I had no answer, although I already knew Sierra had managed to acquire at least one such object. Damon had mentioned something about her being a thief. Was it possible one of his parents had possessed the object she had used against me, and she had stolen it from them? That would be a crime severe enough to make banishment from their village understandable.
“Perhaps we’ll have better luck at the viscount’s mansion this evening,” Philip said. When I gaped at him, he just grinned back at me. “Assuming you actually want to come this time.”
“You want us to break into a noble’s home?” I asked.
“Who said anything about breaking in?” He was still grinning as he flourished an ornate looking brass key.
“Where did you get that?” I tried to swipe it off him, as if I thought a proper examination would reveal it to be made of spun sugar, but he tucked it back in his pocket.
“Never mind that. Do you want to come?”
“Of course I want to come!”
“That’s settled, then. Meet me in the stables as soon as it gets dark.”
Stop your incessant movement, Arvin said. It won’t make him arrive any faster.
“But where is he? It’s dark outside. You don’t think he went without me?”
I didn’t know if horses could roll their eyes, but I could hear it in his voice. Why would he have invited you if he intended to go without you?
I grimaced. I knew I was being ridiculous, but I had worked myself up into a high state of nerves at the prospect of breaking and entering in a strange kingdom where I was already viewed with some suspicion. Even if it wasn’t going to involve any actual breaking of anything. I hoped.
“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor,” a laughing voice said, and I was so relieved I nearly threw myself into Philip’s arms.
Pulling myself up just in time, I glared at him instead.
“Where have you been? It’s been dark for ages.”
“I came as soon as I could.” He glanced at Arvin inside his stall. “I’m afraid Arvin can’t come on this adventure.”
I have no desire to break into the house of a dead old man, Arvin said. Even if he was poisoned. You children go ahead and have fun without me.
“He doesn’t want to come,” I said to Philip. “He’s quite comfortable in there for the night.”
Adequately comfortable.
I turned back to Arvin with an unimpressed look which he seemed to interpret as confusion.
Adequately comfortable, not quite comfortable.
I threw my arms around his head. “You know you’re a ridiculous horse, don’t you?”
And you’re a ridiculous human. But he actually sounded a little affectionate.
I gave him a kiss on his velvety nose and turned to Philip.
“Well then, let’s do this before I lose my nerve.”
Philip gallantly offered me his arm as if we were on our way to a ball. I slipped my hand around it and giggled, before clamping my free hand over my mouth. What was wrong with me tonight?
“The more I know you, the more I suspect losing your nerve is not something that is likely to happen,” he said. “You were clearly wasted as a lady’s maid.”
His final sentence immediately killed the lingering amusement inside me. The closer I got to Philip, the more I hated not being able to be truthful with him. He thought he knew me, but he didn’t know me at all. If I was here as a princess, he wouldn’t be offering me his arm, or paying me compliments. We wouldn’t have met at all, most likely.
I had enjoyed the taste of freedom that came with being a goose girl, and if I was honest, the freedom to be with Philip was what I valued the most. I had promised my parents I would give Percy a chance, and here I was, spending all my time with a strange servant who didn’t even have a clear position.
My conversations with Damon and Alyssa had reminded me all too forcibly of my true identity. I could never turn my back on my kingdom, or on my family who I loved deeply. Which meant this game wasn’t fair to Philip—or to my heart.
He looked down at me, a question in his eyes.
“Did I say something wrong?”
I shook my head.
We reached a small side gate where two guards stood at attention. My mind started racing. I hadn’t even thought about the guards who stood between us and the city.
“Philip!” one of them called, with a grin. “Heading out to the night markets?”
I glanced up at Philip, who looked relaxed, smiling back at the guard. I had been distracted at the evening meal, eating alone—my mind consumed with thoughts of our planned misadventure and mourning for the absence of any bread. But I had noticed a certain extra buzz in the air and heard someone say something about a night market. Was there a reason Philip had suggested we go tonight of all nights?
“We’ve had a small stream of you lot,” the other guard said. “Just make sure you’re back by midnight like everyone else. Or you’ll have to spend a cold night waiting for us to unlock the gate at sunrise.”
“Have a good time,” the friendly one said, with a significant look at our joined arms and a wink at Philip.
“Oh, we will.” Philip put his arm around me, pulling me into his side.
Taken by surprise, I squeaked, then tucked myself into him to cover the mistake. The guard chuckled and held the gate open for us as if he were a footman at a grand ball.
Philip kept his arm around me until we heard the gate close behind us, his warmth enveloping me. Despite my earlier warnings to myself, I let my eyes close for one brief second as I imagined the charade was true, and we were just two servants off for a romantic walk to the night markets. But when the gate clanged behind us, and Philip’s arm lingered around me, I made myself pull free. I wasn’t a goose girl, not really, and we weren’t going to the night markets.
“You should have told me the plan!” I said, rounding on him. “I nearly gave us away.”
He looked entirely unrepentant. “You were perfect.”
I glared at him a bit longer before giving up and shaking my head. “You’re impossible.” And I liked your arm around me far too much. I’m going to have to be more careful.
The only road I had yet seen in Arcadie was the broad Palace Way, but Philip led me through back streets instead. Here we saw only the rear of the nobles’ vast city houses. High walls guarded some, but many others were open, their gardens running nearly to the edge of the road. Bright blooms filled many of them, and their perfume permeated the air, a pleasant change from an afternoon of goose stench.
In the semi-darkness, surrounded by flowers, with distant music from the night markets, and the warmth of Philip’s arm lingering around my shoulders, it was hard to keep my mind strictly on the task at hand. I allowed myself to sneak a single side glance at Philip’s strong profile. His hair was tousled, as always, the dark, disordered strands illuminated by the bright moonlight. He had a pleased expression on his face as if he was enjoying the adventure. Not once had he shown any nerves at our planned criminal activity.
As if he felt the weight of my eyes, he turned his head and grinned at me. I told myself to look away, but his eyes captured me.
“You’re not regretting coming are you, Lark?” There was amusement in his voice.