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“N ot her,” the captain corrected in halting English. “Only you.”

Of course , Michael thought. It didn’t surprise him that the prince wanted to address him alone. It was the easiest way to eliminate the threat.

“No,” he said simply.

When the captain started to argue, Michael cut him off. “My wife comes with me.”

All around him, he heard the buzz of voices. Though he couldn’t understand all of the Lohenisch words, he overheard them discussing the Changeling Prince. He tried to shield Hannah from the throng, but several of the men and women crowded too close.

That was it. Michael stopped walking with the soldiers, leveling the crowd with his anger. “You do not touch her. Ever.”

He guided Hannah to walk in front of him.

The soldiers eyed him with distrust, as if they thought he would try to escape.

Not at all. He had every intention of accompanying them to get his answers.

It didn’t bother him that he was about to face the prince of this country, the man who stood to lose the most.

His immediate concern was Hannah’s safety.

And although a part of him feared that it could be a trap, these men didn’t have the look of executioners.

He’d seen soldiers who had been commanded to kill a man.

The emptiness in their eyes and the grim reluctance were evident.

No, this was duty. And so he kept Hannah close to him and kept another eye upon their weapons.

The soldiers escorted both of them toward a cart drawn by horses.

The primitive transportation would have insulted anyone of true noble birth.

Hannah eyed it with the greatest reluctance.

Even so, she said nothing as Michael lifted her up.

In English, she whispered, “Why did they come for you? Do you think your enemies have found us?”

“It’s more likely that word has spread of our arrival, after yesterday.”

“I don’t like this.” Hannah shook her head, her gaze focused upon their muskets. “One of them said it was for our protection, but it doesn’t feel right.”

“I agree.” At the moment, he didn’t want her to leave his side. “If they try to separate us, send word to the Graf immediately.”

“I’m not worried about myself,” Hannah whispered. “I’m worried about you.” She gripped his hand, and he traced the ring upon her finger. Though she’d sworn she would only wear it for a few days, he didn’t want it to leave her hand. The delicate jewel was a means of keeping other men away from her.

“I can take care of myself, Hannah.”

She still didn’t look convinced.

When they arrived at the Schloss, Hannah craned her neck to study it. The stone walls gleamed in the light, the pointed towers reminding Michael of a fairytale castle. A sudden memory took hold, of walking through a flower garden, and a dark-haired woman smiling at him.

He’d been here before. There was no doubt of it in his mind.

“Do you suppose they’ll lock you inside one of those?” Hannah pointed to one of the towers, only half-teasing.

He didn’t smile. Truthfully, he had no idea what to expect from this audience. The soldiers helped them disembark from the wagon, and they were led to a private entrance.

The stone exterior of the Schloss had an older foundation that was built centuries ago, while newer grey stones formed the upper levels.

Glass windows reflected the morning sunlight while wild roses formed a pink-and-green hedge against the side.

Six large chimneys rose from the topmost towers, reminding him that this was a modern Schloss and not an ancient crumbling castle from hundreds of years ago.

“Lieutenant Thorpe and Mrs. Thorpe, please follow me.” The captain escorted them through the back entrance and down a long hallway.

A winding stone staircase led to the upper levels, and when they reached the first floor, the captain stopped and opened the door leading to a small parlor. Motioning a female servant forward, he said, “Mrs. Thorpe, you may await your husband here.”

Hannah eyed the small sitting room, her gaze searching Michael’s.

“She stays with me.” He wasn’t going to be separated from her until he knew what to expect.

“I am sorry, Lieutenant Thorpe. Fürst Karl wished to speak with you alone. We must obey his orders.”

Michael stared at the captain. “I am not subject to his rule. And Lady Hannah remains at my side.”

He was well aware of the insult from the way the captain stiffened.

“Michael, I think you should go with them,” Hannah interrupted. Leaning close to his ear, she added, “I may learn more about your circumstances if we are apart.”

“Not this time. Not until we’ve met them.”

For long moments, the captain seemed hesitant to disobey, but at long last, he signaled for them both to follow.

He led them up another flight of stairs to a large room with a set of four Gothic windows.

