Prince of Secrets and Shadows

by C. S. Johnson

  Karl took my hand, clutching it affectionately with a flooding sense of relief. “I am glad you see the differences, my dear. They are quite stark, I assure you.”

  I nodded, even though I disagreed. Ben had made similar remarks regarding both of them before, noting Ferdy’s carelessness and Karl’s ruthlessness. I held onto Karl’s hand, thinking how his deep devotion to the country had led to destruction, and how Ferdy’s careless lies had left me broken.

  “Did you know, Eleanora, in some countries they execute family members who bring dishonor to their families?” Karl sighed remorsefully. “What a shame that we do not adopt that custom. Disownment will only go so far in certain circles here. Fortunately, my parents are supportive of our estrangement.”

  Karl’s statement jolted me out of the stupor of my own thoughts and ignited my rage.

  He was obviously upset. I watched him as he anxiously tugged at his collar, straightened his cravat, and smoothed out his jacket. He was fidgeting, and Ferdy had rattled him to the point he was making lighthearted comments about situations like the one Amir faced, comparing Ferdy’s embarrassment to an act of family dishonor punishable by death.

  Karl always seemed very refined, always very courteous—a gentleman to his fingertips. But his remark, as careless and thoughtless as it was, revealed the more grotesque truth inside.

  Disgust ran through me, and I knew it was time for me to escape. My heart felt hollow at the thought of staying where I was, for so many reasons, and there really was nothing I wanted more than to go and find Ferdy again.

  “I do believe my grandmother is signaling to me from Lady Hohenwart’s box,” I said, struggling to keep my voice from breaking. “Please excuse me. I will return shortly.”

  Before Karl could offer to escort me, or worse, question my decision, I hurried away. I pushed past the velvet curtain and made for the stairs, heading in the direction Ferdy had indicated before.

  “Where did he go?” I muttered, frustrated as I had to smile and weave through the crowds. I caught sight of a darkened staircase at the far end of the hall and hurried onward. Navigating the stairs in my gown slowed me some, but I finally found an exit.

  Just as I slipped outside, a hand reached out and took hold of me from behind. I almost fought back, but then I heard his voice.

  “I was wondering if you were going to come at all.”

  Ferdy.

  My knees buckled, and I fell back against him briefly. Then I remembered how upset he had made me by showing up and pretending we had never met before.

  “And miss getting the chance to chastise you for your impudence? Never.” I turned to face him. “What were you thinking, showing up here? Were you trying to make me upset?”

  “You cannot make me feel guilty over making you upset,” Ferdy replied tartly. He drew me back against the side of building. The alleyway behind the theatre was dark, but we were safe and out of sight. “Especially after promising Karl you would consider an engagement.”

  “I only did it to see if I could trap him,” I said with a huff. “He promised me if I agreed to it, he would never lie, and I was trying to get him to by asking about you. I didn’t think he would admit to being your brother.”

  “We need to work on your gambling skills.”

  Despite my anger, I almost laughed. “I’ve been too busy learning how to fight to worry about gambling.”

  “I am relieved to hear that. Philip and I agreed that your injured leg was an exaggerated excuse to stay out of Society while Karl figured out what to do next.”

  “How is he? You’ll have to give Philip my regards.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “And speaking of Society, why are you here?”

  “Why, to see you, of course.” My eyes were gradually adjusting to the darkness in the alleyway, and I could see his smile against the shadows. “Karl is not the only one who has missed you.”

  “Ferdy—”

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “We don’t have time for a proper reunion right now. I am here because I wanted to see you, but I also wanted to give you this.” He reached inside of his coat and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.

  “This isn’t another invitation, is it?” I asked, taking the paper.

  “No, it’s not,” Ferdy replied with a quick grin. “It’s a letter my brother sent out to Lord Maximillian, the Duke of Moravia, this morning. I had one of my informants intercept it.”

  “You have informants?”

