Chapter 26

Chapter

Twenty-Six

ALYX

D owning the rest of my sparkling wine, I can’t help but wish it were something stronger. I scowl at the bottom of the empty glass when it doesn’t magically refill, huffing a frustrated sigh.

When I agreed to act as Joha’s queen, hiding behind a pillar from courtiers was not how I imagined it. The one I am currently seeking shelter behind is only just wide enough to hide me, my voluminous skirts nearly giving me away, and I know that it’s only a matter of time before I’m found.

Joha always refused a wife before now, and with my backstory bringing me from another land, I’m new and shiny, something everyone wants a piece of. Some are merely curious, while others are downright scavengers, trying to pick me apart for information about the king and our relationship.

The ballroom is large and grand, much like the rest of the palace. At the far end of the hall is a row of thrones, the largest of which is Joha’s. Beside his is a slightly smaller throne, but it’s no less grand, carved with crowns and roses, designed for his queen. Smaller thrones sit on either side of those. Men and women dressed in their finest court clothes fill the space, some dancing to the light music being played by a string quartet in the corner. However, most of the courtiers are doing what they do best—gossiping.

Standing in groups of three or four and clutching their wine glasses, they speak in low voices as they trade stories before moving onto other groups, and so the cycle starts again.

When I arrived, my ladies-in-waiting directed me through the crowd to the back of the hall where all the thrones were empty. Any thoughts that I may have had about taking a seat and watching from afar were quickly wiped away. There seemed to be a near constant line of people who wanted to speak with me. When I did have a moment of peace, my ladies-in-waiting were faffing around with my dress or brushing stray hair back from my face. All of the touching was becoming a little too much, so the moment I could, I snuck away.

Hence why I’m currently hiding behind a pillar.

Peering around the pillar, I spot Queen Mother sitting in one of the thrones, talking to several courtiers. I’m not sure when she arrived, but it’s clear she’s leading the court. My blood boils as I note which throne she’s sitting in—the one for the queen. It’s a challenge if ever I’ve seen one. She’s testing me to see if I’ll stand up to her or if I’ll bend to her will. Madame Kane was right. Court is just as vicious as battle. We just use words instead of blades.

Challenge accepted.

Taking a deep breath, I brush down my skirts and force my face into a bright smile, then I slowly integrate myself into the crowd as though I was never gone. Ridding myself of my empty glass to a passing server, I smile and acknowledge those who notice me or call out as I pass. It doesn’t take long for my ladies- in-waiting to reappear at my sides, looking relieved that they didn’t lose me completely.

Locking my gaze on my target, I ensure my steps are smooth and graceful rather than the prowl of a predator, which is my usual walk.

“Queen Mother,” I greet with a sweet smile, dipping my head slightly in greeting—I refuse to bow to this woman. “I believe you’re in my seat.”

Someone gasps quietly behind me, but I don’t waver in my stance. From what I’ve gathered, no one messes with Queen Mother, and here I am, ruffling feathers on my first day.

I’m walking a fine line between oblivious, airhead princess and outright challenging her. If I want to keep this fa?ade going, then I have to convince the watching courtiers that it’s the former. With my smile still firmly fixed in place, I shrug my shoulders lightly as though this is a classic mistake and I’m gently reminding Queen Mother. Really, I’m putting her in her place, and from her narrow-eyed look, she knows it. The glare only lasts a matter of moments and is quickly replaced.

“Oh, my dear.” Pressing her hand to her bosom, she slowly gets to her feet, her smile apologetic. “I do apologise. I’m so used to sitting here from when my husband was alive and I was queen.”

Her excuse is about as believable as a crocodile in a dress masquerading as a woman, but the small gathering of courtiers around us coos and nods their heads as though it explains everything. Their disappointment hangs in the air, though, as they watch the two of us with predatory eyes, looking for any sign of drama they can share amongst themselves.

I clutch my hands together in front of me, tilting my head to one side. “It must have been difficult losing him and your title at the same time.” Placing myself in the now vacant throne, I smooth down my skirts and reach over to squeeze her hand as she sits on the smaller throne to my left. “Even so, don’t worry. I always get confused too.”

“You’re too kind.” With acting skills that would rival that of the professionals in the royal theatre, she smiles in return, hiding her obvious disdain for me.

