The servant lowered her head even further. “What if there’s another explosion, my Queen?”
“What? Nonsense.” She raised a brow and shot a look of disdain to Blanchard before addressing the servant. “I’ll have the gates inspected. There’s nothing to worry about.” She blew out a hard breath. “Blanchard, assign mer matron Phelomenda a team to pick up supplies. And inspect the gates—at once. This is ridiculous.”
Blanchard bowed his head and quirked a smug smile. “Of course, my Queen.”
Yeah, sure you will.
As Azor’s lapdog, Blanchard had no intention of dismantling the poisonous nets covering each exit, even for food. He’d only stuck around to keep an eye on things and report the decrees Azor might need to undo.
Jacob shifted his weight from foot to foot while Tatiana ate with her eyes low, keeping to herself. So far, in spite of all the gossip about her failed union, she’d managed to stay in the Queen’s good graces.
A few spaces down, Princess Girraween’s voice filtered over the hum. She laughed with those around her, and pretended as if all were well with Natatoria. Queen Desiree, on the other hand, remained stoic and deep in thought as she pushed her meal around with her fork. Only the occasional hard look or gruff retort broke her concentration. The Queen, jovial and normally smiling, was the softer side to Phaleon’s hard rule. Without him, she’d had to assume a tougher role and was cracking under the strain. Jacob didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to handle the pressure.
The same went for Tatiana. Under the glares of the mer and whispers behind her back, her confidence was wavering. Jacob closed his eyes and cursed the promise. He’d known Queen Desiree to be strong in the presence of adversity, but apart from approval of the King, the promise molded her into a spineless jellyfish.
Pick up your head. Show them you’re stronger than this,
Jacob silently pleaded to Tatiana.
You’re to be queen.
“Could you please pass the salt?” Princess Garnet said, startling Tatiana.
“Oh, of course.” She handed over the salt, and waited a beat before replying, “Nice meal.”
Garnet dusted her soup, then smiled before dipping her spoon. Jacob held his breath for Tatiana’s sake, but Garnet said nothing further. Jacob wanted to kick Garnet’s chair for her rudeness.
The main course followed, broiled lobster tail and scallops, and Jacob’s stomach rumbled louder as he salivated over Azor’s plate. Tatiana turned with a concerned frown and motioned to the empty chair at the end of the table.
“No. I’m fine, Princess,” he whispered.
She stared at him and pressed her lips. “Then go to the kitchen, at least.”
He eyed her coldly. “Turn around.”
She huffed and complied, but kept eyeing the plate at the empty seat. He vowed to never allow himself to become so starved again.
Just a few more minutes
. He breathed a sigh of relief when the servants started to clear away the dishes.
“Who’s this for?” Tatiana asked the servant before he could take the plate of untouched food away.
“Prince Azor, ma’am.”
“But he’s not here.”
The servant gulped and flashed a nervous look at the head of the table. Once again he tried to take the plate and Tatiana delayed his hand.
Stop, Tatiana,
Jacob yelled internally. He refrained from resting his hand on her shoulder and squeezing.
Tatiana leaned in closer to the servant, “Please save it for me, then.”
“But, I—” the servant began.
“No,” Jacob murmured under his breath.
Tatiana turned to him with a persistent frown. “Then go eat in the kitchen.”
Jacob clenched his jaw, unmoving from his spot.
“Tatiana? What seems to be the trouble?” Queen Desiree asked. The table hushed.
Tatiana whipped her head around and straightened her shoulders, standing. “I was wondering what would happen with this uneaten meal.”
She smiled. “They discard it, of course.”
“Even with the scarcity of food? I’d rather someone eat it.” Tatiana said. “Like… my guard, Jacob.”
Jacob bristled. Had she no tact?
The Queen’s smile vanished into a smirk. “Your guard is to eat with the servant staff.”
“But Blanchard—”
“Blanchard is first in command when Prince Azor is away. And since you’re new, I’ll excuse your insult to me and this table.”
Jacob stared straight ahead as all eyes fell on him and then to Tatiana. He couldn’t have imagined anything worse for her to say at her first meal as princess.
The Queen’s heated stare lingered on Tatiana for a beat longer, sinking in. Then she stood and threw her cloth napkin onto her half-eaten plate of food, and stormed out of the room in a huff.
