Prince of Secrets and Shadows

by C. S. Johnson

  Ferdy moved to stand in front me. I could see a line of blood dripping from his arm, but the slow trickle did nothing to deter him from facing Karl. “I would apologize for my deception on the matter, if you hadn’t called for my death, brother.”

  “As usual, you don’t understand what is at stake, Ferdinand,” Karl snapped. “Your selfishness was what nearly got you killed before, not my desire for vengeance. You were interfering with my affairs, and I will not have you continue to be my stumbling block.”

  “You would have killed your own brother for the kingdom?” I was finally free to ask my questions, no longer bound to the silence due to my disguise.

  “He was actively plotting against me and the future of Bohemia, Eleanora.” Karl groaned. “Please don’t tell me you foolishly believe his lies, too. Ferdinand would gladly see the people of this country rule it by mob force. That is all direct democracy is, you know, when you allow the people who have no formal education or even reading ability to help determine law. Do you want such savagery to ravage our nation? Wars among our neighbors have already done enough damage.”

  I said nothing, and Karl only shook his head. “When we are married, I will have to see to your education.”

  “I’m not marrying you,” I snapped. “No matter what the morning papers say.”

  “You will marry me, Eleanora,” Karl hissed. “You’ve humiliated me enough, both in my own family and among my friends.” At his grimace, I wondered if he was thinking of earlier when I left Count Potocki’s ball before making an official appearance. “It is clear you will have to learn your place in this world.”

  “Why would you want to marry me anyway? I don’t want to marry you.”

  “Your actions in Society have failed to suggest otherwise,” Karl accused. “Even if I failed to see through your lies, no one else needs to know. We can still marry and free the kingdom from the empire.”

  “You can’t force me to.”

  “I won’t let you, either,” Ferdy said.

  Karl scowled. “Well, I can readily believe that, brother. You have never allowed me any happiness, have you? Especially not when it was convenient for you. This is no exception, I see. It is the same as when you did everything you could to become our father’s favorite. You stole his love for me away, and now you have Eleanora’s, too. But she is mine. My plans for the kingdom are too important for Bohemia. If you do not stand down, you will be put down.”

  “Karl, if you don’t stop, you will be the one who is stopped,” Ferdy told him. “The people don’t want you as their king.”

  “They seemed plenty happy about my decision to pledge for Count Potocki’s position once he steps down tonight. Not that you would know that, since you missed the ball.”

  “I told you Eleanora was there,” Lord Maximillian interrupted. “She left early, which is why I had my suspicions and had her followed.”

  “Yes, that is true,” Karl muttered, clearly upset he had been interrupted only to be corrected. “I suppose I owe you for bringing my wayward brother back to Lumiere’s. I am grateful for Eleanora’s return, too, even though I am surprised she did not come to see me. I would have thought her grandmother’s life was more important.”

  I felt my breath leave me at the thought of what Karl had done to Lady POW. “I swear this now, I will pay you back for every bit of pain you inflict on her.”

  “What an insolent girl.” Lord Maximillian sniffed, his thick salt and pepper mustache fluttering the darkness. “I told you my daughter would have been a better pick, Karl.”

  “And I told you both, I would take care of the two of them for you,” Lumiere said, stepping out in front of Ferdy and me. “Obviously, both of them are harder to kill and persuade than we originally planned, but what is the fun in doing an easy job? I happen to like harder jobs myself.”

  “What do you want now, Lumiere?” Lord Maximillian turned to face him, clearly irritated.

  “Need I remind you I require payment, your grace?” Lumiere shook his head. “We all must pay for our pleasures. And as I enjoy seeing to my own pleasure, I must insist you compensate me for my trouble.”

  “I hardly think this was any trouble for you,” Lord Maximillian muttered, but he called forth one of his servants, who brought forth a large bag.

  Lumiere smirked. “It was trouble enough for you to be searching for the rumored heir of Bohemia for the past several years. The fact that you failed to contact my father before wasting so much time speaks to your weakness, not mine.”

