At this, Rushton started slashing wildly, pushing Edward backward until he had him pinned against the wall. “Like I said, you are skilled with the sword, but you will never best me.” His eyes glittered in a challenge.
Edward pushed him off, and they went at it again. Rushton stepped back and lost his footing on a loose stone. He fell backward, giving Edward the advantage he needed. He stood over Rushton, his sword pointing at his chest. “I have won,” he said triumphantly. “You will now tell me the truth before I haul thy miserable bones back to the dungeon where you will await your trial.”
“Well, fair is fair, after all. And since you are standing over me with the point of thy sword aimed at my chest, I suppose ‘tis time to tell thee …” He paused long enough for Edward to lean in slightly to hear, then he used his leg to sweep Edward off his feet. In the time it took to draw in a breath, the scene shifted dramatically. For now Edward was on the ground, disarmed, and Rushton was standing over him, pointing both swords straight at Edward’s heart. Rushton flashed a mirthless smile. “You broke the cardinal rule.”
Edward shot him a hateful glare.
“You called the battle prematurely, underestimated thine opponent.” He shrugged. “A pity you will never know the truth. A pity you will never know whether or not she truly loves you.” He looked him in the eye. “You will never know for sure if it is you … or me she is thinking of when her lips touch yours. I will always be there between you. You will never be rid of me.”
“I need to know the truth.”
Rushton got up in his face. “The fact that you keep asking tells me that you do not deserve her!”
“Please, you owe me that much.”
“On the contrary, I do not owe thee anything.” He raised one of the swords to Edward’s neck. “Any debt that I owed thee was scratched out the night when you wrenched away my love and hauled me off to the dungeon! Do not dare speak about my owing thee a thing!”
The guards stepped forward to intervene.
Rushton smirked. “Here they come to save thee. Just as I thought!”
“Stay back!” Edward warned. “I gave my word.” He gave Rushton a scathing look. “And unlike the present company, my word is still worth something.”
Rushton stepped back and lowered the swords. He tossed Edward’s back to him with a shrug. “I always was the better fighter.”
Edward’s eyes burned. “And I am the better man.”
“That remains to be seen,” Rushton said quietly. He motioned to Jack. “Get the gold.”
Jack jumped to action and went to retrieve the bag from one of the guards who was clutching it with a death grip. He held out his hand. “If ye please …”
The guard looked to Edward for permission. He would not release his grip until he saw Edward nod. Jack looked at Rushton. “We must go, before he changes his mind.”
Edward stood and faced Rushton. A world of memories flowed between them, seeping out and running dry, as they stood, eyeing each other.
Rushton clamped his lips together into a thin line. “I am sorry it had to be this way. Despite what you think, I do wish thee well, for you were like a brother to me once.”
Edward’s jaw went hard. “Run! Run away from my kingdom and never come back. I am letting you go this time, but if I ever see you again, we will end this thing once and for all. I promise you that.”
“Goodbye, Edward,” Rushton said quietly. He threw down the sword and walked away, not looking back.
Chapter Twenty
Running Out of Time
“My dear, do you realize what time it is?”
Elle didn’t have the slightest idea. She looked to Rae for help, but she was just as clueless. She gave Adele a dubious look. “Almost time for band practice? As soon as Rush and Jack get here?” The three of them were sitting in the attic, waiting for Rush and Jack to arrive, so they could begin their practice for tomorrow night’s gig.
Adele chuckled. “No, silly girl, it’s almost time for your birthday. And we need to have a proper celebration.”
“It is?” Elle tried to think. Ever since the accident, her life had been a jumbled mess. Strange, but she’d not given a single thought to her birthday. A flutter of panic went through her. She couldn’t even remember the date. This was getting ridiculous!
Adele picked up on her dismay. “No need to fret. Your birthday is next Wednesday.”
Rae gave Elle a funny look. “Did you really forget the date of your birthday?”
How humiliating! She hated this memory loss thing! She’d not even thought to ask when her birthday was. “Yes,” she said glumly, “I did forget my own birthday.”
