“Once he is done with the Elite guards, he plans to interrogate us,” said Travers.
“I’m surprised he didn’t start with us,” said Sabri.
A maid carried a basin of water towards the guest wing of the palace. She dodged people who milled in the halls. Everyone was nervous. No one wanted to be next on King Malik’s list. Her mistress had already faced the orb of truth and come out of it unscathed. But the ordeal had put her under a great deal of stress.
The maid hoped a cool cloth would calm her mistress, hence the water she carried. She passed by an open window. A strong gust of wind blew her skirts up and caused her to squeak in dismay. She couldn’t keep her skirts down and hold the water at the same time. Something brushed her leg and the woman screamed.
She dropped the water basin to swat at whatever had brushed her leg. Her hand came into contact with a piece of paper. She lifted the paper and scanned the contents. Her eyes went wide.
Her mess forgotten, she rushed to the throne room. One of the guards stopped her before she could enter. She waved the paper at the man and pleaded, “King Malik must see this. It might be—”
The man snatched the paper from her and read over it. He asked, “Why would this Adele person interest King Malik at all? His queen’s name is Adrienne.”
“Maybe she hid her true identity to remain safe. This message is from Kakra. If she is there—”
The throne room doors opened and Valah stormed out. He glared at the maid and the guards. “Why are you out here gossiping? You have jobs to perform—all of you. You disrespect our king in this trying time with your flagrant disobedience.”
The guard started, “This woman—”
The maid snatched the paper from the guard and held it out to Valah. She explained, “It came in through an open window. I thought King Malik should see it. Queen Adrienne might have needed to disguise her name since the message is from Kakra.”
Valah took the note from the woman and read over it. He whispered, “Castor and Pollux? What types of names are those?”
“What’s going on here?” Travers asked. He came up behind Valah.
“Nothing,” Valah rushed out. He crumpled up the paper. When the maid would have pressed the issue, he ordered, “Get back to your mistress and stop wasting our time with fanciful tales.”
The maid looked stricken. She opened her mouth to voice her theory to Travers. Surely he would hear her out. Her logic made sense.
The guard who stood closest to her shoved her away and yelled, “You heard the chancellor. Get!”
“High Chancellor Travers, the…” The maid’s words stumbled to a halt as Travers and Valah re-entered the throne room and closed the door behind them. Her shoulders slumped.
“Guess they don’t care,” the guard taunted.
The maid walked away. She must be wrong. Now that she calmed down and thought about it, her logic made no sense. Queen Adrienne had to know her life would be in danger if she remained in Hollace’s palace. She wouldn’t hide there, false name or not. But the woman had hoped her queen was found and this madness would come to an end. It would seem her mistress wasn’t the only one overcome with stress.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Caradoc and Adele returned for dinner to report another failed attempt at restoring her memory. She took her normal place at Chandra’s table, situated five tables down from the royal table. It was a topic Chandra bemoaned almost daily. But then the woman bemoaned everything almost daily.
Adele was ready to endure another dinner of listening to the same whispered complaints as usual. A new member at Chandra’s table caught her attention—Oringo. He sat next to the spot Adele normally occupied.
His rightful place was at his father’s right hand. Adele chanced a glance at Hollace. Based on his displeased look, she could tell Oringo’s change in seats hadn’t annoyed only her. Adele heard many stories about Oringo and his tendency of bedding every willing woman who crossed his path. Adele wasn’t willing, and she hoped Oringo would see that and leave her alone.
Three years separated Oringo from Chandra. But, as the firstborn male, only he qualified to be Hollace’s heir. The topic represented the bulk of Chandra’s angst. The list of complaints she bombarded Adele with included a rant on how much she hated her ancestor for the stipulations he had laid down for his descendants.
Adele couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew the story of Chandra’s ancestor, but she couldn’t quite figure out how she would come to know about it. She didn’t mention this to Chandra as it would be construed that she had gotten her memory back, and she hadn’t. That frustrated Adele more than anything. Everything was familiar and yet none of it jogged her memory.
