The servants were already used to the Raven General’s unusual shenanigans. As such, they barely batted an eye at the absurdly ugly color of her dress or the way she had fashioned a typical warrior’s knot with the ball gown.
Aimee’s glowing praise as she escorted the lady down to the kitchen was a common sight now as well. The little girl was practically glued to the Raven General’s side.
It seemed the general was quite fond of the maid as well, always keeping the young one by her side.
Seeing her soup undisturbed and in the same condition as before, Faye shot a proud smile to the head-chef. The man hid his grimace with an eager nod, “Happy to help, my lady!”
The pot was quite large and heavy. Even the kitchen staff needed two people to lift the soup. The head-chef turned to an assistant. “Go help the lady deliver-“ he choked.
In one heft, Faye lifted the pot of soup easily and strode out of the room. The kitchen staff gaped at the sight. More than a few of them suddenly gained an immense amount of respect for the Raven General. Also, no one wanted to be the one to deliver the soup and accidentally incur any blame for the monstrous creation. But it seemed their fears were unfounded.
Still, if they could all agree on one thing, it was that Lady Feldgrau sure was something else.
“All right, get working on the desserts!” The head chef tore his eyes from the door and turned his attention back to his craft.
—
Compliments for the chef floated around the room. Although battle plans and strategies were strewn across the table, there was a festive cheer present as the allies toasted one another for their early victories.
In his seat at the front of the room, the Lord of Feldgrau watched on. Although his expression seemed blank, it was more relaxed than usual. The man joined in the occasional toast and nodded along to the conversation. In the back of his mind Nikolai planned how he would deliver the good news to his counterparts at the Lucky Charm later in the evening.
Cristin raised his cup. “A toast! To the greatest liege of all, the lord of-“
The doors slammed open. Dead silence and shock enveloped the room. Servants were informed to let no one in. Who dared to…
The Raven General, in an absurdly ugly dress, strode into the room. In her arms was a large pot of bubbling goop. She had a bright, (sinister, the cynics though) smile on her face as she practically skipped towards the table despite the heavy object she was carrying.
The hands that had fallen to their concealed weapons froze, unable to even draw their blades out.
Even the Lord of Feldgrau sat up and watched with narrowed eyes. To those who knew him, Nikolai may as well have dropped his jaws to the floor.
The heavy pot was dropped onto the edge of the table with a loud thunk. One of the smaller lords hurried to move a map out of the way of the spilled goop.
“No one was to be let into these chambers,” the Lord of Feldgrau frowned. “To what do we owe the pleasure, dear wife?”
“Please, the guards are terrified of me. And I am Lady of the house, who dares to stop me from sharing my wonderful creation with my husband’s guests?” The Raven General glanced at the papers on the table. She ignored them and grabbed her ladle. Staring expectantly at the first lord, the fearsome general held out a hand.
The lord gulped and picked up his bowl. His hands were shaking so hard that the Raven General snatched the bowl from his grasp. She filled it to the brim with soup, if it could even be called that.
And so it went, until every single bowl, including the Lord of Feldgrau’s, was filled with the Raven General’s masterpiece.
Nikolai picked up the bowl of soup. Its chunky contents floated to the top. “You made this?” he shot Faye a concerned look.
But the young woman only smiled brightly. “Eat up!”
The rest of the room tried to glance at the ice prince for guidance. Unfortunately, he looked just as lost as the rest of them. It did not help that the Raven General still carried her mighty long sword at her hip.
There would be no escaping this torment. If the Raven General wished to poison them, then so be it. The smaller lord who had been handed the soup first, bravely grasped his spoon and shoved a mouthful into his mouth. His eyes bulged.
Wide eyes stared, waiting for him to spit out the purple liquid. To their surprise, he actually lowered his spoon and sipped another mouthful. “My lady,” he stared in awe at the Raven General. “This is actually quite delicious.”
Faye rolled her eyes. “What do you mean actually? Of course it is!”
