Page 23

Chapter 23

Julius

J ulius walked through the market with Olivia on one side and Cade on the other. Some of the stallholders called greetings, and Olivia waved back to each of them with a sunny smile. He met Cade’s wondering look over her head, shrugging his shoulders.

“They love her.”

He breathed in the cooler, crisper air. Autumn had arrived, and with it, the court had shifted from its social summer season into a different rhythm. According to his mother, that meant a whole new round of lessons for Olivia, and for him it had meant an endless series of meetings.

Had it really been a whole week since he had stepped outside the palace? That was far too long. He much preferred the weeks when he and Olivia managed to escape not only on market day but on other days as well—sometimes visiting Markus’s permanent stall, but sometimes going to the sea or paying a visit to her family in Manor Row.

The only shadow on their stolen hours was the lack of any word about Marigold. He had watched the toll it took on Olivia each time Markus reported no news. The man had managed to uncover two more stories of past abductions in the weeks since their first conversation, but there had been no whisper of Marigold.

He had seen Cade’s eyes also lingering on the lines of worry on Olivia’s brow, and he suspected those lines were the reason his friend had decided to join them. And from Olivia’s glad welcome, he assumed she had taken Julius up on his permission to keep Cade informed of their search. He just hoped his father never found out that both Olivia and Cade knew about Markus.

Well—he hoped other things as well, but he kept a tight lid on those thoughts.

Olivia wove through the marketgoers, stopping first at their favorite food stall before heading to Markus to wash the food down with tankards of cider. Julius prepared to introduce Cade, but Markus spoke before he could.

“Lord Cade! How lovely to see you again. My clientele has become quite highbrow these days. Maybe soon I’ll be able to afford a stall in the center of the market instead of tucked back here.”

Julius snorted softly, knowing it wasn’t a lack of customers that had led Markus to choose the secluded position of his stall. But as he sat, he looked with dismay between Cade and Markus.

Cade had been to visit Markus before? Had he come with Olivia? She was sometimes free when Julius was not, but he hadn’t realized she was visiting the market on those days, nor that she had done so in Cade’s company. It had never occurred to him to ask her if she had gone into the city without him.

He looked down at his tankard, his hands gripping it until his knuckles turned white. Something burned down his throat although he hadn’t yet taken a drink. It shouldn’t have mattered, and yet it changed everything to know that the market trips weren’t something special between them but something she shared with others as well. Did she prefer to travel with a non-royal escort? Did she gather more information that way?

Markus produced an extra stool, joking comfortably with Olivia and Cade as they sat down. Julius, however, remained silent, wrestling down his unwelcome emotions.

“Heard a new one this morning,” Markus said quietly, jolting Julius from his own head. “The Larkins’ girl has gone missing, and her parents are sure she’s been abducted.”

“She’s currently missing?” Julius asked, his attention fully captured. “Has there been a ransom demand?”

Markus shrugged. “That’s all I’ve heard.”

Olivia leaped to her feet. “We have to go see them. Do you know where they live?”

“Sit down, lass, and finish your cider.” Markus said the words with a chuckle, but the expression in his eyes was commanding.

Olivia promptly sat down and picked up her tankard with an apologetic expression. They had to act normally while visiting Markus, and Julius had never seen Olivia abandon an unfinished cider.

Satisfied, Markus gave them directions to the Larkins’ home, but he also issued a warning not to go there straight from his stall. Once the information was imparted, he changed the topic, chatting about innocuous things until they had all finished their drinks.

Walking around the market afterward was an exercise in patience. They didn’t know exactly how long they needed to wait, and Olivia in particular was having trouble even pretending to focus on anything else.

But Julius had a different struggle. He found himself unable to keep his attention away from Olivia herself, no matter how many times he tried to wrench his eyes elsewhere. She glowed, her excitement at the potential breakthrough lighting her up from the inside out. He wasn’t in the least surprised that people approached them constantly—her vibrancy and compassion certainly drew him like a moth to a flame.

