Amaskan's Blood, Raven Oak [read me a book .TXT] 📗

Charleena nodded, her lips remained pursed. “Anything else?”

“There are a bunch of knickknacks in the trunk here. See to it they’re removed.”

“As you will, master.”

Adelei thought back a moment to her walk of the castle grounds the night before. “Has His Majesty spoken to the staff about watching the guests?”

“Yes, master. We’re to keep our eyes and ears open for anything suspicious.” The old woman leaned close to Adelei as she waited.

Curiosity killed the serving girl, or it will if she continues to stand in my personal space. Adelei hid the smirk behind her hand. “I assume the wedding dress is already made?”

“Well,” Charleena played with the edge of her apron. “It keeps going back for adjustments. The Princess doesn’t eat much these days.”

“Is she ill?”

“Oh no. Just nerves, master.”

Great, that’s going to make it even harder for me to fit into her dress. Hopefully she’s not lost too much weight. “How would you describe Her Highness’s frame?”

“Master?”

“Her build. Is she fat? Thin? Tall?”

“Oh. She’s a bit smaller than you, master. Less… broad in the shoulder, bit thinner in the thigh. But she’s about the same height.”

Adelei released the breath she was holding. “I need someone to take my measurements and have the dress adjusted to fit them. Can you arrange this?”

“I don’t understand—”

“Can you arrange this?” Adelei repeated. When the woman nodded, Adelei continued, “Tell no one of this. Understand? Her Majesty’s life may depend on it.”

The woman drew a fluttering hand to her chest. “Truly? Is that why we’re to watch people come and go?”

“I can’t answer that, only His Majesty can, but I speak the truth when I say that you can’t tell anyone, no matter how much you think you can trust them. This stays between us.”

“Yes, master.” The servant gave Adelei a hesitant smile. “Is there anything else I can help you with, master? Breakfast can be brought to your room, or something else if you have need of it?”

“What is Her Highness’s schedule today?” The serving woman rattled off a long litany of wedding plans, meetings in the audience chamber, and afternoon tea in her bower with noble ladies. The list continued, and before Adelei could pull her teeth out in frustration, she held up a hand to stop the breathless expression. “I understand. She has a busy schedule then. Are her days normally this busy?”

“Yes, master.”

Adelei took a deep breath in through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. I’m going to regret this. To the servant, she said, “I need to speak with the Her Highness as soon as possible.”

“I’m afraid Her Highness is still asleep. She likes a good lay in and won’t be rising for another hour. And after that, she has an appointment with the Duke of—”

“Yes, yes, I know. Busy day. But I must insist. Wake her up now if necessary.”

The servant shook her head. “I’m sorry, master, but Her Highness left strict orders not to be disturbed.”

And she outranks me, at least to you she does. Adelei strode past the woman and into the hallway. The door itself was locked, and she ordered the guard outside to open it.

“Master, I can’t. It’s the royal bedchambers.”

“I don’t care if it’s the royal bedpan. His Majesty left orders for you to follow any and all commands I give, and I said open the door.”

The guard nodded and knocked. When the knocks went unanswered, he tried the doorknob. Three shakes and the door remained closed. “I’m sorry, master, I don’t have the key, and the door won’t open.”

“What would you do if it was an emergency?”

“Master, we’d knock the door down. Is this an emergency? Should I get Captain Fenton?”

Captain who? Must be head of the guards. Adelei shook her head. “I’ll take care of it. Step back.” With the roll of her palm, Adelei pulled a small metal rod from a hidden pocket in her sleeves. The lion’s mouth served as the keyhole, and she rolled her eyes. Not exactly the best disguise for a keyhole.

Careful fingers threaded the rod toward the roof of the lion’s mouth until she felt the spring. The metal rod bore narrow notches across the top and when pressed upward, the spring compressed until a light clicking sound announced the unlocking of the door. Behind her, Charleena gasped, and the door swung open to reveal a room more purple than anyone had a right to enjoy.

Adelei shut the door behind her and glanced around the giant room. Amidst a sea of lilac and royal blues, her sister slept in tangled covers. Her pale, smooth legs stuck out from beneath the mass, one hanging over the bed’s edge. Adelei didn’t recognize the room but figured its decor had changed in the fifteen years she’d been absent from the kingdom. Changed as much as her own room in Sadai over the years, if not more so considering the money at the kingdom’s disposal.

The face before her was like her own, so much so that Adelei’s outstretched hand shook as it halted over her sister. Margaret truly looked like her twin. And my brain remembers her not. A slight pang caught her off guard, and Adelei ached to touch her sister’s face to see if her eyes were the same brown as Adelei’s own.

Would Margaret know her? Would she scream to see her own face before her? Even bald, the two women would look similar enough to pass for one another. By the look on Charleena’s face, she had maybe four minutes before the King himself arrived. Maybe less. Do I tell her who I am? Or will that only make guarding her more difficult? On the one hand, Margaret’s knowing might make it easier to accept Adelei’s orders, but knowing would paint a bull’s-eye on her back. A target for every enemy Adelei or the Order had.

Margaret shifted in her sleep, the innocence on her face giving her the blessing of youth, whereas Adelei’s face bore scars and lines from a life of hardship and violence.