Blinding Beauty (33 page)

Hours passed as he shaped it, but
Isa found that she didn’t care. She watched him until the daylight
of the glass walls faded, and the orange of the giant furnace began
to light the room instead.

Finally, he held up his
workmanship. It was a little glass mirror, just like the one he had
shown her the day before. There was no handle, just the circle of
glass and its frame. Waving his hand over it, then whispering a few
words, the enchanter watched with a fervor Isa couldn’t understand.
He sucked in a quick breath as it showed not a reflection, but
another scene entirely. Ever stood before Garin in the Tower of
Annals. Isa knew she should feel an overwhelming relief to know her
husband was safe and back at home, but when she searched herself,
she realized she felt nothing. The enchanter waved his hand over
the mirror once more, and this time, she saw Launce standing in
Rafael’s court.

“
Oh my!” Bronkendol startled as
though he’d forgotten she was there. “I apologize, my dear. You
need to rest.” With that, he placed the mirror in his belt, and
helped her up to her room. Every bone in Isa’s body screamed, but
she found that she had no desire to tell him. As soon as she was
tucked into her bed, still in her clothes from earlier that day, he
left and returned with a steaming bowl of broth.

“
It will be all better from here,”
he promised as he lifted the spoon to her mouth. Without thinking,
Isa parted her lips and swallowed, the soup scalding her throat as
it went down. “One day you will see that it was worth the
sacrifice.”

But Isa didn’t care about seeing
that it was for the best. All she wanted to do was sleep. Soon
enough, he left her alone, and within moments, and for the first
time since she could remember, Isa fell asleep without wishing for
anything more than the very bed she laid in.

***

Isa awoke
the next morning long after the sun had risen, but didn’t bother to
stir. She wasn’t sure why it was so hard to rouse herself, but she
didn’t have long to wonder. The enchanter was back again, this time
with a bowl of warm biscuits and fruit.

“
Now that you’re finished eating,”
he said as he rose and went to the wardrobe, where he pulled out
the thick, fur coat he had given her the first day and wrapped it
around her. “We must get you warm. You have a long journey ahead of
you.”

Isa allowed him to lead her to a
long set of stables that were directly attached to the
castle.

“
Up you go,” he said, getting down
on his knee so she could climb up. Isa’s limbs still ached as
though someone had beaten her with a bludgeon, but she said
nothing, simply grimacing once as she mounted. As soon as she was
firmly on, he took her horse’s reins and led her to the main stable
door.

“
You are going home now,” he said.
“The horse knows the way. I’ve placed rations in the saddlebags, so
you shouldn’t go hungry.” When she didn’t answer him, he took her
hand. It shook just slightly as he patted it and then held on. “I
have been thinking, and I’ve decided that the fate of the others
should not be your own. You have given far too much for
that.”

As he spoke the strange words, a
wave of warmth moved from the hand he held to her face, and Isa
felt a sharp pain that stretched from her already aching heart to
her eyes. Eyes open wide in pain, she watched as two pieces of
glass fell into his other outstretched hand, along with a few drops
of blood.

“
I promise,” he patted her leg,
“you will make it home. And I never break my promises.”

CHAPTER
THIRTY-THREE

Merchant's Son

It crossed
Launce’s mind more than once that he could vomit on the foot of one
of the guards as they dragged him through the palace. Inwardly, he
cursed Ever for sending his horse back at the same speed they’d
left Cobren the first time. It wasn’t natural for a man to speed
along, racing the wind for hours on end.

“
Sire,” one of the guards bowed
while the other held him tightly, “we found him in the border
woods.”

Launce braced himself for another
round of the nausea that was sure to hit as he lifted his head. He
was in Rafael’s throne room once again, just before the dais.
Rafael stood, but Olivia and Queen Monica stayed seated. Launce
wanted to search the princess’s face to see what she was thinking,
but had to drop his head once more so he wouldn’t be
sick.

