36. Dagmara

The engagement ball came to a close when the engaged couple never returned.

Dagmara sat upright in her bed, wearing nothing but her nighttime slip. She told Urszula everything. Luckily, Urszula didn’t seem to judge her. She didn’t even insinuate that Dagmara was going mad. She listened in silence, only asking follow up questions as needed.

It wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door. Martine opened the door, and Madame Annette stood in the threshold.

“Princess,” Annette said, her face in a scowl. “The king would like to see you in his royal chambers.”

His royal chambers? Dagmara thought that she wouldn’t be allowed to set foot inside until she was queen. Was this her opportunity?

She followed Annette through the castle. It was nearly the middle of the night, and all the guests had vacated the premises. She heard Martine trailing them, a few paces behind.

“Sabien tells me you were able to predict Claude’s episode,” Annette said. “How is that?”

“Sabien is mistaken,” Dagmara replied curtly.

“Martine was there, weren’t you?” Annette glanced over her shoulder.

Dagmara’s blood turned to ice.

“All I remember is the king going into one of his episodes. The Princess was speaking to Reon at the time,” Martine said.

Dagmara let out a sigh of relief, while Annette scoffed. Dagmara flashed a glance over her shoulder, silently thanking Martine. Her guard nodded, a suspicious yet sympathetic smile on her face.

They walked through the entrance of the royal chamber, once again surrounded by dozens of mirrors. Due to the night, it was darker in the room, making it feel even more daunting. Annette knew exactly where she was going, leading her through the mirrors and up a large staircase to a door inlaid with silver streaks.

She knocked before Dagmara could, and they all heard the faint, “Come in,” from the king.

Steeling herself, Dagmara entered.

The royal bedchamber was expansive, with a study on one side of the room and a large, canopied bed on the opposite side. It was nearly pitch black aside from the moonlight streaming in through floor-length windows, hindering Dagmara’s ability to examine every inch of the room.

The king stood by one of the large windows, his figure silhouetted by the moonlight.

“I’m surprised you didn’t deny my request again,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

“Perhaps you can come to me next time,” she offered, trying to keep her tone even. Her gaze wandered across the desk, seeing stacks of paper. She couldn’t read anything from this distance. In the shadows, she caught sight of a blank canvas.

“You were very bold today,” Claude said, his back still to Dagmara.

“Thank you.”

“I never said it was a compliment.”

“You never said it wasn’t a compliment either.”

The king shifted, turning over his shoulder to face her. His face was barely lit by the moonlight, but she could clearly see the weariness of his eyes. The silk robe was untied in the front, revealing his rippling muscles that disappeared beneath the trousers that sat low on his waistline. He held a goblet, decorated in gemstones.

“You’re insufferable,” he said, his voice nearly a growl.

Her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?” From her recollection, all she did this evening was support him. She had even tried to prevent Reon from seeing his outburst.

“You overstepped,” he stated.

“I was trying to help you. It’s a good thing I arrived when I did.”

“I’m not talking about the events in the study. I’m not going to even ask why you followed me,” Claude said. “I’m talking about the rest of the evening. You thought you had authority to make claims today about my kingdom. Ilusauri is still mine, and how I decide to rule is my decision.”

“I made no remarks about the way you rule, and never claimed Ilusauri was mine. You were the one who announced that Azurem and Ilusauri would be united, and you were the one who suggested that we put on a show,” Dagmara said. “The entire night I was only trying to support you.”

“You told Lionel I would personally visit the nearby villages.”

She paused. The governor who asked about the rations?

“That’s what this is about?”

Claude set the goblet down on the side table before approaching her on the other side of the room. His strides were wide and filled with anger. “I haven’t left the castle in years.”

“You came to Nouchenne.”

“Only to save you,” he growled. “I haven’t visited a populated village since my parents died.”

Dagmara was silent. She could feel the air in the chamber shift. “I didn’t know that. Then tell Lionel it won’t happen.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You’re king, you can do whatever you want.”

“I can’t!” his voice rang throughout the room, and Dagmara jumped. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt frozen in her shoes.

The king seemed to notice her fear. He let out a deep sigh. “I will not go back on our word to Lionel. That is not a good look for either of us. It will only show we disagree with one another at the beginning of this alliance. But…I don’t know how I can leave the castle.”

“Why?”

Claude scoffed, turning away from her once more and pacing to the wall.

“I can’t help you unless I understand why,” Dagmara stated, finding her courage once more.

“You can’t help me at all.”

“I might, but I know nothing about you,” she replied.

“And I know nothing about you!” Claude gestured at her with wide arms.

She took a step toward him. “A truth for a truth, is that what you want?”

He stared at her, heaving. His eyes twinkled with some masked emotion she couldn’t quite discern. She wished she could. The muscles in his chest rippled as he clasped a hand behind his neck, breaking his eye contact with her.