The room collectively gasped and Tatiana sank into her chair. Once the conversation picked up, she pushed her uneaten greens around her plate with her fork and all Jacob could hear was Garnet’s low cluck. It took all his concentration not to backhand the tiara off the snob’s head.
11
: : :
Disappointment
Audience resumed and Tatiana sat on her brocade throne with her hands in her lap, hoping to fade into the itchy fabric tickling her back. The Queen conducted business far more curtly than before lunch, and Tatiana couldn’t help but blame herself.
So stupid.
She hadn’t meant to upset her, but with the obvious waste of food, she couldn’t handle listening to Jacob’s stomach a moment longer. Was she trying to impress her guests? Show that even though they’d run out of peasant rations, royalty didn’t need to worry? How could they not see the obvious in front of their faces with the low numbers of fish outside and the servants scared stiff to pick up supplies?
Then after the meal ended, Jacob dashed out of the dining room first, without even so much as a look. Tatiana knew she’d get an earful later, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to sit by and let perfectly good food go to waste. Tatiana glanced out to the hall once again, hoping to give him an apologetic glance, but didn’t spot him.
However, as more mers confirmed the terror the explosion had caused, Tatiana wanted to disappear into the cushions of her throne. And without knowledge of who was in support of whom—her father or the King—the Queen had the public fountain in the square sealed off completely. Only the royal healers were allowed to dole the vials from her private bath. Though many mer matrons, like Sandy, acted as healers, without essence they were useless against the poisons. Xirene and Pearleza were the only official healers that Tatiana knew of, and because of that, a huge task loomed before them.
After dinner, Tatiana retired early and crawled into bed mentally and physically exhausted, but not before Jacob let her have it.
“My well-being is for me to worry about, Princess,” he’d said. His bitter tone stung her ears and crushed her spirit when all she’d wanted was to make sure he’d eaten something. Unable to reason with him, she’d abandoned him in the hall and slammed the door.
The tears fell into her silken pillow. Her insides were numb, first with embarrassing Jacob and now with her longing to appease Azor. Was it so horrible to want to cocoon herself in his arms? She couldn’t deny any longer her real fears, that he’d find and arrest her parents. Why was that more important than their relationship? And what if he succeeded? Could she be with a man who’d so diligently brought her parents to his warped sense of justice?
She pinched her eyes shut, her breath taken away. The fact Azor remained away for so long had to be good news. Or was it?
She thought of her family, of Ash and Fin. She missed them so.
“Please. Let them be safe,” she mumbled into her pillow.
And though she couldn’t stop her worry, her heavy eyelids fell shut and sleep overcame her quickly. But not the peaceful rest she craved.
Running from swarms of stinging bees rattled her dreams. Continually they stung, over and over, creating a deep throbbing pain in her lower back. She tried to open her eyes to escape them without any luck.
And what seemed like minutes later, the sun-tunnels brought in the morning light. Tatiana rolled over to stretch and a stabbing pain radiated from her hip.
Sea stars. What the—?
A brown mark stained her skin. She leapt from her bed to the full-length mirror and quietly whooped. The coveted fleur-de-lis had finally made its appearance.
She traced the strange mark while biting her lip. No one had said it would hurt coming in, but then again, the only royal who’d acquired a mark from a promising kiss and not from blood was Queen Desiree. Maybe she’d ask.
Then Tatiana glared at her hand. Why hadn’t her ring tattoo appeared then?
“Oh,” Nicole entered the room and eyed Tatiana’s hip, then smiled appreciatively. “Good morning, Princess. Sorry I didn’t wake you sooner. You were sleeping so soundly. Shall I fetch your breakfast?”
Soundly?Holy Crawfish!
Tatiana wanted to express the opposite, but the fleur-de-lis had lightened her mood.
“Yes, Nicole. Thank you. And get a little extra, please.” Tatiana nudged her head toward the hall.
Nicole winked in understanding and darted from the room. Satisfaction flooded Tatiana as she shrugged off her sleeping gown. A famished bodyguard wouldn’t do her any good and with Nicole’s regular deliveries, she’d get him to eat one way or another. She couldn’t help but crack a smile. Had that jellyfish Garnet even missed her at the breakfast table this morning?
