Throne of Threats (Ducal Detective Mysteries Book 5)

by Sarah E. Burr

  Waving a hand aside, the Duchess ushered her guests to follow her into the castle. “I know. It just helps calm my nerves, that’s all.”

  “Nerves? Whatever are you nervous about?” Giovanna asked, her button nose wrinkling in confusion.

  Jax looked at her companions, unease written all over her face. “I don’t know. I just feel like I’m too happy. I can’t rid myself of the feeling that something is about to burst my bubble.”

  Charles folded his sinewy arms across his chest. “Have you been sleeping well of late?” His frayed physician robes swished across the stone floor as they walked, a reminder of his expertise.

  Nodding, Jax waited while two of the palace guards pushed open the large doors to the banquet hall. “Again, I’m sure it’s just nerves. It’s been a while since Saphire has hosted so many delegations from around the realm.” Due to the circumstances surrounding her hasty coronation, many of the other leaders had not been able to attend on such short notice.

  “I’m sure Uma is doing everything in her power to make it all seem effortless,” Carriena commented, her eyes flickering to the lady-in-waiting.

  Something in Carriena’s gaze unsettled Jax. It almost looked as though she were giving Uma some kind of warning.

  Unfazed, Uma simply smiled. “The only thing I’m worried about is Jax getting wedding cake all over her dress. Everything else is already arranged and taken care of.”

  The reference to Jax’s love of sweets sent the group into giggles as they cascaded through the doorway into the grand dining room.

  “All right, I shall leave you all to catch up. I have a few items to attend to. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly if there are any questions or concerns about your rooms,” Uma said before gracefully bowing out of the small reunion.

  “She seems to be taking her job seriously,” Carriena muttered under her breath as Uma glided away, loud enough for Jax to hear.

  The Duchess frowned at the not-so-subtle tone. “Whatever is that supposed to mean? Why wouldn’t she?”

  “Well,” Carriena shrugged, “it’s just I wasn’t expecting her to be so good at her role, in all honesty.”

  Charles and Giovanna exchanged timid looks with one another, clearly uncomfortable with the topic Carriena had broached.

  Jax’s brow furrowed. “I hope you’re not suggesting Uma incapable of the position simply because of her common-born roots.”

  Carriena paused, looking around as if gauging the reactions of the audience gathered around her. “Well, I mean, it’s not as if there’s ever been a common-born lady-in-waiting before, Jax. Of course, I’m surprised.”

  Folding her arms, the Duchess looked at her friend with muted disgust. “I would have thought you of all people would be supportive of my decision.”

  Carriena’s eyes narrowed at the heat in Jax’s words. “Why? Because I know Uma personally? Yes, she’s been your shadow since the Academy, but I never saw her as more than a lady’s maid. I was surprised as anyone by your announcement naming her your lady-in-waiting. I mean, it shook the very foundations that the realm was built upon. Not to mention we now have a common-born Duke.”

  Since the Rebirth, a time long ago when the corrupt overlords of the land were deposed and the Realm of Virtues was founded, the duchies had been ruled by royal blood, descended from those first anointed when the realm was established. Darian Fangard, with the support of Jax and her allies, was the first common-born man to rise to the station of Duke, becoming the leader of Cetachi. At the time of this historic decision, Jax had also announced that Uma would be her lady-in-waiting, hoping to signal change across the duchies that commoners could rise to positions normally reserved for those from noble houses. It was clear from Carriena’s reaction that the decision had not been received as warmly as Jax would have liked. But she asked the more important question that this was all leading to. “Does your father feel the same as you?”

  Carriena waved a hand. “I’m not sure he even fully understands what you’ve done. He actually laughed at a petition made by one of our common folk to become a Courtier.”

  Jax thanked the Virtues Uma was not around to hear this conversation. “Well then, I shall make it a point to talk with him when he arrives for the ceremony. Both you and he might benefit from speaking with Duke Cetachi.”

  “It sounds so odd to hear that title.” Charles jumped into the conversation, looking as if he desperately wanted to change the subject. “After growing up hearing stories of the wild north, to now see it civilized is truly amazing.”

