Traitor, page 5
“I hope you do. A people who have lost sight of their creator cannot help but fall into despair.”
I nodded, my jaw clenched tight. To imagine I could preach about the Luminate in either word or deed was nothing short of ludicrous.
I scraped the last bite from my plate, a question revolving through my mind: Why had I bothered to come here? Merely to subject myself to the king and queen’s snubs, Leah and Raphael’s excessive adoration for one another, and the mystics’ sermons about the Luminate?
I needed to escape. Rising, I set my napkin on the table. “Please, excuse me.”
I directed my curtsy toward King Frederick, who dismissed me with a terse nod.
Leah caught me before I reached the door. The way Raphael’s gaze followed her was almost comical. How had I never noticed when she was my lady’s maid?
“I can’t help but feel our hospitality has been sorely lacking.”
I suppressed a snide retort. “Not at all. The meals have been delicious, and you’ve been very kind to accommodate me on such short notice. I don’t hold you responsible for who does—or doesn’t—choose to speak with me.”
I gave the slightest tilt of my head in the direction of the king and queen, who had barely acknowledged my presence since our audience the day before.
Leah tugged at her beaded collar. “Would you be interested in an outing of some sort? A horseback ride, perhaps, or—?”
“No, thank you. I . . .” My rote refusal trailed off. Could I pose my true request?
The king and queen certainly had no interest in helping me, and perhaps it’d be better to ask Leah than Raphael.
“Actually, there is something.” I lowered my voice. “This will likely strike you as odd, but I hoped I might be allowed to spend a little time in your dungeon. That is, if Nicholas is still housed there.”
They wouldn’t have executed him . . . would they?
Her narrowed eyes widened. “Ah. I see. I believe he is still there, though I’m not sure whether . . .” She darted a glance at the table. “Come with me.” Gripping my arm, she pulled me out the door and down the hall.
The idea of Leah acting as a spy suddenly didn’t seem quite so absurd.
We arrived at the top of a stone staircase flanked by guards. Releasing my arm, Leah approached the guard on the right and held a whispered conversation.
He frowned as she spoke but nodded, giving me a wary appraisal. “This way, princess.”
I shuffled to his side.
Leah leaned close before I descended the first step. “I’ll give you some privacy, but you can find me here when you’ve finished your visit.”
“Thank you.”
Dizziness made my head swim, my lungs unable to take in enough air. I was about to see Nicholas again, after a year apart. In a dungeon.
I shuddered against the cold air and dank smell as we reached the bottom of the stairs. They expected people to survive in such squalor? I exhaled through my nose. I’d never visited the dungeons at Glonsel Palace; they likely didn’t boast any improvement.
The bars blurred in my vision as we passed cell after cell. I kept my gaze firmly planted on the dusty ground beneath my feet, having no desire to make eye contact with any of the criminals within. My heart stuttered amid its frantic pace.
I could’ve easily been locked up right beside them.
Chills ran down my spine, and I quickened my pace to catch up with the guard. The stench grew worse the farther we walked, until I choked on every lungful of air. A snort sounded as I removed my handkerchief and held it over my nose.
The guard slapped his stick against the nearest bar, filling the confined space with a reverberating clang. I set my jaw against the urge to gasp—best not to provoke further reactions from the inmates.
The guard stopped so abruptly, I nearly crashed into him. “Here he is. Nicholas Alberle.”
Nicholas Alberle. Said with a sneer, implying a man of the lowest caliber, the scum of the earth.
My first inclination was to shout at the impudent man. A lowly guard didn’t have the right to even speak the name of one so superior to him—a highly respected duke of Imperia—let alone with condescension.
But Nicholas was a duke no more. And certainly not respected. The change in circumstances tore through my chest as though I’d been struck by lightning from within. I was in a dungeon to visit the man I loved, the man I’d planned to marry.
Bile rose in my throat, and I almost begged the guard to take me out of the vile place.
Then he was there, pressed against the bars. “Pen, is that you?”
