“Princesses don’t make pastry dough,” Thad said, his dark eyes on hers.
Ari snorted. “This one does.”
“Princesses also don’t snort.” Thad’s voice was strained, but he didn’t sound angry. He hadn’t sounded angry since the night they’d fled from the bounty hunter who’d killed their mother and awakened to the news that the entire royal family had taken sick and died, leaving Thad, in the absence of any other blood relation to the king, with an uncontested claim to the throne. Instead, Thad sounded tense. Worried. And grieved in way that even Ari, with her shared heartbreak over their mother’s death, couldn’t seem to touch.
“I did not approve of her helping,” Mama Eleni declared as Ari straightened her shoulders and walked out of the pantry with Cleo at her heels.
“You specifically told me not to use so much butter,” Ari said.
“Lies! The king was very clear that you are only to do the things a true princess would do, and I would never disobey him. Even when I am understaffed, and he has yet to fill my requests for more help.” Mama Eleni reached out with her rough hands to tug Ari’s hair out of its knot and smooth it behind her ears. “Look at our princess in a gown. Ready to dance! Maybe you’ll find a nice young man tonight and be swept off your feet. Now, no kissing behind the ballroom pillars, and no—”
“Stop, Mama,” Cleo said as Thad tugged on his collar as if it were choking him, and the princess’s cheeks heated. This wasn’t a fairy tale. She was in more danger of losing her footing while dancing than of being swept away by a handsome nobleman’s kisses.
Ari’s stomach fluttered as Thad took her arm and turned toward the hallway that led to the ballroom. Casting a desperate look at Cleo, she asked, “You’ll be there?”
“Of course. I’ll be the girl with the tray of fizzy wine.” Lowering her voice, she cast a quick glance at Mama Eleni, who’d turned away to supervise the assembling of the fruit platters, and then gave Ari a reassuring smile. “If you need me to accidentally dump wine on anyone, just give me the signal. You’ll be fine. This will be over before you know it.”
“No dumping wine on anyone.” Thad pulled Ari out of the kitchen. “No sending signals of any kind.”
“Cleo was kidding.” Ari pushed her nervousness and her longing for her mother into a corner of her heart and tried to pretend she felt up to the task ahead as she matched Thad’s pace down the white stone hallway that connected the kitchen to the ballroom. Arched windows lined the passage, and long, sheer curtains fluttered in the sea breeze that swept in through the open windows and chased the lingering heat of the summer’s day out of the palace. Bells rang from the palace’s tower, sonorous and deep, announcing the beginning of the coronation ceremony.
The same bells had announced the royal family’s funeral three weeks earlier, and black bunting still fluttered from the tower in honor of their deaths.
“I know Cleo better than that,” Thad said. “She may be the accomplice instead of the instigator when it comes to the two of you, but dumping beverages on unsuspecting people is a habit of hers. Remember what happened when we were twelve?”
Ari snorted. “You deserved it.”
“Maybe I did.” He slowed his pace as the door to the ballroom came into view, spilling a cacophony of voices and music into the hallway. “Ari, I’m serious about you acting like a proper princess tonight. It’s important.”
“Why? You’re the king. You’re the one everyone is here to see.”
Thad glanced at the doorway and spoke rapidly. “We can’t hold a kingdom without alliances, both from within and without. Tonight there will be a host of potential allies in that room. Members of Súndraille’s Assembly, royalty and nobility from seven of the ten kingdoms—”
“Including Eldr?”
“Yes.” He gave her an exasperated look.
Ari brightened. “I’ll be in charge of courting a relationship with the Eldrians. Draconi make excellent allies.” And if she was really lucky, maybe she could convince one of the Eldrians to step outside and shift into a dragon for her. She’d always wanted to see a dragon in real life. Maybe the dragon would even give her a ride. Thank the stars she’d had Cleo cut her out of that corset. The night was starting to look interesting.
“I’m being serious, Ari.”
“So am I.”