The other occupants in the room stared at their own bowls with renewed awe. Was it truly delicious? Had they let their prejudice get the better of them?
Even the Lord of Feldgrau hesitantly picked up his spoon. He gave it a sniff. There was a surprisingly pleasant aroma to the purple goop that was a mix of spice and something sweet.
Then came the sound of crashing. Head snapped to the front of the room.
The first lord spazzed on the ground. His eyes rolled to the back of his head.
The room erupted into loud exclamations and fear as all eyes turned to the Raven General whose eyebrows were also raised in concern.
“Surely it was not that spicy,” muttered Faye.
When the man began to froth at the mouth, her curious look faded into one of unease. “Definitely not the spice, then.”
“What is the meaning of this!” hollered Cristin. The attendant drew his sword.
Faye knelt to the fallen man’s side. “He… he has been poisoned,” she said faintly.
“After drinking your soup!” shouted one of the governors.
“The barbarian poisoned our meal!”
“Lord, you must arrest her.”
Unheeding of their calls, Faye was quick to dip her finger into the soup and stick it in her mouth. Amber eyes narrowed. “Snake flower poison,” Faye whispered to herself in growing horror.
The young woman’s heart jumped to her throat. Snake flower poison was one of the deadliest venoms from the Grasslands. If the first lord died or the contents of the soup were found to have poison, not only would she have to shoulder the blame, but much scrutiny and anger would fall on her people. Faye has been framed. She cursed colorfully in her mother tongue and rose to her feet. Thankfully, she carried the antidote with her. But the accusative glares from around the room prevented her from leaving.
As the glares and suspicion in the room increased, eyes turned to stare at the ice prince. The Lord of Feldgrau frowned. If he could not guarantee safety within his own house, no one would take his word seriously. He nodded at Darcy.
The commander approached Faye and grabbed her by the arms. Faye’s eyes widened. Although she did not fight back, her frown grew.
Darcy whispered lowly. “Don’t resist, my lady.”
His sword came to rest close by her jugular, ready for the fatal strike should the prisoner resist. It took everything in her willpower to not fight back. Even she knew the political turmoil such a risky move would bring. A foreigner poisoning a lord in an dishonored prince’s home… The gods had thrown their dice, now it was a matter of where the pieces would fall, and whose head doom would be brought on. All eyes turned to the front of the room.
The ice prince announced his orders to his attendant so all the room could hear clearly. “Send for the doctor, Cristin. I for one, believe that it is a mere allergic reaction.” He took the soup and passed it over for the man to study. Cristin raised the bowl to his nose.
Some of the braver lords stood. “And what of the Raven General? If this is her fault and she has poisoned the soup, surely she cannot go unpunished!”
He received a cold glare for his troubles. “My men will conduct an investigation. Until we have a definite answer, the general will be confined to her rooms.”
“That is not enough punishment! She is a danger to us, my lord!”
Commander Darcy sighed, “The general would not stoop to such methods, this is a misunderstanding-“
“She is an enemy! The wrench should not have been allowed to take a living step into our kingdom! They are worthless barbarians! They all deserve to die!”
“How dare you!” Faye snarled, her pride for her people smarted. “I will tear you to shreds, fool.”
“Silence!” came the echoing roar. Wide eyes turned to glance at the ice prince. Blue eyes flashed. “Are we so weak?” His next words were barely louder than a whisper and they strained to hear it. “It is disgraceful to see such a small conflict is enough to ruin our friendship.”
The room fell deathly silent. A celebration of camaraderie has so easily fallen to pieces. Their future held tougher conflicts with much higher stakes.
More than a few looked away in shame.
The Lord of Feldgrau picked up his bowl of soup. He leveled the Raven General with a calm stare. “Raven General, is this soup poisoned?”
