“Please.”
Perhaps it was the tremor in her voice, or mayhap it was the way her tiny fingers tightened ever so slightly upon his sleeve that convinced him to look at her. Whatever it was, he simply could not look away once their eyes had locked.
“What is it you will not tell me?” she asked. “I know you must be fatigued beyond compare, but there is something else lurking within you, a desire to be as far away from me as possible.” Her face scrunched up as if she were about to cry. “And—and I know it must have to do with what you have witnessed the last two nights. Aleck, please. Whatever it is I have done to you, whatever it is I have said, please, I implore you, please forgive me.”
A tear slowly made its way down her cheek.
The angel! She knew. She knew he was hiding—and yet she believed it was because she was a monster. What had he done? Swiftly he set his plate upon the table and clutched her to his chest. It was uncalled for, this behavior, but he could not help himself. He would not allow a moment such grief to consume this dearest of women.
Casey wound her hands around his back and pressed her face into his chest. Her sniffles were greatly prominent. “I am in such remorse. I do not know what I have done, but forgive my harmful actions,” she muffled into his coat.
“Hush,” he whispered, “It is not you. You have done nothing wrong.”
She shook her head. “Aleck. I know we have not spoken of our feelings but briefly, but my dear, I do not think you realize how much I need you. How much my heart would break—does break—knowing you do not wish to be near me ever again.”
“No.” He pulled back and looked into her watery gaze. “Casey, no. You do not understand. I wish to be with you more than life itself, but I cannot.” He shook his head at her confusion. “I simply cannot. I know that now.”
“But why?”
“There is another intended for you. I have seen you with him. He is a prince—royalty—and the joy you exude around him is beyond compare. When you dance with him, there is no one else in the room but him and you. I cannot take my eyes from the pair of you. And I am frank enough to own that even to attempt to pry you from this mysterious prince would be devastating for you and your future.”
“Aleck, no! I do not know who you mean. There is no one who—”
He pulled her into him again to silence her. “Shh. Listen to me, you headstrong woman.”
“Aleck, if you are implying that I am—”
“Enough. Listen. I am a gardener. I am a servant of your father’s. I am nothing compared to any other royal who could have you. I cannot bring anything into this union. I do not understand your ways and I would be lost amongst all this finery. It is better to be without me than with me.”
“You fool!”
She pushed away from him and his arms were bereft the moment she left. There was nowhere else he wanted her than tucked up safely against his chest.
“I do not know what it is you have seen while I was asleep under an enchantment. I cannot even comprehend what frustrations you have been caused to bear the last two nights, but believe me, Mr. Gardener, I know only of this reality here.” She pointed to the ground. “And of this reality here.” She patted her heart. “And of the words you are breaking that heart with here.” She touched her ear. “And all I hear now is how much you do not wish to be with me, ever. And I feel as though, just as I believed my world had opened up for good, it has been snatched away from me again.” She covered her face with her hands and turned from him.
He saw the silent sobs racking her shoulders from behind.
“Casey …” His voice trailed off.
CHAPTER TWENTY
CASEY FELT ALECK’S HAND touch her shoulder and she stepped back, melting into him. He wrapped an arm around her waist. How was she to make this humble man see his own worth? “Aleck, I care not that you are my father’s servant.”
“You should.”
“But I do not. I care that you are so concerned over my safety and happiness and my well-being that you do not think of yourself. I care that you are willing to sacrifice all of yourself in order to allow me the best of everything.” She clutched his arm. “As a gardener, it was your handsome face that captured my attention, but it was your continual reserve and goodness that captured my heart. Can you not see what my life has been like in this castle? Can you see why I would be drawn to such a man as you?” Turning, she met his gaze. “My sisters and I have been without a father and mother for so long. I am not looking for royalty. I am looking for a man I can depend upon. A man I know who will see me.”
She could feel the silly tears rising again. Goodness, would she have no pride once this day was through?
He shook his head slightly, but did not say a word.
“I have fallen in love with you because you care about me. Because you always cared about me. Even when you knew you should not, you could not help yourself.” She held a hand out. “Even now, why are you in this castle? Because you were so distraught over my predicament that you have risked your own future to solve my fright for me.” She lunged forward and buried her face within his chest again. “I ask you, what man does this with such a pure heart as you? What man would not become selfish and use me as a way to gain a footing into a better station of life?”
“Casey.” His deep voice vibrated through her. “Forgive me. ” She felt his fingers gently trail along her back.
“Please do not leave me here. If you love me, if you have any feelings for me at all, then allow me to save you as well. Allow me to open up my life to you and help your family in any way I can. Do not allow me to suffer needlessly without you. How I have longed to be seen. How I have longed to know what it is like to be truly loved.”
“But what of the man I have observed you with each night?”
Could he be so dense? “Oh, hang the man you imagine me in love with! Then quarter the chap, for all I care. I want you!”
Aleck chuckled. “I believe your sweet temper may be a bit more fiery than I first allowed for it to be.”
She grinned and looked up at him. “And are you saying you do not wish me to have a bit of spirit?”
