The Third Son

Elise Marion

The Third Son

Elise Marion

Edited by Christine Kirchoff

Cover art by: Larry J. Stephens (Imagine Images Photography and Graphic Design)

Copyright 2011 by Elise Marion

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, or people, living or dead, is coincidental.

Dedicated to:

Kevin, for being my rock and always supporting me to follow my dreams.

Averylle, for being a reader of my very first books even if they weren’t all that good.

Tiffany, for encouraging me to go out on a limb.

Prologue

His mother was dead. As much as he would have liked to escape the ugly truth there was no getting away from the cold, hard fact. She’d battled the disease for years, a sickness that seemed to eat at her from inside until she could no longer hang on to the tender threads of her miserable existence. Her condition had only been exacerbated by the pangs of a broken heart. It seemed she had always been in possession of a heart rendered in two. What caused it, he had never known until now.

He could hardly believe his ears when she had entrusted him with her closely guarded secret during what would be their very last conversation, the night before she died Even now as he stood over the loosely packed earth covering her freshly dug grave, disbelief gripped him. The sky was sickeningly clear and sunny, casting its bright rays down upon the cold stone of the monument resting at the head of the grave. A soft breeze rustled the grass beneath his feet, whispered through the bright green leaves on the trees surrounding him and tugged at the hair brushing the collar of his tailored coat. The air carried the sweet fragrance of spring flowers and somewhere in the distance, the babbling of a nearby stream called to him. It was all so beautiful; a more sacred resting place for his mother he could not have dreamed up himself. He knew, even in the midst of his own hurt that she was better off now than she’d ever been.

Yet for some reason, his heart was in turmoil. Even as he reminded himself that she finally rested peacefully, he knew that there would never be anything peaceful about his existence again. With what would be her last words to her only son, she had tipped his very world off its axis and redefined the course of his life forever. As he stood at the edge of her grave and stared at the carved stone figure of an angel looking down on him, he had only to close his eyes against the bright afternoon sun to remember.

In the blink of an eye he was back in the room where she’d died, gazing down upon a face that had once been beautiful but was now ravaged by disease. The whisper of the stream was gone and now all he could hear was the devastating rasp of her labored breath filling her chambers. Gone was the sweet smell of roses and in its place the sickly stench of sickness and death filled his nostrils. Her frail form had been nearly swallowed by the massive four-poster bed she was confined to, an emaciated shell of who she’d once been.

When she awakened, which was a rare occurrence toward the end, he was sitting by her side. She stared up at him with velvety brown eyes rimmed in red.

“My son,” she had rasped, attempting a smile that translated into more of a grimace. She tried to sit up but could barely lift her head. “The doctors have said there is no hope,” she said. “They say I may have only days if I’m fortunate, hours if I am not.”

“Shhhh,” he crooned softly, brushing back a stray lock of honey brown hair from her brow. It was cold and slick with sweat. “We don’t need to talk about that now.”

“No,” she agreed. “We must talk about your father.”

He wrinkled his brow and puckered his lips in distaste. He always did when reminded of his father. As fathers went he supposed he could have had worse, but the man barely knew he existed. He wasn’t even sure if the man possessed any sort of affection for him. If completely and totally ignoring one’s son was an expression of fatherly devotion, then he was the most beloved son ever born.

“I don’t want to talk about him,” he answered as calmly as he was able.

“Oh but we must,” she insisted, her grip on his hand tightening. “He doesn’t want you to know, he never did. He made me promise not to tell you but I would not be able to die peacefully without telling you the truth.”

“What are you talking about, mother? What doesn’t he want me to know?”

“He doesn’t want you to know who he is. He knows you would never be able to forgive him for what he had to do. He tried everything within his power to fight it, to make things different, but in the end it was no use.”

His eyes flashed with equal parts confusion and irritation. What on earth was she trying to tell him? Why would she not just say it and stop speaking in riddles?

“What do you mean?” he asked, the wheels in his head turning rapidly as he spoke. And even before he said the words, he knew. “Are you trying to tell me what I think you’re trying to tell me?”

She nodded slowly and his heart plummeted to the bottom of his stomach. It was as he had suspected for quite some time now. The man who had raised him, albeit distantly, was not his father. Though he had never had any proof, he had always suspected, known it deep down.

“I’ve wanted to tell you for so long. Every time I saw how your father’s rejection affected you, I wanted to tell you the truth. I wanted you to understand why your father is the way he is.”

“He is a miserable old fool, and that is no fault of yours or mine,” he interjected vehemently.

“But you don’t understand! It is all my fault! He has never done anything but love me, and I have never been able to return that love. He has suffered for it greatly. I have never been the wife to him I could have been. I couldn’t even give him children of his own.”

Tears filled her eyes and she and turned away, but not before he glimpsed the pain that filled their watery depths. And then it all became clear. She had been miserable in her marriage, it was no secret. Everyone knew that her husband loved her to distraction. Everyone also knew that she did not return the sentiment. She had been unhappy for as long as he could remember, and now he finally understood why.

“You still love him.” It was not a question, but a statement of fact that she did not deny. She turned back to her son and sighed, clasping her hands together tightly in her lap.

“I never stopped,” she said with a helpless shrug. “God knows I tried so hard once I was married to your father. But it just couldn’t be helped.”

“I do not want to know,” he said abruptly. “I don’t want to know who he is. It doesn’t matter.” Even as he said this, his mind was rapidly flipping through the mental images of every man of a certain age he had ever come in contact with, wondering if he had ever come face to face with the man without knowing it.

“But you must know! I cannot bear to leave this earth without telling you the truth. It has weighed so heavily upon me all these years.”

He took a deep breath and prepared himself. She needed to say this and he did not have the heart to stop her. She would unburden herself before her death and he would worry about the ramifications of her revelation later. He leaned close and took her hand again, straining to hear as she leaned forward and whispered the last name he would ever have expected to hear.

“Adare.”

He now knew who his father was. Now that he knew, he could just kick himself for not having figured it all out sooner. It all made since now and the pieces of his life all came together to form one clear picture.

In fact, everyone knew who he was. Adare was king after all, sovereign ruler of the province of Cardenas. He knew the man well, had thought that he held him in high regard but was now not so sure. His mother had told him a heartbreaking tale of passionate love between herself and the king, who at the time had been a prince. Out of their love, he was born but nothing could ever come of their love, as Adare was already promised to another. Then the young prince had cast her aside, forcing her to choose between marrying another and living the life of shame and ridicule that awaited her as an unwed mother. He had gone on to marry his future queen and his abandoned lover had been left shackled to a man she could not ever possibly love.

The morning after her revelation, she had been found dead. He supposed that with the unburdening of her deep, dark secret she had finally found peace and was able to let go. While he was happy enough for her, his own world had been completely changed. He could not stop looking into the mirror and seeing the face of his father, his real father. Every time he saw it, he grew angrier and angrier. What kind of man abandoned the woman he claimed to love? What kind of man allowed his own son to be raised by another, one who is incapable of loving the son as his own? Not only had the man turned his mother away and married another, he had given life to three sons, each of whom was loved and acknowledged by their father. Each time he was forced to swallow this reality like a pill, it became more and more bitter, more and more toxic until he feared he would overflow with the poisonous bile of his anger.

Six Months later…

It wasn’t fair, he thought, looking down at the silver mask. It stared at him with gaping black eyes and a twisted hole for a mouth. That mouth smiled at him like a jester, mocking him, reminding him of the irony of his life. It certainly was ironic. He had had everything a boy could ever wish for and then some. Having been born to privilege, he should not have had the audacity to want more. Yet he had. He had craved more than he’d been given, wanted it like a starving man. More money, more power, more notoriety; all were as vital to him as breathing. His need for more had always made him feel so ungrateful and immature, but no more. He was the goddamned son of a king and had every right to want for more!

Not only was he the son of a king, he was the firstborn son of that king and as such was due the throne upon his father’s death. That he had been cheated out of this only fueled the fires of his rage. His father had dared to cast him aside, but had not counted on his bastard son learning the identity of his true sire. Upon Adare’s death, his eldest legitimate son would take the throne, a throne that was not rightfully his.

He smashed his fist down on the table beside the silver mask, causing it to clatter to the floor. Kneeling to retrieve it, he watched as firelight flickered over the planes of the mocking face, causing it to glow eerily. He had used the mask as a weapon, a safeguard over his identity. The streets of Cardenas were his. Ruling the night as the silver-faced masked man, striking terror into the hearts of commoners and blue-bloods alike, he studied people and learned their weaknesses, their darkest secrets, and then he turned those secrets against them to gain his own ends. He extorted money from the rich, and then used that money to coerce those who would do anything for that money to do his bidding. He had gained quite a lot of money for himself in the process.

It still wasn’t enough. He had lived below the status that was his by right of birth for too long! The time had come to take what was rightfully his. He dressed in his darkest evening clothes, donning his black cloak and black leather gloves before covering his hair and sliding the silver mask into place. No one must know his identity. No one would ever know. The time had come for him to use the full extent of his power at last. Adare and his sons would be killed by his design but not by his own hand and once they were disposed of he would finally have his vengeance. No man had a right to what was his and if they were all dead they would no longer be able to possess his birthright.

He lifted his silver-handled cane from its place beside the door and held it up to the firelight. The silver handle had been custom made. It featured an eagle straining to take flight, but two vipers had ensnared the majestic bird, posed on either side to strike. The piece had been created as a reminder to him not to allow the circumstances of his birth to rule his destiny. He would reach out and claim what was rightfully his and the eagle would do well to beware the viper!

Chapter 1

Davina stretched languidly, relishing the sensation of silk sheets against her bare back. A soft, warm breeze drifted through an open window, rustling the bed curtains and tickling over her naked skin like the outstretched fingers of a lover. She turned to her side, moving her legs slowly across the luxurious bed sheet, shivering at the sensual thrill the simple movement sent through her already aroused body. The sight of the man beside her served to further enflame her.

Prince Damien was perfect, she thought as she watched him sleeping beside her. She studied his unclothed form, her eyes roaming over the deeply tanned, golden skin that stretched over his rippling muscles. His figure was chiseled as if by a sculptor’s hand and perfectly proportioned, broad in the chest and shoulders, slim in the waist and hips. Long, seemingly endless legs stretched across the bed, a testimony to his six-foot two-inch stature. A mass of golden blonde locks curled to the nape of his neck, a wisp or two tumbling carelessly over his brow. Dark blond lashes rested on high, prominent cheekbones, over eyes that she knew to be green as a blade of summer grass.

Davina licked her lips as her eyes moved over his sensual mouth. A mouth she knew could twist in the most arrogant expression or gift her with the most charming smile or move over her body in the most erotic fashion.

She reached out, slowly trailing her fingernails over his back. He stirred slightly, opening one jade green eye.

“Ready for me again so soon?” he asked lazily as he turned over, presenting her with an unobstructed view of his finely formed chest and flat abdomen. She rose to her knees, arching her back and thrusting her large breasts forward, allowing her mahogany brown hair to fall around her shoulders. His eyes roved over her with undisguised interest.

Davina knew she was beautiful. Before she’d become Damien’s mistress, she had been one of the most sought after women in the royal court. Dark brown hair and cat-like brown eyes complimented her alabaster skin perfectly. Her berry red lips were often parted sensuously or curved into a mocking smile and her lush figure was enough to drive most men to distraction.

Damien reached out and grasped her waist, pulling her onto his lap so that she was straddling him. He thrust upward swiftly, burying himself in her completely. She grasped his shoulders firmly and began to ride him, her hips slamming repeatedly into his. No naïve maiden, Davina knew how to give and take pleasure and Damien had been her lover for well over a year. She knew exactly how to bring him to satisfaction.

He filled his hands with her hips, leading her, increasing her movements to the pace he desired, lifting his head to draw one breast deep into the recesses of his warm mouth. She screamed and grasped his shoulders, shuddering with her release as he suckled hungrily at her breast. He swiftly rolled her to her back, lifting her hips off the bed and pumping into her furiously, his climax imminent. With one last groan of pleasure, he collapsed on top of her, waiting for his breath to slow. He lay there a few moments before he rolled from on top of her.

Damien stood from the bed quickly, searching in the candlelit room for his clothes. Davina stood and quickly wrapped herself in a red and black dressing gown.

“Must you leave now?” she whined. “I thought that perhaps you would stay for dinner. We could have Anne serve us in here. You needn’t even bother getting dressed.”

Damien shook his head at her blatant invitation as he quickly yanked on his breeches. “I have plans for the evening darling and I am already late. Perhaps another time.”

Davina pushed her lower lip into a pout and folded her arms over her chest. She plopped down on the cushioned stool before her vanity. “Won’t you at least come back and spend the night with me? It would be nice to wake up with you here in the morning for a change.”

“I have told you before that I sleep more comfortably in my own bed,” Damien replied distractedly, busying himself with buttoning his shirt and waistcoat. He met her annoyed gaze in the vanity mirror, watching as she pulled a brush roughly through her hair, pursing her lips into a seductive pout. He smiled. “I promise to make it up to you. Perhaps I will visit you tomorrow with a surprise, hmm?”

Her face immediately lit up, her earlier irritation with him forgotten. Davina knew that Damien could well afford to shower his mistress with jewels and such. It took no more than a new trinket or jewel to cool Davina’s ire and they both knew it.

“Well, I suppose it will have to do,” she said.

Damien sat on the edge of the bed, pulling on his stockings and shoes. He quickly tied his cravat, securing an emerald stick pin within the frothy white cloth before pulling on his expertly tailored coat and placed a quick kiss on Davina’s cheek.

“Until tomorrow my dear,” he said before disappearing through the doorway. Davina waited until she heard the front door slam behind him before she stood from the vanity stool. Despite the fact that Damien had never spent the night in her bed in all the time he had been keeping her, Davina could not complain. Damien had purchased the small but elaborate townhouse for her and allowed her to furnish and decorate it herself. He had hired a cook/housekeeper, a few maids and footmen and even gifted her with her own carriage, team and driver.

She was the envy of all of her friends. The mistress of Damien Largess, prince of Cardenas. The youngest son of the king, Damien was a notorious rake, a man known for his indulgences. He was known for his impeccable taste in women, as well as his prowess as a lover. The young prince was most sought after, and though he could have any woman of his choosing, his eyes had settled on her. She was his longest standing mistress, she knew, having seen several women set aside by him after a few short months. Apparently, the prince grew bored very easily but not with her, never with her.

Davina yanked on the bell cord, summoning her maid. “Anne,” she said imperiously when the girl appeared in her doorway. The tiny slip of a girl clung to the doorframe and watched Davina with large, round eyes that peered out at her from an unremarkable face. Stringy, mousy brown hair was pulled back into a bun at the nape of her neck with a few strands falling messily into her chin. Davina wrinkled her nose at the unfortunately plain creature.

“I would like a hot bath and I will be taking dinner in my chambers afterwards.”

“Yes my lady,” Anne said softly with a curtsy before disappearing from the room. Within minutes, a steaming tub sat by the fire. Once her maids had left, Davina dropped her dressing gown at her feet and sank into the rose-scented water with a sigh. She studied her opulent chambers as she lounged in the hot bath. Every luxury had been given her in the large room decorated in shades of red and gold, but she wanted more.

It wasn’t enough anymore, just being Damien’s mistress. She knew it was only a matter of time before Damien came to his senses and asked her to be his bride. It made perfect sense, she reasoned. She held his interest longer than any other woman did, she was more than proficient at pleasuring him and she had an impeccable aristocratic lineage. Yes, she thought with a satisfied nod, very soon she would be a princess.

****

Damien stepped down from his carriage in front of his favorite club. Twirling his gilded walking stick, he entered the darkened, smoke-filled club. He spotted his usual group of associates at a card table in the center of the room and made his way toward them.

“Gentlemen,” he greeted them briskly, taking his place at the table. An attendant appeared quickly at his elbow to take his hat and walking stick. A glass of brandy appeared before him, for everyone knew it was the prince’s drink of choice. The decanter was sat beside him, at his disposal.

“We were beginning to think you wouldn’t show,” said the brown-haired gentleman across from him.

“My apologies, Huffington,” Damien replied as he retrieved a slim cigar case from his coat pocket. With an expert flick of a match, he lit the cigar and inhaled deeply. “I was otherwise engaged and could not seem to tear myself away.”

“Otherwise engaged, ha!” scoffed Lord Huffington, placing his cards on the table to reveal the winning hand. “As if I do not know what that means.”

Lords Blackwater and Wingate both handed over Huffington’s winnings grudgingly. Damien swiped up the entire deck of cards to take his turn as dealer.

“Ah, the lovely Davina,” murmured Blackwater, pulling at one side of his long black mustache. “Would that I was so otherwise engaged.”

“I say, Damien,” remarked Wingate, a scrawny eighteen year old newly coming into his fortune. “Never known you to dangle after a female so long.”

Damien frowned as he studied his cards. The little whelp did have a point. He’d been keeping Davina for well over a year now and had yet to even consider other options. Damien had never kept a mistress for more than a few months and every lady who entered into such an arrangement knew this from the beginning. Damien was known as a roué and a scoundrel and often heard the rumors whispered about him, he also knew that nearly every one of the stories was true.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like women, he actually loved most women. He loved the pleasant lilt of a lady’s tinkling voice, their sweet smelling fragrances, and the other obvious pleasures to be found with them. Damien particularly appreciated long legs, an ample bosom and a firm behind. He loved all of these things, as he did fine cigars and fine horseflesh. Yet he had never loved anyone.

Damien couldn’t say he’d ever experienced the emotion he often read about in books of poetry. Not once had a woman sent his heart racing. Davina certainly pleased him, but all that existed between them was sheer lust.

He was reluctant to end their association. Davina had been the consummate mistress. She was beautiful, well practiced in the ways of pleasing a man in the bedroom and knew exactly what to do to set his blood racing. Davina was also demanding and spoiled, but Damien didn’t mind as long as his own needs were met. She had certainly cost him a great deal of money, he mused, reminding himself to stop by the jewelers the next day to buy some sort of trinket to worm his way back into her good graces.

He would have to end things with her soon, though. Damien had sensed for some time that Davina was becoming too attached, expecting certain things from him that he would never be able to offer her. He had never had a relationship with a woman end badly and he knew that this one would be no different. He would simply settle an obscene amount of money on her, allow her to keep the townhouse and carriage he had provided and all would be well. Women like Davina always landed on their feet. Then what, he wondered?

The very thought of selecting another mistress caused him to groan inwardly. The process had become tedious, almost boring. Hell, maybe he was ready to settle down. He shook the thought away before it could take root too firmly in his mind. What a ridiculous notion, marriage! Marriage had never made anyone he knew very happy. His parents were a prime example of why the institution should be avoided all together.

Some small part of him did crave more, though, and he knew that someday he would find himself leg-shackled. He was grateful that unlike his oldest brother, heir to the throne, Damien would most likely be allowed to marry whenever and whomever he chose.

When his attentions finally snapped back to the card game, Damien realized that several hands passed and he lost heavily. He swallowed the last of the amber liquid from the bottom of his glass and stood.

“Gentlemen, if you will excuse me,” he said, laying the amount he had lost in the middle of the table.

“A bit tired this evening?” snickered Blackwater, taking up his share of the winnings. Wingate sniggered and Huffington grinned. Damien’s coat and walking stick appeared before he could even turn from the table. He was followed into the night by chuckles and bawdy jokes. Damien stepped out into the cool evening air just as his driver was coming up the lane. He signaled the driver and was soon nestled in the spacious conveyance on his way home.

“Your grace, your brother wishes to see you in the green parlor, immediately.”

Damien had just tossed his coat and walking stick to the nearest footman and was making a beeline for the nearest staircase., when he was hailed by Jarvis, the butler. Damien stopped, one foot on the bottom stair and turned. Jarvis stood, his face expressionless, staunch and steadfast as he always. He had been at Largess Hall since the king himself was young and was considered more of a family member than a servant.

“Which brother?” Damien asked, already knowing the answer.

“Prince Lionus, your grace.”

Damien frowned. Whatever could Lionus want with him at this hour? He could only guess what it would be and Damien was in no mood for a tongue lashing.

“Jarvis, please inform his grace that I am unavailable at this ungodly hour and whatever lectures he has prepared are best saved till tomorrow afternoon.”

“That won’t be necessary, Jarvis,” boomed a voice from the doorway to the green parlor. Damien stifled a groan. There would be no escaping him now.

“Come Damien,” Lionus demanded before disappearing back through the glass double doors. Damien raised his brow at Jarvis, who smothered a chuckle behind his white-gloved hand, before he followed his brother into the parlor.

“Where the devil have you been?” Lionus thundered as soon as the door was closed behind him.

Damien studied his oldest brother, who was so different from he. Where Damien was broad with chiseled features, Lionus was slender with more angular features. Damien was the very image of their father, whereas Lionus had gotten his looks from the queen. He possessed Queen Alexandra’s straight brown hair, which he wore long, as was the fashion, secured at the back of his head by an ornate silver clasp. He was a good two inches taller than Damien, his long limbs enhancing the slimness of his frame. Dark brows arched over deep blue eyes lending his face a sharp appearance, almost like that of a hawk. He very much looked as if Damien were his prey this evening.

Lionus crossed his arms over his chest and stared pointedly at Damien, waiting for an answer.

“How good you are at commanding, brother,” Damien said dryly, helping himself to a splash of brandy from the decanter on the sideboard. “What a fine king you shall make.”

“You have not answered my question.”

Damien took a healthy swallow of his brandy before pulling a cigar from the small case in his coat pocket. He lit the cigar and inhaled deeply. “I haven’t answered your question because it seems irrelevant to me, when I know that no matter where I tell you I have been you will find a way to disapprove.”

“You are damn right I disapprove. If you have not been rutting on top of that woman you insist on carrying on with, then you’ve been gambling or drinking. I would not be surprised if it were all three.”

Damien smiled. “How shrewd,” he said mockingly, pouring another glass of brandy.

“Have you no sense of decency? No pride? Could you not at least be discreet?”

Damien sighed. He had known the reason for this little meeting and was now wishing that he had continued up the damn stairs.

“You are a disgrace,” Lionus continued, pacing before the roaring fireplace like a caged lion. “You are an embarrassment to this family, to the crown!”

“What you mean, dear brother, is that I am an embarrassment to you.”

“You’re damn right you are! Is it too much to ask that you conduct yourself in a manner fitting your status?”

Damien stood. “If that is all Lionus, I believe I shall take my leave of you. I know how you so love to chastise me, but I find that I haven’t the stomach for it at three o’clock in the morning.”

“That’s not why I called you in here,” said Lionus to Damien’s retreating back. “There has been another attempt on father’s life.”

Damien whirled and crossed the room in three quick strides before grasping Lionus by his lapels and lifting him almost clear off the ground, no easy feat considering the difference between them in height. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place, damn you!”

Lionus shoved away from Damien, straightening his well-starched shirt collar. Fiery green eyes met cold blue ones, as the two brothers charged at each other like two raging bulls. This was the way their brother, Serge, found them when he entered the parlor.

“Stop it, both of you!” he said gently but firmly as he slammed the parlor doors behind him. “You’re acting like idiots.”

Serge grasped each brother by the shoulder and took his place where he had been born, in between them. Damien’s fraternal twin brother was older than him by mere minutes. As the middle brother, he was often the balance between Lionus’ sober brooding and Damien’s devil-may-care attitude. He was calm and good-natured, usually smiling and both brothers loved him for it.

Serge was in the middle in regards to his appearance as well. His broad stature was similar to Damien’s, as were his chiseled features and pouting lips. Serge’s hair was a shade between brown and blonde, a much less intense shade than his brother‘s shock of golden locks. He kept his hair cropped short, in the less fashionable style, as did Damien. His eyes, though, were nearly identical to Lionus‘, as were the slashing dark brows above them.

“If we are going to get the bottom of this,” Serge continued, “we do not have time for the two of you to come to blows again.”

Damien tore his fury-filled gaze away from Lionus’ and walked back to the sideboard. “Brandy?” he offered Serge. He filled both glasses generously, ignoring Lionus’ disapproving glare. Serge accepted the glass and took a healthy swallow.

“Would one of you care to tell me what exactly happened?” Damien demanded. This would be the third attempt on their father’s life in the past couple of months. No clear motive had been discovered and they were no closer to uncovering the reasons behind this plot than they’d been after the first attempt.

“A man tried to enter father’s chambers and stab him in his sleep,” replied Serge. “We would never have known he was here if Jarvis had not seen him sneaking through the servant’s entrance.”

“Was he captured?”

Lionus nodded. “He’s being held in the dungeons along with the other two. He has been questioned and his story is nearly identical to the others. A masked man promised an insane amount of money in exchange for father’s life. He gave these men no other means to contact them, but promised to deliver the money as soon as word of father’s death reached him.”

“This is insane,” Serge sighed. “Why would someone want to murder our father? Why would someone attempt to kill a man who is already dying?”

It was no secret that the great king Adare had been fighting a mysterious illness for years. In the past six months, his condition had rapidly worsened and he was not expected to live much longer. Damien shook his head. “The doctors say he has been much improved,” he protested.

“The doctors are telling us what they think we want to hear,” Lionus countered, practical as always. “He has his good and bad days, but the reality of his illness is set in stone.”

“Perhaps father is only the first step in this plot,” said Serge thoughtfully, pacing before the fireplace. “We should consider the possibility that this could be a plot against our entire family.”

“Then we are all in danger,” Lionus said solemnly, raking his fingers through the loose tendrils of hair that had fallen stubbornly into his face.

“We should question the prisoners again,” said Damien. “We need more details about this masked man, where he might be located and a possible reason behind these attacks.”

Serge nodded. “We should bring the three of them together and compare their stories. There has to be more to this than what they’ve given us.”

Lionus nodded decisively, yanking on the bell cord to summon Jarvis. “In the meantime, the level of security at Largess Hall will be greatly increased. We will not underestimate this villain until we know exactly what he is capable of.”

As the first-born, Lionus was general of Cardenas’ army and navy and was well trained in the art of tactical warfare. The second in line, Serge would take over these duties once Lionus was crowned king.

Jarvis had long since entered the room and Lionus nodded to indicate that he was to listen carefully to the following orders. “No one is to enter father’s chambers with the exception of the three of us, mother, Jarvis, the doctors when they come to examine him and the priest. I will be posting guards at every entrance, in every wing, as well as outside each of our doors in the evenings. Jarvis, you are to choose a select group of servants, be sure to choose those who have been here longest and are least likely to be a part of some foul plot. I trust your judgment completely. We will need about ten or so. Those select few will be allowed to attend us all personally. All others are forbidden from all personal wings of this house and will attend to their duties in the other common areas of the palace.”

“As you wish, Your Grace,” said Jarvis soberly with a bow. Damien had no doubt that Jarvis would treat this undertaking as seriously and he and his brothers would.

Serge stood and stretched. “It seems that we have accomplished all that we can for one night,” he said with a wide yawn. “If there’s nothing else, I’m tired. See you in the morning.”