Now that he had grown used to her presence in his life, he couldn’t imagine how bleak and lifeless the palace would seem without her. She had taught him his own weaknesses and then showed him how much stronger they could be as a team—teaching him that it was all right for him to be both more and less than what the Legacy tried to make him.

And seeing the way people reacted to her, it was obvious she was just the princess Sovar needed. She was just the princess he needed.

She turned to him with a dazzling smile, and his heart stuttered. It was a good thing Cade was with them, or he might not have been able to resist pulling her into his arms and pressing a kiss to her lips.

Cade leaned over to him, a mocking grin on his face. “Still sure you want to break the betrothal?” he asked in an undertone.

Julius stared at him, struck silent. Of course he didn’t want to break the betrothal. He wanted the wedding to happen tomorrow.

Sick dread crept down from the top of his head, swamping him completely. When had he forgotten that breaking the betrothal was the plan? In the weeks spent at Olivia’s side, she had slowly grown to eclipse everything else in his heart. But the process had been so gradual and constant, he had forgotten the game they were playing.

Cade’s brows drew together. “Julius? Are you all right?”

Julius shook himself, trying to force the chaos in his mind into order. He dimly remembered he had once told Cade that he wasn’t in love with Olivia. It seemed an impossibility now—a lifetime ago, although it had been less than a full season. When had his distaste for the betrothal transformed into worry over Olivia’s feelings? He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment it had happened—he just knew he couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted to be free of her.

“I’m fine,” he managed to choke out, and Cade clapped him on the shoulder, although a faint line remained between his brows when he looked at his friend.

Was Cade worried that Julius had changed his mind and wanted to keep the betrothal after all? Was he concerned because he wanted Olivia for himself?

Julius’s thoughts burned hot, but he remained silent. The question wasn’t how he or Cade felt, but how Olivia felt. And while she seemed to have settled well into life at the palace, he worried that all their best times together were spent outside it. Did she spend her days putting a brave face on a situation she couldn’t easily escape?

Even if she did care for him on some level, was it enough to outweigh the burdens of his rank? Olivia had never been interested in being a princess, so his rank was a count against him in her eyes.

From his earliest memories, he had known his life would be sacrificed to duty. He had long ago accepted that. But could he ask Olivia to sacrifice hers as well? And if he did ask it of her, would his parents agree?

If he truly wanted what was best for her, should he step back and let her connection with Cade grow? She might have a happier life with him than with Julius.

“That’s the tenth group to approach us since we left Markus,” Olivia murmured, breaking through his tortured thoughts.

Julius had barely noticed the excited greetings being exchanged between Olivia and the young family who had just walked away. Had they been the tenth? He hadn’t been counting.

He nodded anyway because he was sure she had been paying close attention.

“Any of them could have said something that sent us to the Larkins’ home, so surely we can go now?” Olivia looked first at Julius and then at Cade.

The two men exchanged a look. Julius shrugged and Cade nodded, his own face reflecting some of Olivia’s determination. Olivia took their gestures as consensus, leading the group toward the edge of the market.

Julius tried to push his tumultuous thoughts into a compartment at the back of his brain. He could think about Olivia and their future later. For now, he was about to visit a family who had just had a daughter abducted, and he needed to keep his mind in the moment, no matter how hard that seemed to achieve.

When they reached the indicated street, Julius sent most of the guards back to the palace, keeping just two men to hold their horses. Two would be sufficient for the ride back to the palace.

At the door, Olivia hesitated, as if finally faced with the reality of what they were walking into. Julius stepped instinctively to her side, trying to brace her with his presence. She looked up at him and smiled tremulously before knocking.

The sound was greeted with a long silence. She exchanged another look with Julius before raising her hand to knock again. But before she made contact with the wood, footsteps sounded inside.

A moment later, the door was flung open.

“Elisabeth!” The middle-aged man in the doorway cried the name before he took in their presence, his face immediately crumpling when he did so.

Julius glanced sideways at Olivia who looked on the verge of tears herself. He cleared his throat and took a half step forward.