“I don’t know what I want anymore,” Claude admitted. “I thought I had everything planned out before I met you, but you’re very different than I remember. I know we grew up over the years, but I didn’t expect to feel…,” he hesitated. “I didn’t expect your arrival to affect me this much.”

Taken aback, Dagmara hardly knew how to respond. She had so many follow up questions cross her mind, and confusion settled in. A silence filled the space between them, and she struggled to form a sentence.

“This…situation…is not what I expected either.” She fumbled, hoping she had conveyed some of her emotion. She no longer knew what she was doing. She was alone with him in his chamber, directly beside his desk which could contain the information she needed to incriminate him in the murders of Bogdan and Aleksy. Now, everything was turned upside down.

“I can’t decide if I trust you,” Claude stated. “What is a king who can’t make a decision?”

“A thoughtful one.”

His eyes met hers. His stare was intense, but not angry. No…it was something else entirely.

Dagmara’s breath caught in her throat, and her stomach catapulted inside her body. She was startled by how much she was drawn to his eyes. They were hypnotic, magnetic, and consuming all at the same time. His gaze flooded her body with warmth, and her mind spun as though nothing else in the world existed but him.

And she didn’t want the feeling to end.

“I guess we can’t fully trust each other unless we know each other. A truth for a truth, if the offer is still on the table?” Claude asked, then quickly added, “For the betterment of our kingdoms.”

“And the safety of our people,” she appended, remembering what they had said to one another before entering the engagement ball.

His lips almost creased into a smile. Then he gestured toward the seating arrangement by the window, lit by the subtle moonlight. No, she was in his room now and was going to see what she could find, no matter the cost. She crossed the room to the bed and sat on the edge of it, folding one knee underneath her and letting her nightgown slide up her leg.

His jaw ticked, his eyes roaming for a brief moment. Then he gave her a curt nod as though she would have it her way before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. He leaned against the canopy post, facing her.

“You may go first,” she said.

He pursed his lips, thinking of a question, before he finally spoke. “What is your favorite color?”

A smile almost immediately crested her lips. “Starting off difficult, I see.”

“It is important to know if I can trust you,” he mused.

She shook her head. “Turquoise. You?”

“Orange.”

“Orange?” she echoed.

“Are you judging me?”

“No, not at all,” she recovered.

His eyebrow raised slightly, a bemused smile crossing his face. “Best season?”

“Fall. What’s your favorite book?”

“The Chronicles of Time.”

“Oh, I’ve never read that one,” Dagmara admitted.

“You’re missing out then,” he replied. “Favorite dessert?”

“Rice pudding. Beverage of choice?”

“Sailonne wine. A pastime you enjoy?” Claude asked.

“Cards. Who is your closest friend?”

“Sabien. Who would you do absolutely anything for?”

“My brother.” The words slipped from Dagmara’s mouth before she remembered who she was. She was supposed to be Magda. What was she doing playing this game? She couldn’t be sharing information about herself and risking exposing who she truly was. She quickly reframed the answer, switching it from her brother Teos to Magda’s brother. “Well, it was Aleksy. Now…probably Odie, my dog.” She hoped her tone was believable.

Claude’s expression shifted slightly. “I’m sorry about Aleksy. Why didn’t you bring Odie with you?”

Dagmara bit her lip. It was time for this game to end. “It’s not your turn.”

A laugh escaped the king’s lips, thinking it was a jest. “I apologize. Go ahead.”

Then Dagmara asked the question she had been holding on to for too long, “Why haven’t you left the castle?”

The conversation stilled. Once more, a blanket of silence cascaded down on them. Claude’s expression fell, his smile vanishing. “I can’t control when a spiral begins. I am afraid my people will see me as a Mad King. You saw what happened tonight.”

The wall between them began to crack. For a brief moment, Dagmara felt sorry for him. Until his next question.

“Have you ever been in love?”

Dagmara didn’t have an answer right away. Everyone she had been with in the past had been for fun. The men thought she was pretty, but never anything deeper. In fact there was never depth to any of her relationships. Aleksy was different…but their relationship had only just begun. In another world, she could have fallen in love with him, but in this world, she never got the chance.

“No,” she replied. “You?”

“Young love, but not the real thing,” he replied. He leaned forward on the bed, the mattress sinking under his weight. “Is there someone in Azurem?”

“Why would you ask me that?”

“I don’t want you to despise me for taking you from your true love,” he said. “And, I don’t like sharing.”

Dagmara shifted. “No. There’s no one in Azurem.”

“Then who is Teos Zosia?”

Silence filled the room as Dagmara stared back at the king, her mouth agape. The world was frozen in time as Dagmara’s heart nearly stopped in her chest.

“Sabien informed me of the letter,” Claude said. “By the expression on your face I suspect you intended to keep him a secret.”