Lionus waved his heavily ringed hand in dismissal. Damien followed Serge from the parlor, parting ways with him at the staircase. He entered his dimly lit wing of the palace and shoved open the door to his chambers. A fire roared in the darkened sitting room where Damien flopped onto a black oversized couch. He took up the newly filled decanter of brandy on the side table and took a healthy swallow. As he reclined against the sofa, he relished the warmth of the liquor as it spread from his middle with outstretched tentacles to the chilled regions of his body.

Damien stared into the fire, watching the orange and red flames dance upward, casting dark shadows against the floor and walls. He heard the footsteps of the palace sentries pacing back and forth in his wing of the palace.

“Well that was fast,” he murmured with a sardonic grin.  Damien drained what was left in the decanter before sliding into peaceful and welcomed oblivion.

Chapter 2

Damien was awakened the next morning by a swift kick at the bottom of his booted foot. He opened his eyes slowly, cringing at the early afternoon sun streaming through the opened drapes, stinging his bloodshot eyes. No one dared awaken him so rudely, save one of his brothers. A cursory glance about the room revealed which brother.

“Damn it, Serge. Good morning to you too.”

“More like good afternoon,” Serge muttered, kicking at Damien’s boot once more. “Couldn’t even make it to the bed this time, could you?”

Damien sat up on the large sofa, running his hands through his disheveled hair. “I happen to like this couch.” He held up a hand before Serge could continue. “Not before I’ve had my coffee. Yank the bell cord, will you?”

Serge pulled on the heavy rope before sinking into a black brocade armchair across from Damien. Damien blinked his bloodshot eyes several times before he was able to fully focus on Serge. A brief knock sounded at the door before a chamber maid entered quickly. Her eyes widened as she took in Damien’s state of disheveled half-dress, his shirt unbuttoned to reveal much of his rippling torso, his hair falling in unruly curls about his head. She curtsied prettily. Her eyes never left Damien’s bare chest.

“Your Grace. Your Grace,” she repeated, turning toward Serge and curtsied once more.

Damien studied her with interest. The frilly cap on her head covered most of her silky blonde hair save for the few strands that had escaped to frame her round face. Dark blonde lashes lowered demurely over limpid blue eyes. Most interesting of all was her voluptuous form pressing against the constraints of her black and white uniform. What the devil was the girl’s name? Damien smiled smoothly at the simpering maid.

“Forgive me, my dear,” he said, his voice a gentle caress. “I seem to have forgotten your name.”

Surprise registered in her wide eyes. “You are, of course, forgiven Your Grace. My name is Lillian.”

Damien nodded. “Lillian,” he repeated. “I shall not forget this time,” he said with a wink. Serge rolled his eyes

“Have a breakfast tray sent up,” Damien ordered. “And have Hopkins sent to me as well.”

The girl curtsied again and backed from the room slowly, barely stifling a giggle when Damien winked slyly at her again. A few minutes later Jarvis appeared carrying a steaming coffee pot and two china cups, followed by a footman hauling Damien’s heavy breakfast tray.

“Will you be requiring anything else, Your Grace?”

“No, that’ll be all.”

Damien’s valet, Hopkins entered the room just as Jarvis and the footman were leaving. Like Jarvis, Hopkins was a permanent fixture at Largess Hall, having served several members of the royal family, including the king.

“Hopkins I’ll be going riding this afternoon,” Damien said, acknowledging the immaculately dressed valet.

“Will you be requiring a shave as well, Your Grace?”

Damien nodded as he poured coffee into the two provided cups. Damien stirred in sugar and a liberal dash of cream, took a long swallow and nodded his satisfaction before focusing his attention back on Serge.

“Now then,” he began slowly, attacking his heaping tray. “To what do I owe your visit? No doubt Lionus is behind this meeting, which means I have done something in the last ten hours or so to anger him.”

Serge smiled. “I am only here to remind you how important the next few weeks are going to be. With so much going on, Lionus is going to be wound up even tighter than usual.”

“So you’ve come to secure my promise to behave, is that it?”

Serge snagged a slice of ham from Damien’s plate. “It’s only for three weeks,” Serge reminded him. “Try not to anger Lionus or mother for that matter as she is the one orchestrating this entire thing and you know how she gets.”

Damien needed no reminder. He had been dreading the time when Largess Hall would be overrun with visitors for the time of festivities leading up to Lionus’ wedding.

Lionus was to be wed at the end of the month to Princess Isabelle from the neighboring province of Barony. Their wedding had been long anticipated, the betrothal agreement signed mere days after Isabelle’s birth. The political state of Barony had been volatile for the past twenty years and would continue to be so until the two provinces could be joined through the marriage of the prince and princess.

Rebels seeking to overthrow the crown in Barony had created a dangerous situation for the newborn princess. Princess Isabelle had been a tool, used by her father to form an alliance between Cardenas and Barony.

Not long after the betrothal agreement had been signed, the king and queen, along with several other members of the royal family, had been violently and publicly beheaded. The king’s Grand Vizier, who had been a close advisor and friend to the king, secretly smuggled the young princess out of the country, along with a small group of loyal subjects. Princess Isabelle had remained hidden in Cardenas, lavishly provided for but fiercely protected until the day she could return to her country as queen and take possession of the throne. Cardenas’ superior military would serve Lionus in regaining control of Barony. Their vast wealth would serve to refill the diminished resources of the struggling realm.

Within the next few days, those away from court, and even those subjects in Barony still loyal to the crown would descend upon Largess Hall. Three weeks of parties, dinners, luncheons, balls, picnics, and a tournament to celebrate the greatly anticipated marriage. Damien suppressed a groan at the thought.

“How could I forget,” he said, rolling his eyes. “The royal wedding of the century between our great prince and his ever devoted bride.”

Serge grinned, snatching a muffin from Damien’s tray. Ignoring Damien’s icy glare, he bit heartily into the sweet confection. “I would kill for such devotion, wouldn’t you?”

“The woman has been taught from the cradle to love, adore, serve and obey our dear brother. The poor girl doesn’t know any better. Though I have to admit she’s not bad to look at.”

“That has got to be the understatement of the century,” Serge scoffed.

Damien shrugged, his face a mask of indifference.

“The princess is a great beauty, and poised and graceful besides. But I know what type of woman you prefer, brother: independent, unattached and worldly. I can see how you would find a woman like Isabelle not to your liking.”

Damien arched a brow and smirked. “Back off Serge, the girl is not without charm. One would think she was your betrothed the way you carry on so.”

Serge pursed his lips and broke Damien’s gaze, falling silent. He finished his coffee, then stood and returned his empty cup to the tray.

“I will leave you alone now,” he said. “Just try not to cross Lionus until this is all over if you can. Once he is wed, his attention will be turned to his coronation and the problems he will soon face in Barony. He will barely have time to notice your usual antics.”

Damien saluted playfully and returned to his breakfast tray. “I shall endeavor to be a good little prince, Serge. If not for Lionus then for father’s sake.”

The sound of Serge’s laughter, hearty and familiar, echoed down the hall and caused a slight smile to curve Damien’s mouth. For all their differences, Serge and Damien had always been close and Damien loved him fiercely. He left the nearly empty tray before entering his dressing room, where Hopkins waited with suitable riding attire and a shaving razor.

“Have you seen my father this morning, Hopkins?” Damien asked the valet, knowing that Jarvis would have chosen him as one of the few who were allowed into his father’s chambers.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Hopkins replied, dabbing thick shaving soap along Damien’s jaw line. “He seemed to be feeling particularly strong this morning and in high spirits.”

“Perhaps I’ll visit with him them,” Damien thought aloud as Hopkins scraped the sharp razor against two days’ growth of beard.

“An excellent idea, Your Grace.”

****

Adare Largess, King of Cardenas had once been a handsome and virile man. He was adored for his pleasant looks and physical strength. His forty years as Cardenas’ ruler had proven him to be powerful, decisive and fair. He was also known for his precision in military leadership and charisma.

Anyone who had not known the great king before the illness had ravaged his body would not believe these qualities of the now frail man. Damien’s heart plummeted as it always did when he observed his father, who over the past six months had withered away to a shrunken shell of a man.

Damien approached the massive bed in his father’s chamber slowly, not wanting to wake him if he was napping. The guards who had allowed him entrance stood on either side of the door. Damien knew there were two more standing on the outside.

As Damien neared the bed, he saw that his father was not only awake, but freshly shaved and wearing a black and gold brocade dressing gown with a snowy white shirt and expertly tied cravat at his throat. An emerald stickpin gleamed in the depths of the starched neck cloth, matching the color of his still vibrant eyes.

Adare’s smiling eyes, so like Damien’s, were the only part of him that hadn’t yet lost their luster. Damien stared into the face that was so like his own, his smile mirroring that of his father’s. His once golden blonde hair was now mostly white and thinning, but still curling riotously about his head and shoulders. Today it was brushed and tamed by a golden clasp at the back of his head.

His skin that had once been golden brown from the sun and stretched over bulging, sinewy muscles, was now papery and held a yellowish cast. It hung from his fragile frame, greatly diminished from its original integrity. Damien reached out and took Adare’s outstretched hand, relieved to find it warm.

“Father,” he said reverently, kissing the rather large signet ring around his father’s bony finger. “You’re looking well today.”

“My son,” Adare replied, his voice warm with affection. “It is always a joy to look upon your face.”

Damien knew and it was no secret, that he was Adare’s favorite. “I am sorry I was unable to come to you yesterday. I was detained and lost track of time.”

Adare’s hearty laughter filled the large chamber. “Were I keeping such a fine woman as Davina, I would lose track of time very frequently.”

Damien’s laughter mingled with his father’s for a moment before he grew serious once more. “Lionus does not share your sentiments. He thinks me a disgrace, an embarrassment to the crown.”

Adare frowned, his eyes roaming to the great portrait of the royal family taking up much of the wall across from him. Lionus’ cold blue eyes, hard as steel, seemed to stare back at them from the painting.

“Much to my regret, your brother has grown into a very somber man. Alexandra and I meant well, but perhaps his education was too rigid, too structured.”

“He shall make a great king.”

Adare nodded in agreement. “He will rule more than adequately long after I‘m gone.”

“Do not say that!” Damien protested avidly, gripping his father’s hand tighter as if he could gift him with his own young life force if he tried hard enough. Adare’s smile wavered and tears filled his eyes.

“My son, if I did not love you I would not tell you the truth. The physicians know that I will not live much longer. With the attempts against my life recently, I have come to realize that my time is almost up. I will not live much longer and at the young age of twenty-nine your brother will take the throne. I have decided that once he has married Princess Isabelle, he is to be immediately crowned king of Cardenas and Barony. I am no longer fit to rule.”

Sorrow clenched Damien’s heart fiercely, causing his throat to swell and his eyes to sting with tears he dared only shed in front of this man who loved and understood him so well. “You have always been fit to rule. Allow Lionus to continue serving as commander of our military; hold the crown as long as you can. You have a few years left in you yet!”

Adare’s trembling hands cupped Damien’s face. “It is time for Lionus to take his place as king. It is time for Serge to take his place in leading our armed forces. The doctors say I will live longer without the added pressures of ruling a kingdom.”

Damien nodded. He knew that the words his father spoke made perfect sense. Damien just did not want to believe that his father could be unfit for anything. Adare was a great king, a warrior. He had always thought the man near invincible.

“You and your brother must learn bear each other,” Adare continued. “He is hard and unyielding and even a bit arrogant but he is also under a tremendous strain. The situation that awaits him in Barony is turbulent to say the least. He is taking up the crown sooner than expected and though he is capable and ready he will need good men by his side. He will need you.”

Damien nodded. He knew that Lionus would never see him as anything more than a libertine, a lazy, spoiled prince but for his father, he would try. “I will try my best, father.”

Adare nodded and smiled weakly. “That is all that I ask. Now leave me. You tire an old man and I must be rested to attend your birthday celebration tomorrow evening.”

Damien’s eyes widened, he had nearly forgotten the elaborate birthday celebration planned for he and Serge’s twenty-fifth birthday. The party would be the start of the entertainments marking Lionus’ wedding. Damien reminded himself to find a gift for his twin brother. He rose and kissed his father’s sunken-in cheek.

“I will come and visit with you later if you’re up to it,” he said, pulling the heavy blankets up over his father’s chest. He turned in the doorway to stare at his father’s peaceful face one more time before leaving.

Damien never knew what precious moment shared with his father would be his last.

****

Damien preferred to saddle his own horse. The grooms and stable boys knew this and mainly left Persephone, his massive black mare, alone. She snorted and tossed her inky mane as Damien approached, reaching out to stroke Persephone’s glossy coat. His brothers would be appalled, he thought with a grin, if they were to discover him dirtying his hands.

He also preferred to dress himself, causing his valet to complain endlessly that Damien wasn’t allowing him to do his job. Damien always relented and let the man shave him and tie his cravats, but drew the line by pulling on his own boots and trousers. He was a grown man, damn it all, pampered prince or not. He swung himself onto Persephone’s back, crooning to her softly as he led her away from the stables.

“I’ve been too long in coming to you, my love,” he whispered sweetly to his beloved horse. Persephone had grown up with him, a gift from his father when he was younger. He patted her neck affectionately. “How about a nice long run?”

Persephone whinnied as if in response to his softly murmured words as he gently spurred her on. Soon he was galloping across the neatly manicured lawns and rolling hills surrounding Largess Hall. The palace grew smaller and smaller behind him as he streaked across the countryside, toward his favorite spot.

They made quite an impressive sight to anyone who happened to spot them, horse and rider both shrouded in black, Persephone’s hooves kicking up clumps of grass and dirt, her massive legs carrying them swiftly across the countryside. Damien’s coat flew out behind him like a banner, his blonde curls tousled gently by the wind.

He pulled up on the mare’s reigns as he neared a small, secluded pond hidden by a copse of trees. Damien dismounted, trusting Persephone not to wander off too far. The small little grove had seemed so much bigger when he’d been a boy, he mused. He, Lionus, and Serge had run through these trees with their carved wooden swords, battling invisible enemies to save the princess and earn themselves a fortune in gold from the grateful king. He walked up to the massive oak they had dubbed “king” of Largess Forest. The twisted, gnarled wood almost appeared to have the face of an old, dignified man.

“Your Highness,” he greeted the large tree as he always did when he came to this private spot. No one came here but him anymore. Grateful for the solitude, he stripped down to nothing and plunged into the cold, crystal clear water. Damien lay on his back and floated languorously toward the center. He missed the days of his childhood, before he and his brothers had come to understand the differences that would separate them in the coming years.

They had been equals, at least Damien had thought they were equals. Then Lionus had turned thirteen and everything changed. Apart from the lessons learned as part of his regular schooling with his brothers, Lionus began to have separate sessions that would last for long hours after Damien and Serge had been dismissed.

Damien remembered clearly the day he had finally realized the biggest difference between himself and his oldest brother. He’d been ten years old, Lionus fourteen. He had come upon his mother outside the schoolroom, observing Lionus at work, pride glowing in her cerulean eyes. He tugged on her skirts and turned his eyes up hopefully, daring to wish for the same expression from the queen’s eyes when she looked upon him. Instead, he received a flicker of annoyance directed at him, before she searched the hall behind him for his missing nanny.

“Mama, how long must Lionus stay inside and study? He has promised to take me and Serge out to the pond to sail our toy boats.”

Queen Alexandra removed the child’s hands from her highly fashionable skirts and gently pushed him away. “Your brother is much too busy for such foolishness,” she said imperiously, raising her chin slightly. “He is preparing for the day when he will be king and must concentrate hard on all he needs to learn. I would not expect you to understand, you are only the third son after all.”

Damien had suddenly understood his mother’s indifference toward her younger twin sons. Her affections were enough only for the son she favored, the son who would one day be crowned king.

Damien and Serge had remained close over the years, despite the differences in their characters. But the space between them and the heir to the throne had grown considerably year after year. Damien had watched Lionus grow into the man he was today: hard and unyielding. Damien left the water, finding a sunny spot in the grass to lay and dry himself. He clenched his hands beneath his head and turned his face up toward the cloudy sky.

He was glad to be the youngest, he told himself. Glad he didn’t have the weight of the kingdom’s responsibility weighing on his shoulders. He could do anything he wanted with his life, though his usual drinking and carousing was beginning to bore him. Damien had always held an interest in astronomy and botany. Perhaps he would spend more time in his greenhouse or in the observatory. He would even consider marriage after all, though he knew such a decision could be postponed. At least he had the freedom to consider such options, he mused. He imaged what it would be like, having his entire life planned out for him like his brother. Damien shuddered at the thought.

Chapter 3

The back hallway leading to the elegant ballroom at Largess Hall was hot and stuffy. Esmeralda Brandon fanned at herself ineffectually in the stifling warmth. She lifted masses of black, wavy hair from the back of her neck, trying to seek relief. The small crowd gathered in the narrow corridor only added to her discomfort. She peeked through the slightly parted double doors, watching the opulently dressed harpist seated in the middle of the ballroom.

She and her group of Gypsy dancers had been waiting for their turn to perform for hours, as the King greatly favored the Gypsies and always preferred them to perform last. There were nine of them in all, including six dancers and three musicians. Her younger brother, Desmond, strummed quietly on his guitar. Esmeralda smiled. This would be her brother’s first performance at the royal palace.

“Oh, Esmeralda,” squealed her cousin Tatiana, from behind her. “Your mother is amazing! I can’t believe what she’s done to this costume. No one would even guess that it was one of her old ones.”

Esmeralda eyed the glittering, crimson confection had been altered for her slender cousin. Her mother had made an old dancing costume of her own into an almost new creation for Tatiana. She nodded her approval.

“It looks amazing. You all look wonderful.”

Morgana, another one of Esmeralda’s cousins came and stood between the two, linking her arms through each of theirs. “It is a good thing you’re dancing last Esmeralda,” she commented, peering out into the ballroom. “I wouldn’t want to have to follow your performance. You might even be a better dancer than Aunt Raina.”

“No one is a better dancer than my mother,” Esmeralda objected.

Raina Brandon had been widely known, a favorite of King Adare, but the fiery Gypsy woman had not danced for over a year. She had not danced since the death of her husband, Esmeralda’s father.

She shook herself from the saddening path of her thoughts. They had a show to put on, and she was unusually nervous. Applause resounded, marking the end of the harpists’ performance. Her dance partner, Tristan came up beside her and took her arm gently.

“You are looking most beautiful tonight, Esmeralda,” he murmured, his breath brushing at the delicate skin behind her ear.

The whispered words were meant to enflame her, but when Esmeralda turned, she saw only the face of her childhood friend. Tristan had been most vocal about his affections for her and Esmeralda deeply regretted that she did not feel the same. Everyone they knew expected that they would one day marry, but Esmeralda could not see herself in Tristan’s arms, enfolded in a passionate embrace. She had often seen her parents this way and longed for such a companion in life for herself.

“Thank you,” she managed, tactfully pulling away from his touch. “Tell everyone to get ready, it’s our turn.”

Damien rested his chin on his gloved hand, staring around the crowded ballroom from his place at the head table. Queen Alexandra had planned quite an affair, complete with several entertainment acts throughout the evening. There had been acrobats, singers, musicians and even a troupe of actors. Damien had long grown bored with the lavish affair, knowing that the majority of guests had come only to see and be seen. He spotted Davina, seated with her usual group of acquaintances. She smiled warmly at him, leaning forward to give him a better view of her cleavage. Damien’s eyes lingered on the breasts barely contained by deep purple silk.

Finally, the last act of the evening was announced and Damien’s attention was drawn back to the center of the room. The Gypsy performance was the highlight of the evening for him and he knew it to be true for Serge and Adare as well. Queen Alexandra found them vulgar and naturally, Lionus shared the sentiment.

Three musicians entered first, standing just left of center. A guitarist, flautist and drummer struck a lively and primitive-sounding tune as the first pair of dancers took the floor. They were dressed in elaborate costumes in matching shades of royal blue. Their dance told the story of two cursed lovers, clinging to each other as the man turned the woman swiftly around the floor, her split skirts twirling about around her bare legs.

Damien found himself drawn into the tale they weaved as they danced., their pace quickening maddeningly until they fell to the floor and in a puff of fragrant white smoke, they were gone. Another pair of dancers were in their place when the smoke cleared. Applause echoed from the high ceilings of the ballroom as the second pair of dancers, clothed in deep crimson, glided through the thinning smoke.

Their dance was even more sensual than the first, telling the story of a man and woman who seemed to love as well as hate one another. Over and over they circled each other, eyes locked, coming together and separating once more. Another puff of smoke took those dancers from the floor and in their place rose a solitary man. Dressed completely in black, a flat, wide-brimmed hat lowered mysteriously over his eyes, he seemed to glide through the smoke to the center of the floor.

The music ceased and the dancer created his own pounding rhythm by clapping his hands and stamping his feet. He turned in slow circle, pounding out his own cadence as the guitarist joined him. A series of small turns was followed by another puff of smoke, from which a siren dressed in white surfaced. Damien was enthralled from the moment the woman appeared His eyes took her in as she turned in wide loops about her partner.

Her skin was like deep bronze, gleaming in the candlelit room; deep black hair fell like a curtain down her back. Her lithe dancer’s body was controlled, stretches of taught muscle moving beneath supple skin. A white ruffled blouse revealed much of her stomach, and her long white skirt was slit up both sides to reveal long, graceful legs. Damien’s eye was drawn to the glittering gold jewelry that winked around her wrists and ankles. His eyes followed the delicate gold chain about her waist as she undulated sensually before them. Her face was veiled from the bridge of her nose down, but as she turned, he was surprised and pleased by almond-shaped eyes the color of warm honey.

Her partner pursued her around the floor, seeming to yearn for her with the movements of his body, yet she remained always out of his reach. She teased and taunted him with her dance until he could take no more and lunged for her, holding her at her waist and lifting one shapely leg at the knee in his hand. Damien’s stomach clenched as he pictured his own hand grasping that supple thigh. The male dancer dipped her backwards and leaned in as if to take her lips with his, when a final puff of smoke billowed up from the floor and they disappeared from sight.

The applause was thunderous and a ripple of murmurs moved through the crowded room in waves. His brother and father applauded enthusiastically, joining several others on their feet in applauding the Gypsies. Damien searched each of the exits, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Gypsy girl before she could leave.

Damien spied the door the musicians disappeared behind and stood to move in that direction. The hired orchestra struck up a tune, struggling to be heard through the buzz of conversation that filled the room. Damien knew his mother would think him rude for abandoning their guests before the party was over, but he didn’t care. He skirted his way around the perimeter of the room, making a beeline for the door.

The hall was empty. Damien cursed softly, following the winding corridor toward the servants’ back stairs. He knew he had seen the musicians leave through this door. If he hurried, he could catch them before they could leave. Footsteps echoed behind him in the darkened hall. He turned to find Davina hot on his heels, the train of her ball gown draped over one arm as she hurried to catch up to him.

“Thank goodness I found you alone. Finally,” Davina breathed hotly in his ear, pressing against him. “I can be in your chambers in ten minutes,” her hands pressing against the bulge at the front of his breeches. She ran her tongue lightly over his lips and backed slowly away, her velvety eyes warm with unspoken promise.

“Ten minutes,” she purred, disappearing back down the darkened hallway.

Damien waited until she was completely out of sight before he continued down the hall at a near run. He exploded down the servant’s back staircase leading to the kitchen. The cook and her maids were paralyzed with shock before they remembered themselves and curtsied deeply as the prince rushed past. He burst through the servant’s entrance just in time to see the Gypsies’ covered wagon speeding off into the night.

“Damn it!” he spat, pounding his fist against the stone wall of the palace, causing a startled maid to squeal and leap away from his unprovoked fury. “My apologies,” he said more calmly when the trembling maid curtsied before him.

“Your Grace,” she mumbled before turning to go back inside.

“Wait!” he called, watching the Gypsy wagon grow smaller and smaller against the night sky as it rolled away.

“Yes, Your Grace?”

“Would you happen to know where the Gypsies live?”

“Live, Your Grace?” she said with a slight chuckle. “The Gypsies do not live anywhere. They are a wandering people, never staying in one place overlong. They usually make camp on the outskirts of town when they are here.”

“My thanks,” Damien sighed, wondering how on earth he would be able to find the girl before the Gypsy troupe left the city for good.

“Oh wait, Your Grace!” the young maid exclaimed. “I just remembered. A group of Gypsies settled here some years ago. They all live in the same part of town. One of them even owns a tavern or some such place.”

Damien nodded thoughtfully, weighing his options. What were his chances that the Gypsy girl lived right here the city?

“Thank you,” he said before turning to go back through the servant’s entrance. Damien took his time, walking at a leisurely pace, his mind filled with images of a woman with skin like bronze. He found the idea of returning to the party distasteful, and had had enough of the carousing, though he knew the affair would last long into the early hours, until the wine and food were depleted. Remembering that Davina was awaiting him in his chambers, he turned toward his wing of the palace, desperate for some form of distraction. Tonight he would help himself to the generous pleasures sure to be found in his bed. Hopefully, by morning, he would have driven away all thoughts of flashing amber eyes burning themselves indefinitely into his memory.

****

Damien had been unable to forget her. No amount of time spent in Davina’s bed could chase away the image of the mysterious Gypsy dancer from his mind. He had searched for a week before finding the Gypsy troupe camped out on the outskirts of town. After a few minutes of wandering through the colorfully painted wagons and tents, Damien was able to confirm that no one in this particular group had ever performed at Largess Hall. Damien was relieved at this discovery. His search for her would become that much easier now that he knew she lived within the city. How was he to find her, walk about the street amongst the commoners, inquiring about a dancing girl with amber eyes?

Then, he remembered what the maid at the palace had told him about a tavern owned by Gypsies. He had heard of the place before, having frequented a few taverns and brothels in the less reputable part of town. The Golden Dancer boasted beautiful dancing girls and Damien thought it best to begin his search there.

He knew the only way to clear his thoughts of the girl was to find her and lead her to his bed as soon as possible. Then perhaps he could get on with his life with some semblance of normalcy.

He stood near the entrance of The Golden Dancer, his eyes searching the smoke-filled room. Several round tables and chairs, surprisingly clean, were placed in an open circle around a small stage jutting out from the back wall. Men smoking cigars and holding mugs of ale sat in groups, watching a young girl wrapped in a diaphanous green creation and matching veil move about on the narrow stage. One of the male dancers he remembered from the palace sat on a low stool toward the back of the stage, strumming his guitar smoothly. Serving girls in simple blouses and ruffled skirts moved through the crowd, delivering drinks and avoiding the grabbing hands of some of the bolder men.

Damien found an empty stool at the bar and settled himself there, signaling the barkeeper. A mug of ale in one hand, Damien watched the dancer on stage with interest. The girl was skilled, her curvaceous body moving in perfect timing to the rhythm created by the guitar player. A glimpse at a pair of dark brown eyes told Damien that she was not the one he was looking for. Applause signaled the end of the girl’s dance and she disappeared behind the stage amid whistles and stamping feet. Damien waited until the noise had died down to a gentle hum of conversation before turning to the bartender.

