“It's dangerous,” Mae finished his sentence. “If anyone recognized you, that would be tragic. So when I do leave, you better stay hidden.”
As he held her hand, Nico's thumb gently caressed Mae's knuckles. She was the last friend he had, and she was the only person he trusted with all his heart. He didn't like to imagine a day without her. “I was supposed to be the one helping you, Mae,” Nico said with a sigh. “When I convinced you to leave The Velvet Dame, I promised things I can no longer deliver... and now you're getting a job to help me.”
“Us,” Mae corrected him. “I'm getting a job to help us. We're a team, Nico. At least... I kind of feel like we are.”
“We are a team. And I'm the dead weight. I don't know what I should be doing, or if I should be doing anything at all. Should I try to find a job? I have no skills, no experience, no--”
She interrupted again. “Weren't you listening? It's dangerous to leave this room! Just lay low for a bit and let Mae take care of everything.” When her lips made contact with his cheek, Nico's mouth twitched, as if he meant to smile but his lips wouldn't allow it.
Nico knew he was lucky to have her, but his gratitude didn't save him from feeling useless. As soon as Mae was gone, the crushing weight of loneliness settled around his heart. Alone with his thoughts, Nico's mind descended to dark places. He started to think of his sister, as he often did. When she was seconds away from death, what did her face look like? Was she afraid? Did she feel abandoned by her brother? Did she suffer, or did death take her by surprise? He had so many questions about Isabella's final moments, and none of his questions would ever have answers.
Nico wished he could see her face one last time, to apologize for arriving too late. That haunted him more than anything. If he had been a little bit faster, he might have saved his sister's life. How could he ever forgive himself for such a failure?
An hour passed, and then another. Nico tried to read a book, and then a newspaper, but his thoughts kept wandering elsewhere. A new wave of questions flooded his mind: Where was Ella? Did she find her brother's medicine? Was he wrong to leave her with Kieran McCray?
Suffocated by his thoughts, Nico decided to go for a walk. Mae surely wouldn't approve, but he needed to get out. He needed to stretch his legs. He needed to find a place that wasn't so stifling. Before he left, he ran his hands through his hair a few times, letting it suffice for a brush.
As soon as he stepped outside, Nico closed his eyes and let the air fill his lungs, but it wasn't as pleasant as he hoped. The air had a musty, earthy smell, as if it had just rained. Metal-colored clouds fogged the sky, and it took him a moment to realize he was looking at a nebula of steam. The capital certainly had its fair share of pollution.
Nico passed a fishmonger, who was chopping off haddock heads and pitching them onto the street. He passed a homeless man, who was using a stray dog's body for a pillow. A little girl was selling flowers, so Nico stopped to buy a daisy for a ha'penny. His stroll was hardly eventful, much to his relief.
At the end of a busy street, Nico spotted a large white sign with big, bold letters: Murphy's. The city was huge, but he had somehow stumbled across Mae's new workplace. For a few minutes, Nico stood in front of the pub, debating with himself on whether to enter or walk away. He decided to take a chance, even though he already knew the outcome. Mary Melissa Mae wasn't going to be very happy to see him.
Nico sat at one of the pub's tables and watched her work. Her honey blonde hair was braided and her cheeks were especially rosy. His Mae was easily the prettiest waitress in the pub. She was in the middle of serving another customer, but when Nico caught her gaze, her jaw dropped. After scribbling down the elderly customer's order, she marched straight over to Nico's table and gasped. “What on earth are you doing here?”
“I got bored,” Nico answered with a shrug.
“Bored?” Mae groaned into the palm of her hand. “That excuse isn't good enough. Your boredom is going to get you killed.”
“I'm alright, Mae. No one bothered me.”
“Yet,” she added. “No one's bothered you yet. You do realize these Eversio people want you dead, right?”
Nico nodded solemnly. “I have gathered that, yes.”
“Then why are you here? It's dangerous, Nico!”
Lowering his voice, he added, “If you're so concerned, maybe you should stop calling me by my name.”