Faye clenched her fists. She did not blame Nikolai for using such a method but his question put her in an impossible corner. If she told the truth, no one would believe that she had been framed with a rare poison that could only be found in the grasslands. More research would lead to the knowledge that Wenge was the sole tribe that had access to the deadly white powder. Those sabotaging her had done their work well. But to lie…
The Raven General lifted her head haughtily. She sneered, “There is nothing in this soup that those with able bodies should not be able to digest.” Amber clashed with blue. “Or do you doubt me, my lord?”
There was a flash of something on Nikolai’s face, but it faded as quickly as it came. He lifted his bowl. “Join me then, dear wife.”
Faye’s eyes widened in understanding. An amused laugh escaped her as Cristin picked up one of the bowls and held it to her mouth. It seemed her husband did indeed doubt her. She could not help the stab of betrayal that stung her heart even though her mind understood what the Lord of Feldgrau was doing.
“You first,” said Nikolai.
The Raven General smirked, “Very well, then.” With that, she broke free of Darcy’s hold. Rather than ran, she snatched the bowl of purple soup. Amidst the shouts of alarm, Faye downed the liquid in one go. She buried her hurt with the burning soup. The familiar tangy taste made her wince. It was definitely snake flower powder.
Wiping her face, Faye lifted the bowl towards her husband. She was curious to see what he would do. “Your turn,” she challenged. In the worst case, she would sneak some of the antidote to him later.
The Lord of Feldgrau paused. He seemed to glance at Cristin whose responding gesture was lost to Faye. The general was resolute in staring her husband down.
The room flinched at the sound of crashing porcelain. The Lord of Feldgrau’s expression remained blank while his soup was splattered across the floor. He clasped his empty hands behind his back and took a seat.
“Apologies wife, it seems my hand slipped. Perhaps next time we shall share a proper toast.” He turned to address Darcy. “Commander, escort my wife to her rooms and bring Lord Darwin to one of the studies while he recovers from his… allergic reactions.”
Commander Darcy nodded firmly. “Of course, my lord.”
“Get the servants in to clear the plates. I believe desserts are in order!”
Faye barely heard Nikolai address the rest of his guests as she was dragged out of the room and back into the hall.
Once outside, Darcy’s voice was a low growl. “This way, my lady.”
Faye, slightly defeated at the turn of events, could only shrug and follow. So much for Rufus’ infallible plan. When Faye found out who had ruined her wonderful surprise, she would wring their necks. For now, she focused on making it back to her room as the the world spun around her and her senses dulled. Although she had cultivated a strong immunity to poison, snake flower powder was quite potent. She did have an antidote to swallow after all.
And if the poisoned lord was lucky, Aimee would deliver her extra stash to the unfortunate man before the full effects of the poison truly set in.
—
As two maids dragged a body to one of the studies, the assassin peeked up in interest. He turned to the serving boy next to him. “What happened?”
But the boy only shrugged, “Probably drank too much. Happens all the time.”
“Any news from inside?” pressed the man, desperate to learn any news.
The boy frowned as he thought about it. “Nothing. Oh!” His eyes lit up. “I heard the general made some soup but the lord hated it and had it all tossed out.” His shoulders sagged, “Our lord can be so cruel. I’m sure the general put a lot of effort into that soup.”
The words took the assassin out of his own angry thoughts. He shot the other an incredulous look. “You feel… sorry for the general?”
With another shrug, the serving boy sniffed, “Of course. She worked so hard on her creation and for her husband to discard it today of all days…. It truly is a pity.”
The assassin barked out a cruel laugh. “What? Do you wish to comfort her or something?” He sneered, “I heard she and the lord sleep apart, maybe you’ll have your chance.”
“Maybe on any other night,” laughed the serving boy. He crossed his arms and sighed in defeat. “But tonight’s the first night of the Lantern Festival, custom dictates that the lord and lady share a room.”
Stolen novel; please report.
With that, the serving boy brushed past the shocked assassin. The fake servant drifted away as he began to make new plans. It seemed the snake flower powder had not worked. He would have to resort to other means.
Glancing over his shoulder, the serving boy shot the man a look. He rushed over to the corner where another was waiting.