She laughed, then put on an outfit from her closet—the pink beaded one Girraween fancied—and tugged the waist of her skirt down to show off her fleur-de-lis. In the reflection of the mirror, something shimmered from her dressing table. Tatiana turned and froze. In a bed of silk sat a small jewel-encrusted crown.
Did Nicole bring it with her earlier? Tatiana knew she wouldn’t have missed it yesterday. Gingerly, she approached the treasure as if it would sprout wings and fly away, and pulled the delicately entwined silver from its resting place. The gems, arranged in flowers next to metal leaves, shimmered in the light. Should she wear it today?
Her hair, resembling a peacock that had flown through a tornado, needed serious help. She tugged out the feathers from yesterday and pulled the brush through her blonde hair. The loose tresses fell softly around her shoulders. With lithe fingers, she nestled the crown on her head.
Its beauty took her breath away, along with the responsibility.
“Queen Tatiana,” she said softly as her heart thumped harder.
Anxious to show someone, she popped her head out of the doorway.
“Jacob?”
He startled to attention. “Princess. Good morning.”
She waited a beat for him to notice, but his eyes quickly glazed over and slid shut.
“I’m having Nicole fetch breakfast. Have you eaten yet?”
“Oh, I…” His eyes flittered open and he combed the hall with a frown. “She did?”
“She’s picking up extra, but if you insist on refusing to share, you can leave to eat in the kitchen,” she said while fluffing her hair, trying to draw attention to her crown. “I think I’m fine here. I don’t see any bad guys lurking in the hall—well, maybe a small one behind that vase over there. You can get him on the way out.”
Jacob didn’t even smirk. He shook his head. “I’ll wait.”
“Wait for what? Are you even awake?”
He lifted his head and grunted, stretching his arms above his head and twisting his torso. His biceps flexed around his ears, making Tatiana’s head swim. She stared a moment too long, imagining herself snuggled in next to his rippling chest.
“I am awake, and don’t worry about me.” Jacob slid into a runners stretch.
Worry?
She snapped from her trance and pushed aside her hair, trying to recall what they were talking about.
Oh, right. Breakfast.
“Fine, then I’ll force feed you half of mine in a few minutes.”
She turned, but he took her arm, recapturing her gaze. He stood and his eyes suddenly burned into hers, sharp and quick. “Do not assume for one minute you’re safe here. I said not to worry about me.”
She swallowed down her gasp, startled at his abruptness, and shirked off his hand. “Yes, but you need to eat at least. I can’t have my bodyguard famished when I need him, can I?”
He exhaled heavily, closing his eyes. He paused, gaining his composure. “I am far from famished, Princess. I’m taking in sustenance just fine.”
Yeah, with my help,
she thought smugly, her eyes darting down his impressive chest.
“Suit yourself.” She smirked. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little? Who’s brave enough to come up against the Dradux to kidnap me?”
“Don’t assume the Dradux are on your side, Princess.” His eyes wrinkled at the corners.
Tatiana frowned. Yeah, she hated the creepy Dradux, but they served the King. They’d die to protect him. She shook off the worry.
“What did the Queen want with you last night?” he asked abruptly.
“Oh, I don’t know. But when I woke up, I found this.” Tatiana stretched her neck and held her head high.
He quickly glanced at her head and remained irritated. “Hmmm.”
“What?” She touched her tiara. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” He frowned and rubbed his chin. “We should go back to the compound today.”
“You act as if I’ve been given free reign because the Queen has let me out of the dog house. And that so totally hasn’t happened,” she said adamantly.
As if that were my decision whether or not I could leave to begin with.
Jacob’s eyes squinted. “Dog house?”
Tatiana quirked a smile and nudged Jacob in the side.
“You’ve never heard of dogs?”
“Well, of course I have, but what do their houses have to do with the Queen?”
She laughed. If it weren’t for the fact dogs couldn’t survive the trip to Natatoria, puppies would be roaming the halls, looking for patches of grass to pee on right now.
“Serpents, it’s just a human expression. It means… I hope to stay in her good graces, especially after she’s given me this.” She touched her crown.
“Hmm.” He shook his head, annoyed again. “I’d like you to decline audience and make arrangements to return to the compound. This morning.”