by Cege Smith
“You will find water and clothes to change into, Princess. It would distress my Master to have an audience with someone still dripping in the fluids of one of his loyal subjects.”
Angeline shivered and nodded. She was just as eager to change. She ducked into the doorway and it was just as the girl said. Inside the small room was a basin full of water that smelled fragrant after her recent encounter with the bog water, and a beautiful silk gown that looked like it had been swept straight out of her closet in the palace. In the far corner was a mirror. Angeline washed quickly and slipped the gown over her head.
She heard a knock on the door and the girl slipped in. “Do you need assistance, Princess?” She gestured for Angeline to stand in front of the mirror.
As she turned toward it, Angeline saw herself for the first time since her whole ordeal had started, and her jaw dropped in amazement. Although she had always understood that she was attractive, her face had always retained some of the chubbiness of her younger years. Her skin had always tanned easily so that she had a healthy glow. But the person standing in front of the mirror was no longer a girl in any way. Her face had lost all of its cherubic roundness, and thus the strong Robart jawline was revealed. Her body was full in all the right places, and her waist had gotten even smaller. But the biggest change was the paleness of her skin. It contrasted dramatically against the deep violet of her eyes and her dark black hair, and intuitively she knew that any man seeing her would desire her.
“Your Majesty is pleased with your transformation?” Becca said smugly as she yanked on the strings at the back of Angeline’s gown.
“I don’t look like me anymore,” Angeline said, touching her face. “No one will recognize me.”
“Lucky for you, no one has seen you in quite some time,” Becca said.
Angeline turned, stopping the girl’s work. “Am I going to be able to go home?”
The girl shrugged. “If that is what my Master wishes. We should hurry. You don’t want to keep him waiting much longer.”
Angeline turned back around and stared deep into the mirror. She had truly become someone else. She could only hope that someone else could rule a kingdom. Too soon it seemed, Becca tied the final string and announced that she was ready.
Angeline followed her back out into the hallway, and then they proceeded toward the large wooden double doors at the end. Angeline wanted to turn and run as they approached it, but Becca scampered ahead and pushed open the doors.
Angeline stepped into the room and was immediately struck by a vision of the moon. High above her head, the ceiling was open to the night sky. As her gaze came down, it settled on the chair across the room that sat up on a pedestal several steps off the floor and the man sitting in it.
It was Malin Baford.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
“Malin?” Angeline felt like her head had been sent spinning anew.
Malin stood and swept down the stairs to stand in front of her. He took her hands in his and looked pained. “Angeline. Your father has been so worried about you. He will be relieved to see that you are safe.”
“What are you doing here, Malin?” As surprised as she was to see him, she felt something else blossoming in her heart. Hope. If Malin was here, perhaps there was a way she could go home after all.
“The Clan thought that it would be prudent for you to see a familiar face,” Malin said with a small smile.
Angeline shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“No, no, of course you wouldn’t.” Malin took her arm and led her back toward the pedestal. Two chairs had appeared on the floor in front of the steps, and he gently guided her into one and sat down in the other. “I’m not at liberty to discuss everything with you yet, at least not as long as your father lives. But my family has ties back to the Clan, just as yours does.” He gestured to Becca, who had retreated to the far edge of the room. “There is a reason that a Baford has always been the Chief Advisor to the king.”
Angeline remembered something else that Caspian said. “So you are a magician.”
Malin looked surprised, but he covered it quickly. “Many in my family have been gifted, that is true. But our lineages are not the reason why I am here. We find ourselves in quite a predicament, don’t we?”
In her shock, Angeline had forgotten. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks, but she refused to look ashamed, not in front of Malin. “If you truly do have the ear of the Clan, than I have heard that they have many secrets. Perhaps even a cure for my…ailment.”
Malin sat back in his seat and crossed his leg over his knee. The casualness of the gesture bothered her, and she sensed that it bothered the one inside her as well. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. It wouldn’t do to let Malin see that thing that crawled just below her consciousness.
“The Clan is willing to offer some assistance in that regard. A full out cure is, shall we say, out of reach at the moment. But there are things that can be done to tame the more extreme behaviors and tendencies. Things that would ensure you are in control at all times.”
Red flags were flying in Angeline’s head. She was her father’s daughter. She knew a negotiation was afoot. But never in ten million years would she have ever suspected she would be negotiating her life and her future with Malin. He was supposed to be part of her future, not an obstacle to it.
“What is it the Clan wants?” she asked as she straightened her skirts. She sat back against the high back of the chair so that she was sitting perfectly straight.
“The Clan wants what is best for Altera,” Malin said.
Angeline threw back her head and laughed. It felt good to finally be doing something that was familiar to her. “Malin, I am glad that the Clan and I have similar goals, but I doubt that it is as easy as that. There is always a price. I am not a little girl any longer. So stop being coy and tell me what it is.”
She waited. She stared deeply into his blue eyes and thought again of how long ago that night had been when he had kissed her in the turret. It seemed like another life that had happened to another person, and in a way it was.