“What should I call you?” Mae asked with a sneer. “Gary?”
“Sure.”
“No. I don't like Gary. You don't look like a Gary. Maybe... Brian? No, Brian's not right either.” Mae's lips pursed as she tried to think of an appropriate name for the secret prince. “I think I'll call you Jay. You look like a Jay to me.”
“Jay it is, then.” Nico leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Now... if Jay's going to be here, Jay might as well eat something. I know you're a new hire, but... what would you recommend?”
“I'll bring you a slice of apple pie.” As she walked away from Nico's table, Mae winked at him. “It's on the house.”
Mae moved around the pub, serving customer after customer, never forgetting to smile. Nico couldn't take his eyes off of her. He always thought she was pretty, but for some reason, she looked even more radiant than usual. She was invaluable to him. Mae was his only comfort during his darkest days. Before he knew it, she had become a necessary part of Nico's shattered life.
Nico pulled the daisy from his pocket and held it between two fingers. When she returned with his pie, he decided to give it to her. He wanted to show her she was important to him, and let her know she was appreciated.
Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned. Gripped by uncertainty and crippled by timidity, Nico returned the daisy to his pocket and pretended it didn't exist. He liked Mae. He was confident in his feelings for her. But he was much less confident that such tender feelings could ever be returned.
“Here,” Mae said as she dropped the plate on his table. “It's the best pie in the city... at least... that's what I'm supposed to say.”
After taking a bite, Nico nodded his approval. “Mmm. It's good.”
“Then maybe it's not a lie!” Mae said with a chuckle. “Hey... uh... Jay. It's nice to see you and all, but this makes me nervous. What if someone recognizes you?”
“Don't worry so much, Mae!” Nico licked his lips and took another bite of his pie. “No one's seen me and no one's recognized me, so stop worrying!”
“I can't stop worrying about you! At this point, worrying about you is practically my second job! Next time you decide to venture out, will you at least wear some sunglasses?”
“I suppose that wouldn't be a bad idea,” a shrugging Nico complied. “But I still think you worry too much. No one's going to see me, Mae.”
But he was wrong.
Across the pub, a dark-eyed man was watching him with great interest.
Twenty One
The princess' smile broadened as she raked her winnings toward her. Harriot and Isabella were playing poker for pieces of hard candy, and she won the last three hands, much to Harriot's dismay.
“You're cleaning me out,” Tom noted as he unwrapped one of his remaining sweets and popped it into his mouth. “At this rate, I'll have nothing left by the end of the day.”
“Maybe I'll share my winnings with you.” Isabella's smile transformed into a wicked grin. “Maybe.”
Lately, Isabella seemed to be enjoying his company, which was an overwhelming relief after the way she treated him last week. At least she didn't hate him anymore.
“I wish you'd take off your mask,” she suddenly said. “I've seen your face, and it's not as bad as you think. You don't have to wear it around me.”
“Of course I don't have to wear it. I want to,” Tom retorted. “And no, I'm not taking it off.”
“How about we make a deal...” Isabella tapped her cards against the table as she made her proposition. “If I win the next hand, you take off the mask.”
His
reply came quickly. “No deal... because you'll almost certainly win, especially if you're determined. I wouldn't stand a chance.”
“Hmm. That's probably a wise decision,” Isabella said as her grin reappeared. “Still... one of these days, I'll find a way to get you to take it off. I'd rather see your face than a slab of metal, Tom. I like your face.”
“I like your face too, Your Highness. And I happen to think it's far superior to mine.”
“Not really,” Isabella objected. “Most of the time, I feel rather plain.”
“Then you need to stop feeling that way, because it couldn't be further from the truth.” Harriot's brow raised as he pored over his cards. It wasn't a good hand, or even a decent one, and he was terrible at bluffing. He started to prepare himself for yet another inevitable loss.
“Well, I'm certainly not pretty.” Isabella wanted him to correct her with all her heart. It felt wrong to fish for compliments, but she wanted his opinion.
“Wrong again.” He played right into her hands. “I think you're lovely.”