  “Yes, and Darian Fangard sounds like a fascinating young man. Father so badly wants to meet him,” Giovanna chimed in. “I think he’d make for a dashing protagonist in a new drama.”

  Jax gave the siblings a gracious smile. “I shall make the introduction personally, then. I do think you’ll enjoy his company,” she said, with a pointed look at Carriena. “Until then, may I interest any of you in afternoon tea?” Her words heralded the arrival of the dining hall staff pushing golden carts glittering with sweets and snacks.

  “Perhaps I sounded cross because I haven’t eaten in hours,” a chastened Carriena conceded, her expression a silent plea for forgiveness.

  Jax wrapped an arm around her friend’s slender shoulders. “A cherry tart can cure anything.” She laughed as she popped one of the fruity pastries into her mouth.

  The remainder of the hour was free of tension, each of the four friends taking turns bringing everyone up to speed on the goings on in their lives.

  Charles was just finishing a particularly outrageous tale about having to treat an entire delegation from Savant for wine poisoning when Perry entered the room.

  Once hugs and greetings were exchanged, Perry sank into the chair next to Jax.

  “Any pre-wedding jitters, Lord Pettraud?” Carriena asked with a teasing smile.

  “Just that I can’t believe it’s finally happening. It seems like I’ve been waiting my whole life to marry this beauty,” he said, squeezing Jax’s hand with a reverent tenderness.

  Giovanna looked completely smitten by the remark. “How romantic. I still cannot believe we were aboard the ship when you proposed,” she said with a sigh, her words bringing them all back to the incredible sea voyage.

  “What’s hard to believe is that it took even that long for Perry to pop the question,” Carriena quipped, grabbing another chocolate biscuit to stuff in her mouth.

  Perry held up his hands in surrender. “How many times do I have to apologize for being slow on the uptake?” he joked.

  Jax noticed his palms were smudged with blue and green paint. “How is your latest project coming along?” she asked, picturing him hard at work at his easel in the blossoming palace gardens.

  He wagged a finger in answer. “You know it’s a surprise. You’ll just have to wait and see, Duchess.”

  Jax, never fond of waiting, rolled her eyes in response.

  “I was expecting to be surrounded by strapping young men during this celebration, Perry.” Carriena sat up in her chair and looked around the massive hall, empty save for their little gathering. “Jax promised me handsome faces to fawn over. Where are all your friends?”

  Running a hand through his dark, curly hair, Perry blushed. “Well, I thought they’d be here by now, but I guess my friends aren’t as keen to see me as you all were.”

  Even though he hadn’t shared much about his guest list, Jax had risked a quick peek at the invitations before Uma had sent them out. It looked like Perry had invited a handful of Pettraudian lords, but it surprised Jax that none of them were his brothers. Perry was the youngest of seven sons, but since he hardly ever spoke about them, anyone would think he had no siblings. Only recently had Perry’s relationship with his father improved, and that was due mostly to Perry saving his father from a maniacal killer last winter.

  “Tell us about your friends,” Carriena prodded. “I need to know who best to set my sights on.”

  Jax smiled inwardly, thanking her
brazen friend for being the one to drag these details out of Perry. As much as Jax wanted to pry, she also didn’t want to risk hounding him if he wasn’t entirely comfortable sharing his former life in Pettraud.

  Perry’s crossed arms reflected his unease with the topic. “I’m not sure there’s much to tell. I was introduced to the Viscounts through my father. I suppose I’ve known Edmund and Skander the longest. We were tutored together.”

  “Fascinating,” Carriena drawled, rolling her eyes at Perry’s unenthusiastic descriptions.

  Jax searched her memory for their official titles. “Edmund is the Earl of Windale and Skander is the Baron of Eveluce?”

  “Are those provinces in Pettraud?” Charles inquired. “I haven’t been there in years.”

  Taking a long sip of now-lukewarm tea, Perry nodded in response to both questions. “Yes. I think you all will get along smashingly.”

  “Who are these Viscounts?” Giovanna asked.