He looked at the ceiling and drew a deep breath. “You have to be a proper princess. No snorting in scorn.”
“Even if someone richly deserves it. Understood.”
“You dance with everyone who asks.”
“Wait . . . everyone? Even if they’re old?”
“Yes. And you make polite conversation. No wayward opinions about how boring you think small talk is.”
“It’s not just boring, it’s entirely useless.” Ari twitched her skirt to the side as the first trio of maids from the kitchen, carrying trays of food for the buffet table, hurried past.
Thad lowered his voice. “It’s not useless. Think of it as an interview to see if you both understand how to be diplomatic.”
Ari sighed. “So to be clear, I’m not supposed to show my true opinion—”
“If your true opinion is something other than polite, diplomatic interest.”
“I can’t express myself with inarticulate noises—”
“Not under any circumstance.”
“I have to dance with everyone who asks, even if my feet hurt or I want to go eat some snacks in peace—”
“And that’s another thing. Don’t get caught stealing snacks.” He gave her a stern look.
Stars, not this again. “It was only the one time. Besides, technically you can’t steal something that is offered to you for free.”
“It was still difficult to explain to Lady Barlis why the newly acknowledged princess of Súndraille would stuff one of every appetizer in her handbag and try to smuggle them out of the ballroom.” Thad held her gaze. “Just be a proper princess tonight. Please. We need allies, and these people need to believe wholeheartedly that you are next in line for the throne in case . . .”
“In case you die? You’re seventeen, in perfect health, and nearly always surrounded by guards. Why are you talking like this?” Her voice was sharper than she’d intended, but his words had ignited a spark of fear she didn’t know how to extinguish. The loss of her mother was a dark pit of grief inside her. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her brother too.
He cast a quick glance at the open doorway fifty paces to their left and leaned closer to her. “There are only two of us left, and it’s my job to make sure Súndraille stays safely in the hands of a competent leader. Someone the people will follow. When—if I’m not here to rule, then you have to be ready to take my place. That means you need powerful allies. And you don’t get powerful allies unless people view you as a real princess. A true heir to the throne.”
There was an edge of desperation in his voice, and she studied him for a moment. He’d lost weight in the three weeks since the rest of their family had died. She’d baked obsessively—it was the only thing that kept her grounded in the chaotic upheaval of her new life—but even Thad’s favorite dessert hadn’t tempted his appetite. His formal coat hung a little loose across his shoulders, and his high cheekbones were sharp slashes in a face that otherwise looked remarkably like her own—golden-brown skin, full lips, and the wide dark eyes they’d both inherited from their father.
Whatever burden of grief Ari was bearing, his was twice as heavy. The weight of the kingdom had fallen across his shoulders, and if he needed her to pretend she was comfortable acting like nobility, she could do it. They only had each other now.
Before that thought could worm its way into her heart and send another piercing ache through her veins, she forced herself to give him a little smile. “Fine. No scorning dumb ideas, no turning down dances with potential allies, no complaining about small talk, and no sneaking a Draconi into the garden for a little midnight dragon ride. You really know how to take the fun out of things.�
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Thad laughed—a quick burst of merriment that seemed to surprise him as much as it did her. Tucking her arm in his, he said quietly, “Thank you. You and me against the world, right?”
She pressed her free hand against her fluttering stomach and took a deep breath. “Always.”
TWO
THE CORONATION SPED by in a blur of droning words from the head of the noblemen’s Assembly, the unfamiliar weight of the crown on Ari’s head, and the stomach-churning knowledge that the eyes of Súndraillian nobility and the invited representatives from seven other kingdoms were focused on her. It was a relief when the ceremony concluded and the dancing began. At least now she had to deal only with the scrutiny of one dance partner at a time.
Also there were the delights of the buffet table to consider.
Three hours later, Ari was busy wishing a pox upon the ballroom and everyone in it. She’d danced with every person who asked (oh joy). She’d made small talk until she was in danger of losing her mind (more joy). And she hadn’t put a single snack into the beaded bag that hung from her wrist (one giant stinking heap of joy).