“Bian!” Frederick whispered worriedly. “That man is definitely suspicious. We should report this to the lord immediately!”
The quiet boy shook his head. He wore dark clothes instead of his usual serving uniform. He placed a hand on Frederick’s shoulder and signed, “Thank you, friend.”
With that, Bian disappeared into the shadows.
Frederick sighed. Although his conscience stung for disobeying the general’s command, he trusted Bian. He could only hope his friend knew what he was doing.
—
When Nikolai entered his wife’s chamber, he was unsurprised that she was sharpening her swords. Such a sight no longer fazed him.
The angry glare on her face surprisingly soothed his fears. As soon as his guests had left, Cristin had confirmed that there was indeed a poisonous component to Faye’s soup.
However, the angry glare only convinced him that whether Faye was guilty or not, the plan had not worked.
The trusted maid he had secretly watched over Lord Darwin also saw Aimee sneak in some concoction. It must have been an antidote of some type as the poor lord had fortunately woken up none the wiser. Whatever the plan, Faye had not harmed an innocent.
As if sensing his thoughts, Faye glanced up at him. She set down the sword and stood. The young woman had not even changed out of the dress. “Have you come to question me?”
“Is there something I should suspect you of?” questioned Nikolai.
The other had the audacity to laugh. “Considering I am still here, I suppose not.”
From the frown on Cristin’s face and the slight purse of Darcy’s lips, Nikolai could tell they did not find the situation as funny. If Lord Darwin had died, they would all be in serious trouble. This was also why Lady Feldgrau was not yet turned over to the city guard.
“Leave us,” commanded Nikolai.
“My lord,” growled Cristin stepping forward. “She cannot be trusted. The poisoned soup may be a ploy to get you alone!”
Faye sneered. She muttered something in the Wenge tongue. By her tone, it seemed to be an insult.
“You!” Cristin glowered at the Raven General, anger overpowering his usual wariness of her. “You have no idea what type of scandal you could have caused! If word of this gets out, Rewanna will not hesitate to blame our lord! Have you no shame-“
“Enough!” snapped Nikolai. “I said to leave us.”
To his surprise, it was Darcy who spoke. “I do not know if that is wise, my lord.”
There was a huff from the bed as Faye crossed her arms like a petulant child.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Nikolai frowned, “Darcy, I have seen your training sessions. Faye has beaten you eight out of ten times. If she wished to harm me, your presence would not make much of a difference.” In a quieter tone, he repeated, “Leave us. Please.”
For a moment, it seemed as if the eye-patched man would protest. But with a small frown, Darcy bowed his head. The one-eyed man finally acquiesced, “Very well, my lord.” He paused and turned to the Raven General, addressing her. “But we will be right outside.”
True to his word, Darcy dragged a protesting Cristin out and closed the door.
Finally alone, the Lord of Feldgrau did not beat around the bush. “Did you poison the soup?”
The bluntness of his question seemed to get Faye’s attention. There was a shocked, almost hurt, look on her face that her angry glare quickly replaced. The look sent a chill down Nikolai’s spine but also raised a similar flare of temper within him. The instigator or not, Faye had almost ruined his entire plan.
“Do you think I did?” Pushing herself up, she stalked towards him until they were face to face. He could feel her hot breath on his neck.
“What am I supposed to think?” He glared down at her and gestured, “What was the entire soup deal? You don’t cook and suddenly you do and one of my men keels over?” Ice blue eyes were fiery as they stared at her. “Tell me, Faye, what am I supposed to think?”
The desperation in his tone made her falter. Faye felt her throat close up as frustration bubbled within her. She could neither admit that the poison was from Wenge or that she had no idea how such a precious substance would end up in her soup. Faye could not find it within her heart to be upset with Nikolai. If their places were reversed, she would not be going about the interrogation so politely.
“The soup was fine,” insisted Faye. “I do not know what happened.”
