Adrienne (12 page)

Adrienne made a noncommittal sound, then disengaged herself from him and left the hall as sedately as she could. The heat from Malik’s anger beating against her skin made her want to run, but she quelled the urge. She’d embarrassed herself enough for one night.

The doors to the outer dining hall closed and she breathed a sigh of relief. The amount of stress that accompanied the ordeal made it not worth repeating. She turned to relate her conclusion to Mushira and found the woman missing. In her place, the Primaries stood. As Malik’s personal guards—for show or not—Adrienne had assumed their place was with him at all times, but there they were.

Mushira came out of the hall at a fast pace some moments later. She frowned at the Primaries but ignored them and went to Adrienne. She dropped a curtsy and said in apology, “I had the rest of your food sent to your rooms in case you become hungry later, Highness.”

Adrienne snorted at that. “‘Hungry later’, nothing. I’m hungry now. I couldn’t stand another minute in that room. Those people staring at me, judging me, talking about me, insulting me… Most of it to my face.” She didn’t mention Malik’s anger. No one seemed to have noticed but her.

She
would have never noticed if Malik’s anger hadn’t come with a heat attachment set permanently on high.

“I’m sorry for that, Highness, I should have warned you.”

“In the old days, such talk was forbidden and considered treason,” Khursid said. “King Malik wants to know people’s opinions. The better to—”

“Hush,” Mushira bit out.

Muffled screams from the inner dining hall stopped Adrienne from telling Khursid to ignore Mushira and continue with what he planned to say. She stared at the double doors and a sense of dread settled around her. Had someone attacked Malik?

“Did you hear that?” she asked in a frantic voice, her feet already carrying her back to investigate.

Mushira and the Primaries barred her progress while Khursid and Qamar took up positions flanking her. She couldn’t figure out why.

She looked at everyone in turn but no one would meet her eyes.

Mushira said in a strained voice, “It was probably nothing, Princess Adrienne.”

“We should check to make sure,” Adrienne insisted. She looked at the Primaries. “Don’t you want to make sure Malik is okay?” The men said nothing. They didn’t even acknowledge she had spoken.

She narrowed her eyes at them. “What’s going on? You aren’t telling me something.”

“Nonsense, Highness,” Mushira said with a laugh. “We should not dally in the open like this.” She turned Adrienne gently and guided her away.

Something had happened. Adrienne would bet it was something she needed to know about. The screams she’d heard had come from more than one person, none of whom sounded like Malik. They were screams of pain.

Adrienne followed Mushira without another word. She had plenty of time to find out the truth.

Chapter Nine

Adrienne woke with a sense of dread for the new day. She would have to attend another meal in the dining hall and didn’t know if her stomach could handle the stress.

“Good morning, Highness,” Mushira said. Nimat and Hani echoed her greeting. All three women entered Adrienne’s room and set about opening the curtains.

Mushira ran her hand over an orb near the bed. The ceiling went transparent, revealing the sky and flooding the room in light. “It’s a beautiful day.” Her voice was happy like her manner. She chuckled when Adrienne buried herself under the covers. “Hiding will not make the day stop, Princess.”

“I don’t want to have breakfast with those people,” was Adrienne’s muffled reply. She peeked out and added in a childish taunt, “And you can’t make me.” She reburied herself and dared Mushira to try and get her out.

“I have no intentions of making you do anything, Highness. If you would like to eat here, I will have Nimat fetch your tray.”

This got Adrienne to peek her head out again. “Really?”

“Truly.”

“Does Malik know about this?”

“King Malik is taking his meal in his chambers this morning. I do not believe he would wish you to face the court without him.”

Adrienne emerged fully with a happy smile. She sat up and gave a good stretch. “Good morning, Mushira, Nimat, Hani.”

All three women curtsied. Nimat said, “I shall see about your breakfast, Highness.” She curtsied again and started for the door.

“Wait, Nimat,” Adrienne said as she got out of bed. She walked to the windows. The gardener-plant battles hadn’t started yet. It might be interesting to see them up close. “It
is
a pretty day. How about I have breakfast in the gardens?”

Silence followed this question. She turned back to make sure everyone hadn’t left. Mushira and Nimat stared at her in shocked silence. Hani nodded with a small, approving smile.

