Aurelia

  but melony must not stay. A private talk was the only way to persuade elise to let her guard down. Aurelia gathered her courage. "excuse me, mel, would you mind if I have a moment alone with your mother?"

  "Of course not." melony stood up, then moved close, clasping her sister's hands. Are you all right? she mouthed silently.

  Aurelia nodded, trying to mask her fear, but she felt grateful when her sister's sharp tug pulled her into the hallway out of elise's hearing. The queen's wintry face continued to frown at them from a portrait on the wall. "How did you dare?" melony whispered, a tone of admiration in her voice.

  "Dare?"

  "I mean he's very handsome, but Father must be furious."

  The scene in the throne room. under the strain of acting out robert's plan, Aurelia had forgotten about the public request for the picnic outing. It must be the talk of the palace by now. "Father gave his permission," she said.

  melony gave her a knowing look. "yes, but he expected you to refuse."

  "He just lectured me on how I should encourage my suitors. besides, robert is Henry's nephew."

  "That's even worse." melony sighed, leaning against the wall. "Now Father has to be careful not to upset Henry."

  For some reason, the comment grated on Aurelia's nerves.

  she disliked the implication that robert was somehow less worthy than the myriad of suitors her sister allowed to call. "Look, I don't know why you're surprised. you receive notes from almost every young man in the palace."

  melony tilted her head. "but I don't accept them in public." Her voice scaled up. "The Vantauges aren't royal. They aren't even titled. Father would never accept a relationship between one of his daughters and . . . " The diatribe trailed off, replaced by an uneasy silence.

  Aurelia stared at her sister, unsure what lay behind this unusual speech. "mel, is something wrong?"

  Her sister's fist rebounded off the wall a couple of times, and melony gave a faint smile. "No. I . . . I guess I'm just realizing how limited our choices are as we grow older."

  "Why? What's happened?" Aurelia tucked a loose gold curl behind her sister's ear.

  "Oh, Father claims the populace is upset about the funds used for my coming-out party."

  Was that all? Aurelia grinned. It was nice to know her frivolous sister was developing a civic conscience. "Never mind, mel. everyone deserves a birthday. Next year, maybe you can limit the guest list to no more than half the kingdom."

  "maybe." melony lifted a hand. "but I wouldn't want to start a civil war." The blue eyes sparkled, and she turned to retreat down the hallway.

  Aurelia wished her own problems were limited to party expenses. she steeled herself for the coming encounter and returned to her stepmother's dressing room.

  The queen remained at her vanity table, scrutinizing the rows of pearls in her hair. A silk robe draped over her nightdress, and satin slippers protected her feet. "my goodness," elise said, her eyes tracing their way from her stepdaughter's bound hair to the pair of leather shoes on Aurelia's feet, "you girls are putting me to shame this morning. Of course I might be further along in my toilette without all these interruptions."

  Aurelia bit her tongue, telling herself not to allow elise's criticism to spoil the plan. "your majesty, someone mentioned you might have heard of a geordian desert racehorse in Tyralt City."

  elise's hand jolted, causing an ivory hairbrush to skid across the table. Her smooth face reflected nothing. "really, my dear, that sounds like court gossip. What did this source say the horse looked like?"

  "golden, he said. He seemed certain about the color."

  "And well he might, as that seems to be the only correct part of his story. I believe a golden racehorse has entered the area. One of your father's colleagues told me of it. perhaps he shared his information with your young man." elise planted the word young in the conversation.

  Aurelia ignored it. "I should like to see the colt race."

  "I heard it would not be racing here."

  "so he said." Aurelia pouted, plopping into the wicker chair and knocking several pillows onto the floor. she looked up, widening her eyes in a pleading expression. "I wondered if you could use your influence to persuade the owner to change his or her mind."

  elise frowned at the displaced pillows. "I am certain I could do so, but I am not certain holding a horse race would be a good use of that influence. perhaps the owner does not wish to put the horse on display."