“Pardon me sir,” Damien called, gaining the bartender’s attention. “Another ale, please.”

The rather large man behind the counter eyed Damien warily as he refilled the glass. Damien had dressed in the plainest clothing he could manage, but knew that he stood out in the more simply garbed crowd. He was hoping to avoid attention and wanted to pass as a traveling merchant or some such. Damien slid a coin across the bar to the man.

“I am looking for someone, A Gypsy girl, a dancer. She performed at the king’s palace last week.”

He realized his mistake instantly. The bartender raised himself to his full height, towering over Damien’s six feet two inches. He gripped the counter tightly and leaned forward to look Damien in the eye. Damiencould have sworn he had heard the wood groaning in protest against the barkeep’s beefy hands.

“See here mister,” the man said, his voice like hard-edged steel. “The girls what dance here is under my protection and they ain’t go time to be bothered with the likes o’ you. This ain’t that kinda place and if that’s what you be looking for, there’s a brothel not far from here!”

Damien’s reply was smothered by a commotion near the stage. The music had started up again and a lithe figure in black had entered. The men seemed excited about this particular performance and Damien forgot his questioning of the bartender. It was her!  He knew the moment she started to dance, her arms lifted high above her head, her hips moving in rapid, hypnotizing circles. The other dancer had been good, but this girl’s movements were so natural, so much a part of her. She made the intricate steps seem effortless as she swayed and dipped, working the crowd into a frenzy. Golden eyes flashed, their brilliance further enhanced by kohl. Even the guitar player watched her, his nearly black eyes following her every move from beneath the hat pulled low over his face.

He watched, spellbound, until the final chords of the guitar faded away in the dimly lit room. The girl bowed graciously and even blew a kiss to the cheering crowd before disappearing behind the curtain.

Damien watched the curtain for a few moments, searching for any sign of movement from behind the stage. The guitar player disappeared behind the curtain as well, but no one else came or went. Damien supposed her performance was the last of the evening, because most of the men were leaving. A few stayed behind for more ale and flirting with the serving girls, but the small tavern had mostly gone quiet. Hoping that she hadn’t left by some back exit, Damien turned once more to the bartender.

“Perhaps I gave you the wrong impression,” he began politely, hoping the burly man wouldn’t break him to pieces before he could finish. The large man sighed impatiently and dropped the towel he’d been holding. He reached across the bar and grabbed Damien up by his lapel, nearly dragging him across the counter.

He growled, his nose mere inches from Damien’s. “I’m done warning you. I think it’s time you left. And you’d best do it quietly or else you’ll have to be carried out!”

“Leave the poor man alone, Dominic,” purred a velvety voice from over Damien’s shoulder. “I’m sure he’s harmless.”

Dominic gave Damien a mind-numbing shake before setting him back in his stool and turned back to his work behind the counter. The Gypsy girl settled onto the stool beside Damien, fixing him with her piercing stare. Damien’s mouth went dry and he found himself unable to look away.

Her face was now unveiled and Damien found that she was just as lovely as he knew she would be. High cheekbones stood out beneath her almond shaped eyes and a lush mouth was quirked into a slight smirk as she stared back at him. She had changed into a simple skirt and blouse that draped slightly to reveal one bare shoulder. Her hair hung unbound down her back in lustrous black waves, making Damien’s fingers itch to reach out and stroke the silky locks.

“I’m sorry,” he managed after the few moments it took for him to find his voice. “I didn’t mean any harm.”

She nodded and smiled. “Dominic is very protective of the girls who work here. Particularly the dancers. A lot of men get the wrong idea,” she said pointedly, the smile disappearing almost as quickly as it had appeared. “They think that the girls who work here are available for other things. Things that have nothing to do with dancing. We are not.”

“That is not my intention,” he said quickly, almost ashamed that she had been able to guess at his thoughts. He decided on another tactic, one that could be risky, but could be fruitful if his instincts proved true. “I was told that Gypsies lived in this part of this city. I inquired and someone told me that you could tell me where I could find a fortune-teller.” The girl nodded and Damien smiled triumphantly. He had found an opening.

“Yes,” she said. “My grandmother is the best. I can take her to you now, if you have time.”

Damien nodded and stood. “Of course.”

“Dominic, I’m taking this man to see grandmother. Lock up when you’re done and I’ll leave the ledgers until tomorrow.”

“Maybe you ought to wait for Tristan,” Dominic said, still watching Damien as if he were a snake he expected to strike at any moment. “He’ll be awful upset if he finds out you’ve left without him.”

Damien wondered if the mysterious guitar player was this Tristan and hoped fervently that he was not this girl’s husband or lover. And what as this talk of ledgers? Surely, this girl was not involved in the running of this establishment. She accepted the fringed shawl Dominic gave her from the coat rack behind the bar and draped it over her shoulders.

“This gentleman will be with me and I’m sure I’ll be perfectly safe for a few blocks.”

Damien nodded. “Of course,” he said. “Perfectly safe, I assure you.”

The bartender’s concerned expression aside, he seemed to accept her decision. Damien held the door open for her and followed her out into the night.

“It’s a short walk. Your horse will be safe here for a while,” she said, indicating Persephone, who was hitched to a nearby post.

He fell in step beside her, unsure for the first time in his life how to act around a female. She seemed so confident. Her long strides were nearly equal to his as they navigated down a narrow lane spotted with small cottages.

“What’s your name?” he asked, starting simply. This girl, this woman, seemed a no nonsense type of person.

“Esmeralda,” she said, her voice a velvety caress in the night, filling his mind with images of naked flesh and all manner of other erotic thoughts.

“Damien,” he replied.

“Yes,” she said, turning to study him intently. “I know exactly who you are.”

Chapter 4

Esmeralda fought the urge to laugh. After all, wouldn’t such a thing anger the royal prince? But his expression when she had revealed her knowledge of his identity had been priceless.

“Prince Damien,” she continued. “I recognize you from the palace. Did you think that I wouldn’t?” she asked when he looked at her, baffled.

How could she have forgotten him? He had watched her at The Golden Dancer the same way he had at the palace, with the same fiery intensity with which he watched her now. His eyes were emerald flames, causing her skin to tingle slightly when they moved over her slowly.

He was dressed plainly, but his clothes were expertly tailored and of high quality. His olive green coat was without adornment but it clung lovingly to broad shoulders and accentuated the tapering of his waist. His tan breeches showcased powerful thighs that moved with dexterous grace as he walked and high brown riding boots were without flaw and highly polished. He was without jewelry with the exception of a ring on his right hand, which Esmeralda could not see in the darkness but guessed that it bore the crest of the royal family.

“I would think you were too busy to pay attention to anyone,” he replied. “But I did notice you. You are quite a dancer.” Esmeralda tried not to notice the little thrill that went through her at the compliment. She was relieved when they finally reached the small house at the end of the lane, her home.

“Here we are,” she said, turning her key in the lock. She felt his hand at her elbow and turned in the doorway. Moonlight played softly over his chiseled features and caused his hair to glow angelically. Yet this man was no angel, she thought as his eyes roamed over her features. His closeness was an assault on her senses, one she knew she should be afraid of, but one that felt oddly comfortable.

She never allowed a man to get close to her. As a rule she kept them all at arm’s length. This man had the potential to send all of her carefully erected defenses crashing down around her. He traced his fingertip along her jaw, making a slow circle around her chin. “Beautiful,” he murmured, drawing close as if to kiss her. She pushed the door open quickly, nearly jumping over the threshold to put some distance between them. He dropped his hand back down to his side and followed her silently into the house.

Esmeralda tried to see the house through his eyes, which were darting about the small sitting room, studying his surroundings. Much of their furnishings were a collection of things that her father had accumulated during his time as a sailor. There was a great mixture of Spanish and Oriental, and the room was decorated in various bright patterns and colors. The furniture was worn but beautiful, upholstered in red and gold damask. Various unmatched tables with clawed feet were positioned around the room, holding vases of flowers or various trinkets and figurines. Oriental rugs covered the floor and a low fire burned in the stone fireplace. Beyond the sitting room was the kitchen. Beaded curtains shielded the doorways to two bedrooms.

She led him quickly up the narrow staircase, past her own bedroom to the room at the end of the hall where her grandmother was. She knocked, three raps as the signal that she was bringing her a customer.

“Come!” she called imperiously from the other side of the door.

“She is ready for you,” Esmeralda whispered, before allowing him to enter. “Before you go in, you must know that my grandmother is not a simple palm reader, or con artist. What she sees and shows to you is real and a lot of people are not ready to face the things she has to show them. Be sure before you go in that you are ready for what she must tell you.”

Before he could respond, she flung open the door and gestured for him to go inside. He stood in the doorway, watching her for a moment before he went in and closed the door.

Damien stepped into the dark room, lit only by candles and the crackling fire in the small fireplace in the corner. Fragrant incense smoked on a low table in the middle of the room. The surface also held several candles, a peculiar looking pipe and a bowl full of colorful glass beads. Reclining on a pile of cushions was a slim figure wearing peculiar black robes. Esmeralda’s grandmother was a curious woman to be sure, Damien thought and he approached the petite woman.

Her face as deeply lined with age and her slender, long boned hands were wrinkled and gnarled. A tall turban sat high on her head, a large jeweled pin attached to the front. Several ropes of colorful beads were around her neck and large rings adorned almost all of her fingers. Beneath arched black eyebrows were eyes identical to Esmeralda’s, glowing almost yellow in the firelight. “Damien Largess,” she said, extending one of her hands toward him. “Come, I have been waiting for you.”

Damien stepped unsteadily forward. How could this woman possibly know who he was? He was certain he had never seen her before in his life. Damien crossed the room and lowered himself to his knees on the other side of the table. He was curious as to how much more the woman could guess about him. Surely, this was some scheme devised to gain money from him. Isn’t that what the Gypsies were known for?

“I am Akira,” she continued, leaning forward and grasping his chin in her hand. Her grip was surprising strong. Damien found himself transfixed, unable to tear his gaze away from hers.

“No wonder she is so affected by you,” she said after a thorough inspection of his face.

“Who is affected by me?” he asked.

She smiled, and shook her head, releasing his face. “All in good time, Your Grace, all in good time. You will see only what I see and what you don’t see hasn’t yet been set by fate.” She lifted the long pipe from the middle of the table. A thin line of smoke curled up from it, casting a sticky-sweet odor around the room. Akira inhaled deeply, blowing the aromatic smoke slowly through her nostrils. She extended he pipe to Damien.  “You must partake in order to see,” she urged when he didn’t accept. “Come, come, you may even like it.”

Damien choked on the first try, the sticky-sweet smoke causing his eyes to water. He coughed, throwing the pipe down on the table. Akira chuckled, taking it up from the table and offering it to him for the second time.

“Try again,” she urged. “This time won’t be so bad.”

Damien eyed the unusual woman skeptically, but he accepted the pipe once more. This time, he inhaled deeply and freely, exhaling slowly as Akira had done. A thick haze seemed to form around his field of vision and Akira’s image before him seemed to waver and then disappear altogether. He could still hear her voice though, clear as lightning through the gale of a storm.

“Now you will see,” she intoned, her voice seeming to float around his head as he fought to regain his equilibrium. His head seemed to sway and he felt as though he were floating above his own body, suspended above reality. Suddenly his vision cleared and he could see.

He saw an image of himself, his face a contorted mask of unmistakable pain, blood smeared on his hands. This vision wavered and another of himself in Lionus’ chambers swam before him. He held his brother’s hand as he lay among the bed covers, his face as pale as death. Damien tried to hold on to the image, but it too, wavered and was gone. Once more, his eyes focused on the image of himself, this time with Esmeralda clasped tightly in his arms. Tears streamed down her cheeks, though she clung to him fiercely. Damien’s vision wavered one final time and the image was gone. He was back in the room with Akira and she was watching him closely.

“I have seen what you have seen,” she said, her voice a near whisper now. “There is much unseen, but that is because decisions have yet to be made to set you on this path of your destiny. Esmeralda’s fate is in a way entwined with your own.”

Damien frowned. “But I have only just met her. How can that be?”

Akira shook her head. “That is not for me to say. I know only what we have witnessed, though I believe I understand it better than you.”

“Will you explain it to me? Why was there blood on my hands? What is going to happen to my brother?”

“Within the house of the king, there lies a viper,” Akira began, her eyes focused somewhere beyond Damien. “If you are not careful, this viper that you nurture in your bosom will strike a deadly blow, one that will bring the royal family to its knees.”

Thinking of the plot against his father, Damien fought hard against a lump in his throat. Someone close to his father was trying to murder him. The fact that he had seen Lionus in his vision meant that this plot did not involve only his father.

“What must I do?” he pleaded, feeling oddly helpless.

Akira shook her head, her eyes growing heavy-lidded and tired. “I do not know,” she said solemnly. “It is not for me to tell you what to do, but to tell you that the road to your destiny is paved with tragedy, tragedy that can be stopped but must be stopped soon.”

Damien sighed. Some fortune-teller. What could Damien possibly do to stop a killer no one could name? No one even knew the reasons behind the attempts.

“And what about Esmeralda?” he asked finally, wondering what on earth the mystifying woman downstairs had to do with his destiny. “How does she fit in to all of this?”

Akira smiled. “Ah, I will not make it that easy for you,” she said, her voice laced with laughter. “The two of you must discover this for yourselves.”

Damien stood, dropping a few gold coins on the table in front of her. “Thank you for your time,” he said. “You have given me much to think about.”

“You will come to see me again, yes?” she asked. Damien nodded. “Then leave me now in peace. You tire an old woman.”

Prince Damien’s face was drawn and reserved as he descended the staircase to where Esmeralda waited for him in the sitting room, leading her to wonder just what Akira had showed him. She had been right to warn him, she knew. Most people found their experiences with her grandmother unsettling to say the least.

“Did it not go well, Your Grace?” she ventured, placing a hand gently on his arm. He flinched as if she’d seared him with a hot iron and a tiny little thrill ran through her at the feel of his well-muscled bicep beneath her hand.

“It was interesting,” he said. “She has given me much to think about.”

“Would you care for some tea, Your Grace?” she asked, knowing it was madness to entertain the prince alone, but unable to say goodnight to him just yet. “My mother makes her own special blend. It’s known to be very calming.”

Damien looked beyond her into the cozy little kitchen. “I would love to share tea with you, but only if you call me Damien.”

“Of course, Damien.”

His eyes roamed around the small but efficient kitchen. He took a seat at a large table with a marble surface. The kitchen was what one would expect to find in a commoner’s home: a simple oven, pots hanging from the ceiling, bulbs of garlic and onions in one bowl, various fruits in another. Yet the tea service she brought to the table was polished silver and the delicate cups she served the tea in were fine, hand-painted china. He eyed her family’s belongings curiously, seeming to try to reconcile the modest cottage with some of the more ornate fixtures and items. Esmeralda poured the tea and took a seat across from him, chuckling softly at his bewildered expression.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said, indicating the silver tea service. “You’re wondering how a family of Gypsies is able to afford such fine things. You are probably wondering if they are stolen.”

“No,” Damien stammered. “I wasn’t-”

“It’s all right,” she interjected, offering him a small bowl of sugar cubes. “My people have a reputation for that sort of thing. But we are not all dishonest thieves. My father was a wanderer who took to the sea. When he met my mother in Spain, he showered her with gifts he acquired from all over the world. Over his life, he managed to acquire quite a collection.”

“How did he end up in Cardenas?”

“Having children made him long for stability. They had traveled most of their lives and were ready to settle somewhere. I was seven years old when they decided to settle here. He bought the Golden Dancer and retired from his life at sea.”

“Your father sounds like an interesting man. I would love to meet him.”

“I am afraid that’s not possible,” she murmured, staring into the murky depths of her china cup. “He died a little over a year ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, studying her face intently. “So you have inherited the Golden Dancer? Have you no male relatives to assist you?”

“My brother Desmond is not yet seventeen. I am teaching him all of what my father taught me about running the tavern. I have been dancing there for years and know more than anyone about managing it.”

Her sadness faded and Esmeralda felt fierce passion gripping her heart as she spoke of The Golden Dancer. It was merely a small tavern, but it was her father’s legacy and she was proud to have taken up his mantle when he died. Damien watched her intently, his chin resting on his hand, his eyes searing into hers as if she presented a mystery to him. She snatched her gaze away from his and focused on the dark liquid in her cup.

“And what about you?” she asked, running her fingertip over the rim of her teacup. Damien followed that finger with his eyes, and Esmeralda was very aware of his heated perusal. His fingers flexed against the table and she tried not to think of him reaching across the small space that separated them. If he were to grasp the finger he followed with such interest, would it press the digit to his lips? Would he capture it in his mouth and caress it with his tongue? Esmeralda shivered inwardly and felt heat creeping across her neck. Damien cleared his throat. “Umm…what about me?” he asked. “Well your reputation precedes you, but I can’t help but wonder if there is more to you than the stories I have heard.”

He laughed softly, a rumbling sound that caused warmth to spread through Esmeralda’s insides. “And just what stories are those?” he asked, his eyes glittering playfully. “What exactly have you heard of me?”

“Well sir, if you must know, you are known as a most disreputable rake, a drunk, a gambler, and seducer of women.”

“Well it seems that you have just about summed me up,” he said, leaning toward her across the table. “Shouldn’t you be worried then, to be left alone with me?”

Esmeralda swallowed. His sudden nearness was wreaking havoc on her sanity. His eyes had grown heavy-lidded and sensual, and he seemed to be watching her mouth quite intently. She swallowed again and forced herself to speak.

“And why should I be nervous?” she replied brazenly, forcing confidence she did not feel. “I know that you are a gentleman and would never make any sort of advances upon me.”

“And yet it is all I can think about,” he whispered, his breath warm against her cheek as he brushed his lips against it.

He pressed his mouth firmly against hers, gently urging her lips apart with his. She was nearly melting into him, dazed by the slow seduction of his lips on hers, intoxicated by the strong scent of his sandalwood shaving soap. His hand rested lightly on the back of her head, sending light tingles racing down her spine at the delicate touch.

His lips, his mocking, arrogant lips, worked their magic over hers, weaving a spell of seduction so strong that Esmeralda completely forgot herself. It wasn’t until she felt the touch of his tongue against hers that she was jolted out of her languid trance.

She pushed away from him swiftly, covering her mouth with a trembling hand. Her breath was coming in short, unsteady gasps, as his were as he watched her. At first, bewilderment crossed his features before he was struck with remorse.

“My apologies,” he managed between ragged breaths.. “I should not have done that.”

“No,” she said forcefully, fighting to regain her nearly shattered composure. She was visibly shaken, her trembling hands balled up into fists at her sides. “You shouldn’t have. It is late, Your Grace. Perhaps you should be leaving now.”

“Please,” he said “I would like very much to see you again.”

“I am certain you would, your grace, though you probably will not. You will have to practice your seduction on some other unsuspecting female.” She stormed toward the front door and swung it open, refusing to meet his gaze. She knew she was overreacting, but somehow she found herself unable to stop. “Please leave, now.”

He was silent for a moment, watching her closely as if expecting her to change her mind. Esmeralda avoided his gaze, knowing that one glimpse into those seductive eyes and she would become lost. After a while, he sighed and nodded in acceptance. “Pleasant dreams, Esmeralda,” he said softly before disappearing into the night.

Esmeralda stood in the doorway a moment, watching his retreating form grow smaller and smaller until he was gone. She closed the door quickly and bolted it. She raced up the stairs to her room and quickly lit a small lamp. She carried it over to the washstand and undressed. She shivered; the fire in her room had burned out hours ago and the chill of the fall night air seemed to sink as deep as her bones.

She washed quickly and donned a long-sleeved, wool nightgown. She bound her hair in one long braid, blew out the lamp, and climbed into bed. She stared at the shadows cast on her ceiling by the moon, much too disturbed to find sleep.

Damien’s kiss had stirred her, more than she would have cared to admit. Ever since the day of her father’s murder, after the terrible things those men had done to her, she had felt indifference toward men in general. The very notion of intimacy with a male in any form had always struck terror in her very core. This man, this supercilious, over-privileged prince who had women fawning over him, had wanted her. For one moment, she’d allowed herself to revel in it, to be unafraid of the blossoming desire he had stirred within her. That could never happen again, she warned herself.

Remember, she told herself, always remember the pain and the blood, so much blood. Most of all remember the humiliation. For hadn’t that been the intent of those men who had killed her father? Wouldn’t that be all she was left with once the prince had had his way with her? She was certain that he would, for she knew if she continued to find herself alone in his company, she would be unable to resist.

Chapter 5

Esmeralda saw her cousin, Tatiana, approaching from where she knelt in the small vegetable patch at the side of the house. Usually she waited for her Raina to tend the small garden but after her nearly sleepless night and turbulent thoughts she’d needed the diversion. Her mother left early each morning with Akira to go into the marketplace, where Raina sold her handmade jewelry, soaps, and perfumes. Akira read palms and sold various potions and charms. So, she had donned an old skirt, blouse, bonnet, and worn gloves and set herself to work.

The late morning weather was quite pleasant and Esmeralda could see that Tatiana held a basket full of herbs freshly picked from her own yard. She would exchange them with Esmeralda for some of her fresh vegetables. Esmeralda stood and lifted her nearly full basket and met Tatiana near the back door of the house leading into the kitchen.

Her cousin was definitely the beauty of the family. Her blue-black hair fell straight down her back like a shimmering curtain and her heavily lashed, dusky brown eyes were almost always glittering with mischief. Her childlike enthusiasm and adventurous nature were as alluring as her looks and though she would play coy, Tatiana had most men wrapped around her finger almost instantly. Esmeralda removed her bonnet and ran her hands over her riotous waves, pushing the heavy mass over her shoulder and snatched off her gloves.

“Well now you’ve gone and done it,” Tatiana said, leaving her basket on the counter and taking a seat at the table. “The gossips were at it early this morning talking about your mysterious visitor at the Golden Dancer last night.”

Esmeralda sighed. She had known that she would not be the only one to recognize the prince and that it wouldn’t be too long before tongues started wagging. Still, Esmeralda decided not to divulge too much until she knew how much her cousin heard.

“What about him?” she asked, busying herself with pouring lemonade. “He came to the tavern and asked if someone could lead him to a fortune-teller. I brought him here to see grandmother.”

Tatiana took a long gulp of her lemonade, wiped the back of her hand across her lush mouth, and grinned. “Oh? And did he happen to mention that he was royalty?” She studied Esmeralda intently, narrowing her eyes when none was forthcoming. “You don’t seem surprised. You knew!”

“Tatiana, it is not a big deal. He obviously did not want anyone to know who he was!”

Tatiana rolled her eyes. “And yet you allowed him to walk you home last night. I hear your Tristan was very angry when he found out.”

“He is not my Tristan!”

“He could be your Tristan if you allowed it. Come on, Esmeralda! Don’t pretend you don’t know he loves you desperately. Everyone knows. Even though he could have any woman he wants, he wants the only one around who does not want him.”

Tatiana was right. Tristan had pursued her endlessly, since the time they were both old enough to be aware of the differences between man and woman. No female of her acquaintance had gone unaffected by his looks or his charm. His talent as a dancer and a musician only added to his appeal. He was what most girls dreamed of, yet Esmeralda could feel nothing beyond sisterly regard for him.

She had always been able to keep her feelings on a platonic level with all of the men of her acquaintance, yet one man had been able to nearly shatter her carefully laid detachment in the breath of a moment. He certainly was not more handsome than Tristan, she thought, recalling Damien’s golden hair and emerald eyes. She supposed both men were equally handsome and masculine, though Damien portrayed an inherent sensuality in the mocking lift of a brow or quirk of his mouth.

“So is he as beautiful as they say?” Tatiana asked, as if reading her mind. “More striking than Tristan?”

“I suppose he’s handsome enough,” she lied, hoping that if she spoke the words aloud she would believe them.

“According to Tristan, who followed you home last night, you seemed to find him more than handsome enough.”

Esmeralda gasped, heat rising in her face. Embarrassment and anger rose up and nearly choked her, and she fought for composure. “He followed me?”

Tatiana nodded, the gleam in her eyes turned from mischievous to downright devilish. “Oh yes, did I forget to mention? Tristan arrived just in time to see you and the prince in quite a cozy position in the doorway. He believes the prince intended to take advantage of you.” After Esmeralda had been silent for a moment, Tatiana gasped. “Oh no! He did not, did he?”

“No,” Esmeralda said wearily, finally deciding to tell her cousin all. “You must promise not to tell anyone, not even Morgana,” she warned before spilling her story of the previous night. “I was awful, Tatiana. I accused him of trying to take advantage of me, though I’m not sure that’s what he was doing.”

“And just what did you think he was doing, kissing a Gypsy girl he‘d only known for an hour?” Tatiana demanded as her brow wrinkled. “Esmeralda you are a beautiful woman and a fine catch, but a man like that will not see that in a girl like you. He probably saw you dancing at the palace and thinks to satisfy his lust with you.”

Esmeralda buried her face in her hands wearily. Tatiana could be right, but for some reason she just wasn’t sure. “You don’t understand. I can’t really explain it but there was something there. Besides, when I told him to leave he did and he was very polite. If he wanted to ravage me, don’t you think he would have done so?”

“Of course not,” Tatiana argued. “He is a notorious seducer. His ego would demand that you come to him willingly.”

“You have to understand,” Esmeralda pleaded, grasping her cousin’s hand across the table. “You are like my sister and we have always confided in each other.”

Tatiana’s face grew serious and she nodded in understanding. Few people knew the whole story of what occurred the night her father was killed. If anyone understood how hard it was for Esmeralda open up and admit attraction to any man.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. So was he charming?” she asked impishly, back to her old self. “Were you overcome and weak in the knees?”

Esmeralda laughed, grateful for her cousin’s ability to brighten the room with her smile. “I am ashamed to admit that I was. He was very dashing. Though I’m sure I’ve ruined it. You don’t think he would forgive me for throwing him out of the house, do you?”

“I doubt it, though you could just apologize next time he comes to call.”

“I didn’t exactly invite him back, Tatiana. In fact, I told him in not so many words to stay away.”

Tatiana shrugged. “Then forget about him. Start planning your wedding to Tristan,” when Esmeralda glared at her, she laughed. “You know you’re going to cave in and eventually marry him!”

Esmeralda pinched Tatiana’s arm playfully. “I do wish I could see him once more, at least to apologize for my behavior.”

Tatiana smiled wickedly, her eyes bright with some mischievous plan or other. She snapped her fingers suddenly. “I know a way you could make that happen.”

****

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this!”

“You want to see your prince, don’t you? This is the only way.”

Esmeralda turned her back to Tatiana so that her cousin could help her tie her apron strings. Dressed in the severe black and white uniform worn by the servants at Largess Hall, they stood near the servant’s entrance, prepared to infiltrate the palace in search of Prince Damien.

