Blinding Beauty (34 page)

Without waiting for Launce to
offer his arm again, the princess grabbed his right sleeve and
began to walk as quickly down the path as she could, dragging him
behind her.

“
Olivia,” he whispered, “I’m sorry
for deceiving you, but there is something I must tell
you.”

“
You should be sorry,” she said,
not slowing for a second.

Launce glanced up at the three
white palace walls surrounding the courtyard. The palace wasn’t
very tall, only three stories, but the hedges were short enough to
allow busybodies to see them from the third story, had they wished
to. Launce hoped no one was watching them from above now. He didn’t
have long to wonder, however, because without hesitating, the
princess lifted her skirts in her free hand, and deftly stepped
through an invisible break in the hedge, pulling him along with
her.

As soon as they were through,
Launce realized that they had not only left the maze-like
courtyard, but that they had left the palace proper entirely, and
were standing at the edge of the forest that filled the land behind
it.

“
Keep walking,” Olivia said. “And
while we do, I expect you to explain your dishonesty to the
fullest.”

“
They’ll think I’ve taken you,”
Launce said, frowning at the backside of the hedge.

“
If you cannot give me a
satisfactory explanation as to why you’ve deceived me, then yes,
they will. If you can at least pacify me, then I might know a way
to get you back unnoticed.”

Clearly, she had done this before.
Launce stared, dumbfounded, into her eyes, wishing more than ever
to know what she was thinking. She was truly one of the most
confusing people he had ever met. Perhaps his plan had worked too
well. Gathering his thoughts, he shook his head and determined to
explain himself, even if it meant he would have to clamp her mouth
shut.

“
We’re not safe in the palace,” he
blurted out. “I was trying to find a way so that we could have a
moment alone to speak. I need your help.” As he spoke, her face
lost some of its anger. Encouraged by her silence, he continued.
“We think the enchanter, or the holy man, as your father calls him,
is going to use her for her power somehow.”

“
How do you know?”

“
Our Fortress Steward says she’s
more powerful than even she knows. But he isn’t just using her.
Everard thinks the enchanter plans to use everyone here, too.” As
Launce went on to explain the slivers, he was sure she would deem
him a fool. It sounded ridiculous as he spoke it.

To his surprise, however, she was
slowly nodding as she stared at the ground. Before she could
answer, low voices could be heard. Launce could just make out the
low tenor of the guard’s voice and the mouse-like squeak of
Olivia’s escort. Olivia grabbed his hand once more and began to
drag him towards the west wing of the palace.

“
It makes sense,” she said in a
low voice as they walked.

“
It does?”

“
Some of the servants have been
complaining about their eyes hurting. Then my mother said the same
thing. When I looked at my eyes, however, nothing was there. But
how does he plan to use them?”

“
Not even Everard knows, nor does
he know how to remove them.” Launce shook his head. “All I know is
that we need to get Isa back. And that’s why I needed you to get us
alone.”

“
Wait,” she stopped walking. “You
said all of that because you knew I would find a way to get us
alone?”

Launce dared a tight smile.
“You’re good at getting what you want.”

They held one another’s gaze for
an immeasurable moment. Birds late to fly south chirped here and
there, and the quiet chatter of the forest filled the silence left
by their voices.

“
Yes,” she finally said in a small
voice. “I am. I’ve had to be since the holy man came. Here, come
this way.” She held up a low branch so Launce could see a clearer
path as they skirted the northern edge of the palace. Launce
marveled at how lightly she stepped, and how she miraculously kept
her skirts from tearing on the dry winter brambles that littered
the forest floor.

“
My father wasn’t always the
puppet he is now,” she called back in a low voice. “You would never
know it now from the way he flaunts the holy man’s gift, but when
the man first arrived after the rebellion was quelled, my father
was cautious, suspicious even. This foreign man promised my father
great power and stability for his kingdom. He would make his line
even greater than the Fortiers of the Fortress, he promised. My
father was hesitant. He was fond of King Rodrigue and his
son.

“
It was the continuance of small
pockets of the rebels that eventually drove him to accept the holy
man’s help.” Olivia shook her head, causing a tendril of silky hair
to fall into her face. “When the holy man assured my father that
he, of course, wouldn’t harm the Fortier family, simply make my
father’s line their equal, my father finally accepted.” She sighed.
“It is little known, but my father’s health has been rapidly
declining since the war. I’m afraid to think that all of this might
be his attempt at providing for me.”

Olivia paused and looked up into
the gray of the afternoon light before looking directly back at
Launce, her deep eyes searching his own. “I’m frightened, Launce.
This man has changed my father into someone I do not recognize, and
I fear that by the time my father’s soul leaves this world, there
will be nothing familiar left in the man or this kingdom.” Still
holding his gaze, she moved closer to him. The worry on her face
stirred up a burning desire in Launce that he could not understand.
Never had he wanted so desperately to protect someone that wasn’t
one of his own. Not even Blanchette had ever brought forth such a
need. And yet, all he could do was stare back.

“
I don’t know why the holy man
chose you,” she said in a quiet voice. “Still, I can honestly say
that for the first time since he arrived, I’m glad he did.” She
stepped so close that he could have leaned down and kissed her.
“But I need to know whether you truly mean to take up the mantle of
the Cobrien monarchy, or whether your words back in the courtyard
were true. Because if they were truly a ruse, and you mean to stay,
then I want no one else at my side. You are different from the
others, and I admire that. However,” her eyes darkened as she
spoke, “if you did mean that you have no intention of marrying me
and being king, then as soon as we return, I want you to pack your
things and leave, and I never want to see you again as long as I
live.”