  "True. That is why I thought you could invite the colt and its rider to come to the palace arena for a private run." The word private dropped from Aurelia's lips with emphasis.

  "I suppose that might be managed." elise dipped her fingers into a jar of lotion and smoothed the pale substance into her hands. "With a limited audience, the owner's worries might be resolved."

  "No one from the palace would be there except a jockey and me."

  "Are you certain you can promise that, Aurelia? I won't have the owner upset because of your little scheme."

  "promise."

  elise gave a dramatic sigh. "The horse belongs to the king of Anthone. you may take your proposal to him." she turned back to her mirror. "Now, I really must prepare for breakfast, my dear. you have made me dreadfully late."

  Aurelia stood up, retrieved the fallen pillows, and put them in their proper places. "sorry I kept you." she struggled to maintain a slow pace as she moved toward the door.

  "don't be surprised if he refuses." The queen's brittle voice followed her out.

  Free of her stepmother's gaze, Aurelia hurried down the hall, her mind spinning. elise had approved of the private race, but then she had named edward of Anthone. What did that mean? Was the queen behind the plot, or was edward? Were they behind it together? Without answers, there was only one course of action.

  pausing just long enough to collect minuet as a chaperone, Aurelia headed down the corridor of the west wing. edward had been placed at the far end of the hall, as far away from the royal family's rooms in the east wing as possible. she rapped on the door.

  "enter," said a deep voice.

  "your majesty?" she eased into the dark sitting room. Not a single window split the green brocade on the walls. The oak desk in the corner and the bookshelf beside the doorway did nothing to brighten the room, and the four chairs at the center were murky brown. "may I speak with you?" Aurelia asked.

  keen eyes watched her entrance. "Certainly, your Highness." edward ducked his bald head in slow acknowledgment. "What a pleasant surprise." His tongue slid suggestively over the word pleasant.

  she struggled not to cringe. "I've heard talk about a golden colt that has entered the area. my stepmother tells me he belongs to you."

  The pink skin on edward's forehead pressed together in thin wrinkles. "Indeed," he said, gesturing to the high-backed chair at his side. "I was not aware the colt's presence had become common knowledge."

  she sat tentatively on the chair's slick cushion. "keeping a good racehorse a secret is a task too great for even a man of your wealth and reputation."

  His chin dipped forward, jogging the layers of loose skin along his neck. "I had heard your Highness values good horses."

  "I am only interested in the best."

  "I assure you I collect the very best for my stable." He stood up, keeping her under his predatory gaze.

  Her flesh crawled. "That's easy to say with the colt hidden away. Are you willing to prove it?"

  He glided around her, circling with unexpected ease for a man of his age. "Are you challenging me, your Highness?"

  "making an invitation, rather." she lifted her chin. "I would like to see your colt race. I understand you do not want him to perform in public, but I thought you might allow him a private run in the royal arena."

  A thin smile cracked his face. "A private run against another horse?"

  "One," she replied. "A single stallion, a jockey, and myself as the audience."

  He stopped circling and stepped closer. His rancid breath blew on h
er forehead. "your father and I have yet to complete our business. I have no time for watching horse races."

  One less complication. "your majesty's presence will be missed, but if the colt has as much potential as you claim, he may manage to run without it."

  edward reached out and ran his index finger in a slow curve along her jaw. "I will consider your request and send you a written note if it can be arranged."

  she shivered. And fled.

  Not half an hour later, robert hurried toward the guest rooms himself, pushing his cousin in front of him. Chris jerked away. "robert, this is insane. Why am I doing this?"

  "Think of it as a favor," robert hedged, pretending to look at the portraits between the doors lining the corridor. He needed someone's help, and he wasn't going to let Aurelia walk into edward's rooms after hearing about her last visit. The man was too unpredictable.

  Chris banged his right fist with the flat of his left palm. The sound echoed down the empty hallway. "I am reminded of the time when we were children and we built the fort."

