Promising Hope (41 page)

“Traveling, I suppose.”

Kate sighed. “If only Gregorio were still here.”

Sashe nodded, even as a bad taste entered her mouth.
“He’d know right away what was wrong.”

A few minutes later, William and Kilar entered the
sitting room.

“Is he all right?” Sashe asked, standing.

“He stopped throwing up,” William said. “He’s going
back to sleep as soon as he’s done writing to Jeshro.”

“What word will he send to Jeshro?” Sashe knew it
wasn’t her business, but she wouldn’t know unless she asked. If
William didn’t tell her, she could ask his scribe later on. She was
fairly sure the man had a crush on her.

William shrugged. “They’re to meet after he’s well.”
He smirked at Kilar. “Tisha will throw a fit when he finds
out.”

“I don’t know how long he’s going to stick around,”
Kilar said lightly, “if the king stays on this track.”

“He won’t be missed,” Grace said under her breath.
Sashe grinned at her.

Even Kilar looked amused. “You’ve got quite a tongue
on you. I hope you plan on staying here, Lady Grace. It wouldn’t be
the same without you.”

Grace looked coolly at Kilar. “I make no promises.
Though I do love it here, I’m missing my parents more every
day.”

“Perhaps they should visit again tomorrow,” William
said. “I know your mother loves entertaining us at meals.”

Grace smiled. “And I know you love her company.”

“Your mother is delightful,” Kate added. “Please
invite her for lunch tomorrow. It will lighten the mood since
Thomas is ill.” She paused, glancing towards the door. “Although,
if this is just a regular sickness, he should be healthy again very
soon.”

If
. Sashe wasn’t so sure. Where was Tisha,
after all?

“Can Cobb give the king something to help him feel
better?” Sashe asked.

William and Kilar exchanged glances. “Ah, we’ve given
Cobb a small reprieve,” William said. “He’ll be back in a few
days.”

“Oh, no,” Sashe said. “Well, where is he? Perhaps he
should come back sooner to help with His Majesty.”

“He’s missing,” Grace told Sashe quietly.

William’s face tightened, and he glared at Grace.
“And how exactly did you know that?”

“Kilar told me,” Grace said.

“Well,” Kilar said, his chest swelling, “to be more
accurate, she was eavesdropping on my conversation with Marisa.
What else did you hear, Lady Grace? Anything about potions or…
sense-dulling?”

Grace’s hand fidgeted with her dress and she shook
her head. “No, I only heard you asking about Cobb and Kris.”

Sashe and Grace certainly needed to talk later on
today. Privately.

“Well, yes, they’re both missing,” William said. “We
haven’t been able to find them since the night before last. I’m
sure they’ll turn up soon.”

Sashe nodded. “I hope so.”

“Please keep this quiet,” William told her and Grace.
“We don’t need everyone knowing that our Mahri is no longer with
us.” He paused, his face tightening. “Or a Thieran who could have
helped my father is missing.”

“Of course. It will make Tisha happy, though, won’t
it?” Grace asked, raising an eyebrow.

William’s brow furrowed, then his eyes widened as
though he’d just realized something. “Kilar? Excuse me, ladies.”
The two of them left in silence.

“What was that about?” Grace asked.

“They think Tisha’s responsible for Kris and Cobb’s
disappearances,” Sashe answered. “I wouldn’t be surprised.” She
looked at the door leading to Thomas’ chambers. “I wouldn’t be
surprised at all.”

* * *

“Marisa, you wouldn’t happen to have any
sense-dulling potion left, would you?” Grace asked as Marisa
braided her hair into a fancy style.

Marisa frowned at their reflection. “No, I’m afraid
not. And since Cobb is missing, I’m afraid I can’t ask him.”

Grace let out a slow exhale. She was getting ready
for another dinner in his chambers. She much preferred the strange,
fake-pleasant mask of the prince, but she wasn’t sure which William
to expect tonight. The cruel one who might force her to do
something, or the one who wanted her to believe he was apologetic
for all he’d done to her? She jutted her chin out, trying to draw
strength from somewhere within her. Whatever happened,
happened.

Ten minutes later, she knocked on the prince’s door.
Another dinner was set out for them. She’d avoided two nights in a
row with him, but now it felt just like one of the first two. He
pulled her seat out for her, and she eased into it. She asked about
the king’s health.