“The Clan is concerned about the intentions of the Vampire Master, Alron. I understand you were in the company of his son.”
Angeline nodded as if talk of vampires was everyday conversation. “Indeed. In fact, did you know that this Alron took Alair Robart’s daughter as his vampire bride?”
She saw the glint of surprise in his eyes again. Good.
“Oh yes, Alair told me himself,” Angeline said.
Malin shot forward in his chair and grabbed her arm. “What are you talking about? What have you done?”
Angeline stared hard into his eyes. “Let me go.”
Malin squeezed her arm just a bit harder and Angeline could feel the demon clamoring to be freed. Then his hand relaxed and he scooted back in his chair. “You did something very stupid, Angeline. Very stupid. The Robarts were never conjurers, and if you did what you say you did, you could have gotten yourself killed.”
“I didn’t have a lot of choice in the matter, Malin,” she snapped. “I was trapped in the middle of the Amaron Forest with who knows how many vengeful spirits who wanted nothing more than to kill me. Not to mention two vampires who seemed intent on using me to their own ends.”
“Two vampires? My informant said there were three,” Malin said calmly.
Angeline blinked. “Three. Yes, I meant three.” She closed her mouth before she said anything else. He couldn’t know anything more about Connor. In the back of her mind, she desperately hoped that he was okay.
Malin continued, “You asked what the Clan wants and I’ve told you. They can bind your demon here, in Craven, until a time when it makes sense for you to pursue the full cure. You will still feel its pull, but it will no longer be able to sway you or your decisions. This will allow you to safely return to Brebackerin, as your human self, and be by your father’s bedside when he dies, and ascend the throne as is your birthright.”
“In exc
hange for what?” Malin’s words were too good to be true. Which is what made her dread his next ones.
“The Clan only asks that from time to time, decisions will need to be made concerning Alron and the Grand Counsel. At those times, you will do as I advise you in my capacity as a conduit to the Clan. This is all very standard practice and has been in place for over a thousand years.”
“And if I don’t?” Angeline wanted to stand up and tell Malin that she would never agree, but she knew that he had her.
“The Clan will have no choice but to release your demon back to you, which will return immediately and likely it will completely take you over for quite some time. It would be more than enough time for you to cause complete and total chaos among your subjects. Which I can assure you, Alron would love nothing more.”
Angeline knew that she had been neatly boxed into a corner with no possibility of escape. Her father had always told her that the queen needed to be able to make impossible decisions and have the fortitude to live with the consequences of those actions. She was certain he had never envisioned a situation like this.
She stood and moved to the middle of the room and looked up at the moon. Connor was out there somewhere in the night. It was very possible that she would never see him again. The thought made her want to cry, but queens did not cry in front of their subjects. She took a deep breath.
“I accept.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
No matter what she did, the voices in her head wouldn’t stop despite the fact that the moment that would define Angeline the rest of her life was just around the corner. She knew that was something that lingered as part of her wraith abilities. She felt lost, even though almost every waking moment of her eighteen-year-old existence should have prepared her for it. She was sure that the moment those gathered for her Ascension saw her they would all know the truth; she was a fraud and a liar. The voices whispered and gurgled and she couldn’t make them stop. She had never felt so alone.
Stupidly, she wished that he was there, but he couldn’t be. She knew that. Just knowing that he was close by would have calmed her nerves. It was a childish desire and it rankled her that she had come to depend on him so quickly. Queens didn’t have the luxury of waiting for someone to come to their rescue. Her constant companions were duty, responsibility, worry, and guilt. These were a queen’s emotional captors, especially when it came to making decisions that affected all of the people who she had been born to protect. Now that her father was dead, there was no one left to make those decisions but Angeline. She had paid a terrible price for that right.
She was such a silly girl. She still wondered where he was and if he had returned to his old life. She wondered if he thought about her at all. What she should be thinking about was that Altera was sinking into a darkness that could spell the end of days for everyone. Her people didn’t see it yet; the surface of those lies just was just beginning to wear. Angeline knew, and it was a secret that she had to hide until she found another way; her current options were grim.
Angeline stared deeply into the mirror in front of her. The dress she was wearing had been custom made in three days. The lace veil that would be brought down from the crown of her head to cover her face was her mother’s. The heavy jewels that circled her throat were part of a treasure trove an ancient ancestor had brought home after the last mighty battle that secured the Robart bloodline as the rightful rulers of Altera.
Her hand reached up and lightly brushed the tiara on her head. It didn’t seem real. The deep violet hue of the rich fabric of the dress matched her eyes. Her long black hair had been tamed, temporarily in any case, and twisted into a tight bun at the base of her neck. It was giving her a headache. Her pale skin seemed almost translucent and accented the dark circles underneath her eyes. But it wasn’t long days spent sequestered at her father’s bedside that had robbed her of her naturally rosy glow and caused the sleepless nights that haunted her. No one would know the real reason though; her cover story had already been carefully spread. She knew that anyone looking at her would see the vision of a queen, but she had no idea who she really was anymore.
