Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

A fter feigning a headache and resting for several hours in the afternoon, I had no trouble staying up until it was time for the rebellion’s midnight meeting. I’d kept the cabinet doors open all evening, watching to ensure that no one had raised or lowered the dumbwaiter. My guards still stood outside my doors; there was no way to leave there, and I didn’t trust that a rope lowered from my window would go unnoticed for the duration of the meeting. It was just as well; even if I could lower myself, I doubted my ability to climb back up a rope, let alone in a dress. It was time to see how well designed this dumbwaiter really was. I padded over to the shaft and pulled at the rope, but it wouldn’t budge. I studied it for a few minutes, then remembered Gerta snapping a lever before the dumbwaiter lowered.

A red handle was located in the top right corner of the cabinet. I flipped it and immediately felt the tension in the rope change, nearly wrenching it from my hand. I redoubled my grip and pulled again. This time, the rope moved, and I continued pulling until, with a soft groan, the dumbwaiter was lifted to where it rested level with the cabinet’s opening.

After snapping the brake handle back into place, I clambered in and saw an identical handle inside. As I examined the ropes, trying to figure out how to operate it from the interior, I heard the brake lever release again, and the floor lurched unpleasantly as it descended.

I didn’t have the time to scramble out of the dumbwaiter. Cursing myself, I carefully braced myself against the side wall, praying that whoever held the rope at the bottom had steady hands as I remained trapped in a box suspended over nothingness. Who would have called for a dumbwaiter at midnight? And what would happen when they discovered me inside it? I cringed. What would everyone say when they discovered that their crown prince’s fiancée had climbed into a mechanism meant to transport food and laundry?

Then in a dark turn, I imagined what would happen if the person below lost their grip or simply released the rope without locking the brake into place. My stomach lurched again and sweat beaded out on my palms. To distract myself, I studied the interior of the compartment. The red lever was near the top, with locking clamps opened around the rope sliding through the brake’s open jaws. I dared not touch anything for fear it would cause the dumbwaiter to plummet thirty feet straight down and kill me, so I compromised by holding tight to the brake handle, waiting to pull it if whoever was moving the dumbwaiter failed to maneuver it safely.

Thick ropes passed through holes in the floor and ceiling. I watched in fascination as they moved smoothly past my face and ran my fingers lightly along them, feeling the stiff, wayward fibers that poked out of the tightly braided cords. If there were as many pulleys as I suspected, I should very likely be able to maneuver myself up and down from inside the dumbwaiter.

With a gentle thud, the dumbwaiter settled on the solid ground at the bottom of the shaft and my anxiety abated with the feeling. Just for good measure, I pulled the lever. Just as I’d thought, it acted like a brake clamp and locked down on the ropes so it was impossible to move the dumbwaiter. I unclamped the brake and heard several other brakes far above me snap into place as well.

Fascinating. They must be interconnected so that if one was set, they would all lock to ensure the compartment wouldn’t move until the next person, at whichever level they were, was prepared to hoist it up or down again.

A scraping sound came from directly in front of me, and I braced myself for whatever humiliation was in store for me. The panels opened, but no horrified maid squealed her surprise. Curdy was there, looking rather sullen and sulky. He didn’t even bother to hold out his hand to help me clamber out, not that I wanted him to.

“I’ve been waiting for you for ages,” Curdy told me in hushed tones as I followed him down a long, dark hallway. “I thought you’d pick this way. You and your fixation with dumbwaiters.”

“We said midnight. I’m on time.” I looked around nervously for any sign of additional servants.

“No one else is here,” Curdy said, still pouting, but lowered his voice to a stealthy whisper. “I’ve been here long enough to know. You could have come down early to talk to me.”

I matched his hushed volume. “First of all, I didn’t even know you’d be here. Secondly, I thought you would be watching Odette.”

“Garrik has her in the evenings. I had her all day and I’m due for a break.”

“Any difficulties?”

“Mostly a lot of complaining about the wind tangling her hair, but she hasn’t tried to run away or anything. She’s too stupid to try.”

“She isn’t stupid,” I contradicted. “Mean, entitled, and selfish, yes. But she isn’t stupid. Don’t underestimate her.”

“Sure, sure,” Curdy grumbled, rolling his eyes. “So, how is it going with Prince Perfect? I saw you two today.”

“It’s going splendidly. He’ll be head over heels in love with me by the time the first letter from my dear father, King Raquel, arrives.” I smirked. “Then he’ll do anything to defend me.”

“Just as well. The sooner we can get this over with, the better,” Curdy grouched.

“Don’t like tending geese, do you?”

“I don’t like tending Odette,” he corrected. “And I don’t particularly care for seeing you looking all cozy with that pompous prince, either.”

I frowned. “That’s the entire reason we came here. You should be glad to see that it’s working.”

As we approached the side door, I paused to allow Curdy to open it, but he stopped just behind me. “What are you waiting for?” He snorted, then his eyes widened as realization dawned. “You expect me to open doors for you now?”

Furious with myself, I stretched my hand out, but Curdy beat me to it. “No, no. Allow me, Your Majesty. Clearly you expect royal treatment now; who am I to deny you?”