“
Do you not recognize who this
is?” Rafael’s voice was indignant. “This is King Everard’s
brother-in-law, and my daughter’s intended. Unhand him at
once!”

Launce could feel the guards
hesitate, but finally, they let go. And though drop was rough,
laying on the cool tiles helped him get his bearings. As he rubbed
his aching head, Launce wondered if he had heard correctly. Was he
still supposedly the king’s successor? Rafael had been livid with
Everard the last time they’d parted. Why the sudden change of
heart? And where was Bronkendol? Then Launce spotted him, standing
placidly behind the throne.

“
King Everard,” Launce paused,
wincing as he stood, “tasked me with acting as his regent while he
is otherwise occupied.” There, he’d said it. Everard had made him
practice for hours the day before.

“
Of course!” Rafael walked down
the steps as he spoke, motioning to someone behind Launce. “Davin,
I want you to accompany young Master Launce to his old chambers.
Bring him something to eat, and make sure you’re available to him
for anything he might need.”

As Davin nodded and turned to lead
him to his new chambers, Launce threw one last look at the
enchanter, and then at Olivia. Olivia’s eyes were wide, although he
couldn’t read her expression clearly. Brokk... or rather,
Bronkendol, looked unnerved. His hair stuck out in different
directions, and his expression, for once, wasn’t utterly calm and
collected. Actually, Launce decided, the enchanter looked
exhausted.

Once he was in the room by
himself, Launce realized that Everard’s plan for him to send the
messenger birds wasn’t going to work. Launce was fully aware that
Davin was only there to spy on him. He’d even heard the door lock
after Davin had stepped out. Surely Everard must have expected some
sort of precautions to be taken against him. What did his
brother-in-law really expect him to accomplish by being
here?

His spirits lifted a bit when a
plate of rolls, fruit, and pastries was delivered. As he devoured
them, Launce tried to imagine who he might turn to for help. With
Davin following him wherever he went, learning more about the
enchanter’s plans would be impossible. But with a partner, he might
stand a chance, even if it was only enough time to send a single
messenger bird to the Fortress to tell Garin that the enchanter was
back.

Who could he trust though? If
Everard was right about the shards of glass affecting everyone,
even Norbert would have been touched. Not that they knew exactly
what the shards were for, but, Launce decided, he would prefer not
to take the chance.

That’s when it hit him. The hill.
Everard had said that those in the stands had been showered with
the glass, but there was one person who had not been in the stands
because she had been on the hill.

He would have to find a way to get
her alone, away from listening ears. That in itself would be a
monumental task.

Although Isa was grown and
married, she was hardly ever left alone at the Fortress. Between
her lady-in-waiting, curious courtiers, Garin, the ever-present
kitchen mistress, who was rarely actually in the kitchen, and
Everard himself, Launce realized he’d hardly seen his sister
unaccompanied since the wedding. And she was a grown, married
woman. As a young, unmarried princess, Olivia would be the last
person in the palace they would ever allow him to be alone with.
Launce smiled to himself, for if anyone knew how to lose her
escorts, it would be her.

Launce walked back to the door and
knocked. Sure enough, Davin was right there to answer
immediately.

“
I have a message for the
princess,” Launce said. From the look on Davin’s face, it seemed
that he was just as pleased with the princess’s pending betrothal
to Launce as her father had originally been.

“
Very well. What would you to
relay?”

“
I would like to meet her in the
garden. I have an important matter we need to discuss.” After
making sure the message was given to a runner, Launce allowed Davin
to shut the door again. He needed to think anyway.

Launce knew he was taking quite a
risk. But he couldn’t think of any other way to get the princess
alone. It had only been one week since they had met, and they’d
only really had one full conversation. He suspected she would pick
up on his hints, he hoped she would, at least. But there was no way
of knowing until he tried.

