Diomere's Exile

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

Nadia pulled her cloak tight around her face, and stopped in a dark alcove near a bust of one of Thuno’s past kings. Two of Prince Stefan’s guards moved down the hall, their sharp eyes passing over her glamoured form. It was a relief to know she could actually rely on her Mer abilities. Only her heartbonded, and those related to her by blood, could see through the glamour when it worked correctly.

Her heartbonded. She rubbed her chest over the ache in her heart, wishing she’d not been such a bad tempered harpy the last time she’d seen him. Her sister was right. The need she’d felt to return to Diomere had dimmed. Sure, she still missed her sisters, but Gregor had slipped his way past all the walls she’d put up around her heart. No matter how snarky she was, he refused to give up on her. Shame filled her, and she silently thumped her forehead against the wall. How many of the A’mi would give anything to find their heartbonded? And here she’d been fighting against such a rare, priceless gift for a bunch of useless secrets.

She lifted her chin. No more. Once she was sure her nephew was safely away from the palace, she’d find Gregor, and tell him everything. Hadn’t her nephew shown himself to be A’mi? Neither Prince Stefan nor Gregor hated the boy. They accepted him. Gregor would do the same for her. He was different than most Thunoans. Special. She pictured his striking face, pale eyes twinkling as he smirked at her in that way that said he found her amusing. She hated that look. She loved it, too. She loved him.

She gasped. She loved him. He’d seen her in all her different personas. Spy, guild leader, innkeeper, and Diomerean royal. And he liked them all. Her heart thundered in her chest. All her doubts clogged her throat until she couldn’t draw a full breath.

“Just a minute. I thought I heard something,” said one of the soldiers who’d passed by moments before.

Nadia realized she’d lost track of what she was supposed to be doing. Shoving her panic aside for later, she hugged the realization close to her heart, and returned her focus to this most important mission. Her nephew was so close to being returned to her sister’s loving arms. She couldn’t afford to be distracted now.

“There’s nothing down here.”

The soldiers peered into each of the hallways shallow alcoves, once again passing her by. She waited until they’d reached the other end of the hall to move closer to her nephew’s door and the single guard who stood to the right of it. The door opened. The guard’s bored expression sharpened, and he reached out to hold the door open.

Her nephew’s personal servant backed into the hallway, a covered tray in his hands. “Good eve, Sergeant. How fares the new babe?”

“He’s a joy, Master Maro. A happier babe, I couldn’t have asked for. The missus sends her heartfelt gratitude for the basket you brought from Prince Reis. The babe’s eyes light up each time he hears the shaker, and the large loaves and delicious honey saved my wife much time in the kitchen this last week.” The guard’s face darkened. “How fares our young prince?”

“He lives, and is recovering quite well, thanks be to Asha. I’m happy the babe enjoys the shaker I chose for him. Give your wife my regards, won’t you. She is a lovely lady.”

Nadia eased forward as the conversation came to an end. When the servant moved out of the way, she darted through the door before the guard pulled it closed, being careful not to brush against him. She released the breath she’d been holding as the door latched. Looking across the large sitting room, she found her nephew sitting before a fire. His pale face was much thinner than the last time she’d seen him. Geeta had told her that he’d come a hairbreadth away from losing his life, but it hadn’t really sunk in until this moment.

“I owe the gods so many thanks for sparing your life.”

Reis’ head jerked up, and his gaze found her instantly, despite her glamour. That confirmation made something in her relax for the first time in over twelve years. Despite the overwhelming similarities between him and his father, she’d still questioned that she’d really found him alive. Her eyes burned. She’d really found her nephew, the babe which had been stolen from under her nose.

He smiled, his tired eyes making him appear much older than his almost thirteen years. “As do I.” He relaxed back into his chair. “What do I owe the pleasure of your company, m’lady?”

“Tia Nadia.” The prince lifted his brow, and Nadia smiled, his resemblance to his royal father unmistakable. “Please call me Tia Nadia. It’s how your mother referred to me in your presence when you were a babe.”

Reis nodded. “Tia Nadia, then. What can I do for you?”

“It’s time.”

The smile melted from his face. “Already?”