“We apologize for intruding on you at such a time,” he said, “but we urgently need to ask you some questions about your daughter’s disappearance.”

The man’s eyes flashed for a moment, as if offended by his words, but then they narrowed.

“You look like Prince Julius,” he said gruffly.

“I am Prince Julius.” Julius gestured to the others. “And this is Lady Olivia and Lord Cade.”

The man’s expression grew fearful, and he peered up and down the street before gesturing urgently for them to come inside. Julius and Cade exchanged a wary look, but Olivia plunged quickly forward, leaving the two men with no choice but to follow.

As soon as they were inside, Master Larkin shut the door behind them, breathing easier only once it was shut.

“I heard the door!” a woman’s voice called sharply. “Is it?—”

She broke off as she reached the hall and stopped, her eyes growing round. The man shook his head at her and ushered them all ahead of him into the room the woman had just vacated, which turned out to be a prettily furnished sitting room.

“My dear,” he said to the woman, “Prince Julius and Lady Olivia have come to visit. They want to know about Elisabeth.”

The woman’s mouth gaped open, swinging shut and then falling back open several times. She finally sank into an overstuffed armchair and looked at her husband in bewilderment.

“I don’t understand?” she said. “Why are the prince and his betrothed visiting us ?” She stiffened. “Does this mean the authorities have heard of Elisabeth’s abduction? But the note said?—”

Julius, who had taken a seat as directed by Master Larkin, leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He hoped his casual pose came across as reassuring.

“So you have received demands from your daughter’s abductors?”

Mistress Larkin exchanged a worried look with her husband, and Olivia spoke quickly.

“We aren’t here in any official capacity. As far as we know the guards are unaware of your daughter’s situation.”

“I see.” Master Larkin looked like he didn’t see at all. “Then what brings you here?”

“We—” She began to answer, but Julius intervened, afraid her compassion might lead her to tell them the full truth.

“We heard a whisper of your situation in the market,” he said, “and we guessed you would have been instructed not to go to the guards. We want to help you find your daughter.”

Mistress Larkin immediately burst into tears, sobbing out something that was too garbled to understand. Her emotions wrung Julius’s heart. He could only imagine how desperate and alone the couple must have been feeling.

“Whispers in the market?” Master Larkin seemed much less grateful for their offer. “I feared as much.” He sent his wife a reproachful look, and she flushed, her sobs subsiding.

He looked back to Julius. “The note warned us not to tell a soul, but of course my wife had already told anyone who would listen that she was sure Elisabeth had been abducted.”

“They should have delivered the note more quickly if they didn’t want us to say anything,” his wife said defensively. “I haven’t said a word to anyone since. I haven’t even left the house!”

“I know, my dear.” Her husband spoke in a softer tone, reaching over to pat her knee.

“We don’t want to do anything that could put your daughter at risk,” Julius said carefully, “but could we see the note?”

The couple exchanged a look. “You can if you like,” Master Larkin said, “but if you’re hoping for some clue as to where she is or who took her, I fear you’ll be disappointed.”

He crossed to a desk, opening the top drawer and retrieving a folded slip of parchment. He returned and handed it to Julius.

Olivia and Cade crowded close behind him, reading over his shoulder as he scanned the words.

The note was addressed to Master Larkin, but there was no signature. It informed the man that his daughter had been taken, but that she would not be harmed if he complied with the kidnapper’s demands.

“Do you think they mean that bit about not hurting her?” Mistress Larkin asked as the three silently regarded the paper. She sounded close to tears again.

“Oh yes.” Olivia sat beside the woman and took one of Mistress Larkin’s hands in hers. “Your daughter is not the first to be taken, and from what we’ve heard, all the other girls were returned safely and unharmed.”

The mother gave a small squeak and threw her arms around Olivia. Julius looked up, ready to intervene, but although Olivia looked startled, she gave Julius a small smile over the woman’s shoulder, gently patting her on the back.

Julius had been hoping to avoid mentioning the other abductions, but he could understand what had compelled Olivia to speak. It would be cruel to do otherwise in the face of a mother’s distress.