“It’s not like that,” I said angrily. “I just?—”

“You just got used to living in the lap of luxury? You’ll never have to touch a door again. No wonder you go doe-eyed around your prince all the time. Who knew the price for your affection was a few opened doors and hot meals?”

“Shut your mouth.” I made no further attempt at conversation.

A little grey cloud of doom hovered over Curdy as we left the castle and made our way over to the grove of trees beside the lake. I knew he was waiting for me to say something to alleviate his moodiness, but I felt no need to do so. If he couldn’t manage his own emotions, that was his business, not mine. I’d been very clear from the beginning that I wasn’t interested in Curdy as anything more than a fellow rebellion member plotting to overthrow a kingdom. There was no room for jealousy in this already dangerous mix.

The moon’s silvery reflection shimmered in the water, casting just enough light into the air that I could see several dark shapes moving among the trees. I hesitated, squinting to ensure that it was my fellow rebels and not some nocturnal animal with sharp teeth. Curdy stopped too, staying a step behind me.

Irritation tugged at me. If Korth had seen something shift in the shadows, I had no doubt he would immediately place himself between me and the threat, but Curdy hung back.

“Are you sure it’s safe?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I’m sure you’d be able to handle it if it wasn’t.”

His attitude dug under my skin and I couldn’t resist goading him a little. “Korth would go first if there was even a question of it being unsafe.”

“And that is where I differ from him. I see women as equally capable. He clearly doesn’t if he can’t even trust them to take care of themselves.” The smug satisfaction in his voice dug the barbs of his condescension deeper.

My jaw locked as I stalked toward the trees, glad to see that the dark shapes formed into the silhouettes of people I knew, but even gladder not be alone with Curdy’s sulky gloom anymore.

“Ah, Dahlia.” It was Thad, the large, heavyset man who was one of my father’s oldest friends. “Now we can begin.”

The meeting proceeded, with each member giving reports on what they’d discovered about Haven Harbor’s resources compared to Ebora’s, the strength of the armada and how well trained the soldiers were, and how the general population felt about Ebora and their prince’s engagement to a foreign princess, which was favorable.

“What about you?” Thad asked gruffly, nodding at me. “How are things with the prince?”

“As well as can be hoped,” I reported. “He doesn’t seem to be a particularly physically affectionate person?—”

From where he was leaning against a tree, Curdy let out an exclamation of disgust, which I ignored.

“But we’re making strides with our relationship. I believe that by the time he is asked to enter the dispute, he will be ready to defend me.”

“Good.” Thad nodded his approval. “Make sure to hold his attention well. Use your assets to your best advantage; even if the prince isn’t affectionate, he still has eyes.”

Several guffaws rippled around the cluster of men, though Curdy ground his teeth together and didn’t join in.

“If he’s still stand-offish you can always get him alone for a bit. If there are enough rumors, he’ll be forced to marry you even quicker!” Thad winked at me.

An unusual defensiveness for Korth rose up within me. “I don’t need rumors; Korth will marry me without any of that.”

“But can you get him to agree to send aid by the time the letters come? Time is of the essence. It really doesn’t matter if he marries you or not as long as they send reinforcements.”

“I can do it,” I stated, even louder than before. “We don’t want him to marry me because of rumors and be unwilling to send aid because he resents the manner in which we were married. Remember the end goal.”

“Yeah, it isn’t like she’s planning to live happily ever after here,” Curdy growled.

“Can you imagine?” Thad hooted. “As if anyone could ever be happy married to a stick in the mud like that prince.” He hitched a prudish, stuffy expression onto his face and adopted a nasally, high-pitched voice. “According to the mandated rules…”

The other men laughed, Curdy hardest of all, and my stomach soured. Korth wasn’t like that and didn’t deserve to be slandered that way, even if he was a royal. Sure, he obeyed the rules, but it wasn’t a bad thing to be an honorable man. At least he, unlike Raquel, tried to formulate rules that laid the groundwork for a productive, thriving society.

While the other men continued to fling diatribe at Korth’s straight-laced nature, Curdy sidled up next to me with pursed lips and crossed arms.

“You and that prince have been looking pretty cozy lately.”

“We’re engaged. I’m supposed to cozy up to him, just like you’re supposed to be watching Odette,” I snipped. Then I raised my voice. “Not to break up this old women’s gossiping session, but I do need to get back before my guards notice I’m gone. Can we hear the rest of the reports?”

The knots in my stomach loosened a fractional amount as the men murmured agreement and stopped slandering Korth, turning instead to Edric, who had volunteered to help with Haven Harbor’s docks and was giving an update on the status of the ships, supplies, and military training he’d been observing.

“Are you going to be that cozy with me when we get back?” Curdy remained at my side, whispering to me instead of listening to the reports.

I suppressed a sigh of frustration. “Curdy,” I said, as kindly as I could. “I’ve told you I’m not interested in you that way.”

He instantly switched tactics. “Wow, really can’t take a joke, can you? Are you becoming as stuffy and boring as that prince you’re always throwing yourself at?”