Nikolai was silent as he studied her. His emotionless gaze pierced into her as if trying to decipher a puzzle. It was clear her lack of answer frustrated him almost as much as it did her.
“Trust me,” urged Faye. It was all she could offer at the moment. All she could give him until she found the true culprit and had the answers. A bitter part of her protested. This was all for you she wanted to say. “Trust me, Nikolai.”
“I can’t.” Nikolai’s brows furrowed. “You were the one who told me not to.”
Faye’s mind flashed to their encounter on the roof. It all seemed so long ago. “Just this once,” repeated Faye.
There was a chuckle, born of disbelief not humor.
“What of when our interests clash?” asked Nikolai incredulously. Whatever truce they held would eventually end, he realized. Did it matter whether it was now or later if it was inevitable?
Faye regarded Nikolai with a curious look. “What do you mean?”
The ice prince was undeterred. “You saw the plans and maps. I know you did.” He continued, “You know I am planning something. What will you do when my plans interfere with yours?”
“Why are you asking me this?” asked Faye warily. Their future clash of interests had never been a topic of discussion.
“Answer the question.” Nikolai’s patience wore thin.
Unless necessary, Faye preferred the truth. She saw no reason to begin lying now. “I will serve Wenge’s best interests.” She licked her lips. The slight wind from her opened windows nipped at her exposed elbows. In her anger, she had forgotten that she was still wearing the dress. “If that means going against you, I will.”
Her husband was silent. She could not read his blank expression.
They stood in bated silence.
“Everyone warns me not to trust you.” Finally, Nikolai turned. “But for what it’s worth, I don’t think you did it.”
He reached for the door. “This once.” The ice prince opened the door and caught sight of his two attendants. He did not turn back. “I will trust you this time. Faye.”
“Where are you going?” she demanded.
“I have business to deal with,” he said. “Please do not leave this room until the investigation is over.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, Faye let out a frustrated groan. Gripping her hair, she cursed Rufus. This was all his fault! His stupid plan had failed.
The young woman froze. Nikolai was right. She had come here for a goal. Shrugging off the dress, Faye stared at the beautiful fabric. Despite her rage, she folded the gown and set it on the bed.
Slipping on a cloak, Faye opened her window. Mouse, who was perched outside gave her a curious look. Outside of her room, she could hear Nikolai ordering the guards to stand by.
The Raven General slipped out into the night. Her raven took to the sky, inky form following close by. Only a dark feather was left behind.
—
Lady Asinara watched the festivities pass by the Vellward Estate. Processions were carried out by the common people. Even from her window, she could hear the excitement of the nearby marketplaces as lovers took to the streets for the celebrations. True to its name, the Lantern Festival colored the streets in a warm glow as yellow cream lanterns lined every possible corner.
There was the slight creak of the door as Lady Asinara’s personal servant walked in. The girl was disappointed to find her lady sitting so silently by the window. Unknown to most, the Rose of Eburean had quite the temper. Unlike most, her anger was shown through despondent silences.
The servant set down the plate of sweets. “Butter bread as you requested, my lady.”
Lady Asinara hummed in acknowledgment.
Per tradition, she should be in the castle celebrating with her fiancé. The lady would rather be beaten with a stick than willingly spend an extra moment with her spoiled betrothed. The one thing the two shared in common was their mutual dislike for one another.
“Your father had a missive sent to the castle,” started the servant carefully. “Unfortunately, it seems the crown prince Argan has left the palace.”
“For the Street of Joy I presume,” commented Lady Asinara blithely. “Good riddance.”
The servant studied her lady for a moment before drifting to the young woman’s side. She squeezed Asinara’s shoulders. “I know the real reason why you are upset.” She smiled playfully. “And it is not because of the crown prince”
The Rose of Eburean frowned, “Elaina, don’t.”
Unlike other servants, the girl did no back down. Elaina was an orphan who had been taken in by the Vellward family. She grew up with her ladyship. The two were raised together to foster loyalty. As such, Elaina got away with more than most would.