I swallowed and turned. “Yes, Nicholas. I’m here.”
His hair had grown past his ears and hung in greasy clumps. An unkempt beard and mustache gave him the wild look of a woodsman, and tan baggy clothing hung from his wasted frame.
I willed my expression to stay steady, not to betray the revulsion vying for prominence against the pity his situation aroused. How differently things would’ve turned out if only I’d convinced him to give up his treasonous schemes.
He attempted one of his winning smiles, his eyes lit with confidence. “At last, the sight I’ve longed for all these months. I knew you’d come for me, darling.”
I shifted, my shoes crunching against the dirt. “I’m so sorry it had to end like this. It pains me to see you in such terrible conditions, but I’m afraid I’ve only come to say goodbye—”
“End? Goodbye?” He quirked a brow, as though I were flirting with him. “Certainly not, Penelope. I know you wouldn’t abandon me after all we’ve been through together.”
Abandon him? My mind struggled to piece together my expectations for this visit versus the bizarre reality. I’d anticipated contrition, sorrow. Despondence, even. Hardly a plea for my continued affection.
“Have they set a date for your release?”
His chuckle held a dry edge. “From what I can tell, they don’t intend to. Pleading my cause has hardly been effective, as you can well imagine.”
With a glance at the hovering guard, he motioned me closer and dropped his voice to a whisper.
“But now that you’re here, you may advocate on my behalf. Unleash your irresistible charms and the allure of those dark eyes on that prince you became so fond of and see what you can negotiate.” The curl of his lips had a seductive tilt.
I stepped back. Was that how he saw me? As a conniving coquette who used her beauty to manipulate everyone around her?
“Prince Raphael is married to Princess Leah, whom he adores. If my so-called allure ever had any effect on him, I highly doubt it would now.”
He scoffed. “I’ve seen this Leah, and she’s nothing to you. In love or not, Raphael is a man, after all. And if you do fail to attract him, you can always draw on your friendship. The alliance you still hope to foster between our fine countries.”
“But what could I possibly assert on your behalf? You planned to kill them and take the throne. What reason could they have to trust you?”
“Ah, Pen. Always playing the innocent. Recall that you, too, were in league with our little plot. The only reason I didn’t argue for your own incarceration was I assumed you’d be of more use to me from the outside.” He crossed his arms, leaning lazily against the bars. “Besides, every royal family has some history of murder and treason. Danger comes with the territory of having so much power.”
I stared at him, my mouth agape. This was the man I’d been enamored with? So much so that I’d risked everything for his selfish ambitions? A man who flippantly considered murderous plots to be something every royal family should expect to contend with. Who was only glad I hadn’t been imprisoned because I might be useful to him?
The butterfly that’d flitted about my chest ever since I’d dreamed up the idea to travel to Imperia stilled. Curled into itself, as though to hide within its cocoon.
“You know that’s not fair.” I lowered my voice, eyeing the guard who fiddled with his keys, pretending not to listen to every word we said. “I never had any desire to kill the Imperian royal family. That was entirely your idea, not mine.”
Nicholas raised his palms in an appeasing gesture. “Penelope, my dear.” His expression melted into one of contrition and longing. “I apologize so much time in this revolting dungeon has made me coarse. I could never wish such a fate upon my bright, flawless flower. Please, dearest.”
He extended his fingers through the bars. Reluctantly, I inched forward and enclosed them in my hand.
“I’m simply desperate to be with you once more. To once again dream of a future together.” He stroked my thumb, his tone wheedling.
Could a future with Nicholas still be possible if his release could be negotiated? He had nowhere to go, as his dukedom and property had been bestowed upon another. He might return with me to Trellich . . . no.
Papa arranged my marriage to the Delunian prince. I wouldn’t let him down a second time.
Extracting my fingers, I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Nicholas. That future no longer exists.”
“But—”
“Please, let me speak.” I squared my shoulders. “I will consider putting in a good word for you with the Imperian royal family. But even if you gain your freedom, a marriage would not be possible. My father has secured Trellich’s alliance with Delunia by arranging my betrothal to the emperor’s son, and I depart in two days.”
