Agnes huffed. “Oh, don’t scold me. I used to be your queen and I would still be your queen if Hollis wasn’t too lost in his alcohol induced stupor to get us out of this, so a little respect from someone in this family would be appreciated.” Right as she spoke, the door to her bedroom cracked, and a tousled looking man poked his head out.
“Excuse me, Your Majesty,” the man said, then made his way toward the door. “I must be getting to work.”
“Evan, my dear,” Agnes called after him. “I’ll see you again tonight, yes?” There was a hopeful lift to her voice as she waited for the man to reply.
A blush crawled across his broad cheeks, and he gave her an eager nod before slipping out the door.
Both Breicher and his nephew were staring at her, slack jawed. “What?” she said, raising a hand to the flush at her neck. “Evan has been keeping me company. You know how your father and I are—don’t look so shocked.”
“He’s younger than me,” Jaden blurted, running a hand across his face. “The things you wish you could un-know.”
“He’s completely legal andvery effective.” When Jaden gave an exaggerated whine, Agnes said, “I thought we were talking about our little queen.”
A relieved expression melted the horror off Jaden’s face. “Caroline isn’t that bad. She’s actually quite pleasant, though a little stubborn, which brings us back to your problem.” Jaden eyed Breicher as he reached across the table to where Agnes had discarded the invitation to the ball. “We need to find you a mask, uncle. I have a plan.”
Chapter 20
Theknowledgethatthefinest and most eligible men in the kingdom were about to vie for a shot at his wife made the muscles around Breicher’s head feel like they were going to seize up and crush his skull. She may think their marriage annulled, but that wasn’t how it worked in Veetula. Especially with the royals.
He couldn’t fathom what Angus had been thinking, trying to remarry her. He made a mental note to throttle the burly man the next time he saw him. Everstal might accept the imposter, but Veetula never would, and an uprising would surely ensue. Even though she’d cast him away from Roskide, he was still her king.
And like he’d once overheard her say, he’d choose when to discard something that was his. In this case, that was her. And he’d never discard something so priceless. He knew that now and he was determined not to go down without a fight.
Breicher glared at himself in the mirror as he tied the grey wolf mask on his face which matched his steel-colored suit. He laughed at the irony. He knew his wife. She was making them wear the masks to send a signal that she didn’t care who was behind it. She and Angus believed the king to be a figurehead at this point. Jaden had confirmed as much. After it had failed with Felix, the merchant she’d built, then with him, she was done. His amusement was hidden behind the mask that would allow him to sneak into the Great Hall where he would take back his queen. He used a rosenwood needle to pin a closed white rose to his lapel. That was the only hint he’d give of the man beneath the mask.
Breicher took the stairs two at a time as he departed the little inn that sat midway up the mountain on the single road which wound its way up to Roskide. The carriage he’d ordered was waiting on him when he stepped outside. He had full access to the purse of Veetula still via Jaden, so he used it, making sure his attire and his arrival would blend in with the other suitors.
After a long and nausea-inducing ride full of twists and turns up the mountain, Breicher arrived at the ornate iron gates which were flung open in welcome. He looked up at the imposing pink castle and memories of everything they’d been through flooded through his mind.
She would never forgive him. To her, she’d been trying to connect with him. Make their marriage into something more than the sham it had been.Her punishment. He’d given her nothing but a few orgasms with his hands and mouth.
If she would have told him sooner what had happened that night of the Peace Ball, to her, maybe he would have understood. If she’d told him she loved him, maybe he wouldn’t have let Hollis have such an influence over him. It might have changed things. But they’d had that conversation a day too late.
Not a day when by that Caroline didn’t think of him. It’s like her mind had blocked off the bad parts and only remembered the man on his knees with tears rolling down his face.
“Caroline, you look so… forlorn.” Jaden leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Why are you going along with this tonight? I know you don’t agree,” she said.
“Can a man be a libertine and a hopeless romantic at the same time?” he asked, adding kohl to his own eyelids. Jaden slipped his mask on, showing her the effect of the makeup and handing her the stick. “You need more.”
Caroline’s shoulders sagged as she added a thicker swipe of the black product on her upper lids.
“You know it’s okay to still be in love with him, right? He’s still hopeless for you.”
Caroline spun. “No, it isn’t. I’m supposed to pick out the new King of the Joined Kingdoms tonight, Jaden. I wish you’d stop bringing him up. Isn’t it enough that I’m letting you work with him?”
Jaden gave her a deep frown, then pulled a box from his pocket. “I got you a present, darling.” He gave her a knowing look, pulling the box out of reach as she grabbed for it.
Angus cleared his throat. “Don’t tease the queen.”
“You’re already in dangerous territory, Jaden Ivanslohe,” Caroline admonished. Poor Angus. Jaden was becoming a little too intrigued by her commander. She’d thoroughly explained that relationships weren’t really Angus’s thing, but that only seemed to draw the prince more.
Jaden turned to Angus. “It’s my present. I’ll give it to her whenever I like. Unless you plan to do something about it?”
A glare shot from Angus to Jaden, who was still blinking innocently, as if he didn’t know he was blatantly flirting. “Then how about you put the box back in your pocket,” Angus said.
“I’ll give it to her later. It will be more appropriate then, anyway.” He shot Angus a smug look in return, then dragged Caroline up from her stool. “You’re ready. We need to quit stalling and get down there and get you a king.”