  I glanced at Ferdy, and I suddenly wondered what Lumiere was doing, treating Lord Maximillian with such disdain. He gave him a mocking bow as he took the bag, quickly opening it. By the light of the fires, I could see several hundred pound notes inside.

  “I trust it is to your satisfaction?” Lord Maximillian asked.

  “Why are you paying him?” Karl asked, his voice impatient. “I told you it was taken care of.”

  “Prince Karl, mon ami, you should know that my satisfaction can always grow,” Lumiere replied, giving him a quick wink. “One only has to ask Didier if there is any doubt.”

  I glanced around as Lumiere continued to shuffle through the bag. Where was Didier? I wondered. I had never seen him far from Lumiere’s side. Ferdy gave me a questioning look, no doubt wondering if I was planning something.

  I did not know where to begin, but if we could do something, now was the time to do it. Lumiere was distracted, engrossed with his payment, and I was armed. I reached for my dagger, catching Ferdy’s eye. I did not know if I could get the two of us out of there without his help, but I did not want to make his injury any worse. From the paleness of his face, I already knew I only had a little bit of time before I would have to find Amir or see if Zipporah was at the Cabal.

  Ferdy tensed up but shifted his feet, ready to pounce along with me. I took a deep breath and then stepped forward.

  Only to be sidetracked at once, when Lumiere let out a stream of curses in French.

  “Mon Deus, where is my letter, Max?”

  I tripped forward as Lumiere began arguing with Lord Maximillian.

  “You know I need that letter,” Lumiere hollered. His face, always so serene and easy-going, was taut with boiling rage. “My father is the ambassador to the French empire, not me. I need my diplomatic immunity!”

  “It is in there,” Lord Maximillian argued, stepping forward. “I signed and sealed it myself.”

  “I need it, Max, I need it so badly,” Lumiere bemoaned. “Otherwise everyone will know about the information from my father regarding the Order of the Crystal Daggers. How I have helped smuggle your special wine across Bohemian hills and mountains, and I have delivered to you both the second heir to the throne and ensured the proper queen would ascend to the throne.”

  “Calm down!” Lord Maximillian shouted, surprising me with his stern tone. “Surely it is in there. You can’t find it when you’re throwing a hissy fit.”

  “I do love a good hissy fit,” Lumiere yelled, “but not when so much is at stake.”

  “Ella,” Ferdy whispered. “Look.”

  I turned away from Lumiere and Lord Maximillian, only to see the familiar gleam of a purple blade as it moved behind Karl. Several moving figures slipped onto the deck behind it, and I grinned.

  Lumiere slowly looked up around us. He had noticed the new arrivals, too. “Well, it seems we have some more visitors here, your grace.”

  “Intruders!” One of Alex’s henchmen cried out as he was cut down and tossed overboard. Squinting, I saw Ben was the one who had felled him, and my smile only grew wider.

  “I hope you will excuse our tardiness. The traffic between here and the castle is quite awful.” Lady Penelope’s voice was scratchy but certain as she called out her wry greeting. “But I am pleased to say we made it just in time for Lumiere’s confession and your agreement.”

  *24*

  ◊

  Lady Penelope had never looked deadlier as she stared at Lord Maximillian. Dress
ed in men’s clothing, with the fitted pants and the dark jacket, she had come prepared for battle. I watched with pride and terror as her eyes narrowed in the moonlight. At her side, I saw Amir appear from the other side of the ship, and together, the two of them were focused on their foe.

  I was relieved to see that they had put their differences aside. At least, they did so long enough to make sure I was safe.

  From the other side of the deck, I saw the shadow of Harshad’s form, and I heard him call out for Ben to follow. My friends and family were all here, and I felt an enormous wave of relief break through me.

  They are all here. They’ve all come to rescue me.

  I suddenly groaned at the thought. While I was happy to see them, I did not need another reason for Lady Penelope to think I was incompetent.

  I felt even worse as I realized my cover was blown. Karl, Lord Maximillian, and everyone else knew the truth of who I was, and who I worked for. There would be no more gallivanting around Society now, and I would be shunned by the crowds, if not driven out of the city for my indecency.