She’d been the most proper princess who ever set foot in a ballroom, if you didn’t count the times she’d accidentally stepped on the hem of her gown and been forced to clutch her dance partner to keep from tripping. Three hours of behaving like royalty and all she had to show for it was a headache and a list of dance partners who’d wanted to talk only about Thad and the sudden death of the royal family as if she might spill a tidbit of gossip for them to devour.
Lord Hamish from Ravenspire had speculated that someone from the Assembly had poisoned the king, queen, and baby prince in the hope that Thad would make a more malleable ruler. Sir Jabin of Balavata had talked for ages about the economic ramifications of having a seventeen-year-old king whom half of Súndraille seemed to distrust. Lord Kadar of Akram had winked and assured her that many a throne had been taken with bloodshed and there was no shame in it.
But none of the foreign guests was as bad as her partners from Súndraille itself. Each wore a black cravat in honor of the mourning period that would continue for another three weeks. And each asked razor-sharp questions that both grieved and infuriated Ari. She had her answers memorized by now.
Yes, their father had asked them to leave the palace after the baby prince’s birth, but he hadn’t done so out of anger, and he’d given them a generous stipend to help them build a new life somewhere else.
No, she hadn’t realized the queen had placed a bounty on their heads and ordered their deaths so that there would be no competition for the throne.
No, Thad hadn’t killed the royal family. They’d all died in their sleep from some sort of blood disease while Thad and Ari had been several cities to the west of Súndraille’s capital, Kosim Thalas.
Yes, Thad was capable of ruling. He’d been raised to assume the crown, and she’d yet to meet anyone who took the responsibility of his position more seriously than her brother.
Her current partner, Lord Pachis, hailed from the eastern coast of Súndraille and was old enough to be her father. Her cheeks ached from smiling up at him while he lectured her on the rigors of ruling a kingdom where crime was growing and the economy was shaky. When he launched into speculation that Thad might not be up to the task, Ari stopped listening.
Over his shoulder, she caught sight of the beautiful queen of Ravenspire, who was dancing gracefully with her new husband, the king of Eldr, despite the length of her bloodred gown.
Beautiful, graceful, and married to a dragon. Sometimes life was so unfair.
Lord Pachis paused and looked at her expectantly. Ari cursed silently and ordered herself to remember what he’d just said. Asked. Whatever.
She came up blank. She’d been too busy being jealous of Queen Lorelai to pay attention to anything else.
He frowned. “I meant no offense, Your Highness, but it is a pressing question on the minds of many in the noble class.”
“What question?”
His frown deepened. “The issue of parentage and bloodlines. How do you and the king propose to deal with those who say a bastard shouldn’t be given the throne? Especially when the royal family died under mysterious circumstances and the new ruler is of such a tender age—”
Ari barely managed to keep a pleasant expression on her face as she said, “I propose that those who have an issue with the coronation take it up with their representatives from the Assembly. Thad was declared the lawful king because he and I are the only remaining blood relatives of King Waldemar, and Thad is the elder twin. The royal family’s death was determined to be caused by a blood-borne disease. Unless you’re suggesting that the entire body of the Assembly is somehow involved in covering up murder with the intention of putting a seventeen-year-old on the throne, I would like to stop having this discussion.”
He blinked and drew back.
Her stomach dropped, and her cheeks heated. She’d been too blunt. Too outspoken for a princess who’d only been invited to the coronation because Thad had refused to cooperate with what was expected of him unless she was given equal consideration. She’d offended Lord Pachis, and she couldn’t afford to give anyone more reason to distrust Thad and speak ill of him behind his back.
“Forgive me, my lord. I am not myself.” She tried a wide smile, though it felt like her lips were stretched too thin across her teeth. “I’m afraid that after three hours of dancing, I’ve become quite famished and am feeling a bit light-headed.”
