A Captive of Wing and Feather A Retelling of Swan Lake - Melanie Cellier Page 0,31

as she served their meal and put her favorite herbal tea in a mug to steep. Wren wrinkled her nose at the smell of it—just as she always did—and it felt almost as if Audrey had never left and the last six months had never happened.

Audrey ordered Gabe to take a seat and pushed a plate toward him from the other side of the table.

“Audrey,” Wren hissed at her sister. “He’s the prince!”

“And thank goodness for that,” Audrey said, not bothering to keep her voice lowered as her sister’s had been. “I wish I could do as I liked and go where I pleased.”

Wren’s wry voice said, “You mean that’s not how you live your life?” at the same moment as Gabe said, “It’s not quite like that,” the laugh back in his voice.

I rolled my eyes at all of them, and leaned over Gabe, waving the piece of paper still clutched in my hand in front of his face. I didn’t bother holding it still so he could read the words—he already knew what it said. Audrey, however, leaned across the table and snatched it from me, absorbing the request for information. For a brief second our eyes met across the table, and I saw the first hint of seriousness beneath her bubbly, joy-filled energy. We had more to talk about than could be said in this room. And whether I liked it or not, Gabe was now a part of that conversation.

“It was a very short visit,” Cora said. “Don’t tell me our local lord turned away the crown prince?”

“Of course he did,” said Audrey, wrinkling up her nose in apparent distaste for Leander. “I don’t think he’s had a proper visitor there in his life.”

“Don’t tell me he has improper visitors,” Cora muttered.

Wren gave her a warning look, her eyes flicking to Juniper who was racing around the room, too excited to contain herself.

“You know what I mean—noble people, paying social visits,” Audrey said in a voice of exaggerated long-suffering. “Not people like you and me.”

I frowned. What commoner visitors had Leander been having at the Keep? None that I knew of. Or did Audrey just mean the servants who all lived there?

Gabe had begun eating, although his eyes kept track of the conversation. He struck me as half-amused and half-bemused by Audrey’s exuberance.

She came around the table, approaching Gabe from the other side and sliding onto the bench awfully close to him.

“Go on, Gabe,” she said. “Put Lady out of her misery and tell her what happened.”

She tore the hunk of bread she held in two, offering the slightly larger half to him. He took it with a warm smile—not seeming in the least offended by her casual treatment of him.

It was a point in his favor, so I wasn’t sure why it made my stomach clench uncomfortably. If anything, I should be feeling relief. My friend had returned—seemingly unharmed and in good spirits—and the prince was accepting her as if the two of them had the same long-standing friendship as both had with me. Not that I counted Gabe as a true friend—more like a childhood acquaintance.

As if he could read my uncomplimentary thoughts, the prince glanced my way. I met his eyes, gesturing toward the piece of paper that Audrey had discarded.

He flashed me his signature grin and finally began talking.

“When I announced my arrival and identity at the Keep’s gates, I was naturally invited inside,” he said. “Unfortunately, a number of the staff are laid low with a contagious illness, and Lord Leander couldn’t countenance any risk to my person.” Gabe stopped short of actually rolling his eyes, but I could hear it in his voice.

I glanced at Audrey, but she had her head down and was shoveling food into her mouth. Clearly she knew better than to contradict the official message in our present company.

“He sent me away with many apologies and promised that as soon as it was safe to do so, he would hold a party in my honor to welcome me to the region.”

“A party?” Astonishment laced Wren’s voice. “Who does he intend to invite? We’re a little isolated out here.”

“All of Brylee, I believe were his words,” Gabe said.

“All of Brylee?” This time it was Cora echoing him in surprise. “That would be a first.”

“Well, it’s also the first time a member of the royal family has visited the town,” Audrey said, finally chiming in.

I stared at her. Did she honestly find that a compelling reason for such