Banished: Book 1 of The Grimm Laws (22 page)

“How much?”

“Four shillings.”

It was a fine dagger—one of the best he’d seen, and the man and his daughter looked hungry with their gaunt expressions and hollow eyes. He wondered if he’d been their only customer today.

“I’ll take it.” He reached for his pouch and withdrew two crowns, placing them in the old man’s hands.

The old man’s expression was one of disbelief as he looked at the coins in his hands. “Two crowns? But that’s the equivalent of ten shillings.”

“Take them,” Edward urged.

Tears filled the man’s eyes. “Bless you.”

The daughter stepped up beside her father and put a hand on his arm. She too looked astonished at the large amount of money. “Papa, ‘tis an answer to our prayers.”

The man took a closer look at Edward as recognition set in. Excitement quivered through his feeble frame. “I know thee. Thou art Prince—”

Edward put a finger to his lips. “Please, Sir, I prithee to be silent.” He stole a glance over his shoulder to make sure no one had heard.

The old man nodded in understanding. “God has been good to us this day. Praise to God above … ” he lowered his voice to a whisper “… and long live the Prince.” He lowered his head slightly. “Your majesty, may God smile down upon you this day and bestow upon your golden head a bounteous blessing befitting of your kindness.”

“Thank you,” he murmured, placing the dagger into his belt. Yes, he certainly hoped that fortune would smile down upon him this day, for he certainly could use a blessing … err, damsel in distress right about now.

R
ushton pressed
his heels into the sides of his horse, urging it to go faster. He’d behaved like a hot-tempered fool with Cinderella. He was being irrational where Edward was concerned, but ever since the day of the tournament when Edward had selected Cinderella at the Parade of Maidens, Rushton couldn’t shake the sick feeling in his gut that told him he was going to lose her. What he hadn’t admitted to Cinderella was that she consumed his thoughts from the time he awoke to the time he lay down his head at night. His love for her had developed out of their childhood friendship, and he really couldn’t pinpoint when it had happened, but it had. He was now madly in love with her and didn’t know what he would do if he lost her. He thought of her tear-stained face and how distraught she’d sounded, calling out his name as he’d walked away. There would be time to make amends to her, but right now, he had to make sure that Griselda’s foretelling would come to pass, so that Edward could move on to another maiden. A measure of relief settled over him when he saw Josselyn standing at the junction where the two rivers met.

“Thou art late!”

Rushton, dismounted his horse. “I’m sorry, I got detained.”

Josselyn puckered her lips. “I was beginning to think ye weren’t coming.” She held up a piece of parchment. “Your hastily scrawled letter wasn’t very forthcoming. What is it you wanted to speak to me about, Squire? I only have a few moments and then I must return to the castle. The courtier will be wondering where I am.”

“Patience is a virtue, Josselyn, one that thou wouldst do well to acquire.”

She put a hand on her hip, her eyes blazing. “I did not come all the way out here to get a lecture from you, so if you have something to say, say it! And say it quickly!” She pushed back a stray curl from her forehead.

“What if I told you that I could give you that which you most want?”

A furrow appeared between her brows, but he could see the interest sparking in her dark eyes. “What do you mean?”

This is where it got tricky. Edward’s true love would supposedly materialize this evening at the marketplace, but Rushton wasn’t taking any chances. In case Griselda was wrong, he needed Josselyn there as a back-up. “What if I told thee I could give ye Edward?”

She was amused. She looked past him to the horse that he’d tethered to a nearby tree. “So, art thou carrying Edward around in thy pack, or perchance he’s in thy pouch?” She clasped her hands together. “Do give him to me, please.”

Rushton scowled. “By my troth, Josselyn, you could worry the feathers off a goose. I’m trying to help … if ye will let me.”

She folded her arms across her ample chest. “All right, I’ll play along. You are going to give me Edward.”

“Yea.”

“Well, aren’t ye the gallant squire. Sir Rushton Porter, the noble, has ridden out here, away from the all-seeing eyes of the castle to offer me the prince.” A crafty smile curved her lips. “Suddenly all becomes clear.” She straightened the folds of her gown. “This is about Cinderella. Edward has taken a fancy to my stepsister, and you want to use me as a distraction.”

“Not merely a distraction,” he countered. “I’m offering thee the chance to prove to Edward that ye are his one and only true love.”

