novelraw Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-One
“Another assassin picked up the contract. They ambushed the prince while he and Marquess Cyrene were in the palace gardens. Lord Cyrene killed the assassins, then carried the injured Prince Reis out of the garden himself,” Sarna said, while Nadia, who’d been preparing for bed in hopes of dreamsharing with Gregor again, paced before the hearth in her sitting room.
She closed her eyes, relieved that Gregor hadn’t been hurt. Then guilt washed over her as she realized she’d thought of her bondmate before her nephew.
“And Prince Reis?” Pell asked.
“Alive, for now. The royal healer was sent to his rooms,” Sarna answered.
Nadia whirled around, pinning the other woman with a hard stare. “Was the weapon poisoned, as before?”
“I’m unsure. They are allowing only the prince’s manservant to assist the healer. He is keeping his own council.”
Nadia’s eyes widened. “Go. Send word to Lord Cyrene that Geeta is available to assist the healer if she is needed.”
Sarna nodded, turned, and left the room.
Nadia ran her hands over her head, a feeling of helplessness washing over her. “I shouldn’t have waited. Lareina will never forgive me if he dies.” She turned to Pell. “As soon as he’s healed enough to travel, we’re getting our prince out of that palace. We can hide him in the Gate Keeper’s Palace until Lareina arrives.”
Pell gave her a knowing look. “Are you returning to Diomere with him?”
“No. Yes.” She ran her hands through the hair hanging loose down her back. “I may not have a choice. I was going to leave Sarna in charge, but if you wish to stay, we’ll officially make you the Shark. Everyone has suspected you anyway.”
“Prince Stefan and Lord Cyrene will have tripled the guard on Prince Reis,” Pell argued. “How do you plan to get him out?”
Nadia inhaled, knowing her plan would look like a betrayal if Gregor discovered it. “I’m going to create a distraction.”
****
Gregor slid his aching body into bed that night, hoping for dreams of Nadia to distract him from his worries for Reis and his fears of failing Stefan. Moments after he drifted into sleep, he woke in their dream world to a night sky lit by a brightly glowing moon.
He turned his head to see Nadia beside him, her legs drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them.
He sat up. “What’s wrong, love?”
“I feel helpless,” she said, turning her troubled gaze toward him.
Gregor wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. “Me too,” he said, remembering his failure to keep Prince Reis from harm. “It’s an unsettling feeling for people like us, isn’t it?”
Nadia nodded, and he found the feel of her silky hair against his chest soothing. She didn’t tell him that he shouldn’t expect to be able to fix everything, that only the gods were infallible. He appreciated that she understood him so well.
“I wish we could’ve met before my exile.”
He looked down into her upturned face. “Why?”
She lifted her hand to caress his chin, a sad smile on her face. “Because I didn’t have nearly so many secrets, so many obligations to pull me away from you back then.”
“Why can’t you tell me your secrets?”
She leaned up and pressed her forehead to his, gazing deep into his eyes. “I’m protecting you.”
“From whom?” he asked, his mind growing heavy, almost as if he were awake in the real world and only just now drifting into sleep.
She frowned. “From me.”
As the darkness closed over him, her statement echoed over and over in his mind as if she’d uttered it into an endless cave.
I’m protecting you.
From me.
Gregor woke feeling restless, the dream and Nadia’s words echoing in his mind. Pulling himself out of bed, he sent his valet for his breakfast and dressed while turning over dreams that seemed disturbingly real despite the exotic location.
His valet arrived with his breakfast and a summons from Stefan. Gregor read the unusually curt missive, his stomach clenching. Ignoring his breakfast, he called for his carriage to be brought around, praying to all five gods that Prince Reis was well.
Stomach full of knots, Gregor arrived at Prince Stefan’s reception chamber a short time later and nodded at the guard. “Sergeant Zaan. Everything was quiet overnight?”
“Yes, m’lord. Lady de Quinones’ healer, Geeta, arrived early this morning to lend her expertise. Last report had the young prince resting comfortably.”
Gregor nodded. The guard opened the door to the small antechamber where Stefan’s steward sat penning letters.
At Gregor’s appearance, the man stood and bowed. “Good morning, Lord Cyrene. His Highness will see you next. Can I get you a drink while you wait?”
The door to Stefan’s office opened before he could answer. Three men in the royal Questioner’s black robes, their faces hidden in deep hoods, strolled out in silence, and the steward showed them out. Stefan stood at the door to his office, watching the men with a scowl on his face. He glanced at Gregor and waved him inside.
“Seems a little early to stomach such morbid visitors,” Gregor said, closing the door. Stefan moved to stand behind his desk, the scowl not leaving his face. Another knot twisted Gregor’s stomach when the other man didn’t respond. “Stefan, what’s wrong?”
“Tell me about Lady de Quinones.”
Gregor’s brow wrinkled. “What do you want to know?”
Stefan began to pace. “Everything. How well do you know her? What led her to believe her nephew was here?”
Gregor watched the prince, his shoulders tense. “Her nephew was taken by a distant cousin. Nadia followed the woman’s trail, which led her here.”
“It’s come to my attention that she recently found her nephew’s remains.” Last night’s dream and Nadia’s sadness came unbidden to Gregor’s mind. Stefan paced faster. “She blames my father and plans to take her anger out on my brother and me,” Stefan growled. He jabbed a finger into the air and continued. “How dare she throw my friendship in my face. I held a dinner in her and her sister’s honor, publicly declared my appreciation, and this is how she thanks me? By plotting to harm me and my brother in some twisted act of revenge?”
Gregor jerked his attention back to his prince. “Nadia wouldn’t hurt a child, nor would she harm you for something you had no part in.”
Stefan stopped pacing to glare at Gregor. “You’ll excuse me if I don’t trust your judgment of women.” Gregor flinched, and Stefan’s expression softened into an apologetic frown. “That was low. Sorry. Though I trust you, this is a serious accusation. Find out whether these remains really were discovered or not. I’ll give your lady the benefit of the doubt, for your sake, but I need proof.”
“You honor me, highness,” Gregor said.
As he walked out, Nadia’s parting words from last night’s dream echoed through his mind, sending a shiver of unease through him.
I’m protecting you.
From me.