“Geeta has given the okay for you to travel. We can’t take a chance that the next attempt made on your life will be successful. Those hired to do the job will only grow more desperate as their deadline looms closer. Do you have a bag ready as I suggested?”

“Yes. I just need to add a couple of things to it.” The prince stood and went into his room, calling out over his shoulder. “How are we getting out of the palace without being seen?”

“A summons from the Dieuroi will arrive any moment ordering you to join the festivities below.” Nadia pulled a set of commoner clothes from under her cloak. “Wear these under one of those overly dressy front button tunics the Thunoans like so much.” He handed over a small pack and took the clothes from her. “When you reach the doors to the dining hall, I’ll create a distraction. While everyone is focused on that, push the tunic from your shoulders and slip into the kitchens. Geeta’s husband, Jon, a very tall, dark skinned man with a Berezan accent, will be waiting for you in the cellars. Do you know where they are?”

A corner of the prince’s mouth lifted. “My brother and I used to sneak down and steal one of the small barrels of the Dieuroi’s rarest spirits. The only time we were caught was due to the lure of fruit pies the royal cook had left cooling in the kitchen. She nearly took off our hands before she realized who it was she’d attacked.” He looked up, his gaze twinkling with remembered mirth. “I don’t think either of us had ever laughed so hard. After that, we decided stealing pies was a much bigger challenge, and forgot about our father’s spirits.”

Nadia reached out and squeezed the prince’s shoulder. “I’ll forever owe Stefan a debt of gratitude for making sure your childhood bore good memories to temper the bad.”

“I’m going to miss learning from him, the advice he gives, and the brother he’s been to me.”

“You can honor him the most by using the things he taught you to be the kind of king that he’d be proud to ally with,” she said, understanding that sibling bond and how much he’d really miss it.

A knock sounded at the door. Nadia returned to the corner of the room.

Maro, her nephew’s personal servant, entered frowning. “The King has ordered you to join the festivities below. Should I let him know you’ve already eaten?”

“No, I’ll go. It’s better not to risk his wrath any more than I already have.” Reis turned and pushed into his sleeping chamber. “Let them know I’ll arrive shortly.”

The servant quickly penned a response, pressed her nephew’s seal into a blob of hot wax, and then returned to the door to hand it to the waiting messenger. Reis stepped out of his sleeping chamber dressed in a knee length, dark blue tunic edged in an ornate gold design which buttoned up the front from his neck to his waist. A gold embossed leather belt with a gold buckle and holding a jeweled dagger sat at his waist effectively hiding the coarse fabric of the plain trousers and shirt. Nadia nodded.

Reis placed a hand on his manservant’s shoulder. “Thank you, Maro. For everything. You’ve been an amazing friend to me all these years.”

The servant got a confused look on his face. “Is all well, my prince?”

Reis smiled softly. “Yes. I’ve just realized that I never know when I’ll see someone I care about for the last time and I wanted you to know how much your expert care has meant to me.”

The servant’s eyes glistened as he cleared his throat. “The pleasure has been all mine, Prince Reis.”

Reis squeezed his servant’s shoulder then moved to the door, his gaze darting toward Nadia then away. Maro pulled the door open and held it. Reis paused and Nadia slipped out ahead of him. He nodded to his manservant, and stepped through, closing the door behind him.

The guard stood at attention. At the sight of Prince Reis, he placed his hand over his heart, unaware that Nadia hurried past him and down the hall. Reis followed at a slower pace, the guard marching a step behind. The other two guards fell into step with the first around the prince, and all three escorted him to the dining hall.

Nadia sent up a prayer that the gods would protect her nephew until he was safe in their care. She ran down the stairs, throwing her cloak back revealing a gown of deep sapphire cut in the Thunoan style. Geeta had lightened her black hair to a reddish-brown and pulled it up into an intricate sweep of curls. Her scar was hidden so that she looked nothing like herself. Despite her disguise, she knew Gregor would recognize her. Their bond would assure it.

She slowed to a walk, thankful for the soft slippers which let her pass undetected. When she reached the wide open doors leading into the dining hall, she stopped and waited. Thunoan courtiers streamed past her into the large room lined with tables. When Reis appeared at the end of the hall, Nadia straightened and noted who approached the dining hall doors. The short, round figure of Lord Victor Pajari appeared. Nadia smiled grimly. She couldn’t have asked for a better distraction. Dropping her glamour, Nadia stepped away from the wall catching the repulsive lord’s beady eye. She gave him a demure smile.

