Page 67

“I’m not going with you.”

“Why do you try to avoid me? What is all this passive aggression about?”

“I’m keeping us both alive!” Ashburn’s voice turned ragged.

“What are you talking about?”

“There you are, Queen Lucienne.” Prince Felix flashed Lucienne a wolfish grin, which faded instantly at the sight of Ashburn. The prince looked daggers at his enemy, then turned back to Lucienne. “Is that bug bothering you?”

“Actually,” said Lucienne, cocking her chin in the prince’s direction, “it’s that big bug that’s bothering me.”

Prince Felix chuckled. “You’re as funny as you are beautiful.”

Ashburn’s eyes turned the color of the dark sea.

Violet appeared at the entryway to the kitchen, her dark, green eyes darting between Ashburn and Lucienne. “Ash, I can help you with the soup. You don’t need anyone else.”

“Come, Queen Lucienne,” Prince Felix said, offering his hand to her. “The kitchen is for the servants, not for nobles like you and me.”

Lucienne brushed past him.

At the dinner table, the air was cold between Ashburn and Prince Felix. Violet glared at Lucienne. Clement and Peder were nervous anduncomfortable. Only Lucienne was untouched. She shared warm stories with the Furys and learned many words in the Nirvana tongue.

~

That night, Violet came to Lucienne’s tent in Hell Gate, carrying a letter.

Lucienne studied the wax-sealed letter. It had been opened and skillfully re-sealed. Other people might not have detected it, but Lucienne was well-trained. Judging from the gloating light in the redhead’s eyes, she knew the letter didn’t carry a pleasant message.

“Could you please read the letter right now, Queen Lucienne?” asked Violet, who very much wanted to see the hurt on Lucienne’s face. “Ash must have your answer.”

“Then why didn’t he deliver the letter himself, so I could give my answer directly to him?” asked Lucienne, knowing even as she spoke now, Ashburn was probably watching them through Violet’s current memory.

“He can’t. The prince has his minions watching Ash all the time,” Violet said impatiently. “Could you please read the letter now? I can’t stay long, either.”

“I’ll read it,” Lucienne said and clapped her hands.

The giant, who was nearby, immediately came to her service.

“Cam, escort Miss Violet to the guest tent and have her wait there. Be sure to entertain her with refreshments,” Lucienne ordered.

“Will do, Your Majesty.” Cam bowed, gesturing for Violet to follow him.

“I’ll just wait here, Queen Lucienne,” protested Violet. “After you finish reading the letter, you can pass the message onto me, and I’ll relate it to Ash.”

“That would be rude, Violet,” Lucienne said. “Ashburn took time to draft this letter; I must return the same courtesy.”

“This way please, Miss Violet,” Cam said. His tone suggested he’d execute his queen’s order by whatever means necessary.

Throwing Lucienne a hateful look, Violet followed the giant.

Inside her quarters, Lucienne read the letter. The handwriting was beautiful as if the writer spent many years learning calligraphy. “Dear Queen Lucienne,” the letter said. “I regret to write this, but your favored visits upon our humble house have brought with it the constant and tiresome company of the Crown Prince. Our family is but commoners. Entertaining royalty isn’t our forte. If my poor parents continue to stretch themselves beyond their capacity, they’ll break. I’d appreciate it very much if Your Majesty would relieve my parents of such duty. The king’s palace may be a more suitable place for Your Majesty’s noble status.

Thank you very much for your kind understanding.

Very truly yours,

Ashburn Fury”