Esmeralda groaned inwardly as she turned and observed the mischievous glint in Tatiana’s eye. When they were children, Tatiana often involved Esmeralda and Morgana in her escapades, placing them all in a great deal of trouble.

Time had changed nothing, Esmeralda thought as she stuffed as much of her wild hair under the frilly, white maid’s cap as possible. A few strands hung loose around her face and neck, but it would have to do. Tatiana’s silken locks fit beneath the bonnet perfectly, further emphasizing the childlike glee apparent in her face.

“I wonder what the penalty will be if we are caught,” Esmeralda whispered as they edged their way carefully toward the servant’s entrance.

“We won’t be,” Tatiana replied vehemently and completely confident in her plan. “Do you honestly think any of them know the faces of each and every servant working in this place? There are hundreds of maids here and we’ll blend right in. Besides, the palace is so overrun with guests for the royal wedding no one will have the time to pay us any attention.”

“Where on earth did you get these uniforms? Lord, I don’t think I want to know.”

“I know a girl who used to be a maid here. She still had these gowns. You’re welcome, by the way.”

Esmeralda suppressed a giggle. Tatiana’s plan seemed foolproof, yet Esmeralda was uneasy. She’d seen several guards patrolling the perimeter, and though they’d managed to reach the servant’s entrance easily enough, she still feared one of the armed guards would come around the corner at any moment and spot them. Of course, they would hardly seem out of place in their disguises, so Esmeralda took a deep breath and willed herself to relax.

The servant’s entrance led right into the large kitchen, which was bustling with activity. The smells of freshly baking bread and roasting meat assailed their senses, as did the noisy banging of pots being scrubbed, and the Cook shouting instructions to bustling maids. Herbs hung from the ceiling, a fire roared in the large fireplace over which a cauldron hung containing boiling water. A row of buckets filled with steaming water sat near the fireplace.

“Hurry up with those buckets,” a footman called from the door to the kitchen. “You know Prince Damien likes his bath water hot.”

Tatiana shot Esmeralda a smug look and fell in behind the maids lifting the heavy water buckets. Getting to Damien would be easier than they’d thought. A stack of drying towels was shoved into her arms and she fell in step behind her cousin and the long line of maids headed to Damien’s chambers. Her heart hammered in her chest as they filed down the winding hallways, past other bustling maids moving in and out of guest rooms, preparing for guests who had not yet arrived.

Esmeralda lost count of how many turns they took, and hoped they would be able to find their way out. Finally, they reached the door leading to Damien’s chamber, where footmen had already dragged the largest tub Esmeralda had ever seen. Two armed sentries stood guard on either side of the door. She quickly surveyed the room finding no sign of Damien and at a loss as to what to do next. Surely, she could not be present while the prince was bathing and the thought caused Esmeralda’s cheeks to flush hotly.

Esmeralda placed her armful of towels on the small stand beside tub where various bottles and vials were neatly placed. She felt Tatiana’s hand tighten around her arm, and before she could blink, she’d been yanked through the connecting door to the prince’s sitting room. Tatiana put her finger over her lips, listening for the footsteps that signaled the other servants leaving the other room. Once they heard the door shut firmly, Esmeralda breathed a sigh of relief.

“You’d better get out there before he comes in and starts undressing,” Tatiana laughed, “Unless that was your intention all along.”

Shooting her wayward cousin a glare, Esmeralda pushed the connecting door open a crack and peered inside. There was no sound or movement. “Are you going to wait in here?”

Tatiana shook her head. “Oh no, I don’t want to intrude. I’ll meet you back in the kitchen. I’ll keep posing as a maid and when you come back we’ll sneak back out the servant’s entrance.”

Esmeralda nodded, moving through the door and quickly shutting it behind her. She had been so nervous about getting caught, she hadn’t even taken the time to notice her surroundings. Damien’s room was as large as the entire bottom floor of her house, boasting a great oak bed with four massive posters stretching toward the ceiling. Chairs in brown, ivory and gold brocade matched the bedding.

The intimacy of her position was never far from Esmeralda’s mind. The tub sat near the crackling fireplace, hot and inviting, the bed curtains were pulled back and held to the posters by tasseled ropes, the bedcovers turned down.

She noticed for the first time that there were a set of glass doors open to a circular balcony. It was there she found Damien, a dashing figure in black, his hair glowing like a moonlit halo about his head. She found herself drawn toward the doors, her voice caught in her throat, her hands clenched tightly before her. He half stood, half sat, on the stone rail of the balcony. Damien held a strange black instrument to his eye, his head tilted upward to the midnight blue sky.

She cleared her throat, knowing that she was still too overwhelmed by the sight of him to speak. He lowered the instrument and turned.

“Is my bath ready?” he asked, walking toward her. Her face was partially covered in shadow and she knew he was too far away to recognize her.

“Yes, Your Grace,” she said, waiting like the coward she was for him to discover her.

Damien inhaled deeply as he walked toward the maid awaiting him on the balcony. Jasmine. The fragrance was unmistakable and also slightly familiar. Damien could not determine where he’d smelled the scent before, though it called to mind all manner of erotic thoughts.

“Esmeralda,” he said warmly, when the moonlight revealed her face. He thought he’d made such a mess of things with her the night before that she wouldn’t want to see him again. Yet here she was, standing mere inches away from him.

“I came to apologize,” she said, her hands still tightly clasped in front of her. “For my behavior last night.”

Damien couldn’t control the upward movement of his brow, or mask his disbelief. She, apologize to him? “I’m the one who should apologize,” he said once he had recovered. “I acted like a cad and you had every right to be offended.”

“But I wasn’t offended,” she said, her voice a near whisper. Her eyelids lowered demurely. Damien had assumed when seeing her dance, that she was an experienced woman. No woman he had ever known moved with such an inborn sensuality. It was plainly obvious after her response to him when he’d kissed her and her reticence here tonight that she was innocent and untouched. Damien could hardly believe the odds.

“You weren’t?” he prodded, not wanting to frighten her, but wanting to know more. She shook her head, causing the ruffled maid’s cap to slip back a little on her head. Her masses of hair were fighting for freedom, several tendrils had come loose just in the short time they had been speaking. Damien clamped down on his desire to snatch the cap away and send her ebony waves cascading down her back. He clasped his hands loosely behind his back.

“You caught me a little off guard,” she said, taking a tentative step toward him. “But I shouldn’t have thrown you out of my house. It was rude.”

Damien gestured toward a chaise lounge in the middle of the balcony and waited for Esmeralda to sit before sinking down beside her. “I was the one who was rude. You told me about yourself. You let down your guard to me, which is something I sense you don’t do for very many people.” Esmeralda nodded. Damien continued. “You gave me a chance to do the same, to share a little of myself with you and I acted like a moron.”

“Well maybe you can make it up to me,” she said, jumping at the chance to change the subject. She would not let him know how his kiss had affected her. “Tell me about that thing you were looking into earlier.”

Damien stood and grabbed the long black instrument from the balcony rail. “This? You’ve never seen a telescope before?” He smiled when she shook her head.

“My father told me about them,” she said wistfully. “I’ve never seen one in person though.”

“Well, allow me to demonstrate how it works,” he said handing her the portable telescope and pointed out various constellations. Esmeralda noticed the way his face softened and his eyes lit up as he showed her each cluster of stars and the history behind them.

“I would not have guessed that you were interested in something as intellectual as astronomy.”

She gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. “I am so sorry! I did not mean to insult you.”

Damien merely shrugged and returned the telescope to its case.

“It is not common knowledge,” he said, rejoining her on the chaise. “My less reputable hobbies are more known than my intellectual ones. I have several telescopes, of varying sizes and for different purposes, kept in the observatory in the east wing of the palace. My personal library contains several volumes on astronomy, poetry, botany, and biology.”

“The rumors I’ve heard about you make you seem so superficial,” she said. “It is hard to believe that a man who speaks so eloquently of poetry and science could be the same drinking, gambling rakehell I’ve heard so many stories of? How is it that no one seems to know of your many other interests?”

“That is mostly my fault,” he admitted, toying with his signet ring to keep from touching her skin. “I have kept these interests mostly to myself, though my family and servants know of them. Publicly though, I have only allowed people to see one side of me.”

Esmeralda nodded. “I know exactly what you mean,” she said sincerely. “Being a Gypsy who dances in a tavern gives people certain ideas about me all the time.”

Damien knew he was guilty having misguided thoughts of his own about her. “Yes but you are innocent, where I am not. People have the right idea about me.”

“Then why don’t you change it?”

Damien shrugged. “Because for all the gossip that exists about me, people are more concerned with the heir to the throne than with me. Lionus will be king, Serge will be general of Cardenas’ military and I will be the third son. No one really expects much from me.”

“But surely you must want more than that? To be known as more than just the last son?”

It was like she had read his mind, Damien thought. How could she have known of his desire for a more fulfilling life?

“Of course I want more. It is just that no one has ever expected anything of me and so I’ve never expected anything from myself.”

“But there must be something,” she prodded.

“I have often thought of founding a university, perhaps even naming it for my father.”

Esmeralda smiled and her entire face nearly glowed. Damien felt that smile tugging at his insides, twisting at his heart. “That’s a wonderful idea!” she said, her excitement contagious, sparking something in him now that he had given voice to his dream. “I see no reason why you shouldn’t do just what you’ve said.”

Damien studied her face, illuminated by the pale moonlight. “You are a marvel,” he said softly, cupping her cheek with his hand. He had resisted long enough, the urge to touch her had finally overcome his will. “Such freshness and passion,” he murmured, reaching up to slide the white cap from her head. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders. The scent of jasmine grew even stronger. She stiffened slightly when he leaned toward her, but relaxed when he pressed his face to her thick locks and inhaled. “That fragrance is intoxicating.”

“My mother makes perfumes and soaps,” she said. Damien brushed his lips lightly up her neck, moving up over her chin, and finding her lush mouth. The moment his lips touched hers, she was lost.

He swept her swiftly into his arms and crushed her against him, molding her body against his from chest to hip. Though his hold on her was tight and fierce, his lips moved with surprising softness over hers. He took her mouth slowly, trying carefully not to overwhelm her with his growing ardor. Damien clenched a handful of her hair and tugged gently, slanting her head back to gain better access to her mouth.

He deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding achingly over hers, arousing feelings she never thought could exist low in her belly. Heat suffused through her, spreading from her middle until she was hot all over. Her hands rested on his chest, tingling at the feel of his corded muscles beneath her fingers. He brought his hands to her waist, so slender he could nearly span the width of it with his large hands. Damien slid his hands slowly upward over her ribcage, his fingertips lightly brushing her breasts. She sighed into his mouth and arched her back unknowingly, her body responding before her mind could rationalize what she was doing. He lowered his head, showering her neck and shoulders with kisses, working his way steadily downward. His hand cupping one breast jolted her senses, sending her blood rushing rapidly through her veins.

Before she could lose control completely, she pushed him away, her chest heaving as she struggled to control her breathing. It took every ounce of Damien’s will to pull his hands away from her tempting curves.

“I’m sorry,” she said, standing to put some distance between them. “You have to understand-”

“But I do understand,” he interjected, saving her from having to explain. “You are innocent, and you do not normally allow yourself to be so close to a man.”

“I liked kissing you,” she admitted.

Damien smiled. “I’d like to kiss you some more,” he said, standing and taking her hand. “That is, if you want to see me again. I cannot really explain it to you without sounding completely insane, but something that your grandmother told me last night has made me eager to get to know you.”

“What did she tell you?”

“That is not important. What is important is that I see you.”

She nodded. “I would like that.”

He led her by the hand through the doors of the balcony and into his room. “How on earth did you manage to get in here?” he asked, remembering the guards standing outside his chambers. “There are guards at every entrance to the palace.”

“Not at the servant’s entrance,” she replied, shoving the ridiculous white cap back over her head and tucking her hair into it. “My cousin and I managed to sneak into the kitchen and follow your bath water up here.”

“How convenient,” Damien said with a laugh. “Let me walk you back to the kitchen.”

Esmeralda shook her head, pulling her hand from his. “It would seem odd, you accompanying a maid to the kitchen. I remember the way out. I’ll be fine.”

He would worry for her, but he knew she was right. The guards would see her leaving and think a maid had stayed behind for a tryst with the prince. It wouldn’t be the first time that had happened, he thought. He kissed her swiftly on the lips and on the cheek and opened the door for her. Damien watched until she had disappeared around the corner before closing the door and leaning against it with a deep sigh.

The water had grown tepid during his encounter with Esmeralda, and Damien had ordered the tub refilled. He so hated to trouble the servants but he needed to sooth his body and calm his racing mind. Once the tub was filled with fresh, steaming water Damien lowered himself in and sighed. His usual decanter of brandy and glass sat on the table near his drying towels. He grasped the already filled glass and sipped distractedly as he allowed his mind to run over the short time since he had met Esmeralda.

Three days, he reflected; three days since she’d come to the palace to dance and set his very soul on fire. He could hardly turn his thoughts from her, though he had tried mightily. No woman had ever so invaded his mind, or made him want to share a part of him that he had long ago learned to keep to himself.

Christ, he had told her things he had never admitted to anyone, about his own insecurities as the youngest son and his dream of opening a university. What could possibly have possessed him, he wondered. He had strived to keep his relationships with the opposite sex on a fairly shallow level. Until now.

He’d wanted Esmeralda to know things about him, to respect him as he did her. He blamed Akira. The woman had filled his mind with visions of her granddaughter locked in his embrace and intrigued him with her cryptic words. He drained the glass and reached for the decanter to refill it, but found he had no desire to intoxicate himself as he did nearly every night.

Damien had planned to skip the small musicale planned for the first few guests that had arrived and indulge in a night of cards at one of his clubs. The idea no longer appealed to him. Besides, he had no desire to incur his brother’s wrath so soon after the festivities had begun. He had already ordered his evening clothes readied, and so he made the decision to alter his plans.

Davina would most likely be present, though the idea of her company held as little appeal as did cards and drink. He had already been thinking about ending his association with his long-standing mistress, though he had yet to do it. He would do his best to avoid her snares this evening and choose a less public place to let her down gently. Damien would have a contract drawn up making her the owner of the townhouse he had purchased for her to live in and find a nice, expensive parting gift to mollify her.

Satisfied with his decision, Damien washed quickly and dried. He was determined to make it through the evening, boring as it promised to be. Damien joined the guests downstairs and donned a mask of slight interest for the benefit of his family. His only relief from boredom came when thoughts of a dark-hair vixen came dancing through his wandering mind.

Chapter 6

Davina lounged on a chaise done in a floral pattern of pink and gold in the middle of her massive dressing room. Aside from her bedroom, it was the largest room in the house and by far her favorite. She lifted the steaming cup of chocolate from a nearby table and sipped it slowly, relishing the rich drink, a gift from Damien. The king had received a boatload of the stuff from a neighboring king as a gift, and Damien had procured a large amount of it for her. One of the many perks of her position, she thought, ringing for Anne.

She had spent the previous evening at Largess Hall, attending the queen’s musicale. The event had bored her to tears, but as part of the royal court, she was obligated to attend. She had been surprised to see Damien there and even more surprised by the distraction that seemed to plague him. She had not even been able to entice him to her bed. Damien had claimed fatigue and promised to come visit her soon.

His mood was surprising, and his detachment alarming. No matter, she thought with a shrug, he was probably only as bored by the night’s entertainments as she had been. She would invite him to dinner one night this week, wear one of her most daring gowns and he would be hot to have her as he always was. Anne appeared at her side and curtsied. “Good morning my lady.”

“I believe I’ll wear my pale blue muslin dress and white hat with the blue ribbon and plumes this afternoon for luncheon at Largess Hall. Have my rose silk evening gown free of wrinkles by this evening for the dinner party. And I shall need you to dress my hair, of course.”

“Yes my lady,” Anne replied with another curtsy.

Davina finished her chocolate and refilled her cup using the porcelain pot on the nearby table. She slid her feet into the pink slippers matching her pink dressing gown and moved to study her reflection in the full-length mirror at the corner of the dressing room. Her figure could afford a second cup of chocolate, she told herself with a smug little grin, running her hand down the side of her waist and hip.

What a compliment her peaches and cream complexion was to her luscious brown locks and velvety eyes. Beauty, grace and charm were abundant in her personality, as members of her acquaintance had told her several times. All of these things combined to make her the perfect candidate for a princess of Cardenas. She cared not that Damien was merely the youngest son. He was still wealthy beyond all imagining and the handsomest of the three princes. Besides, she had no desire to be wed to the first or second born princes. She would have a husband who had the time to attend to her, not set her aside when he was crowned king or made general.

Damien would ask her to marry him soon. She could feel it. He was coming to an age where he needed to start thinking of settling down and she was ready to fill the position.

“My lady!” squealed Anne as she rushed back into the dressing room, Davina’s blue muslin dress draped over her arm. “The package from Madame Didier had arrived!”

Davina clapped her hands in delight and laughed. “Well hurry you silly girl and have it brought in at once!”

Anne motioned for the tall, broad footman Davina had often admired, to enter with the large box. Davina had waited weeks for the custom-made ball gown she had ordered for the masquerade engagement ball to be held for Prince Lionus and Princess Isabelle. Davina ripped the ribbon and parchment away and allowed Anne to help her lift the gown, which was quite heavy, from the box. Anne gasped.

“Oh my lady, how beautiful!”

Madame Didier had charged an exorbitant amount for the extravagant gown and Davina had known then as she knew now that it was well worth it. Navy blue satin had been sewn to mold perfectly to her form before exploding into full skirts swirling with silvery tulle. Silver beading arranged in a swirling pattern covered the bodice and trailed down the front of the skirt to the hem, making the gown extremely heavy. It would be a damned nuisance to wear, but Davina was ever fashionable and knew that such discomfort was a small thing to achieve the perfect appearance. Matching slippers, reticule, and painted mask were found in the bottom of the package, along with a receipt from Madame Didier.

“I think maybe the sapphires with this, don’t you think Anne?” she asked absently, imagining the large sapphires hanging from her neck and ears. The sapphire set included a tiara that she’d never worn, saving it for a special occasion. Davina grinned, imagining the sapphire tiara on top of her head. No one would know but her, but for the masquerade ball she would be disguised as Damien’s princess.

****

Damien’s family had been surprised to see him at the musicale, dressed immaculately, sober and polite. They were even more surprised to find him at the table for breakfast the next morning, promptly at eight o’clock. Even the footmen could barely contain their surprise when Damien strode in, dressed in white and tan riding clothes and black riding boots, whistling cheerfully. His brothers were already present. Adare tried to join them some mornings for breakfast, but attending the musicale had sapped much of his strength and Damien assumed he was sleeping in. Their guests would all take breakfast in their rooms as well, and most would probably not be seen until the luncheon planned in the garden that afternoon. Damien wouldn’t be attending, his thoughts already moving him in the direction of a certain Gypsy girl’s cottage.

He headed to the sideboard and filled his plate, taking his place beside Serge and across from Lionus. Lionus had stopped eating and was eyeing Damien incredulously. Damien winked at Jarvis, who appeared at his side with the coffee pot.

“Armageddon must be upon us,” Serge guffawed, his good humor a match for Damien’s, “for I have never seen you out of bed before noon.”

Damien poked Serge in the ribs and dashed his coffee cup with a liberal amount of cream. “Yes, well I have things to do today. Important things,” he said pointedly at Lionus. “So I won’t be attending the luncheon, though I’m sure I will be back in time for the dinner party.”

Lionus nodded, turning his attention back to his plate. “I had assumed that last night would be the last of your appearances until the tournament. I appreciate your efforts to attend the planned entertainments.” Damien took the compliment at face value. It was the best Lionus could do and Damien couldn’t expect more than that from his restrained personality.

Queen Alexandra swept into the room, regal as always. Her dark hair was streaked with silver and pulled back fashionably. Her frigid, hard beauty was only slightly marred by lines and wrinkles around her mouth and cerulean eyes, and the frigidness found within their depths.

She took her seat at one end of the table, and a cup of tea appeared at her side before her bottom had settled fully in the chair. She nodded at Jarvis, who appeared magically at her elbow with her prepared breakfast plate. Very few servants in the palace were privileged to prepare Alexandra’s plate, for very few ever got it right. She preferred particular foods on particular days and insisted that none of the items on her plate touch each other. Jarvis had become the master at remembering the queen’s preferences.

“Good morning,” she said to Lionus only. Damien and Serge had long grown used to being nearly ignored by their mother. Damien seriously doubted that Alexandra even noticed his unusual presence. They ate in silence, even Serge’s sunny mood eclipsed by Alexandra’s icy manner. Damien was almost grateful when Jarvis interrupted them.

“There is a visitor,” he announced.

“No need to announce me dear Jarvis,” called a familiar voice from the hall.

“Nicolai!” Serge exclaimed rising to greet their older cousin as he stepped into the room. “We weren’t expecting you until the end of the week.”

Their cousin Nicolai, older than Lionus by one year, was the son of their father’s younger brother. He had been raised alongside the three princes as if they were brothers. Even Lionus perked up at this unexpected arrival.

“It is good to see you,” Lionus said, standing to offer Nicolai his hand. “Jarvis, see to it that Nicolai’s usual chambers are prepared for him.”

Damien was next to greet his cousin, clapping him on the back and joining him at the sideboard for a second helping. Nicolai greatly resembled his own father, whose looks were similar to Adare’s. His light blonde hair and green eyes were so similar to Damien’s, that he looked more like him than his own brothers did. He was tall and slender, his bearing just as regal as his cousins’.

“Sorry I did not send word that I was coming but there was no time,” Nicolai said as he joined them at the table. “Father has been in his cups ever since mother’s funeral and he’s been deuced difficult to live with, so I decided to come up early.”

Damien’s aunt had died a few months ago, and his father, who had loved the woman fiercely, had been drowning his sorrows in drink ever since.

“Well we are glad to have you, as always,” Serge said cheerfully.

“Good morning, Auntie Alexandra!” Nicolai bellowed, deliberately using the form of address detested by the queen.

“Nicolai,” she said in a clipped, abrupt manner, with a slight incline of her head. Her blue eyes narrowed on the nephew she so disliked for reasons none of her sons understood. They knew that Alexandra had loathed Nicolai’s mother and for that reason did not like Nicolai either.

“Excuse me, I find I have lost my appetite.” She stormed from the room with a regal swish of her skirts, leaving the men to relax in the absence of her overbearing presence.

“I am also here because I received your message about the attacks on Adare,” Nicolai said, once Alexandra had cleared the room. “I figured you all might need me here.”

Serge nodded. “As you can see, we have severely increased our security.”

“And because we have reason to believe that this plot involves the royal family and not just father, your chambers will be guarded as well,” said Lionus, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands over his abdomen. “Only a select group of servants will be allowed to attend you.”

“Please tell me that voluptuous maid Lillian is among the chosen few. She is so very well endowed.”

Serge laughed. “You’ll have to practice your seduction well, cousin. She has eyes only for Damien these days.”

Nicolai chuckled, clapping Damien roughly on the shoulder. “You devil, you!”

Damien shook his head. “Seduce away, Nicolai. I have not sampled the girl’s charms and have no interest in doing so.”

“Ah,” Nicolai said knowingly, raising a blonde eyebrow. “The fair Davina. Shall we be making an honest woman of her one of these days?”

Lionus snorted, rolling his eyes in agitation. “I should certainly hope not.”

Rather than defend Davina as he usually would, he merely shrugged. “I think not. In fact, I have decided that the time to end our association has come.”

“It’s about damn time,” Lionus muttered.

Ignoring his brother’s rude comment, Damien signaled Jarvis for another cup of coffee. “Back to the matter at hand,” he said sharply, stabbing at Lionus with a piercing glare. “The three prisoners still have to be questioned again. We have to make time for that.”

Serge nodded. “I was thinking that we could slip away from the dinner party for a few minutes tonight. All of the guests will be occupied and no one should miss us for too long. We could question them then.”

Lionus nodded. “A fine idea. I’ll speak to the captain of the guard and tell him to have the prisoners brought to us.”

“I hope you don’t mind if I join you,” Nicolai said between bites of scrambled egg. “A fourth perspective could be helpful.”

“Of course,” said Damien. “This is a family matter and concerns you as well.”

“Once you’re settled in your room you may wish to rest if you are going to attend the luncheon this afternoon,” Lionus said, in command as usual.

“A capital idea. I should like a bath as well and perhaps Lillian to scrub my back!”

“Well then,” said Damien, rising to his feet. “I will see you all at dinner this evening.”

He strode quickly from the room, his step lighter than it had been in months as he contemplated an afternoon spent with Esmeralda.

****

Tristan had loved Esmeralda as long as he could remember. Their parents had been long-time friends and they had grown up together. One day, he wasn’t exactly sure when, he’d turned around and she had become a woman. Her eyes beguiled him, her sumptuous mouth tempted him and her lithe body set his blood to boiling.

He had waited with increasing impatience for her to return his love, knowing that the events surrounding her father’s death had made it hard for her. Tristan had been there to discover her as she lay, beaten and brutalized on the side of the road beside her father who was already dead. He’d taken her in his arms, cradled her to his chest and whispered soothing words in her ear as he’d carried her home. He had been there for her every day since, and still she treated him like a brother or a cousin.

Now he sat at the table in her small kitchen, watching her roll out dough for pastries. Her hands were dusted with flour and her feet were bare but to Tristan she was radiant. Her simple white blouse tucked into a yellow skirt was plain and serviceable, but to Tristan she might as well have been wearing a silk ball gown.

“Everyone is talking,” he said, voicing his concern over her newfound friendship with the prince. “You must know what this will do to your reputation. People will think that you intend to become his next mistress.”

“You know how little I care about what people think.”

“And what of his intentions? Do you think that they are honorable?”

She plopped a basket of green apples on the table in front of him and handed him a sharp kitchen knife. “As long as you’re here in my kitchen you can make yourself useful.”

She was deliberately dodging his questions. Tristan seethed, taking up the knife and slicing into the skin of an apple. “I only say these things because I care about you,” he said, nearly pleading with her. “I am only trying to protect you.”

Esmeralda stared distractedly through the window, as she had been since Tristan arrived. Her hands stilled over the dough she was rolling with her flour-covered hands and rolling pin and her eyes took on a dream-like quality as she watched the path winding by the house. Tristan gritted his teeth in frustration.

“Esmeralda, are you even listening?”

Esmeralda started and moved away from the counter, turning her attention back to Tristan. She sat next to him at the table, dusting her floury hands off on the apron tied about her waist.

“I know you are only looking out for me. I appreciate it. Really, I do. You have always been such a loyal and faithful friend, Tristan.”

Tristan winced inwardly at the word “friend”. How he longed to whisk her up the stairs to her bedroom and strike the word “friend” from her lips forever. “I will always be here for you,” he said, meaning every word. He had waited for so long for her, he would wait out whatever feelings she thought she had toward the prince. When he broke her heart, Tristan would be there to pull the pieces back together.

Esmeralda stood abruptly at the sound of horse’s hooves rumbling down the road. She rushed to the window and from where he sat, Tristan made out a figure on a massive black horse trotting toward the cottage.

