by Kiera Cass
Etan shook his head, but it wasn’t in disagreement or defeat; he looked as if he wished he’d come up with this first.
“I’d just need to speak with her. Alone.” I placed my hands across my stomach, the urgency of all this making me feel queasy again. Once more, I wished I had something to eat.
“The tournament’s tomorrow,” Aunt Jovana said. “She’ll certainly be there. There has to be a way to get a note to her in the busy crowd.”
“Then that’s our plan,” Uncle Reid said resolutely. “Hollis, write a note to arrange a meeting with the queen. Tomorrow, we will get you close enough to give it to her. Whatever time you designate to meet, we will try to arrange a distraction.” He sighed. “And we’ll figure out the rest after that.”
“Bravo, Hollis,” Scarlet whispered, reaching out to take my hand.
“Save your praise until this is over. Then I expect to be showered in your unending affection.”
She giggled. “Done.”
Everyone stood to go to bed, and Mother came over to kiss Scarlet’s and my cheek. “My brave girls. Good night, my loves.”
We turned, still hand in hand, and Scarlet rested her head on my shoulder.
“Two decent ideas in one day,” Etan said. “You must be positively exhausted.”
“Too exhausted to argue.”
“Thank goodness. Oh! Here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of bread wrapped in cloth. “I thought that would help your stomach.”
I stood for a moment, staring at it.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t poison it. I was all out.”
I smirked and took the bread. “Well, if you were out. Good night.”
“Good night. Good night, Scarlet.”
She nodded at him, smiling to herself as we headed back to the room. I took tiny bites of the bread while I sat at the small desk, composing a short note for Valentina. I was happy to help my family, but deep in my heart, I just wanted to embrace my friend again. Hopefully, I’d get to do just that tomorrow.
Sixteen
“EVERYONE ELSE HAS ALREADY GONE,” Scarlet told me, coming back into our room. My resolve had faded with the new day, and I was a bundle of nerves. I still wasn’t used to these Isolten dresses, and the fit of the sleeves was taking longer to adjust than I’d hoped. The rest of the family had left to find a good position for communicating with Valentina while Scarlet stayed behind to help me get properly dressed. “Don’t worry,” she said in what was meant to be a calming voice, “we have plenty of time.”
“I know. I’m just so flustered. What if I can’t get the note to Valentina? And if I do, what if she can’t talk to me? And if she does, what if she won’t help us?”
“Then we’ll come up with another plan,” Scarlet said sternly to my reflection. “Now, this is the last knot, so be still.”
I was tied securely into my gown, weighed down in Isolten sleeves, and as ready to face the crowd as I was ever going to be.
“Don’t forget this,” Scarlet said, handing me my handkerchief. Sometimes I looked at my possessions from Coroa and had the sensation I was looking at something that belonged to another person in another time. I’d loved my handkerchiefs so much. I’d embroidered my initials into them myself, added the gold trim all on my own.
Swallowing hard, I crammed it up my sleeve, hoping to keep it mostly hidden. I knew it was also customary in Isolte to give out tokens, but I just didn’t have the heart for it anymore. With Jameson, it felt like we were snubbing the meanest ladies when he took my favors, and it was a pure thrill when Silas picked my handkerchief from the grounds and wore it. But now? Here? It felt wasteful, foolish. If I didn’t have something important to do, I’d have hidden from the whole affair. Besides, who in their right mind was going to take a favor from me?
Scarlet and I marched outside, and I stayed behind her, knowing she was my guide today. On the west side of the castle, a large tournament ground stood. It was bigger than the one at Keresken and covered in Isolten blue.
I could see the illustrious stand set up for the king, its tapestries billowing in the breeze. Special guests were already sitting in the box, with many others cramming into the areas nearby. I spotted Valentina there, her one lady sitting directly behind her. Uncle Reid was in place, too, diagonal from the king’s box, holding on to a perfect position for us to slip a note if the moment arose.
“Lady Scarlet?”
She jumped a little before turning to the voice.
“I’m sorry!” the rider said from his horse, lifting his visor to show embarrassment painting his freckled face. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Julien?” Scarlet guessed tentatively.
“Yes. I’ve been wanting to say hello to you, but I haven’t been able to catch you on your own. You seemed to be in the heart of a dozen conversations last night, and I didn’t want to intrude.”
His eyes were bashful, and I could see his posture belonged to someone desperate to get a moment right, but fearful they were getting it wrong.
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Julien. It was a bit overwhelming. I’m hoping to simply sit back and enjoy the spectacle today.”
“Of course,” he said, flustered. “I don’t want to keep you. I just wanted to extend my condolences about your father and brothers. And to tell you I’m glad you’re back in Isolte. I suppose you’re not up for dancing just yet, but the court has looked dull without you.”
His freckles disappeared under a blush.
“I believe that,” I commented, diverting attention. “Even the ladies in Coroa were envious of what a keen dancer Scarlet is.”
Julien gave a quick nod in his helmet. “High praise, indeed. I got to go to Coroa last year for the king’s meeting. It was one of the most entertaining trips of my life.”
I returned his smile. “I’m glad.”
