Besotted (The Fairest Maidens #3) - Jody Hedlund Page 0,64
all are.”
I hadn’t realized Mikkel and Vilmar now stood directly behind me with their weapons drawn. The silver-toothed man was holding Princess Pearl back, but from the way she was struggling, I doubted he’d be able to restrain her for long.
“Who are you?” Mikkel stepped to my side. “And what business do you have with Queen Aurora?”
Chester scowled. “What business do you have with her?”
“She is my wife’s cousin.”
Chester’s retort died on his lips. His attention shifted to Vilmar, back to Mikkel, and then to me. I had no reason to keep my identity from him any longer. “I am Prince Kresten of Scania. I have resided in Inglewood Forest for nigh six months undergoing my Testing.”
“I heard the rumors regarding Prince Mikkel and Prince Vilmar.” Chester studied my brothers more carefully, obviously having learned enough to know their names. “I didn’t realize Scania had a third prince on the Great Isle.” His gaze alighted upon me with new interest, as though seeing me for the first time.
“I regret I did not inform you and Aurora.” I let my hand fall away from my weapons.
He dropped his away as well. “I should have realized your identity sooner. As it was, I believed you to be a man of some means who’d been rejected by his family.”
Of course a knight of his training wouldn’t believe my woodcutter ruse indefinitely. “Now that I am aware of Aurora’s status as Mercia’s queen, I fully understand we cannot be together. You need not worry any longer on that score.”
“Good.” He nudged his horse. “Then let us pass. I shall not rest until I have her back in my possession.”
“We shall ride with you. We can accomplish more together and shall be stronger in number against the foe.” I beckoned Jorg to bring me my horse.
Chester shook his head. “No, you’ll only slow us down.”
“We believe Queen Margery is taking Aurora to the Boarshead Hunting Ground over the border into Warwick.”
“I believe this as well. She wouldn’t leave Mercia’s queen exposed and susceptible to recapture any longer than she has to, especially for so great a distance to Kensington.”
Jorg neared me with my mount, and I took the lead line from him. “You know the woods better than anyone. Do we have any chance of regaining Aurora before she reaches the lodge?”
The shadow of sorrow that rippled across Chester’s features was my answer even before he straightened in his saddle and scowled at me again. “If you let me pass, I’ll get her.”
“Once she reaches Boarshead, all will be lost. Princess Pearl assures us the basilisks will prevent us from attacking the lodge.”
“I have already sent a messenger to Delsworth. King Stephan will discharge ambassadors to bargain for her release, and Queen Margery will return her once she has the keys to the ancient treasure.”
I didn’t know anything about keys and an ancient treasure. But I did know Chester was wrong. “My brothers have informed me that Queen Margery will slay Aurora in order to use her heart in her alchemy.”
Chester wrapped his reins around his hand, and his steed snorted and shied sideways. He showed no surprise at the mention of alchemy or the queen’s design for Aurora’s heart. “Queen Margery has always aspired to have the keys, even more than her desire to rule Mercia. She’ll exchange Queen Aurora for the keys.”
“You are wrong,” Princess Pearl said, wrenching away from the silver-toothed man and striding toward me, her gaze trained on Chester. “Queen Margery has discovered she needs a royal maiden’s heart for making gold. And she will stop at nothing to ensure her years of experimenting come to fruition.”
“She’ll have no need for alchemy when she unlocks the treasure and has all the gold she could ever want.”
Pearl stopped next to Mikkel, and again I was struck by how regal and beautiful she was. From the admiration in Mikkel’s eyes, it was clear he was thinking the same. “My mother will lure Mercia into giving her the keys. But have no doubt, Mercia will never have Aurora as its queen as my mother will take Aurora’s heart first.”
“You don’t know that.” Chester’s tone filled with frustration more than anger.
Pearl lifted her chin. “I do know it. If she was willing to slay me—her own daughter—to attain my heart, then she will most definitely butcher Aurora without delay, for she must have the heart before Aurora turns twenty.”
Chester swallowed hard. His anxiety only made mine worse. I hoisted myself into the saddle, ready