He laughed very hard then. “No, definitely not! I like you this way.”
She pushed softly against his chest. “I cannot believe you nearly destroyed everything over something as idiotic as an enchantment. A spell forcing me to fall in love with someone. Chances are I do not even know the man you speak of!”
“His insignia is gold and black. Those of his court wear the same.”
She gasped. It could not be! “Describe him to me.”
“Do you know him after all?”
“I may.”
“He is tall, almost as tall as me. He has dark hair and dark eyes and a fair face.”
“Does he wear his hair long or short?”
“Long. It reaches his shoulders, with a ribbon tying it back.”
“No!” She stepped back and folded her arms. “Lythereon,” she whispered. “It cannot be!”
“Who are they?”
“One of the most brutal kingdoms there is. But thankfully, it is so far from us that we have not had any trouble for years.”
“So you are saying the man I have seen you with is—”
“He is the enemy! If such an alliance were to be made, he would overthrow my father and harm us all greatly. We are known as the gentle kingdom among the other royal families. This would be detrimental to us all.”
Aleck nodded. “Then that is who is behind everything. Does he have several brothers or male relatives around your age? There were many wearing the gold-and-black attire.”
“Yes. Now that I think about it, there are many male relatives in that family line.”
“Then I can tell you this much—they are not only targeting your family, but others as well. Several nearby kingdoms are present at the ball.”
“Oh, my!” She covered her mouth with her hands. “It cannot be. You must tell me all you know. I fear this is even worse t
han we could have ever imagined! And when we are done speaking, we must warn my father.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
ALECK STEPPED INTO THE ball holding the cloak about him tightly as he scanned the thriving event on his last night. It unindenttop seem that the enchantment brought Casey and her sisters last, since everyone else had already arrived. The dancing had not started yet, so he walked over to the diamond tree and broke off a cluster of sparkling fruit, the last of his nightly mementos to prove to himself and others that this place truly existed. He slipped it into the pocket of his shirt and readjusted his cloak. It was then that the music for dancing began.
He watched as the Lythereon prince approached Casey and walked her out to the middle of the floor. No longer was he jealous and saddened by such a sight. In fact, a pounding rage began to work its way through him. Four long hours he and Casey had spoken with the king that day. She was able to keep her father on track and focused on the grave danger before them. They discussed every aspect of what Aleck was able to find out the last two days, including the fact that it seemed the ball was held here in their castle. The king immediately put all his guardsmen on alert. He did not wish to take any chances.
The young prince stepped away from Casey and pulled her a few paces from the crowd. Aleck’s eyes did not stray from his smile. When the man pulled Casey in for a kiss, Aleck’s stomach twisted, and the pounding rage nearly blinded him.
Without thinking over his actions, he removed the robe and hid it in the nearby bushes. Then he rushed through the crowd to the couple and simply stepped in front of her partner.
“Hello,” he said to her.
Casey blinked with a confused look on her face. “Hello.”
“Do you not remember me?” He ignored the outraged stares of the couples around them and instead began to waltz with her.
“Who are you?” she asked.
He leaned in, his mouth just a hair’s breadth from her ear, and whispered, “I’m Aleck. The man you love.”
She gasped and pulled back. “Aleck?” She continued to blink up at him and then she smiled. “Aleck! It is you! Why are you dressed so informally at a ball?”
He looked down and saw that he was in his trousers and shirtsleeves. His waistcoat and jacket, he’d left behind in his room. Then he noticed Casey. She was in her nightclothes. He must have made an awkward face when he saw her dressed so, because she looked down and screeched.
The dance came to a halt. One by one, people all around them began to transform back into their bedclothes—shrieking and covering themselves as they did so. As soon as the last person’s attire transformed, the enchanted forest disappeared and all the guests found themselves scandalously in the twelve sisters’ bedroom, in nothing but their nightwear.
Shrieks and wails and gasps could be heard throughout the chamber, but it was the king’s loud voice bellowing, “Guards! Seize them!” that had the whole room halt in shock.
There the king stood in his royal robe and ornate slippers, pointing to two men more out of place than the rest. They were in peasant-type clothing and sprinting from the room in an attempt to escape.
Aleck lunged forward and blocked their path just as the king shouted again, “Lythereon! You? You are in my home? What have you to do with this? GUARDS! Arrest all of the Lythereon court NOW!”
It was a mass of confusion and disorder as men scrambled to defend themselves while others of the surrounding kingdoms attempted to help the guards. None were a match for the guards, dressed as they were with no weapon to save them. One by one, all of the Lythereon royal court were captured and taken to the dungeon below. And truth be told, they looked just as shocked as everyone else to find themselves in the old ballroom. The only ones who did not seem surprised were the peasant men. Aleck’s eyes narrowed as they passed him on their way to the dungeon. His first desire was to speak to his mother. Right then.
Several people were talking over each other. The remaining kingdoms had wrapped up in blankets and were discussing the oddity of it all when Aleck looked down at his hand and noticed Casey had a firm grip on it. How long had she been there?