“It’s him!” she cried, with a radiant smile. Tristan frowned as he watched Esmeralda look down at her clothing in despair, then take off toward the staircase. “I can’t see him looking like this,” she mumbled to herself as she climbed the stairs quickly to her bedroom.

Tristan banged his fist on the table in agitation, and then thundered through the front door, unwilling to stay and watch Esmeralda make a fool over herself over a pompous, spoiled prince. He approached his horse just as Prince Damien drew near, pulling his horse’s reins to slow her.

“Good morning,” he said as he jumped down from the mare’s back, tying her reins to the tree that Tristan’s stallion had been tied to a moment before. “You must be Esmeralda’s dance partner. Tristan, is it?”

Damien extended his hand to Tristan but he ignored it, his black stare focused on the prince’s face. The man was downright pretty but Tristan wondered if the he ran any deeper than what was on the surface.

“Yes,” he said, his voice dripping with venom. “I am a very good friend of Esmeralda. She is special to me, and I warn you not to harm her. If I find out that your intentions toward her are anything but honorable, royalty or not I will spill your blood and prove that is red just like mine!”

Without another word, Tristan mounted his horse and thundered off down the road, leaving a stunned Damien watching him from the yard.

Damien rapped lightly on the door to the cottage, still puzzled over his encounter with Tristan. It would seem he was in competition for Esmeralda’s affections. Nothing else could explain the force of the man’s words or the cold glint in his eyes when he’d threatened Damien. The incident was forgotten when the door swung open to reveal a woman who could be none other than Esmeralda’s mother. She was the very image of her daughter, though her face was distinctively more mature. The same honey colored eyes that Akira and Esmeralda possessed twinkled cheerfully as she curtsied to him, then stepped back to allow him entrance.

“Welcome your grace,” she said as she closed the door behind them. “I am Raina, Esmeralda’s mother. I have heard so much about you.”

Damien wasn’t so sure it would bode well for him that Raina had heard a lot about him. That would all depend on the source. But her smile was kind and genuine as she led him into the sitting room.

“Esmeralda will be down in moment,” she said, taking a seat in an armchair once he had seated himself. “It is an honor to have you visit our home.”

“The honor is all mine,” he said sincerely, in awe of the mature woman’s timeless beauty. His father had often spoken of his favorite Gypsy dancer, a woman who had graced the palace many times with her presence. Sultry and elegant, his father had called her, an astonishing combination. Putting his father’s description together with Esmeralda’s stories about her parents, Damien knew he was sitting across from the Golden Dancer herself. “My father speaks very highly of you.”

Raina smiled, a faraway look in her eye. “His majesty is very kind. I have not danced at the palace in ages and still he remembers. He has always been most kind. How is he faring these days?”

It saddened him to tell Raina of his father’s progressing illness. “He will not live much longer I fear,” he said once he’d told her of Adare’s health. “At least that is what the doctors have said.”

“How sad,” she said, reaching across the small space between them to envelope Damien’s hand in her warm one. “I will send up a prayer for him.”

Damien nodded his gratitude.

“Ah, here’s Esmeralda,” she said, gesturing toward the staircase.

She stood at the foot of the stairs, lovely in a simple teal dress. The garment was without adornment save for a row of ornate buttons down the front. Esmeralda wore beaded jewelry at her neck, wrists and ankles and a simple pair of matching slippers. She was radiant. He took her hand and kissed it quickly, resisting the impulse to linger on her sweet smelling skin.

Raina sank back into her chair, taking up a needle and what looked to be the beginnings of a dress, conveying her intention to stay as chaperone but maintain a certain distance. Esmeralda led him to the kitchen where she had been before he arrived.

“You cook?” he asked as she took up her apron once more and continued rolling out dough.

“I do, but I love baking more. Today I am making apple tarts.”

Damien was impressed. He had never known a woman who could cook. Most women of his acquaintance were at home at this very moment, entertaining callers over tea. They were dressed in expensive muslin and lace and discussing mundane subjects over treats baked by a hired servant. They probably did not even know where the kitchen was located in their own home and would never be caught holding a rolling pin or wearing an apron.

“What a coincidence,” he said. “I happen to adore apple tarts.”

“Well then, you won’t mind working for them,” she said pointing at the abandoned apples and knife on the counter beside her. “Tristan was helping me, but he left.”

Damien removed his beige coat and draped it over a chair before rolling up his white shirtsleeves and joining Esmeralda at the counter. He lifted the large knife in one hand and a large apple in another. Esmeralda laughed at the lost expression on his face.

“What’s this? The prince has never sliced an apple before?”

He shrugged sheepishly. “Madame, I have never had to prepare a meal. Until recently I had never even been in the kitchen at Largess Hall.”

“Well there’s a first time for everything.”

He watched her peel, slice, and core an apple before trying it on his own. She showed him how to roll the dough flat and cut it into squares, and how to mix the apples with sugar and cinnamon and fold them into the little pastry squares. Nearly an hour later, they and the kitchen floor were covered in a light dusting of flour, but the neatly folded tarts were ready to go into the oven.

“So, your friend Tristan seems very protective of you,” Damien remarked, trying to sound casual, but determined to discover the complete nature of Tristan and Esmeralda’s relationship.

Esmeralda sighed, sliding a glass of lemonade in front of him and grasping her own with both hands. “He has been that way since my father died. His parents were friends with my parents and we grew up together. He has been my friend for a long time.”

Damien sipped the sweet lemonade and continued carefully. “The way he warned me away from you when I approached the house made me wonder if there wasn’t more to your friendship.”

Esmeralda shook her head. “Tristan wishes there could be, but I don’t feel the same way. Many of our friends and family have expected us to marry since we were teenagers.”

For some reason the thought of Esmeralda wed to the handsome Gypsy dancer caused Damien’s jaw to clench. Jealousy was a new experience for him. He did not like it very much. Esmeralda continued.

“Tristan means well, though. I’m sorry if he said anything to you he shouldn’t have.”

Damien shrugged. “I’ve experienced worse. Besides, he will have no cause to follow through with his threats. I would never dream of dishonoring you.”

His words seemed sincere and warmed Esmeralda’s insides. Everyone was concerned for nothing, she thought, staring into guileless, warm green eyes. Damien played no games with her. She had not known him very long but felt it was so. He reached one hand across the small space between them to brush a wayward strand of hair from her face.

“You do believe me, don’t you Esmeralda?”

Esmeralda nodded, silent as he pressed his lips to hers softly and swiftly before pulling back to smile at her.

“I’m sorry to say I must leave soon,” he said removing his hand from her face and returning his attention to his lemonade. “But there are affairs I have to attend to at Largess Hall, most of them unimportant but I am obligated to attend them anyway.”

Esmeralda nodded. “I understand. I’m glad you came.”

“There is a picnic lunch planned for tomorrow at the palace. I think I would enjoy it so much more if you could come with me.”

Esmeralda’s eyes widened and her hand went her throat in a gesture of anxiety. “I don’t know if that is such a good idea. I wouldn’t know how to behave in such high company.”

Damien took her hand and laughed. “My dear, I am fairly acquainted with nearly every member of the royal court, and I can assure you that you are more well-mannered than most of them. You’ll do fine.” His expression suddenly became more serious and his hold on her hand tightened. “I would have you become a part of my life, my world. You would sparkle like the brightest gem there, I’m sure of it.”

“May I have some time to think about it?”

He nodded, pressing a kiss to her hand. “I’ll expect an answer from you by tomorrow morning. If you accept I’ll come for you.”

He released her hand and allowed her to remove her tarts from the oven She placed them on a plate to cool, offering one to Damien. He bit into the sweet confection, sighing appreciatively and nodded his head vigorously.

“The palace cook could learn a thing or two from you about apple tarts,” he said, finishing most of the tart in one bite and reaching for another.

Esmeralda giggled. “You’d better get your fill while you can. My brother, Desmond can smell these from a mile away.”

As if he’d heard her, Desmond came crashing through the back door, guitar case slung over his shoulder.

“Hello Es!” he called cheerfully, making a beeline toward the tarts. Esmeralda raised an eyebrow at Damien and shrugged. Damien laughed. Desmond had devoured two of the tarts before he noticed that his sister had company. He nearly choked but, coughing and sputtering, quickly gained his composure. Desmond bowed at the waist quickly.

“Your Grace, I’m sorry I did not see you there!” he mumbled around a mouthful of syrupy apples and flaky crust.

“You don’t see much when there’s food in the room!” Esmeralda taunted playfully, ruffling Desmond’s jet black hair.

“Call me Damien, please. You must be Desmond. You are a very talented guitar player.” Damien indicated the guitar case abandoned by the back door.

“Thank you, Your Grace….I mean…Damien! Tristan, that’s Esmeralda’s dancing partner, started teaching me when I was just a boy.”

“Yes I have seen Tristan dance and play as well,” Damien said, recalling the smooth grace with which the man had danced and handled the guitar. “He is very talented as well.”

“He’s got all the luck,” Desmond said, dropping down into a chair at the table. “Talent, looks, and charm.”

Damien studied the young boy who was almost a man. He was tall, nearly as tall as Damien and quite thin, though his shoulders were broad and his body beginning to show firmness of muscle. His hair, thick and wavy as his sister’s, was slicked back from his face. His dark eyes were framed by thick sooty lashes. Damien could see the beginning signs of manhood on the boy, including half a day’s worth of beard on his jaw. Damien smiled.

“You are not yet seventeen Desmond,” he replied. “Give yourself a few more years and I’ll wager you’ll have the girls beating down your door.”

Esmeralda nodded her agreement. “He’s right, you know,” she said with a smirk. “You’re well on your way to becoming a ladies’ man.”

Desmond rolled his eyes and shook his head, but twin red dots appeared on his cheeks. He shrugged and cleared is throat, turning back to Damien.

“Is that your horse out front?” Desmond asked, crossing the room to procure another tart. “She’s beautiful.”

“Her name is Persephone. Do you like horses?”

Desmond nodded emphatically. “I love them. Tristan lets me ride his stallion whenever I want. I’m saving up to buy one of my own.”

“How very ambitious,” said Damien thoughtfully. “Perhaps I could help you with that.”

“How?” Desmond asked hopefully, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of achieving his goal.

“Well, our stables at Largess Hall are quite large and we are always in need of grooms to care for the horses. If you would like employment, I would give you work as a groom looking after my horses and in addition to your wages I would give you the horse of your choosing.”

Desmond whooped excitedly, pumping Damien’s offered hand up and down vigorously. “When can I start?”

Damien could feel Esmeralda’s gaze  on him as he chatted easily with Desmond, explaining the details of his duties and telling him to report to the palace in the morning. Desmond ran off to find Raina and give her his good news and Damien turned back to her, wishing that the hours had not gone by so slowly. He was not ready to leave.

“Now I really do need to be going,” he said, pulling his timepiece from the pocket of his waistcoat and observing the hour. “I’ve stayed much later than I intended, although I wish I could stay longer.”

Esmeralda walked him out into the yard where Persephone waited patiently for Damien to unfetter her. He turned to Esmeralda, reigns in hand.

“Thank you so much,” she said, stepping closer to plant a kiss on his cheek. It was becoming easier for her, he noticed, to allow him such closeness.

“And what must I do to make you happy?” he murmured softly, wrapping one arm around her waist.

“Right at this moment a kiss will do,” she murmured. She welcomed his mouth, opening her lips to him automatically, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck. She breathed in his scent and luxuriated of the feel of his strong arms around her. He pulled away reluctantly, placing another kiss on her forehead.

“Think about tomorrow,” he reminded her before mounting his horse. “I hope you’ll come.”

Chapter 7

Damien flicked an imaginary piece of lint from the sleeve of his navy blue coat and stifled the urge to yawn. Davina clung to his arm possessively, indiscreetly pressing her much exposed bosom against him as she rambled on about something Damien had long lost interest in. In fact, he thought as he observed her coldly, he had long lost interest in her. How had he ever found her attractive, he wondered.

It was as if meeting Esmeralda had opened his eyes. Davina was an appealing woman physically, yet he couldn’t understand how he’d ever been able to abide her company. How had he ever conversed with her without becoming annoyed by her constant jabbering? How had he ever withstood her open flirtation and unabashed seduction of him in public? Where once such behavior had been permissible, he now found himself embarrassed to be standing next to her. Davina was a woman whose body was for sale and she fragrantly advertised this in the way she walked, dressed, and acted.

“Damien!” she demanded, her voice shrill, her foot stamping in annoyance. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve been saying have you?”

Damien sighed. “Sorry, I have a lot on my mind this evening.”

Davina stroked his bicep through his sleeve and smiled invitingly, her painted red mouth repulsive to him where it had once attracted. “You should come by after this lovely dinner party is over. I could do much to ease your heavy mind.”

Damien cringed inwardly. He had been dodging Davina’s sexual advances all week. He hadn’t taken her to bed since the night of his birthday celebration and even then he’d done so mechanically and without much thought. She would not stand his evasiveness much longer. It was time to end things.

“Perhaps I will come by later,” he said, hoping that she wouldn’t greet him nude as she often did. “I have something I want to talk to you about.”

Her smile grew even wider and she squealed with delight. “Oh Damien!” she exclaimed, slapping at him playfully with her painted fan. “I can hardly wait. Now be a good boy and bring me a glass of sherry, would you?”

Choosing to be grateful for an excuse to escape her cloying grasp, instead of annoyed by her superior command, Damien wrestled his arm from her clutches and crossed the drawing room to find one of the attendants carrying trays of drink. He had suffered through the seven course meal, and waited now for Lionus to inform him that it was time to attend to their other pressing business. Drinks and conversation would continue for at least an hour more in the crowded drawing room, and Damien knew they would be able to slip away soon, unnoticed. He had just procured a glass of sherry when Nicolai appeared at his side.

“Lionus is awaiting us in his study,” he said in hushed tones. “The prisoners are being brought there as we speak.”

Damien nodded. “I’ll be right there.”

He quickly left the sherry with Davina and promised to stop by her townhouse later that evening. Damien found Serge on the way out of the drawing room and the two of them navigated through the winding corridors of the palace toward Lionus’ wing. He and Nicolai were already waiting in the quiet interior of the darkened study. His brother paced before the roaring fireplace, his hands clenched tightly behind his back. He was dressed entirely in black formal wear, white collar starched rigidly and linen cravat tied simply but neatly, his hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. The firelight cast shadows over his face, but Damien could see the distinct pulling of worry around his mouth and eyes.

“Is father not coming?” Damien asked, searching the room for Adare.

“I thought to let him enjoy the evening,” Lionus said quietly, stopping his pacing in mid-stride. “He has enough worries without having to deal with this.”

Damien nodded. Lionus was right, as he often was. Adare had appeared at the dinner party, flawlessly dressed and in his wheelchair. He had been bright-eyed and smiling and Damien would be loathed to disturb him as well. Damien knew that Adare trusted his sons and nephew to handle this matter and report back to him.

Lionus took a seat behind his massive oak desk, folding his hands in front of him. Serge stood behind him to his left, Damien behind him to his right. Nicolai half sat-half stood at the corner of the desk, placing him somewhat between him and Damien. The captain of the guard entered, leading six armed guards forming a cluster around three shackled men. They were bedraggled, their clothes torn and tattered, their odors offensive. One man sported a hideous, festering wound slashing across one cheek. Lionus acknowledged the guards.

“Leave us. These men are shackled hand and foot and can hardly be expected to cause any trouble. Wait just outside those doors and allow no one to enter.”

“Yes your grace,” said the captain, leading his men from the study.

Lionus turned his hard gaze on the three men, assessing each one dispassionately before he spoke. “The three of you have been arrested for your part in the assassination attempts made against King Adare. You have been charged with high treason and have been sentenced to death by hanging at the end of the week. You have each been questioned, but we seek more than the answers you’ve given us. We wish you to give us any and all details concerning the man who hired you and his reasons behind these attempts.”

The three men, whom Damien could tell had never met before today looked at each other. The scar-faced man spoke up first. “Everyone knows about the masked man,” he said, gesturing with his shackled hands. “At least all us common folk do. He hires folks to do his dirty work, or intimidates us into doing it is more like it.”

One of the men, who was quite larger than the other two, eyed the three princes and their cousin with undisguised venom. “Don’t you be expectin’ me to tell you anything. I’m good as dead whether I talk or not, so why should I tell anything to you? You gonna let me live?”

“Perhaps you can go to your graves with a clean conscious,” Serge said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Maybe God will forgive you for the sins you have committed if you confess all.”

“I ain’t no God-fearin’ man,” the large man said, his hard and narrow eyes shifting to Serge.

“Besides, there is no priest present!” piped the third man, who Damien noticed was clutching a string of wooden rosary beads in his trembling hands. Tears streaked his grimy face, but Damien refused to have any pity for this man.

“We will provide a final confession, should you wish it,” Damien said. “But first you will confess to us.”

The religious man, shaking with terror, took a timid step forward. “You must understand!” he pleaded. “He threatened my family, threatened to hurt my son if I didn’t do what he said. Promised me money if I agreed.”

“He did the same to me!” said the scarred man. “Seemed to know everything about me and my family.”

“So this man walks around the city, masked, and looks for peasants to do his bidding?” asked Nicolai incredulously.

“The masked man don’t walk,” said the religious man. “And he don’t look for nobody. He just knows things. He finds you. And God help you if you refuse him.”

“Why not report this suspicious man to the proper authorities?” asked Lionus. “Why not come to us with this information?”

“Pardon me for saying so, your grace,” said the scar faced man. “But we ain’t exactly livin’ in no palace. Me and my wife got seven children and little money. The amount he offered to see the deed done would have been enough for us to live on for most of our remaining lives.”

Damien raised his brow. “So this man is wealthy?”

The religious man nodded. “He dresses finely and speaks like you do.”

Damien and Serge exchanged glances. Could this masked vigilante be a member of the nobility, someone with a close association to the royal family? This tiny bit of information could change everything.

“Why don’t you describe everything about this man that you can remember?” Serge said. “Appearance, clothing, anything at all.”

“You’re all a bunch of fools!” roared the large man, who had been glowering silently through the entire exchange. “You think these snotty little nobs give a damn about us or our families? They’re gonna hang us all the same!”

“I don’t care!” cried the religious man. “He’s right!” He pointed at Serge. “We have to do what’s right before we die!”

“I’ll tell you,” the scarred man said. “Though as far as looks go there ain’t much to tell. He wears this mask, you see, made of pure silver, with nothing but dark slits for the eyes and mouth. You can’t see nothing of his hair, as he keeps it covered. Even wears gloves so you can’t see his hands.”

“His clothes are the finest material,” said the religious man. “You can tell he is a man of means and wealth.”

Lionus sighed heavily, resting his head in his hands. They weren’t likely to get much more information from these men; it seemed the men had told everything they knew.

“Is there anything else?” Damien asked, hoping for even one more shred of information to add to what little they had.

The two cooperative men seemed to think for a moment before the religious man spoke up. “His cane! I almost forgot.”

The scar faced man nodded in agreement. “It was different than anything I’d ever seen. It had a silver handle, shaped like a bird and two snakes.”

“A bird and two snakes you say?” Nicolai inquired. “Perhaps a family crest.”

“I’m not sure about that but, the two snakes are wrapped around the bird…maybe it’s a hawk…I don’t know, but the two snakes are attacking the bird.”

“Sounds custom made,” remarked Lionus, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “It certainly does not sound like the crest of any family in Cardenas.”

“Before you go,” Damien said as Lionus went to the door to signal the guards. “Did this man indicate whether or not this plot only involved the king?”

The religious man’s eyes widened. “Yes he did your grace! He said something about how he sought to justify the wrongs done him and his family. He said he was going to make things right, starting with His Majesty.”

Lionus whipped around, his face stricken with fear for a moment before his usual calm mask slipped back into place. His eyes met Damien’s and they shared the same private thought. They were all in grave danger. The guards entered to take the men away. Lionus turned to the two prisoners who had cooperated with them.

“I appreciate your help. And though I cannot repeal your sentences, I can make what precious little time you have left on this earth a bit brighter. Tell my captain of the guard where your families are and I will allow them to come here to visit with you before you are hanged. You will also be permitted a final confession; a priest will be sent to you.” He turned to his captain of the guard. “See to it that this man,” he pointed at the larger man, “receives forty lashes for his impertinence. I also want his ration of food for the remainder of his time here to be divided between these two gentlemen here.”

The large man’s eyes bulged wide, jaw clenched, his fists clenched. “You arrogant bastard!” he snarled. “You can’t do that!”

Lionus stepped forward until he and the beefy man were nearly nose to nose. He drew himself to his full height and though the man was a few inches taller than him, he managed to look down his nose at him. “I think you will find that I can. You have committed treason and failed to cooperate in this investigation. And so I will make what is left of your miserably pathetic life a living hell.” He turned back to the guards. “Get these men out of my sight!”

Once the room was clear and the men were alone once more, Lionus sunk back into the chair behind his desk. The other three took chairs across from the desk and stared at each other for a moment in silence. Serge was the first to speak.

“So we are looking for a man no one can name or describe, a man of great wealth, wearing a mask and carrying a distinctive cane.”

Nicolai nodded, his face grim. “The odds are definitely against us here. This man is slinking around, undetected and unrecognized, coercing the citizens of Cardenas into doing his bidding.”

“Have any of you given any thought to the fact that this person is probably a member of the royal court?” Damien asked quietly, staring into the wavering fire. “He could be here at Largess Hall as we speak.”

“Then there is only one thing to do,” Lionus said, his mouth a harsh line. He looked tired and haggard, despite his faultless state of dress. “I will have mother cancel the rest of the festivities and send everyone away. Once she knows how dire the situation is, I am sure she will be reasonable and do as I ask. We will continue to fortify the castle with guards and put all our energies into discovering who this masked man is.”

“Perhaps that is not the best idea,” said Nicolai. “If he is in fact among our guests, perhaps it is best we keep it that way. It will be easier to see an attack coming, if he has one planned, by keeping the situation contained here.”

“He’s right,” agreed Damien. “We will just have to pay extra attention to our guests, listen a little more carefully to the gossip. We need to find out who might possibly have a grudge against father.”

“We’ll need to ask around about that cane,” Serge added. “And maybe even go around town and ask some questions. I am sure we could find some more people that have come in contact with this masked man.”

“Agreed,” said Lionus decisively. “Serge, you go to all the silversmiths in the city-I believe there are only three-and see if you can get information on a custom made cane fitting the description we were given. Nicolai and I will circulate among the guests to find out whatever gossip we can. We will also observe the men to see if any of them carry the cane on them.” He turned to Damien. “You will go to the seedier side of town-since you are familiar with it-and find out what you can. Question whoever you must and find out if anyone else has encountered this man.”

The four men went their separate ways once they left Lionus’ study, Damien headed for the observatory. He needed some time alone to clear his thoughts before be confronted Davina. Damien wished he could make sense of it, but the web of intrigue surrounding his family threatened to envelop them all. The words that Akira had spoken sprang forth in his memory and caused him to shiver with dread. She had told him to beware the viper in his bosom, that its strike would deal a deadly blow to the royal family. Damien was certain that this masked man was the viper she spoke of and that he was someone close to the family. The very thought made him wary, causing him to look over his shoulder to ensure that guards were present as he walked down the dark corridor.

****

Raina sat before the fireplace in the living room, cross-legged on the rug. She had an array of beads laid out on the carpet and was fashioning a necklace. Akira sat in a nearby armchair, sipping tea. Esmeralda joined her mother on the floor, watching the beautiful creation take shape as she chose which beads to add to her necklace.

“It sure was nice of Prince Damien to offer Desmond that job at the palace,” Raina commented lightly, pausing to glance at Esmeralda. “Desmond’s pretty excited about it.”

Esmeralda smiled warmly at the mention of her prince. “Yes, Damien is very generous.”

Raina laughed softly. “Someone here is besotted.”

Esmeralda didn’t bother to deny it. “He’s just so wonderful. The things people say about him aren’t true! At least I think they aren’t,” she said softly, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

“You’re not sure?” Raina asked.

Esmeralda stared into the dwindling fire, thinking on her mother’s question before answering. “He’s charming and smart,” she said. “He’s kind and generous. How can someone like that be so bad?”

Akira nodded. “He’s a good boy,” she said, setting her teacup aside. “I saw it in him when I looked into his eyes.”

Esmeralda needed no further convincing. Akira had ways of seeing into a person’s soul, and seemed to see the same good in Damien that Esmeralda did.

“Well then,” said Raina. “If he makes you happy, then I am happy. You’ve needed a little happiness this past year.”

Akira nodded in agreement. She and Raina had nursed Esmeralda back to health after the vicious attack that had killed her father. They had witnessed the pain caused by the wicked men who had violated her and the carefully erected defenses Esmeralda had built up around herself as a result.

“So, will you be going to the picnic tomorrow?” asked Akira with a grin, her eyes glowing with glee. Esmeralda’s jaw dropped.

“How did you know about that?”

Akira laughed, a deep throaty cackle resounded through the small sitting room. “I won’t reveal my ways, love, but I will tell you you’re a fool if you refuse him.”

“What aren’t you two telling me?” Raina inquired, setting her jewelry aside and looking first at Akira and then Esmeralda. “What’s going on?”

“The royal court is gathered for the wedding of Prince Lionus and Princess Isabelle. There are entertainments planned and Damien has invited me to a picnic tomorrow afternoon.”

Raina’s eyes sparkled and she clasped her hands together against her chest, which seemed to swell with pride. “How wonderful! Of course you’ll go!”

Esmeralda shook her head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. We don’t move in such high circles. I wouldn’t know how to behave around all those lords and ladies.”

“You’ll be yourself and the lords and ladies be damned!” cried Akira, standing from her chair. “You mustn’t let those people stand in the way of what is to be.”

Esmeralda didn’t even try to figure out what her grandmother meant by that strange statement. Akira saw things oftentimes before they happened and chose to reveal what she wanted when she wanted.

“Mama,” said Raina to Akira, “Would you please find Desmond and have him bring down my large trunk from the attic? He’ll know which one. I need a moment with Esmeralda.”

Akira glided up the stairs, surprisingly spry for one her age, her robes swishing around her ankles as she went. Raina sighed and took her daughter’s hand.

“I have something I want to tell you, woman to woman. I know that you are my daughter, but we are also friends.”

“Of course we are..”

“But first I want to know how you feel about the prince.”

Esmeralda’s gaze wandered to the small portrait of her parents over the fireplace, gazing into her father’s velvety brown eyes. She imagined that she would come to feel the same way about Damien as her parents had felt about each other. “I can’t really name it yet. It’s just so soon, but…I feel so light around him and easy.”

“I loved your father dearly,” Raina began. “When we met in Spain we knew almost immediately that we loved each other. He gave me two beautiful children and a peaceful and wonderful life. But before your father, there was someone else.”

That was not hard for Esmeralda to believe. Even now in her fifties, Raina was a beautiful woman.