Launce stared at her, his mouth
open, but no words could come. They were a ruse, he wanted to
assure her. I simply needed to speak with you alone! But the truth
weighed heavily upon his heart. For no matter how much he wanted to
help her, Launce was still only a merchant’s son. He had never
wanted to be a courtier in Destin’s own court, much less a king in
someone else’s. And even if he desired a crown of his own, what did
he know of being a king? How could a commoner rule a country he
hardly knew?

The longer Launce warred within
himself, the more understanding dawned in the princess’s
eyes.

“
I see,” she said. Swallowing
hard, she opened her mouth once more, and Launce dreaded hearing
the words he knew would come.

Before she could speak, however, a
distant moan sounded from somewhere deeper in the brush behind
them. Without hesitation, Olivia took off towards the sound, and
Launce followed as quickly as he could. Their chase took them over
three small, wooded hills and a thin stream before they reached the
source of the sound.

“
Queen Kartek!” Olivia shrieked as
she rushed down into the ravine. Launce followed, but more slowly.
As soon as he saw where the southern queen lay, at the bottom of
another small hill, it occurred to him how easy one could be
ambushed at the bottom.

As he drew nearer, he could see
that the queen was covered in blood. Her olive green skirt and
light cotton tunic were soaked with a dark red, and Launce’s
stomach lurched when he realized the spots of red were still
growing on the queen’s right side just above her hip.

“
What happened?” Olivia cradled
the older queen’s head while Launce watched stupidly, too stunned
to know what to do.

“
My... my necklace,” the queen
gasped. She pointed a shaking hand at Launce’s feet, and when he
looked down, he realized he was standing just above a round pink
jewel, inlaid in gold. Slowly, he bent to pick it up out of the
dirt and twigs, but Olivia was faster. She snatched it up and
placed it in the queen’s shaking hands. The longer the queen held
the jewel, the less she trembled. Launce felt himself let out a
sigh of relief as a bit of color began to return to the queen’s
face, and the red stopped seeping into her clothes.

“
I was searching to see if Everard
was right,” she whispered. “To see if Bronkendol truly was the one
who stole your sister.”

Launce only then realized that she
was talking directly to him.

“
He... he must have realized what
I was doing, for when I returned to my chambers, a maid was there,
holding a dagger of glass. She came upon me with it, and I was not
fast enough to escape!” She paused to pant, and Launce was again
aware of how easy it would be for someone to attack them in the low
ravine.

“
We need to get you to safety,” he
said. “Do you think you can walk soon?”

The queen flashed him the shadow
of a patient smile before groaning once again as she held the
necklace to her side.

“
My powers are strong, boy, but
not that strong. It will be days before I am ready to walk.” She
coughed. “If it were not for the sound of your steps, the girl
would have killed me here. You frightened her away.”

“
I will call the guards!” Olivia
began to stand, but Launce grabbed her wrist.

“
Don’t you find it odd that no one
noticed her being chased through the palace with a knife? Something
is wrong here.” Launce recalled the strange slivers of glass Ever
had told him about. It was quite possible the enchanter was already
at work. He turned to the queen.

“
Do you by chance have any pieces
of glass—”

“
In my eyes?” She cut him off and
nodded. “I did, but after Everard sent me a message telling me
about it, I was able to pull them out.” Olivia looked at him as
though he were mad, but Launce knelt in the dirt beside the
queen.

“
How?”

“
With more pain than I ever care
to suffer again. It was only because of my gift that I was able to
heal enough to pull them out in the first place.” It was only when
he had drawn closer that Launce noticed the queen’s eyes had just a
bit of dried blood about their edges. He inwardly grimaced at the
thought of what she must have done to get the glass out. It was
better to focus on the problems at hand instead.

“
Do you have any guards or
servants you trust that could escort you home?”

“
Yes. Call for Apu, my eunuch. Do
not tell the servants what you need him for. Only bring him to me
here.”

Launce looked up at Olivia. For
the first time, he saw real fear in her eyes. The confidence was
gone, and she suddenly looked very young as she bit her
lip.

“
Olivia, I need you to go for
help. Find Apu and bring him back.”

“
But I want to stay with Queen
Kartek.” Her words were as bold as ever, but there was uncertainty
in her voice.

He shook his head. “It’s not safe
for you to remain here. I need you to go back where you’ll be
safer.” She opened her mouth to protest again, but he stopped her.
“I promise, I will explain later. But now I need you to
go.”

She studied him hard for a moment
longer before grabbing one of his hands and squeezing it. “I cannot
understand why you fear taking the crown so much. You are the
bravest man I know,” she whispered before darting back up the
hill.

CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR

King

Launce
heard the voices before he could see them, but there was no time to
try and conceal either himself or the queen.

“
...Still don’t understand why you
couldn’t just tell us where he was from the beginning,” Rafael said
as he and about a dozen others crested the hill. Olivia sent Launce
an apologetic look as she answered her father.

“
I thought you would be busy with
the banquet preparations.”

“
When you and Launce didn’t emerge
from the walkway, Alejandro came to get me,” Rafael frowned at his
daughter, then at Launce. Launce felt himself blush under the
scrutiny of the king, but Kartek spoke for the first time. Her
voice was still weak, but she looked much more confident than
Launce felt.

“
They came to help me, Sire. They
heard me calling for help.” As she spoke, a tall man emerged from
the crowd, pushing his way through. He had darker skin than anyone
Launce had ever seen, and he looked nearly as muscled as Everard.
If his physique didn’t intimidate, however, the glower he wore
certainly would. As he drew nearer, Launce also noticed the dried
blood at the corners of his eyes as well. Apparently, Kartek hadn’t
only removed her glass. Immediately, the big man knelt down and
gently scooped be queen up in his arms.