“Delunia?” He looked more offended than heartbroken. “Surely you can find a better match than with one of those savages.”
I choked back a laugh. Filthy and locked in a prison, he still held his characteristic disdain for nearly all other men. An unexpected impulse to defend my future husband rose with my anger.
“It may not be what I would’ve wished for, but I’m sure they’ll treat me well. Regardless of how I feel about Delunia, I’ve brought enough shame upon my family and will not repeat that mistake.”
He snickered. “Ah, poor Penelope. Gone are your days of fun and intrigue. I see that now. So dutiful and honor bound. Well, enjoy your life of dull obligations at the side of a husband who doesn’t hold your interest. Perhaps another young lady might be persuaded to do more for my cause.”
Rage turned my vision red. How dare he? I spluttered a moment before setting my jaw. He didn’t deserve my pity or my anger. “Goodbye, Nicholas. Enjoy your lodgings—I expect they’ll be your home for a long time to come.”
I stormed back down the hall, barely registering the guard’s footsteps as they caught up with mine.
He wasn’t even bothered I was going to marry another man? Only that I wasn’t going to help him regain his position in society. Another lady might be persuaded . . .
My teeth clenched so hard they grated together. Despite all his vows of fidelity, my suspicions had been justified after all. The joy and sorrow I’d amassed as I prepared for our reunion disintegrated into ash, clogging my chest.
The man I’d loved was foul, vicious. How had I never seen it before?
I scoured my memories for evidence of goodness, kindness. Some indication his nature was more than he’d revealed in this encounter. But I found only flirtation, warm looks, stolen kisses. Nothing of substance.
What a fool I’d been to risk everything for such an undeserving scoundrel. Never again.
A low moan jolted me from my dark musings. I turned toward the sound. The man within the nearest cell arched his back in agony, his cry louder this time.
Even as I flinched, I drew closer.
The guard drew up beside me. “Careful of that one, miss. He can turn violent.”
“Who—who is he?”
“Why, that’s Lord Damien Lessox. Famous sorcerer.”
Lord Lessox. Our “comrade in the north” as Nicholas had referred to him. Now he convulsed, gripping his hair.
I couldn’t stop staring. “What’s the matter with him?”
The guard shook his head. “Stark raving mad. Almost sad, really. But just what he should’ve expected, getting so entrenched with dark magic.”
Lord Lessox wrapped himself into a ball, muttering frantically. With an effort, I pried my gaze away and walked forward. My legs quaked, thankfully hidden under the folds of my skirt.
I’d been allied with that man. Allowed his dark magic to touch the Imperian royal family. How much further would it have spread if our plan had succeeded?
My feet trailed the guard’s in stilted motions. Right foot forward. Pause. Left foot forward. Pause. Again and again until we emerged into the bright corridor.
Leah stood to the side, conversing with a pretty maid. Upon seeing me, the maid dipped a brief curtsy and waved farewell to Leah, who gave her a broad smile.
“That was Olive, one of our kitchen maids. She’s just become engaged to a stable hand who—” Leah’s brows lowered as she studied my face. “I’m so sorry, prattling on when you’ve just been . . . was it so bad?”
“I don’t know what I expected, but”—I licked my lips, gritting my teeth against the urge to cry—“he is not the person I remember.”
Sympathy shone in her eyes. “It must’ve been hard to see him like that. A walk in the gardens might help, or I could have the servants draw you a bath.”
“No.” I shook my head. “You’ve been very kind. Much more so than I deserve. But there’s nothing left for me here. I must find Victoria and Marcus and have them gather our things.”
A line creased her forehead. “Are you sure? We’d be happy to—”
“Thank you—for everything. But yes, I’m sure.”
I couldn’t leave this all behind soon enough.
Chapter 6
The Ismena stood tall, dwarfing the surrounding rafts and fishing boats. Stately masts pointed to the sky like long, thin fingers. Round windows dotted the planks just beneath the deck at regular intervals, reminiscent of an enormous necklace.
