A Dove's Tale

Chapter 59

The relief hit as soon as Prince Gilbert’s door closed behind us. All the strength drained out of me, leaving my knees too weak to hold me upright. Prince Licht caught me as I fell and scooped me into his arms without a word. He was warm. So warm. I closed my eyes and rested my cheek against his chest, shivering as his warmth chased away the cold. He was walking, carrying me somewhere, and I didn’t care where he was taking me, as long as it was away from Prince Gilbert.

That was terrifying. I really hadn’t known what I was getting into.

“Hey, what happened? Is she okay?” Prince Nokto asked, his strained voice emerging from the dull, distant sounds of the hallway.

“Haven’t you done enough?” Prince Licht snapped, his voice a low rumble in his chest next to my ear.

It was like I was dreaming. I heard voices, I registered words, but I was afraid to move or even open my eyes, afraid Prince Licht’s warmth would disappear, and I would be back in Prince Gilbert’s room, surrounded by cold and fear. Someone was giggling - a woman - whispering something I couldn’t make out, and Prince Nokto replied, his voice too low for me to understand. A door opened and closed, and the giggling was gone. Another door opened, closer to me, followed by a thud - a hand stopping the door?

“Go away,” Prince Licht said tersely. He sat down, cradling me on his lap. The door closed.

“What happened?” Prince Nokto repeated. “It’s too dark in here to see anything,” he muttered. A soft hiss and whoosh told me he’d lit a flame.

“Gilbert had her,” Prince Licht replied. “Shouldn’t you get back to your entertainment for the night?” he added bitingly.

“You were supposed to be watching her,” Prince Nokto said accusingly.

“I got caught in one of Clavis’ stupid traps,” Prince Licht grumbled. “I don’t think she’s hurt, but she passed out after I got her out of there.”

“No, I didn’t,” I said softly.

I opened my eyes to see two sets of crimson eyes looking down at me, flickering in the light from the candle Prince Nokto held in his hand. The flames danced across the lines of worry in their faces and made their silver hair shimmer.

“I’m okay. Just…just a little shaken up.”

I sat up, still trembling, and looked around at the long shadows cast by the single candle. We were in Prince Licht’s room. A glint of metal on the table marked where the dagger was. My stomach twisted as I realized Prince Licht would probably use it on himself later.

“What happened with Gilbert?” Prince Licht asked.

I shook my head and stood up. Prince Nokto’s free hand was immediately on my arm, steadying me.

“I need to see Prince Chevalier,” I said quietly.

“No, you need to go home. Sit down and tell Licht everything. I’ll get a carriage ready.”

“No, I-I need to tell Prince Chevalier. Myself.”

Because I just realized what Prince Gilbert meant when he said he arranged a distraction for Prince Licht. Prince Clavis’ trap was the distraction. Maybe Prince Gilbert arranged for Prince Clavis to start that incident on the balcony, too, to test Prince Chevalier. Or…was that Prince Clavis’ doing? Was he just trying to get me to drink that champagne, maybe drugged with another sleeping potion, to keep me away from what he knew Prince Gilbert had planned for me later? But then Prince Nokto and Prince Jin interrupted before Prince Clavis could coax me into drinking it…

Prince Chevalier probably worked the balcony part out already. But he hadn’t come to Prince Gilbert’s room, which told me he didn’t know I was there.

What did Prince Gilbert have over Prince Clavis to make him do his bidding like that?

“He’s in the gardens,” Prince Licht said, standing up behind me. “I’ll go get him.”

“I’ll come with you,” I said quickly. The twins both frowned at me, exchanging a glance between themselves. “I could use the fresh air,” I added.

“Fine,” Prince Licht said flatly. “If you can walk, you can come.”

“I’ll take her,” Prince Nokto volunteered as Prince Licht walked past him toward the door.

“No, you won’t,” Prince Licht replied, not even turning around to look at his brother. “She doesn’t need you messing with her again.”

Prince Nokto sighed in frustration. His hand didn’t leave my arm when I tried to follow Prince Licht. It tightened and pulled me back.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his crimson eyes dark in the flickering candlelight. “I was only teasing, but I went too far. Again.”