Little more than a month ago she had been so sure of herself and her destiny. She had been ready to take on the world and rule her kingdom as her father had—with kindness but force when necessary, just as he taught her. That was before she knew the truth; everyone she had ever trusted had been lying to her. Even though she understood they thought it had been necessary, those lies had set in motion a series of events that would destroy Altera as it existed today and would certainly take her down with it. Even he had lied to her.
In such a short time, he had turned her world upside down. Connor. She wanted badly to hate him and to deny that he had any hold over her. But he did. Just as everyone had lied to her to protect her, she was now lying to herself about feeling anything for the man who had burst into her life and left it just as suddenly. She barely knew him. It was especially soul wrenching because she was set to walk down the marriage aisle in three days. She was promised to someone else, someone who had lied to her just as insidiously. Altera law required that in order for a woman’s bid to the throne to be recognized, she needed to be married. It was an old and outdated law, but one that needed to be fulfilled in any case for her to change it now. Clearly the Robarts of old had never considered that their precious bloodline would end with a woman.
Her attendant, Elise, appeared by her side. “What’s so funny, Majesty?”
Angeline saw in her reflection that her lip had curled up in the corner in a smirk. She tried to think of a lie that would make sense. No one could know what she was really thinking. “Nothing, Elise. I was just thinking of when we were little and would dress up and crown ourselves queen. Do you remember playing that with me?” Angeline saw the young woman flush.
“I should never have done something so imprudent, Majesty. You were always so kind to me that it was easy to forget my station when we were young,” Elise said as she stooped to straighten Angeline’s train.
Angeline turned and caught Elise’s hands. “Elise, I hope I didn’t offend. It was a happy memory for me. Today is a big day and I am nervous. My father’s passing was so unexpected, but I hope he would be proud of me today. He always said that I had too much of my mother’s impatience to ever stand still long enough to have the crown actually set upon my head.”
The words were true. She felt like her childhood had disappeared as she ran from one obsession to another. Birds. Astronomy. Swords. Magic. She hadn’t had many friends as a result. Even then she couldn’t stand the posturing of the noble children and their parents who clearly wanted to gain favor with the king by associating their children with the young princess. The children of the servant, like Elise, had been better playmates; when she could get them to play with her.
“I know your father would wish you well today, Majesty,” Elise said as she bowed her head. She looked at Angeline from head to toe. “Your fiancé is going to be very proud of you today too. Everyone in court is excited to be part of your Ascension. We’ve never crowned a queen like this before; we are watching history in the making. And you look lovely.”
Angeline snorted and looked back in the mirror. “You’ve been in court long enough to know that my fiancé has many motivations, Elise." Since Angeline's return to court, she learned Malin Baford's popularity with the noblewomen had become legendary.
“He is eager to marry you, Majesty, and give the kingdom new heirs,” Elise said.
Angeline shook her head. She adjusted her skirt to avoid looking into Elise’s eyes. “He never liked me, even when we were children. No, I think Malin has other things on his mind.”
“He will be a good king, Majesty, and despite what you say, anyone can see how much he cares for you. He didn’t sleep at all while you were missing. He led many of the search parties himself,” Elise said quietly.
Everything inside Angeline railed at the idea that her life wasn’t her own. The other thing that queens
did not have the luxury of was love. She had accepted her fate long ago, thinking that the idea of soul mates was the stuff of fairy tales, something that was illogical and therefore not for her. Meeting Connor had made her question almost everything that she believed in. But when you were royalty, someone older and wiser than you chose who they thought you should marry, and so there was no choice in the matter. Her father had picked Malin.
“I can’t believe how accepting everyone is of him now, considering he never really endeared himself to the people. My father was so worried that everyone would not take to him,” Angeline said.
“That has changed over the last few years, Princess. The Chief Advisor was often the one who held audiences even while the king was here in residence. He has shown himself to be wise and fair. It is a good match,” Elise said as she started picking at Angeline’s gown. “Everyone agrees that your father made an excellent decision. You are securing the Robart lineage for years to come.”
“If only that could be true,” Angeline murmured. She burned with the shame of the secret truth. Her father would turn over in his grave if he knew what was going to happen now. Angeline had failed him.
“There has always been a Robart on the throne, and there always will be,” Elise said, reciting a line that was common in Altera. She seemed unflustered by Angeline’s demeanor.
On one hand, Angeline wanted to stomp her foot, leave her throne and run away as fast as her feet could carry her, but on the other, she knew that she couldn't do anything of the sort. The crazy voice in her head said that if she gave up Altera, she may be able to convince Connor that there was a possibility that they had some kind of future together. The thought was so intoxicating that she had to will herself to stand still.
Then in the mirror she watched the huge double doors behind her begin to open. It was time. Once she was queen, she would have no choice anymore. And that thought made her want to break something