She threw her head back and let out a deep, throaty laugh that turned into a snort. While she was passably attractive, she was crude, and her tongue was more lethal than a serpent’s. There was no way Edward, cultured and fair-minded, could love someone like her. What had he been thinking? “This was a mistake. Forgive me, Mi’ Lady …” he bowed “… I should not have come.” He moved to go, but she stepped in front of him.

“Oh, no. You aren’t leaving until you tell me what you have in mind.”

He looked at her, sizing her up. “Okay,” he finally said, “I’ll tell thee all, but we haven’t much time.” He retrieved a yellow rose from his pouch. “For starters, you must wear this in your hair, and you will need to make haste and get to the village … quickly.”

J
osselyn lifted
the hem of her gown as she picked her way around the mud and patches of horse dung on the road. She was still not sure that she believed the outlandish tale that Rushton told her. Still, if there were the slightest chance that she could win Edward’s heart, then it would all be worth it. She twisted her mouth into a sneer, thinking about how difficult it had been to watch Edward showering Cinderella with affection. She always felt conflicting emotions where Cinderella was concerned. A part of her cared for her stepsister and felt pity for the peasant orphan whose father had squandered away her inheritance, but the other part—the larger part—resented her. Josselyn had always known that her beauty paled in comparison to Cinderella’s. Her mother knew it too, which is why she tried so hard to relegate Cinderella to the life of a servant. She was so worried that Cinderella would outshine her only daughter, and she had; for in a strange turn of events, it was Cinderella who secured their coveted positions as Ladies in Waiting. It was Cinderella who caught the eye of the Prince. It was Rushton’s love for Cinderella that prompted him to seek out her help. The sun seemed to always be shining on Cinderella whilst it was raining on her. Grace and daintiness came as easily as breathing to Cinderella, while for her, it was brutally difficult.

Hopefully, before the sun set today, that would all change. Her heart fluttered with anticipation as she thought about Edward with his golden hair and brilliant smile. How Cinderella could prefer Rushton to Edward was beyond her. Admittedly, Rushton was devilishly handsome with that thick head of dark hair and those brilliant blue eyes. Sure he was witty and brave, but he was also moody and reckless. Edward, on the other hand, was genteel, levelheaded, and charming—the perfect prince. She looked at the sloping meadow in the distance. The village was just beyond it. If a damsel in distress was what Edward wanted, a damsel in distress was what he would get.

She stopped and looked ahead. That mist of green had not been there before. Strange. She stood there, not sure if she should keep moving forward when something shot out from it. She let out a cry of dismay as a dot landed on her sleeve. She frantically tried to brush it away. Another landed on her gown, followed by another. A flurry of tiny green dots encircled her like angry hornets before they melded together, growing larger and more terrible. The green encapsulated her, and she peered through it, trying to find a way out. She saw a break in the green and dove for the opening. For a moment, it seemed that she’d broken free, but as she looked up, she shrank back in terror as a giant fist arose before her eyes and opened its fingers, cloaking everything in a sickly green. “Magic,” she uttered. Tentacles of fog slithered around her, settling into her lungs and making it hard to breathe. She doubled over coughing and then tried to regulate her breathing. She must keep her wits about her. That was her only hope. She tried to stay on the road, but it was impossible to tell what was around her. She stumbled around blindly, not knowing in which direction the village was. All hopes of reaching Edward vanished as she continued wandering aimlessly through the threatening fog.

W
ith Josselyn prepared
and on her way to the marketplace, Rushton could relax a little. His plan was to linger on the outskirts of the village and out of Edward’s sight until the damsel was rescued, and then he would head back and find Cinderella to make amends. He’d warned Josselyn that there might be another damsel at the marketplace and that in order to win Edward’s heart, it was imperative that she be the one that was rescued. Josselyn assured him that she could handle the situation, and he didn’t doubt it. There were no lengths that Josselyn wouldn’t go to in order to get Edward. While he felt a slight twinge of guilt for pushing Josselyn into Edward’s arms, he also felt relief that the ordeal would finally be over. After all, Josselyn was a much better choice than the dreaded Helsin. And for all of her faults, Josselyn truly did love Edward. That much he knew. What could it hurt for Edward to end up with a girl that loved him? He could surely learn to love her, couldn’t he? When he neared the marketplace, he could see a crowd already gathered in the street.