He lifted her fingers to his mouth. The room was so preoccupied that he was certain no one would notice, and he kissed her hand.
She blushed.
Then he leaned down to that rosy cheek and whispered, “I must leave you for a bit. But I promise to be back shortly. You and I have much to discuss.”
She grabbed his shirt collar as he was about to straighten and brought his head down again, placing a delicious kiss upon his lips in front of anyone who happened to witness such a thing. “There.” She grinned. “Just so we are fully in agreement that you will come back and we will discuss many things.”
That grin! He chuckled softly and then swept her up in what he was sure was a much more eager kiss than she had anticipated. But it served her right, opening the proverbial door like that. The dear woman deserved to be kissed by the man she loved as if he could not bear to be apart from her. And he could not. Not for one moment. But he had to solve this final thing—he had to understand how his mother came to play in all of this before he could fully settle his mind and heart to the perfection in front of him.
When he released her, he placed his forehead on hers and said quite unmistakably, “I love you, Princess Cascadia, and heaven help any man who finds himself a fool for your charms as I have, for he will never be the same afterwards. We will speak. And I cannot wait for the subject that will bring me the greatest happiness I know—our future.” He kissed her again and then bowed once before slipping out of the room and castle toward his mother’s home.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
WHEN ALECK REACHED THE cottage, he was surprised to find his mother outside pacing. She clutched her hands together and was so deep in thought that she did not see him at first. “Mother?”
Even though he asked gently, she still jumped. “Aleck! It is you. What are you doing here at this hour?”
He took a moment to truly see the frailness that had come upon her. So much worry and stress lined her brow and tightened her mouth. “Will you tell me what is wrong with you? Will you please share?”
She shook her head. “This is no concern of yours. None whatsoever.”
He took a deep breath and slowly tucked his mother into his chest, wrapping his arms around her small shoulders. “You do not have to be so strong anymore. If you are in trouble, let me know. Let me help you.”
She wrapped her arms around his middle, but did not answer him.
“Mother, tonight the mystery of the princesses was solved. The enchantment was broken, and it would seem two peasant men and the Lythereon kingdom are to blame for the whole. They were attempting to align families within marriage so Lythereon could overthrow this whole area.”
She gasped and pulled back. “No. No, you are wrong.”
“What do you mean? What do you know? Tell me, Mother. The whole Lythereon court is below stairs in the king’s dungeon at this moment. If there is something that is not correct, let me know now.”
She sighed and nodded. “Very well. I will tell you, because I am afraid if I do not, in their anger to get back at anyone from this kingdom, your father will be killed.”
“My father? My father who passed away years ago?”
She turned from him. “He is the only father you have ever had, Aleck.”
“He is alive?”
She sighed. “Yes.”
His heart began to beat frantically. “He is alive and you have never thought to tell me?”
“Lower your voice! The children are still asleep,” she hissed.
“But—?”
“No one knows. I have told no one. I have locked this secret within me—this possibility that he may still be alive—and have not whispered it to a soul, afraid perchance that it was all a hoax and he really was dead. But I received news the other day. Come, and I will show you.” She beckoned him into the cottage.
Aleck was quick to follow her and
watched as she rummaged around in the basket before bringing out a cloth packet he had seen the other day. Within it were papers that he quickly scoured. His father was indeed alive! In Lythereon at this very moment!
But the ransom was too high.
“This is a ridiculous amount of money! Only a fool would pay such a sum. How dare they use you this way?”
“I know, I know.”
Aleck walked over to the wooden table and sat down. His eyes swam over the words confirming his father’s wellness. Tears sprang forth as he wiped his face a bit. How much had he missed that man? How much had the whole family suffered while his father needlessly suffered on his own without his family? He sat for some minutes contemplating the whole before asking, “You mentioned you would confide in me because you were afraid someone would kill Father. What did you mean by that?”
She walked over and sat next to him. “If word were to get around that our kingdom had wrongfully accused the Lythereon king of the dancing enchantment, his subjects might become angry and kill anyone from our kingdom for spite.”
“What do you mean, wrongfully accuse? Are you saying they are innocent in this?”
“Yes. The Lythereon court is as guiltless as our kingdom. They had no idea they were dancing each night, either.”
“So then, the two men? They were behind it all? Impossible! How? Why?”
She nodded her head. “They are extremists, hoping to overthrow all systems of hierarchy. They assumed the quickest way to do so was aligning the great enemies together and watching them kill each other within a few years.”
“What?”
“It is all I know—just their plot to do so. I was never given the particulars in how they had come up with the plan.”
“And why you?”
She looked at her hands. “I had received word that your father might be alive. I needed to find someone who would help me see if he was before I paid such enormous fees. I began to ask around to the shadiest of people I could find. These men are not from here, but they travel to all sorts of places and work and deal with the deadliest and most foul of persons. They saw an opening and a use for me when I approached to draw on one of their many contacts to browse the prisons and find my husband. They needed someone close to Hattie whom she would not suspect, someone who could purchase or get potions for them.”