She put her empty glass on the coffee table and stood up. She felt more like a princess than she had when she’d believed she was one. She knew who she was and the real Cassie was someone who wouldn’t stand to be bullied. “Thank you for being such a dear friend and bringing me the news. I’m sure you’ll understand if I ask you to leave. I have to get ready for the ball tonight. There are so many more lovers to choose from, now that I’m free.”
Gertrude stood up. “You’re not upset?”
“No, not in the least.” Cassie smiled and walked the Tuathan woman to the door. “I’ll see you at the ball.” She pushed the other woman out, closing the door practically on her nose and smiling to herself at the slightly lost look on Gertrude’s face.
Her grin dropped as soon as the door shut.
Gertrude wasn’t the dragon she had to deal with any longer. Now she had to find a way down to the dungeons. And Bosco. He wasn’t trustworthy, but she needed him if she were to escape and find her family. And she had to find out if he’d told the queen about her finding her memories. She had to know how far he’d go to save his own skin. She had to know if he’d betrayed her.
Bosco sat on the only semi-clean surface in his cell, a granite ledge that was supposed to double as a bed, but was only really long enough for a tall dwarf. The cold from the stone seeped into his bones. His cell was dark and dank and smelled of a mix of overcooked cabbage and overused latrine pits. It was every bit as depressing as he’d thought it would be to be imprisoned down here in the Summer Castle’s dungeon. Had it only been less than a day since he’d been down here on the tour? Following the laughing idiots who’d paid to see the sights? Now he was one of the stops and the spectators had been coming by all afternoon. Everyone wanted to point their fingers at him and laugh at the queen’s fool imprisoned for laying with the queen’s niece.
The only blessing he could take from this was that once they left the castle they’d forget all about his humiliation. They’d forget he was even here. He lowered his head into his hands. That wasn’t a good thing. No one would know he was stuck in the dungeons. He could rot here forever.
The moon would be out soon, but there was no guarantee his tiny cell window would catch the light or if there would be enough for his ring to work. When he didn’t report in tonight, his employer would assume he’d failed.
And he had. Spectacularly.
He’d lost his chance to get the mirror out of the castle. Now Cassie was aware of who she really was and it was only a matter of time before she was discovered. Then the queen would hide her where no one would find her, and his employer would be shit out of luck. So would he. And Siobhan. More than his own fate rested on his being able to get out of here.
The snide remarks and hoots of laughter down the passageway signaled only one thing: another tour approached. He braced for action. The last group had brought rotten fruit to throw at him and he’d barely managed to get his arms up in time to save himself. Now his cell was slick with the stuff and so were his t-shirt and jeans.
This group was better behaved. They jeered and called him names, then went on to see the next attraction, a pair of gnomes who would do an act if the audience would throw money. The sounds of the show started, but a shadowy figure wearing a dark cloak stayed behind.
“You’re missing the best part of the tour,” he said. “Squinck and Squinch.”
“I know, but I didn’t bring any money. I guess I’ll just have to put up with you.”
“Cassie.” His heart lifted, speeding into a nervous staccato.
He wasn’t alone. She’d come for him.
“Shh, lower your voice. No one knows it’s me.” She drew closer, moving into some of the dim light from the old electric bulb on the ceiling and he caught a whiff of fresh peaches. He crowded closer to the bars, trying to inhale every drop of her scent. She’d covered her face with an ornate mask. “Tonight’s ball is a masquerade. Convenient, isn’t it?”
He realized he’d been seeing more and more masks as the evening wore on, but hadn’t put it together. A band of light caught in her hair.
“What the hell did you do to your hair?” He didn’t know why it irritated him that she’d changed the color. But he wanted to see the glint of red, not the gleam of inky black.
She raised her hand self-consciously and touched it. “Do you like it? I couldn’t do the glamour myself, one of the ladies-in-waiting helped me. I told her it was for the party.”
