Traitor (A Crown of Lilies Book 1) Read online

  “I wanted to thank you,” I forced out when he halted and faced me. That immovable mask remained firmly in place, but he offered a stiff nod of acceptance before beginning to turn away. “I also wanted to know why,” I added quickly.

  Some internal conflict creased his brow and I watched him choose his words with care.

  “I swore an oath. You are my charge. No one else’s. No matter where you go.”

  Pulling free from me, he disappeared down the hall.

  In the late morning, the household gathered in the courtyard to see my father off. He and about half our entourage would return to Laezon, the rest following in a few weeks after the King’s equinox hunt. Seth and James were among those to accompany him, the latter avoiding me just as determinedly as he had been for countless weeks. In the bright morning sun, Father bid us farewell with a tender kiss for my mother and a firm embrace for me. I wrapped my arms around his barrel chest and held tight. I’d not see him for a year.

  “Take care, daughter,” he rumbled into my hair. When he pulled away, I saw his eyes glistening under the threat of tears. “Mind Quintin and keep that foolish Chamberlain boy safe.” I murmured some nondescript agreement, my own eyes damp, and stood beside my mother as we watched his entourage disappear through the gate.

  Needless to say, Aubrey was elated. I tried to temper his enthusiasm, explaining that everything lay contingent upon the Van Dryns’ blessing. He barely heard me, rushing headlong into a litany of plans and preparations. It was obvious he had given the entire adventure a great deal of thought. I was glad, for it meant there was less responsibility on my shoulders to plan for the year ahead.

  That night, Adrian and a small group of sailors I’d come to recognize from the Greyshor awaited me in the courtyard. Dressed in plain clothes, we made for a motley assortment atop our mounts of varying quality. Adrian’s long-legged black gelding pranced beneath him, the tired nags chewed their bits, and Valor itched with excitement.

  “Ready?” Quintin murmured from his saddle alongside me as we ambled out the gate to meet them.

  I nodded my assent, and the lot of us set out into the city. My husband-to-be fell in beside me, my Tuvrian guardian close behind. As we descended into Dockside, I noticed a change. The streets were fairly empty for so early an hour. At regular intervals along the way, men reclined against the sides of buildings, cloaks pulled tightly about them.

  “Sentries?” I asked. Adrian turned to me with a captain’s stern resolve.

  “I promised you would be safe.”

  After surrendering our mounts at Tommy’s hidden livery stable, we piled through the door into the tavern. The sounds and smells surrounded me instantly, the crowd full of familiar faces that turned to notice our entrance. I was herded to our corner table near the hearth, where Natalia and Alec chatted animatedly. Eleanor had just finished delivering steaming bowls of stew and fresh mead. Many of our escorts settled into a nearby table, leaving Adrian and me to join his siblings. Quintin sank into a seat near the wall with a good view of the room.

  No one mentioned the attack, for which I was grateful. For the most part, we settled back into our usual ways, joking and sharing stories. Music played, and after a few mugs, we joined the fervor on the dance floor for a bit.

  I was careful. Very careful. I counted every sip.

  Adrian restrained himself as well, moderating his own intake to match mine. I was grateful for it, as our company grew more and more intoxicated around us. Nevertheless, we had an excellent time, laughing and dancing late into the night. Toward the end of the evening, when we had a moment to ourselves, I finally broached the long-avoided topic of Elas.

  “You know how it looks,” Adrian drawled, quirking a skeptical brow at me.

  “I know,” I stared at the mug between my hands. “Do you think you can convince them?”

  He laughed. “I’m not sure I’m convinced!”

  I met his eyes. “You know-”

  He quickly held up one hand to forestall me, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t.” I watched him take a pensive sip of mead.

  “Aubrey is my dearest friend. You and I will have years to work on building our army of wild sea children.” We both chuckled at that. I met his gaze in earnest. “Allow me this one last adventure.”

  He considered me, raising one hand to trace the curve of my face. Lifting my chin with one finger, he kissed me softly.

  “And then you’ll be mine?” he whispered against my lips.

  I nodded, grazing his nose with my own. “Yours.”