She returns to talking to the lady she’d been in discussion with before I forced her from the throne, and I’m saved from having to say anything more as my ladies-in-waiting bring over several of their friends to meet me. Everyone comments on my dress and how beautiful I look, and discussion mostly turns to who I know in the city—no one other than the king—and the weather, which is unseasonably warm for the time of year. The conversations repeat as one lord or lady is replaced with another, and I have to pinch myself discreetly to stay awake.

Queen Mother and I mostly ignore each other as courtiers come up to speak to us, and I’m starting to regret challenging her because now I’m stuck here. Boredom is driving me crazy, and I start playing a little game with myself on how many different ways I could escape the ballroom when I feel cool fingers on top of mine.

Glancing up, I see Queen Mother is the one whose hand is on mine, her smile polite but her eyes assessing. The courtiers around us seem to realise that we need some space and take a step back, giving us the pretence of privacy.

“It was a bit of a shock to hear that you and Joha are to be married. He never mentioned you before, nor any desire to take a wife.”

Oh, I bet it was. While this may look like a casual conversation between two royals, I know that she’s really trying to get information from me. Either that or she’s attempting to sow doubts in my mind about my relationship. A future husband hiding the existence of his fiancée would usually signal a red flag. Of course I’m not worried about any of that, what with this being a fake relationship, but I still have to sell this. Queen Mother is already suspicious of me, so I can’t risk blowing my cover.

“Yes, we kept the whole arrangement very quiet, but I couldn’t be happier.” I flash her a wide smile as I gush, pressing a hand to my chest as though I can’t contain my excitement.

“Yes, I can imagine,” she replies dryly, her eyes following the movement and flicking over my dress. “This will be a big change for you, I am sure.” She pats my hand, her expression shifting into what I am sure she thinks is motherly, only it comes off as stiff. “If you ever need anything, please know that you can come to me.”

That is never going to happen, but I nod solemnly, looking as though I’m taking her advice to heart.

Before I can say anything, she quickly clears her throat and changes the subject. “How is Joha anyway? Did he seem well this morning?”

She seems genuinely interested in my answer, which takes me aback. I’ve seen no fond emotions towards Joha from his stepmother, and this sudden change of heart makes me think there’s more to her question than would appear. Not knowing what else to say, I allow my bright smile to dim a little and shrug lightly.

“I’ve not had a chance to see him this morning.”

Nodding in reply to my comment, she smiles, but there is a twinkle in her eyes that puts me on edge. Something about my response pleases her, yet I can’t seem to place my finger on it. My instincts are telling me that something is going on, and my hands itch to hold the daggers I managed to strap to my thighs before we left my rooms earlier.

A large figure appears in the corner of my vision, saving Queen Mother from being interrogated by me. Tilting my head, I look up at the handsome, hulking figure and take in his scowling expression. For once, he actually seems to be making an effort in hiding his blatant dislike of everyone. In fact, I swear I see shock pass over his face as his eyes land on me. It’s gone within the blink of an eye, but I know I saw it.

“Your Majesties.” Orion bows to us in greeting.

“Sir Orion, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Queen Mother asks loudly, drawing the attention of those around us. “I do hope that everything is alright with the king.”

That’s the second time she’s mentioned Joha and whether he’s well or not, and it’s raising all of my internal alarm bells. Has something happened to him? No, I would have heard about it already if he was hurt. Perhaps she really does care about him . . . No, my instincts are telling me that I’m right. She knows something . I just need to figure out what that is.

“Yes, Queen Mother, the king is well. Thank you for your concern,” Orion replies, dipping his head once more. “There is a matter I wish to discuss with the princess.” His words are aimed at her, but he looks at me as he speaks, and I get the feeling that whatever he needs to speak to me about is related to whatever Queen Mother has been hinting at.

“Anything you need to share with her, you can share with me. Isn’t that right, Alyx?” Saccharine sweet, she pins me with a look that would make most shrivel in their seats.

Thankfully for me, I’m not like most.

Smiling in apology, I get up from my throne before she can stop me. “If you’ll excuse me, Queen Mother, this might be news regarding my family.” Gesturing towards the large doors to the ballroom, I smile at Orion. “Please, sir, lead the way.”

Sir. I want to snort.

The two of us leave the ballroom with calm, unhurried steps, and I’m acutely aware of the eyes on me as I go. My dress makes a soft swishing noise as I walk, and as soon as we leave the ballroom, Orion glances around before placing his hand on the small of my back and guiding me through a set of corridors until we reach a small, secluded room. He practically shoves me into the room, then he looks around once more and shuts the door behind him as he steps inside. Anger grew inside him as we made our way here, but he managed to keep it contained while someone might see us. Now that we’re alone, though, I’m fully expecting him to rage at me.