“It’s..just not you.” He knew it came out more brusque than it should, but damn, he wanted her to be the same person. To smell the same, to look the same. The realization came over him that this was how she felt about him when the glamour was on—like he was a stranger.
Her hand dropped to her side. “Well, it’s only temporary anyway.”
“Why are you here? You should be gone.”
“I’d like to be, but my ticket out didn’t show.”
Guilt flooded him. “I’m sorry, I got delayed.” He should have made sure she could escape without him, should have left her the drugs and rabbit for the monster. Now they were both stuck here.
“I can see that.”
“The queen is cleaning house. It’s filling up down here, fast.” Cassie was walking a fragile tightrope with the queen, who knew when it would break. He had to get her out. “Too bad you didn’t bring any money. The troll is so greedy, he’ll take a bribe. He’s raking in the cash today.”
“And you would be the one to know all about taking money for services rendered.” Her mouth flattened into a thin line.
The buoyant rise his heart had been on, crashed down. He could see it in her face—in the press of her lips, the dark shadow in her eyes. He’d hurt her, the last thing he’d ever wanted to do.
“You know.”
“I overheard Haddon complimenting you on your sexual skills.” Her voice tightened. “Is that all I was to you? A fuck for money.”
His mouth dropped open and he wanted to say something, to defend himself against the accusation in her words, but he couldn’t. He’d taken Haddon’s money and to her it would look as if he were guilty.
“Gods that’s so sad.”
He’d been playing the part of the gigolo for so long he’d thought he’d grown immune to the judgment in her voice, but he was wrong. It hurt. He’d opened himself up to her. He’d known it was a mistake but he’d done it anyway and now he was regretting it.
“You have to know, Cassie, the deal with Haddon, it was all a ruse.”
“Of course. Anything to stay under the radar. Anything to find what it is you’re looking for.” She drew closer to the bars. “What is it you’re looking for, anyway? What’s so important you’d sell yourself, sell me, for money.”
“My sister.”
“Your sister is here? Prisoner of the queen?” She looked up and down the row of cells. “Why didn’t you say so? Where is she? We’ll get her out.”
“She’s not here.”
“Oh.”
“It’s a long story and not one I want to tell you here.”
“Of course. You want me to spring you and then you’ll tell me. Why should I trust you?”
“You shouldn’t. You should get as far away from me as you can.” He didn’t feel it inside, but he grinned. It was ironic. “But, as you said before, you need me.”
She stared at him suspiciously. “If I let you out, how can I know you’ll help me?”
He dropped the grin. “All I can say is—I’m sorry.” He reached a hand between the bars, but she shied away. He let it drop. “I didn’t know you—the real you. When Haddon approached me I knew you weren’t a princess. I thought you were gaming the system, playing a con, just like me. I was wrong.” Oh so wrong. Fae or not, she was the real deal—an honest woman in the disguise of a fairy princess. And, it was his stupid fucking luck, he’d seen it too late.
The crowd next door cheered the gnomes and there was the sound of money hitting the floor. They’d be moving on soon.
“Swear to me, if I let you out, you’ll protect me from the queen and Haddon and get me out of this castle.”
“I can’t access my magic in here. There’s a dampening field on every cell. It won’t be a magical vow.”
Her emerald eyes bore into him from the glittering mask’s sockets. “Well, at least you can’t lie directly to my face.”
It hurt. He’d had a chance to be the hero in her eyes and now he was nothing but a liar. A liar she had to test by getting him to get to say his lies out loud. And what’s worse, she was right. “I swear, Cassandra, I’ll get you out of the castle and protect you from the queen and Lord Haddon.”
She pulled the keys from her pocket.
“Where did you get those?”
“Gypsies have their own skills.” She grinned, but there were still shadows behind her eyes. “Now, let’s get out of here so we can find the prince and my sister.”
She let him out and he took the lead out of the dungeons. She’d listened to his vow and believed him. Too bad it wasn’t the truth she thought it was. Once out of the castle he had to hand her over to his employer. A deal was a deal. And more than his life or hers depended on it.