  Ferdy took my hand again, and I glanced at him. He gave me his cheeky smile, and I nodded.

  He might have been a prince among men, I thought, just as he was the prince of my heart.

  I still had to focus. There was no use worrying about Lady Penelope’s disappointment and Society’s rejection if I was silly enough to die tonight. I gripped Ferdy’s hand in mine, resolved, even if I was still ruffled by the future’s uncertainty.

  Ben appeared, hopping over the side of the ship. “You’re lucky we managed to find you.”

  I smiled brightly at the sight of my brother. “Ben.”

  There was a bit of swagger in his step as he greeted me. I was glad to see he was here, not only because I knew I could count on him to help me, but because I knew it meant a lot to him to be included in our mission.

  “You’ve missed a lot of action, Nora,” Ben said. “Harshad, Xiana, and I met at the castle, and Amir came, too, as we were rescuing Lady Penelope from the dungeon. Amir had a message to come here for you.”

  He tried to explain everything to me, but Lady Penelope quickly became the center of our attention as she came up beside Karl.

  “It is lovely to see you again, too, Mr. Marcelin,” Lady Penelope said, giving Karl a mocking curtsy. “Let me take this quick moment to tell you I have decided to withdraw my own agreement for Eleanora’s hand. It seems she is already engaged.”

  I glanced over at Ferdy with a raised brow, watching as he swallowed a laugh.

  “I forgot about that,” he said.

  “Forgot about what?” I asked.

  “I talked to my father about marrying you. All I needed was your approval.”

  “And my grandmother’s.” I looked back up to Lady POW, watching as she took her dagger out and pointed it at Lumiere.

  I did not think it was time to ask her about it. Not when she had her intended prey nearly at her mercy.

  Lumiere only laughed. “Madame, you never fail to delight me in your own right.”

  “Surrender, Lumiere,” Lady Penelope ordered. “You are surrounded.”

  “We might be surrounded, but we are far from outnumbered. Remember the old adage for retirement? Death or defeat, and we fight only to the death aboard this ship, Pepé!” Lumiere pulled out his gun and fired out several shots wildly into the air. “Attack, men!”

  The remaining guards, still a little confused, jumped into action. Lady Penelope and Amir quickly came to each other’s rescue, fighting back to back as they were repeatedly charged.

  “Ready, Ben?” I asked, glancing over at him as I widened my stance.

  “It’s about time we can practice Harshad’s lessons in real life.” Ben stepped up beside me, while I saw Karl duck where he stood as swords came out. He hurried toward the side of the ship, but a few of his guards, keen on fighting, blocked his way.

  Ben and I stood back to back, while Ferdy tapped Ben on the shoulder. “May I join you?”

  I grinned, but Ben frowned. “This isn’t a game of cards,” he snarled.

  “Ben, stop harassing him,” I muttered.

  “He’s been lying to us this whole time about who he is,” Ben argued, before his gaze turned dark. “But then, I suppose you knew that.”

  I blushed, grateful another guard came up to attack me. After a few well-placed kicks, I was able to reply. “Just since the Advent Ball.”

  “If he wanted nothing to do with us then, he’s lucky we’re even here to help him now.”

  “I can assure you,” Ferdy said as he flung another fighter away from our group, “I am happy to see you. And I apologize for my deceit. It has been a lifelong burden for me. And my brother, too, though his reasons for hating our requested silence are far different from mine.”

  “Which one of you had the reasons that included seducing my sister?”

  “Ben!” I nearly hit him at his impropriety. He was fortunate we had other enemies that required our attention.

  “I would have said romancing,” Ferdy said, trying to coax a smile out of Ben. “But yes. You should know I’m in love with her, just as I know you can’t blame me for it.”

  “Believe me,” Ben muttered, “I’m more than content to blame her.”

  I did not know if I preferred it that way or not, but before I could respond, Harshad leaped down from the upper deck. My mouth dropped, gaping as he landed squarely on the shoulders of a guard, and I could barely believe my eyes as I watched him. For a seventy-two-year-old man, he certainly had a lot of agility.

  “You need to focus,” Harshad said. “Lumiere is distracted. Use it to your advantage.”