C
inderella looked again
at the parchment that Wisteria had given her and then at the stall located directly across the cobblestone road where she was standing. Normally, she loved the hustle and bustle of the marketplace with the wide varieties of shops clustered together, elbow to elbow, and peering over the street vendors selling their wares, but today, she was solely focused on taking care of Wisteria’s errand so that she could return and patch things up with Rushton. One of the things she loved most about Rushton was his intensity and passion for life, but it was that same intense passion that also made him rash in his judgment and unreasonable. His bull-headedness could be so infuriating! Did he really think that she would forget about him the first time someone else—a prince—paid her some attention? Yea, she would patch things up but not before she made him grovel a bit first—as if she could make Rushton do anything he didn’t have a mind to do. She chuckled at the thought.

She looked to where a man was selling swine and goats and another was selling eggs. Beside them, a woman was selling vegetables, and to the right of her … She looked closely. That must be it, for Wisteria told her that the woman would be old and that she would be selling a large assortment of unusual herbs and roots. The sunset bell began clanging. A clutch of anxiety pounded in her chest. She needed to hurry in order to get back in time for the evening meal. As she stepped onto the road, she heard a commotion, followed by screams. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. The horses charging at her full speed … the panicked look of the driver in the wagon as he tried to regain control of the reins. She tried to back out of the way but then let out a shriek of pain as she turned her ankle on a loose stone and went down. Strong arms wrapped around her, helping to break her fall.

“Mi’ Lady, I’ve got you. Thou art safe now,” she heard him say.

She looked up into the face of the angel that had rescued her. “Prince Edward,” she breathed, and then everything went black.

E
lle’s heart
jumped into her throat as she held onto the trellis for dear life. It creaked under her weight, and she prayed it would hold her. Only a few more steps, and she would be down.
Hold on tight
, she commanded herself.
Steady
! She didn’t let out a breath until her feet hit the ground. A wave of exultation covered her as she looked up at her bedroom window. She’d done it! She’d escaped from her room with only a few minor scratches on her arms—thanks to the thorns on the rose bushes.

“Not quite as easy as lover-boy makes it out to be, is it?”

“What?” Elle flinched as she turned to see Josselyn leaning against the side of the house, her arms folded over her chest. “W-what are you doing here?” Her heart started to pound.

Josselyn pointed to the trellis. “I could ask you the same question … if I didn’t already know the answer.”

Great! Just what she needed! Her devil stepsister ratting her out. She tried to come up with a quick solution. A thin layer of perspiration broke out across her forehead as she offered Josselyn a contrite smile. “What can I say? You caught me.”

Josselyn grunted. “Yep, you have a flair for stating the obvious.”

“So, are you gonna rat me out?” She held her breath, waiting for the answer.

Josselyn’s jaw started working. “Maybe … unless … ”

“What do you want?” Even though she knew better, hope fluttered in Elle’s chest. She wanted …
needed
to go to the get-together at Edward’s house. After last night’s fiasco with Rush, she needed to see Edward in order to set things right in her mind. Bouncing back and forth between the two was futile, not to mention exhausting. It was time to make a decision. She looked closely at Josselyn, trying to figure out her angle.

“I want you to take me with you.”

Elle made a face. “To Edward’s?”

“Well duh! Where else?”

Taking Josselyn with her would be awkward to say the least, but what other option did she have? “Why?” she asked carefully.

Josselyn shrugged. “I have my reasons. Either you take me with you, or I go and tell my mom this instant, and your butt will be grounded until you’re twenty-one.” She flashed a mean smile.

“You really are a horrible person.”

She laughed. “Yes, I know.” Her expression grew hard. “I learned from the best.”

“Whatever,” Elle said, rolling her eyes.

Josselyn stood up straight. “Do we have a deal?”

Elle paused, thinking. There was no other way. “Fine,” she huffed.

“Good, how are we getting there?”

“Edward’s meeting us on the street over.”

“Fantastic!” Josselyn motioned. “After you.”

A
lexander flexed
his hands and looked around the spacious combination kitchen and keeping room and at the stacked-stone, double-sided, open fireplace that divided the two rooms. The blazing fire added a homey touch. The house was located in an upscale neighborhood that offered majestic views of the city. Alexander’s home, the crowning touch of the neighborhood, was positioned above every other house and was designed so that the main living areas of the home faced the view. He looked through the French doors and large windows to the glittering view of the city lights below. It wasn’t the castle, but for this world, his home was impressive. The caterers had arrived a half hour ago and were buzzing around, taking care of the last minute touches. The candles arranged on the kitchen island cast a warm glow over the room, making everything look perfect.

