter. Did he suspect?

  “If you’ll follow me, Your Highness.” After another bow he strode into the hallway. I reluctantly followed him.

  The splendor of the palace corridors had been lost on me the night before, due to the dark shadows and my escalating panic at the strange situation I’d found myself in. I rubbed the material of my gown between my fingers as I took in everything with wide eyes while also searching for my opportunity to slip away. I seized it when we reached a fork in the gilded marble corridor—Guard Alastar took the right, and while keeping a wary eye on his towering form, I took the left, but I’d no sooner stepped into the other hallway—

  Guard Alastar gently took my arm and guided me down the opposite corridor. He didn’t smile, didn’t betray any emotion whatsoever, but for a brief moment I was certain his eyes twinkled. “He told me you’d try to escape.”

  “Who did?”

  Guard Alastar said nothing. Annoying.

  He continued to lead me in stony silence, not releasing my arm. I tried to wriggle away, but his grip was firm. “Are you going to let me go?”

  “I’m not of the mind to do so after your attempt to slip away, Your Highness. It wouldn’t do for you to become lost while under my charge.”

  “Isn’t it against some royal law to manhandle a princess?”

  His lips twitched. “It’s not my intention to do anything of the sort. I’m doing my best to treat you with the utmost respect while still keeping you within sight. I notice you seem keen on escaping, and I’m afraid I can’t allow that.”

  “Observant and efficient.” A bit too much so.

  “I’m a guard, Your Highness.”

  I wished he’d stop calling me that, but not nearly as much as I wished he would falter in his escorting duties to give me the escape opportunity I was desperate for. But the guard’s attention didn’t waver even for a moment, making escape impossible. All the same, I kept my eyes peeled for an opportunity.

  After descending the grand staircase and walking down another corridor, Guard Alastar stopped in front of two wide doors that opened to an opulent dining room. He bowed.

  “Your destination, Your Highness.”

  I hovered in the doorway and peered inside. My stomach tightened. There were dozens of nobles all wearing the fancy clothes and jewels showcasing their rank, all of which were far above my own. I moaned quietly. Guard Alastar’s stoic expression faltered slightly and a glimpse of concern filled his eyes.

  “You must be nervous.”

  “There are a lot of nobility.”

  “Hopefully your own kind will help put you at ease.” He gave me a look that almost dared me to defy his statement. My breath hitched, but I bravely lifted my chin and with a deep breath entered the room.

  My feigned bravery crumbled the moment I stepped into the dining room. I stood frozen and stared at the sea of strangers, my heart pounding. While most ignored my entrance, the curious looks from the several who’d noticed me was enough to cause me to spin towards the exit—only to have Guard Alastar block my way. While his expression didn’t falter, encouragement filled his eyes. I tightened my jaw and took a tentative step further into the room.

  A golden-haired princess sat at the end of one of the long dining tables laden with fancy china and mouthwatering dishes. Her entire manner lit up when she spotted me. She gracefully motioned for me to take the empty seat beside her. I eyed the windows as I inched closer but dismissed that potential escape route due to the unfortunate presence of so many witnesses.

  The princess stood in greeting, her entire form short and willowy. “You must be Princess Gemma. I’m Princess Elodie of Draceria.” Her smile brightened as she looked me over. “I knew this was the perfect gown to lend you, but it’s even more lovely on you than I imagined. The blue-grey even matches your eyes. You mustn’t borrow it at all. Consider it yours. And you must raid my closet for more gowns, considering your luggage was lost and I have plenty.” She looped her arm through mine as if we were already the best of friends.

  We took our seats—Princess Elodie with fluid movements, me plopping down with enough inelegant force to jiggle the table—and the princess turned to her seating companions, all of whom possessed matching golden hair and bright blue eyes.

  “May I present my siblings: Crown Prince Liam, Princess Rheanna, and Princess Aveline. Everyone, this is Princess Gemma.”

  All three gave me polite smiles, all of which were different—Princess Rheanna’s was tinged with shyness, Princess Aveline’s was stiff and formal, while Prince Liam’s was a cheeky grin accompanied by a wink. I smiled timidly in return. Despite their kind reception, my heartbeat escalated in trepidation.

  Princess Aveline looked down her nose at me, her elegant expression suspicious. “My apologies, Princess Gemma, but it was my understanding a missive arrived from Malvagaria stating that you and your sister weren’t expected to attend.”

  So Princess Gemma was a Malvagarian princess. That complicated things. If I should be caught claiming to be this Princess Gemma, it would end in disaster, but how else could I ward off Princess Aveline’s suspicion? Before I could scrambl
e for an answer, Princess Elodie leaned close, as if to share a secret.