“Oh, don’t be too hard on her,” Adele countered smoothly, giving Elle an encouraging nod, “she’s had a lot on her plate lately, and it’s about to get worse … much worse,” she muttered to herself.
A jolt of fear stabbed through Elle. The sides of her throat felt like sandpaper as she swallowed. She had to force the words out. “What do you mean … things are about to get worse?”
“Oh, fudge pudding! Did I say that out loud?” Adele looked at the ceiling. “Are you sure? I could’ve sworn I’d only thought it.”
Elle wanted to scream! Her aunt could be so dang frustrating! Before she could say anything, Rae put a comforting hand on her arm. “Don’t pay any attention to her,” she whispered. “She’s a sweet lady, but she’s a couple short of a dozen, if you get my drift.” She made a circling motion over her ear. “Cuckoo. Look at her, she’s carrying on a conversation with the ceiling.”
Adele gave Rae a sharp look. “I’m disappointed in you. Contrary to what you think, I am not cuckoo.”
Rae’s face grew crimson as her eyes flew open wide. She started fiddling with the string on her zip-up jacket. “I’m sorry, I meant no disrespect. I was only trying to put Elle at ease.”
Adele began twirling a finger around one of her tight curls. “I see.” She gave Rae a rushed smile with her lips, but her eyes remained somber. “You are a good friend, but even a good friend can’t stop this storm. The only way to survive it is to face it head on—without fear.”
Elle felt a smidge of sympathy for her best friend when she saw the look of confusion that came over her face. Then Rae glanced out the round window in the center of the wall of the attic where the sky was perfectly clear.
She looked at Elle. “There’s no storm,” she said unnecessarily.
Elle shook her head, giving her a warning look that said, Zip it! It was futile to argue with Adele.
Adele gave Elle a knowing look. “Yes, arguing is futile, my dear.”
She’d read her thoughts again! There was so much she wanted to ask her about the shadow crawlers and everything else, but she couldn’t—not while Rae was here.
“Yes, the questions will have to wait,” Adele said, her eyes never leaving Elle’s. “Let’s talk about your party. I thought we’d have a big bash downstairs. I’m going to make you a chocolate cake. Would you prefer milk or white chocolate, dear?” She chuckled at her joke.
Elle caught her meaning instantly. “Well, seeing as how I had a hard time remembering my birthday, I’m thinking that a white chocolate cake would be more appropriate—to help me remember.”
Adele looked pleased. “As you wish.”
Rae was looking back and forth between the two of them, a puzzled expression on her face. “You lost me … white chocolate? Remembering? I don’t get it.”
There was no way Elle could even attempt to explain it. She only shook her head. “A family joke.”
“Oh,” Rae said, but she didn’t look too pleased about being left in the dark.
Adele stood. “Rae and I have some birthday plans to discuss.”
“Okay.” Did that mean Adele wanted to discuss those plans only with Rae?
“Yes, dear, that’s exactly what I mean.” She gave her a mysterious smile. “Everyone should have a couple of surprises on their birthday.”
Rae also stood. “Do you want t
o discuss it downstairs … in the bakery?”
“That would be splendid!” Adele clasped her hands together.
Elle glanced around the attic and at the band paraphernalia scattered around the room. “I guess I’ll stay up here and wait until the guys arrive.”
“No,” Adele countered, “come down with us. You can step outside and sit on the front steps … keep a watch out for the guys.”
She made a face. “Do you really think it’s necessary for me to go out and keep watch? They’ll just come inside when they get here. I can stay up here and go over a few chords—”
“You need to be outside when they arrive,” Adele said firmly. Her eyes met Elle’s. “Trust me on this.”
She stood. “Okay.” She didn’t know what in the heck was running through Adele’s mind, but she knew better than to go against her wishes.