Raising my eyebrows, I gesture widely as apprehension builds within me. “What’s going on? Is Joha okay?”

“That’s His Majesty to you, and don’t play dumb with me.” Jabbing a finger in my direction, he begins pacing the length of the room. “I’m sure you know everything going on in this palace, sneaking around after dark. You probably even know who the attacker was.”

He’s not even looking at me at this point, lost in his anger. I’ve never seen him like this before, and I’m so taken aback that it takes me a moment to digest what he just told me.

“Wait, attacker?” Standing up straighter, I go on alert, my voice sharp as I try to assess the danger. “Are you telling me that Joha was attacked?”

“Yes, last night after your little sparring match.” Scowling, he shoots me a glare but continues pacing, his hands now flexing at his sides. “You couldn’t hang around and make sure the king was safe? You just killed and ran, doing what you do best.”

Oh, we’re going for personal attacks now. Thankfully, I don’t give a shit what he thinks of me, and I have thick skin. Stepping into his path, I hold up a hand to stop him.

“Hold on a second.” Surprisingly, he does, glaring at me the whole time. Placing my hands on my hips, I give him attitude right back. “One, I have no idea what you’re talking about, and two, I’m offended that you think I’d just leave Joha after he was attacked.”

It’s true. I might be an assassin, and my morals are pretty low, but Joha is my client and fake fiancé. He might be a dreamer in a world of naysayers, but he genuinely wants the best for his people. Despite myself, I kind of respect that.

Orion looks at me properly now, some of his anger draining away, and his eyes scan my face, truly taking me in. “You really didn’t know?”

“No! Tell me what happened,” I demand, and for once, he doesn’t fight me.

Sighing, he scrubs his hands over his face. “After you and the king trained together, which we will be having words about, someone attempted to murder him. Before they could, a dagger flew out of nowhere and killed the assassin. Until now, I thought that the person who killed the attacker was you.”

Queen Mother is still the top suspect for wanting Joha dead, but she wouldn’t get her hands dirty by hiring an assassin. The fact that he was then killed by someone who didn’t raise the alarm causes more questions. It can’t have been a guard, as the whole palace would be talking about it if that were the case. My head is spinning with possibilities, but one thing keeps swirling in my mind—Crux was here last night. There’s only one person in the kingdom who’s better at knife throwing than I am and that’s him. However, if it was him, then why didn’t he say anything when he came to my suite? He hates the king, so I don’t understand why he would save him.

“Where’s the body? I might be able to identify who it was,” I force out, breaking the thoughtful silence between us.

“Already disposed of. I couldn’t allow a body to lie around and have it linked back to Joha in any way.”

Damn. That’s going to make things more difficult, although I understand why Orion did what he did. There are several groups of assassins in the city, and if I recognised him, then I would know who their master was. Once I knew that, it would only take a small amount of digging to find out who ordered the hit. Pursing my lips, I nod slowly as I think through my options.

“I’ll take a look around and see what I can find out.”

I expect him to snap at me about keeping my cover, but he surprises me by reaching out and brushing his fingers over one of the pointed shoulders of my dress.

“You might want to take off that ridiculous dress while you’re at it. You are not exactly inconspicuous.” He’s looking at me like . . . I’m not sure how to describe it, but as though he doesn’t quite hate me anymore. It’s an expression I’m not used to seeing on his face, and it takes the sting from his words.

Snorting, I roll back my shoulders to show off the full effect of my outfit. “I rock this dress and you know it. I saw your expression when you first saw me in it.”

Any softness that graced his face quickly vanishes, and he shakes his head with his signature frown firmly back in place. “You’re so vain.” Walking over to the door, he pauses and looks over his shoulder at me.

For a moment, I think he’s going to say something encouraging about us working together, and I wait expectantly.

“Don’t mess things up.”

With those final words, he turns and leaves, shutting the door behind him and leaving me with the task of finding my way back to the ballroom.

“Bastard,” I mutter under my breath, but my lips quirk up at one corner. I’ll get him to like me before the end of this job, whether he wants to or not. Now I have the mammoth task of figuring out what the hell Crux might have been doing lurking in the shadows of the palace.