The Queen Revealed (25 page)

After walking down through many drafty corridors and up cold stone staircases they finally came to a more familiar part of the palace, and Rainere led them all up to the laboratory at the request of the children. As they neared the room Adele sidled closer to Rainere, surreptitiously stepping between the Prince and Lady Olivia who was walking at his side.

“…and then true love’s kiss woke her up!” finished Natalie.

“So his kiss was the antidote to the poison of the witch?” asked Rainere with genuine interest.

“No,
true love
woke her up,” explained Natalie. “He was just the Prince who loved her, but if her Mummy or Daddy had kissed her, she would have woken up for them, too. It’s just that everyone else in the palace was asleep and couldn’t get to her.”

Adele smiled at Natalie’s answer. She had given Natalie that little caveat to the classic fairytale. God forbid her daughter should believe in fairytale Princes and their penchant for proposing marriage within minutes of meeting beautiful girls. Of course, that was before Adele had found out that they really did exist.

Rainere frowned. “Perhaps the kiss symbolizes a transfer of power, his to the Princess. If the witch had based the spell on a simple matrix designed to endure for sixteen years, then certainly the Prince could break it very easily with a touch at the most vulnerable point. Or, if it was a poison that was used, then the Prince may have needed to apply the antidote to her mouth with a kiss so she could inhale it, thereby allowing the princess to wake up.’

“Yes,” agreed Natalie knowledgeably. “That’s why Mummy kisses all my bumps and cuts when I get them. Kissing makes everything feel better.”

“Indeed,” answered Rainere, but there was something in his tone that made Adele want to blush.

Rainere’s laboratory was much cleaner than the last time they had visited. The four long tables of scarred and stained wood had been polished underneath the clutter of odd mechanisms and potions paraphernalia. The children were in heaven leaping about the room and pestering Rainere with hundreds of questions. As always, the Prince was patient and concise with his answers as well as helpful volunteering advice on which potions would scar irreparably and which sharp instruments could cut through bone. Adele was pleased to see the joy that her children took playing with Rainere, but she was very relieved when Siobahn had the bright idea to ask where the Royal Nursery was, to get them out of the laboratory.

“Nursery?” Rainere frowned for a moment, his elegant brows beetling. “I don’t suppose it has been touched in over a hundred years, but I believe it is still located in the East Wing of the Palace, in my old boyhood suite.”

“Are there toys there?’ asked Natalie.

“Toys and books,” nodded Rainere and his mouth quirked with amusement when the children broke into raucous cheering.

Just then Grotto led in her Queen’s Guard, Charlie and Pere Raven. Grotto had obviously hustled the pace as Pere Raven looked quite winded and everyone had pink cheeks. Except Grotto of course, the manservant looked as pale and cold as ever.

“Ah, you’ve arrived.” Rainere welcomed the newcomers with the barest of nods. “Grotto, please assist the Queen’s children in finding the Royal Nursery, they have an interest in seeing the toys there.”

Grotto turned to glare balefully at Siobahn and Lady Olivia. “Bring the children this way,” he barked and immediately set off, the older children scampering after him. Siobahn scooped up Stella in her arms and hurried to join them, but Lady Olivia remained where she was until Adele gave her a look.

“Me too, your Majesty?” Lady Olivia placed a hand on her chest in a gesture of surprise. She obviously wanted to remain with Adele.

Adele nodded and chose to ignore Lady Olivia’s pique as the young woman gave her a hurt look. Olivia was a lady-in-waiting, not a common servant, and to be treated as such wasn’t polite, but Adele had more than Lady Olivia’s pride to worry about right now.

“General, could you please excuse the Prince and me, and take the men to follow the children. His Highness and I will be in the study and meet up with you all for lunch.”

General Ohrig stared at Adele and communicated much with just a twitch of his heavyset brows and Adele could see how anxious she was making him. But there was no way around it, she needed to get Rainere on his own.

“I will leave Pere Raven with you, Your Majesty,” said the General obviously hoping to leave a witness to protect Adele.

“Actually, I’m very much looking forward to exploring this wondrous Palace, General, so I’ll be coming with you, if it pleases the Queen?”

Adele nodded. Pere Raven’s enthusiasm was heartening. “I will see you all later.”