Seeming unsure of what else to say, he turned his attentions back to Scarlet. “If your family needs anything, please let me know. It sounds like you all came back in a rush, so if you . . . that is, if there’s something you didn’t bring or . . .”
“Thank you, Julien,” she said, saving him from his bumbling.
“And . . . I hate to be a bother, but could you do something for me?”
“I’ll try,” Scarlet answered hesitantly.
“I’ve already asked two girls for their favors and was denied. I didn’t think you had anyone special at court . . .”
“Oh! No, I don’t mind at all.” Scarlet pulled off her handkerchief and placed it in Julien’s palm. “Here.”
I didn’t miss that his hand wrapped around hers, holding it just a moment longer than necessary. And while I knew Scarlet was in no place to be courted, she didn’t jerk away.
“Thank you, Scarlet. I’ll feel a lot better having your token with me. Wish me luck!” He trotted off to join a pool of other young men dressed in metal suits, and I moved Scarlet toward the Northcotts.
“Family friend?” I wagered.
“Yes. We’ve known the Kahtris our whole lives,” she confirmed. “It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen Julien, though.”
“He seems nice.”
“Yes.” She tilted her head, watching him. “I’m glad he has my handkerchief. Some of the riders get on edge if everyone else has one and they don’t.”
I pushed mine deeper into my sleeve and sighed. “We’ll have to applaud the hardest for him when he rides.”
She nodded but said nothing else. I wasn’t about to get my hopes up, and I certainly wasn’t going to mention this to Mother, but Scarlet had hardly been speaking, hardly been smiling. Anything that gave me a glimmer of the girl who walked into my apartments a few months ago so ready to dance was welcome to me. So I was now Julien Kahtri’s biggest supporter.
We walked around the field, waving to Mother, who looked pleased to find us in the crowd.
“Look at all those riders,” I said to Scarlet, pointing to the jousters set up under the trees, talking and laughin
g as they waited for the festivities to begin. “This could go on for most of the day.”
“Don’t worry,” Scarlet began. “I planned on pretending to faint after an hour or so to get out of here anyway. You can come tend me.”
“You were going to abandon me? I’m wounded!” I teased.
“I said you could come, too!” she wailed in mock complaint, her eyes glimmering with mischief.
We took our seats next to Mother, Aunt Jovana, and Uncle Reid. I looked over my shoulder and made eye contact briefly with Valentina. She was close enough to call out to, but I couldn’t say a word. I had to find a way to approach her.
“Excuse me?” I didn’t turn at first because I knew no one here, but then Scarlet tapped me on the shoulder and pointed me to the trio of girls looking right at me.
“Oh. Um, yes?”
“You’re Hollis, right?” the girl in front asked.
“Lady Hollis,” Scarlet corrected her.
“Yes, of course,” the girl said, her tone almost too sweet. “We were curious . . . we heard that before you married Silas, you were engaged to King Jameson. Is that true?”
I looked between the three of them, trying to understand their curiosity. Majority or minority? Friends or enemies?
“Not exactly. I was never given a ring, but it was close.” I shrugged. “It was hard to tell where being his favorite dance partner ended and being his betrothed began . . .” Even this little bit of information felt like I was saying too much. I realized even after all this time, I was still trying to figure out just who I was to Jameson.
I supposed I was his fiancée in a way, even if it never made it onto paper—and thank goodness for that. A shudder went through me as I thought about promises on paper.
“Anyway, I married Silas, found myself a sister,” I added, looking over to a hesitantly pleased Scarlet, “and my dearest friend shall soon be queen of Coroa. I hope. I’m very pleased for both her and King Jameson.”
One of them shook her head. “So, you gave up being queen?”
“Yes,” I confirmed.
“On purpose?”
“Yes. To marry Silas.”
The girl in front crossed her arms. “King Quinten was right. All Coroans should be tossed into the sea.”
The words were as sharp as a slap across the face, and they left me breathless.
“What?” Scarlet replied sharply.
“Silas was handsome and all, but that’s just common stupidity. Who passes up a crown?”
I glared at this girl. “And were you first in line when King Quinten was looking for a new bride?” I snapped quietly.
She swallowed and raised her head, looking at me down her nose.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Leona Marshe!” Mother scolded. “I’m tempted to tell your parents about your disgraceful words.”
Leona finally looked away from me, shrugging as she did. “You could try, but I’m confident they’d agree.” With that, the three girls walked off, and I was left dazed.
I didn’t look around, not wanting to know who had overheard. It was true that in my short time at Chetwin Palace, most of my interactions had been kind, even positive. This one was so cold that it froze all the others from my memory.
“We can leave,” Scarlet offered sympathetically.
“I’m not leaving.” I stared ahead, looking at the first riders as they set themselves up, refusing to give away just how shaken I was. “We still have a job to do. I can’t go anywhere until that’s done.”
Seventeen
I KNEW THE RULES OF the joust well enough, as it had been Jameson’s favorite event. The goal was to land a hit on the other rider’s shield as he passed in the opposite direction, and you received even more points if you knocked the man to the ground. There were other rules, too, about the speed of the horse or hitting a helmet, which would take away points as quickly as you’d earned them, but all anyone cared about was watching someone getting hit.