  “Is your family really cursed?”

  I blinked at her. “Cursed?”

  “The rumors are that all the children of the Malvagarian royal family are cursed in different ways. Whatever curses surround your two older brothers remain a mystery, but it’s been said that the eldest princess of Malvagaria has been locked away in an enchanted tower, while the younger has some sort of sleeping curse. An official invitation was sent and rejected, but I’m happy you’ve decided to come after all.” She gave me an impressed look. “If you escaped, it’s no wonder you haven’t an escort or any luggage.”

  Princess Aveline wrinkled her nose at her sister’s claims. “Really, Elodie, princesses shouldn’t listen to rumors.”

  She rolled her eyes delicately. “I have two working ears, haven’t I? What am I supposed to do when I hear a rumor?”

  “Choose not to listen, especially to one as ridiculous as a princess getting locked in a tower.”

  As they squabbled, I nibbled the inside of my lip, deliberating. The number of royalty to impersonate were few. If there was any truth about this particular rumor and the Malvagarian Princess—whether trapped in a tower or simply desiring not to attend—hadn’t arrived and was unknown to those in attendance, she was my best option of whom to impersonate—my only option.

  “You’re correct, I do hail from Malvagaria, but being trapped in a tower is merely a rumor.”

  Princess Elodie’s bright eyes dimmed in disappointment. “Such a shame. And are your brothers and sister cursed?”

  “Last I saw, they were in perfect health.”

  While Princess Elodie managed to slump in a way that still maintained her perfect posture, Prince Liam leaned back in his seat with a goofy grin.

  “It’s a shame your tale is so dull, Princess Gemma. I’m an excellent weaver of interesting stories. Allow me to make yours more exciting.”

  “Oh, please, Liam, not another one of your silly theories.” Princess Aveline buttered her toast with a disapproving sniff. “Whatever comes out of your mouth is always ridiculous.”

  Naturally, Prince Liam protested, and the two siblings began bickering quietly. I seized the opportunity to look around the elegant room. It was overwhelming how many people there were, people who could potentially discover my deception.

  Princess Elodie leaned closer. “Locked in a tower or not, I do know your family has been elusive and thus you’re likely not very familiar with the other kingdoms’ nobility. Shall I point out those I know?”

  I nodded gratefully and Princess Elodie proceeded in a discreet manner. “You’ve met my own dear family. We come from Draceria, a lovely kingdom of rolling hills and countryside. Our hosts come from Sortileya, which, as you can see from your stay so far, consists primarily of woods. Bytamia is a tropical kingdom across the ocean, and they haven’t any daughters. Three of the four princes—Prince Daman, Prince Jaron, and Prince Owen—have come as official representatives of Bytamia, but I believe that’s only a cover for their true purpose: to look for a potential wife amongst all of these eligible maidens. Their eldest brother, the crown prince, is currently at sea. Then there’s the mountainous kingdom of Lyceria, with Crown Prince Nolan and Princess Lavena.”

  She motioned towards a beautiful princess with dark hair and dark eyes. At her mention, Prince Liam snorted, his nose wrinkled in disgust. Two of his sisters ignored him while Princess Rheanna gave him a sympathetic look.

  Princess Elodie continued her introductions. “Now for the nobility whose names I know, starting from the far end of the table…” She bombarded me with a multitude of names and faces that I couldn’t even hope to remember. My hand tightened around my fork with each one.

  “Are the Dark Prince and Dragon Princess in attendance?” I asked when Princess Elodie paused to take a breath.

  “Prince Deidric isn’t, but that’s the Dragon Princess over there, Princess Seren.” Princess Elodie motioned with her chin to a dark-haired, pale-eyed princess who, while beautiful, looked as sour as her name implied, and she so happened to be glaring directly at me.

  I flinched and hastily looked away, but I could still feel the heat of her gaze watching me, as if she sensed an imposter in her presence and meant to expose me.

  “Are you quite alright, Princess Gemma?” Princess Rheanna whispered, her voice as quiet as she’d been throughout the conversation.

  I lowered my own voice. “Princess Seren is staring at me.”

  Princess Elodie subtly glanced over and narrowed her eyes while Prince Liam snorted. “Oh, she’s a real gem and is an expert at making friends. You’ll get along swimmingly with her.”

  Princess Aveline whacked his arm. “Be nice, Liam. Seren is a lovely girl.”

  Prince Liam gaped at her as if she’d lost her mind.