  "With the chairs?"

  "And uncle brian's table with the family crest." Chris gave his cousin a look.

  "Hmm." robert lowered his eyes, trying to avoid the critical gaze. Floral patterns flashed beneath his feet.

  "I was in charge of defending the fort," Chris said, slowing his walk, "and you were the invading force."

  "As I recall, you appointed me to invade the fort."

  "you invaded, all right. you busted your father's table into three pieces."

  "poor structural quality," robert defended himself. He hated to think what might happen if his current plan failed. The results would be far more tragic than a broken table. He tugged his cousin forward.

  "And I took the blame because you were afraid your father would be disappointed in you."

  "I remember."

  "Well, believe me." Chris closed a firm hand on robert's shoulder. "your father's reaction was nothing next to my father's when he saw that dent in the coat of arms yesterday."

  robert looked up, feeling guilty. He had forgotten all about that. between the picnic outing and his plans to trap the assassin, not to mention uncle Henry's busy schedule, robert had not even crossed his uncle's path. "did you tell him I caused it?"

  "He didn't exactly wait for me to explain. I think you're the one who owes me the favor."

  "Then don't think of this as a favor," said robert, opening a palm and closing it in a fist. "Think of it as an opportunity."

  "For what, getting caught where I don't belong?" despite the protest, Chris's face glowed with anticipation.

  "Aren't you the one who said getting into trouble allows you to get your father's attention?" robert teased.

  "yes, but I had enough of it yesterday." They stopped outside the door to king edward's rooms, and Chris dropped his voice. "What am I supposed to do?"

  "Just go in and distract edward. Once I'm hidden inside, make sure he leaves the room. I don't know how much time I'll need. maybe ten minutes."

  "What if there is someone else in the room?"

  "There won't be."

  Chris tapped a hand on the brass door latch. "How do you know that?"

  Because no one else was in the room thirty minutes ago when Aurelia came out. "Then take whoever else is in the room out with you as well."

  "How am I supposed to do that?"

  robert shrugged in exasperation and slid against the wall to avoid being seen. "you have more experience with this sort of thing than I do."

  "right." sarcasm filled the syllable. Then, without giving warning, Chris barged into the sitting room. "your majesty."

  "yes?" edward's voice vibrated with tension. robert could see the man's angry face through the crack in the doorway. "And you are?"

  "your afternoon guide." Chris slid forward, drawing the king's eyes toward the far side of the room.

  "I don't need a guide. I've visited here since before you were born." edward turned his back to the door.

  And robert moved, slipping through the doorway and squeezing his body behind an upright bookcase. Aurelia had been right about that, the perfect hiding place. A small gap beside a bookend provided an excellent viewing spot.

  Once secure, robert returned his attention to the conversation in the room. Chris had leaped into the challenge as expected. "The king said I must show you the new guest wing. He's certain you'll want to stay there as soon as it's complete."

  What new guest wing?

  "I can wait until it's finished to see it," said edward.

  "Oh no, His majesty wants your advice. After all, what more important guest could he have than the leader of the neighboring kingdom?" Chris's wagging tongue coaxed edward out of the room. The door swung shut behind them.

  robert launched into motion, out from behind the oak bookshelf, to the desk in the corner. Not a single item lingered on the stained surface. His hand flew to a drawer handle and froze.

  "Odd how the king did not mention that." edward's voice echoed through the wall.

  No, no, not yet.

  The voice drifted away. "yes, I have all sorts of ideas."

  robert's fingers flew back into action. One drawer after another opened at his touch: ink, parchment, quill pens. There it was! exactly the item he had been looking for, right in the center of the top drawer.

  He snatched it, folded it, and hid it in the pocket beneath his coat.