The younger smirked playfully. “It’s because of our returned ice prince, is it not?” The servant shoved her lady, ignoring the glare thrown her way. “If you miss him so, why don’t you go to see him?”
Asinara’s glare hardened. “Because he is married!”
“So?” The maid shrugged, “It’s not like they like each other.” The girl brushed herself off and stepped back. She held a paper in her hand. “But if you made up your mind, I won’t push.”
Elaina fanned herself with it. “I suppose you also won’t want to read his letter then.”
Elaina bit back a laugh at the way her mistress lunged for the paper. Asinara was practically rabid as she ripped the package open and scanned through the note.
Peeking over her shoulder, Elaina asked, “Well, what does it say?”
Asinara tried hard to keep the emotion off her face, but the blush on her cheeks matched the dazed look in her eyes. “He,” the lady hiccuped in shock. “He wants to meet me at the… lover’s market.”
Crossing her arms, Elaina sighed, “Well it’s too bad you’re not interested-“
“Help me get dressed right now!”
—
Nikolai elbowed through couples and merchants. By his side, Darcy followed dutifully.
“Why you are following me again?” asked the lord. The furrow between his brows showed that the event of the evening had left him more unsettled than he’d rather admit. “I can deliver the update to the Lucky Charm myself.” He held the silver mask in his hands.
But the commander was unfazed. “Sir, I would prefer not to have this argument for the fifth time this hour.” The eye-patched man had been adamant about not being left behind. “My lord, you know I would never doubt you, but is it wise to leave the Raven General unguarded?”
“She is to be confined to her room, is that not enough?” asked Nikolai.
“My lord, I do not think you are taking this seriously,” snapped Darcy. His tone gave Nikolai pause. The commander never raised his voice. “Cristin is right. What if she had truly intended to poison you? We would have been too late to stop it!”
“Enough, please Darcy. If she wanted to poison me, why wait?” Nikolai dodged a drunk couple of courtesans as they floundered around. “You’ve fought with her, does it seem like her style?” He noted the busyness of the Street of Joy. It seemed the Lantern Festival had its share of unhappy partners and unwed revelers. “Shouldn’t you be focused on the actual person who put the poison in the soup?”
“Why do you think Cristin stayed behind?” retorted Darcy. The information master was hard at work to find the culprit.
“What do you wish for me to say? Even if it was Faye, I’m not sure there is anything we could do. Until she successfully kills me, we cannot take any action unless we want the whole of Wenge’s wrath upon us.” Nikolai exhaled shakily. “Honestly, if Rewanna is behind this, I would applaud her genius.”
“What if Lord Darwin had died tonight?” asked Darcy.
“He did not, so let us not think of it,” deflected Nikolai. “Cristin’s mothering is rubbing off on you.”
BOOM!
The two flinched at the noise, only to stare up in the air as colorful light exploded. The fireworks would only be let off on the first and last day of the festival. Even the rowdiest of festival goers paused to gape at the beautiful display.
A hand landed on Nikolai’s shoulders. “Do not blame Cristin, my lord.” Darcy’s good eye was hooded. “You know what happened to his family. A lesser man would not have been as patient as he.”
Nikolai frowned. Before he could properly answer, a form barreled into him. The ice prince grunted.
Darcy’s blade was out in a flash and pointed at the guilty party. The woman, a messenger, quivered at the sight.
“Apologies, my lords,” the woman’s lips wobbled as she fell to her knees. “Please, have mercy!”
The ice prince shot Darcy a look. Although the commander lowered his blade, he kept it out. After the events of the night, they would not be taking the risk.
“Speak quickly,” ordered Nikolai.
“My prince,” the woman lowered her head, not noticing the way the two men regarded her with even more suspicion. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a letter. “Please, this is from Lady Asinara, she bid me to deliver this to you at once.”
Eyes teary, the woman begged, “She is in great trouble.”