“What’s this?” Larkin asked. “Other girls have been taken?”

Julius shrugged. “That is what the rumors say. But we need hard evidence to take it further.”

The man leaped to his feet, lunging forward and taking Julius’s wrist in an iron grasp. Julius was barely able to keep hold of the note as Larkin’s eyes speared into him.

Cade stepped forward, his posture menacing, but Julius waved him away.

“If that’s what you want the note for, you can’t have it,” the man said. “I won’t allow anything that puts my Elisabeth at risk.”

Julius spoke gently, putting as much sincerity into his voice as he could muster. “I understand. We also don’t want to see harm come to your daughter. But what about once she is safely recovered? Would you give testimony then?”

Larkin hesitated, glancing at his wife, who sniffed and nodded. He released Julius and stepped back.

“I suppose that would be another matter. Naturally I want to see the villains who would hurt an innocent girl brought to justice.” He cleared his throat. “And I hope Your Highness will excuse…” He trailed off and gestured at Julius’s arm. “A desperate father will dare anything to protect his child.”

Julius nodded, and Cade finally sat back down, nodding at the note in Julius’s hand. “The note is obviously a test—to see if you will obey their orders and keep quiet before they reveal further information. It says that if you obey them, they’ll contact you again in a few days with details of the ransom and how to safely recover your daughter. How long ago did you receive it?”

“Two days almost exactly.” A determined look had replaced Mistress Larkin’s tears. “When we heard your knock, we thought maybe…”

Julius sighed. “You’re right that there is very little information in this note to go on. Especially since we can’t take it for analysis. But there will be more clues in the next one, and you should hear from them soon.”

“Assuming they don’t hear these rumors and think we’ve disobeyed their command,” Larkin said in a worried voice. “If the rumor is freely circulating the market…”

“Not freely,” Olivia said quickly, giving Julius an apologetic look. “I don’t think it’s as bad as you fear.”

Larkin frowned, but Olivia didn’t say anything else, and he didn’t press her.

“I have only one request,” Julius said. “Please inform us when you hear from the abductors again.”

Larkin’s brows rose. “And how am I to do that, Your Highness? And without alerting the abductors to your involvement?”

Cade leaned forward. “Do you ever buy bread from the stall in the southwestern corner of the market?”

“Bread, my lord?” Mistress Larkin asked.

Cade nodded. “From that particular stall. Do you ever shop there?”

“All the locals use the market baker,” she said. “He’s even better than the baker with the shop on Hayder’s Way. I’ve told him many times that his bread is worthy of a bigger establishment than a market stall.”

Cade smiled. “That’s easy, then, and you needn’t worry about alerting anyone. Once you’ve received the note, attend the market yourself and buy a loaf of bread and four rolls from that stall.”

Julius nodded approval, easily grasping Cade’s plan. “We’ll have someone watching the stall. They’ll let us know when you make the purchase, and we’ll come as quickly after that as possible.”

With Markus located in the same corner of the market, they wouldn’t need to assign a watcher.

Having agreed on the arrangement, the only thing left was to hear the story of Elisabeth’s disappearance. Unfortunately, there were no clues to be found in that either. She had gone out to the market one day and never returned. When her parents quizzed the local stallholders, they all agreed that she had never arrived at the market. She must have been snatched from the street before she got there, but if anyone had witnessed it, they had not come forward.

Julius sighed as they exited the house.

“I had hoped to find out a little more than that,” Cade said, voicing Julius’s own thoughts.

“But the ransom demand will tell us more,” Olivia said, clearly determined to take an optimistic view of their first real clue in weeks. “And if we can tag along for the exchange, we’ll have a real chance of tracking the abductors back to wherever they’re holding Marigold.”

Julius’s brows drew together. “ We won’t be tracking anyone. Once it gets to that stage, we’ll have to bring in my father and at least some of the guards.”

He half expected Olivia to argue, but she merely nodded agreement. Relief filled him. He didn’t want Olivia anywhere near the abductors. Not even to rescue Marigold.