A still-pouting Lady Olivia took the arm of Captain Lucky without waiting for the young officer to offer it, and pulled him out of the room though not before she threw Prince Rainere a lingering look.

As soon as everyone left Adele realized too late that Charlie had not had the good sense to leave with the rest of the men and stood frozen like a rabbit by the door, watching the Prince with eyes wide with fear. Prince Rainere cocked his head, listening to the receding sounds of the Queen’s Guard before slamming both the doors shut with a flick of his wrist. Adele jumped at the noise, but Charlie almost fell over and only then did Adele realize that he had been held fast against his will. She turned to Rainere intending to protest, but her words died on her lips when she saw the Prince’s expression.

Though Rainere’s posture was casual as he leaned back against one of the workbenches, studiously examining the nails of his right hand, the tension rolled off him in waves. Charlie, however, looked like a cat suspended over a bucket of water. His eyes flickered repeatedly to the windows and doors as he tried to put as much space as he could between himself and the Prince.

Rainere broke the silence, his gravelly voice tight with the strength of his emotions. “So have you taken a Royal Escort,
cara mia
?”

“Rainere, come on! It was just a stupid misunderstanding,” said Adele and forced a laugh, as she moved to stand next to him. “It’s all quite funny really.” She leaned against him to make him to look at her.

“Tell me then,” he said softly.

Adele shrugged in an attempt at nonchalance and gave Charlie a nod. “Charlie was in my room one night giving me the box you had given him for me, which I couldn’t open by the way,” -- she poked his arm playfully— “when one of my QGs caught him before he could wake me up. Charlie came up with the only story that would account for his presence in my room at night and I went along with it to keep Charlie’s work for you a secret. But afterwards I told the General and my QGs that Charlie is really a spy working for me, not my escort. He’s only a boy for goodness sake, the very idea is just wrong.”

“Were you dressed?” Rainere’s voice was almost a whisper and Adele felt him shudder against her. He was so upset and she needed to calm him down before he lost his temper.

“Rainere, look at me,” she begged and pressed in closer against him. “It was just a misunderstanding and it’s fixed now, no one thinks Charlie is my escort.”

“Did he see you – naked?” persisted Rainere and Adele saw the suspicion and hurt in Rainere’s gaze. This wasn’t a game to him.

“For the love of the Goddess in her Garden, Your Highness, I can swear on The Blood that I never saw an inch of the Queen’s skin, nor did I touch her! Ever! I would never lay a finger on her, I promise,” burst out Charlie, near hysterics, his face blanched white and his green eyes round with fear.

“And what do you suppose is the price of a poor urchin’s promise, Charlie?” snapped Rainere, his lip curled in a sneer. “Considering he is trying to save himself from a fate worse than death.”

“Rainere!” admonished Adele, matching his anger with her own. “Charlie is just a boy
and
he was working for you. You can’t punish him for doing his job. It is ridiculous to be jealous of a child!”

Rainere turned back to her. “I’m being
ridiculous
?” he said, his voice holding a darkness that made her shiver and burn at the same time. Her Magic rose and surged inside of her, eager to taste his energy again. Adele held Rainere’s gaze for a long moment, enjoying the feel of the heat of him beneath the thin silk of his shirt. Her heart thudded erratically as she watched her Prince struggle with his emotions. A crazed look flickered in the background of his dark green eyes. It only partially frightened her as she was reminded that Rainere was as unfamiliar with this love between them as she was.

“Yes,” she whispered, but she was really answering the question that Rainere hadn’t voiced: could he trust her?

In one fluid motion Rainere lifted Adele up and spun her around to sit on the workbench, he pressed his forehead to hers, their lips only a breath apart.

“Boy, go and watch outside,” commanded Rainere over his shoulder. “If anyone from St. Lucidis should approach, knock once, loudly.”

The door nearest to Charlie creaked itself open and he didn’t need to be asked twice. He scarpered and the door slammed behind him with such force it made the windows rattle.

Adele pushed at Rainere with both hands. “You are so melodramatic!” she said, rolling her eyes.

Rainere smiled his beautiful almost-smile at her teasing, but it died too soon.

