Flames of Auriel (A Caeles Adventure Book 1) (4 page)

Alice was concerned for her princess. They had been in Aldabel for a week now and it had been unusually quiet. Too quiet. After the first day’s catastrophe she had expected a lot more trouble, but the calm that followed had her quickly becoming suspicious of her charge.

Zoe had been a perfect princess over the last few days, not only wearing lady-like attire, but not once had she set foot in the training grounds. She had spent her time either playing cards with Bryce or gossiping with the local courtiers. Alice had actually not seen the princess in the same room as the prince all week and she feared people were starting to notice.

“You can’t avoid him forever, you know.” Alice helped the maids lay out the array of gowns brought for the princess to try on for the queen’s ball the following evening.

“Avoid who?”

Zoe stepped out from behind her dressing screen in a red off-the-shoulder gown. She stepped in front of the mirror to inspect herself. She turned to Bryce who was lounging on the sofa and held her hands out as she waited for his approval. When he scrunched his face at it, she stepped back behind the screen.

Alice huffed, “The prince. People are going to start noticing that you are spending more time with Lord Bryce than with your betrothed.” She handed a maid another gown for her to try on. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

Zoe called out from the screen, “Nothing happened, Alice. You fret too much. Asher has decided to make a disappearing act, but Marie has assured me he would be here for the ball, leaving darling Bryce to entertain me.” She wiggled her fingers at Bryce, who gave her a hesitant smile.

Alice narrowed her eyes at the young lord and then back at the screen, “Since when have you two been close? No offense, Lord Bryce, but Zoella dislikes the prince only a little more than she dislikes you.”

Bryce only huffed in response. Zoe re-emerged in a forest green strapless gown and chided her nurse, “Now, Alice you’ve hurt Bryce’s feelings. Though Asher may be at the top of my list, Bryce hasn’t even made the top five.”

She admired the dipping bodice that curved over the little breast she had, making them seem fuller. The silk of the gown clung to her hips and floated away as it reached down to the floor. Overall, she felt like this was the one.

“Why do you even care, I’m being a proper little princess, just like you wanted.” She turned to Bryce, “Well?”

Alice watched as he moved from his position to stand next to Zoe. As he gave the princess a once over, the nurse watched for any sign of what could be going on between them.

“What’s going on with you two? Nothing dishonorable I hope.”

Zoe turned to Bryce with straight lips, “Well, what do you say Bryce, want to have a torrid affair with me?” She threw her head back and laughed when he blanched at her offer. “I’m only kidding, Bryce. We both know what Asher would do and I like my friends with all their appendages.”

“Is that what this is? You are trying to make the prince jealous?” Alice raised her hands out to Zoe in question.

Zoe smirked at her nurse, “If I wanted to make him jealous, he would be jealous by now, this…” She gestured between herself and Bryce, “…is an alliance of convenience. I have no one else to spend my days with and at the moment neither does he.” She held her arms out for inspection, “Well, is this the one or not?”

Bryce cleared his throat, “You know Ash hates green, right?”

With a smile of triumph, Zoe peeked back at herself in the mirror, “Oh, does he? I didn’t know.”

Alice just shook her head, not liking where her princess’s plan was going. She knew that if they were ever going to get together and be happy one of them would have to be the bigger person. By the looks of it, it was not going to be any time soon.

***

Asher snuck up the back stairs of the servants’ quarters. He hoped to get to his room without encountering his mother, or worse, Zoe. The last thing he needed was to have another battle with her in the middle of the hallway, especially not with the hangover pounding in his head.

He had spent the last few days losing himself in the blonde maid and mead, but as much as he tried he could not extinguish the recent images of his betrothed. The vision of the dangerously sharp-tongued vixen was even stronger in him than it was before he left. He could not seem to replace the want for her with that of his timid and agreeable maid.

He almost made it to his door when his mother called out to him. Damn. He stopped in his tracks, grimacing at what was sure to be a long lecture.

“Yes, mother?”

“Where have you been?” She took one look at his disheveled state and shook her head, “Never mind, I don’t want to know.” She held up a hand when he tried to explain. “No, I don’t want to hear it. I can’t believe you left Zoella to fend for herself. Poor Bryce had to be her companion this whole time. You will be lucky if she hasn’t turned him against you.”

He continued into his room, his mother trailing after him. “Bryce can take care of himself and so can Zoe for that matter.” He asked one of the servants to start him a bath. “I’m back like I promised. Right on time for your silly ball, I might add.”

Queen Marie crossed her arms, watching her son lay out his clothing. “Barely. You are going to have to escort her you know. And don’t think I don’t know where you have been all this time. We are fortunate your betrothed could care less for your comings and goings or she would have noticed your little indiscretion.” She toyed with the random baubles on the dresser. “You are being careful I hope? We don’t need any little bastards running around the palace. That would be a bit much for us to explain. You don’t exactly have common looks.”

He yanked his shirt over his head and headed toward the newly filled tub. “Of course, mother. I’m taking the potions Sir Cole gave me.”

One of the northern kingdoms had discovered a mixture that could be used to destroy the male seed as it was produced. It had to be taken half an hour before consummating, meaning spontaneous encounters were limited, but that did not mean that time could not be used exploring other pleasurable acts. Sometimes he wished their patron was half as knowledgeable as others and less focused on bringing a good harvest.

“Good. You need to start spending more attention to Zoella and less to your disgusting whores.” Her son glowered at her reference to his current lover, “We need their support or have you forgotten the latest news from Camel?”