  CHAPTER 23

  In the end, he did convince his parents. Along with their acceptance, the Van Dryns insisted that Adrian escort us downriver to provide their clear stamp of approval and preemptively silence any gossip. While Aubrey planned our impending adventure, Mother and I prepared for the hunt.

  The day of, our household was abuzz bitterly early, long before first light. Shera helped me dress in one of my custom wool gowns and pinned my hair expertly. The morning dawned sharp and cold, but the distant sky began to lighten with the promise of warmth as we wound our way through the city streets. By the time we arrived at the city gates, a throng had gathered of both nobles and common folk drawn by the excitement. I noted that our party was significantly smaller than many others, whose retinues of servants alone dwarfed us by comparison.

  The Van Dryn party was one such populous group, though that was more due to the number of family members in attendance. Adrian grinned in the early morning light, the chill brightening his eyes. Valor sidled beneath me, eager to be to task. We didn’t have to wait long before a cheer from the crowd announced the arrival of the King and Queen. On horseback side by side, they made for an inspiring sight. His buckskin stallion with a white blaze stepped proudly through the gathered masses. Her own chestnut palfrey picked her way daintily along with him. An entourage of servants and huntsman followed, hounds straining at their leashes. At Amenon’s signal, we made our way out of the city.

  The Kingswood lay far beyond the walls, across a vast grass plain. By the time we reached the tree line, the morning sun had cleared the horizon and the day had begun to warm. Nobles spread out along the forest edge, tents erected and luxurious appointments set about. None was so luxurious as the pavilion already waiting for the King and Queen, though some made an attempt to come close. For our part, House Lazerin made do with a shared basket of oatcakes and sausages, and a few skins of fresh water.

  Adrian’s family lounged about under an ornate silken tent, pillows strewn atop a thick carpet. Servants circulated with various morsels and poured wine for them.

  “Join us!” Lord Yuri called out when he spotted us. “You are practically family.”

  He waved to a number of unoccupied cushions, grinning broadly when my mother settled onto one near him. Preston picked an inconspicuous seat nearby, waving off a serving girl when she offered him her tray. Quintin posted up at our perimeter, standing with hands clasped before him and scanning the surrounding fields. I rolled my eyes at his back and sank onto a plush pillow between Adrian and Natalia.

  Together with the Van Dryns, we reclined on cushions and drank and ate until the sun was high in the sky. I was a bit put off by the entire farce, though Adrian’s company made it more bearable. As the sun climbed, my patience waned, and I found myself constantly glancing toward the King’s pavilion in hopes that he would signal the start of the hunt. We’d already missed the best light.

  Restless, I excused myself to check and re-check Valor’s tack until finally a horn sounded across the field. Dogs howled in reply and I swung into my saddle with alacrity, settling my bow across my back. Adrian, Alec, Natalia, Quintin, and I waited atop our mounts for the King’s signal.

  “I think we will remain,” Lord Yuri called to us from the tent. His wife, my mother, and several others had decided to stay behind. I was glad, for that left us youth to pursue our quarry alone. My mother smiled and waved me off,
clearly enjoying the company. Even Preston appeared at ease, flashing us a grin.

  A second horn sounded and clusters of nobles steered their mounts into the forest. It wasn’t long before the baying of the King’s hounds echoed far away and the five of us picked our way through the wood in relative peace. Natalia and I were chatting quietly at the back of the group when Adrian whistled low and held up his hand at the fore. We drew rein, falling silent. Far ahead, through the underbrush, a cluster of deer grazed.

  In the near distance, hounds bayed. The herd perked, tails flipped in alarm, and then they bolted. We all spurred our mounts to give chase, Valor bursting past the others and careening through the trees. I egged him on, picking one large buck near the rear. As we closed on him, I hooked the reins over the pommel of my saddle and unslung my bow. Gripping his heaving barrel with my legs, I knocked and drew, waiting for the right moment, timing the pace of my mount’s stride.