He shook his head. “Still ill, and Henry is still
searching for Thierans. I don’t understand where they all are.”

Earlier, Sashe had told Grace her theory that the
king wasn’t naturally sick, but that someone had done something to
him. The fact that Cobb and Kris were gone, that the Thierans
usually in town were also missing, it all fit together into what
seemed like a plot to keep the king sick. Grace wasn’t sure whether
Sashe was right or not. If she was… if the king died… everything
would change again.

“I’m sorry,” Grace said.

There was a knock on the door. William looked up, his
jaw tight. His servant opened the door and spoke quietly with
someone for a moment. He turned to William. “Your Highness, Henry
is here to see you.”

William made an exasperated noise. “Let him in.”

Henry entered the room, wringing his hands in front
of him. Grace hardly knew the man, but he was one of the higher
servants in the castle. He was given tasks of high importance,
usually. He cleared his throat. “Your Highness, I’m so sorry, but
Clyde and I searched all of Renaul. We haven’t found any Thierans,
and we’re not sure how to proceed. I returned to ask for your
directions.”

William stood. “How can you not have found
any
Thierans?”

“Your Highness, I’m so sorry,” Henry said. “We can
search the outlying towns, if you wish. I will do
anything—everything I can to help the king become well again. Shall
I—”

“Lady Grace, excuse me,” William said, putting his
napkin down. “Henry, come.” He paused by the doors and looked back
at Grace. “If you’re finished before I return, you may go back to
your chambers.”

“Take your time, Your Highness. The king’s health is
more important than me.”

William studied her for a moment, then nodded curtly
and left with Henry.

Grace ate quickly. She was sure William would ask her
servants how long she waited. She sat there for twenty minutes,
then excused herself to the servant. She walked back to her
chambers hurriedly.

“You’re back already,” Marisa said in surprise.

Grace collapsed into the chair at her desk. “Yes.
He’s searching for a Thieran for the king.” She wiped a few beads
of sweat off of her forehead. How much longer could she truly avoid
William and his desire to control her?

* * *

The next morning, the king was still sick in his
chambers. When Grace and Sashe visited, his head servant, an older
man named Robert, told them he didn’t think anyone should visit him
in case they got sick, too. Apparently the king wasn’t able to keep
any food in his stomach and he needed to rest. Sashe told Robert to
give Thomas her love, then they returned to Sashe’s chambers for
breakfast.

Grace didn’t see William for most of the day. She
assumed he was in town with Henry, searching for a Thieran. During
lunch, she took the opportunity to tell Sashe what Kilar threatened
to do for the ancient texts.

“Wonderful,” Sashe said. “I’ll add Kilar to my list
of threats.”

“Lady Sashe,” Ronu spoke from the corner of the
room.

“Yes, Ronu, I know you want to tell the king,” Sashe
said. She glanced over her shoulder. “But the true way to protect
me would be to kill anyone who actually carried out these threats.
Besides, the king is too sick today for you to visit him with silly
things like this.”

“The fact that the king’s son and one of his advisors
has threatened to kill you is not silly,” he said, his voice
hard.

“And what do you think you’d accomplish by telling
the king of these threats?” Sashe asked. She stood up and turned
towards Ronu. Grace wished she would have thought to tell Sashe on
paper or something.

“He could throw Kilar from the castle,” Ronu
said.

Sashe put her hands on her hips. “If anyone touches
me, you have his permission to kill them. That should be
enough.”

Ronu narrowed his eyes. Grace wondered if he’d tell
the king when Sashe wasn’t aware of it, perhaps when she was
sleeping. Two of his trusted accomplices guarded her while they
both slept. Ronu’s chambers had moved just next door to
Sashe’s.

When he said nothing in response, Sashe sat back down
across from Grace. “I’m not worried about Kilar. Evan and Adrian
will think of something. It won’t be long before Dar returns for
you, too.”

Grace shrugged, her eyes on her plate. “I hope he
doesn’t.” Of course, some part of her would find it horribly
romantic if he did, but it would only put him danger. She would
find her own way to escape.

“He will,” Sashe said.

Grace’s parents arrived shortly before lunch. Grace
wished Kyler was with them, but Father said he had finally asked to
court Jocelyn.

