The king walked down to the far end of the table. He stood over the parchment without taking a seat. He leaned forward over the table and looked down at the documents before looking back to Jon and me.
“I am sure you are curious as to why I have called you here,” Reynard said.
“I must admit a bit of curiosity, Your Majesty. I expected your summons, but not one for my wife as well.” Jon nodded towards me, and I bobbed my head in the king’s direction. His gaze lingered on me for a moment before shifting to Jon.
“Yes, I suppose you would be curious.” He picked up a piece of parchment and walked over to us and laid it down on the desk. “Read that if you will, Duke Sixton.”
Jon frowned but picked up the document and scanned it. Once he finished, he looked up at the new king. My head had begun to feel foggy, and a dull pain throbbed in my temple. I pressed my finger to it as I regarded Jon.
“What is this?”
“Isn’t it obvious, Duke Sixton? It is an oath of allegiance. I have heard some terrible rumors that my departed brother’s death was not his ill health but foul play. Now that I am king, my subjects will swear fealty to me or else they will be executed or banished.”
“Your Majesty, I am not one of your subjects…” Jon replied.
“No, but we have mutual goals.” He pointed to the pin on his lapel, the Order of the Oak.
I gripped the table to keep myself from swaying. My ears were thrumming with my rapidly beating heart. The room swam in and out of focus, but I could see the king’s intent gaze upon me, watching and waiting.
“I see.” Jon reached for a quill that lay on the table not far from us. He did not hesitate. He is either cunning or a traitor; I cannot be sure. Pain was unfurling behind my eyes. My blood hammered through me and made a dull thudding sound that thundered in my ears. “So am I to sign on my king’s behalf as well?”
The king shook his head. “Oh no, there will be an official ceremony commemorating the recommitment of peace between our kingdoms. But you and your wife shall sign your allegiance here in these chambers to prove your loyalty to the throne of Neaux, as you are its servants.”
As Jon dipped the quill into the ink, a sick feeling struck my stomach, and I clamped my mouth down to keep from retching. The king hovered over Jon as he signed. He made his mark in loopy strokes and then slid the parchment over to me. The king’s eyes kept flickering in my direction. The room was blurring in front of me, and Jon’s face came in and out of focus. Jon must have seen something in my gaze because he shook me lightly, calling my name. Try as he might, the vision was stronger than he, and it pulled me in its grasp, and I could do nothing but sink beneath the waves.
A crowd of people surrounded me in all directions, a mixture of colors and hues. The banners of Neaux, a golden horse on red, and the silver tree upon a blue field of Danhad flickered in the wind. The crowd parted on the left side, and on the dais, Adair and Sabine took the stage. They were both dressed in deep blue, the royal color of Danhad. From the right, King Reynard joined them dressed in red and gold, with him was Sabine’s mother, Queen Celeste. She wore the black of mourning with a veil pulled back onto her dark curls. On a pedestal, in the center of the stage, a parchment and quills lay.
The kings took their places, each with a quill in his hand, side by side. Reynard bent forward first to sign. As he did, Adair removed a blade from inside his doublet. It caught the light and sparkled with malevolence. He stabbed Reynard in the back, the blade plunging into him to the hilt. King Reynard slumped forward, his arms hanging over the edge of the pedestal. Blood pooled beneath him and dripped from his fingertips and onto the earth below. The crowd did not seem to notice as Adair pushed the body aside and signed the parchment in blood.
“You have to warn him.”
I turned to see Elenna there behind me. The crowd and the stage had disappeared, and we were left alone in a swirling mist.
“Why? He is my enemy. He’s working with Adair.”
Elenna shook her head, and her long, ebony hair swung back and forth. “He has been deceived.”
The room came back in a jolt. Jon’s face swam in front of me. His brows were furrowed, and he was gripping me by both of my shoulders.
“Aoife, what happened? You lost consciousness for a moment.”
I looked past Jon to the king, who was standing over me. His arms were folded over his chest, and he regarded me without expression.
