an adder attacks my sister. It’s because of her.” Xander closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I can only say that the future looks bleak. There will be more deaths before the moon runs a full cycle.”
“More deaths?” I asked fearfully.
He ignored my question, looking down upon his sister. “Ameline shouldn’t have been left alone,” he reprimanded me.
“I didn’t, and I’m not a ser—”
“You’re not?” He looked down at my servant’s dress and shook his head. “You could have fooled me. How dare you pretend to be a lady when in fact you’re nothing more than a servant? You should be ashamed.”
“I can explain.”
“Impersonating someone of higher class is considered a crime.”
“I wasn’t.” He wasn’t letting me clarify, but I could see he didn’t like being deceived, and his pride was hurt. There would be no amount of rationalization that would satisfy his ego, and I refused to belittle myself and beg for his understanding.
“You were lax in your duties, and in doing so, you endangered the princess. You should be reassigned. You obviously are not suited for nursery duty.”
“I beg to differ,” I stretched the truth. I loved children, but they generally feared me. I wasn’t going to tell that to the prince though.
His dark amber eyes were filled with loathing, and I knew that no matter what I said, he had already formed his opinion of me. I rested my hands on my hips and glared back in challenge. I wasn’t going to back down.
A wry grin crept onto his face. “I know. Why don’t you go and serve my new wife.”
“But, Xan.” Ameline pulled on his sleeve as she tried to warn him of his folly.
“Hush, Ameline,” he commanded, and the child fell silent. She looked up at me, her eyes twinkling with the secret she seemed inclined to keep. “I’ve already heard that she’s complained about not having servants or seamstresses available at her beck and call, so I will assign you to her from now on.”
With the way he was grinning at me, I believed he thought it was going to be a cruel form of punishment.
A page came running out of the palace to greet the prince. His face was red, and he looked out of breath. “Your Highness, the king is about to meet with the emissary from Florin.”
“This isn’t good. Did they come alone?”
“Just Lord Earlsgaarde and his retinue, sir.”
Prince Xander stilled and stared off into the distance. “What an auspicious day for them to arrive. Did they say what they want?”
“No, sir.”
“Double the guards on the queen and my sister. Have more patrols out until they’re gone from the palace. I want all eyes on them. Do you hear?”
The page bowed and ran to obey the prince’s orders while questions filled my mind.
“Is there anything I can do?” I asked, forgetting my place.
“Do?” Xander gave me a seething look. “What could you possibly do? Wait. See to it that my wife stays out of my sight and out of the way of the emissary. Her presence will only muddy the waters as I try and navigate this delicate situation.”
“But wouldn’t you want—” I started, wanting to plead my case to be by his side. It was the wrong thing to say.
Xander snapped at me, his eyes blazing with warning. “Don’t ever presume to know what I want. That would be folly on your part.” He cocked his head and studied me, silently wondering how much education I probably received as a servant. What he didn’t know was that I received plenty of tutelage, and that it was my naivety that was getting me in trouble.
“I’m clever enough to know that you’re stupid to believe all this that’s befallen your household is because of one woman.”
Xander took a threatening step toward me, but I held my ground, my chin rising, my eyes meeting his in challenge. “I can and I do. Much ill has befallen us already because of one woman.”
“Xander, please take me inside.” Ameline was becoming restless, trying to warn her brother that he shouldn’t challenge me. At her level she could see my hands curled into fists. She had seen my power with her own eyes and knew if it came to a fight, I could reduce her brother to a pile of ash. She pulled on his arm with all her might, turning him away from me and toward the castle.
Xander continued to study me like I was an aberration with two heads. “You