“I don’t know, but he’s a dead man if he ever crosses paths with me again.”
“I see,” he said, slipping the ribbon off and unrolling the paper.
The way Hollis’s jaw ticked like he didn’t like what he saw as he scanned it grated on her. But she was a ghost of her former self, unable to muster the energy to torment him. “You’re free.” When Hollis didn’t budge, she gave a long, exhausted sigh and said, “Go, you’re free.”
Dark eyebrows furrowed as Hollis’s incredulous sapphire eyes studied her, reminding her of the feel of Breicher’s gaze. Except instead of a flood of heat, a chill sprung to life dancing across her skin, and she had to hold back a shiver.
“So, I can just leave here, go back to my apartments to continue living my life? No exile?” Hollis still tucked himself back in the corner, wary and very aware of Caroline’s ways. That was the smartest thing the man had done since she’d stolen his kingdom.
That brought a brief smile to her face. “I’d think it was lovely if you jumped from one of the castle towers, but suit yourself. It matters not to me. But if you are going to stay here, I expect you to contribute. One wrong step, and you’re dead. I’m done fooling around with you Ivanslohe’s.”
”Why?” he asked.
Caroline threw her arms into the air. “You win. He hates me. The pig’s blood and false graves were a nice touch.” Hollis hadn’t told her about that. It had been her and Angus who’d discovered them. She suspected Hollis had even hired actors to play the roles of the grieving families, though she couldn’t be sure.
Slowly, Hollis edged forward, and got to his feet. He took a tentative step toward the open door, and Caroline caught a flinch out of the corner of her eye when she turned.
“You blame me. I wouldn’t have hesitated to kill you if the positions were reversed. I don’t understand.” Hollis fell into step beside her as they left the prison.
“You’re a snake, but I blame him. And considering what a conniving, but effective louse you are, I have a feeling one day I’m going to have a use for you. You’re in my debt. And I need someone to toy with when I get bored. You’ll do quite nicely for that.” She shot him the most devious smile she could summon, then vanished.
Angus padded across the queen’s chamber. The usually resilient woman had been ruling from bed for a week now. He’d finally got her to bathe, dress and stay on foot long enough to transport them to Veetula to deliver the news of the annulment. Of course, Breicher had refused to sign it, but Caroline’s word was law.
Since she’d thrown the scroll of the document in Hollis’s face, she retreated to her room in Kierengaard and not left.
“Caroline, petitions are this afternoon,” Angus said.
“Execute them all,” she hissed from beneath the covers.
“Caroline,” Angus said a little more firmly. “We can’t start executing people for not paying their taxes.”
The covers rustled, then a pair of red eyes popped out, her pale skin and white hair blending with the blankets. “Then have Hollis deal with them. Or Agnes. She’s always eager to give her opinion.”
“You’re acting like an adolescent,” Angus said, storming out of the room. He had a great deal of empathy for his friend, but this was getting ridiculous.
Angus breezed by Jaden as he left the queen’s chambers. “Where are you going?” he asked the prince.
A sly smile danced across Jaden’s lips. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Angus let out a loud groan. “You’re going to get yourself killed.” Why was he warning the man? If Caroline rid him of the prince that would be one less annoyance he’d have to deal with.
The ache in Caroline’s chest was unbearable. It wasn’t the acute gut-punching sorrow that hit when she’d heard Breicher with the woman. That had lessened into a gnawing, empty feeling and made her limbs feel heavy, like gravity had doubled its force. Like right then, she swore the bed sunk.
No, the bed did sag like a body dropped onto it beside her. If it was Breicher, he was dead. Caroline’s own body rolled toward the figure, but she pushed herself to her knees, throwing off the covers.
Jaden Ivanslohe casually reclined next to her with his ankles crossed and muddy boots on her bed. Even his uncharacteristically wild chestnut hair was littered with dirt and—was that—hay? Caroline gave him a scrutinizing look from head to toe. “You’re filthy.”
Why it was the only thing she could think to say, she didn’t know. It barely took two hands to count the number of conversations she’d had with Prince Jaden outside of the Petitions. And none of them had been remotely entertaining. Well, perhaps a few, but they certainly weren’t familiar enough for him to be in her bedchamber, much less her bed.
But here he was, always lurking, observing, and sneaking about, Jaden Ivanslohe. Confrontation didn’t seem like his style, but he had been spending more time with his uncle Angus had said. Gods, it dawned on her—if he was here as a messenger... Caroline groaned, reaching out a hand to give him a shove. “Get out.”
A sly look that might have been followed by a grin, but wasn’t, lit the prince’s eye. “You’re a disaster,” he said, and reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a knife and began cleaning the muck from his nails with it. He wiped the grime on her pillow, then moved on to the next nail.
”Is that rosenwood?” Caroline shrieked. Were these people mad, trying to test her like this?
Jaded chuckled. “What? Did you think you got rid of it all?” He paused, raising an eyebrow at her. “Besides, Breicher said it won’t hurt you anymore. And the stuff makes fine knives.” He handed the blade to her for inspection.
Her brow wrinkled as she took it from him and turned it a few times in her hand before giving it back. She’d will it into his own throat before it got near hers. “What are you doing here?”