  “Bran and Emyr are the sons of Marquess Carwyn. He’s one of the richest noblemen in Pettraud and a staunch friend of my father’s. Our friendship was formed more out of necessity than desire.” A slight frown danced across Perry’s angular features. “Not that they aren’t decent blokes. In fact, I think Carriena will find Emyr particularly engaging.”

  Her eyes lit up, clapping her hands in anticipation. “Excellent. I can hardly wait to cast a spell on him.”

  Jax giggled, already feeling sorry for the young man. He had no idea what was coming for him.

  “Your Grace?” A steward entered the room, bowing as he interrupted the group. “It appears Lord Pettraud’s guests have arrived at the gates. Shall I send for escorts?”

  Jax leaped from her seat. “I believe these gentlemen deserve a royal welcome, don’t you, Carriena? Giovanna?” She could tell from their expressions that the young women were intrigued by these potential suitors.

  Beckoning everyone to follow her, Jax took Perry by the arm and trailed after the steward. “I am so excited to meet your friends. It will give me a glimpse of the life you led before coming here.”

  “It was a bleak life, at that.” Perry kissed her temple as she chuckled.

  Jax decided she needed some fresh air after being cooped up in the palace all day, breezing past the entrance hall and out onto the veranda. The afternoon sun caressed her cheeks, stretching its rays out across the majestic courtyard. From atop the marble stairs, she could see an ornate carriage unloading at the gates of the palace. While not as opulent as her own, she was nonetheless impressed with the regal splendor of the coach. If she hadn’t known who her guests were, she might have assumed it carried a ducal ruler.

  A beat after their arrival, one of the carriage doors swung open and raucous laughter burst across the garden. It was followed by the appearance of four figures emerging from within.

  “Perry, you old cad, is that you?”

  Jax’s eyebrows nearly touched her hairline at the words. Considering the rank of these young men, she had expected them to follow proper decorum.

  Tensing at her side, she could almost feel the embarrassment radiating off of her fiancé. “Excuse me just a moment, my love.” Clearing his throat, Perry took the stairs two at a time, racing toward his Pettraudian companions.

  “Perry!” His arrival was greeted with a chorus of hoots and shouts, along with considerable roughhousing. Watching the reunion from afar, Jax would have loved to have overheard what words Perry shared with his friends after being separated from them for so long, but as he had respected her private reunion with her friends, she would do the same.

  The clamoring died down as the five young lords strode up the immaculately groomed pathway leading to the palace steps. Jax and her friends took this time to properly appraise the new arrivals.

  It was hard to determine which one Perry thought Carriena would take to, as all four men were equally handsome in their own right. Even from a distance, their bright amber eyes glinted with mischief, denoting their noble rank.

  “May I present to you the Illustrious Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier,” Perry said with a sweeping gesture, signaling for his companions to bow in the presence of the realm’s most revered leader. “She is joined by Lady Carriena, Crown Princess of Isla DeLacqua, Sir Charles of the DeLacqua Court, and Lady Giovanna of Hestes.”

  Bowing in greeting, the four men each stepped forward to kiss the Duchess’s hand before introducing themselves.

  The tallest of the group, with black hair and a speckling of freckles, cleared his throat. “Greetings, Your Grace. It is an honor that we celebrate your betrothal to our dear friend. I am Baron Skander Eveluce.”

  Jax dipped her chin with a smile. “I am thrilled to welcome you to Saphire, Baron.”

  He gave her a playful look. “I hope the rumors that you’ve adopted our moniker for young Pettraud here are true and that you will come to call me Skander.”

  “Ah, I might have guessed Perry’s friends were the source. His father doesn’t seem the type to hand out nicknames,” Jax said with a chuckle, and she was pleased to see Skander beaming with approval at her joke. Her days at court were so often consumed by stuffy old courtiers that she relished the attention of people her own age.

  “Come now, Skan, you’re drooling.”

  The deep, silky voice dragged Jax’s focus to the figure it belonged to. His dark, ebony skin heightened the intensity of his amber eyes, and his gorgeous face looked like it had been constructed by an artisan. Perry did have very attractive friends, indeed. Sizing up his impressive muscles rippling under the sleeves of his tunic, she guessed his identity before the words left his mouth.