“Your Majesty, you cannot abide by the treaty. Adair will betray you to take your kingdom!” I said in a rush.
He scowled at me. “Then the girl told the truth; you have the sight.” He stroked his goatee.
I should not have spoken thusly, but the warning had just spilled from my lips. My heart launched into my throat.
Jon intervened on my behalf. “Your Highness, my wife often has visions of the future. She comes from old fortuneteller blood, her grandmother says.”
The king laughed, but there was no joy in it. “No, I know who she is, the daughter of House Diranel, the defamed house that betrayed Danhad a century ago. She is no paltry fortuneteller; she is a true diviner.”
How could he know that? I have been careful to keep my identity a secret. He’s bluffing; he has to be.
Jon laughed and the sound was full of mirth. “Your Majesty, no insults are intended, but the diviners are all but extinct. Besides, they have violet eyes and sable hair. My wife has eyes like green apples and chestnut curls.”
I touched my glamoured hair self-consciously. There is no way he can see through my disguise.
“You can trick a simpleton, but I have ears everywhere.” He walked over towards me and loomed over me. He reached out a hand and touched the pearl-drop earrings. “It is said that you held King Adair in your thrall with the power of an amethyst stone. Now you seek to deceive us with pearl-drop earrings.”
How does he know? The only ones who knew were Johai and Beau. The girl—I had gone to the playhouse twice to change disguise, someone could have spotted me. My stomach sank. There was only one person who had access to the palace and the playhouse. Is King Reynard Antoinette’s secret lover? It seemed far-fetched, yet the evidence was hard to deny.
He knew too much to be bluffing, and there was no use in denying it. “Believe what you will, Your Majesty, but I do not wish you harm. Adair will betray you and take your kingdom from you. What promises did he make you? Whatever they are, they will be your undoing.”
He had balled his hands into fists and stared at me as if he could burn a hole into me.
“He made me no promises. I heard whispers of this Order of the Oak, and I sought them out. Times are changing, and we, as leaders, must work together for the betterment of both our kingdoms.” The king’s jaw was clenched tight.
“How do your councilors like these oaths and the treaty? Do they support your decision to ally yourself so closely with Danhad?”
The king glowered, and the expression said volumes. His councilors did not approve.
Jon cut in, “I wonder, Your Majesty, have you considered that you, unwed and without an heir, maintain a precarious hold on the throne when your niece, wedded to the Danhadine king, is with child. If that child were a boy, would that make him next in line?”
Reynard’s eyes appeared ready to burst from his skull. It would appear he had never considered such a likelihood. Then Adair did not offer the boy as his heir, but I suspect that is his plan. “There is no guarantee it will be a boy. I am young and could still sire sons of my own. It is of no real concern.”
Jon crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot. “But if you were to die, say in battle, where would that leave the kingdom?”
Reynard shook his head as if trying to dispel the unpleasant thoughts that Jon had planted in his head.
“It shall be a boy,” I said. “I have seen it, and I know it is true.”
Reynard was pacing the study and did not look at either of us. I glanced at Jon and wondered what game he was playing at.
“I should turn you over to Adair and be done with you,” the king said, more to himself than us. He raked his hands through his short, curly hair.
Jon did not stand down, and I admired him for it because the king was formidable.
“As I said, Your Majesty, perhaps you should heed my wife’s vision.” He slid the paper over to me once more, and I signed it with a quick stroke.
The king turned on his heels and looked me up and down. I held my breath, fearful he would decide to turn me into Adair after all.
“Your grace?” he asked.
I found my words were lodged in my throat. I took a deep breath and willed my nerves to still, then said, “Your Majesty, I will speak to the vision only, but I would urge you keep a closer eye on your allies—Sarelle trusted once, and see where that got her.”
