Page 63 of The Masked Princess

Annalisse tried desperately to think of something, anything, that would free her from the trap Nelan had set. She wasn’t willing to sacrifice her men, not without asking them first, but she knew that if she agreed to marry Nelan, the consequences would be far worse than the death of a few guards.

If he’d only planned to use her in the fight against Praxis, she would have understood. If Nelan had requested Dovea’s aid, it would have been difficult to convince her people to help, but she was confident that she could have done it. If he’d even let her travel home to put her kingdom’s affairs in order before wanting her hand in marriage as a guarantee of peace for their two kingdoms, she may have eventually acquiesced.

But no, Nelan wanted everything. He wanted to use her curse. He wanted to drain Dovea of its resources and bring it under Rhinnean rule. He wanted the Dovean crown for himself.

“I agreed to this marriage to prevent a war between our kingdoms. I thought that sacrificing my life and happiness was well worth the safety of my people.” Annalise stood tall and tilted up her head. She might not physically wear the traditional crown of Dovean monarchs, but she could feel its spiritual weight on her head. “I see now that I was wrong. I implore you, Nelan, consider what you are saying. If you let me go, I promise you that Dovea will stand with Rhinnea against threats. I will sign a new treaty, one for mutual defense with you, and we will usher in a new era for our peoples, one of peace and cooperation.

“Please, I beg you, let’s set the past behind us and move forward for the good of both of our kingdoms. I’ll return to Dovea, and you’ll be free to marry whomever you wish.” She swallowed and took a quick breath to calm her racing heart before continuing. “Since you value my curse so much, I would even be willing to personally oversee the troops I send to Rhinnea’s aid. The last thing I want is more death and destruction for either of our peoples, and if we can use my curse to make weapons to reduce the bloodshed, I will bleed myself dry.”

Nelan stood from his chair. He stalked toward Annalise and stared at her, his dark brown eyes burning a hole into her very soul. For a moment they were frozen in time, then his mouth pressed into a thin line and he walked past her, to the door. “If you think I trust the words of a Dovean for even a second, then you are much more naïve than I believed. No, Princess Annalise, I reject your proposal and your empty words. I know that the second you cross the border into Dovea, you’ll recant all your promises. In three days’ time, we’ll be married, and then I will have everything I need.”

“You can’t do this.” As much as she hated it, Annalise couldn’t keep the pleading out of her voice.

“I can and I will, and if you defy me, then I will kill everyone you care about.” The cruel and depraved smile on Nelan’s face made her blood run cold. “Yes, even those still back in Dovea. All it would take is a single message from me for my spies to do their bloody work, so I suggest you remain utmost compliant. If I receive even a whiff of disobedience from you, Dovean blood will flow.”

King Nelan threw open the door to the antechamber, revealing a group of guards dressed in black on the other side. They wore long sleeves, gloves, and each had a cloth covering their face, leaving only their eyes visible. Her own guards were nowhere to be found, although there was a suspiciously wet splatter across the chest of one of the Rhinneans standing in the back.

“Now, it’s time for you to go. My loyal guards will escort you to your new chambers, as I believe your current ones are a little too… open for my liking,” Nelan said.

“You’re making a terrible mistake, King Nelan. Please, reconsider before it’s too late,” Annalise said.

“The only mistake I could make is in trusting you. Guards, take her away.”

CHAPTER 47

Soren strode through the hallway as fast as he dared. He ignored the titters and greetings of the ladies he passed; he had no time for playing nice when the future of the only woman he cared about hung precariously in the balance.

He’d thought he was so smart for paying court to the Rhinnean maidens and ladies—after the debacle with Lord Grenlef and Lady Dakoa, he realized his position was quite precarious. He still wasn’t sure if Lady Dakoa was interested in him or if it had all been an elaborate plot, but he wouldn’t risk his or, Goddess forbid, Annalise’s reputation. Plus, Annalise had made it quite clear that she was determined to marry Nelan for the good of Dovea, and Soren would rather cut off his right hand than leave her behind.

So the only option had been to find a suitable lady who would appreciate the protection and security he could provide, and who in return could be an ally at court, a friend outside of court, and who might understand the rather unorthodox situation he was in. There had been a few candidates, the most promising of whom he’d taken a turn in the gardens with earlier in the day.

She was from a respectable family, but had three older brothers and two older sisters, and Priscilla had told him that the lady was rather close with her maid and didn’t seem to care to dance with any men her age. It also helped that she was sarcastic, intelligent, and had a knack for navigating court politics from the background. To make matters even better, Annalise seemed to enjoy her company and had even mentioned the possibility of making her a lady-in-waiting. All in all, she would have been an excellent choice, and marrying her would have allowed him to remain in the Rhinnean court and watch over Annalise for the rest of his life.

It didn’t matter anymore. Soren was on a mission, and if he had his way, they’d be leaving Rea that very evening.

Or at least, that had been the goal. After Annalise left to confront Nelan, Soren went to the barracks to apprise his men of the current situation and found that they’d been granted a rare day pass to the countryside to stretch their legs under the watchful eyes of a small Rhinnean contingent. The timing couldn’t have been more suspicious, and he’d rushed back to the castle as fast as he could.

He was too late. Annalise’s former chambers were empty, although one of the Rhinnean chambermaids sweeping the bare floor helpfully told him where the princess had been taken for further preparation for her wedding—the east tower.

“Her wedding? Then she is still to marry King Nelan?” Soren asked, hardly believing his ears and hoping there was a misunderstanding.

“Yes sir.” The chambermaid, a young girl of perhaps sixteen with mousy brown hair and a smatter of freckles across her nose, paused in her sweeping. “In fact, I heard that King Nelan is so entranced by the beauty of the princess that he’s ordered the wedding moved up to three days’ time. It’s quite romantic, if you ask me.”

“It’s quite something, that’s for sure,” Soren said through gritted teeth before turning on his heel and continuing down the hallway.

“Do you know where the east tower is?”

Soren looked over his shoulder at Matheus, his perpetual shadow. He’d grown so used to the man’s company that sometimes he forgot he was there. “Of course; why else do you think I escorted so many Rhinnean women around the castle?”

“I thought you had a penchant for women’s talk and gossip.”

“That was part of it, yes, to understand the workings of the Rhinnean court… but the other reason was to get a guided tour of the castle and the freedom of movement that came with having an entranced young lady on my arm.”

“And you’re telling me this now because…?”

“Because I have no plans to stay here any longer than I need to.”

There was a beat of silence behind him for a moment as their footsteps echoed down the empty hall, then Matheus spoke again. “I fear that I have underestimated you, Captain Kierson.”