A nervous excitement hummed in his breast. The dinner party had been Wisteria’s idea. Things between them were progressing quickly, and she wanted to make sure that Rush felt included. Also, she wanted Rush and Edward to become friends. He’d nearly laughed at the absurdity of that idea, particularly in light of all that happened between them in the other realm. Thankfully, he’d caught himself before making a blunder. He smiled thinking how pleased Wisteria would be when he told her the news about Rush. Timing was everything, and he’d purposely withheld the information, waiting for the perfect moment in which to tell her.

The doorbell sounded. One of the servers jumped to attention. “I’ll get the door, Mr. Kingsley,” the older woman said.

“No need,” he countered briskly. “I’ve got it.” He adjusted his collar and went to the door. A thrill of pleasure went through him when he opened it and saw Wisteria standing there, looking dazzling in a royal blue pantsuit and a black silk shirt. Her dark curls bounced softly on her shoulders. He gave her a broad smile and then took her in his arms, giving her a tight hug. His lips grazed her ear, and he murmured, “You look fantastic, darling.”

“Thank you,” she breathed, rewarding him with a brilliant smile, but then hastily pulled away from him.

Her caginess perplexed him, and he felt a jolt of fear. Had she remembered? But understanding dawned as he looked and saw Rush standing behind her, a scowl on his face. The dour son was openly showing his disdain for his mother’s new boyfriend. How typical. A flash of irritation covered Alexander, and his first inclination was to teach the insolent boy a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget, but then he remembered that the whole point of the dinner was to bring the family together, and like it or not, Rush was Wisteria’s son and therefore a member of the family. Things had been much less complicated when he was king with legions under his command. In the other world, he could’ve banished him to the dungeon. He nearly laughed out loud at the irony of his thoughts. He had banished the boy to the dungeon, and that’s when the real trouble began. In this realm, he was merely a high school principal, forced to rely on diplomacy and persuasion—two things he wasn’t especially good at. He plastered on a smile and thrust out his hand. “Rush, I’m glad you could make it.”

For a split second, it appeared that the dope would refuse to shake his hand, but when Wisteria glared at him, he reluctantly held out his hand. Rush’s eyes were cold and defiant, as if he were looking right through Alexander’s carefully crafted facade. For a split second, Alexander caught a glimpse of the old Wisteria in them, sending a cold shiver down his spine. In the second it took to analyze what had just happened, the moment passed, and Alexander was able to regain his composure. He wouldn’t let his fears of the past ruin the present. “Come inside and make yourselves at home.” He placed his hand on the small of Wisteria’s back, maneuvering her into the keeping room where the appetizers would be served. Rush trailed behind them. “Dinner will be served in the California room,” Alexander explained, “but while we wait for the other guests to arrive, we have some shrimp cocktail, quiche and other appetizers.”

Wisteria lifted a sculpted eyebrow as she took in the spread of colorful appetizers that were artfully placed on the large granite-top island. “Impressive.”

It pleased Alexander that Wisteria was showing appreciation for the effort that he’d undergone in order to put this dinner party together. Their eyes met, and they shared an intimate smile.

“Nice place … for a principal,” Rush said dryly.

“Thank you,” Alexander said stiffly. He really was a little twerp. And to think he was about to bend the rules in order to help him. Wisteria placed a hand on his arm and smiled, as if to diffuse the situation. It worked. One look into her eyes, and he would’ve given the boy the moon if she asked him to.

“Something smells amazing. What’s for dinner?” Wisteria asked.

“I can’t tell you that.” He winked and made a zipping motion across his lips. “It’s a secret.”

She chuckled, and he thrilled at the richness of her voice. Suddenly, he wished that they weren’t having a dinner party with all of these people. He wanted to be alone with her, to sweep her up in his arms, to cover her with kisses, to have her keep looking at him in that adoring way. Things were so good with Wisteria that sometimes he had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Merek had not made him privy to the details of the plan, and he wasn’t even sure what the end result would be, but the here and now with Wisteria was so magnificent that he was beginning to wish that time would stand still, so that they could be here together forever. What need had he for a castle and kingdom if he couldn’t have her?

The front door opened, and they heard voices. “That must be Edward,” Alexander said. His heart clutched when he realized that Edward was not alone. The change in Wisteria was instant.

She grabbed Alexander’s arm. “What is she doing here?”

“I don’t know, but you can rest assured that I’m about to find out,” he said crossing the distance between himself and Edward in two steps.

“Hi, Dad.” Edward offered a fleeting smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Alexander could tell from the way he was fidgeting that he was nervous. It wasn’t often that Edward went against Alexander’s wishes. Why did he have to choose today, of all days, to exert his will?