I shot him a withering look. “Jealousy isn’t becoming.”

Curdy snatched my arm. “I joined this rebellion for you, Dahlia, and you’re being just as dismissive to all of us as Odette and her father were to us before we left Ebora.”

Edric had stopped speaking halfway through Curdy’s sentence, and his words echoed around the grove.

“Get your hands off her,” Thad growled at Curdy. “And don’t accuse her when she’s more at risk than anyone else. She’s fulfilling her duties, and you ought to mind your place.”

After a tight squeeze to my upper arm, Curdy released me, a very ugly expression on his face. I matched his glare with one of my own, much more at ease now that I had some of the rebellion backing me up. Curdy had no reason to be jealous; he and I never had anything between us beyond his idle flirting. Everyone here knew I was supposed to marry Korth for the good of the rebellion. Without me, we would have no chance of getting reinforcements and overthrowing Raquel.

“What’s her update, then?” Curdy spat. “What has she done other than fling herself at a prince too stupid to know or care who he’s even marrying?”

“That’s enough!” I hissed amid similarly disgruntled noises from my fellow rebels. “I won’t be spoken to like that and”—I broke off the diatribe I longed to fling at Curdy for insulting Korth—“and I’ve gained the prince’s trust. We’ll have him signing the orders to send reinforcements within the week as soon as the first letter arrives.”

Murmurs and nods of approval met my words. “That should be any day now,” one of them murmured.

“Many of Haven Harbor’s soldiers are already familiar with your faces now and believe you to be sent directly from the crown,” I told them. “Once we get word of Ebora’s perilous condition, if you go back to aid the king and just happen to be the ones who meet the reinforcements when Haven Harbor sends them along, our story won’t be questioned and the attack can begin immediately.” Wicked grins spread through the crowd, teeth gleaming in the candlelight. “Everything is going as well as we could have hoped. Odette isn’t causing any trouble, is she?” I continued, turning to address Curdy to show him that he was still an integral part of the rebellion.

He shrugged indifferently. “Just complaints about the smell and living conditions.”

“Any word from Captain Renshaw about the soldiers he picked up?” I turned to Simon, who had also stationed himself at the docks.

Simon nodded. “He picked them up and sent word that they’re working on his crew. He told them that if they don’t like his crew, he will sell them to his brother. Another…privateer.”

“That’s a very polite way of saying pirate,” I laughed.

“We should have just killed them all,” Curdy grumbled, and my stomach convulsed. There were sacrifices that needed to be made for the rebellion to succeed; I knew that. But that didn’t make it any more pleasant. Even if I hadn’t been the one to force them off the plank, I was at least partially to blame for their fates—sold into slavery to a gang of pirates. Would my conscience ever be able to find peace?

I shook my head. Once we did manage to overthrow the king, we would ensure that thousands of Ebora’s citizens didn’t suffer anymore. At least the citizens’ suffering could be prevented. Surely, the good of the many made up for the unfortunate fate of the soldiers loyal to Odette.

“We’ll meet up again in four days,” Thad announced. “We should have received the first letter by then, and Dahlia can update us at that time.” With a side glance at Curdy, he went on, “I’ll take her back.”

Once again, we all moved in unison, touching our earlobes, lips, and foreheads. “Hear all, speak none, remember always,” we repeated together. “In shadows we thrive; with unity we rise.”

The walk back to the dumbwaiter, free of Curdy’s oppressive presence, was fairly quiet. I remained lost in thought, trying to think of better ways to gain Korth’s confidence.

“Good luck,” Thad told me, looking up and down the corridor to ensure that no other servants were around. I climbed back into the dumbwaiter and Thad inspected the ropes, trying to determine which to pull. “Your father would be proud of you. I’ll speak with Garrik so he can keep an eye on Curdy, but know that the rest of us think you’re doing wonderfully, and you’re the only one who can be in your position. I know it’s a lot of pressure. We appreciate your sacrifice; I hope you know that.”

“Thank you,” I told him, smiling in relief. “I know I can’t communicate much with the rest of you, but?—”

“We understand,” he said quickly, then rolled his eyes and amended. “At least, most of us do. Don’t pay any mind to Curdy. Which rope should I pull?”

“This one,” I told him, indicating the correct one. “There will be a small tag that says Odette on it when it’s my stop.”

Thad’s eyes fell and I realized my error. He couldn’t read. “I’ll set the brake when it comes to my room,” I amended. “You just pull.”

Once I was safely back in my room, I curled up on the bed and rekindled my hatred of Raquel and Odette. It was their fault that Ebora’s citizens were poorly educated and hungry. Uneducated, hungry people were easy to control. As long as someone could dangle the promise of a full belly for their children, parents would sacrifice anything and obey any order to provide. Of course Raquel and Odette would want them to be desperate and dependent.

Korth was better than that. People here were much better educated, and I had yet to see a bread line like the one that wrapped around Ebora’s castle each day. I tucked my arm under my head, staring out the open balcony that allowed a warm breeze into the room. If only we had a ruler like Korth, there would have been no need for treason and subterfuge.