The soldiers stationed along the southern border had reported movement from the usual stagnant desert horizon. The news had caused them to believe the Camelians were joining their scattered tribes together again and the last time this had happened an attack was not far behind. His mother’s reminder made him questioning his recent behavior. Neither country could afford to lose the other’s alliance, but they both knew Aldabel needed Aurelius far more than they needed them.

“I understand mother. Don’t worry, I will handle it.” He let the servant wrap a towel around his waist.

“See that you do.” With one last disapproving look she left her son to finish overseeing the preparations for that night’s festivities.

Asher let out a huff of relief. He was lucky to have gotten off with such a short lecture, but with an event fast approaching he knew his mother would be distracted for the rest of the day.

His usual disdain for her parties was magnified by the fact that he had to face his betrothal again. He laughed to himself when he thought of his mother’s comment. He knew for a fact she would have noticed his absence and would see to it that he paid in kind for deserting her. With a smile at what promised to be an entertaining evening, he hurried to get ready.

***

“You aren’t planning on ruining tonight by making a scene, are you?”

Zoe scoffed at her nurse’s accusations.

“Then why aren’t we waiting for the prince in your room?”

The princess hushed her nurse and peeked around the corner from the end of the hall. She listened as the prince knocked on her bedroom door. She held back a laugh at the sight of her prince banging on her door after she did not answer.

“Come on, Zoe. Don’t make me come in there.”

He ran his hand through his hair and paced back and forth in front of her door. Zoe moved out of her hiding spot only when he gave up and moved toward the ballroom. She had to admit he did look quite dashing. She shoved the thought away when the image of him kissing the blonde maid came back in full force.

The secret simmering pools of rage she had been nursing all week threatened to spill over as she followed behind him with Alice at her side. She had not decided if she was going to tell him she knew he was dallying with the help or let him suffer in bewilderment with her random behavior.

She motioned for Alice to hold back as the prince came upon the ballroom’s double doors. Once the doors closed behind Asher, Alice moved into the princess’s path to stop her from following him.

“What is this all about? This isn’t like you,” referring to the princess’s recent odd behavior. “We all know how you are, when poked you strike back, but you never go out of your way like this without reason. You are lucky your father isn’t here to see this.”

The reminder that her father had stayed behind to greet her uncle left a sour taste in her mouth. Prince Armanel and his troops had been out scouting Camel’s desert for any sign of the tribes’ mobilizations for the last year and they finally had news to report. Brom wanted to make sure they were prepared for the worse and report it to Queen Marie as soon as possible.

Zoe turned her head from Alice’s pleading gaze as she grabbed her hands. “Please, my darling girl. Tell me what he did to hurt you.”

Zoe jerked her hands away and seethed. “He didn’t hurt me. He humiliated me.” She turned her back to the nurse and she scowled down at the floor.

“Because he left you?”

“You know very well I can take care of myself.” She ran a hand across her face and gave a bitter laugh. “He was lucky he left when he did or he wouldn’t be able to walk let alone screw that little maid of his.” She lifted her skirts into her hands and walked to the ballroom doors.

Alice gasped at her princess’s statement and hurried after her. “So you are punishing him for turning his attention elsewhere? You already knew he was sleeping around, how is this different? Because he did it right under your nose?” She held her hand up when Zoe opened her mouth to protest. “I’m not saying his actions are acceptable, but have you ever thought that maybe he is acting out because he doesn’t know you care? Maybe you should be the bigger person and tell him what you want.”

Zoe wrenched away from her nurse and signaled the doorman to let her in. Alice was right. She was always right. The problem was Zoe did not know what she wanted from her betrothed. She did know he had made her feel a fool and he would pay.

***

“Where is she? You were supposed to escort her! What will people think?” Queen Marie screeched in her son’s ear.

Asher frowned as his mother ushered him aside. He knew he would not get away with embarrassing her by coming in alone; it looked badly on him and their alliance.

“I can’t escort someone who isn’t there.” He grabbed a cup of wine from a passing servant’s tray.

As he took a gulp, he scanned the ballroom. Once again his mother had gone all out for the occasion. Rows of tables were adorned with huge bouquets of white roses and a large musical accompaniment all dressed in white sat at the top of the ballroom. Of course the guest list had consisted of everyone she could think of on such short notice, but that was his mother, always finding a reason to throw a party.

Queen Marie eyes joined his in his search for the missing princess. “It’s no wonder she wasn’t waiting for you after leaving her like that. I’d be surprised if she wasn’t upset with you.” She turned to her son. “I would be thinking up an apology if I were you.”

“Ah, but mother you are not me. And I do not apologize, least of all to her.”

He caught the eye of one of the prettier courtiers and started to make his way toward her when all of a sudden the ballroom doors opened. There, standing at the top of the great stairs, was his missing princess.

She was breathtaking. She was encased in green silk that enveloped her slim body like a glove. Caught off guard by her appearance, he was brought back to his senses when he felt her eyes land on him. Every part of him screamed to run away from the fire that burned there.

His mother grabbed his elbow and hissed, “Are you just going to stand there all night? Go get her!”

Asher shook his head and moved with purpose to the end of the stairwell. He extended a hand out to her as she reached the bottom. He bowed and smiled up at her through clenched teeth.

“Where
were
you?”

In hopes of preventing a scene, his mother snuck up beside him, “Yes, we were all just wondering if you had gotten lost.”

His princess had the audacity to look confused, “What do you mean? I was in my room the entire time waiting for Asher to escort me, but he never showed up.”

Asher’s face burned at her accusations. He wrapped an arm around her slim waist and tightened his hand on hers as he turned his face into her ear. “You little brat, you know very well I came to your room to get you. What game are you playing at?”