Alexander put an arm around his shoulder. “I specifically told you not to bring any guests,” he whispered through clenched teeth.

He shrugged. “Sorry, I invited Elle, but the only way she could come was if her stepsister came along.”

“This was supposed to be a family get-together,” Alexander countered, his jaw growing tight. He cast a menacing glance towards Elle. Bringing her here was like throwing a steak in front of two ravenous dogs and watching them go at it. There would be little hope for a reconciliation between Edward and Rush tonight. And Wisteria was furious. Even though his back was to her, he could feel the anger emanating off of her.

“Really?” Edward motioned toward the island. “Because the last time I checked Ms. Porter and her son weren’t exactly family.”

“Son, we’ve been over this time and time again. You know how I feel about Wisteria. That girl needs to leave! And that’s final.”

“No.”

“What?”

“I said
no
.”

“Do you dare stand there and defy me, your father?”

“Dad, I understand how you feel about this, but Elle is my girl.” He glanced toward Rush. “And it’s about time everybody knows it.”

So that’s what this was about. The boy had more brass than he’d given him credit for. A grudging admiration crowded out some of the anger. In the other world, he’d wanted Edward to be bolder, more sure of himself. Edward was staking his claim on the girl, and he wanted to make sure that Rush knew it. What better way to make that happen than to bring her here as his date? Rush would be forced to sit there and watch them together. Despite himself, Alexander was impressed.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Edward said, “I wasn’t trying to mess up your evening.” He looked Alexander in the eye. “But Elle is here as my guest. If she goes, I go too.”

Alexander shook his head, feeling the fight drain out of him. “Fine, the girl can stay.” Edward relaxed, but Alexander wasn’t through. “Don’t think you’re off the hook. When I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it. You may not like it, but you will respect me.”

“Dad, you know I respect you. This has nothing to do with respect.”

“We’ll talk about this later on tonight.”

Edward looked like he might say something more, but then he nodded.

“Very well then, show your guests in and make sure they’re comfortable.” He glanced at Wisteria. “I’ll be the one doing damage control with my lady.”

T
hey were
all seated around the large table located in the California room. The room extended out over the edge of the cliff, making them feel as though they were suspended in the midst of glittering lights. Dinner consisted of thick steaks topped with caramelized onions and a creamy mushroom sauce. The roasted potatoes and asparagus were cooked to perfection, and the spinach salad topped with strawberries, blueberries, and candied walnuts was to die for, but Elle hardly noticed. She wanted to crawl under the floor. How could Edward not have told her that Rush would be here? Even from across the table, she’d been acutely aware of his presence even though he’d barely glanced in her direction the entire evening. Several times, she’d attempted to catch his eye, but he was blatantly ignoring her. She smirked watching him laugh at something that Josselyn was saying. He was leaning in close to her, acting as if he were captivated by her every word. Every so often Josselyn would touch his shoulder and smile into his eyes. Jealousy stabbed through her, and she had the unreasonable desire to rip that smug expression off of Josselyn’s face. She was enjoying every minute of this.

“Is everything okay?” Edward started caressing her arm with his thumb. “You seem a bit distracted tonight.”

She fought the urge to move her arm out of his reach. Since when had they become so familiar with each other? Then she stopped herself. Of course Edward felt comfortable rubbing her arm. They’d been dating for years. Just because she couldn’t remember didn’t mean that he couldn’t. It wasn’t his fault that she was so confused about everything. She flashed him an automatic smile and stabbed a potato with her fork. “I’m fine.”

“I can see that.” He gave her a fleeting smile, and she could see the disappointment in his eyes. He was smart enough to figure out what she could not tell him—that even though she was here with him, her focus was on Rush. She looked up and saw Ms. Porter watching the exchange between her and Edward. The condemning look on her face said it all, and Elle felt like a worthless tramp. Embarrassment smothered her as she looked numbly at her plate. She was pathetic. This couldn’t go on. She had to make a decision between Rush and Edward. Although, judging by the way Rush was acting, it seemed that the decision was no longer hers to make. He’d obviously dismissed her without much thought. She’d made the mistake of thinking that their kiss meant something. Josselyn let out a burst of laughter, drawing all eyes to her and Rush.

Josselyn put a hand over her mouth and looked contritely at the other guests, but her eyes were still bubbling with laughter. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.” She gave Rush a playful shove. “You are so funny.”

“Really?” Edward straightened up in his chair and looked across the table at Rush. The tone of his voice was cold. “If it’s so interesting then maybe you should share it with the rest of the table.”