“His name was Ramon Estevez,” Raina continued. “Lord Ramon Estevez. He came to the market where I was selling my perfumes one day with mama. He came back every day that week to buy my soap.” Raina smiled, her eyes focused on some faraway place and time. “I knew that it wasn’t my soap he was interested in.”

“You had a romance with a Spanish lord?”

Raina nodded. “He was handsome and dashing and we were smitten from the beginning. But he was a member of the nobility and of course I was just a Gypsy dancer who sold soaps and jewelry.”

“Oh mother, you are much more than that! Surely he could see that?”

“Of course he did. It was just the reality of our situation. He was a part of a world in which I did not belong. Oh, he tried so hard to make it so. He lavished me with expensive clothes and gifts. He took me to the theaters, the balls, the dinner parties. We thought we would carry on that way forever until his father died. He was obligated to take a wife now that he was master of his father’s holdings. Marriage to me was, of course, out of the question.”

“So what happened? Did he not offer for you?”

“He would have if he had been able, but you have to understand the way of their world. His mama already had a bride in mind and Ramon really had no choice. We went our separate ways and I never saw him again. I recovered from my heartbreak and soon after I met your father.”

“So then you told me this to warn me? You think I should try to avoid any sort of relationship with Damien?” The story of Raina and Ramon had struck dread in her. Heartache was not something she had considered, yet it was almost a certainty. Damien was a prince and someday he would take a wife. The thought filled Esmeralda’s heart with anguish.

“I told you that story because even though I loved your father more than I could ever have loved Ramon, I would not have changed what happened for the world. It was an experience that shaped who I am today and it was well worth the small amount of pain I had to endure in the end. I do not know if you love your Damien, but I know that you could in time. You have suffered hurt at the hands of men and it is time you discovered that there is more to be found in the arms of a man than pain.”

Esmeralda studied Raina intently, seeing her as she never had before, as a woman. She knew her mother had felt the same flurry of emotion for Ramon that she felt now for Damien. Raina was right; Esmeralda did want to know the truth of what awaited her in Damien’s arms. Even if things did not end ideally for them, well then she would take with her every memory that they would share.

Desmond and Akira came down the stairs toting the massive trunk. “What’s this?” Esmeralda asked as Raina bent to open the trunk.

“Well you’ll need something to wear, won’t you?”

Esmeralda peered down into the trunk and gasped. Raina pulled gown after gown out of the trunk, laying them across various chairs. Beneath the dresses were slippers in a variety of colors, bonnets, gloves, fans, chemisettes, reticules, stockings and even a corset. Esmeralda lifted a soft pink day dress and matching spencer from the trunk, eyeing them with wonder.

“What is all this? Where did you get these?”

Raina smiled, lifting a pair of short, white lace gloves from the trunk. “These will go nicely with that dress.”

“Mother, where did all these things come from?”

“A gift from your father,” Akira said gleefully, lifting a small black box from the trunk. “Meant as a wedding trousseau.” Esmeralda’s puzzled expression caused Akira to chuckle as she handed her the box.

“Your father always hoped you would marry someone a little above our means,” Raina explained, matching a pair of slippers from the trunk to the pink dress. “He acquired these things for you over the last few years before he died. I think you have need of them a little early, though.”

Esmeralda studied the small collection of gowns. They were not all at the height of fashion, but they were beautifully made.

“You’ll find that they all fit nearly perfectly,” said Akira. “Raina gave your father your measurements.”

“And of course I can alter wherever needed,” added Raina.

Tears filled Esmeralda’s eyes as she opened the small black box to reveal a string of iridescent pearls. She wished her father were alive so that she could tell him how grateful she was for the beautiful gift.

“So,” said Akira, a smile accentuating the lines around the corners of her mouth. “Any more objections?”

Chapter 8

Damien pulled the curtain back from the window of the carriage, hoping that the windows of Davina’s townhouse would be darkened, signaling that she had been too tired to wait up for him. No such luck. He could see the faint light of a lamp through Davina’s window, which faced the street. Damien sighed, no need postponing the inevitable. He wanted to be completely free to explore the burgeoning feelings he had for Esmeralda.

Damien let himself in with his key, making a mental note to give it back to her before he left. The servant’s would all be asleep by now, so he wasn’t expecting to see anyone as he made his way upstairs to Davina’s chambers. He tapped lightly on the door before entering. Davina lay sprawled across the bed on her stomach, wearing a red negligee and sheer red robe, flipping through a small stack of fashion plates. She looked up at him and smiled as he walked in. “I was starting to think you weren’t coming,” she purred, rising from the bed and dropping her robe to the floor. She approached Damien slowly, her hips swaying beneath the transparent wisp of material. She wrapped her arms around Damien’s neck and pressed herself against him. “You kept me waiting, but I’ll let you make it up to me.”

Damien struggled to grasp her bare arms and push her gently away. “Davina, I told you we needed to talk.”

She walked over to the bed and lay on her side in a seductive pose, allowing the slit in her gown to fall open and reveal a plump, creamy thigh. Annoyed with her for seeking to distract him, he took a chair and pulled it near the bed. Once Davina realized he would not be joining her in the bed she heaved a sigh of disgust and snatched her robe from the floor. She tied the sash with a jerk and sat on the edge of the bed facing him.

“You have been a part of my life for quite some time,” he began, trying as hard as possible to find the most delicate words. “I have enjoyed your company and though I am fond of you I think it’s time we ended our association.”

“What?!” she screeched, leaping from the bed, her face a twisted mask of fury. “You’re ending this?”

Damien stood. “I think you and I both know that our relationship has run its course. Of course you may keep the townhouse. I’ve already had my solicitor change the deed over into your name, so it officially belongs to you.”

“It’s already done? How long have you been planning this?”

Davina began pacing, her hands clenched in tight fists at her sides, her face a mottled shade of red. Damien grasped her hand gently, hoping to soothe her dismay.

“That does not matter,” he said calmly.

The tears he had been expecting finally came, as did the hysterics. Davina screamed. She kicked at him and called him every foul name she could think of. He withstood it for a full five minutes before he grew tired.

“Enough!” he bellowed, giving her a rough shake. “You’re acting like a child.”

Kohl ran down her cheeks in inky gray lines, smudged from her tears. Her cheeks were tinged pink from her exertions. She swiped a hand across her eyes, smudging the kohl even more and glared at him menacingly. “You are a bastard. You think you can just use me and then toss me aside so callously?”

“Now wait just one minute,” said Damien, fighting for control. He hadn’t intended for things to go this way, but now she was provoking his anger. “You and I never made each other any promises. You knew what being my mistress entailed from the beginning. I have lived up to my end for far longer than either of us anticipated. Did you honestly think this would not end?”

Davina folded her arms over her chest and stared at him a moment longer. She tossed her hair flippantly and forced a quavering smile. “You’re right,” she said, her voice shaking with barely controlled anger. “I was being foolish.”

“You may, of course, keep all of the clothing and gifts I have given you. And there is this.” He handed her a sealed envelope. She tore it open and removed a bank draft. Her jaw dropped when she saw the amount.

“This is very generous of you.”

“You have been my mistress for well over a year. I think the amount is fitting considering the amount of time we spent together. You can live off of that for quite some time if you manage it well.”

She tucked the bank draft back into the envelope and dropped it on the bed. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek gently, feelings of guilt gnawing at him for not ending it sooner. He had known Davina was expecting more from him, but he thought she’d understood that their arrangement was not a permanent one.

“Goodbye Davina,” he said, pressing his key to the townhouse into her open palm. He left quietly, refusing to look back as he descended the stairs and walked out to his waiting carriage.

****

Esmeralda studied her reflection in her mother’s full-length mirror. She hardly recognized herself. Raina had hung up her new clothes overnight to let the wrinkles fall out. She was wearing the chosen pink muslin dress adorned with white lace. The gown had a high empire waist and short cap sleeves. A white sash tied below her bosom, trailing down to the hem of the gown in the back.  It was simple, but elegant and fashionable. She wore a simple pair of earrings that Raina had made for her with delicate pink stones. Akira had tamed most of her hair and pulled it back in a neat chignon at the back of her head. She had artfully arranged a few curls at her temple and a few had slipped free at the nape of her neck. A white bonnet with a few muslin pink roses pinned along the brim sat artfully atop her head, its pink ribbon tied at a saucy angle beneath her chin. Damien had sent a messenger with a note that morning and Esmeralda had immediately responded. His carriage would be arriving to take her to the palace shortly.

“You look beautiful,” Raina said, her voice strained with tears. “If only your father could have seen you in this gown.” Raina handed her a pair of short white gloves trimmed in lace and a fringed white shawl. “He always talked about a better life for you and wanted you to have these things so that you would feel worthy of a world better than ours. I think he was right,” she said touching Esmeralda’s face affectionately. Akira rubbed her hands together with undisguised excitement.

“You look like a gem,” she said, leading the way down the stairs to the sitting room. “You just remember to be yourself and those hoity toity nabobs won’t even notice you’re not one of them.”

Esmeralda took a deep breath and pressed her hand to her stomach to still the nervous fluttering there. Despite her excitement, she was also nervous. How well could she fit into Damien’s world?

A knock sounded at the door and Raina opened it to admit Tristan, whose eyes smoldered like hot coals when he took in Esmeralda’s appearance.

“You look ravishing,” he said. Unmistakable desire threaded through his voice as he eyed Esmeralda’s breasts pressed upward at the top of her gown. “What’s the occasion?”

“I was invited to a picnic at Largess Hall.”

Esmeralda didn’t miss the dark scowl that crossed his handsome features. “I was looking for Desmond. It’s Monday and he usually comes by to borrow Storm.” Storm was Tristan’s gray stallion. “He usually comes in the morning, but I haven’t seen him today.”

“Oh, I guess he forgot to tell you,” said Raina. “Prince Damien gave him a job working as a groom at Largess Hall. He started this morning.”

If at all possible, Tristan’s scowl became even darker. “Well then I will see you this evening at the tavern, Esmeralda.” He turned abruptly and left, his angry footsteps drowned out by the sound of approaching carriage wheels.

“He is so angry,” said Akira softly, shivering slightly.

****

Damien watched Esmeralda as she conversed easily with Serge, laughing with him over glasses of white wine. He’d known she would fit in seamlessly and seeing her here, dressed like a lady and mingling with the court only confirmed his calculations. She had told him tearfully in the carriage about her father’s gift and he had wiped the tears from her cheeks with his own hands and told her how beautiful she looked.

She was refreshing, a wildflower blooming in the afternoon sun. The day had gone impeccably. Esmeralda had met several of his acquaintances as well as Serge and Nicolai, who had treated her politely as he’d known they would. He hadn’t disclosed Esmeralda’s background and no one seemed to recognize her as the Gypsy dancer who had entertained them not too long ago.

Damien looked out over the manicured lawn where at least fifty blankets had been spread, a full hamper beside each one. Members of the court sat eating on blankets, or standing about conversing. Liveried footmen walked through the crowd with glasses of white wine and Madeira. Damien procured a glass and walked back to the blanket where Esmeralda sat with Serge and Nicolai beneath the shade of an awning, eating the fruit lightly dusted with sugar that had been provided for dessert. He sank down beside her and plucked a juicy grape from the bunch she was holding.

“Damien,” said Serge with his usual grin, “I don’t know where you found this woman, but she is much too good for you.”

Esmeralda giggled. Damien grinned. “I agree, brother, but I intended to let her figure that out for herself.”

“Esmeralda,” said Nicolai. “Might you do me the honor of taking a turn about the lawn? I find the need to walk off this delicious feast I have just stuffed myself with.”

Esmeralda stood to join Nicolai. “I’d love to.”

Damien watched as she walked off on Nicolai’s offered arm, admiring the sway of her hips beneath the flowing gown.

“She’s beautiful,” Serge remarked.

“Yes, she is.”

“How angry do you think mother will be when she finds out who she is?”

Damien sighed. “She told you?”

“No, I recognized her. Don’t worry, you know your secret is safe with me. Besides, I like her a lot more than most of the other women you usually keep company with.”

“And just so you know,” Damien retorted, “I couldn’t give a damn what mother would think. Esmeralda is a rare woman and I am lucky to have her in my company.”

“Here, here,” Serge said, lifting his glass before taking a drink. “I see that Davina is missing today.”

“I am relieved. Things did not go very well when I ended our relationship last night.”

Serge laughed. “From what I hear she never could take rejection well. Don’t worry about her, that kind always land on their feet.”

Damien laughed. “She’ll have a lot of help landing on her feet. The amount I settled on her was obscene.”

He watched Esmeralda as she strolled about the crowded lawn with his cousin. Damien observed her smile and felt a gentle tugging on his heart strings. Could this be love, he wondered? He had never experienced it before, yet in a very short time, he had come to care deeply for Esmeralda.

“I am happy for you,” said Serge, as if reading his mind. His twin always had the uncanny ability to guess at his thoughts. “It is obvious that you care for her. I only hope that you will not hurt her.”

Damien shook his head vehemently. “Not this woman,” he said. “This woman is different than any I’ve ever known.”

He stood as Nicolai and Esmeralda approached, taking her hand from Nicolai’s arms. “If you will excuse us,” he said, leading her away from the crowd and toward the palace. “Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.

She smiled. “Very much. Your brother and cousin were very kind to me. Are we leaving now?”

Damien patted her hand, leading her around to the conservatory. “I want you to myself for a while,” he said. “And I wanted to share some of my interests with you. That’s the greenhouse,” he indicated the conservatory as they neared the large glass building. Damien ushered her inside and showed her to the area he had cleared for his experiments with hybrids. He showed her several beautiful plants, including orange roses he had crossbred himself.

“They’re beautiful!” she exclaimed, fingering one of the brightly colored buds. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“It took a long time to achieve this result,” he said proudly, lifting a pair of shears from a nearby worktable and snipping one of the buds. He handed it to her. “Now I am working on the same effect with lilies.”

He took her back towards the palace, leading her on a tour through the ballroom, the gallery boasting portraits of several generations of the royal family and the observatory where his many telescopes were housed. “I will bring you back here one evening so I can show you how they all really work,” he said, taking her hand to lead her on the last stop. “After we’ve seen the library I promise I’ll take you home.”

“Oh I don’t mind,” she said, following his lead into his wing of the palace. “I enjoyed seeing it all.”

He lead her through a series of corridors, all guarded, before ushering her into his library. The heavy green drapes were thrown back to allow in the sunlight. A large, well-used desk sat in the corner with several books stacked on top. Chairs and couches were strewn about the room, and along each wall, climbing up about three stories were shelves packed with books. She looked up to find that there was a skylight, allowing even more sunlight into the bright room.

“It’s a bit dusty,” he said, leading her to the center of the room where she turned in a circle slowly, taking it all in. “I don’t require the servants to dust it often because it’s quite a bit of work. He showed her the ladders leading up to each story of the library, which featured a narrow railed walkway circling the entire room.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said. “How do you keep track of it all?”

Damien laughed. “It is a bit overwhelming but I do have a system.”

He watched her walk around the room, reaching out to touch the leather bound books. Damien grasped her hand and pulled her into his arms, finding sweet relief in having her alone and to himself at last. Untying the ribbons of her bonnet, he lifted it from her head, tossing it onto a nearby couch. He gazed at her face, tracing the contours with his eyes. He lifted first one of her hands, then the other, slowly removing her short lace gloves. The fabric slid over her skin like a slow caress, and Esmeralda’s breath quickened when he pressed his lips to her fingers. He released her hands and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing her flush against him. His lips came crashing over hers hungrily, savoring the taste of the white wine that still lingered there. He wanted her badly enough to take her down to the floor right there in the library, but he wrestled for control. Damien was still working on gaining her trust and would not ruin it.

He lifted her in his arms, walking her over to a nearby sofa. Damien sat beside her, taking her face between his hands and claiming her lips hungrily. His palms slid down her shoulders and arms before he spanned her waist with his hands and ran them up to her breasts. Her back arched, pressing the firm globes into his grasp. She moaned, a small sound in the back of her throat and Damien was nearly undone. He cupped her breasts, lifting them slightly, exposing more of her modest cleavage to his view. He kissed the top of each one, delighting in the small tremors that gripped her as he tasted her flesh. She was half sitting, half lying on the sofa. Damien stretched out over her as much as the couch would allow. He grasped one of her legs and bent it at the knee, circling her slender ankle. He slowly skimmed his hand up her well-muscled calf, over the bended knee and up to her soft thigh. His fingers came in contact with something long and sharp. He pulled back abruptly, whipping her skirt up further and frowned. A leather strap around her thigh held a dagger with a jeweled handle. She sat up swiftly and shoved her skirts back over her legs.

“Oh God, I’m so sorry,” she stammered, clearly embarrassed.

Curiosity won out over his desire to take her back in his arms and finish what they’d started. “Darling, why is there a knife strapped to your thigh? Surely you don’t think you need to protect yourself from me?”

She shook her head vehemently, reaching out to touch his arm. “No, it’s not like that at all! It’s just that I always have it on me and I forgot I was wearing it. You have that affect one me,” she said sheepishly, lowering her eyes.

Damien’s brow shot up. Esmeralda became even more intriguing with each passing day. “May I see it?”

She nodded, turning modestly away to retrieve the dagger. Esmeralda held it out to him and he was surprised by the weight of it. The heavily jeweled handle made the dagger quite valuable and Damien wondered where it had come from.

“It was my father’s,” she said, watching him turn the dagger over in his hands. “He acquired it during his time at sea.”

“Why do you carry it?”

She snatched the dagger back from him, placing back in its rightful place against her leg. “Because the world is full of dangers, that’s why!” she cried, crossing her arms over her chest protectively. Her eyes were clouded with something Damien could not quite name, a mixture of fear and something…something else. “I carry this because it makes me feel safe. I won’t be caught unprepared.”

“Unprepared for what?” Damien asked, pushing aside the ridiculous image of Esmeralda marching off to battle, the jeweled dagger glistening in her hand.

She sighed heavily, plopping back down on the sofa. “My father was murdered.”

Her revelation stunned him. He never asked how Esmeralda’s father had died and was not prepared for the possibility that there had been foul play. He sat beside her again, waiting silently for her to continue.

“We had just left the Golden Dancer,” she said. “It was late. Earlier that night, my father and Dominic had sent some men away for trying to proposition my cousin Morgana. They were very drunk, but my father thought them harmless. He and Dominic were able to convince the men to leave and they did not come back. We were walking home together when the men found us in the street. They were angry at my father for kicking them out of the tavern and were so drunk they could hardly stand. We thought we could escape them. We ran into an alley and they followed us, surrounded us there.”

She broke off for a moment, choking back a sob. Tears glistened in her eyes and her hands shook as she clasped them tightly together in her lap. Damien placed his hand at the small of her back in a gesture of comfort, but did not speak. He sensed her need to tell the story uninterrupted, to get it out in the open. Damien wondered if she had ever told anyone else what had happened that night.

“They attacked my father, throwing him down on the ground. I tried to help him but there were four of them and I had no weapon to use against them. Two of them held me back as the other two took turns beating him. I fought them….I fought them until they began beating me as well…the rest is a blur but I was in and out every few minutes…” she trailed off for a moment, swiping the tears from her cheeks. “When I woke up, Tristan was there. And my father was dead.”

Damien waited until he was sure she was finished before he pulled her into his arms. He felt anger unfurling in him, white hot and furious. Damien imagined Esmeralda, her face battered and bruised, as it must have been, afraid and trying to save her father. A sudden thought sprang forth in his mind, causing even more fury to well up inside of him. He didn’t want to pry, but the feeling that there was more to the story would not go away.

“Esmeralda,” he said softly, he voice strained by wrath. “Those men, they did not just beat you did they?”

Esmeralda pulled back slightly, meeting his eyes with her tear-filled ones. She shook her head slowly and Damien felt his jaw tighten to the point of snapping. Esmeralda lowered her eyes from his, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

“I kept fading in out of consciousness,” she managed between sobs. “But they were holding me down and one of them was over me. My vision was hazy and I was hurting all over from the beating they’d given me and I wasn‘t sure if it was real or if I was dreaming. When I awoke and Tristan was there, he was so angry and I couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t until I got home and my mother removed my skirt, which was soaked in blood, that I realized why Tristan was so angry.”

She fell back against the back of the sofa, releasing a huge breath as if relieved. Damien clasped her hand tightly and pulled her until her head was resting on his shoulder. Her tears had stopped and she seemed to be calming down. Before long, her breathing had returned to normal, though her eyes were still a bit puffy.

“Esmeralda?”

“Hmm?”

“If I ever found those men who hurt you, I would ensure that they suffer for the rest of their lives.”

Esmeralda said nothing for a moment, resting against is shoulder and breathing in his comforting scent. “I’ve never told anyone the whole story before, you know,” she said finally. “My mother never asked, though she knew by looking at me what had happened. But she never made me talk about it.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I was only curious about the dagger. I had no idea...”

“It’s alright,” she interjected. “I realize now that I had to get it out. I’ve been living in fear since that night. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”

Damien stood, taking her hand and urging her to follow. “It’s time I returned you home, but before we go I want you to know something. I want you with every fiber of by being.” He leaned his forehead against hers and breathed deeply the fragrance he was coming to love. “I would not have you afraid of me, but if you would let me I would lay you down and show you so many reasons why you shouldn’t fear me. I would banish all memories of pain from your heart, and give you only pleasure.”

“I will wait for you,” he said, grasping her forearms gently and pressing his lips to hers swiftly. “I will wait until you are ready and then I will show you how it should be.”

He replaced her bonnet on her head and re-tied the ribbon beneath her chin. Damien took her hand and led her from the library to the entrance of palace where he ordered his carriage brought around. They rode the distance to Esmeralda’s house in silence.

Chapter 9

“I swear Davina, he was leading her about on his arm and whispering to her as if they’d known each other for years!”

“And there she sat, smiling and flirting with his brother and cousin, right there in front of everyone! It was really quite scandalous.”

Davina sipped her chocolate slowly, enjoying what little she had left of the gift Damien had given her. Her two closest friends, Giselle and Ariel had come to her townhouse to tell her about Damien and the mysterious woman he had escorted to the picnic. Giselle sat at her left, Ariel at her right, on the sofa in her parlor. Each was holding her hand and cooing to her affectionately, trying to soothe her frazzled nerves. She pressed her fingers to her temple and groaned.

“That bastard!” she spat, slamming her porcelain cup down into the saucer. “Less than a day after he threw me over and already he’s carrying on with someone new? Does he seek purposely to embarrass me?”

“Perhaps he’s been keeping her behind your back for months now dear,” said Giselle, patting Davina’s hand. “Perhaps he has waited until now to bring her out in public.”

“No,” said Davina with a shake of her head. “Damien has had his little flings behind my back and I have always looked the other way. I myself have not been entirely faithful,” she said, lowering her eyes and thinking of the burly footman she had welcomed more than once into her bed. She had called him in to soothe her the night Damien had left her angry and flustered. She smiled. The young footman had done his job well. But now, she was furious all over again at the thought of some other woman moving in on Damien.

“It must have been her that came between you,” said Ariel. “Didn’t you tell me just a few weeks ago that things were going well? That Damien was visiting you well over five times a week?”

Davina nodded slowly, her mind whirring with chaotic thought. Had Damien tossed her aside for this new woman? If so, who was she and how long had he been with her behind Davina’s back? She didn’t mind when he tossed a barmaid or two, but a lady brought around in the company of his family and friends was another matter altogether.

“Yes it must have been,” Davina agreed with Ariel. “Damien was on the verge of proposing to me, I just know he was.”

Giselle shook her head. “Well you can’t let something like this come between you. You certainly can’t spend your days hiding away like you did yesterday. Why, the entire palace was abuzz with gossip when you didn’t attend the picnic.”

“Yes,” said Ariel. “You have to get back out there and show him that you are still the perfect lady for him. This woman that no one seems to know anything about doesn’t stand a chance against you.”

Davina stood, squaring her shoulders resolutely. “You are the very best friends,” she said. “And I shall be attending the theater tonight, as I know all of the court is to be in attendance. Now do come and help me choose the right gown. I mustn’t be outdone!”

As Davina led her friends up the stairs and to her chambers, bellowing for Anne as she went, she vowed that Damien would be hers. She would make him regret leaving her and then make him crawl back to her on his hands and knees!

****

Esmeralda looked down at the crowded theater from the royal family’s theater box. The opera was beginning in fifteen minutes, but Esmeralda was glad they had arrived early. She gazed about at the high painted ceilings and massive crystal chandeliers. The luxurious box she stood in was situated high above the masses where common folk mixed with nobility, at least those of the nobility who could not afford a private box. People milled around talking, sipping champagne. Esmeralda had a feeling that most had come not to watch the opera, but to see and be seen. Damien stood conversing with his cousin, Nicolai, a few feet away, though he watched her with admiration in his eyes.

She was particularly proud of her appearance in the ruby silk evening gown her father had purchased for her. Damien had surprised her upon his arrival at her home with an elegant black cape with gold satin lining. “The fall evenings are getting much cooler and I wouldn’t have you catch a chill,” he’d said.

She felt luxurious in the beautiful gown, though the corset would take some getting used to. Prince Lionus moved away from where he had been chatting with the queen and his betrothed, Princess Isabelle. He smiled at her as he approached, but the coldness in his eyes hardened his expression so that the smile seemed like something else altogether.

“Good evening,” he said politely

She curtsied, the plumes in her hair sweeping low. “Good evening, Your Grace.”

“I don’t believe we have been properly introduced,” he said.

“Esmeralda Brandon, your grace.”

“Brandon,” he said, seeming to think on her name. Naturally he didn’t see the need to introduce himself. “I do not believe I have ever heard your name before. Is your family here in Cardenas as well?”

“My mother, brother, and grandmother are. My father passed away.”

“My condolences.”

Princes Lionus was not very subtle. Esmeralda knew he was curious about who she was, and was seeking to gain information. He was trying to intimidate her, but she would not be intimidated. She pulled herself up to her regal height of five feet ten inches and looked him square in the eye.

“Where do you come from, Miss Brandon?”

“From here in Cardenas, your grace.”

“How is it that I have never heard of you, Miss Brandon?”

“Are you acquainted with everyone in the province, your grace?”

A muscle twitched in his face and the corners of his mouth turned down. He was annoyed, but so was she and she refused to be sorry for her bold remark. Damien suddenly appeared at her elbow.

“That is quite enough,” he said, which told Esmeralda that he’d been listening the whole time.

“I am simply acquainting myself with this lovely woman you have escorted here this evening,” Lionus said, his frigid eyes lowering the temperature in the tiny box severely.

“Like hell you were,” Damien growled, his voice low as he stepped between Esmeralda and Lionus. Icy blue eyes clashed with fiery green ones and they stood that way for a moment before someone intervened.

“I do believe your mother wishes you to come meet someone,” said Princess Isabelle. She pointed to where Queen Alexandra stood near the entrance to the box, conversing with a visiting emissary from Barony.

“Of course,” he said, inclining his head at Esmeralda. “Another time, then.”