The woman watched the ice prince eagerly. The man’s rumored love for the Rose of Eburean was well-known. Surely, he would not hear the plea for help and stand idly by.
To the messenger’s shock, Nikolai’s frown only grew. “You should not have come to me.” He did not bother opening the message and handed it back to the kneeling woman. “Go send for her father or brother. They will be more well-equipped.”
As the two turned to leave, the woman cried out and gripped at the lord’s pants. “Please, my lord. She requested you and only you!” The woman lowered her voice. “At least read the message before you make up your mind.” She held the letter out once more.
With a sigh, the ice prince tentatively opened the letter. He scanned through it. The furrow between his brow continued to grow. Blue eyes glanced up to meet Darcy’s.
Leaning in, Nikolai slipped the letter with the meeting updates into Darcy’s hands. “Take this to Langard and the others,” he whispered. “I have to go.”
“My lord, I should stress that this is not a good idea” murmured Darcy lowly. “If the Raven General did not slip the poison, then there is someone out there trying to kill you. I should stay by your side.”
But Nikolai halted him. “The message cannot wait. Do not worry.” He glanced down at his belt where a dagger was hidden. “I am not completely defenseless. I will meet you back at the residence.”
The Lord of Feldlgrau addressed the still-kneeling woman. “Get up and lead the way.”
To Darcy’s unease, the woman nodded eagerly and the two disappeared into the crowd. If he found out, Cristin would kill him. Cursing, the commander jogged towards the Lucky Charm. Perhaps if he hurried he could catch up with the lord.
—
The Lady Asinara wore a veil to conceal her face which would have drawn unnecessary attention to herself. But her eyes darted around. “Do you see him, Elaina?”
The servant girl pouted, “No, my lady. You are certain this is where he said to meet?”
The lady nodded helplessly. They stood in the middle of the bustling lover’s market. Around them, couples held hands and enjoyed the festivities. There was everything from re-enactment of great love stories to food stalls filled with delicious aromas.
“Asinara!”
The lady’s eyes widened and a bright flush reached her cheeks. She turned, a bright smile on her lips. “Nikolai!”
But it was a grave face that met hers. Nikolai grasped her by the arms, face serious. He glanced over her making her chest flutter. “Are you hurt?”
The lady frowned, confused. “No, why would I be?” Pulling away, she laughed awkwardly. “I am not that fragile.”
But Nikolai’s frown only grew. “Then why did you summon me?”
Clenching her jaw, Lady Asinara did not know what to say. An indignant anger rose within her but her proper upbringing prevented her from exploding.
Thankfully, Elaina spoke for her, angrily asking, “What do you mean by that, my lord? You were the one that requested my lady’s presence!”
“Is that so?” asked Nikolai coldly.
The maid flinched. Asinara finally let some of her displeasure show. “Niko, it is true. I received a message earlier this evening, signed by you.”
With a slightly chastised expression, Nikolai sighed, “Asinara, do you not see?”
Asinara shook her head. See what?
“We were tricked,” said Nikolai bluntly. “I never sent any letter to you.” He pulled a message from his pocket. “I assume you never sent a plea of help to me either. Right?” Gritting his teeth, the lord sighed, “We were set up. This is a trap.”
The Rose of Eburean blinked back the stinging in her eyes. Her wide eyes brimming with tears made for a pitiful and beautiful sight, but Nikolai was busy studying the square as if searching for someone.
“Who would do this?” she asked.
Nikolai rubbed his face. It was clear he already had an idea of the mastermind behind the game. “Who else?”
A slow clapping noise came from the opposite entrance to the square. The crowd parted way for the person as they approached the two. “Bravo! What a show, am I right?” A nasty smirk was shot towards Nikolai. “Why am I not surprised to find my bride with you?”
Argan’s bratty voice carried throughout the entire market as all quieted at the sight of the Crown Prince. Royal guards followed by his side.
Asinara’s face paled. Nikolai looked like he had smelled something horrid.
“Care to answer,” Argan smiled gleefully. “Brother?”