AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It elicited a few chuckles. I could see the suspicion in the men’s eyes. I averted my gaze to my plate. I was spared any need to talk with Araki’s entrance. I drank him in as he strode toward the table. He looked magnificent in the crisp buttoned-up white shirt and graceful black bowtie beneath the fitted black vest with gold stitches. The black velvet jacket he wore on top wrapped around his broad shoulders nicely. The jacket held a subtle gold pinstripe pattern, giving him an elegant look. The four buttons of his double-breasted jacket were all buttoned up except for one, a subtle touch of nonchalance that worked perfectly. He finished off with velvet trousers and leather shoes.
The golden crown sat on his head. My gaze lingered on his lips for more than a second, and I averted my eye gaze just as quickly lest I got caught ogling the king so openly. Araki rounded the table in silence and stood at the head of the table. He leaned forward, his fingertips resting lightly on the table as he looked at us all. His expression was cool, aloof. I couldn’t help but notice that the golden light from the curtain shades cast a soft golden hue on his silver-grey hair. He had it tied back once more. I wished I could pull loose the ribbon and brush my fingers through it.
What had that kiss meant?
Araki glanced my way, and I averted my eyes.
“Gentlemen,” Araki addressed the table, “Lady Nadine. Lady Reilyn. I am glad you could join me to mark the beginning of Bonfyr’s day. We have had a rough year. We’ve lost people we loved. Harvests have been poorer than hoped. And yet, we must still be grateful. The seas have given us bounteous fishes, trade has never been stronger, and the gods have blessed us all to make it to this day. Therefore, let us give our thanks for our health and pray Bonfyr to see us through the winter.”
“Hear, hear,” the men spoke, their voice carrying in the room.
Araki bowed his head, clasping his hands behind his back. We all mimicked him, though we held our hands in our laps. He murmured a prayer of thanksgiving, then sat.
“Join me,” Araki announced as he picked up the goblet before him and drank. Others followed. The servants moved around to serve. The table fell into friendly conversation. Nadine quickly engaged the man to her left while the other men spoke quietly to each other with the occasional question to Klaus or Araki.
None of them spoke to me. Out of politeness or something else, I didn’t know. I indulged myself in delicious food and wine. Once we were finished eating, Nadine took my hand in hers, “Reilyn, I must show you the palace grounds. You arrived so late. You’ll love it, I promise. That is,” she batted her eyes at Klaus, “if my husband can do without my presence for a few hours?”
“I think I can manage.” Klaus laughed heartily as he and the rest of the men stood. I looked at him. I didn’t think the stoic Fae was capable of laughter!
Nadine tugged me to my feet. “Come along, Reilyn. I have so much to show you.”
I could hardly believe he trusted me to be alone with his wife. I supposed Araki had put protections on her. Or perhaps Klaus knew I was smart enough to know that if I harmed her, my head would be detached from my body swiftly. I followed Nadine out of the hall. Nadine chatted lightly about her excitement for the ball tonight as she led me outside.
“And who do you think I am?” I blurted, unable to stop myself.
She stopped walking and turned toward me. “You’re my second cousin.”
I frowned at her.
A smirk worked its way over her face as she adjusted her shawl. “Reilyn, Klaus holds no secrets from me except what Araki orders him to keep from me. There’s a reason I wasn’t at the previous ball.”
It was her roundabout way of saying she knew I was an assassin. I nodded once, accepting her oblique way of getting her point across, and continued. I still would have liked to know what changed that I was being trusted to be alone with her, but perhaps this explained Klaus’s cryptic statement earlier.
“So. Dear cousin,” I said as we strolled outside. Though the morning had revealed frosted windows, now it was almost as warm as early spring. “What sort of things should I know about court?”
Nadine hummed and gave me another mischievous smile. “Don’t make a fool of yourself. Let me show you the gardens. They’re beautiful. And this quaint little archway leads to a secret tunnel if you know how to find it. I heard Thebe installed it for his mistresses to be able to come to his chambers at night, but I’ve only ever found passages to the kitchens.”
Feeling a little breathless with her enthusiasm, I followed along to the now-leafless hedges. Nadine led me past palace gardeners and servants, who stopped to bow as we passed. She always gave them a gracious little nod and stopped to ask after this person or that a few times. With one particularly elderlyman, she pulled a small vial from her sleeve and handed it to him. “I know how Abigail’s knee flares when the cold weather hits. A drop in the morning and one at night will help ease her pain.”
The elderly man smiled a toothless smile at her. “Thank you, Nadine. If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say no to those delicious squash muffins Abigail makes,” Nadine winked at the man, and we continued.
“You know their names,” I said after a moment. I wondered if Nadine was showing me around to prove she knew them.
Nadine nodded. “I’m an apprentice healer. Not perfect, mind you, but good enough to tend to small injuries. You might think that only kings and generals run a kingdom, but while Araki takes care of politics and Klaus takes care of security, I take care of the day-to-day business of keeping the palace orderly.”
She led me to another set of hedges. These were made from evergreens rather than the leafy type already gone bare.
“It seems like a lot of work,” I said cautiously. “And you’re alright with this arrangement?”
Nadine smiled at me. “If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t do it. There’s more to running a kingdom than sitting on a throne. Araki knows that and shows us all a great deal of respect.”
“Even me,” I murmured.
“Even you. And against Klaus’s advice, too. It’s not often that they’re at such loggerheads.” Nadine tilted her head,peering at me with far too much knowledge in her eyes. “But I suspect that’s because of what you represent to both of them.”
I frowned at her, wanting to know but also feeling oddly nervous. “What do I represent?”