Chapter Twenty-four
As anxious as Bosco was to get as far away as possible from the dungeons he had one thing he had to do before they went too far upstairs into the castle proper. One flight of stairs up he touched Cassie’s elbow and they moved into a shadowy side corridor where the light from the main corridor barely touched the darkness
“Why are we stopping? We need to leave before anyone realizes you’re free.”
“I can’t go anywhere like this.” He gestured up and down his body.
“Like what?”
“Like me. Or at least like the Bosco they’re used to seeing.”
“I’ve gotten used to seeing you and knowing the real you is underneath.”
He couldn’t be sure but he thought her skin flushed in the shadows and it pleased him. She was mad at him, but somewhere, underneath, she felt something more than anger for him. For the real him.
“Give me a minute.” He pulled one of his stock undercover looks out. The one he’d used so often in the Black Court he’d even developed a persona to go with it.
“Wow. You go big, don’t you.”
He grinned, knowing the handsome face of Alasdair Ni Cormac showed off shiny teeth, two perfectly balanced dimples, and a set of sky blue eyes that would put a sunny day to shame. “Good-looking people get treated differently than ugly people. I’ve been all kinds of people, from crippled to female. Trust me. In this crowd no one will think twice. They are the beautiful people and I’ll blend right in.”
“I’ve seen a few uglies up there. You’d do okay with a little less—” she looked him up and down “—um, muscle.”
“Muscle, hmm?” He winked. “Is that what you call it.” He still wanted her. He’d had her and he should be over her, but knowing she was blushing in the dark did something to him. He didn’t want to go there, he felt guilty enough as it was. Seducing her again, getting her to trust him again, that would be wrong.
But flirting was easy. It was his go-to method of dealing with women. As wrong as it was, it worked. And he needed something to work right now.
He moved around her, to head back to the main hallway, and got too close. The fresh peach scent of her hair, brushed his face. He stopped, closing his eyes and pulling the deliciousness in. After the hideous smells of the dungeon she smelled like spring come down to Hades, and he knew why the dark god had made his bargain. Even half a true-love was better than being locked in hell.
“Bosco? Is there something else?”
He shook his head. “Come on,” he said and led the way back to the light. Back to the crowds. Back to the world where he’d soon lose her.
The main floors of the castle had erupted into chaos. People and animals rushed back and forth, some in their masquerade costumes for the ball, some in battle gear. Bosco and Cassie skirted the edges, staying close to the walls and heading for the gardens. There were a few people out on the patio. Bosco spotted the queen’s uncle, Nial, getting drunk at the poolside bar. They ignored him and made for the path that went down to the pond.
A guard stepped in their way. “Sorry, my lord, the queen has ordered everyone into the castle. No one is allowed in the gardens.”
“Why?”
“Orders. I’m to keep everyone confined until further notice.”
Cassie and he exchanged a look. There was nothing to do but turn around and head back inside.
He spotted a group of Tuathan lords dressed in an exotic combination of shiny silver elvatian armor with the ball’s winged masks and face paint.
Bosco leaned down and whispered in Cassie’s ear. “We need information. Wait here.” She made a small sound of protest, but he was already moving toward the group. As Bosco, he vaguely knew them, but as Alasdair, he’d spent many evenings drinking and carousing with the group. They had to know something.
He jostled the leader, a spoiled young Tuathan lord who usually had nothing to do but cause trouble at court.
“What gives, Anwinn?”
“Alasdair, I didn’t know you were here. Where’s your armor? Why aren’t you ready for the battle?”
“What battle?”
“The attack on the Black Court, man. We’re called by the queen to defend our lands against the rebels. We’re heading out tonight.” Anwinn looked Bosco’s clothing up and down. “Where’ve you been, man? Everyone’s talking about it.”