She couldn’t tell Claude that he was her brother. And yet, she had to explain she didn’t have an Azuremi lover. What if Claude asked her what exactly was in the letter? Her cover would be blown.

She had to back up her lies with some of the truth. That was what worked before, and it would work now. King Claude had the power to look into who Teos was if he wanted to.

“His mother worked closely with my parents before she was killed,” Dagmara began. “We grew up together. Teos is unofficially adopted into our family, and one of the last people I have left. He’s only fifteen, and he recently got sick. It’s not fair that Ilusauri has been hoarding medicine that could help him.”

“Oh…” Claude muttered. “Is that who you were stealing the leku for?”

Dagmara nodded.

“I’m beginning to see why you’re invested in this exchange.”

Dagmara knew she had to change the topic. She thought about her next question, feeling the stakes rise, before she dared to ask, “Have you ever killed someone?”

After a brief hesitation, he said, “Yes.” He swallowed, the only indication that the question made him uncomfortable. “How did you know the wine was poisoned?”

Dagmara was silent. “I already answered that question days ago. I saw the extra pocket on the pitcher.”

“I don’t believe that is the only reason. It’s because you’ve seen that trick before, isn’t it?”

Dagmara knew her face was turning red. She pushed herself to her feet. “I’ve had enough of this game.”

Claude was already on his feet and took a step toward her. “You’ve used that trick before, haven’t you?”

“You’re blaming me?” Dagmara gasped. She stepped forward, her chest nearly against his. “He was your servant. If anything, you were trying to poison me.”

A sharp laugh escaped his lips. “Why would I poison you when I brought you here to protect you?”

“Protect me?” Dagmara asked. “No, you brought me here to finish what your assassins couldn’t in Azurem.”

His expression shifted as though Dagmara had stabbed him. “Why would you think that?”

Her chin was tilted up to meet his gaze. “The assassins were wearing Ilusaurian uniforms.”

Claude’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe they’re framing me.”

“That’s convenient,” she replied. “The Mad King playing the victim.”

He grabbed her by the shoulders, making her heart skip a beat. His grip was firm, his fingertips digging into her skin. “If you believe I’m the villain, why did you come here in the first place?”

“Let go of me!” Dagmara slammed her palms against his bare chest, but he was as solid as a rock. He wouldn’t budge against her hands.

“Why did you save me from the poison?” he demanded.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have!” Dagmara yelled. “I should’ve let you die.”

“And I should’ve let those hounds tear you to shreds!”

A shudder ran down her spine, and she gripped the lapels of his robe. “That would’ve been a better fate than marrying a monster.”

One of his hands shifted from her shoulder to the back of her neck, holding her firm. “I can’t stand you.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

“If I wasn’t mad before, you will drive me insane,” said Claude.

She rose to her tiptoes. “Gladly.”

For a brief moment, they remained inches from one another. His muscles flexed against her, and she could hear her heart thundering inside her. His eyes glistened in the moonlight, filled with layers of emotions she couldn’t interpret. She felt every inch of his naked chest through her thin nightgown, and there was no doubt he could feel her too. The silk didn’t sufficiently cover her curves as she was pressed against him.

His fingers found the base of her hair, sending a shiver through her body.

Then he released her, turning his back as he walked away. “You’re free to go.”

Dagmara caught her balance, and her heart dropped when his body disconnected from hers. Too many feelings collided inside her that she couldn’t interpret. Watching him walk away, she found indignation simmering in her stomach.

She frowned. “How kind of you to continuously summon me and dismiss me like a pet.”

He froze, then turned over his shoulder. “I meant you’re free to return to Azurem.”

“No,” Dagmara stated. “I will not continue this back and forth with you. We made a deal in the greenhouse, and we are seeing this through.”

“That was before you accused me of murdering your family.”

“The assassins were Ilusaurian, and they crossed into Azurem with false aliases that you personally signed,” Dagmara said, unafraid that she was spilling secrets. If she got his confession, she wouldn’t have to wait until she had access to his royal quarters for proof.

A muscle ticked in Claude’s jaw.

“You have nothing to say?” Dagmara scoffed. “Let me know when you’re ready to be honest.” She whirled and headed for the door.

“The poison that was used at the lunch was Azuremi,” Claude called out. “Smierc. Have you heard of it?”

Dagmara froze with her hand on the doorknob. That was impossible.

Smierc was what she had used to kill Jacek the day before the coronation. In fact, she used it often to take out her victims. Why was an Ilusaurian servant using it in the Ilusaurian wine? With the trade routes closed between Azurem and Ilusauri, there would be no way Azuremi poison could have made it to Ilusauri. Claude had to be lying.

“Nothing to say?” Claude imitated her.

No, she had nothing to say. She couldn’t defend herself without revealing she was an assassin.

Instead, she escaped, leaving the king behind…abandoning her chances to examine his desk filled with proof of his involvement in the Azuremi royal murders.