  Princess Aveline daintily bit her lip. “Although I admit she does tend to have interesting moods…”

  Prince Liam muttered something indiscernible beneath his breath before turning a charming smile towards me. “Ignore her; it’s what everyone does. And if you are forced to interact with her and discover she doesn’t like you, don’t take it personally; she doesn’t like anyone. She’s really quite—”

  He broke off as Princess Lavena rose gracefully from her seat. He gasped and ducked beneath the table. Princess Elodie giggled while Princess Aveline looked aghast.

  “Liam, get off the floor at once. You’re a prince.”

  He didn’t emerge, but his voice drifted from beneath the tablecloth. “No, thank you. I’m having an enjoyable morning so far and don’t fancy it ruined, which it will be if she spots me. Tell me when she’s gone.”

  We all watched Princess Lavena motion to one of the attending servants lining the wall—a woman who looked uncannily similar to her—and walked towards the door. She paused in the doorway to smirk towards Prince Liam’s empty seat, as if she knew she’d riled him and was pleased by her achievement. After she left, Princess Elodie peeked beneath the table.

  “She’s gone.”

  Prince Liam released a pent-up breath as he settled back in his seat and leaned his head back. “Disaster averted.”

  “So is this the new approach to dealing with Lavena?” Princess Rheanna asked. “Rather than ignore her, you feel it prudent to hide from her instead?”

  “Ignoring her doesn’t always prevent our interacting. Why take a chance?”

  I swirled my eggs around my plate with my fork. “Why do you dislike her?”

  “She’s my intended.” Prince Liam spat the word out like a curse. “I almost didn’t escort my sisters to Sortileya when I heard she’d be here.”

  “Why is your fiancée competing for Prince Deidric’s hand if she’s already engaged to you?”

  “In case he miraculously wants her,” Prince Liam grumbled. “As far as I’m concerned, he can have her.”

  Princess Rheanna frowned sympathetically at her brother. “Poor Liam is having difficulties with his arranged engagement, but Father won’t let him wriggle out of it, no matter how many schemes he tries to come up with in order to do so.”

  Prince Liam groaned. “I’m not giving up. Until we’re stuck together, there’s still hope of escape. After all, you managed to break your own arrangement.”

  Princess Rheanna gave a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Ah yes, she was that Princess Rheanna, the Dark Prince’s ex-fiancée. I surveyed her objectively. She not only seemed charming—why hadn’t Prince Deidric wanted her?—but she seemed in perfect health, with no signs of having been slowly poisoned by her fiancé. Naturally, that particular rumor of Rosie’s was unfounded.

  A sharp pang filled my heart with thoughts of dear Rosie and poor, worried Mother. By now, Rosie had likely come up with a myriad of tragic stories to explain my absence. I only hoped she didn’t share any with Mother, who was undoubtedly frantic enough without any help from my overdramatic, story-loving best friend. They likely believed I’d fallen vi
ctim to some horrible fate.

  “I have a brilliant idea, Liam.” Princess Elodie’s cheerful voice yanked me from my worries. She swiveled in her seat towards me, expression hopeful. “Make a match with another princess while you’re here and perhaps Father will allow the engagement to be broken. Gemma seems the perfect choice.”

  My cheeks burned as Prince Liam straightened to study me. He smiled approvingly. “You’re truly lovely, Gemma, but unfortunately my execution warrant has already been signed, sealing my fate.” He made a show of pretending to stab himself with an invisible knife, throwing his head back, and slumping.

  Princess Elodie’s face crumpled that her matchmaking had failed. “I suppose it wouldn’t have worked if Deidric had picked her.”

  My heart lurched. Oh no, he couldn’t pick me. He wouldn’t even have the opportunity to. As soon as breakfast was over, I’d make my escape, somehow.

  “What do you know of the prince?” I asked.

  “Surprisingly little, considering our engagement,” Princess Rheanna said.

  “That isn’t surprising at all.” Prince Liam concentrated on stacking his empty dishes into a pyramid while Princess Aveline looked on with disapproval. “I don’t know anything about Lavena except that I don’t like her. I couldn’t even tell you what color her eyes are, not that I care.”

  “You’ve never attempted to get to know her,” Princess Aveline said. “And stop stacking your dishes like a child.”

  He flashed her an unrepentant smile as he carefully balanced cutlery at the very top. “Before you go on about my embarrassing myself, may I remind you that I’m not here to woo the prince, and I doubt our friendship will change over stacking a few plates.”

  I startled. “You’re friends with the Dark Prince?”

  Liam chuckled. “I am indeed friends with the Dark Prince.” He shuddered theatrically. “He hates it when I call him that, hence I do it at every opportunity, even when he’s not present. Despite his reputation and my antics, I’ve managed to survive our friendship thus far, despite some close calls.” He winked and I managed a smile.