Damien was still seething when his brother walked away, but Isabelle simply grasped his arm and turned her smiling face up at him. “Damien, do be a dear and fetch us some more champagne. Miss Brandon’s glass has gone empty and so has mine.”

Once Damien was gone, Isabelle patted Esmeralda’s shoulder and led her farther away from Lionus and the queen.

“I thought to help extricate you from that situation,” she said, with a voice that was light and airy like soft music. “I hope I was not too bold.”

“No,” said Esmeralda gratefully. “I wasn’t sure what to do.”

“Oh, you mustn’t worry about Lionus and Damien. I do believe they have been at each other’s throats since birth.”

“What a shame. Don’t they like each other at all?”

Isabelle smiled again, a flash of perfectly white teeth. “They love each other,” she said. “They just have different points of view and often cannot see eye to eye.”

Esmeralda found that she liked the princess already. She had seen her from a distance, but now that she had met her, she wondered why stories of the princess’ kind nature were not as prevalent as the stories of her unflawed beauty. Isabelle was indeed beautiful. Silvery blonde hair was curled carefully and pinned like a halo about her head, soft tendrils framing her face. Her eyes were a pale blue, combining with her pale hair and porcelain skin to lend her an angelic appearance. She was petite, several inches shorter than Esmeralda, but carried an air of confidence that conflicted with her small stature.

“It was very lovely meeting you, Miss Brandon,” she said as Damien came near with their champagne. “I do hope you will come to the wedding,” she said, glancing pointedly at Damien.

“Of course Esmeralda will come with me, if she wishes,” said Damien, placing the champagne glass in her hand.

“I would be honored,” said Esmeralda, excitement bubbling inside of her. She had hardly expected to be invited to a royal wedding.

The lamps were dimmed and the orchestra struck up their first notes, a sign that the opera was about to start. Esmeralda followed Damien to their seats, allowing him to take her hand as the performance began. Esmeralda found herself enthralled, pulled into the music and the drama as it unfolded. The man and woman on stage sang with clear, beautiful voices in Italian, which Esmeralda did not understand. Damien whispered the translation in her ear, causing her heart to flutter when his breath tickled her ear and the side of her neck. By the time intermission came around, tears were streaking down Esmeralda’s cheeks. Damien pressed a white linen handkerchief into her hand.

“It’s beautiful is it not?”

Esmeralda nodded. “How can you be so unaffected by it?”

He chuckled softly. “I am not. It’s only that I have seen this particular opera twice before.”

“You must come to the theater very often.”

“Yes and I will bring you as often as you wish.”

She stood from her cushioned chair, stretching her legs. “I believe I’ll visit the ladies’ room.”

“Would you like me to escort you?”

“No, I remember where it is. I can manage.”

Esmeralda made her way from the box and down the darkened staircase. She found the retiring room and relieved herself. She checked her reflection in the mirror and wet Damien’s handkerchief at the washstand and pressed it to her eyes, which were a tad puffy from crying. Satisfied, she turned to leave the room when she was cornered by three women.

“Hello there,” said the one in the middle with a catty smile. “Esmeralda, is it?”

For some inexplicable reason, Esmeralda felt as if she were being hunted. “Yes,” she said. “And you are?”

“I am Lady Davina Russell and these are my friends Lady Giselle and Lady Ariel.”

“How do you do?”

“Everyone is talking,” Davina continued. “Apparently you are Damien’s latest conquest?”

“Conquest?”

“Oh never you mind that dear,” said Giselle with a laugh. “When Davina became Damien’s mistress, people called her that too.”

“Mistress?” Esmeralda eyed the woman warily. She was lovely and smiling, though it hardly seemed genuine.

“Ex-mistress dear,” said Davina. “Only recently did we part ways. I suppose I have you to blame for that.”

“Oh dear, how rude of him,” Ariel simpered. “You see, Davina he has given her no jewels at all.”

Davina fingered the gaudy diamond choker at her throat and laughed.

“Davina dear, didn’t Damien buy you that stunning necklace?” asked Giselle, in her nasal, high-pitched voice.

She smiled. “Darling, he gifted me with everything I’m wearing. Right down to the essentials,” she said, her voice at a whisper. She leaned closer to Esmeralda, her voice dripping with disdain. “You listen to me, you little nobody! Damien has been mine for a long time and when he is finished with you he will return to me as he always does. You would do well to remember that.”

Esmeralda had long run out of patience with the venomous woman. She lifted her chin and fixed with her most haughty expression. “Well darling, I must say that though I appreciate the warning, Damien has assured me he has interest only in something fresh and not so worn out. And if that necklace and that gown are any indication of Damien’s personal taste, I believe I shall have to do without his gifts.” With that, she shouldered her way past the three women, leaving a furious Davina fuming in her wake.

Damien watched Esmeralda intently in the dark carriage, wondering at her silence. In the short time he had known her, he found he was more than content to sit in easy, companionable silence with her. This was different, tension filled the space between them and Damien had no idea why. He had seen and been charmed by her unguarded response to the opera. She had come back during intermission, quiet but still interested in the musical. Esmeralda had taken his offered arm and allowed him to escort her to the carriage, though she had done so without a word.

“I hope you enjoyed yourself this evening,” he said, a questioning tone in his voice. She nodded, but continued staring out the carriage window and into the night. “I’m sorry if my brother upset you,” he ventured, taking a guess at what could have upset her. “Lionus can be a real ass sometimes.”

“Your brother, at least, hid his dislike of me behind a mask of politeness and curiosity. Though I can’t say the same for a few of the other people I met tonight.”

Ah, thought Damien, so that was it. “Did someone say something out of place to you? Tell me who it was and I’ll set them straight.”

Esmeralda swiveled her eyes in his direction. “Your mistress,” she said from between clenched teeth. Her eyes stayed fixed on his, focused, gauging his reaction to her revelation. Damien bit back a string of curses. He had decided against telling Esmeralda about Davina. It seemed unimportant to him, especially since Esmeralda was one of the few people who didn’t judge him based on his past. Davina was definitely a part of his past.

“You mean ex-mistress,” he said carefully. “Davina is no longer a part of my life.”

“How long ago did you dismiss her?”

Damien sighed. “A few days ago.”

“After you had found a replacement.”

“No!” Damien objected, horrified that such a thought had entered her mind. “No, it wasn’t like that.”

Esmeralda folded her arms across her chest. “Then explain it to me, Damien. You are now without a mistress and I am a convenient choice to fill the position. Shall you shower me with gowns and gaudy jewelry as well?” She snatched the gold-lined cape from her shoulders and hurled it across the coach at him. “Was this just the first of many of your ‘gifts‘?”

He fought to untangle himself from the cape before tossing it on the seat beside him. Damien reached across the carriage and grasped her firmly by her upper arms. He pulled her forward until they were almost nose to nose.

“If I wanted you for my mistress, then it would have happened the night I met you,” he said, his mouth a hard line.

“Oh, you arrogant...” she began, before cut her off sharply with a kiss. When he had stolen her breath away and left her sagging limply in his arms, he pulled back and smiled.

“See?” he said. “I could have torn down your defenses and whispered pretty lies in your ear had I wanted a mistress. I would have made you mine that very night, in your mother’s house if I had wanted to, if that was what I wanted from you. It is not arrogance to speak the truth, Esmeralda.”

“Then why didn’t you?” she asked, the edge of anger starting to slip from her voice. “If it would have been so easy for you, why invite me to the palace, or visit me at home, or give my brother a job?”

Damien smiled, loosening his hold on her. “Because you are worth it. Because I want to know you. Truly know you.”

Esmeralda sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t think of it that way.”

“I’m the one who should be sorry. I should have been honest with you about Davina. You were so determined to see the good in me and I didn’t want to spoil that. I guess it was pretty selfish of me.”

Esmeralda shook her head, brushing her lips over his softly. “No. It wasn’t. So few people see the real you. It’s not wrong for you to want that.”

Damien claimed her lips, grasping her around the waist and drawing her close. She closed her eyes and allowed him to sweep her away, as he always did, with his seductive mouth. His mouth spoke to her, silent promises of things to come, things she knew she wanted. She surrendered herself to his kisses, his gentle caresses against the bodice of her gown. She was no longer afraid, only filled with desire and longing.

****

Tristan strummed lazily on his guitar, signaling Dominic to bring him another mug of ale. He had lost count of how many he’d had, but refuse to lose his hold on the euphoria caused by the drink. Tatiana finished her dance on stage and Tristan ceased his playing, taking the mug from the barmaid that approached the stage. He drained it in a few large gulps and set it aside, waiting for Morgana to take the stage. Morgana was the last dance of the evening, since Esmeralda had taken the night off to go to the opera with the prince. Tristan clenched his jaw, his hand tightening around the neck of his guitar. She should be here, he thought, with him where she belonged, among her own people.

He had barely seen or spoken to her since that day in the kitchen when he had pleaded with her to turn away from her liaison with the prince. Tristan knew that in the end all she would be left with was heartbreak. Perhaps that would be just the opening he needed, Tristan thought as Morgana signaled him from backstage. He played mechanically, his mind wandering as he envisioned Esmeralda running to him with tears on her lovely face, her amber eyes wide with sorrow. He would envelope her in his arms and kiss away her tears. Soon, her sighs of sadness would become moans of pleasure as his kisses moved over her skillfully, as they had in his mind so many times. When her desire had reached a fever pitch, he would rip her clothing from body and obliterate all thoughts of the prince from Esmeralda’s mind. Then she would be his.

Tristan smiled. Yes, that is how it would be. He focused his attention back to his playing, noticing Morgana for the first time since she’d taken the stage. Esmeralda’s younger cousin was not without charm, he noticed. Though not as skilled as Esmeralda, her movements held a seductive quality that caused the men to respond wildly to her. Perhaps it was her body, more voluptuous and rounded than the other dancers, with large, swaying breasts and wide hips that drove the men mad for her.

Tristan felt the lust welling up inside him as he watched, his fingers moving over the guitar in a way they hadn’t moved over a woman in some months. He had been so wrapped up in his pursuit of Esmeralda, that he hadn’t fulfilled his own baser needs in some time. His earlier fantasy of a heartbroken Esmeralda had left his loins hard and full and now he knew that he would ease himself with Morgana.

The song ended, and Morgana left the stage. Tristan followed. One of the girls’ fathers was waiting at the back entrance with a wagon to escort the girls home. They were waiting for Morgana, who was changing behind a nearby curtain. The girls smiled invitingly as Tristan approached. They all knew how Tristan felt about Esmeralda, but each still hoped he would soon turn his attentions toward them.

“Ladies, I will see Morgana home tonight,” he said, putting on his most charming smile. Morgana appeared from behind the screen, her dark brown eyes wide. She had vied for Tristan’s attention for a long time and while Tristan was aware of this, his concern had been Esmeralda She returned his smile, placing a hand on her hips and tossing her long, wavy hair, so similar to Esmeralda’s.

“I’ll see you girls tomorrow,” Morgana said, her eyes never leaving Tristan’s. The girls all filed out through the back door, whispering among themselves excitedly. He knew that the gossip would spread and by tomorrow afternoon, everyone would know that they’d left together, but Tristan didn’t care. Morgana grasped her shawl and wrapped it about her shoulders before allowing him to lead her out into the night. He silently wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her against him as they walked briskly, warding off the chilly autumn night air. He paused a few times to taste her mouth, leading her in the opposite direction from her home, to his.

Once they reached his front door, he grasped her suddenly and pressed her up against it, taking her lips again roughly. She threaded her fingers through his hair and returned his kiss just as forcefully, pulling desperately at his clothing. By the time, he reached behind her to open the door, his shirt was unbuttoned, as was her blouse. He grasped her hand and led her swiftly through the house where he lived alone. Tristan had never known his father and his mama was dead. His only other relative, his sister, preferred the life of a wanderer. Tristan and Morgana would not be disturbed. He led her to his bedroom, lighting the lamp by his bed quickly before ripping his shirt away completely. Tristan turned to face her in the lamplight, pleased by the awe in her eyes as she took in his naked chest and lean abdomen.

“Take your clothes off,” he demanded, watching hungrily as she slowly slipped off her skirt and blouse. She removed her only undergarment, a simple linen shift, and stood before him unashamed. Tristan crossed the room to her and pulled her hard against his body. He massaged her ample breasts with his hands, teasing her dusky brown nipples with his fingertips. She moaned and arched her back, thrusting them toward his mouth. Tristan suckled at them like a starving man, kneading and squeezing her round bottom and pressing her tightly against his erection. She fumbled at the waistband of his trousers for a moment before unbuttoning them. He pushed her back slightly and finished taking them off himself. She lowered herself to her knees, and Tristan watched as she took the full length of him in her hands. His head fell back and his eyes slid closed when she took him into her mouth, teasing him with her tongue. He groaned hoarsely and grasped the back of her head, seizing a fistful of her thick hair. He watched her through lowered eyelids, imagining that the shiny black waves he held in his hand belonged to someone else. The body on its knees before him was longer and slimmer, firm and lithe. The eyes that looked up at him burned yellow-gold in the lamplight.

He thrust wildly into her wet, hot mouth, his powerful legs nearly shaking with the force of his lust. Before long, he could take no more and pulled her roughly away. He fought to catch his breath for a moment, then plucked her up from the floor and tossed her on the bed. He spread her legs wide and came between then, pressing to her moist entrance.

“Now, Tristan!” she panted, wrapping her legs around his hips. “Now!”

He obliged her gladly, pushing forward in one sure, firm stroke, bursting through the barrier of her virginity. She winced in pain, but didn’t unwind her legs from his waist as he moved in her swiftly. He closed his eyes and buried his face in her shoulder, moving faster when her cries of pain turned into sighs of bliss. He lifted her hips and pounded into her, his rhythm now frenzied, her cries now wild and unrestrained. Tristan surged forward one last time and spilled his seed into her, breathing a sigh of relief.

He rolled to his back, pulling the covers up over them both. She snuggled closer, resting her head on his chest. He reached out and stroked her hair. She was already asleep and so did not hear her cousin’s name fall from his lips as he too, slipped into slumber.

Chapter 10

The next two weeks passed Damien and Esmeralda by in a whir of endless activity. Esmeralda attended teas, picnics, dinner parties, luncheons and the theater with Damien and the court. Damien would have found himself bored with the endless round of mundane entertainments, but he found that having Esmeralda at his side changed everything. She glittered like the brightest of gems among the members of the nobility and had charmed them all, save the queen, Lionus, and Davina. But that was to be expected. Even their impolite behavior toward her could not dampen Damien’s spirits. He had spent quite a bit of time at her home as well, content to watch her work about the kitchen or help her out in her vegetable patch. His hands had become a bit work-worn as a result and Damien found himself oddly proud of the fact.

The morning of the tournament, the event he had been looking forward to the most, he rose early as had become his habit recently and dressed quickly. He joined his brothers for a light breakfast. He, Lionus, Serge, and Nicolai would all be competing in the tournament that day. Princess Isabelle was also present. She was going in Damien’s carriage to fetch Esmeralda to the tournament. Damien would be too busy getting ready to go himself. She was beautifully dressed as always, sitting beside Lionus and across from him.

“The entire court has been at odds these few weeks as to who she is,” Lionus was saying as Damien took his seat. He lifted his eyes from his plate.

“Who?” he asked, having a feeling he already knew.

“You know very well who,” he said, stabbing at a sausage link with his fork. He raised a dark brow at Damien. “Are you going to tell us?”

“You know who she is,” Damien muttered, turning his attention back to his cream laced coffee. “Her name is Esmeralda Brandon and she is a very good friend of mine.”

Serge met his eyes across the table, but was otherwise silent. He had kept true to his word and kept Esmeralda’s background a secret. Damien didn’t give a damn if anyone ever found out, but in order to protect her from malicious gossip, he kept his mouth shut as well.

“Well I think she is perfectly lovely,” said Isabelle, sipping her tea. “If you would but talk with her, Lionus, you might come to agree with me.”

“I have spoken to her and she is purposely coy when it comes to personal questions,” Lionus scoffed, pushing his plate aside.

“There is nothing coy about her,” said Damien. “Perhaps she would be more open to speaking with you if you didn’t question her so endlessly.”

Lionus pushed his chair back from the table and stood, his mouth grim, his eyes narrowed. “And you know this for a fact, do you? I ask you, brother, what you know about her other than the feel of her open thighs?”

“Lionus!” exclaimed Isabelle, as Damien shot to his feet, his chair scraping back noisily before toppling over backward. “Don’t be crude,” she pleaded, placing a hand on Lionus’ arm. Damien placed both fists on the table and leaned forward menacingly, the muscles in his biceps and forearms drawn tight as a bowstring.

“Do not think to insult the lady in my presence,” he hissed, his voice laced with hostility, his body nearly shaking with the force of his anger. “If you are ever so foolish again, I will call you out. Don’t think I won’t, brother, and don’t forget who the better man with a sword is.”

Damien stepped over his toppled chair and whirled from the room, leaving his shocked brothers and Princess Isabelle staring after him. He paused outside the door and leaned against it, unable to believe the threat he had just issued against his brother. Damien was surprised to realize that he had meant every word.

“That was uncalled for.” Damien heard Isabelle’s voice easily through the double doors.

“Agreed,” Serge said. “You don’t know the girl, Lionus.”

“Do any of us really?” Lionus asked. His was voice calm yet edged in frustration. “What do any of us really know about her? Have any of you stopped to think that she may be a part of this plot against the royal family? Wouldn’t it be clever of the masked man to use Damien’s weakness for a pretty pair of long legs against him? Of course not,” he said after a long pause. “None of you are thinking of this and instead have decided to make me the villain in this little drama. Well then, so be it, if that is what it takes to keep this family safe.”

Damien curled his hands at his sides and resisting the urge to go back into the room and smash Lionus’ face in, stalked out of the house and off toward the stables. He found Nicolai already there, grooming one of the three horses he had brought from his own estate.

“I was going to say good morning,” Nicolai began, lifting his head as Damien approached. “But it would seem for you, that that is not the case.”

Damien relaxed a bit as he approached Persephone. “Hoping to get a ride in before the tournament?”

Nicolai nodded. “Just looking for a moment away from all of the ruckus.”

“Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all.”

Damien quickly saddled Persephone, knowing he wouldn’t have long before he would have to start readying for the tournament. He and Nicolai raced off across the open countryside, circling the small copse of trees around their pond before heading back. They slowed to a trot as they neared the stable.

“Will your father be joining us for the wedding?” Damien asked.

Nicolai frowned, his brow lowering over turbulent eyes. “I doubt it,” he said, his voice edged in agitation. “He stays at the bottom of the brandy bottle these days. He wouldn’t be very good company.”

“He grieves for your mother,” Damien said softly. “He needs time to heal.”

“He is weak,” Nicolai spat bitterly as he dismounted and handed the reigns over to a groom. “He reflects poorly on all of us. It’s not as if he is the only one hurt by her death.”

Damien digested Nicolai’s words thoughtfully. He had never heard his usually good-natured cousin speak so angrily. In fact, Damien had never seen an expression other than amusement on Nicolai’s face. Damien handed the reigns over to Desmond and followed Nicolai from the stable.

“I know it can’t be easy for you either,” said Damien. Nicolai was an only child and so had not had to compete for his parents’ affections. The two had been close. Nicolai did not respond. The pair walked back from the stables in thoughtful silence.

****

Esmeralda was grateful for Princess Isabelle’s presence beside her, beneath the colorful awning fluttering in the balmy fall breeze. The lady’s warm smiles and idle chatter helped to distract Esmeralda from the cool, narrow eyes of Queen Alexandra. The woman had been listening intently to their conversation and watching Esmeralda quite rudely. Damien had sent Isabelle in his carriage to fetch her that morning and so Esmeralda had assumed that Damien trusted the girl enough to keep Esmeralda’s identity a secret. Isabelle had said nothing of Esmeralda’s modest home in a quaint little corner of the city. She merely greeted Esmeralda cheerfully and linked arms with her, leading her to the carriage. It would seem she had found allies in Serge and Isabelle and the thought warmed Esmeralda’s heart.

Isabelle was excited. The tournament was a yearly tradition, one that the men of the court looked forward to with great anticipation. Their enthusiasm was contagious. There would be several contests, Isabelle had explained, including archery, swordsmanship, and jousting. The three princes always competed, she’d told Esmeralda, and were almost always the most formidable opponents.

“I vow, Nicolai is the best swordsman I’ve seen,” Isabelle said, her voice lowered. “Damien is a very close second. One of them almost always wins in swordsmanship. Lionus is best with a lance.”

“Isn’t jousting dangerous?” asked Esmeralda. She had heard many stories of the sport, though she had never seen it in person.

Isabelle patted her hand reassuringly. “The lances are blunted, of course. There are few injuries, though those are caused when one is thrown from his horse, not from the lance itself.”

Esmeralda breathed a sigh of relief, no longer worried that she would have to watch Damien become impaled on the edge of someone’s lance.

“Here they come!” Isabelle squealed, pointing out the parade of tournament participants. They rode on horseback, each dressed in armor that gleamed brightly beneath the noonday sun. Each man also carried a shield boasting the crest of his family. A page followed each horse on foot, carrying his master’s lance, bow and quiver, and sword. Lionus lead the parade, his hawk’s eyes surveying his surroundings sharply, his firm mouth quirked into the beginnings of a rare smile. Damien and Serge rode side by side, behind their brother. Esmeralda’s heart quickened at the sight of Damien, regal and proud as he rode easily on Persephone’s back. Desmond walked behind him as his page and Esmeralda waved excitedly at him as they passed. Desmond, whose arms were full, could only return Esmeralda’s smile.

The contestants were presented in order of station, beginning with the crowned prince. Before the tournament began, each competitor sought out the lady of his choosing for a favor to wear on his person. Damien brought his horse up alongside the canopy where Esmeralda sat with Isabelle and the queen. He smiled down at her and bowed gallantly at the waist, no easy feat considering that he was in the saddle.

“My lady,” he said, his eyes traveling approvingly over Esmeralda’s pale green gown. “I beg of you, a favor to wear for good luck.”

Lionus rode up beside him, holding his hand out for Isabelle’s offered hair ribbon. Lionus nodded his thanks and tied the ribbon around his forearm. He placed a chaste kiss on Isabelle’s hand and rode away. Damien stood waiting for her favor. Esmeralda hadn’t thought to wear anything small enough to give him.

“Esmeralda, your shawl!” hissed Isabelle, indicating the white and green paisley shawl draped across her shoulders. Esmeralda removed the shawl and stood to tie it loosely around Damien’s neck.

“One more thing, my lady,” he said, a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he leaned closer. “I require a kiss for luck as well.”

Esmeralda hesitated for a moment. Isabelle was looking on with irrepressible anticipation, obviously awed by Damien’s romantic request. The queen frowned, her narrowed eyes fixed on Esmeralda in blatant disapproval. Ignoring the malicious glares of the queen, Esmeralda raised herself up on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to Damien’s. She had meant to kiss him quickly and appease him while avoiding angering the queen further. But Damien’s strong arm swept her up off her feet as he lifted her for greater access to her mouth. He kissed her deeply for several seconds, causing her to nearly forget where they were. Damien loosed her and slid her slowly to the ground.

“With such inspiration, no man will be able to beat me,” Damien murmured before moving his horse away to join the others.

“A shameful display,” the queen muttered as she rose slowly and regally from her seat. “If you’ll excuse me,” she said to Isabelle, “I believe I see Lady Worthington and would like to have a word with her.”

She floated away with a swish of her elegant skirts, leaving a flustered Isabelle alone with Esmeralda. She sighed and turned to Esmeralda with a small smile.

“Do not let her Highness intimidate you,” she said softly. “She can be an overbearing woman, but you will learn to abide her.”

“I didn’t mean to embarrass anyone.”

Isabelle laughed. “The only person who should be embarrassed is me,” she said, her usually melodious voice laced with something akin to sadness. “I am the one who is betrothed and my intended does no more than kiss my hand as he would some distant relative.”

For the first time since they’d met, Esmeralda saw despondency in Isabelle’s eyes. The sight was enough to break Esmeralda’s heart for the poor girl. She put on a smile and a brave face in public, but Esmeralda could only imagine how hard it must be for her. Her husband had been chosen for her at birth because of the dangers that awaited her in her own country. She had lived in exile all these years, her life decided on by everyone but herself.

“I love him,” Isabelle said sincerely. “I have loved him all of my life. And I know that he feels something for me, even if it is not love. But I have to admit to envying you just a little bit. Damien’s feelings are so open, as are his affections for you. I wish Lionus felt such passion and intensity for me.”

Esmeralda was stunned. Perhaps Isabelle had not noticed the way Lionus had looked at her when he approached their canopy, or the way his normally cold eyes had warmed considerably as he’d kissed her hand. “I think he does, in his own way,” Esmeralda said. “He is not like Damien. Open affection is not his way.”

Isabelle nodded. “I think you’re right but that does not free me from my wishful thinking.”

Damien fingered Esmeralda’s paisley shawl around his neck as he watched her where she sat with Isabelle and his mother. She was watching the final event of the tournament, the joust and didn’t see him watching her. Serge and Lord Wilmington sped toward each other, their blunted lances gripped tightly, their horses’ hooves pounding rhythmically as they drew closer together. He watched her grimace slightly as the lances connected with their targets. Wilmington was sent flying from his horse, head over heels and landed some feet away from Serge, who had been struck by his opponent’s lance but had managed to keep his seat. A cheer went up from the crowd, Esmeralda applauded. Serge had won. He would now face Damien, who had defeated all of his opponents as well. Whoever emerged victorious between them would face Lionus.

It was widely known that most years, one of the Largess clan was sure to win in every category. So far, Damien had taken the prize for swordsmanship and Serge for archery. Lionus, last year’s jousting champion, was preparing in the large tent nearby to face the victor. Damien nodded at Desmond, who approached with Hercules, his dappled gray gelding. Damien patted Hercules’ neck before allowed Desmond to help him into the saddle. His heavy armor made it hard for him to manage it alone. He pulled his helmet on and accepted the lance from Desmond. After three passes, Serge was unseated and Damien declared the winner of that round.

“It matters not which of us beats Lionus,” Serge said with a laugh as he wheeled his horse past Damien. He had removed his helmet and sweat had plastered his hair against his forehead. “We can’t allow him the victory two years in a row.”

Damien nodded to his brother and returned to his place just as Lionus was taking his. Thunderous applause met the crowned prince as he waved to the crowd. Isabelle’s ribbon was now fluttering on the handle of his lance, and he raised it to this betrothed in silent salute. Both men lowered their helmets and waited for the signal to start. Damien narrowed his eyes in concentration. Lionus had the longer reach and thus the advantage, but Damien knew he could still win. The flag was dropped and Damien dug his heels into Hercules’ side. He raced toward Lionus, concentrating on the figure in gleaming silver armor charging toward him with lowered lance.