The queasy feeling returned to his
stomach. He didn’t have long to wait at least. Within minutes, the
runner returned to report that the princess would meet him down in
the courtyard garden. Launce walked as quickly as he could, which
seemed to annoy Davin even more. Launce didn’t care what the stuffy
servant thought though. With every moment wasted, Isa could be
enduring hunger, torture, or worse. Later, he promised himself, he
could explain everything to Olivia... if she gave him the chance.
For now, he just needed her to fall for his cruel trick.

As Launce reached the courtyard
garden, his stomach leapt into his throat. Could he keep a straight
face while he hurt her? Self-loathing briefly heated his cheeks as
he wondered how many more decisions he would have to make that were
similar to Everard’s. It galled him to think that there was a
reason his brother-in-law was so callous. Launce didn’t have time
to mull on it, however, because the princess was approaching him
with her entourage.

“
Your Highness,” he said as he
bowed. When he looked up, however, he nearly forgot what he had
come to do. Her dark, shiny hair was swept to one side, where an
orange-red desert rose had been pinned expertly beside her chin. In
the weak late autumn sun, her skin was the color of wild honey, the
kind that could be found in the untamed forest that lay north of
Soudain. The sunset yellow of her dress made her round face glow
like a warm summer day, and Launce found himself imagining her
cheeks feeling like sunbeams to the touch. Blinking to regain his
focus, he tried to settle on an expression that matched what he was
about to say. He hoped, prayed that she would take the
bait.

“
Launce,” she said, her eyes wide.
“I’m glad to see that you’ve returned so soon. Did you find your
sister? I have been sending up prayers for her since you
left.”

Launce nodded, not quite sure how
to proceed. He offered his arm, and she took it as they turned and
set about for a stroll through the garden.

“
Well?” she prodded when he
remained silent.

Launce took a deep breath.
“Everard thinks he has a way to track her, but that isn’t what I
came out here to discuss.” He paused, wishing she weren’t so
distractingly beautiful. “I... I’ve been thinking. And... I’m not
convinced this life,” he gestured at the finery of the garden
around them, “is suitable for me.” As soon as the words left his
mouth, he wanted to kick himself.

A brief look of bitter
disappointment flashed across her face before she recovered her
poise. As he waited for her reply, he decided that he wanted to
kick Everard as well. If it hadn’t been for all the time spent
around his dogged brother-in-law, he would never have dreamt up
such a plan on his own. Even without being present, Everard was
still in his head.

“
I see.” The princess was quick to
move from pain to anger. Her hazelnut eyes flashed as she turned to
look directly at him. Out of the corner of his eye, Launce saw the
princess’s escort and their accompanying guard share a small smile.
Apparently, many people here like him about as well as he liked
them. “And why would that be?”

Launce shrugged, trying to keep up
the act. “I was born a merchant’s son. The mercantile has been in
my family for three generations. It would hurt my father to die one
day, knowing he had no one to pass it down to.”

“
And you did not consider this
before you asked to compete for my hand?” Her words were ice.
Launce opened his mouth to answer, but glanced back at their
escorts first. She followed his eyes. “You will remain here,” she
snapped at them. “We will walk alone.”

“
Your Highness,” her escort
protested, fingering the ribbons of her bodice nervously. “It is
uncustomary for a young woman such as yourself to be
unescorted.”

“
The garden begins and ends here.
Where on earth would I go?”

“
I apologize, Princess.” The guard
stepped forward. “But I cannot allow you to go unattended. I am
under strict orders from your father.”

Launce felt his stomach, still
weak from his midnight ride, do a flop. If the princess couldn’t
lose her guard, his whole plan might accomplish nothing aside from
angering her.

“
Then at least give me the dignity
of walking where I cannot see you!”

Launce felt both hope and shame
when he saw the resignation in the guard’s mouth and the hints of
angry tears in the princess’s eyes. She and the guard continued to
stare one another down for another long moment before the guard
finally rolled his eyes. “If that is what you wish, then you will
not see me.”