  “Of course I do. I’ve been running around the streets for nearly a year, and since then I’ve come to learn the value of having the right information.” A sly glimmer appeared in his gaze. “How else do you think I knew to come and rescue you tonight, chérie?”

  I refrained from slapping him at his teasing remarks, but only barely. Instead, I unrolled the paper, but it was too dark to read it. “What does it say?”

  “He was formally rejecting Lady Teresa Marie as his future wife,” Ferdy said. “He says that he is pursuing you instead, since you have expressed your interest, and his friends in the League would approve of his choice because of your father, and of course, your other ‘most excellent qualities.’ Karl also offered the Duke a seat on his council and considered it a ‘gracious’ and ‘generous’ act, considering the nature of their recent disagreements.”

  “The League? The only league I can think of is the League of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” I said. “But that’s based in London, and Lady POW is a member. I don’t know why they would care what Karl was planning.”

  “I was more surprised to see your name,” Ferdy said. “I am sure you’ve noticed I am disgusted by your position.”

  “You can take heart in knowing that it’s a lie.” I did not want to tell Ferdy, but I agreed with him. I crossed my arms, remembering I was supposed to be upset with him. “You’re pretty familiar with those, if I recall.”

  “I’m working on making it up to you. Since you told me you only allowed Karl to get close to you in order to save people the night of the Advent Ball, I am keeping a closer watch on my brother.”

  “Ferdy.” I felt my earlier ire soften as I shook my head. “The Order knows Karl has reached out to Lord Maximillian and they are trying to restore Bohemia to a full monarchy. They were going to use the death of the politicians and aristocracy back at the castle to leverage Karl back onto the throne.”

  “Fortunately, their plans were foiled by a clever young lady.” He brushed his hand against my chin, and I hurriedly turned away.

  “I still failed,” I murmured, torn between shame and pride at his remark. “The Order suspects there are contingency plans.”

  “You are right to do so. I’ve known Karl has wanted to free Bohemia from the empire for some time. But I did not realize until recently he was intent on following through.” His gaze dropped to the ground. “I should have.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I assured him, surprised by the amount of guilt I heard in his voice. “You were the one who told me he is very smart.”

  “He is,” Ferdy said, “but I should have known something was wrong. With the Duke of Moravia and now the League of Ungentlemanly Warfare, he has the right connections, and after the Advent Ball, he no longer seems to exhibit any moral restraint.”

  I bit my lip momentarily. I did not want to encourage him, but I did not want to miss out on any important information, either. Finally, I gave in. “What do you know?”

  “Enough to know we have to stop him.”

  We?

  The day that I left him at the castle, I thought Ferdy was letting me go. But now, as I held the letter he had given me, as he looked at me with such concern, I saw he wanted to help me and the Order—even though he believed we could turn on him.

  That was not the only risk he faced, either. Going up against Karl would mean that he was putting himself at risk from his brother’s ire and possible retaliation.

  “Ferdy.” I took his arm. “Your mother is worried for you.”

  Ferdy balked. “What does t
hat have to do with this?”

  “I appreciate the help. I really do,” I said. “This letter is a good clue. Maybe Lord Maximillian’s foreign backers include members of the League. But I can’t have you looking into this. You need to stop. This is dangerous.”

  “You told me that the kingdom needs me,” he said, and I felt a rush of anger; he was trying to use my own reasoning against me. Before I could object and fight back, he stepped even closer to me, trapping me between his body and the building. “And as much as you might not like it, I need you.”

  His hands cradled my face, and I ached for him. My heart was thundering loudly between my ears as we stood there. All of my being was torn inside—duty and love fought a dizzying battle inside of me, leaving me unable to move.

  “You need me, too.” Ferdy’s voice was soft and full of wonder, sending shivers down my spine. “I can tell.”

  “This is madness,” I whispered.

  “Madness or magic?” Ferdy’s gaze fell to my lips, and I felt my heart fall out of my chest and into his hands all over again.