  “Viscount Emyr, Your Grace. Perry’s words have not done you justice. How a sod like him ended up with a creature like you…”

  As Jax laughed, she could hear Carriena’s dreamy sigh behind her. “You are too kind, Viscount, for the real beauty here is my dearest friend Lady Carriena. Have you met?” She skillfully directed Emyr’s attention to a suddenly coy Carriena.

  As Emyr kissed her hand and murmured seductive words, Carriena flashed a grin of thanks Jax’s way.

  Turning back to the remaining two arrivals, Jax commented dryly, “That’s got to be a record in matchmaking.”

  “I hope your friend is up for the challenge. My brother can be a handful.”

  “I was just about to say the same thing of Lady Carriena. You must be Bran, then?” While not as smoldering as his brother, Bran cut an attractive figure. His chin was covered with a well-groomed beard and golden spectacles rested on his strong nose, giving him a look of distinction. If she had to guess, Jax would peg Bran as the more intellectually inclined of the two.

  “And that leaves Earl Edmund Windale,” she said, turning to the last new face. Even though she didn’t know their exact ages, Jax would have been shocked if Edmund was not the youngest of the four. His face still contained a youthful roundness, but his warm smile made him angelically handsome. His brown hair was cut close to his scalp, and while he stood shorter than the others, Jax doubted he would have any trouble holding his own, due to his impressive muscles.

  “An honor, Your Grace. I have not been to Saphire since I was a small child. It certainly has bloomed under your rule.”

  “Well, I’m so glad you all were able to join us.” Jax beamed, surveying the group. “Poor Perry has been trapped here by himself for far too long. I do hope you’ll make your visits a regular occurrence.”

  Coming to her side, Perry squeezed her around the waist. “I haven’t regretted a minute since I got here.”

  Skander playfully clutched his throat and pretended to retch. “Oh gag, Perry. I definitely won’t be coming back if I’m subjected to this mushiness the entire time.”

  Raucous laughter sent the birds in the nearby trees into a frenzy, their wings carrying them off to more peaceful nests. “That’s what happens to women when Ed enters a room,” Emyr said with a smirk, sending the group into a fresh onslaught of laughter.

  “
Well, why don’t we let you get back to your friends, Duchess? Perry has boasted about the countryside enough in his letters that I’m dying to go for a ride and see for myself if he’s just been blinded by love.” Bran looked at his companions, who nodded their agreement to the suggestion.

  “Of course, please, enjoy yourselves. You have the run of the stables.” Jax summoned one of her stewards forward to escort the young men to the horses.

  Carriena’s lips pursed with a pout. “I like horseback riding, Jax. Why don’t we join them?” she asked as they watched Perry and his friends swagger away.

  Jax held up a hand to silence further protests. “Goodness, woman, slow down. Let them have a little time to reconnect. Then you can have your fun.”

  Crossing her arms, Carriena sighed. “You’re much too patient for my liking sometimes, you know that?”

  “It comes in handy when running a duchy. You might want to try it sometime,” Jax said, knowing her friend would one day inherit her father’s nation.

  Carriena’s eyes darkened in reply. “I doubt it’s a skill I’ll ever need.”

  Before Jax could process her cryptic remark, her other guests diverted her attention.

  “Duchess, might we take a few moments to settle into our rooms? Then maybe a tour of the castle?” Charles suggested. “I am most eager to see your legendary archives.”

  A hand flew to Jax’s forehead. “How could I have been so rude? Here I am, dragging you around and I haven’t even let you rest!” She looked apologetically to Charles and Giovanna. “I suppose I’m just so excited to see old friends, I forgot my duties as a hostess.”

  “No trouble at all, Duchess. It has been wonderful catching up with you,” Giovanna reassured her, “and once I get my second wind after a quick respite, I hope the fun continues.” She looked down the path that the Pettraudians had taken. “I wouldn’t mind getting more familiar with Earl Windale.” She raised an eyebrow suggestively.

  Her brother’s face sprouted red with embarrassment. Ever his sister’s protector, Jax was sure that was the last thing he wanted to hear.