“Well?”

Mushira jerked and stammered out, “Of course, Highness. I…I will… If you allow a few minutes to—”

“Take your time, Mushira. I’m going to take a bath first.” Adrienne tossed a wave over her shoulder and walked to the bathroom with Hani trailing behind her.

Mushira left Nimat the task of preparing a picnic-style breakfast while she spoke to Malik about Adrienne’s plans for the morning. He opted to let her dine alone but sent the Primaries to keep an eye on her.

Adrienne entered the garden directly below her room and found it blessedly unoccupied. Hani explained that the location of the garden made it a security risk to allow anyone but the gardeners access. That said, Adrienne was happy she chose to stick with the familiar—and privacy—rather than exploring.

Her outlook on the morning brightened. She didn’t even mind the Primaries’ presence, and they gave her the opportunity to allow Khursid and Qamar the morning off. Khursid insisted on staying, but Qamar took advantage of Adrienne’s generosity.

“Good Lord! Who is all this food for?” Adrienne asked as soon as she saw the picnic blanket. There were ten platters piled high with food.

“For you, Highness,” Nimat answered. “The cook didn’t know what you would like so sent one of everything.” She shooed the remaining servants away, then signaled for Adrienne to make herself comfortable.

Mushira entered the garden, joined the others, and relayed to Adrienne, “King Malik sends his happy regards about your decision to leave your rooms this morning, Princess Adrienne. He hopes you will excuse him from attending you, as there are many preparations he must oversee for the wedding in five days.”

“Not a problem,” Adrienne said cheerfully. She sat on the blanket and stared at the food with no idea where to start. “Okay, everyone sit down. You’re going to help me eat all of this.”

Hani and Nimat obeyed. Mushira fixed Adrienne a plate first then sat. Adrienne looked at Khursid and the Primaries. “You’re not sitting.”

Khursid replied, “I did not think your invitation extended to me, Highness.”

Adrienne rolled her eyes. She pointed to the blanket and commanded, “Sit.” After Khursid obeyed, she turned her attention to the Primaries. “Let me guess, you three don’t think I’m talking to you, either.”

All three men wore clothing and weapons identical to Khursid’s and Qamar’s. The man in yellow was the shortest of the black-haired trio by two or three inches. He had one of those baby-like faces women always fall for. His soft brown eyes made him look as dangerous as a newborn puppy and just as cute.

The two remaining men were completely identical. They had the same green eyes, squared jaw and small mole on the left side of their chins. It was a good thing one wore red and the other blue, or Adrienne would have thought she was seeing double—or the magicks were at it again.

“Did you mean for us to join you, Princess Adrienne?” asked the man in yellow.

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. Take a load off. Relax. I don’t bite.” The man in blue smiled at her words. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but held himself back.

All three men sat on their knees. They didn’t relax, but Adrienne hadn’t thought they would. “Introduce yourselves again. I don’t remember your names.”

The man in blue, who had smiled before, bowed. “I am Bayard, Princess. I am the Primary who wears all blue.” He held out his hand to indicate his twin. “This is my Uncle Flavian, the Primary in red.”

Adrienne choked on the piece of bread she had put in her mouth. A general uproar ensued before the bread was dislodged and Adrienne pronounced healthy again.

She drank a full glass of water, then asked, “Your uncle? You look exactly alike. I thought he was your brother.”

Flavian nodded. “That is to be expected. I am a shifting mage, Princess. My talent is changing my appearance to look however I choose. I don’t really look like Bayard.”

“Isn’t that a little dangerous? For Malik, I mean? If you can change the way you look all the time, what keeps someone from impersonating you?”

“Very smart, Princess,” Flavian complimented. He pointed to the side of his neck. He had a tattoo of Malik’s crest below his ear. “This is a magickal imprint. It cannot be copied or forged. Malik wanted me for his Elite guards because of my particular talent, but he knew it might make him vulnerable. Thus, he marked me.”

Bayard added, pulling down the collar of his shirt to show his tattoo, “Indivar and I opted to wear the tattoo as well, to show our solidarity. Ours are hidden and one of the best kept secrets of the Primary Elite.”

