Queen of Secrets

5

My upcoming wedding to Prince Nial would secure us a new trade route, an influx of soldiers, and much more. Too bad the thought of it made me ill. Not only would I have to marry a man I didn’t love, but I’d have to leave my home and move to a different kingdom. I’d argued against the marriage with my brother, but he’d convinced me it was for the best for our people, and I had to admit he was probably right. An alliance with Andaria could give us the resources and backing we needed to turn the tide in our war with Ilidan and finally bring peace to our land. I would do what was best for my country and my king, even if I kept thinking about the man with dark eyes and rough stubble who’d stood in front of me last night.

Garon and I had both known our love was forbidden. We’d understood that our relationship could never become more than a secret tryst. Neither one of us had cared about the consequences. Or so I’d thought. When he told me it was over I was heartbroken, but my brother convinced me it was for the best. After all, it would never have worked out, unless I was willing to take Garon as my lover after my marriage—but that wouldn’t be fair to anyone involved.

I’d tried to put my love for him behind me, but fate had brought us together again last night, and I had a feeling it wasn’t done with us yet. If I was going to find the person who wanted me dead, I would need Garon’s help. Which meant seeing him again. Which I wanted more than anything, despite knowing it would only bring me more pain in the end.

I rose to my feet. “I’ll find the person who tried to have me killed. But until then you might want to put extra guards on Fellina, to be safe.”

“I will. And on you as well.”

I arched an eyebrow. “When have I ever needed guards?”

“It’s for your protection. Humor your poor old brother, would you?”

“Fine. I’ll allow a few more to accompany me when I leave the castle.”

He gave me a rare smile. “So generous of you.”

With a nod, I left the room and went to find his wife, Fellina. Though she was Queen, she was also a wizard with an affinity for fortune runes. She might be able to help me gain insight from the future, but if not, she was a dear friend whose counsel I could use right now.

I asked one of the guards where she was, and he directed me outside to the Queen’s Garden, which had once been my mother’s, and her mother’s before that, and so forth. I headed down the hall in that direction, but was stopped by another man as he left his own quarters. My fiancé.

Prince Nial’s eyes widened when he saw me and he flashed a warm smile. “Good morning, Princess Dahlia.”

I gave him a quick nod. “Hello, Prince Nial. Has your day been well so far?”

“Yes, but it’s better now that I’ve seen you.” He took my hand and pressed a kiss to my knuckles. “Your beauty grows stronger every day.”

“Thank you. You are too kind.” I pulled my hand away as soon as I was able to without making a fuss.

“Are you excited for the ball tonight?” he asked.

“The ball?” Oh, right. With everything that had happened last night, I’d completely forgotten about the ball to celebrate Balsam and Fellina’s upcoming baby. “Yes, of course.”

“I do hope you’ll save me a dance.”

“I’m sure that can be arranged,” I said with a smile.

He rested his hand on my shoulder. “And soon it will be our turn.”

I swallowed hard. “Indeed.”

I’d delayed our wedding for years, making excuses that I was too young, or that my brother needed me during the war, but in a month’s time Nial and I would be married and working toward having an heir of our own. The idea filled me with disgust, even though Nial was not hideous, but simply average in every way, from his height to his weight to his face. The only thing that stood out about him was the silky black hair that was common in Andaria. At forty years old he was double my age, but I couldn’t find anything else truly objectionable about him, no matter how hard I tried. He was always kind to me and my family, seemed to have a good mind for politics and history, and treated his staff well. If he was boring and not particularly attractive to me, well, those were things I could learn to live with. Truly, he was the best I could have hoped for from an arranged marriage.

But I didn’t love him and I never would. That knowledge filled me with a terrible loneliness and longing I feared I would never be able to overcome. Then again, I wouldn’t love any of the other men my brother could have picked for me either.

My heart belonged to one man, and I could never have him.

Four

Garon

A

t first all I could do was sit there on the ground, hunched over and in pain, as my body protested from the beating they’d given me. I allowed myself some time to recover, but when the aches faded, my racing heart slowed, and my breathing became even again, I forced myself to get to my feet.

As pain lanced up my side, I gazed around my dark, empty prison cell and plotted my next move. In the past I would have accepted my punishment, gritted my teeth, and worked through it, confident that I would prove to them that I was every bit the assassin they were. But not today.