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Seb bowed at the waist, then excused himself.

Marco wrapped an arm around my shoulders, tugging me close to his side. “Welcome to your first adventure, cousin.”

He had no idea this wouldn’t be my first.

It took a day of near constant riding, only stopping to give the horses rest a handful of times. We skirted the edge of the forest, careful not to wander too close. My men’s fear clung to me as viscerally as the humidity in the summer months. After all, it wasn’t long ago a beast emerged and stole The Coveted. Often I found myself staring into the dense trees, wondering if the feeling of being watched was paranoia or something more sinister.

Marco rode his horse in a more lax position than I thought possible atop a steed. If he felt eyes on him too, he didn’t show it. It wouldn’t have surprised me if he’d enjoy rather than fear the attention, anyway.

His team of guards, minus those currently in Windguard, also joined us for the trip, the first time I’d seen them together since he arrived.

I’d made sure I brought a matching number of guards, and secretly gave them orders to remain alert. I didn’t want to entertain the thought, but Sebastian was right. I needed to be careful.

If it hadn’t been my idea, and me approaching him regarding this little impromptu journey, I would have been more weary. Truly, I hated that these thoughts even crossed my mind at all, but my father, though cruel and unforgiving, had effectively instilled a cautionary style of approach when it came to conflict. Many kings had fallen before, and during, their reign to foes, but more tragically, allies. With everything going on, and my demolished level of perceived control, I couldn’t afford to be thoughtless.

Marco carried no weapons on his person, at least from what I could see, but my sword remained fixed to my back. My guards flanked the entire procession, keeping eyes ahead and behind at all times.

“I’ve been told their setup is similar to traveling nomads, so I’m not expecting luxury by any means, but I am hopeful they have some sort of spa, or at least a masseuse lingering around. My neck and back are killing me from this horse,” Marco complained, rolling his neck and kneading his shoulders.

I’ll admit, the discomfort of travel had started to wear on me as well, but my father’s warning echoed. “Don’t show weakness. Remain a beacon of strength that would make your enemies think twice.”

Sorrow creased my brow. How could I truly be considering that Marco and enemies should even be in the same sentence? How could I have let things get to this point? I closed my eyes, pretending I was atop that grassy knoll with Ella. Her feminine hands cupping my jaw, tending to my wounded soul.

I hadn’t gone to her with the intention of griping, but after battling all day with my worth as a leader, only to find out that I knew even less than I thought regarding the reports of the kidnappings, something in me had snapped.

But she’d been there. She hadn’t hesitated, even for a moment. Not from the influence of my position, not because she wanted access to my power and resources, strictly because I’d been hurting. Not even to inflate my pride. No, I couldn’t imagine Ella ever put on airs to puff up a man.

She was honest, direct. She reminded me I had an important role to play, more important than indulging in my own self pity. She’d inspired me to act. As long as there was breath in my lungs, we had a fighting chance.

When I opened my eyes, bringing myself back to the task at hand under the setting sun, I banished the grief that tried clawing at me.

My men would carefully bring us to the refugee camp, where I would gather information for myself from their leader. A first step in gaining my ruling footing again. Then I’d return to the castle and subject myself to a ball designed to set me up with a wife in a matter of weeks.

But after, I’d get to see Ella.

31

Nora

If I hadn’t already thought Hamish Caine to be a complete and utter sack of garbage, this week certainly proved it. Apparently the chimney required sweeping, the floors needed waxing, and the roof suddenly possessed unacceptable coverage. And I’d been the obvious choice to patch it.

I assumed this was meant to be a continuation of his threat, another display of power designed to force me to comply. Eucinda had delivered him a letter last week, telling him I would attend the remaining events as an equal competitor to my sisters. Guess that hadn’t been enough to appease him.

The silver lining of it all was that he hadn’t been spending much time at the tavern. Working with Helena was tolerable, as long as I didn’t get behind on cleaning. My body ached from the strenuous shifts, and sleep claimed me so fully that besides the occasional run to the market for Eucinda, my life consisted of sleeping, working, and foaming baths. I hadn’t even had a chance to inquire about the missing persons yet and whether they were magic affiliated.

Sleep, half my healing balm for those monstrous shifts, was cut short as my sisters and Eucinda tweeted like songbirds over their anticipation for the ball today. I sat up in my bed, my eyes stinging from vengeance for being awake.

I’d done my best to avoid thinking about what today would bring, but now that it was here, it felt like I’d swallowed a bunch of rocks. The stress sat heavy in my body, knowing that not only was I to appear like I cared about vying for the prince’s hand in marriage, but also because I was going in as a spy. Dee told me to press the staff for information that could help them infiltrate. The expectations for the day piled on as each passing second brought me nearer to the point of no return.

I brushed back my dark hair away from my face and worked off the stress by shaking out my arms. I could do this. And after, I would escort Melody to the Magic Supporters meeting. There, I could probe for the information I hadn’t had time to collect this week, and have something to communicate back to Chol. Knowing I’d be meeting up with him in a stretch of a few hours made my stomach flutter and my lips pull to the side in a smile. The ghost scent memory of citrus had me biting my thumbnail.

How he’d successfully redistributed Crown funds was still a mystery, but knowing that he did had my anticipation heighten to see him later. What else would this impressive man be able to pull off?

Together, we were already improving the kingdom in a way I really only thought could exist in my wildest fantasies. A quick glance around this isolated attic room reminded me where I’d started from when I’d first concocted the idea.

Before I could stop myself, I left the idea of my past and present behind, considering my future. What it held for me. If I’d have a home at all, or if I’d have to leave Highcrest entirely. If I’d wind up in a cell, or in the ground for high treason.

Without me, my people would still have Chol. One could argue he was the better end of that deal, given his connections and sway of influence. Wouldn’t be me arguing that point though, especially not to him. In fact, I should probably spontaneously remind him how lucky he was to have me.