When they got downstairs, Adele pulled her aside and motioned at the cuckoo clock. “It is getting faster still,” she uttered in a low tone, glancing over her shoulder at Rae who was standing by the bakery case, salivating over the truffles. She gave Elle a meaningful look. “We are running out of time!”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Elle whispered, searching Adele’s face. It wasn’t often that Adele got ruffled, but there was an apprehensive current of energy running through her, and Adele seemed to be attempting to convey some sort of message, although comprehending that message was like trying to discern an intelligible snippet of conversation from Pig Latin.
A faint twinkle lit Adele’s eyes. “Pig Latin, huh? I’m not sure I even know what that is, dear. To answer your question, I don’t know what’s about to happen … exactly. Only that I can’t shake this feeling that something pivotal is about to take place.” She ran a hand through her hair, looking thoughtful. “Do you ever get that feeling?”
Elle rocked back, a quiet panic racing through her. Her legs suddenly went as wobbly as rubber bands, and she became lightheaded. “I felt that way this morning,” she whispered through tight lips. She could tell from the knowing look on Adele’s face that her admission didn’t surprise her in the least.
“Whatever this portent is that’s looming over us … it will rear its ugly head soon enough, I suppose.” She placed a hand on Elle’s shoulder and offered her an encouraging smile. “Remember, courage will vanquish whatever darkness may befall us. You are stronger than you think.”
“Okay, you’re starting to scare me.” She cast a look in the direction of the antique door with the oval glass in the center. It suddenly looked ominous. “Now, I’m thinking that maybe I shouldn’t go outside. What’s about to happen?”
“You will know soon enough. Remember, be courageous! You are stronger than you think.” Adele gave her a tender look. “Go on then,” she said brusquely, giving her a slight push toward the door. “You mustn’t keep the future waiting.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The Banquet
“I have never before beheld this many candles in one place. There must be over a thousand.” Josselyn eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Aye,” Cinderella agreed, “a splendid sight.” Her voice was flat, uninterested.
“You could at least pretend to be enjoying yourself,” Josselyn said, helping herself to a second piece of bread from the tray directly in front of them. She topped it with a thick layer of butter and then took a large bite.
“You might want to slow down on the eating, or you will soon be unable to fit into any of my gowns.”
Josselyn made a face. “Must you be so hateful all of the time? You are just vexed because Edward refused to sit by you.”
Cinderella felt heat rise to her face. “You are mistaken. I chose to sit here with my family.”
Josselyn gave her a sickly, sweet smile. “Sure you did. Be careful, my dear, or I’ll sick Mother on thee. Mother asked me how the two of us were getting along, and to my credit, I lied and told her well.”
“Thy magnanimous nature astounds me, dear sister.”
“I will not allow thee to spoil this evening for me,” she said with a huff, but Cinderella noticed that she’d pushed the bread off to the side and was nibbling on berries instead.
Cinderella felt a momentary twinge of satisfaction at having gotten the better of Josselyn who seemed to take a peculiar delight in Cinderella’s misery and insisted on defining herself as being the opposite of her. If Cinderella hated something, she loved it. If Cinderella were miserable, she was jumping for joy.
She shifted in her seat so that she was facing away from Josselyn. For the first time, she looked around at her surroundings. Josselyn was right. The banquet hall was a magnificent sight with the silver platters laden with boar, hens, geese, pheasant, heron, crane, rabbit, and venison. They were now in their second of three courses. The first course had consisted of meat pies, a thick pottage, and sweet tarts filled with dates and honey. The soft glow of the candles added an element of mystery to the evening. Under different circumstances, Cinderella might’ve found it charming, but tonight, the flickering candles cast unnatural shadows over the guests, making them appear sinister and secretive. Her eyes rested on the boar’s head, prominently displayed in the center of the table. A large red apple was stuffed into its mouth, compelling it to wear a macabre smile. Even in death, the boar was forced into submission. She suppressed a shudder and willed her thoughts elsewhere.