“Well, it is about time, isn’t it?” Grace asked,
smiling. She wondered why Jocelyn hadn’t told her, though. They
used to share everything, but now, she felt as though her former
best friend was someone she barely knew.

“Yes, I’m so glad!” Mother said, clapping her
hands.

They chatted and played music in the sitting room for
a short while, then Queen Kate arrived. Grace tensed as she watched
her parents pay the proper respects to the queen. She curtsied
herself, smiling tightly.

“Pearl, would you like to walk with me outside?”
Queen Kate asked.

“Of course, Your Maesty,” Mother said, inclining her
head. She beamed at Grace as though this were her doing, and Grace
gave her a weak smile in return. The two left, and Grace forced
herself to relax. It was just a walk. The queen may not have liked
Grace, but she’d never been cold towards her mother. Who knows?
Maybe her mother could convince the queen that Grace wasn’t some
diabolical troublemaker.

Grace turned to her father, and they both began
speaking at once. She fell silent, letting her father continue.

“Why are you still here, Grace?” he asked. “Tell me
the truth. What is he doing now?”

Grace swallowed. “You musn’t get upset.”

He tensed. “Just tell me, Grace.”

She licked her lips and let out a breath. “I think
he’d hurt Kyler or Mother if I left.”

Father stood, his chair scraping across the ground.
He began pacing around, breath coming out of his nostrils in short
spurts.

“Father,” Grace said, getting to her feet.

“How dare he. How
dare
he, that arrogant piece
of—”

“He says you’re too valuable, but he said that
Mother—”

“I’ll kill him!” Father yelled.

“Father!” Grace said, raising her voice. “He’s the
future king. We can’t do anything to him.”

Father stopped at the fireplace and gazed into the
flames, his hands clenching and unclenching. “I won’t let him touch
your mother.”

“Could you truly protect her?”

He spun on her. “Of course I can! What kind of man do
you think I am?”

Grace took a step back, her face heating up. “I just
meant—”

“I know.” His shoulders sagged. “I know, but you
don’t need to worry about Mother or Kyler. I never leave the house
unless I’m completely sure they’re safe.”

“But he has so much power,” she said quietly.

“I’ll give them more bodyguards. I’ll plant more
magic around the house to keep them safe. No one will touch
them.”

A sliver of relief went through Grace, even though
she was frightened of believing that her mother was safe if she
truly wasn’t. “Father, if anything happened to any of you because
of me—”

“Grace, you don’t belong here,” Father said. He
stepped forward and touched her shoulders. “I can see it on your
face how miserable you are, even though you try to hide it.”

“I’m not…” Grace trailed off.

“Has he hurt you again?”

“No. No, he hasn’t touched me. He’s concerned with
the king.”

Father dropped his hands. “If you were to leave…
where would you go?”

Her mouth went dry, and she avoided her father’s
eyes. She’d go to find Dar, to fight with the other Avialies.
Nothing would stop her from fighting for their rights. But William…
when he took the throne, what would he do? Would he retaliate
against the Avialies if Grace left him? Even if her parents and
Sashe were safe, she now had to think about an entire race of
people. If she angered the man who would one day be the most
powerful man in the country, he could hurt and kill the family she
was destined to protect.

“If only he could find someone else to obsess over,”
Father said. “If your mother wasn’t so set on you and him, I’d tell
her to play matchmaker, but she wants you to be queen.”

She shuddered. “I won’t let that happen.”

“But if you leave…”

If she left, there were too many ways he could
retaliate. He had more power than she ever could. No, she thought
as her face grew warm in anger. She had saved Dar and Evan and
Adrian from Gregorio. She had some kind of power. She just had no
idea if she could use it over William.

Was there any way she could control him as he tried
to control her? What did he care about? Power. Pride. The throne.
Her, for some reason. How could she use it against him?

Thoughts like this had kept her up the last couple
nights as she’d tried to figure out a way to get out of the castle
without losing everything.

“Grace?”

Grace stirred from her thoughts and looked at her
father. Her father, the general of all the king’s army. How many of
his men would follow him in a mutiny against the king? He was
respected, powerful. Her mother, too, had influence among the
nobles. Even though they pretended not to take her seriously, the
women looked to her for charm, gossip, fashion. So? What did any of
that matter? The prince would soon take the throne, and it didn’t
matter what two nobles thought of him. He would be king.