“I hate that other men get to see you and touch you when I’m not there.” He raised his hand to silence Adele’s protest, leaving it to rest on her shoulder. “I feel like you belong to them, and the world outside, more than you belong to me,” he said and his sadness made her ache.

“Rainere,” whispered Adele. “No man will ever have me the way that you do, I promise.”

She leaned in and kissed him softly on his perfect lips.

No more needed to be said. Rainere cleared the table top behind her with a wide sweep of his arm, all the bottles and instruments crashing to the floor, and laid her down on its scarred surface. They came together with a swiftness borne of desperation and frustrated desire. Three long days they had been parted, not knowing when they would see each other again. Adele cried out and pulled Rainere in deeper. He could only silence her with his kisses.

*              *               *

Charlie stood outside the door that had literally hit him in the arse on the way out. He heard Adele’s muffled cries through the door and cursed his misfortune at ever having met the woman who kept dragging him into these life-threatening situations.

For the hundredth time, he fantasized about leaving the Queen to her own dangerous life. He had almost done it, too—left her—but a message from The Boss had arrived and let him know he was being watched at Belvoir Estate. Charlie didn’t dare leave after that. Anyway, if he bailed out now, where would that leave him? He’d have The Boss and the Black Prince coming after him, and between the two of them, even with his overblown sense of confidence he knew he had no chance. Charlie had no doubt that the Prince had wanted to melt his bones just now and it was only Queen Adelena who had stopped him.

Charlie sighed and rubbed his sore backside.
Could all be worse,
he told himself ruefully
. Don’t know how, but I’m sure it could all be worse.

Chapter Thirty-Six

“I Think That’s What It Is”

Lunch was to be served in the Glassroom and was a far more informal affair than the last time they were here.

Adele wandered to the wall of louvered windows and tweaked one to get a better look at the gardens outside. The gardens were wild and untamed. The grass and weeds grew to knee height and had only been roughly cut back from the stone paths and benches that meandered through the garden. Weeping willows crowded together over a string of little black ponds that were crammed with lily pads and thick clumps of reeds. Lots of little creatures were hopping about on the rocks edging the ponds, catching insects and plopping into the water.

Adele turned at the sound of Stella’s squeal. Lady Olivia and the children were all crowded around Rainere as the Prince dug up worms and other small creatures from the old pots with a rusty gardening fork. He was presently holding a shiny blue beetle in the palm of his hand as it twirled in circles on its back, making the children giggle.

“Can I hold it, please?” asked Natalie and shrieked when Rainere carefully placed it in her hand. “It tickles!”

Adele grinned at Natalie and it was only when she glanced at the rest of her entourage that her smile faded. Her General and the QGs were all spread about the room discreetly guarding the exits and Captain Lucky had yet to take his hand off the pommel of his sword. Obviously General Ohrig had ordered them to be prepared for anything. Even QG Bear had lost his customary sneer and was as white-faced and tense as the rest of the guards. Charlie moped in a corner looking as if he was trying very hard to be invisible. After what had happened this morning with Rainere she wasn’t surprised. The poor boy had only been doing what he was told and Rainere had scared him horribly. Siobahn sat at the table jumping in fear every time someone approached.

Adele sighed, but accepted that she would never make her St. Lucidis company feel comfortable at the Grey Palace. They were too fearful of Marchant Magic and prejudiced against the Marchant Prince to even give him a chance.

Stalking back into the room, Grotto announced lunch and delivered Pere Raven’s apologies. The priest apparently wanted to stay in the chapel library and study texts all afternoon.

The usual whey-faced servants served up the soup and vegetables along with platters of cold cuts and hot rolls stuffed with cheese. Only the women and children sat to eat with the Prince as General Ohrig made it clear the Queen’s Guard would rather stand.

“Oh my goodness, Your Majesty,” giggled Lady Olivia as she looked over at Adele’s loaded plate. “It is good to see that your appetite has returned after your illness. That is enough food for two of you!”

Lady Olivia gave Adele a big smile, but Adele couldn’t shake the feeling that Lady Olivia was trying to embarrass her in front of the Prince. Was Lady Olivia really trying to compete with her for Rainere’s attention?

“Yes, Your Majesty, how are you feeling?” Rainere asked over Lady Olivia’s next remark. “Is the climate of the Grey Palace making you feel better at all?”

