Page 64 of Disillusioned (A Lay of Ruinous Reign #2)

L ilac made the mistake of shutting her eyes again, opening them moments later when she felt dew on her face and the ground beneath her feet.

She stumbled into the dark when the spinning stopped, nearly launching herself into the brush before Myrddin caught her by the arm and led her to a nearby oak trunk.

Her stomach heaved as she steadied herself against it.

“There now,” Myrddin muttered, releasing her. “For all the things you could’ve inherited from Garin, you’d think he would have spared you some of his grace, too.”

When the feeling passed, she straightened to see Myrddin watching her from several feet away, dusting his robes and grimacing. “What will happen to him?”

The warlock finished brushing himself off, glared up at her, then nodded toward what appeared to be a break in the trees. “That is the least of your worries at the moment, Your Majesty. I assure you, he is safe.”

She pushed off the trunk and poked around, bumping into bushes and brambles before making her way out of the trees and finally onto wheel-and-hoof-flattened earth.

To her left was her keep flanked by its towers; he’d teleported them to the edge of her chateau grounds. She never thought she’d be so happy to see it. The gate to the bailey was open, and no guard presence was visible from where they stood.

“Were you expecting visitors?” Myrddin asked.

She wasn’t. Her mother’s friends should’ve arrived hours ago; they wouldn’t be caught traveling in the dead of night unless absolutely necessary. Lilac started down the path, Myrddin shuffling close behind.

She slowed, suddenly considering how odd it might seem that she’d arrived without her carriage. Without Hywell, or Giles…As the fog continued to clear from her mind, she realized this was the least of her concerns. Lilac turned to Myrddin. “What about Garin? Truly. I worry for him.”

Myrddin’s hand went to the back of his neck.

“Well, they won’t do anything without me there to protect them, that’s certain.

He won’t wake as long as the hawthorn is in his body.

” He watched the open gate, picking a leaf out of his beard.

“That doesn’t look promising. Tell you what I do know—if I let you walk through those gates alone, Garin will kill me. He’ll find a way.”

Days ago, she would’ve been hesitant to arrive with a warlock in tow. “Don’t do anything strange,” she said, and beckoned him forth. From what she could see as they neared, the main keep was still well-lit, even at this late hour. Her mother had been expecting Helena and Gertrude, hadn’t she?

But why were the gates open and unattended?

She took off at a run across the field and through the path. Dread tore through her as she half-hoped to be met with a blade in her face once she reached the gate. At least it would mean someone was watching the place.

But none came.

A lavish, two-horse drawn carriage was parked in front of the stable, one she recognized as Lady Gertrude’s. Helena must have ridden with her.

But there was another unmarked carriage she didn’t recognize parked just before the front doors to the keep, as if its occupants had abruptly abandoned it.

She circled the carriage and marched up the steps, into the shallow archway. Just as she reached for the nearest rung, both doors swung inward.

Two astonished green eyes stared back at her, framed in loose red waves and ablaze with profound irritation.

There was a guard on either side, and Lilac could sense more voices and hurried movement beyond—but nothing else mattered.

The world stood still as she gazed into a most displeased round face that brightened at the sight of her.

“See? There she is,” Piper said, yanking her arms out of the guards’ grip and motioning at Lilac. “Good evening, Your Majesty.”

Both guards looked so shocked to see Lilac and Myrddin—who’d fallen behind—that they only remembered to bow once Piper dipped into a shallow curtsey.

Speechless, Lilac returned the gesture, meeting her guards’ eyes with frost and attempting to mask her shock. How well she managed to hide it, she couldn’t say.

“Well?” Lilac snapped. “Don’t just stand there. God forbid I might access my own keep.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” They retreated, tugging Piper with them, until they were well inside the foyer.

“Why are my gates open and unattended?”

“We were preoccupied,” one guard stammered.

“As you know, our numbers are momentarily limited; your father sent some of us to supervise the sightings in La Guerche and Fougères .” He eyed Piper, careful not to say too much.

“There was an unexpected arrival we rushed to attend to. She was caught wandering your tower as the keep was being secured.” He jostled Piper, whose hands had balled into fists.

“Stop that,” Lilac sneered, squinting at the smear of blood and blossoming patch of blue-green at the corner of his mouth. “What happened there?”

The guard wiped his face. “She put up a bit of a fight.”