“So, Mistress Adele, how goes the search for your memory?” Oringo asked as he reached over her to get a plate of bread. The movement was intentional so he could brush up against her.
Adele tried to edge away from his nearness only to be brought up against the man seated on the other side of her. From his attitude, the man didn’t seem to mind.
Adele answered, “Master Caradoc tries day after day with little luck.”
Oringo made a “tsk” noise. He said in a pitying tone, “That is too bad. Perhaps it would be best if you simply stay here.”
Chandra glared at her brother as she asked, “How is your betrothed, Oringo? Isn’t she supposed to grace us with her presence at the next ball?”
Adele grasped at the out Chandra had given her. She turned a genuinely happy expression to Oringo. “You are to be married, Your Highness? That is wonderful. When is the happy day?”
If Oringo got married, he would stop focusing on her. He was very handsome, she couldn’t deny that. But his attentions made her nervous and a little guilty. What she had to be guilty of, Adele didn’t know.
Oringo returned his sister’s glare with one of his own. He didn’t get the chance to answer the question since Hollace answered for him. “Prince Oringo is slated to marry Lady Sovenne before this year is out.”
Adele glanced up at Hollace. She met his gaze as she always did. And, like always, he looked away first. She sensed that Hollace found her presence more of a pain than he admitted. To his statement, she said, “I hope, by that time, I have found my proper place and have amply returned the courtesy you have extended to me, Your Majesty.”
“So elegantly put, Mistress, and yet you are still an unknown. One wonders at your sincerity.”
Oringo laughed to lighten the mood. He said, “Father, you speak as though Mistress Adele has caused her own memory loss and could cure it if she so chose.”
Hollace didn’t share in Oringo’s jovial nature. “We don’t know that not to be true, do we, Mistress Adele?” he asked.
Adele felt all eyes on her. The feeling was singularly familiar. A headache started behind her eyes. For once, the pain constituted a blessing in disguise. The excuse of it allowed her to get away from dinner, the prince, and everything else. Somehow that felt familiar, too.
With a whispered apology, Adele left the dining hall to go hide in her room.
Once dinner ended, Chandra cornered Oringo. “Are you mad, brother? To openly show your desire for Mistress Adele is to court father’s displeasure.”
“Mind your own business, Chandra,” Oringo said coldly. “What I do to or with Mistress Adele is none of your concern.”
“Mistress Adele is not a toy, Oringo. She isn’t a palace maid to be bedded and forgotten, either. What if her memory returns and she is a person of import to another kingdom? How will you apologize?”
Oringo’s laughter rang through the halls. He taunted, “You are mad. If she were important, the news would be banded out far and wide to ensure her safe recovery. No such news has reached our ears, has it?”
Chandra faltered in her arguments. She was uncertain how to keep Oringo from molesting Adele. She grasped at the last straw. “Father will not allow you to have her. He distrusts her. He will not risk his only heir on a chance such as Adele, and he will ta
ke steps to ensure you never get near her if you prove too arduous.”
“Father will never know,” he said, eyeing her, “unless you decide your loyalty lies with Mistress Adele and not your family.”
Chandra’s chin lifted haughtily. “Telling Father of your intention shows the purest loyalty to my family.” She lowered her chin and her voice as she added, “I will not feel the need to involve Father so long as you leave Adele be.” With that, she departed his company.
Oringo stared after his sister. He didn’t care what she thought or did. Even if she told Hollace, that wouldn’t unmake the experience Oringo planned to have with Adele tomorrow night.
* * *
Mushira smiled wanly at the images of Hannah and Benjamin in the mirror before her. She reiterated, “I know it has been some time since Adrienne has called you, but she and Malik are still, as yet, traveling around Bron. It is hard to pinpoint their current location, else I would immediately inform them of your calls.”