  And then the world lurched, spun, and I slammed hard onto my back. It took a long moment to realize those were leaves beneath me, not horseflesh, the sunlit canopy spinning overhead. Valor had planted his feet hard, sending my arrow flying in some unknown direction and me tumbling over his neck to the forest floor. I’d been thrown from the saddle before, but not for many years, and the indignity of a Lazerin losing her seat was almost more painful than the fall itself.

  Almost.

  Groaning on the flat of my back, I took a careful inventory of my limbs, moving each appendage one by one to check for injury. Satisfied that I’d escaped with merely a few bumps and bruises – the largest being to my ego – I heaved myself upright and began brushing leaves from my gown.

  “What in the hells is wrong with you?” I snarled at Valor, shooting him a furious glare. He quivered in place, still as a stone, staring straight past me. I turned to see what could possibly have spooked my fearless mount. “What the hell are you-”

  And then my breath left me.

  Not ten yards away, an immense stag towered between the trees. His stature dwarfed my sturdy stallion, pale gold coat shimmering in a shaft of morning light. Two dozen points gleamed on his monumental antlers, ears tilting and flicking. It was his eyes, though, that gave me the greatest pause: gold, as gold as the midday sun, and staring straight at me.

  The air around us was still and strange, an echo of memory tugging at my mind, pulling me back to the Temple of Adulil. Here was a creature just as ancient, just as sacred as the wheat I had laid in offering there. We stood staring at one another for what seemed like a lifetime.

  A sense of foreboding crept into that reverent silence, grazing my consciousness and leaving behind the sinking feeling of worry. The stag fell strangely still, golden eyes still fixed on mine. My shallow breaths quickened, brows knitting at the increasingly hollow sensation in my chest.

  A warning?

  The pounding of hooves and scatter of leaves sent the massive stag darting into the woods. Adrian’s gelding skidded to a stop beside me.

  “Fey Beast,” he breathed staring after the creature.

  “One of the Old Ones,” I murmured.

  It was long since gone from sight, but I couldn’t tear my eyes from the patch of trees where it had disappeared.

  “Here they are! Alec!” Natalia’s voice called out at a distance. Broken from my reverie, I spotted my bow and retrieved it, brushing myself off as best I could. Quintin kneed his mount to the fore of their search party, brows knitting as he took in the sight of me, bits of the forest floor still clinging to my hair and dress.

  “I’m fine,” I murmured. He seemed unconvinced but didn’t press.

  “I see you fared no better than us,” Alec observed with a grin. “Never fear. The day is young.”

  “I seem to have lost my drive for the hunt today,” I confessed, climbing back into the saddle. “Think I’ll return to camp.”

  “I’ll accompany you,” Adrian offered quickly.

  “It’s nearly the lunch hour. We should all head back for a respite.” Natalia decided the matter for us all and we followed her lead back out of the forest.

  When we emerged from the trees, I noted the arrival of a dozen wagons and many more servants since our departure. Additional comforts had been provided for the participants, including a long tent under which tables and chairs had been laboriously arranged. Trays of food crowded every surface, crystal and silver glinting in the midday sun. At the edge of the forest, a few successful hunters cleaned their kills, the carcasses strung from tree limbs.

  It was nearly an hour before the King and Queen returned with their retinue of huntsmen and hounds. One such led his horse, a buck slung over the saddle. Cheers rang out and another blare of the horns called an official close to the hunt. At my mother’s urging, I joined the crowd gathering to congratulate King Amenon and examine his prize: a sizable stag with a white-fletched arrow jutting from its heart. I caught the King’s eye as he approached, trailing a plethora of admirers.

  “A fine shot, Your Majesty.” I curtsied politely.

  “Your father tells me you’ve some skill with a bow yourself. How did you fare?” he asked.

  “I’m afraid we came out empty-handed today, sire.”

  “Pity.” He flashed me a rueful smile and began untying his kill from the saddle.

  “I’d like to think I can hit my mark when it matters,” I replied, the great stag’s golden eyes still haunting my mind. “Maybe today it didn’t.”