His mask was gone. Even though I was the one looking up at him, he looked raw and vulnerable, like the wrong word from me would reduce him to absolutely nothing. There was no way I was telling him he hadn’t bothered me as much as the memory his words sparked, or that he might have been playing into Prince Gilbert’s game, or Prince Clavis’ game, for that matter.

“I know you were only teasing, and I knew it then, too. It’s just been a long day. Please don’t feel guilty. That goes for you, too, Prince Licht,” I said, turning so I could see both of them. “I didn’t think anybody was coming, so I’m just glad you did. Can we go find Prince Chevalier now? I’m exhausted, and I’d kind of like this day to be over.”

Prince Nokto smiled sadly and led me to the door, where Prince Licht waited in silence. “And it won’t when you get home, will it?”

“It…might,” I said hesitantly. Depending on whether Mother had to use the bucket since the last time Mrs. Stotts dumped it. I wasn’t tired enough to sleep with that smell.

“I’ll get the carriage ready,” Prince Nokto said wearily, releasing my arm when Prince Licht opened the door. We all stepped out into the hallway, and Prince Licht glanced at Prince Nokto’s door across the hall, then back at Prince Nokto’s retreating form.

“What about her?” Prince Licht called.

Prince Nokto waved his hand dismissively.

I followed Prince Licht in silence, keeping my head down to avoid the questioning looks I knew the other servants were sending my way. The rumor mill would have fun with this. I went to Prince Gilbert’s room, and nobody saw me again until Prince Licht carried me to his room with Prince Nokto on his heels. Now Prince Licht and I were walking together to the gardens. And then through the gardens. I lifted my head as the cool night air caressed my cheeks, taking a deep, soothing breath. By tomorrow morning, sleep deprivation and wild imaginations would have woven quite a few interesting theories for how this came about. I’d deal with it all the same way I always did. Ignoring it.

I didn’t expect the surge of emotion in my chest when we rounded a bend in the path and saw Prince Chevalier’s white cloak up ahead. It took everything in me not to burst into a run and throw myself into his arms. I was already safe, I reminded myself, and I didn’t need to feel his arms around me. I was only here to tell him about Prince Gilbert - carefully selected bits of information about Prince Gilbert. Nothing that would make him angry enough to kill Prince Gilbert and start a war.

He turned to face us as we approached, and though I couldn’t see his piercing blue eyes in the dark, I felt the pressure of their gaze. I’d never been able to hide anything from him. This was a mistake. He was taking it all in - me, escorted by Prince Licht, who he’d assigned to watch me, my hair loose around my shoulders. He had to know something happened with Prince Gilbert before we reached him.

“Go back inside,” he told Prince Licht coolly.

Prince Licht nodded and turned away with a word. I watched him go, biting my lip, suddenly unsure of myself. Prince Chevalier sighed beside me.

“Come.”

I dropped my gaze to the cobblestone path and followed as he walked further away from the palace, staying beside and slightly behind him, as a maid should, my heart clamoring in my chest. His hand reached out for my arm and pulled me up beside him. I looked up quickly, and his pale blue eyes were on me, his face half hidden in shadow.

“I’m okay,” I said softly.

His gaze shifted forward, and I looked back down at the cobblestone, wondering what he was thinking. It was hard enough to read him in daylight when I was fully rested. Now, in the dark gardens, where the only light came from the stars filling the night sky, and the heavy scent of roses reminded me just how tired I was, it was impossible. I couldn’t even pay attention to where we were going. His hand held my arm gently but firmly, giving me a hint of the security I felt when we were in his library a few hours ago, and it occurred to me that a few hours ago was almost midnight. I didn’t even know what time it was now.

Suddenly, he stopped and sat down, pulling me onto his lap, and I was wrapping my arms around his neck and nuzzling into him without even thinking about it. His arms were around me, his fingers were stroking my hair, and I was sure I’d fallen asleep and was dreaming. This couldn’t be real. I couldn’t have gone from the nightmare of Prince Gilbert to sitting on Prince Chevalier’s lap in the quiet gardens, feeling his heartbeat against mine. It couldn’t be real.

“You’re trembling,” he murmured.

“I just - you were right about Prince Gilbert,” I mumbled into his neck.

“What happened?”

I shook my head. “He knows everything, and he planned everything, from making sure everyone saw me with him at the start of the ball to making Prince Clavis catch Prince Licht in a trap so he could question me in his room. Maybe he engineered the incident on the balcony, too, or maybe Prince Clavis did that himself. I don’t know. Prince Clavis tried to get me to drink champagne before Prince Nokto and Prince Jin arrived, and I think he put something in it, but I’m not sure.”