Hannah nodded. She smiled to show she wasn’t upset with Mushira. She said, “I know, I know. But I hoped they’d returned.” She gave a frustrated, motherly sigh. “Well, give them my best and tell Adrienne to call me back as soon as she steps through the door. I don’t want her doing anything before she calls me, okay?”
“Of course, Hannah. I will relay your message,” Mushira agreed. She inclined her head to the woman then waved her hand in front of the mirror, blanking the image. Her whole body sagged.
From the shadows of the room, Malik apologized, “I am sorry to make you lie like this, Mushira.”
“I understand the necessity of it, Majesty. This can be done no other way,” Mushira said sadly. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. “I only wish we could tell them.”
“That is not an option,” Malik snapped. He softened his tone. “I do not wish to worry Benjamin and Hannah in such a way. I promised them their daughter would be safe with me. I will not give them cause to think I am breaking that promise.”
Mushira whirled to look at Malik. She pleaded, “Majesty, please. Such news should not be withheld from her family.”
“She is not dead, Mushira!” The woman shrank from him. He continued in a cold voice, “She is not dead. She is alive and she will return. If she chooses to tell her parents of her ordeal, I will answer for my subterfuge then, and only then. Until that time comes, Hannah and Benjamin will believe Adrienne and I are touring Bron, and you are unable to contact us. Do I make myself clear, Mushira?”
She went into a deep curtsy with her head bowed but said nothing. The grief in Malik’s voice was a tangible thing.
“Leave me.”
Mushira rose and left.
Malik waited for the door to close before he fell to his knees. He whispered, “I should have never left your side. You were safer in my presence.” He shook his head, and tears splashed onto his fists where they rested on his knees. “I will find you, my Adrienne. I will find you and make those who took you pay.”
* * *
Adele smiled at Caradoc’s confusion over her particular conundrum. He had failed to break the spell on her memory yet again. He decided to stay in his cottage to ponder another plan of attack for tomorrow. Adele knew better; he didn’t want to face Hollace. She couldn’t blame him since she didn’t want to tell Hollace the bad news, either.
She bid Caradoc farewell and started back to the palace. Despite Caradoc’s constant arguments that she should reside with him, Adele enjoyed the exercise. Staying in the palace also meant she didn’t have to worry about the way Caradoc looked at her when he thought she wasn’t paying attention.
She saw in Caradoc’s eyes some of what she saw in Oringo’s. Both men made her nervous. When she tried to find a reason for her reaction to them, her head began to hurt. That alone made her wonder if remembering her past was worth it.
Her new headache made Adele change course and head for her room. She would meet up with Chandra in the dining room later. For now, she needed sleep. Hopefully it would alleviate the pain in her head.
Adele needed a nap before she could face Chandra and her incessant ranting about the unfairness of her marriage and demotion to a mere lady, anyway.
Her short rest was not to be. Adele opened the door to find Oringo waiting for her. He smiled as she came up short in the doorway.
Adele curtsied quickly. She asked, “Your Highness, I… Is there a reason you have sought me out?”
Some instinct told her to run. Something about the look in Oringo’s eyes made Adele nervous. She’d seen that look before. This feeling of familiarity made her headache get worse.
Oringo beckoned her further into the room. Adele stayed defiantly by the door and the safety it offered.
“Come, Mistress Adele, I will not bite. I merely wish to speak to you in private,” he said as he pulled her into the room and closed the door. “I have come with a proposition to get you away from my nagging and ever-complaining sister.”
Adele put some distance between them before she asked, “And what would that be, Your Highness?”
Oringo closed the small distance with ease since Adele’s room was not that large. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. He told her in a low voice, “I wish to make you my concubine. I have to marry some noble’s daughter, but the taking of concubines is a common practice, and expected of royals.”
Adele’s expression darkened. She asked, “You would disgrace your wife in such a way?”
“My wife is merely there to bear me heirs and look pretty. Queens serve no other purpose,” he scoffed.