  Aurelia shivered and adjusted the loose sides of her cloak, pulling them tight. A chill wind gusted over the private balcony, taking with it the last of the warm weather; and a dark cloud drifted in from the east, stretching out its talons and burying the sinking sun. she could not help but feel that the weather had adapted to her emotions.

  she wished she were back on the sunny meadow, racing horses or telling stories. Or feeling her heart ricochet at robert's kiss. Anything but standing here discussing his plan for capturing the culprit behind the plot. "but if Horizon has never run on a course, are you certain you want to race him against the golden colt?" she asked.

  "I have no intention of racing him," robert said, leaning on the balcony railing. "And yes, I want him at the racecourse in case I have to chase down gregory."

  "How do you know gregory will be the colt's rider?"

  "He's a jockey. I can tell by the way he's built. And he was the one riding the colt the night I went to midbury. both our suspects are connected with him. Whether edward or elise is behind the plot, gregory tried to kill you on Carnival night. The culprit would be a fool to involve someone else when he or she could hire the same assassin."

  "What if neither edward nor elise takes the bait?" Aurelia asked, glancing back through the balcony curtains toward her sitting room. In order to gain the chance to talk in private, she had sent her lady's maid on a pointless errand. The room remained empty.

  "Then I shall have to come up with another plan," robert said. "but I think the culprit will be unable to resist the chance . . . "

  "To kill me when I'm trapped alone in that arena." Aurelia's eyes turned back to the view beyond the balcony's edge. stable walls stretched below her, and behind them stood the massive stone wall encompassing the racecourse. even from this height, she could not see into the arena's center.

  "you will not be alone," robert said. "I will be there, and your father will be hidden behind the curtains of the royal box. I need you to saddle Horizon and bring him to the arena for me. I won't have time while I'm hiding the king. unless you prefer to be the one to tell your father about the plan?"

  she shuddered and shook her head. In her mind, she could see her father's reaction when he learned about the danger in which she was placing herself. "Why do we have to involve my father at all?"

  "because he should hear the instigator's name from the assassin's own lips."

  Wind tugged at her cloak, and she pushed it down over her skirts. "If we can hide my father, why can't we hide one or two guards as well?"

  "because we want gregory to feel
safe, like he is the one in control. If he thinks we're the only ones who know he's the assassin, he might tell us who hired him. He'll think he still has a chance to escape." robert looked her in the eye. "He won't feel that way with a couple of guards holding him at sword point. do you really think palace guards are going to stay hidden once they know an assassin is near the crown princess?"

  memories of the incident in the market square flashed into Aurelia's mind. "No, I suppose not." she could not keep a waver of anxiety from creeping into her voice.

  The brush of robert's fingers touched her cheek. "I'll be there before you arrive." His voice scratched as though holding back emotion. "I promise." He held her gaze, and the moment stretched.

  And stretched. she might as well have been standing on the balcony railing. What precipice could hold more danger than his gaze? Or incite a more powerful urge to jump?

  "e-excuse me, your Highness," squeaked a voice. minuet stood behind them, holding a white envelope in her trembling hand. "I am to deliver this."

  Aurelia blushed, afraid her thoughts had been printed on her s face. she took the sealed parchment and flipped it over. No label. Her fingers shook as she managed to break the wax. A single written line met her gaze.

  Tomorrow morning at seven o'clock in the arena

  someone had taken the bait. A sour taste lodged in her throat as the paper slipped from her fingers.

  robert snatched it before it blew away. His eyes devoured the words and lifted to the lady's maid. "Is the messenger who delivered this still here?"

  minuet shook her head.

  "do you know the messenger?" he demanded. "does he or she work for the queen? Or edward of Anthone?"

  The girl backed away, no doubt shaken by the sudden onslaught of questions. "I . . . I did not recognize the messenger."

  "Was it a man or a woman?"

  minuet's face paled.

  "What did the messenger look like?"

  "enough." Aurelia put a hand out to stop robert. "Never mind him," she told the lady's maid. "you may return to your duties. Lay out a gown for tomorrow."