I wasn’t particularly fond of the sound of lances hitting armor, and I was still haunted by the three men I’d seen die during the sport, one at Jameson’s own hand. But regardless of what happened today, I refused to leave the arena.
I kept looking over my shoulder. I needed to get to Valentina.
“Are you all right?” Uncle Reid asked after a few rounds.
I nodded.
“Good. Here.” He handed me his handkerchief. “The queen looks warm.”
I supposed in Isolte, this weather could pass for warm. I took a deep breath and snatched up the handkerchief, carefully sliding my note into the folds. I watched Valentina intently as I approached, hoping to convey wordlessly that this was more than a gesture. But first, I went to her husband.
“Your Majesty,” I greeted him. King Quinten looked up, realizing I was the one addressing him. I had a difficult time just looking at him, watching him enjoy sport while so many were gone at his hands. Did it not plague him? Did it not keep him awake at night? I took a breath and launched into my practiced lines. “I wanted to take an opportunity to apologize for last night. I was nervous and may have spoken out of turn. I’m very sorry, and I wanted to thank you for welcoming me—and my family—into your home.”
He eyed me curiously. “Not a terrible idea about the land,” he said, though it was clear the words tasted like vinegar in his mouth. “You’re quite attached to being a clever thing, aren’t you?”
“I’ve found it unwise to be attached to anything these days, Your Majesty.”
He gave a lone chuckle. “In your case, I couldn’t agree more.”
My blood started to boil at his casual attitude. I supposed my fractured heart was of little consequence to anyone else in the world, but seeing as he was the cause of it, he could at least have the courtesy of keeping his disgustingly crusty mouth shut about it.
“All the same, I’m talking to my men. I should have been in the Coroan history books long before now. I’m already mentioned in Great Perine’s and Catal’s. There’s still time for more.” He waved me away.
I curtsied, thinking and feeling too many things, and then turned to face Valentina. “For your brow, Your Majesty. You look warm.”
She took it graciously and I retreated without another word, afraid to look back and see if she found the note.
“Nicely done,” Mother said when I got back to our seats.
“I’m shaking.”
“It will be fine,” she assured me.
“It’s not just that . . . it’s Quinten.” I swallowed, trying to slow my heart. “I don’t want to waste my life hating someone, but it’s almost like he welcomes it. He’d rather be known for being wicked than never be known at all.”
She wrapped an arm around me. “If I have anything to do with it, a day will come when you won’t have to remember his name, period. None of us will.”
I placed my head on her shoulder for a moment, allowing myself to be held. I had to believe that if Quinten could speak so callously to the victims of his crimes, he had to be careless enough to leave proof somewhere. Somehow, we would find it. We’d find it, the people would rally behind Uncle Reid, and we would make things right for Isolte.
As the tournament went on, I was hardly able to keep up with what was happening in front of me. When the crowd applauded, I joined in. When they gasped, I followed suit. Everything was explosive and quick, and my mind was dizzy simply from trying to sit still and watch.
I’d been too distracted to notice the rider who had stopped just in front of us, and I was thankful that I managed not to scream when I turned to find a lance before my face. When it didn’t move, I realized he was waiting for my favor.
“This isn’t funny,” I mumbled to Scarlet.
“Hollis . . . it’s Etan.”
I turned, staring through the slits of his visor. I could barely make out his eyes—the same blue-gray that was etched into every stone I passed. Yes, it was absolutely him. And then I realized the enormous kindness he was showing me, the state
ment he was making to everyone in that crowd. I was welcomed in his family; I was welcomed in Isolte. The Northcotts didn’t distrust Coroans. So why should anyone else?
I stood, pulling the handkerchief from my wrist and tying it to the end of his lance.
“Thank you,” I said quietly.
He only bowed his head before moving back to the edge of the field.
“Have you ever seen Etan joust before?” I asked Scarlet as I sat back down.
“Many times.”
“Is he any good?”
She tilted her head. “He’s gotten better.”
“That’s reassuring,” I replied with a roll of my eyes. “If he gets hurt, that’s going to look really bad.”
She rested her head at a slant, looking at the field. “But imagine how spectacular it will look if he does well.”
It was another four matches before Etan pulled up to the end of the field. My handkerchief was now tucked into his armor, the fringes of lace and gold just peeking out along the side of his neck. I hoped that, at the very least, he wouldn’t somehow have his helmet ripped off or break an arm. Winning wasn’t nearly as important as him simply walking away unscathed.
I clutched my hands over my heart as the flag dropped and Etan and his opponent flew toward each other. For something that was usually so jarring, his run felt slow. I could feel the beat of the horse’s legs driving into the ground, and every cheer moved like cold honey through my ears. When Etan’s lance finally made contact with the shield of the other rider, it sounded like thunder was ripping open the sky. And then, as if it took no effort at all, Etan had knocked his opponent off the back of his horse, sending him to the ground.
He took off his helmet and ran over to make sure the other rider was fine. Once it was clear the grounded competitor was uninjured, screams erupted from the stands, and I think he must have heard mine over all of them. Our eyes met, and he wore an expression of absolute shock. I could not stop cheering.