Before she could react to his compliment, the cottage door opened, and Vee swept into the room.
“Hello again, Tommy and Princess!” Vee jovially greeted them. “I come bearing news. Are you ready for it?”
Harriot lowered his cards and faced his friend. “Go ahead.”
“Well, according to recent reports, Prince Nico's been spotted in the capital. I don't know how reliable the information is, but it's something to consider.”
“Nico?” Isabella gasped. “He's here?”
“Maybe, maybe not. It might be just a rumor, but it wouldn't hurt to look around. And it could either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on who else hears this rumor.” As she spoke, Vee lit a cigar, even though Harriot had adamantly expressed his disgust for them. His house would reek of smoke, but Vee didn't care.
“Can we look for him?” Isabella asked. “Please, Tom. Please.”
Once again, he answered quickly. “No. It's just as dangerous for you to be spotted, Isabella.”
“Please,” she repeated her plea. “I can't hide forever, can I? I want to go out. I need to find my brother.”
“And you need to trust that I'll look into the matter.” As he rose from his chair, Tom slammed his cards onto the table. “I'm not going to let you risk your life because of a hollow rumor! I won't!”
“He's probably right,” Vee supported her friend's argument as she puffed on her cigar. “If we let you go out, I'll hear a rumor about someone spotting you next... and before you know it, we'll have thugs banging down the door.” Isabella started to complain, but Vee spoke louder than her, “Oh, and... Tommy? You're needed at the palace.”
“Very well.” Ever the dutiful son, Harriot was already heading to the door. “Watch over her, Vee. Don't let her out today. If people are looking for the prince, they might start looking for the princess, too.”
“I'll keep an eye on her,” Vee said as she stole Tom's place at the table. “Don't look so angry, Isabella. We have your best interests at heart, sweetheart. I promise. Now... get rid of that awful scowl and deal me in.”
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the capital, Julian Featherstone was back to his old habits. He approached a curvy young redhead and hovered at her side. As he stood over her, he could see straight down her cleavage. Every time she breathed, her bosom strained against the confines of her tight-fitting corset.
To get her attention, he uttered the same words he had uttered so many times before. “Hello, beautiful.”
When she saw him standing beside her, the woman gasped. “Oh my! Aren't you... Lord Featherstone?”
“I am, dear lady.” With a hand over his heart, Julian bowed. “Seeing as you're the most beautiful woman in this pub, I thought I would introduce myself... but it seems you already know me.”
“Of course I know you!” the woman exclaimed. “You're practically famous! I saw you during the tournament, you know. You did well. I was really rooting for you, especially when it was down to you and that masked fellow. I didn't like him.”
Julian chuckled nervously. He hated to be reminded of his losses, especially by gorgeous women. “But... I came close, didn't I?”
“Oh, yes! As I recall, you nearly won! You almost had him!”
Julian opened his mouth to protest, but he decided against it. If she wanted to believe he almost won the tournament, he was going to let her believe it. “What's your name, beautiful lady?”
“Cynthia.” When she offered her hand, Julian gave her knuckles an unnecessarily long kiss. “Cynthia Gardner.”
“Well, Miss Gardner... would it be wrong for me to say you're the loveliest woman I've seen all day?”
“Not at all, Lord Featherstone.” She readjusted the top of her dress to give him an even better view of her cleavage. “Would it be wrong for me to say you're the handsomest man I've seen in a long, long time?”
“Not at all.” As he repeated her words, a smirk appeared on Julian's lips. He sank into the chair beside her and leaned forward. “Do you have blue eyes, my lady?”
“I do.”
Leaning closer to her face, Julian said, “Red hair and blue eyes. That has to be one of the rarest combinations in the world... not to mention, one of the loveliest.” He leaned even closer. Cynthia was staring at his lips, which he took as a sign. “Ah... and look! Your eyes are even more beautiful than I thought. If you look closely, they have little flecks of silver in them.”
“Do they?” Cynthia closed the rest of the gap between Julian's mouth and hers. Right before their lips touched, she whispered, “I never noticed that.”