He leered at her and waddled over. “Good eve, m’lady. I am Lord Victor Pajari, Earl of Juktas. Please tell me the name that belongs to one of such beauty.”

Nadia swallowed the impulse to gag, bit her lip, and looked up at the man through her lashes as she held out her hand. “My name is Sharis Zakros. I’m a widowed cousin of the Earl of Zakros, and am here as chaperone for Earl Zakros’ daughter.”

Lord Pajari smiled as he brought her hand to his cold, damp lips. “My deepest condolences on your loss, m’lady.” He stepped closer, so that his protruding stomach brushed her hip, and brought her fingertips to his lips. Nadia saw Reis over Pajari’s shoulder, steps from entering the dining hall.

Yanking her hand from the man’s slimy hold, she screamed. “How dare you touch me without my permission.” She shoved the rotund man, who stumbled backward, his expression one of surprised alarm, and fell to his backside. She looked around frantically. “Someone, please, help me. This man accosted my person, and attempted to take liberties I didn’t allow.”

Reis met her gaze and nodded. “Guards, take Lord Pajari into custody until we can clear this up.”

The red faced Lord Pajari lumbered clumsily to his feet. “Why, you little trollop, I did no such thing.”

Nadia wailed and feigned panic. “Oh stop his vile tongue from addressing me.” She forced tears to well from her eyes, and sagged against the nearest noble. “I feel feint. Please, m’lord, don’t let him near me. I can’t stand the sight of him. He sought to damage my honor.”

A crowd of courtiers waiting to enter the dining hall turned toward the commotion, and more guards marched over as Lord Pajari yanked against the guards’ hold. “Unhand me. Do you have any idea who I am? How dare you take the word of some earl’s lowborn relation over mine. Unhand me, I say.”

The noble she leaned against patted her shoulder, then raised his voice to be heard over Pajari’s protestations. “Everyone knows you take liberties not freely given you, Pajari. How can you think we wouldn’t believe the young woman when you have a history of such behavior.”

Nadia slipped from under the noble’s hand and melted back into the crowd, while pulling her cloak closed around her shoulders. She scanned the crowd for her nephew, but didn’t see him. Taking another step back, she pulled the hood up over her hair. When she reached the outside of the crowd, she turned and walked toward the palace’s front doors. Had anyone been paying attention they would have seen her vanish into thin air. She slipped through the open door, past arriving nobles. She reached the drive lined with waiting carriages and stepped into the shadows to drop the glamour. Stepping out of the shadow, she waved to an unmarked black carriage which moved out of line and pulled up before her. She nodded at the driver, then climbed in. Pell snapped the reins.

They started down the palace drive, and Pell looked back at the man who stepped out of the carriage Nadia had been standing next to. Recognizing the smirking face of the driver, Gregor’s gaze dropped to the hooded figure glimpsed through the carriage’s window. He turned and ran up the stairs into the palace, his heart a hammer in his chest. He halted in confusion as a crowd of wide-eyed spectator’s watched the red faced Lord Pajari argue with Lord Zakros, two of Reis’ guards holding his arms.

“What in Druj’s dark gaze is going on here?” he roared.

Everyone fell silent and turned toward him.

Lord Pajari yanked his arms from the guard’s grasp, and glared toward the Earl of Zakros. “This imbecile’s relation accused me of besmirching her honor.”

“For the last time, that young woman was no relation of mine.” The haughty faced Earl sniffed.

Gregor glared at the guards. “Where is his highness, Prince Reis?”

Both guards jerked around. The crowd cleared to show the third guard on his knee beside Prince Reis’ discarded silk tunic. Gregor felt as though his heart were being squeezed in a tight fist.

Prince Stefan appeared at the door to the dining hall. “What is all this commotion?”

He met Stefan’s curious gaze, unable to say anything. Stefan’s face paled.

Gregor’s shoulders sank. “I’m sorry, my prince. Your brother is gone.”

Stefan’s face flushed an alarming shade of red as he gritted out through clenched teeth. “Arrest her. Now.”