“Busy.” He let his Alasdair dimples show with a quick naughty grin and a nod at Cassie, waiting by a pillar. Her ornate mask hid her face, but he could see by her lips pressed together and the way she shifted from foot to foot that she wasn’t happy being told to simply wait.
The other man gave a double take, then bowed to Cassie. “Princess.” He turned back to Bosco with a raised eyebrow and lowered his voice. “You’ve got balls, man.”
Bosco looked at Cassie waiting by the pillar. “You recognize her?”
Anwin snorted. “Even with that black hair and the mask. You’d better be careful. The queen is livid. She’s royally pissed at Haddon, and Kian is on the march. Rumor is she threw Bosco down in the dungeons for sleeping with the princess. You’d better gear up and leave her behind before the queen decides you’re next.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Anytime.” Anwinn gave him an easy punch on his arm and sauntered back to his group. “Besides, the only ones staying here are the old and the cowards. And we know you don’t want to be one of those,” he called back over his shoulder. The men laughed, some calling out to Bosco and waving.
“See you on the field!”
He crossed to Cassie and whispered in her ear. “Change of plans, Princess. We need to get you some armor.”
“THIS IS WEIRD.” CASSIE touched her face. Bosco had used his Gift on her and now she no longer resembled herself. He’d taken the black that the queen’s lady-in-waiting had turned her red hair, and he’d added purple highlights. She’d braided it, adding feathers and bits of silver ornaments, like the other Tuathan warriors did, but she still wasn’t sure it was enough.
She touched her altered lips. “Are you sure it will work?”
Bosco gave her the once-over from top to bottom before giving a quick nod. “It’ll work. It’s my Gift, remember? I can sneak a pony into a party disguised as a tea-cup poodle and no one thinks twice when they hear it neigh.” He winked at her. “Trust me, I’ll get you out of the castle and then we can sneak away into the woods. My contact will be there tonight.”
She wanted to trust him. He made it sound so easy, but the memory of how he’d talked to Haddon about her with a smile on his face was still fresh in her mind. “Which you is it I’m supposed to trust?” She waved at his glamoured face. “The you on the outside, or the one on the inside.” She didn’t give him a chance to answer. “Forget it. We have other things to worry about. Like, I’m dressed for th
e war but I don’t have a sword.”
She had shiny plates on her forearms and shins and chain mail for her torso. It was elvatian armor, filled with protective magic and be-spelled to be lightweight, otherwise she was sure she’d be unable to move.
“Can you wield a sword?”
“Well, no. But I wield a mean frying pan. You should see the dents I’ve left in some of the things the queen’s sent after us.”
“You fight with kitchen utensils? I’m surprised there are any MacElvy’s left.”
“Cast iron baby.” She grinned at his wince. “You’d run from a frying pan too, if I had one here. But I don’t.”
“Good thing. Carrying that much iron you’d likely dissolve Underhill from the inside out. Tell me what you can do with weapons.”
“I’ve picked up a few things here and there, but when you’re facing trolls it works better to run them over with a bus than to pick up a sword.”
He laughed. “Now that’s the truth. I’ve seen your buses and they’re monsters in their own right.” He pulled a narrow tube out of his pack that couldn’t possibly have fit, but grew longer and longer until he held a five-foot case fashioned of dark red leather. “Try this on for size.”
The case had a top that flipped open. Its length was scrolled with curling knot-work carved into the leather and painted with brilliantly colored pictures of deer and exotically plumed birds. “What is it?” She ran an admiring finger along the smooth strap. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s a longbow.” He uncapped the top and pulled out a narrow, slightly curved piece of wood. “See?”
“But where’s the string?”
He shook his head. “We are definitely going to have to stop and give you lessons. For now look here.” He showed her a notch in the end. “See that? The sinew at the bottom strings to the top.” He placed the bow on the ground and braced it with his foot. In one fluid motion he bent the wood to an impossible curve and attached the long brown string to the top.
Enchanted: A Fae Fantasy Romance (Fae Magic Book 3) Page 18
