“I told you she’s creepy,” Yasmin said to one of her ladies. I stood at the top step, watching them point to my goblin. “I mean, who in the world has one of those as a pet?”
Gobbersnot made me proud when he tossed the bone directly at Yasmin’s head, causing her to scream and run away.
“Good goblin,” I cooed as he swung back into the carriage. He curled up in my lap and proceeded to fall asleep.
A candle mark later, I was disturbed by a heavy knock.
“Yes,” I said without opening the door, my voice cold.
“I’m here to apologize on behalf of my heavy-handed guard,” Xander whispered through the door.
I sat up and leaned near the window, keeping my voice low as to not wake Pru. “Are you going to replace my things?” I asked.
He sighed. “I will personally see to it that your things are replaced.”
“Also, I want you to stay away from my servant.”
“Wait a minute, I demand—” he started.
My eyes narrowed as I imagined boring a hole through the door into his skull. “I would rethink your answer. Otherwise, you might find the next time you kiss someone, you’ll end up a frog.”
“Are you threatening me?” he asked incredulously.
“No,” I said innocently. “I’m just discussing possible outcomes made from your scandalous life choices. You said you would never love me, and I can come to the agreement that it will be mutual, but I will demand you be faithful until our marriage is annulled. Or you may end up a rodent, frog, or some other creature.”
“Fine,” he growled.
“Fine.”
I could imagine us glaring at each other before his footsteps faded away, and I sat back.
Prudence had sat up, her hands covering her mouth in awe. “I have never before heard someone speak to the prince in such a way.”
“Well, get used to it, because I don’t plan on stopping.”
A heaviness came over my heart, and I leaned back against the bench and sighed.
Oh, Mother, what would you have me do? You’ve made the prince miserable, but in doing so, I’m also miserable.
Chapter Fourteen
We spent most of the following day cleaning up the mess from Tipper and waiting to hear from the trackers. Earlsgaarde had left in the middle of the night, as had Gaven and Xander. It was only the servants left, and of course Yasmin and her ladies. Listening to their ugly barbs toward me was enough to drive me batty.
Luckily, not all of my clothes were damaged. I did have the dress I was wearing, a red dress, burgundy cloak and the prince’s pin. Fearing I may lose it, I pinned it to the front of the cloak and folded it up, placing it in a smaller trunk Prudence found for me.
By midday, Xander had returned, and he rode straight to me across the camp. I was sweating from working on cleaning up and was dreading my decision to wear all black in the sun.
Xander looked uncomfortable. “I came to tell you that our trackers have lost the beast’s trail in the mountains, so we’ll be taking the wagons and carriages the long way around and staying the night in Celia while they continue their search and will probably resume tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, “for telling me in person instead of sending someone.”
“Couldn’t.” He shrugged. “After last night’s tantrum, there wasn’t a single page who was willing to deliver a message to you.” I could tell from the tick in his jaw and how hard he was pressing his lips together that he was trying not to laugh at me.
“Tantrum?” I scoffed.
His lip turned up at me, and then the full smile burst forth. “Yes, I would call that a tantrum if I ever saw one. It’s very female of you.” Those eyebrows rose so high that I was about to chuck a piece of the trunk at him when Yasmin came sauntering over and began to complain loudly of the heat and having to stay outside.
“I’ve been so bored waiting for you,” she whined.
Xander looked over at my mostly cleaned-up campsite and then turned to her. “I’m sure you could have found some way to help or stay busy.”
She yawned, tapping her mouth with a gloved hand. “No, that’s for servants.” Yasmin cast me a side eye and then pulled Xander after her.
The wood piece I was holding snapped in my hand and I tossed it into the ground, wishing it were her neck.
Thankfully, we were quickly loaded and back on the road. By dusk, we were almost to the mountains and the small village they protected.
The carriage picked up pace, and a trumpet fanfare announced our arrival into Celia. Feeling sorry for Pru, I weaved a spell on the curtains, thinning them so she could see.
I didn’t care to look at first—what was the point of looking out of a fishbowl if I’d never experience it—but I listened. Listened to the voices of the villagers cheering for Xander, hearing them scream and point at Yasmin, at first thinking she was his new wife, followed by the confusion as a second royal carriage pulled up behind them and people pondered the closed curtains.
Finally, I looked out at them.
Even though they couldn’t see me, I couldn’t help but hold up my hand and wave softly to my people. A tear of gratefulness passed down my cheek as I beheld them, young and old. They were my people, my subjects, and I was their intercessor on behalf of the king and queen, until such a time as I finished my bargain and left.
The carriages pulled to a stop, and Prince Xander dismounted Nova. He was led onto a stage, where he greeted the people and thanked them for the gifts they had brought and placed on the stage for him and his bride. He explained on my behalf that I had taken ill and preferred to rest, but I thanked them as well.
More lies. Anger pulled inward into my soul. How much could one person take? I feared the rest of the procession would taper out much like today, and I couldn’t dare handle more. I would suffocate.
The leader of the town, a hefty man with a short red mustache and bald head named Steffler, was also the innkeeper. Our group had taken up all the rooms at the Three-Headed Dragon. Apparently the inn used to be called the Dragon and was destroyed shortly after it was built. Steffler felt it was bad luck to rename it the same, so he moved on to the Two-Headed Dragon, but sadly that one was destroyed as well, so we now were in the Three-Headed Dragon.
Knowing the current track record of the prince ignoring me, I figured we wouldn’t be placed in the same room, and I was right. Prudence and I were given a room at the Three-Headed Dragon, and so was Yasmin. The prince decided he would sleep with his men in the stables out back. For something had got the men spooked. Whispers and rumors, that were for once not about me, but of a legend in regards to a great troll.
Once my small trunk with Gobbersnot was brought inside and the guards put in attendance outside my door, I knew I needed to get out.
Opening the trunk, I pulled the only non-destroyed dress from around Gobbersnot’s sleeping form. It was a deep dark red, perfect for slinking through the night and hiding amongst the shadows. Throwing off the veil, I motioned for Prudence to help me out of the black mourning dress and into the red one. It bared my shoulders and was a little low cut, but for the most part it was modest. Pulling out my braids, I let my hair flow down my back and slipped into short boots; slippers would not do for what I had planned. Finally, I donned black gloves to cover my bandaged hand, then a deep burgundy cloak.