  He paused a moment to consider me with a curious expression, his hands stilling on the ropes. I thought he might say something more, but a pair of solicitous huntsmen shuffled between us to pull the buck from the saddle. With an apologetic grin, King Amenon followed behind as they hauled it away for cleaning.

  Lunch was a muted affair, full of mingling and small talk. After the encounter with the Fey Beast, it all felt terribly inane. I was glad when the announcement was made to return to the city. The King and Queen led the procession, the servants left behind to pack all the various accoutrements of the day and follow later. At the city gates, common folk waited to glimpse their monarchs, eager for the spectacle. Picturesque at the head of the parade, they tossed flowers and copper coins to the crowds as we passed, their contingent of King’s Guard maintaining a careful perimeter. Quintin hovered close on my left, scowling and eyeing the throng suspiciously. On my right, Adrian smiled and basked in the warm afternoon sun.

  By the time we split from the procession to make our way back to the manor, I couldn’t wait to be free of the interminably slow pace and the crush of bodies. After unsaddling Valor myself, Shera helped me refresh my appearance, the woolen hunting gown exchanged for an elegant silk dress in a deep blue; more reinforcement of my loyalty to my future husband in the face of upcoming public scrutiny. A recent commission, it had been designed for this particular occasion. The silk lay sleek and fitted through the bodice, flaring to pooling lengths below my hips. Though slightly less scandalous than the lace version that had inspired it, the gown swooped loosely at my lower back in an ingenious drape of fabric. After combing out the remaining debris, Shera tidied my long sable locks into a luxurious cascade that covered much of my otherwise-exposed back. We both admired her handiwork with joint satisfaction.

  “What would I do without you?” I mused. She shrugged, smiled, and kissed my cheek before sending me downstairs.

  As usual, Quintin was already waiting, glancing up as I made my way down the steps toward him. His familiar mask of detached neutrality faltered, a glimpse of surprise slipping out to join his constant air of disapproval. I spent a panicked moment debating whether I’d made an error in judgment, and wondered if there was enough time to change into something more conservative.

  “What?” I pressed him defensively.

  He looked away. “Suits you.”

  I couldn’t tell if he’d meant it as a barb at my immodesty or a genuine compliment, so I held my tongue.

  My mother joined us in the foyer,
herding us hastily out the front door. Gabe, already mounted and waiting in the courtyard, raised his brows at me with an appreciative whistle. I flashed him a sly grin and a wink before climbing into the carriage, feeling far better about my choice of attire.

  “Very professional,” Quintin muttered. The door clicked shut and we lurched into motion.

  Aubrey greeted us almost as soon as my mother and I were announced to the packed palace ballroom, showering thanks on her for allowing me to accompany him to Atenas. Augustus ambled up shortly thereafter, kissing her hand and inviting her to join him for the evening. She smiled at his too-small vest and agreed wholeheartedly. We all knew I was already spoken for. Aubrey kept me company while I waited for the Van Dryn party to arrive.

  “We missed you this morning.”

  “I’ve no stomach for blood sport,” he replied, mouth twisted with distaste.

  “Anything interesting?” I prompted as he deposited a glass of Eradine red into my hand.

  “A few items of note.” He swung around beside me and we scanned the room together. “A delegation arrived just yesterday from Hydrax. Your betrothed may want to steer clear. Another is due next month from Persica.”

  I stiffened in alarm. “From Persica?” My parents’ worried exchange – the one I’d eavesdropped on barely a week ago – still gnawed at me.

  Aubrey waved off my concern. “To congratulate the King on his new queen, and likely their expected firstborn.” We would be long gone in Agorai by then. I felt an eerie unsettling in the pit of my stomach.

  “Anything else?” I pressed half-heartedly.

  Aubrey eyed me with his excited, mischievous grin, the one he got when he knew some juicy bit of gossip I didn’t. “It’s rumored the Princess Selice wears a white gown tonight.”

  I gaped at him. “Tonight?”

  He raised his glass and his eyebrows at me. “Tonight.”

  That was, indeed, an item of note. At sixteen, she was a year late for a typical Court debut, but given her father’s unwavering tendency to keep her hidden, for her to be seen at all was unprecedented.