“My talent also comes in handy with the females in the palace. I can look like any man they wish. It has made me very popular,” Flavian boasted.

“I bet,” Adrienne said. “I take it you’re not married?”

“No, Princess. I am blessedly single. The only one of us with any type of familial obligation is Indivar. He has a four-year-old daughter.”

“You’re married?” Adrienne asked happily. She gave Indivar an encouraging look to elaborate.

“No,” Hani answered quickly. Everyone looked at her. She cleared her throat. “Rena’s mother does not acknowledge her and doesn’t deserve to be called a lady of Ulan’s court.”

“Lady Piper is the heir of a prestigious noble family,” Indivar said. “She cannot claim a child born of a momentary lapse of judgment. She has to marry a lord worthy of her family’s power and produce legitimate heirs.”

“Legitimate heirs again,” Adrienne grumbled. “So Rena gets pushed aside? That’s not fair. Why can’t Piper raise her daughter even if Rena won’t be her heir?”

Mushira explained, “Lady Piper is a distant relation of the royal family. As such, her family is under tremendous pressure to remain powerful and show that, though distant, their power still rivals the royal family.” She shook her head in a pitying manner.

“Until King Malik, Lady Piper’s family has always succeeded at their goal. Our king refused the Mage Guild’s training. Trial and error were his teachers. Such learning made him one of the most powerful mages on all of Bron,” Indivar said. “Lady Piper must find a powerful husband to produce children who will hopefully equal your children, Princess.”

Adrienne muttered, “Always trying to keep up with the Joneses.”

“Excuse me, Princess?” Bayard asked.

“I’d like to meet Rena,” Adrienne said, changing the subject. They had gotten too close to her reality again. She smiled at Indivar. “Looks like you’re going to be stuck with me all day. There are plenty of us here. I think we can keep an eye on one four-year-old. Who watches her, anyway?”

“The cook,” Indivar answered. “You want me to bring her here now, Princess?”

“No time like the present.”

Indivar bowed and left to retrieve his daughter.

Adrienne watched him leave, then turned her attention to Hani and asked, “So, how long have you had a crush on him?” It was a guess on her part. Hani choking on juice and blushing confirmed Adrienne’s words beautifully. “Does he know?”

“No!” Hani clasped her hands in front of her and pleaded, “Oh, please, Princess Adrienne, don’t tell him. I don’t… Indivar is still in love with Lady Piper. He—”

“I don’t mind if you want to watch Rena during the days. Don’t let her distract you from your duties, though,” Adrienne said with a wink.

Hani let her jaw drop. She recovered herself and said, “Thank you, Highness. Thank you so much.”

“
You should join them.
”

Malik, with Feyr beside him, watched Adrienne and the others from his perch in a nearby tree. He’d planned to watch for a short time then join her, but he couldn’t get himself to move.

“
Malik?
”

“No,” he whispered. “She is laughing and happy. My presence would ruin that.”

“
Since when has that stopped you?
”

“Do you not need to be with your mate?” Malik snapped. He glared at his cat.

Feyr laughed. “
My mate attacks me whenever I go near her. Mulit females don’t like males nearby when they are ready to give birth. I wouldn’t hurt my cubs, but it is hard to argue with years of female instinct.
”

“You do not need to be
here
. Leave.”

“
I will when you do
.”

Adrienne’s laughter interrupted Malik’s next comment. He turned his gaze back to her. “Soon,” he whispered.

“
Not soon enough
.” Feyr jumped to another branch when Malik lashed out at him. He laughed at Malik’s growl. “
Temper, temper, old friend.
”

Chapter Ten

The day of the wedding arrived. Adrienne had enjoyed learning more about the people who would be closest to her for the rest of her life. The only person she remained unsure of was Malik.

She avoided or ignored him and in doing so, she had lost the chance to learn more about him. Seeing him only reminded her of the inevitable.

Her reflection stared at her with sad eyes. She would be married soon, and thankfully Mushira had dictated modesty for the occasion.

There were no translucent fabrics or gaudy brooches—Adrienne wore a simple yet form-flattering long-sleeved white dress. It dragged the floor a good five feet in her wake. She was scared she might trip over the material and embarrass herself in front of the palace folk, who’d become less vocal in their disapproval of her.