Conscious of Victoria at my side, I straightened my shoulders. Just because crossing the sea was a new, dangerous venture didn’t mean I had to face it like a coward.
Victoria and Marcus had accepted our sudden departure from Dorendyn Castle and the resulting stay in a village inn without complaint. Now our carriage hurtled us toward Torquil Harbor.
I blinked into the mist hovering in the air, my head filled with the tangy scent of saltwater. The ocean sparkled in endless blue, waves lapping at the sand and jumping over each other like a playful litter of kittens.
Nothing to be intimidated by. As long as we met with no storms, the hold didn’t spring a leak, the wind didn’t topple the ship like one of Nicky’s toy soldiers . . .
The carriage halted, and I clutched my skirt to steady myself.
“Here we are, m’lady.” The gleam in Victoria’s eyes only increased when Marcus extended his hand to help her down.
I hoped my hand didn’t shake too badly in my own descent from the carriage.
Following a quick bow, Marcus hoisted a trunk and set off toward the ship. How did he know where to go? I glanced around the bustle of activity on the dock. Everyone seemed to have a direction, a purpose. Even Victoria helped our driver arrange a stack of valises and hatboxes.
Only I stood frozen, uncertain of my purpose. My future course.
Above, sailors unfurled one of the Ismena’s white sails. It billowed in the wind, as though impatient with the necessity of waiting for boarding passengers. If only the ship would break ties with its anchor and drift out to sea without me aboard.
But what was left for me here? Sidelong glances, whispered asides, and . . .
“M’lady?” Victoria touched my arm, pulling me from my reverie.
“Ah, Victoria. Is the luggage all settled?” Hopefully, I sounded more confident than I felt.
“Yes, m’lady. Marcus has located Edmund, and they’re makin’ sure it’s all delivered safely. But they want us to be among the first to board, that we might get settled in our quarters before departure.”
“Of course.”
Suddenly, the dirt beneath my feet seemed precious, invaluable. Once I’d boarded the Ismena, how long would it be before I stepped on solid ground again?
The ship rocked back and forth, my stomach lurching along with it. I fought to steady my breathing, but my nose wrinkled at the cabin’s stale air.
Across the cabin, Victoria snored softly. How she could be so at ease with every change, every disruption, every form of travel, I’d never know.
Each creak and groan of the surrounding timber made me twitch. So little separated us from the fathomless ocean below. So much could go wrong so quickly.
Sighing, I sat up and edged out of my hard cot. This was only my first night at sea. How would I survive an entire week?
I stumbled to the small circular window. Outside, tiny pinpricks of light dotted the night sky. Perhaps some fresh air would clear my head.
Turning the door handle as quietly as I could, I peeked out. Edmund paced away from me to the end of the small corridor. Easing the door closed behind me, I tiptoed in the opposite direction and dashed up the stairs. At least the constant sounds that made it impossible to sleep made it easier to slink about.
At the top, I gulped fresh air. The salt irritated my nostrils but felt strangely refreshing. The deck looked different at night. In the pitch dark, with only an occasional sailor manning a mast or wheel, one could almost imagine the Ismena was occupied by ghosts rather than people.
Shivering, I pulled my shawl closer around my shoulders. I made my way to the edge, clutching the rail when a gust of wind broke the ship’s steady rocking motion. The sky’s inky blackness stretched in every direction, its brilliant stars mirrored in the murky water. The giant ship seemed so small all of a sudden. And myself that much smaller. Perhaps—
“Could that be Princess Penelope? What an honor to have you aboard our ship.” The sailor sauntering toward me smiled, but something in his tone sped my pulse.
My fingers tightened around the cold moist rail. “Thank you. I needed a breath of fresh air, but I think now I’ll—”
“You only just got here.” He closed the remaining gap between us. “You looked so lonely, I thought p’raps you were hopin’ for a companion.” The arch of his brows gave the comment a suggestive air.
