The terrace was lit with rows of lanterns, and guests mingled near the railing. I made my way to the gravel path leading deeper into the courtyard. The night air was cool but felt wonderful after the stuffiness in the crowded ballroom. My shoes crunched over stones, becoming the only sound as the hushed voices on the terrace faded.
I recognized the path as it wound its way along the side of the castle. The enormous clock tower loomed overhead. In the distance was the fountain where they’d found Ella, the giant stone basin illuminated by flickering lanterns. A man sat on the edge, staring in.
Prince Marcus rolled up the sleeve of his white shirt and plunged his hand into the black water. Strands of hair fell across his eyes, and his lips moved as he muttered to himself. I crept closer, trying to be as soundless as possible.
“Where is the blasted thing?” He swirled his arm through the basin.
At the edge of the fountain, a twig snapped under my shoe, startling us both. Prince Marcus whipped around. His eyes appeared glassy, almost dazed. He didn’t recognize me. In one smooth motion, he clamped a hand around my arm and knocked me off-balance. Gravel slid under my heels, and the momentum sent me over the ledge. I cried out, sucking in a final breath before hitting the water. The frigid temperature shocked my body, and I sank below the surface.
Chapter 18
Panic and pressure built simultaneously as the water closed over my head. My gown tangled around my legs, a restrictive weight, dragging me to the bottom even as I tried to stay calm. The water was only a few feet deep. I just needed to get my bearings.
The prince fisted the fabric of my gown to pull me back up, but when his hold shifted and his fingers dug deep into my forearms, my relief gave way to the realization he was holding me under. I struggled to shake him off, using the bottom for leverage. Lungs on fire, I choked in a mouthful of water—then, suddenly, my head breached the surface, and my next breath was all air.
He dragged me over the fountain ledge to land like a wet bundle in the grass, where I coughed, gulping in air. Leaning over me, the prince tugged soaked strands of hair out of my face.
“Tessa! My God, are you all right? You startled me, and I thought…” His voice faded. “I don’t know what I thought, I just reacted. You fought me when I tried to pull you up.”
I shivered as the night air pressed against my wet skin, the shudder wracking my entire body. It had happened so fast. Was he trying to help? A watery cough was finally followed by a clean breath, and I lifted my head to see the worry in his wide, frantic eyes. I must have been confused, susceptible to the vision I’d had of Ella’s final moments.
“I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “After what happened here with Ella…” His throat worked, and he cursed.
My gaze dropped to his left arm, the sleeve rolled up past his elbow. “What were you doing out here? I saw you searching for something in the water.”
Prince Marcus exhaled, and his eyes closed. “I was leaning over the fountain, my reflection staring back at me, and then, Ella’s face was there beneath the water, the way she looked after they found her body. It spooked me, and I knocked my wineglass into the water. I should have left it, but I was trying to fish it out when you approached.” He winced, the moonlight highlighting the movement of his jaw. “What happened to Ella was my fault. I should have been there. I was supposed to be.” His voice cracked.
“What do you mean?”
“Shortly before midnight, I switched costumes with a servant. I never danced with her. It’s all a lie. My alibi, all of it.” He slumped in the grass, defeat etched across his face. “I never wanted any of this. The ball was my father’s idea. He’s demanding I marry and said if I don’t find someone on my own, he’ll pick someone for me. Do you know what that’s like? To have no control over your life?”
Water dripped from the ends of my hair, skating down my arms. “I do know.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve had enough of his ultimatums.”
“Where did you go?”
“Back to my rooms. No one saw me, if that’s your next question. They found her floating in the water not long after I’d returned to the ballroom. Every time I close my eyes, I see her face. I feel guilty for not being there, and guilty because her death gave me more time. There’s no more talk of marriage.” He gave a dry laugh. “Some would say that’s a motive, don’t you think, Miss Daniels?”
I didn’t answer. His confession seemed genuine and matched Liam’s story, but it didn’t mean it was entirely true. What steps wouldn’t we take to regain control over our lives? I’d borrowed money from a gang; it wasn’t a stretch to think a prince could commit murder.
“You’re dripping wet.” Prince Marcus scowled and climbed to his feet. Reaching out a hand, he pulled me up. The action shifted the cuff of his rolled sleeve, and I noticed the raised injury on his bicep.
“Did you hurt yourself?” My mind flashed to Ella’s struggle with the killer. Had she injured him while being held under the water?
He absently touched his arm, confusion flickering over his features before he laughed. “No.” He lifted his sleeve higher. “It’s a Vitalis mark. Your mother gave it to me.”
“My mother? I thought you said you’d never met her.”
Prince Marcus shrugged. “I was a baby at the time, I don’t think that counts as a meeting.”
I stepped closer, wanting a better look at the spot where my mother had cast her spell. It was a strange feeling to see the evidence her magic had left behind.
“I didn’t think royals still practiced the tradition of Vitalis marks. They stopped ages ago.”
“Because they’re barbaric, but try telling that to my father. He’s superstitious. The mark is supposed to be a mystical blessing granted to royal sons, but no offense to your mother, it doesn’t seem to be working.” He pulled his sleeve back down, hiding the scar from view. I shivered again, and Prince Marcus frowned. “You need a change of clothes. Is that what you were wearing?”