He glanced once at the generous curve of her hips and then stepped back and bowed. “I can see that you are not accustomed to going a few hours without food. Allow me to procure some refreshment, Your Highness. Perhaps a bit of fruit and some lemon water.”
Ari caught herself midsnort and tried to swallow the noise. The terrible, half-choked gurgle that caught in the back of her throat sounded for all the world as if she intended to vomit.
Lord Pachis’s eyes widened. “Are you quite well?”
“Thank you for the dance, my lord.” Ari turned on her heel and hurried away before the duke could insult her again or renew his offer. Who danced their feet off for three hours and then pretended to be refreshed by a bit of fruit?
Not this girl. She needed meat and at least three pastries. Lord Pachis could think what he wanted.
Ducking away from the dance floor, she limped to the massive tables set up along the northern wall, grabbed a plate, and filled it. Popping a stuffed date in her mouth, she turned and scanned the ballroom, skimming over the busy dance floor and the clusters of people conversing over full plates of food until she met Cleo’s gaze. Her friend was standing near a clump of ladies in bright, frothy gowns, her face expressionless as she held a tray half full of wineglasses.
Just past Cleo, another middle-aged nobleman caught Ari’s gaze and began moving toward her. Panic tied her stomach in knots at the thought of having to endure one more round of diplomatically answering another set of questions while dancing on the packed ballroom floor. The room was too warm, too close, and the clash of voices and music surrounding her felt like it was closing in.
Ari met Cleo’s eyes once more, glanced around the room, and then jerked her chin toward an open door that led out to the palace gardens. Cleo instantly began weaving her way through the guests as Ari hurried along the edges of the room and out the door.
The moment she was outside, she drew in a shaky breath and willed herself to be calm. Lanterns with tiny bells hanging beneath them swayed from the branches of the trees closest to the ballroom. A path of crushed stone cut through lush flowering bushes, whose waxy blooms filled the night air with a honey-sweet scent. The distant thunder of waves against the palace cliffs and the chirrup of crickets in the trees eased the panic that had driven her from the ballroom.
A breeze drifted through the garden and cooled the heat from her skin. She slipped her shoes off to let her feet sink into the luxurious carpet of grass that edged the bushes. Taking a bite of a crepe stuff
ed with beef and sweet cheese, she tipped her head back to gaze at the stars that dusted the heavens like silver sugar.
Maybe somewhere in the night sky, her mother was looking down on her. Maybe she already knew the kind of trouble Thad was facing with his subjects. The kind of trouble Ari was having adjusting to being a real princess.
Ari closed her eyes and remembered her mother’s soft voice. Telling Ari not to scrub the floors because she’d chap her hands. Consoling Ari when the king refused to acknowledge her by weaving stories of poverty-stricken princesses who did heroic deeds and saved kingdoms. Urging her to take care of her brother, who lived beneath the weight of his father’s expectations without the benefit of his love.
“I’m trying,” she whispered, hoping her words would somehow find their way to her mother’s ears.
“What are we doing out here?” Cleo asked as she came to stand beside Ari, the tray of wineglasses still in her hands.
“Escaping.” Ari opened her eyes.
“If I escape for too long, Mama will hear of it,” Cleo warned, though she made no move to go back inside.
“I’ll cover for you. I can’t go back inside yet. If I have to suffer through one more conversation about how Father and his family died or why Thad is too young to take the throne, I’m going to forget how to be diplomatic.” Ari took another bite of crepe.
“I doubt Thad would like that very much,” Cleo said as she set her tray of wine down and stretched her back.
“What wouldn’t I like?” Thad had left the ballroom and joined them. His black cravat was still perfectly tied, his dress coat impeccably smooth, but he looked haggard. As though a bone-deep weariness was consuming him. Maybe this was what being king did to a person.
Or maybe, like Ari, his night had been filled with people speculating about his ability to rule Súndraille and the possibility that the royal family’s death had been a convenient way for Thad to come into power.
The Wish Granter (Ravenspire Book 2) Page 2