His face turned bright red, and I knew I had touched upon a sore subject. “If you think dramatics will sway me, you sought out the wrong person. The treaty shall be re-signed, and now that I am king, we will usher in a new age. Adair is a boy and green at that. I have been lord of the army for more than a decade. If he was to betray me, I would lead my army and destroy him.”
“Please, Your Highness.” I stood up and swayed on my feet. The vision had weakened me, but since it was a short one, it did not take as much out of me as usual. “You must listen. If you do not heed my words, it may mean more than your death; it could mean the destruction of everything.”
“Enough, I have had my fill of your nonsense. Please leave before I have you removed.”
I wanted to press him, but we had no other choice. The king’s ears were closed to us. We bowed and excused ourselves.
“I am sorry about that,” I said when Jon and I were alone once more.
“Think nothing of it,” he said. “You cannot control the visions. This is an interesting development. Adair plans to betray the king. Not very surprising; with the boy yet unborn, he may even name himself regent.” Jon tapped his chin in thought.
“I would imagine so,” I replied. “And the way he reacted when I mention Sarelle, I think he may be the killer or at least the mastermind behind the plot.” I sighed. I had the answers, it seemed, but there was something missing I could not place.
Just then Queen Celeste and a gaggle of her usual followers passed us by. Jon bowed as she walked by and nudged me forward so the queen could see me. She held up a hand to her comrades and separated away from her group to approach us.
“Lord Ambassador.” She smiled, and he bowed to her even deeper.
“Your Majesty.”
“You have heard of my husband’s passing, no doubt.” She shook her head and looked away for a moment before continuing. “We shall be holding ceremonies for him the day after next. I would be delighted if you and your wife would join us.” She looked to me with a smile. “You have been neglecting us at court as of late.”
“I am sorry, Your Majesty, the duties of married life have kept me away from your radiance.”
She laughed her false girlish laugh. “Well, I expect you at the ceremony. Refreshments will be served afterwards, and I will not let you leave until we have shared wine together and talked of my late husband.”
He looked at me, and his smile reached to each ear. “I look forward to it, Your Majesty.”
He bowed again, and she laughed before walking off to join her fellows. Lord Eeland was with her. His gaze fell upon me, and it made my skin crawl. He turned after a moment and walked away, and once he was gone, I noticed another one lingering behind. Antoinette looked different dressed in finery and attending the queen, but there she was. Again she is at the palace and with the queen. She has risen high. It only confirmed my suspicion that she was Prince Reynard’s kept woman or something of the like.
“You are rather popular, it would seem,” I said to Jon to ease the tension. “Should I be jealous?”
He laughed. “I do not think Johai would like it overmuch if you were.”
My stomach clenched as I recalled our argument from earlier in the day. Jon, uncannily in-tune with me, noticed.
“Has something changed between you and him?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No and yes. I have just recently come to accept the truth.”
Chapter Twenty Two
I sat before my vanity, brushing through my hair, my mind miles away. I should be dressed and ready for the funeral. I could not shake the feeling of foreboding. It hung about me like a veil, weighing me down with worry. A knock at my door dragged me from my musings, and I called to the knocker. I expected Damara come to fuss over me before the fete. Since she had revealed herself, she had often visited the villa. I assumed she would want to help me with my hair. I suspected she was trying to make up for lost time between us, and I could not deny her the indulgence.
Johai came in, and I stood and toppled my vanity chair in the process. I thought he was still cross with me. My heart leapt at the sight of him, yet I did not reach out for him. I am going to kill him soon. It’s best if we stay apart. I did not want to face him, but now that he was here, my heart beat faster, and I could not tear my eyes away from him. He looked dashing in a close-cut doublet of brown with gold stitching. His sapphire eyes sparkled beneath his dyed ash hair. He wore his hair down around his shoulders, and it fell forward to frame his face. He was always handsome.
“Maea.” I shivered at the sound of my name from his lips. No one else could do that to me but him. Why did it have to be this way? The intensity of his gaze brought me back to reality. Was this Johai or something other inside him?
