“Celine and Oliver,” I breathed. “If Arcadia and Eldon are at enmity, Lanover will have to side with their princess.”
“And Northhelm would side with Lanover and Eldon as well, would it not?” Damon sounded grave. “They also have a Lanoverian princess married to their crown prince.”
“Arcadia is the only kingdom not to have any such ties with Lanover—and therefore Eldon,” I said, the scope of the plot breaking over me. “This kingdom could find itself standing alone.”
“But not if we reveal what’s really going on and that Sierra isn’t really a princess of Eldon. Then it will be Sierra and Rangmere that stand alone,” Damon said. “Or at least whatever rogue elements in Rangmere are behind this.”
“You have to get that evidence.” I slid down the bed and gripped his arm, my knuckles white with my force. “As fast as possible.”
A strange expression crossed his face as he looked down into mine, and his eyes dropped to my lips. For a moment I froze, unsure of the emotions that gripped me. Then I shook myself free and slid away again.
“Go now!” I urged, trying to cover up my confusion. “There’s no time to be lost.”
“Of course!” He stood, and if there was a flicker of disappointment on his face, he didn’t speak it.
I stuck my head out into the corridor but saw no movement. Ushering him out, I gave him a shove.
“Go! Go! We’ll speak again soon.”
He opened his mouth, only to shake his head and close it again, striding off down the corridor. I watched for only a moment before turning back to my door. My eyes slid over a statue on the far wall, making me jerk to a halt and slowly spin back around. There were no statues in this corridor.
My eyes found Philip. He stood utterly still, his face pale, and his fists clenched at his sides. His eyes were focused on Damon’s retreating back, but as the prince disappeared from sight, they turned slowly to me.
“I didn’t realize you and the prince were so close,” he said, something of the danger I had heard in his voice in the stables returning.
“What?” I squeaked. “No! We just needed somewhere private to talk.”
Philip took a step toward me, his hand reaching out before he pulled it abruptly back. “I didn’t mean to suggest…” His tone now held a hint of contrition. “I just meant that I didn’t realize you trusted him enough to allow him in your room.”
I chuckled. “Well, I didn’t exactly allow him in.”
“What?” Philip’s hands balled back into fists, and I quickly held mine out in a placating gesture.
“No, no, never mind. You’re right, I didn’t tell you that Damon and I are working together, and I should have.”
He frowned. “Working together?”
“The same as we are.” I gestured between us, and a shadow passed over his face.
Footsteps at the other end of the corridor made us both look up. I drew a step closer to him.
“We can’t talk here,” I whispered. “But the prince has found something. Something big. He’s gathering evidence now, and then we’re going to present it to the king.”
The servant passed us, and I fell silent. He gave us a curious glance but didn’t stop. I opened my mouth, but the voice of another servant, calling to someone out of sight, interrupted me.
“Tomorrow,” I said quickly. “In the park. I’ll explain it then.”
Philip looked reluctant, but as the two new servants approached, he nodded once.
“Very well. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Chapter 22
“So, you see,” I finished. “It looks like Rangmere is behind everything. They want to destabilize Arcadia just like they attempted twelve years ago. They must be planning a coup or an invasion or something.”
Philip’s frown had deepened throughout my explanation. Because of what I was saying, or because he didn’t believe me? I was conscious the tale was less convincing when I wasn’t able to include anything about Sierra’s involvement.
I had been thinking through the revelations all night and had concluded she must mean to flee soon. I was fortunate she hadn’t attempted to do it already because she no doubt intended that I would not survive her departure. When she disappeared, leaving behind evidence of her robberies and murders, Arcadia would turn in wrath to Eldon, never knowing Sierra wasn’t who she claimed.
My family—including Celine, and all of her family, most of whom I’d met—would be enraged, not only at my disappearance but at the accusations against me. They would never believe it. And Arcadia and Eldon would never realize they weren’t referring to the same person.
No wonder Sierra had instructed her men to kill me. I was no doubt only alive because for now she needed to maintain her charade. She couldn’t move against me openly. Not yet.
I shivered. What final crime did she have planned? It would have to be something bigger and more grievous than any so far. Perhaps the rest had merely been warmups, rehearsals for the final performance.
Philip, unaware of my frantic thoughts, glanced back toward Colin, checking the boy was still out of earshot. When Philip had arrived, I had dragged him only a short way away before spilling out everything the enchantment would let me say.
“Twelve years ago, King Josef was on the throne,” he said at last. “But now Queen Ava sits in Rangmeros. I can’t believe she would be working against Arcadia now. She has a busy enough job keeping her own kingdom in line.”
“Exactly!” I pounced on his admission. “Her ascension to the throne was unexpected, wasn’t it? Surely it’s possible there could still be some rogue group—or even a single noble if he had resources enough—rebelling against her leadership. Maybe they wish to expand their power into Arcadia now that Rangmere is turned against them? Or maybe they think to goad her into a war she doesn’t want? Damon didn’t say it was the queen herself.”
Philip ran a hand through his hair. “I suppose it’s possible.”
I looked him in the eye, gripping both his wrists. “Philip. I know you haven’t told me everything. I know you’ve been keeping secrets from me.” I felt guilty even saying it, given my own secrets, but I had to try. “What exactly is your role here at the palace? What do you do all day when you aren’t with me?”
He looked down into my face, his eyes widening slightly. When he didn’t reply straight away, I rushed on.
“I know I can’t make you tell me the truth. But if you have some influence, some knowledge, or some ability to help with this, then now is the moment to use it. We need every bit of evidence and every ally we can get to convince the king of what is happening in Arcadia.”
He groaned, his arms twisting so that now it was his hands gripping my forearms. “You have no idea how much I want to tell you the truth, Lark. But I made promises…and I’m afraid. Afraid that you’ll—”
But whatever he was afraid I would do was cut off as Colin raced toward us, calling excitedly. Philip dropped my arms, stepping back from me, although not quickly enough to avoid a suspicious glance from the goose boy.
The news he had hurried over to share took precedence, however, and he blurted it out. “The king has called for a grand celebration! Not just a ball for the nobles, but a party for all the servants as well. A grand festival!”