Cynthia moaned as Julian devoured her. He scooted his chair closer and laid a hand on her waist. When her tongue flitted out, he grinned against her mouth.
“Captain.”
When he heard the voice of Jared Foster, Julian wanted to kill him. How was the lad so tactless that he would interrupt him during a kiss?
“Captain,” Jared repeated. “Captain, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have something important to tell you.”
“Is it more important than this, Jared?” Julian asked as he tucked a ginger lock behind Cynthia's tiny ear.
“I'm afraid so, Captain. At least, I think it's important.”
Julian's lips wore a rigid smile as he rose from his chair. “Pardon me, Miss Gardner,” he said with a bow. “I'm afraid my friend won't leave me alone.” Cynthia looked every bit as disappointed as he did, so he prayed she would still be waiting for him when Jared's business was done. As soon as they were out of her company, he barked at the younger man, “Dammit, Jared, what do you want?”
“I have news about Captain Jordan, sir.”
“Lettie?” Julian allowed himself to be dragged to a nearby table, where they could continue the conversation in private. “What about her?”
“She's been captured,” Jared reported with a frown. “By Eversio. They're going to ransom her to her father, Admiral Jordan.”
“So? Let the old man pay. That's probably the quickest way to save her.”
“They're asking for Admiral Jordan's airships, though. It would leave the Baltmoor Aerial Militia without a fleet.”
“And...?” Julian was waiting for Jared to give him a reason to care.
“And... the Baltmoor Militia is probably the only force in the nation that could stand up to Eversio right now. If they relinquished that power, where would that leave us?” Jared asked. “And if they refused, what would happen to Lettie? I wouldn't want her to get hurt. Don't you care about her, Captain?”
“Of course I do! But the real question is... do you care about her? You seem to care about her a bit too much, if you ask me.” Julian signaled for a barmaid to bring him a drink. After Jared interrupted his amorous moment, he needed spirits to drown his sorrows.
“Alright, maybe I have feelings for her.” Jared was surprisingly honest. “But the thing is... I thought you had feelings for her too.”
“I do!”
>
“So you'd let her rot in a cell?”
“Surely she won't rot.” Julian was chuckling, but Jared didn't look amused, so the captain changed his tone to a more serious one. “Let's be honest with ourselves, Jared. If we were the ones in jeopardy, do you think Lettie would come to save us? I think not! You're asking me to risk my life for someone who wouldn't risk herself for me. Lettie hates me.” As soon as the barmaid delivered his drink, Julian opened the bottle and poured himself a shot. “I don't mean to sound cruel. I'm only being realistic.”
“Very well.” When Jared got to his feet, his expression was the epitome of disappointed. “I'll save her myself.”
“Wait!” Julian cried out to him. “I would be remiss if I didn't tell you about the secret passage into the dungeon.”
Jared hesitantly returned to Julian's table. “Go on.”
While pouring another shot, Julian explained, “It's in the abandoned St. Anthony's Church, not far from the palace. There's a sliding panel on the floor. When Nico and I were younger, we used it to sneak him out of the palace. It leads straight to the dungeon.” Julian tossed a second shot of liquid fire down his throat. “It couldn't be more convenient, to tell you the truth.”
“I'll look into it.”
“Oh, and, uh... Jared.” Julian pointed across the room, where Wiggly Joe was drinking shots all by himself. Jared and Wiggly were the last two members of Julian's former crew that hadn't abandoned him. “See if Wiggly will go with you. In a pinch, he's a good man to have around.”
“Will do, Captain,” Jared sighed. “Farewell.”
As the boy retreated to Wiggly's table, Julian felt an undeniable pinch of guilt in his heart. Julian liked Lettie. He cared about Jared's well being. Nevertheless, Captain Featherstone wasn't known for taking unnecessary risks to help anyone but himself. He cowered from risks, and he shied away from any challenge that didn't involve women. What Jared asked for was completely beyond his capabilities. Save Lettie? Julian didn't trust himself to accomplish such a task.
Prisoner Princess (Belles & Bullets Book 5) Page 13