“Yes?” I asked and hated the tremor in my voice.
“I want you to be careful tonight.”
It touched me that he continued to be concerned for me, despite what I needed to do and soon.
“I will. Thank you.” I picked up my hairbrush to have something to do with my hands. I twirled it around and avoided looking at him.
I thought he would leave after that, but he lingered a moment longer. There were so many things I wished I could say to him, but none of them seemed right. Reason said I should send him away and finally separate myself from him, but despite everything, I could not. I was weak and lonely.
“Johai, could you help me with this?” I held up a pearl necklace that Jon had given me as a wedding gift. “I cannot fasten the clasp on my own.”
He strode over to me and took the pearls from my hand. I turned around and pulled aside my hair. His hands brushed the back of my neck as he placed the thread of pearls at the hollow of my throat. For a moment panic gripped me as I remembered the last time he had placed a necklace on me. You are safe. Johai would not hurt you. He clasped the necklace, and it rested against my collar. His hand lingered at the nape of my neck, and his thumb rubbed against my hairline.
“I should go,” he said, his voice thick.
I grabbed his hand and stopped him from leaving. We argued so much lately it was nice to have a moment, just one to pretend. I turned around to face him, and he raised a brow in question. How many times had he given me that perplexed expression, perhaps wondering what mad scheme I was about?
“Don’t leave yet,” I said in a hush and pulled his hand a little closer.
I should turn him away, I thought. This is improper.
“Yes?” The anticipation and the edge of husk on his voice made my knees weak.
I had been denying my feelings to myself for so long, pretending I did not care and that somewhere in this crazy scheme, I had lost my feelings for him. The truth was, I had never stopped loving him, and now, standing on the edge of oblivion, I wanted nothing more than to cling to him and never let go. I do not want to kill you. I love you! I thought, but I could not manage to get the words out.
I tilted my head back, and Johai leaned in. My heart beat faster as I anticipated the brushing of our lips; then something flashed behind his eyes. They changed from blue to black for just a moment, and I swore I could hear the specter’s mad cackling filling my ears. It was e
nough to stop me. This deed had to be done. Indulging in passion, even for a moment, would only cause me pain.
I took a step back, and Johai dropped my hand. I looked down at the floor, ashamed of my own fear. If I really did love him, I should tell him the truth. I should admit that I had failed and he was doomed to die.
“I’ll leave you to dress.” He bowed again and hurried out before I could stop him.
I held back my tears and finished readying myself for the fete. Jon met me in the entryway. He stopped to greet me, even going so far as to open his mouth before clamping his mouth shut. I suspected something in my expression stopped him. The coachman held the carriage door open for me. As I was climbing in, Johai climbed onto the back to act as valet. I avoided making eye contact and ducked my head as I went in. As I took my seat, Jon gave me a curious expression. I shook my head, telling him I did not want to talk about it. The feeling of restlessness did not leave me as we travelled to the palace for the funeral. When we arrived, there were fifty or more Danhadine soldiers about the palace grounds. They chatted in circles, at ease while others were patrolling in twos and threes. Neaux soldiers were at the gates and watched the Danhadine soldiers with open hostility.
“Why are there Danhadine soldiers here?” I asked Jon.
He looked out the window beside me, and his frown was deeply creased. “I do not know. I have heard no news from Keisan that they were sending more.”
The soldier I had met the night of King Reynard’s victory banquet had said a hundred had returned with the returning army. I glanced about. There were perhaps a dozen more walking the ramparts on the walls, and a group of twenty or so was gathered by the gates. This is more than the soldier told me had returned from the battle.
My stomach twisted with worry. I was glad to have Beau with us this night in case anything happened, but Johai was a liability. If pressed, he might unleash the specter, and with how unstable his control was, I feared one more time might be the last. I am ready. If the moment has come, I shall end this. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I am a terrible person. I am going to kill him, yet I will not let him go. I could not help but wish I had kissed him, as impulsive and foolish as it would have been.
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