  I did not know what he expected of us. While Lumiere was close by, we still had a few of Lord Maximillian’s guards to consider. “Well, at least we’ve stopped fighting each other when it comes to Ferdy, and we’re fighting with him beside us.”

  “That’s not going to change my mind about him,” Ben replied.

  “Can I just say, I’m happy to have the chance to defend myself?” Ferdy gave Ben a quick pat on the shoulder. “And you never know. You might change your mind about me.”

  “You mean like how you might change your mind about Lumiere?” I asked.

  “I told you, he’s overstepped himself,” Ferdy replied. “Badly, too, this time.”

  Before Ferdy, Ben, and I could argue more, I heard Lord Maximillian cry out in frustration. “What do you think you’re doing? You set us up!”

  He was yelling at Lumiere. For a few short seconds, I watched as Lord Maximillian pushed against Lumiere, forcing him back several steps.

  With a frustrated look, Lumiere stumbled back but quickly found his balance. It was then I noticed there was an envelope in his hand.

  “A setup? I am appalled by this accusation. Is this really how you would treat me, when I am saving your life?” Lumiere pushed him, handing him his gun as he took the letter. “You’re lucky I can be bought, Max! Now, go and take your prince. I’ll hold them off while you escape.”

  “No,” I cried, jumping in front of Ferdy. I pulled out my dagger, ready to defend him from anything, at any cost—only to find there was no threat.

  But Lord Maximillian did not pay any attention to me. Ben rushed forward. “Watch out, Nora.”

  Ben raced toward us, heading for Lord Maximillian. A gun gleamed in his hand, and I worried he would take a shot at Ben.

  Everything seemed to happen all at once. I saw Lord Maximillian’s finger tighten around the trigger. I saw Ben running toward him, oblivious to the danger.

  There was no way to stop the gun, but I knew I could stop Ben. I jumped forward, hitting Ben hard as he passed us. He wobbled as I fell to the deck, and the force of the momentum carried him over the railing of the upper deck.

  “Ben!” I shouted, just as the gun went off. The bullet missed both of us, but I scrambled to see where my brother had gone.

  I heard his scream—almost the exact same terrible scream I had h
eard before, all those years ago, when he fell off the barn roof—and I froze.

  Every moment of my life from the moment of Ben’s first accident to this one collapsed inside of me, and I felt the pressure crush me. Tears started to form in my eyes as I realized, once more, that Ben was suffering, and all because of me.

  “Ella,” Ferdy called from behind me, and I barely managed to turn around to make sure Ferdy was safe, too. Lord Maximillian was heading toward him.

  “No.” The word rushed out of me, and I began to panic—until I saw Lord Maximillian pass Ferdy and head for Karl, grabbing him and guiding him off the ship.

  “Keep holding them off,” Lord Maximillian called back to his guards.

  At that moment, I realized why Lord Maximillian had been required to pay more. He had not come to the Salacia to get Ferdy. He had Ferdy and me captured in order to get at Karl.

  “Prepare to set sail!” Lumiere called, and his crew members appeared in their heavily cloaked forms.

  I glanced back at Lumiere as he tucked the envelope he had in his hand into his jacket pocket before turning his attention back to the bag of money. Seeing he was sufficiently distracted, I took the moment to head toward the stairs.

  “Where are you going, Ella?” Ferdy called after me.

  “I have to get Ben.”

  “What about my brother?”

  “We will have to get Karl later.” I was just about tell him that since Lord Maximillian had confessed, we could have him brought to the castle for a trial. Everything was nearly over, as long as we caught him.

  But that was when Lumiere appeared in front of me, blocking me from the stairs, blocking me from Ben.

  Anger filled me at the sight of Lumiere, coupled with the fear I felt for my brother’s life.

  As if he knew of my struggles, Harshad called out to me. “I’ll see to Ben, Eleanora.”

  From where I was, I could see the top of Harshad’s head, his white hair a crown around a small bald spot. He knelt in front of Ben, who was still whimpering in pain, while Lady Penelope swooped down a nearby railing to help them.