Prince Chevalier listened without interrupting, his fingers rhythmically stroking through my hair. He didn’t speak immediately after I finished. The evening breeze rustled the surrounding foliage, wafting the natural scent of roses toward us and adding it to Prince Chevalier’s cologne. His fingers pressed lightly into my waist, his arm rested heavily across my back, his chest rose and fell against me with his breaths. I didn’t want this moment to end. I wanted to stay right here, to fall asleep wrapped in his comforting embrace, and I didn’t want to think about why I felt that way.

“He questioned you in his room.”

I swallowed and nodded. “He thought I was Belle, but I think I’ve convinced him otherwise. And I think he believed me when I told him I know nothing about your work, and…that I’m not your mistress,” I finally added, squirming uncomfortably.

“That is what he asked. I want to know how he asked,” Prince Chevalier said, his voice dropping menacingly.

Like I was telling him that.

“He didn’t…hurt me, Prince Chevalier,” I said reluctantly. Aside from probably bruising my shoulder, but that wasn’t what Prince Chevalier was worried about. And I wasn’t telling him about that, either.

He sighed, and the hand threading its fingers through my hair slid along the back of my neck, bundling my hair in a loose ponytail and running down its length past my hips. I closed my eyes and loosened my arms around his neck, settling my cheek on his shoulder.

“You are a foolish little dove,” he muttered.

And then his fingers were under my chin, tilting it up, and his lips were on mine.

My eyes flew wide open. His pale blonde hair was tickling my face, his lips were soft and warm on mine, and my heart didn’t know whether to stop or to beat faster than ever. His eyelashes fluttered open as he pulled back, revealing crystal blue eyes locked on mine. A black-leathered thumb swiped across my bottom lip. His eyes dropped to it, narrowing in frustration, and then he kissed me again, sliding his fingers from my chin around to the back of my head, cradling it gently as his lips pressed into mine.

My heart decided the best option was to explode. That would explain the painful throbbing in my chest. As much as I wanted this, it couldn’t happen. I shouldn't have let it get this far. There was too much going on right now, too much for me to process this - Mother, Prince Gilbert, the threats to my life - and I was so tired. I couldn’t handle this. I pushed off from his chest and scrambled away, holding my hands over my flushed cheek as I stared at the starlight reflecting off the surface of the pond. Why did I even come out here? There was something else I needed to tell him, wasn’t there?

Fabric rustled behind me, and then footsteps, and then his hands were on my waist, sliding around to my stomach, pulling me back against him, and I squeezed my eyes shut as my blood roared in my ears. I was shaking again. His lips brushed against my ear, and his voice came as a husky murmur.

“Ivetta.”

My name sounded so sweet on his lips. He may as well have taken a knife and stabbed it into my chest, twisting it for maximum damage. I wanted to hear him say it again and again, but it brought a lump to my throat, too, and sobs choked my breath.

“Don’t - don’t say that,” I gasped. “And d-don’t kiss me. Please. I - I can’t-”

He gently turned me to face him, pressing my head into his chest and holding me tightly as the sobs overtook me. It hurt. Because I knew what this was, why he was holding me, why I wanted so badly for him to never let me go. This was love. And it couldn’t be. I could never be anything more than his cherished rose at best, a distraction at worst, keeping his mind from what really mattered, used against him by Prince Gilbert to bring Rhodolite to its knees. I had to leave. As soon as Mother died, I had to run away, somewhere Prince Chevalier couldn’t find me, somewhere I wouldn’t be the weakness his enemies needed to get to him.

“I won’t do it again,” he murmured, stroking my hair. “Until after the gala, when I tell you.”

I shook my head and clutched at his shirt. Not even then. I couldn’t let him say it. If he never said it, maybe the words and the feelings could fade into memory, with no hold on either of us. I had to cling to that hope.

I had to forget him.

When the tears finally stopped, he led me back through the gardens, back through the palace to the front gate, where the carriage was waiting for me. He held the carriage door open for me and gave me a hand up, and then the door closed, and I was on my way back home. I leaned back against the cushion and closed my eyes. I’d never felt so exhausted in my life.