“I’m sure she did. I’ll have you know, I sent the guard to those bordering towns,” Lilac retorted curtly. “And she fought you because I’ve been expecting her. This is…” She’d want to use an alias. “Philomena, was it?”

Piper’s face twitched in disdain. “Phoebe Allard, Your Majesty.”

She would come prepared.

“Phoebe Allard, yes, my apologies. Gentlemen, meet my new lady-in-waiting.”

They muttered curses under their breath, glaring daggers at each other and bowing deeply. The other guard grunted. “We didn’t know you chose one, Your Majesty. Henri never said?— ”

Lilac snapped her head to him like a wandering shark who sensed blood. “And is it Henri’s business when I bathe? When I change? When I relieve myself?”

He reddened. “No, Your Majesty. I suppose not.”

“Then my lady-in-waiting she is.” The guards said nothing more on the matter as Piper failed to conceal her own shocked grin. Lilac cocked her head at her. “What’s so funny?”

Piper shook her head, allowing her hair to curtain her face. “Nothing, Your Majesty.”

“Very well. I’ve been anticipating her arrival after my second visit to the haberdashery,” Lilac continued.

“She’s arrived early and was probably forced to let herself in after you all abandoned the gate.

” She shot a look at the other guard who’d begun to say something, silencing him.

“Unhand her and restation the bailey. Have your men secure my gates.” She took Piper by the arm and stared the guards down. “Now.”

They promptly released Piper.

“Your Majesty,” one said as Lilac took several steps in the direction of the foyer staircase. “You were at the haberdashery? In Paimpont?”

“In Rennes.” Lilac regretting the words before they were out of her mouth, cringing inwardly as they tumbled out anyway. She’d been gone for several hours at the most. It was not near long enough for a trip to either town and back, even on the main roads.

She clutched her friend’s hand, eager to escape to her tower, but something else pulled the guards’ attention out the door.

Lilac had forgotten all about Myrddin. “And this is?—”

“Herlinde,” came a light, dancing voice as a woman entered the doorway.

She was wrapped in a fuzzy black robe over a pink nightgown adorned with green tassels that swept her beet-red boots.

Her shoulder-length curls were a dazzling shade of black, so vibrant they were almost blue, and when she shifted in the torchlight, it was as though the light itself sashayed through them.

She smiled in a strikingly familiar manner, her cheeks rosy and welcoming. “Herlinde of The Hemlock Haberdashery.” She bowed as she stood in the doorway, stifling a yawn.

“Come in,” Lilac said, highly impressed. She’d never known what Herlinde actually looked like, but the disguise Myrddin had taken on was uncanny.

She strode in, reached past Lilac and Piper, and unflinchingly shook one of the guards’ hands. The guard jerked back, wiping his palm on his robes. Herlinde— Myrddin —then pivoted to Lilac, opening her arms for a hug as both guards retreated.

Lilac accepted her stiffly.

“You and that warlock owe me,” Herlinde growled into Lilac’s ear, patting her daintily on the back.

The witch pulled away, her light brown cat eyes twinkling at the crystal-studded iron chandelier.

“Your castle is marvelous. Thank you for having me. It’s a rather quick ride back when magic is in the air and the breeze is right.

” She winked at the guards, nudging her head at the door.

“Your driver just parked the carriage at the stables, Your Majesty.”

“Th-thank you.”

“The pleasure’s been all yours.”

Reeling, Lilac stepped aside to see what Herlinde had motioned at.

Piper leaned over to see, too. Impossibly, Lilac’s own carriage, horses, and a grinning Giles sat just outside the stables, waving quietly from his seat.

When the guards craned their necks out the door, Herlinde shot Lilac a knowing look behind their backs and winked.

An illusion? It had to be. Myrddin had glamored himself as Giles.

And it was Herlinde who stood next to Lilac.

“You’re a witch,” first guard said, gazing into Herlinde’s vertical pupils.

“She is,” Lilac said. “What of it?”

“Was this witch also stranded without her horse?” The second guard eyed them dubiously, probably remembering her and Lorietta’s half-baked excuse when she and Adelaide had showed up in her carriage.

He also likely wondered why Lilac would bring Herlinde to the castle at what must be near midnight by now.

She was honestly stumped. Her body felt strong somehow, muscles burning with energy and the memory of Garin’s hands, but her mind was exhausted and all out of lies.