  I barely managed to find my resolve. “My life is nothing, Ferdy. You have to be protected. I can’t have you involved in this.”

  “It’s not your job to take care of me,” he said. “I can protect myself. What do you think I’ve been doing for the last year, playing the pauper for all of Prague to witness?”

  “I’m not sure how that helps.” I eyed him curiously. “Why were you living on the streets, exactly?”

  “I may not be a true prince—”

  “Yes, you are.” I jutted my chin forward. I did not want to debate the technicalities of his title, but I would if I had to. “That is the truth, and you promised me you would only tell me the truth.”

  “Fine.” The reluctance in his voice was palpable as he drew back from me. “I am a prince. But my father was king and emperor, and eventually, he was forced from his throne because he did not know his people. He was lucky he wasn’t killed. And now, Karl is following in his steps to the same end. He is too focused on his own ambition to see that the people simply will not support him.”

  “There is a strong Nationalist movement. And he could easily garner support after the fire, even claiming it was an accident.”

  “The Nationalist support will disappear when they see Karl wants power for himself. The people want to be free, as free as they can be in a fallen world. Karl doesn’t think they are smart enough to know the difference, but I know they are.”

  I felt my own heart push back at me, telling me Ferdy was right. Clavan had recognized it in me, too—the desire for freedom, for liberty. That was another reason I had agreed to join Lady POW, too. Freedom required power.

  “I have chosen to live among the people, as one of them, so I could know them again,” Ferdy said. “I can assure you, it was more educational than going off to school, too, especially considering what Clavan and Eliezer have taught me.”

  “I can tell,” I said. “But Karl—”

  “Karl doesn’t know Bohemia the way I do. If there is a way to stop him from destroying himself and the kingdom, I will find it.”

  “Even if you’re the one who is destroyed in the end?”

  He shrugged. “He has protected me my whole life, and while we disagree on many issues, I would not have him killed. Mother would be more than distraught, especially after the hell she went through to have us.”

  “Ferdy ...”

  Ferdy gripped my hands. “And I can’t have you in danger, either. I know of the League, and the Order, Ella. So does Karl. We heard about it years ago, first from our mother and then while we were at school. Karl might not know that your grandmother is a member or that you are part of it, but we both know of its deadlier capabilities.”

  “We’re not assassins.”

  “Your enemies would not agree,” Ferdy argued, giving me a pointed look. “And that might include Karl’s friends in the League.”

  My breath caught in my throat. I thought of my mother’s mission and my father’s murder. Amir, Harshad, and Lady POW were not enemies of the Order. But there were other members, too—like my grandfather—and Lady POW was against utilizing them, even to help our mission.

  “Do you think it’s possible there are members of the League who would want to betray the Order?” I asked.

  “There are always traitors on every side.”

  His answer unnerved me, both at its truth and timeliness.

  Ferdy did not seem to notice my discomfort as he continued. “I’m sure it’s possible, just as I am sure it is possible that the League is using Karl as much as his thinks he is using them. And that’s why I won’t let you face this alone.”

  “I’m not alone.”

  “Oh, yes, I’ve almost forgotten your brother.” Ferdy laughed as he patted the right side of his torso, just above his hip. “He bruised me up quite a bit the other day.”

  “I’m so sorry about that,” I murmured, embarrassed. I reached out and touched him, feeling him shiver through the layers of clothes. “I did not tell him to go find you.”

  “Oh, I know. You’ve never been one to have other people fight your battles.” He placed his hand over mine, tracing his fingers over my knuckles, where days of Harshad’s instruction had left them red and slightly swollen. “I was wondering if you were learning how to box. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to show you how to fight like a beggar.”

  I blushed. “We aren’t discussing that now.”

  “Of course not,” he said, giving me one of his irreverent smiles. “If it makes you feel better, I was actually glad to see Ben. Even fighting him was worth it.”

  “You gave him a black eye. Why would it make you happy?”