Adele felt a surge of energy zinging through her bloodstream and instinctively clenched down on her Magic before it made her feel too wild. She had been so careful not to invade Rainere at all when they were together this morning, but it had been a struggle to control herself when desire had rocked her willpower. She knew he was remembering the moment, too, as his gaze traveled down her body before returning to her eyes. She smiled back at him.

“I do feel so much better, Your Highness,” she answered formally. “Thank you so much for your concern.”

After lunch Rainere took everyone out to the gardens just as the sun broke through the clouds. They wandered about the ponds and Adele marveled at the sunlight that made little rainbows form on the top of the murky water, and that the wings of the dragonflies sparkled like they were made of glass. Natalie and Aaron had a wonderful time catching the tiny frogs, but the fun ended when one jumped onto Stella’s chubby cheek and made her scream hysterically.

The party retired inside then to let Stella go up to her room for a much-needed nap with Siobahn while the rest of them continued on their tour into the East Wing and home of the Royal Nursery. As they passed by, the children collected some four-wheeled scooters to help them get about. They were delighted that Prince Rainere had no problem with them scooting up and down corridors as fast as they could, endangering vases on pedestals and suits of armor everywhere.

Despite the dusty spookiness of it all, exploring the Grey Palace was incredibly interesting. Many times Adele had such clear feelings of déjà vu that she had to shake herself. Especially when they were in the highest part of the palace where Rainere’s parents had once lived. Natalie and Aaron had scooted off down the corridor well ahead of the group, but had stopped in front of a giant portrait. When the adults had caught up to them Adele saw that the children were staring open-mouthed at the painting.

“How did you get a picture of my Mummy?” asked Natalie, pointing at the figure in the image.

Rainere smiled and knelt down to the children’s level. “That isn’t the Queen, that’s my mother, Princess Rainestra,” he said. “She died when my baby sister was born.”

“Where’s your baby sister?” asked Aaron, placing a hand on the Prince’s shoulder.

“She died too,” said Rainere turning to Aaron, his dark eyes hooded. “There are some things that Magic just can’t do, and one of those is bring people back from the dead.”

Adele regarded the portrait closely. The figure was standing by a piano, one hand resting on the edge of it, and the other on her hip. She had long dark hair falling in waves over her shoulders and her gown was high-necked and long-sleeved, but completely sheer, with only the swooping folds concealing the intimate curves of her body. Adele looked curiously into the face of Rainere’s mother and couldn’t for the life of her see any similarity. The woman in the picture was self-assured, even arrogant looking, with a cruel smile playing at the corner of her mouth. Her hazel eyes wore a wicked glint and were hard at the edges, as if she had just made a mean joke and was hoping the other person felt bad. She was also radiantly beautiful.

“I don’t think she looks like me,” said Adele doubtfully.

“She is definitely
much
younger,” said Lady Olivia behind Adele’s shoulder, but when Adele turned to her the lady just smiled. “But you are much prettier, Your Majesty,” she whispered, leaving Adele wondering if she was just being over-sensitive to innocent comments.

“Do you miss your Mummy?” asked Natalie of the Prince.

Rainere let out a breath almost like a sigh and his eyes looked into a distant past. “I don’t really remember her,” he said. “It was many years ago and the Princess was not like your own mother, she didn’t have very much to do with me when I was so little. But I do remember her dancing with my father at the parties they held here, and I remember her kissing me good night. And sometimes I dream about the sound of her laughter…” Rainere came back to the present with a blink.

“Is there a painting of your Daddy?” asked Natalie.

“It should be here, right in this spot next to her,” said Rainere, frowning as he stood up. “Grotto, where is the portrait of Prince Rainold?”

The manservant bowed. “I had it taken down for cleaning, Master. The frame was corroding.”

“A disappointment,” said Rainere to the children. “My father was a very handsome man; I would have liked you to see him.”

“It’s okay, Prince Rainere. I know what he looks like,” smiled Aaron as he scooted off to chase his sister down the hallway.

Adele turned to Rainere and smiled at his puzzlement, she shrugged. “I have no idea what he meant by that,” she said. “But I think he was just trying to make you feel better.”

Rainere looked down the hall after Aaron, his expression inscrutable. “What a delightful boy,” he said and led their party onwards without another word.