Light spilled into the chamber, illuminating a grand piano flanked by delicate French chairs.

Long blue curtains hung around the windows, giving the room a touch of warmth.

But there was no warmth coming from the man seated in a leather armchair at the far end of the room. His expression was grim, a man who radiated anger and hostility.

Michael kept Hannah’s hand in his as he stared at the man. Though the dark hair was slightly lighter, the prince’s face was nearly a mirror image of his own.

“I suppose you’ve come here, hoping the king will acknowledge you.

” Fürst Karl stared at the man and woman who sat down before him.

The gossip in Vermisten had risen to a fever pitch, the people wondering who the lieutenant really was.

The old stories of the Changeling Prince were resurfacing, and Karl sensed his grasp upon the throne was slipping.

The legends and stories were just that—fictional tales born of superstitions.

He refused to believe that anyone else could ever usurp his place as the Crown Prince of Lohenberg.

All his life he’d devoted himself to Lohenberg, his beloved country.

But his kingdom was drifting toward chaos if he didn’t settle this problem.

The man seated across from him was, without a doubt, a half-brother. They had told him the man was Michael Thorpe, a lieutenant in the British Army, and most likely his father’s bastard son.

Whether or not his ailing father had heard of the man’s arrival, he couldn’t be sure. But Karl would go to any lengths necessary to protect his mother. The queen didn’t need to know about her husband’s indiscretions. She’d endured enough punishment over the years from her own weak mind.

Mad Queen Astri, locked away from the world for her own good.

Few people dared to talk to her any more, for it only provoked another bad spell.

Even his father avoided his wife, behaving as though he’d been widowed years ago.

And as far as Karl was aware, only the Graf von Reischor had met with the queen.

Now this.

“What is it you want?” Karl demanded, continuing to speak English to the couple. “Money?” The idea of paying a single pfennig to this man, to keep him away from Lohenberg, was repulsive.

“I came here for answers.”

The lieutenant stared back, as though making a comparison between them. Karl tensed, for this man looked more like his father than he did. It unnerved him.

“How old are you?” Karl asked.

“Twenty-six.”

The same age, then. Karl bit back a curse, furious with his father.

How could Sweyn have done such a thing? He might have understood it, if the lieutenant were a younger man.

Astri’s madness had cast an unforgivable shadow over the Schloss.

It would have been understandable, if his father had sought comfort in another woman’s arms.

But the presence of this man suggested something else. Perhaps Astri had known of her husband’s infidelity. Perhaps that had pushed her past the brink of reason.

It made him sick to think of it. Karl leaned forward slightly, staring harder at the lieutenant. There was no doubting the resemblance between them. It only fueled his anger toward the king.

“We share the same father, obviously,” the lieutenant said, “but I wonder about our mothers. Which of us was truly born of the Queen? Should we ask her?”

Never. The idea of forcing Astri to endure this man’s presence was unthinkable.

“The queen will not see you.” Prince Karl stood and went to stand by the window. “She sees no one.” Not even him. His mother had barely acknowledged him during his entire childhood. That wasn’t about to change.

“What if I spoke to her?” the woman spoke up suddenly. “Surely Her Majesty would not feel uneasy about my presence. I am no threat.”

Karl hadn’t given the lieutenant’s wife much thought.

She’d remained quiet throughout their discussion, but from the confident way she held herself, he suspected there was more to her than he’d first suspected.

She was beautiful, certainly. But there was something uncommon about her, too.

An air of quality, as though she belonged here.

Even so, he could not let anyone see the queen.

“No one,” he repeated. Right now, he wanted to be rid of both of them. Though Karl loathed the idea of bribery, he didn’t see that he had much of a choice. “Return to London, and do not set foot in Lohenberg again. I’ll see to it that you receive compensation.”

“We’re not leaving,” the lieutenant argued. “Not until I’ve spoken with the king and queen.”

Karl raised his hand in a silent signal to one of his guards. “Show the lieutenant and his wife out. Be sure they reach the borders safely.”

He wanted them gone from the Schloss. Out of Vermisten, out of his life. The sooner they were back in England, the better. If he had to use force, he wouldn’t hesitate. This was about protecting his family.