His words made Adele want to slap him. He had such a low opinion of women. She pushed against his chest. “There must be other women waiting with baited breath for such an invitation. I am not one of them, Your Highness. I would ask that you leave now.”
Oringo was solid and unmoving. He grinned at her attempts to get him to release her. Many women mistook his slight form as a sign of weakness. They learned differently.
“Given your current circumstances, when Chandra leaves with her husband next month to return to his keep, I will be your best way to stay in the palace and close to Caradoc. That should give you more incentive to consider my offer, Adele.” He lowered his lips to hers. His free hand grasped her chin to keep her from turning away.
Adele pushed as hard as she could on his chest. Oringo wouldn’t let her go. She entertained ideas of biting him. Thoughts of treason and punishment banished the idea. She was satisfied with keeping her lips firmly pressed together and making the kiss a chaste one. She felt his tongue beckoning her to open for him. She folded her lips around her teeth and bit down to make it even harder for him to gain entry. It didn’t hurt…much. Anything was better than his tongue in her mouth.
“Stop fighting me, damn it.” He tried again with the same results.
Oringo pushed Adele onto the bed. Instead of trying to kiss her lips again, he ripped away her blouse and suckled her breasts.
Adele tried futilely to push his face away. She pleaded, “Stop this. I don’t want to be your mistress.” She didn’t add that his mouth on her body made her feel disgusted. Her feeling of guilt returned in force.
Oringo ignored her pleas. His hands roamed over her body. He pushed his hand underneath her skirt and around her undergarments to caress between her legs.
When Adele felt her legs being pried apart, her mind snapped back to another time when she was assaulted. The flash of memory caused her mind to rip apart in pain. The slight headaches of before were welcome compared to this pain. She felt as though her head would explode. As the memory tried to grab hold, so too did the pain get worse.
She screamed and writhed on the bed as though possessed. It took Oringo a moment to realize her screams weren’t because of him. He stared at her in horror. He pinned her arms to her sides to keep her from tearing out her hair. After five minutes of continuous screaming, Adele finally passed out.
Oringo stared at her. She was limp beneath him and he
almost thought she had stopped breathing until he saw the rise and fall of her chest. He gathered her up and rushed her to the infirmary.
Once there, he ordered a guard to fetch Caradoc.
* * *
Malik’s head snapped up, his attention momentarily distracted from the woman he interrogated. The orb in his hand dulled and the woman slumped.
He had felt Adrienne. But too soon the feeling vanished. She was alive and a spell masked her, he knew that for a certainty. He turned his attention back to the woman on the ground.
He said quietly, “Get out. You may not be part of the conspiracy to do my queen harm, but neither are you, nor have you ever been, loyal to me or my throne. You are hereby banished. Return to Ulan and you will be killed.”
The woman crawled out of the throne room. Malik stood and addressed the rest of the people in the room. “This day has ended.” He ignored the murmurs of relief and returned to his rooms via a portal.
In his chambers, Mushira aired out Adrienne’s closet. Malik had commanded her over and over to stop. She stubbornly refused to be separated from the only part of Adrienne left in the palace. Even Feyr’s presence on the bed couldn’t deter her.
With Mushira were Nimat, Rena and Mischief. Like Mushira, Nimat and Mischief had a need to be near something of Adrienne’s. Mushira had taken up the task of caring for Rena since both Indivar and Hani searched for Adrienne.
Malik regarded them and knew he couldn’t keep his news to himself.
“She is alive.”
Mushira froze. The dress in her hands fluttered to the ground. She whipped around to face Malik. “What?” she demanded.
Malik ignored her impertinence, for he knew Mushira’s joy was akin to his own. “Only moments ago, I felt Adrienne. You were right, Feyr; there are magicks hiding her from me. And, for a time, those magicks weakened. We can only hope next time the weakening will be long enough for me to track her.”
Adrienne Page 26