There were two long tables running parallel, each seating approximately sixty people, the majority of them being nobility, all arranged according to their affluence or rank. The simple fact that these people had been invited to a royal banquet meant that they were important. Those seated nearest to the king and queen were the most prominent of them all. Her gaze went to the royal table at the head of the room. It ran perpendicular to the two long tables so that its occupants could look out over the guests. The king and queen were seated in the center. Merek, the king’s most trusted advisor, was seated to the left of King Aalexander and then there was Edward, looking especially regal in an emerald green tunic. His blonde hair mimicked gold in the dim light, and she was struck by how royal he looked. Had he been carved out of stone, he wouldn’t have looked more fitting of the title crown prince. She studied him dispassionately as if he were part of the elegant furnishings surrounding them. A feeling of loneliness overwhelmed her. He was as much of a stranger to her as was his mother, Queen Loreena, who was sitting unnaturally straight with her tightly coifed hair and layers upon layers of ruffles creeping up her neck.
Despite what she’d told Josselyn about wanting to sit with her family, it was Edward who had distanced himself from her. Cinderella had been more than a little surprised when she learned that she was not to be seated next to Edward. She should’ve suspected it considering how frosty and distant his demeanor had been prior to the banquet. When he escorted her to her seat, he was woodenly polite and made some excuse about needing to sit alone at the royal table for appearance sake. If only she’d been smart enough to mask her expression when Rushton’s name was mentioned in the garden. She’d let her true feelings show, and it was going to cost her. Now it was up to her to placate Edward, a task that was growing impossibly wearisome. As if reading her thoughts, his eyes met hers. He gave her a slight smile before turning his attention elsewhere. Had Edward found Rushton? Was Rushton back in the dungeon? Did he escape? The desire to know his whereabouts and how he was fairing was burning her up inside. Her head began to throb, and she gripped the arms of the chair.
She turned to Seraphina, who was seated to her left. “I am feeling rather poorly. I think I will retire to my chamber.” She pushed her seat back to rise, but Seraphina gripped her arm, the coldness of her touch seeping through the fabric and onto her bare skin.
“Attendance at this banquet is mandatory.” She offered a tight smile. “Sit down,” she growled through clenched teeth. “I’ll not have thee embarrassing the family.”
Stunned, Cinderella complied.
Seraphina’s voice became soothing, a
nd she started rubbing Cinderella’s back. “Drink some ale, my dear. It will help thee to feel more at ease.”
Cinderella nodded and reached for the goblet, her hand shaking.
Seraphina summoned a servant with the flick of her hand. “The princess would like some wine.”
Nay, she didn’t want wine. She didn’t want ale, and she certainly didn’t want to endure a third course. A goblet of wine was placed before her.
“There. Drink it, and you will feel better,” Seraphina cooed. Her voice was syrupy but her eyes were cold. “Drink it,” she demanded.
Cinderella nodded numbly and drank. The wine felt like fire going down her throat, but she swallowed it down nevertheless. She looked at the boar’s head. Its vacant eyes mocked her. You and I are not that different, it seemed to say. I’m dead and so are you … you just don’t know it yet.
King Aalexander stood and held up his arms. “My loyal subjects. The queen and I are honored to have thee in our presence.”
A rustle went through the guests.
The man across from her stood. She recognized him as a duke from a neighboring manor. He raised his goblet. “To the King … Aalexander the Just.”
Goblets were raised all around.
“Long live the king!”
“Long live the king!” came the repeated phrase, almost simultaneously throughout the banquet hall.
King Aalexander seemed pleased. He motioned for the group to be silent. “We will now enjoy some entertainment.”
All eyes turned to the minstrels’ gallery, an elevated platform adjacent to the royal table where the musician’s and other entertainers performed. Right on cue, a jester stepped out from behind the brocade, velvet curtain. His exaggerated movements and bright clothes reminded her of a colorful bird. His funny antics elicited bursts of laughter from the guests. The laughter was infectious and by the time the third course was underway, there was an overall sense of merriment in the hall.
Love Spell: Book 2 of The Grimm Laws Page 25