  “Because it meant you were upset.” He pulled my hand up to his cheek before grazing his lips across my palm. Even through my glove, the sudden, searing heat between us taunted me, urging me closer even though I knew it would burn me in the end. “Over me.”

  “I’m nearly always upset over you,” I whispered, unable to stop myself from leaning closer, basking in the smothered scent of mint and lavender on his formal jacket.

  “So you have missed me, too?”

  The playful tone reminded me of how much I did not know him, of how I had allowed myself to be dazzled by him before—of how I wanted him anyway.

  I stepped back from him and smiled, even as I felt his disappointment. “Absolument.”

  For a long moment, one of those moments that burns through time more sweetly, we stared at each other, and I was allowed to bask in the wonder that I loved him, and he loved me. Even if there was no trust between us, even if there was only danger ahead—I loved him, and there was nothing more freeing than feeling secure in that love.

  In the distance, the Pražský orloj chimed, and the magic of the moment was gone.

  “I will have to wait until next time to kiss you,” Ferdy said, making me both angry and grateful. “Karl and your grandmother will be worried for you if you don’t return soon.”

  The thought of Lady Penelope and Karl waiting around for me anxiously was enough to break the spell of magic surrounding us. I swallowed hard. “You’re right. I have to go.”

  With a quick nod, I started back toward the entrance of the concert hall. Just before I turned the corner, Ferdy called out to me again.

  “Ella.”

  I turned around. “What is it?”

  Even in the shadows, I could see the sparkle of silver in his eyes. “It gets harder to leave you, every time.”

  I felt the lump in my throat return before I tried to smile. “Parting is such sweet sorrow,” I reminded him.

  “With all due respect to the Bard, Shakespeare was never so wrong as he was about that,” Ferdy said. “I don’t feel any sweetness in my sorrow. Desperation, anxiety, and longing—even anger and suffering—but no sweetness.”

  “It’s supposed to be sweet in knowing it won’t be long before a reunion.”

  “Do I know that we will ever me
et again?”

  I laughed. “Of course we will. How else will you kiss me?”

  His sad smile came back briefly. “Will you let me keep you?”

  “Ferdy.” I took a step toward him, unsure of what I could say, or even what I would do, but he shook his head.

  “No. We do not have time right now. My brother will ask you too many questions as it is.”

  I patted my pocket where the letter he had given me was safely tucked away. “Thank you.”

  “Absolument, chérie.” The cheeky grin fluttered on his face, and then he sank further back into the shadows, disappearing completely.

  After the past weeks of trying to forget Ferdy, it was clear I had failed spectacularly. I headed back inside, making my way back to the theatre box, completely overwhelmed.

  I could not stop seeing his face inside my mind. His eyes swam before me, silver seas of emotion and intelligence. He was broken by our separation, and I seemed beyond repair without him.

  It was only when I bumped into a man that I returned to the world once more.

  “Pardon me,” I murmured. I glanced up to offer an apologetic curtsy, but as I saw the man’s face, I stopped and stared.

  It was the man from the Cabal—not the obnoxious green-eyed man, but his companion, Didier. He was wearing the formal suit of an aristocrat, with his black hair cut short, the same shade of ebony as his boots, and a few shades lighter than his skin. He smiled kindly at me; even in the shadows of the theatre hall, I could see his gentleness. “All is forgiven, Lady Ella.”

  It was the first time I heard his voice, and it startled me. He offered me his gloved hand, and I blinked again. Even with the name and outfit of a Frenchmen, his manners and accent were distinctly American. I glanced at his coat, where a small revolver was peeking out from his inner pocket.

  “There she is!”

  I nearly jumped at the sound of Lady Penelope’s voice. She came up to me, and I briefly saw Karl was not far behind her, before she smothered me into an awkward hug, smooshing me up against her bosom. I saw Karl behind her, looking frustrated.

  “What is wrong with you?” Lady Penelope hissed in my ear. “Where did you go?”