Suddenly, Lionus’ horse’s legs buckled and the horse began to fall, face forward into the dirt. Horrified, Damien yanked on Hercules’ reins, pulling the beast up short. He lifted the face shield of his helmet just in time to see Lionus pitch forward from the saddle as the horse toppled. Lionus soared through the air for a few feet before he landed in a heap of battered metal.

Isabelle’s shrill scream rang out among a chorus of gasps. Alexandra fainted in Isabelle’s arms. Most of the royal court stood on their feet, hands over mouths, waiting to see if the prince would move. Damien leapt from his horse, racing toward the crumbled heap that was Lionus. Nicolai and Serge appeared from where they had been watching and joined him at Lionus’ side. Nicolai rolled Lionus to his back slowly before removing his helmet. Though the helmet had probably been the only thing protecting him from death, there was still a large gash in Lionus’ forehead. Blood trickled down the side of his face and back into his hair, which had mostly come loose from its binding. Lionus did not stir, but Damien detected a strong, rapid pulse at his throat.

“He’s alive,” Damien announced, as Isabelle and Esmeralda appeared beside them. “He’s just unconscious.”

Tears streaked Isabelle’s cheeks as she knelt beside Lionus, using her undoubtedly expensive pink shawl to staunch the blood pouring from his head. Queen Alexandra had been left in the care of her courtiers, who had awakened her with a vial of smelling salts and now sat in a cluster around her, holding her hand and fanning her flushed cheeks. Serge commanded a page to send a footman for the physician. He helped Damien and Nicolai lift him and carry him to his chambers. Esmeralda and Isabelle followed, clutching each other’s hands tightly.

Chapter 11

They carried Lionus to his chambers where maids were already scurrying about with hot water, towels and bandages. Isabelle sent the maids away, electing to tend to his wounds herself, with Esmeralda’s help. While the blood was washed from Lionus’ face and hair, Damien went to his chambers to have his armor removed. When he returned, Nicolai and Serge had removed Lionus’ armor and laid him beneath the covers. The doctor came in to examine him and stitch his wound closed.

“You may want to have a bottle of spirits or laudanum nearby for when he wakes up,” the physician suggested. “He is definitely going to need it.”

Isabelle ordered both brought to his chambers and elected to stay with Lionus and let them all know when he had awakened. Damien, Nicolai, Serge, and Esmeralda left her with two armed guards.

“Well, I suppose it’s safe to say the rest of the day is shot,” Nicolai said, as they walked. Since the last event had come to an abrupt halt, Queen Alexandra had herded the entire court inside for the planned luncheon. They spied the small crush inside the yellow drawing room, milling about and chatting as they waited for lunch to be served.

“Does anyone else think that accident seemed a bit strange?” asked Serge, stopping a few feet from the drawing room doors, his voice lowered. “Lionus was practically born on the saddle of a horse. He knew how to handle his mount. Besides which, we had the horses inspected for lameness or injuries just yesterday.”

Damien frowned. “You think this wasn’t an accident?”

“I am just saying that it seemed strange, the way Lionus’ horse went down,” Serge said. “Something isn’t right.”

Nicolai wrinkled his brow. “Are you sure you aren’t just making something out of nothing? Accidents happen all the time.”

Damien shrugged. “The least we can do is have the horse inspected and maybe even the area around the tent where we were preparing for any suspicious signs.”

Serge nodded. “I’ll have it done right now,” he said, heading off toward the door. “Tell mother I won’t be attending lunch.”

“It’s not as if she would notice,” Damien said, taking hold of Esmeralda’s hand. “With Lionus injured, she is sure to forget about her other two sons until he is well. I won’t be attending either,” he told Nicolai, leading Esmeralda away.

“Are you all right?” she asked, following him in the direction of the kitchen. “That must have been terrible for you, watching your brother fall that way.”

Damien nodded. “I’m fine. I just need some time away from the crush. Besides, I have something planned for you.”

They stopped in the kitchen where Damien acquired a large basket from the smiling cook. “All the things you asked for, your grace!” she bubbled proudly, clasping her hands over her oversized bosom. “I hope you and the lady enjoy it.”

“If you made it, I know we will, Doris,” Damien said in that charming way of his, before dragging Esmeralda off toward the stables.

`“Where are we going?” she asked, trotting to keep up with his long strides.

“Somewhere special,” he said, accepting Persephone’s reigns from Desmond, who had come to groom Hercules and put him back in his stall. “Take the rest of the day off,” Damien told him, handing him a small sack of coins. “That’s your share in my winnings for the day. You made an excellent page.”

“Thanks Damien!” Desmond said with a smile, thrusting the small sack into his pocket. “Should I have a mare saddled for Esmeralda before I go?”

“That would be good,” said Damien. “I think Cinnamon will do.”

Once the chestnut mare had been saddled and Desmond had set off for home, Damien mounted Persephone and led Esmeralda across the open green lawn at a slow canter. She had never before ridden in a sidesaddle, and so she sat astride, revealing much of her long legs encased in sheer stockings. Damien found himself staring and grasped for a distraction.

“How about a race,” he suggested, desperate to calm his racing blood. The more time he spent in Esmeralda’s company, the more he wanted her. Two weeks had turned him into a starving man, craving sustenance in the small kisses and caresses she allowed him. He was trying to be patient, but she was just so damned tempting.

“A race?” she questioned with a laugh, her face tilted upward to the sun, her skin shimmering enticingly in the afternoon sunlight. “How will I race you if I don’t even know where we’re going?”

“See that little copse of trees over there?” He pointed toward his private domain, which stood in the familiar circle of trees some distance away. She nodded. Then her smile turned mischievous. Before Damien could guess her intent, she spurred her horse forward and took off toward the little glen. Damien chuckled and followed her. He could have easily overtaken her, but was content to ride behind her. Damien watched, dazzled, as her hair unwind from its coiffure and stream out behind her like a banner. She looked at him over her shoulder, her smile competing with the sun’s brilliance.

Esmeralda slowed as they neared their destination, allowing Damien to pull up alongside her. “It’s so quiet here,” she said as he helped her dismount. Holding the basket in one hand and a saddle blanket in the other, he led her through the trees toward the little pond he so loved.

“This is my favorite place,” he told her, spreading the blanket on the ground. “My brothers and I used to play here when we were boys. No one comes here but me these days.”

Esmeralda turned slowly, taking in the small little glen that had once seemed so big to three little boys. She sat on the saddle blanket beside Damien as he opened the basket.  “I don’t know about you, but I am starving,” he said, revealing the small feast prepared by the cook. Doris had provided meats, bread and cheeses for sandwiches, an assortment of fruit, a bottle of white wine and tiny lemon tartlets for desert. Damien poured the wine into the goblets and handed one to Esmeralda. They sat mostly in silence, enjoying the privacy and serenity beside the pond, disturbed only by an occasional breeze.

Damien sat back and allowed Esmeralda to prepare the sandwiches and portion out the fruit, surprisingly content watching her perform the domestic task. He found himself daydreaming about nights in front of the fire, with her pouring his brandy. The thought pleased him more than he would have imagined.

Once they were full, he repacked the basket and walked toward the pond. “How about a swim?” he said, bending down dip his hands in the cool water. “The water might be a bit cold, but we’ll adjust.”

Esmeralda looked around self-consciously. “What if someone comes?”

“Trust me,” he said, removing his shirt with one swift motion. “Everyone is listening to my father’s stories of his tournament days over partridge pie as we speak. Besides, I can assure you that we are quite alone here. The trees provide added privacy in case someone should ride close by.”

Esmeralda’s eyes were locked on Damien’s bare torso. He bent to remove his boots, but left on his breeches for the sake of her modesty.

“Are you coming?”

Esmeralda nodded, tearing her eyes away and turning her back. Damien was already swimming around in slow circles by the time she made her way into the water, trying modestly to cover her nearly naked frame. She dipped her head under the water and lay back to float languidly on the surface, allowing the sun to warm her.

Her body made contact with something solid and hard, and suddenly, she found herself tangled in another pair of arms and legs. She thrashed wildly, trying to break the surface, her lungs stinging from the breath she was holding. Damien’s strong hands grasped her by the arms and brought her swiftly to the surface. Coughing and sputtering, she clung to him until she was able to breathe normally.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you,” he said, brushing long strands of sopping wet hair out of her face. She swiped her hands over her eyes. “It was my fault, I wasn‘t paying attention.”

The smile faded from her face when her eyes met his. There was nothing humorous about the way he was looking at her. Hunger flashed in his eyes. He moved them over her as if devouring her slowly. Inch by inch he studied her, and she became all too aware that the thin, wet chemise did nothing for her modesty. His hold on her arms slackened, then moved up and down in a slow caress. Damien felt a burning like none he’d ever experienced, unfurling in him. A light pink blush crept over her face and he knew that she had guessed at his thoughts.

Her hair was wet and curling enticingly down her back, a few strands plastered to her face, neck and shoulders. One lock rested alluringly over one breast. Tiny droplets of water had formed on her bare skin and a few trickled in tiny rivulets down into the valley between her breasts. Damien’s tongue crept out to wet his lips and an undeniable urge to lap up the tiny drops overwhelmed him.

His hands still on her shoulders, because he didn’t trust himself to put them anywhere else, he pulled her slightly closer and kissed her. Accustomed to his touch now, she parted her lips for him immediately and met his tongue with hers. He groaned and sank fully into her, resting his hard male body against her lush curves. She tangled her hands in his wet curls and drank hungrily from his lips.

She trusted him fully now, unafraid of the riot of sensation overtaking her body. Esmeralda gave herself up to him completely, tilting her head back to allow him to plunder her mouth. They could feel every inch of each other through the thin, wet fabric they wore. She felt that male part of him rising and hardening against her belly. Esmeralda was not disgusted or disturbed by it, as she had thought she would be. Instead, something wild and primitive welled up inside her and she knew she wanted him, knew she would accept that hard length that pressed against her.

His hands moved down her shoulders and the small of her back before he grasped her bottom firmly in his hands. He lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist, pressing his most intimate place against hers.

He walked slowly, his lips still connected to hers, carrying her to a sunny spot on the warm grass. Damien laid her there and came down on top of her, his hips sinking into hers. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at her, awed at the unwitting seduction that radiated from her, beckoning to him. She was the most tempting sight he’d ever seen. Her rapid breaths caused her upturned breasts to heave and for the first time, Damien realized he could see the outline of her dark brown nipples through her soaked chemise.

The roaring in his ears increased until he could think of nothing more than taking one of those inviting breasts into his mouth. He lowered his head to hers once more, stealing her very breath away. She arched her back, causing her legs to spread wider, pressing her even more thoroughly against him. Damien snatched at the hem of her chemise, pulling it up over her hips. His hand reached between them and found her heated, moist center. She moaned softly, a silky sound from the back of her throat that reached out at Damien like a caress.

Damien massaged her gently, his lips never ceasing their assault on hers. He parted her velvety folds, finding her most sensitive place and teased it gently with his fingers. She moaned and thrashed beneath him, grasping his shoulders tightly, welcoming the ripples of pleasure he created in her. He inserted two fingers into her tight, pulsating sheath, relishing every cry of pleasure he forced from her lips. Damien stroked and tormented, watching the pleasure build up in her as she climbed toward ecstasy. Her eyes widened and a sound that could only be described as a scream was torn from her lips as wave after wave of intense pleasure rippled over her.

He watched, delighted at the passionate woman who lay beneath him. She had pleased him, though he had taken no pleasure for himself. He was still hard and burning for her, but he fought to bring himself under control. Now was not the time to make Esmeralda his. He lowered her chemise over her hips and reluctantly pulled away from her. She wrapped her arms around her knees and sat staring at him for a moment.

“That was….” she grinned. “Not what I expected.”

Damien laughed. “It was exactly what I expected. I always wondered what your face would look like when overtaken by passion. I was not disappointed.”

“Shouldn’t I….do something…for you?” she indicated the bulge at the front of his breeches. She seemed embarrassed, but earnest in her question. Damien’s smile widened even more.

“Not here, not like this,” he said, reaching for his shirt. “This was not my intention in bringing you out here. I wanted a moment away with you. When I do finally make love to you, it will not be on the ground like an animal. I will lay you on my bed and take my time. I will learn all there is to know about you and teach you everything there is to know about me.”

Esmeralda’s hands shook as she reached for her gown. Tiny shivers of delight still coursed through her and were further enlivened by his candid words. She knew when the time came she would be eager to experience all that Damien had to teach her; she looked forward to it breathlessly. Esmeralda pulled her gown on and turned her back, allowing Damien to re-fasten the tiny buttons down her back. He grasped her shoulders pulled her against him one last time. Damien pulled the curtain of her hair aside and kissed the side of her neck tenderly.

They cleaned up the remains of their picnic and rode back to the palace in companionable silence. Damien stole little glances at her as they rode, pleased with the effects that his touch had on her. She managed to pin her hair back neatly and donned her white hat once more. To the casual observer, there had been no change in her since she was last seen at the tournament. Damien observed the slight pink flush in her cheeks and the brightness of her eyes and smiled. They dismounted by the stables and Damien ordered the carriage brought around for Esmeralda.

“I would love to escort you home, but I must see to my brother,” he said, before handing her into the spacious carriage.

“I understand,” she said, allowing him to kiss her hand. His lips lingered for a few seconds longer than what was proper and Esmeralda could swear she felt the warm rasp of his tongue.

The carriage pulled away, and Esmeralda leaned forward to peer through the carriage window, waving as she disappeared from sight. Once she was gone, Damien was forced to turn his thoughts from their passionate encounter in the shaded glen. Lionus’ injury was no foremost ins his mind. Serge had seemed worried over the circumstances of the incident and Damien had no reason to doubt him. Lionus’ fall may well have been staged to look like an accident. The thought made him shiver, knowing that it could have been any one of them and that Lionus could now be dead. How long before this criminal had his way, Damien wondered. What would happen to Damien if he did?

Chapter 12

“I knew that something wasn’t right. I just knew it!”

Lionus frowned, folding his arms over his chest. He studied the horseshoe that Serge held up for all of them to see. Damien and Nicolai both had shocked expressions on their faces. Lionus’ head was bandaged, and though it throbbed greatly he had refused the laudanum and brandy offered to him once he had awakened. He wanted to be lucid for this meeting. He sat up, erect and regal among the bedclothes, his freshly washed hair hanging down to his shoulders, wearing a black silk dressing gown. The only visible injury was that of his head, though he had several bruises on his torso and legs and his muscles pained him greatly.

“Unbelievable!” said Damien, studying the twisted, mangled horseshoe. “No wonder your horse went down, Lionus.”

“You’re saying that this shoe was on Lionus’ horse during the tournament?” asked Nicolai in amazement.

Serge nodded vehemently. “All but one of the nails had been removed as well. It probably was only slightly bent at the beginning of the day. But as the day wore on, it became worse.” He turned to Lionus. “When you started charging at Damien during the joust, the shoe cut into your horse’s other leg, causing him to go down.”

Lionus took the horseshoe from Serge and studied it with his sharp eyes. “None of the grooms would be careless enough to allow this. This was done intentionally.”

Serge nodded, his mouth a firm, hard line. “Exactly.” He had gone straight to the stables to inspect Lionus’ horse as soon as he had left his bedside. Serge was astonished at what he’d found.

“Have anyone who was anywhere near the stables this morning questioned,” Lionus said to Serge. “And while we are here, let us discuss what we do know. Nicolai and I have inquired around at the various gatherings over the last two weeks and have learned nothing new. Several of the nobility have even heard of this masked man, yet none of them seem to know who he is.”

“He’s like a phantom,” said Nicolai. “He comes and goes within the upper and lower classes, paying or threatening people in order to get them to do his bidding.”

Damien frowned. “I had the same problem,” he said. He had taken a few nights away to visit some of the seedier establishments in town. Many people had stories to tell about encounters with the masked man, yet none of them could offer any clues to who he was, other than the description already given. “It’s as if he doesn’t even exist.”

“But he does exist!” roared Lionus, Through his anger, his brothers and cousin could see the pain reflected in his eyes. “The man is not a ghost or a specter! He is very real, obviously, if he is able to make attempts on my life and the lives of my family. I want him found!”

Serge nodded. “I think it’s time we put out a description of this man…at least the little that we do know. Perhaps if we offer a reward someone will come forward with more substantial information.”

“I did not want to have to do that,” said Lionus, rubbing his tired eyes. “But I suppose it must be done.”

“I will see to it,” said Serge. “In the meantime, we should increase security. Specifically around you since you are the latest target of these attacks.”

Lionus nodded his agreement, but was otherwise silent.

“Why don’t you take a little laudanum,” Nicolai suggested, lifting the bottle from the nightstand beside the bed. “You are in pain.”

“And if I do, do you suppose the masked man will send an assassin in to murder me as I sleep? No thank you. The pain is tolerable.”

“Nevertheless, we will leave you to your rest,” said Damien, following Serge and Nicolai from the room.

Serge still clutched horseshoe in his hand, his countenance filled with worry. “It seems this man won’t rest until he has achieved his ends.”

“Or until he is caught,” said Damien. “The sooner he is found, the better.”

****

Damien watched, pleasure in his eyes, as Esmeralda was draped with length after length of satins and silks. He had brought her to Madame Didier’s establishment to have her fitted for a gown for the masquerade ball, to be held at the end of the week, the night before the wedding. Esmeralda had insisted that Raina promised to make her a suitable costume, but Damien insisted that she have the best.

She stood now, on a small raised platform while Madame Didier watched two shop girls drape Esmeralda with various fabrics. When she wasn’t covered in yards of material, she stood in her chemise, nearly naked to his watchful eyes.

“Bring the gold silk,” Madame Didier commanded, studying Esmeralda critically. “It will compliment her skin very nicely. Such exotic looks,” she commented, circling Esmeralda as the two shop girls held a length of gold silk up against Esmeralda’s skin. Madame Didier gasped dramatically, throwing her hands up in the air. “Magnificent!” she cried. “It is perfect!”

Madame Didier draped and pinned the silk in various places, looking to Damien for his approval. “It’s beautiful,” he murmured, his mouth watering as he observed the way the silk draped over Esmeralda’s frame.

Madame Didier held up a length of black lace. “Yes this will do nicely I think over the bodice. Many people cannot pull off black, but your coloring will only enhance it.”

Esmeralda fingered the lace held out to her. “It’s so fine,” she said, turning to Damien. “It’s sure to be expensive.”

“No expense is to be spared,” he said with a grin.

Madame Didier returned his smile and focused her attention back on Esmeralda. “A black sash, and a train of course.” Esmeralda nodded her agreement. “Matching slippers, reticule, and of course a mask. It will be an exquisite creation.”

Esmeralda stood for nearly an hour while Madame Didier and her assistants pinned and draped until the beginnings of a dress were formed. She breathed a sigh of relief once the creation was lifted from her. She knew the gown would be terribly expensive and some part of her protested strongly. Another part of her, the vain part no doubt, luxuriated in the idea of a dress custom made to fit her. Damien waited until Esmeralda left to dress before pulling Madame Didier aside.

“I would like to order more,” he said, his voice low. “You have her measurements and I’m sure you will choose fabrics and colors that are suitable.”

“But of course, your grace,” she said, smiling at the prince. She had dressed Damien’s former mistress, but found she liked this woman much more than the vain, demanding Davina. Dressing her would be a pleasure. “What would you like?”

“Day dresses, evening gowns, ball gowns. Four of each should do. And a riding habit.”

“Accessories? Undergarments?” Madame Didier began making notes on a small tablet.

Damien nodded. “I’ll leave the particulars up to you,” he said. “You know what is fashionable.”

Madame Didier smiled brilliantly and accepted the heavy sack of coins placed in her palm. The prince was always willing to pay handsomely for what he wanted.

Esmeralda emerged from the dressing room and allowed Damien to take her arm. She did not notice the conspiratorial glance exchanged between Damien and Madame Didier.

Soon they were in the swaying carriage, speeding toward Esmeralda’s home. “I really wish you had not spent so much on a gown for me,” she said, threading her fingers through his and resting her head on his shoulder. “My mother could have altered one of my gowns and it would have been just as suitable.”

Damien placed a kiss on her forehead. “Nonsense,” he said, squeezing her hand affectionately. “You need an appropriate costume and Madame Didier is the best. She’ll make you the envy of every woman present.”

Esmeralda smiled and snuggled closer to Damien in the intimate confines of the carriage. He savored moments like this, times when they could be away from probing eyes and whispers. Damien pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, “I wish I could have you to myself more often. But you have become wildly popular at court and….what the devil?”

Esmeralda followed Damien’s distracted gaze out of the carriage window. A black carriage was speeding alongside them on the narrow lane, swerving dangerously close. The carriage’s curtains were closed, and there were no identifiable crests or markings on it anywhere. It was pulled by a team of impeccably matched black bays, who were being driven by a figure also shrouded in black, his face hidden by the scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face. Damien banged on the wall of the carriage, trying to gain their driver’s attention.

“Slow down and let him pass, Rawlins!” he shouted, struggling to be heard over the clatter of wheels. “Reckless bastard,” he muttered, pushing the curtains back to try and better identify the carriage and driver. Just as he peered from the window, the black vehicle swerved toward them, perilously close to ramming them. Their driver shouted and cursed, trying to bring the startled horses under control. The carriage swayed and rocked dangerously, tossing Esmeralda about. Damien grasped her and pulled her close, trying to keep Esmeralda in the seat.

“God damn it all, Rawlins get the horses under control!” Damien shouted to the driver, pressing Esmeralda up against the cushioned seat. “Hold on to me, love,” he whispered to Esmeralda, wrapping his arms tightly around her. The horses seemed to be picking up speed, carrying the coach down the dusty road at a dangerous pace.

The black conveyance swayed toward them several more times before it rammed into the side of them, causing their carriage to tilt precariously to one side before slamming back down to four wheels. This time, a scream escaped Esmeralda’s lips, and Damien could do nothing more than hold her more tightly against him.

The horses were out of control now, terrified by the attacking carriage and their panicked driver. If Damien were alone, he would simply throw open the door and try to leap to safety. He would not risk such a move with Esmeralda. She could be crushed under the wheels or trampled by the horses and he would never forgive himself.

“Cut the horses loose, Rawlins!” Damien shouted, praying the driver could hear them.

Separating themselves from the horses seemed to be the only way and Damien prayed that Rawlins would be successful before the other carriage succeeded in tipping them over. Damien could hear gunshots ringing out overhead and felt Esmeralda shake violently in his arms at the explosive sound. Rawlins’s cursing and yelling were the only indications that the man was still alive, but the bullets flying overhead, were obviously slowing his progress.

“Got it, your grace!” shouted Rawlins just as he cut the last horse free. Damien felt the carriage slowing to a halt as the racing horses left it behind. He breathed a sigh of relief and loosened his hold on Esmeralda.

“Thank God,” he said, sighing heavily. “As soon as we have stopped, we’ll-” Damien was cut off, as the carriage jerked violently, causing him to go flying across the vehicle to the other seat.

“Damien!” Esmeralda’s voice shrieking his name was the last thing he heard before they began to roll.

****

Damien held his hand over his pounding forehead, almost afraid to open his eyes. He knew without looking that his body lay at an odd angle, nearly upside down, his legs bent and over his head, his shoulders supporting all of his weight. The sound of gentle sobs brought him fully into consciousness and he opened his eyes slowly. He was staring at his shoes. Damien frowned. They were extremely scuffed. He flexed all of his joints before determining that nothing was broken. His head hurt like the devil and he was sure he would find some bruises once he was able to look in a mirror.

“Esmeralda,” he said softly, causing the sobbing to cease immediately. “Esmeralda, are you all right?”

“Damien! Thank God, you’re alive!”

“Of course I’m alive, love. Where are you?”

“Right beside you.”

“At this impossible angle, I don’t even know where the side of me is located,” he said with an ironic laugh. “Would you help me make sense of myself?”

With a few tugs and pulls, Esmeralda managed to turn Damien on his side, where he was better able to assess their situation. First, he satisfied himself that she was all right. Her dress was badly torn in places and she was sporting a few bruises. Her hair was hopelessly disheveled and tangled in a mass around her head but she was otherwise fine. He made her move all of her joints and limbs just as he had done before allowing her to move again. Satisfied that nothing was broken, he began gazing around the overturned carriage. Damien guessed that it had probably turned a few times before stopping. They were now laying on one of the doors, with the other door directly overhead.

“We’ll have to climb out,” said Damien wearily, studying the bent carriage door above them. I am just tall enough to pop it open and perhaps I can jump out. Then I’ll lean in and pull you out.”

Esmeralda grasped his arm tightly, pressing her face against his chest. “Perhaps we should call for Rawlins. Maybe he can help.”

Damien’s eyes met hers. His expression was grave. “If the carriage has overturned, Rawlins may not be able to hear us.”

“Oh no,” she cried, tears springing to her eyes. “Poor Rawlins!”

“Let’s not make any assumptions,” he said calmly, patting her back soothingly. “Perhaps he is just unconscious. In that case we had better hurry, he may need our help.”

Esmeralda nodded resolutely and raised herself to her knees. Damien struggled into a standing position, pausing several times to catch his breath. He felt a knot forming on the side of his head. Esmeralda urged him to hurry; she was afraid he would lose consciousness at any moment. His eyes were heavy and his vision blurred and his movements slow and uncoordinated. The blow to his head was starting to take its toll. Nonetheless, he reached upward with his long arms, determined to have Esmeralda free before he succumbed to the full extent of his injuries. Every muscle in his body ached, but he pushed through the pain and managed to shove the carriage door open. He grasped either side of the doorway, and pulled himself upward with a groan and every ounce of his strength.

“Give me a moment, love,” he said, panting and wiping the perspiration from his forehead. “I have to summon the strength to pull you out.”

Esmeralda waited silently, watching as Damien took several deep breaths and closed his eyes. He finally nodded and opened his eyes, using his last ounce of willpower to force himself to concentrate on the task at hand. His eyes were heavy and his head was pounding, and all he wanted to do was lie down on the ground and fall asleep. He lowered the upper half of his body into the carriage and held his arms down to Esmeralda.  “Take my hands and don’t let go,” he said. Esmeralda clenched his hands tightly and tried with all her strength to help Damien pull her from the carriage. After a few tries, he managed to pull her out.

They collapsed on the ground in a heap, a tangle of arms and legs. The horses were long gone, and the other carriage had abandoned them. They searched for Rawlins’ lifeless form, but could see nothing but dusty road, grass, and trees. His strength waning, Damien could only focus on Esmeralda’s face. It blurred and faded to nothing as he lost consciousness.

When Damien awakened, he was in his own bed. He recognized the familiar ivory canopy above him immediately. Damien waited for his vision to focus before he tried to move his head. He felt slightly drowsy, yet he fought the grasping tentacles of grogginess as he struggled to recall what had happened since he’d pulled Esmeralda from an overturned carriage on the side of the road.

“Esmeralda!” he exclaimed, shooting into a sitting position. His vision blurred once more and an overwhelming dizziness claimed him, forcing him back onto the pillows. A hand was in his immediately and Serge’s face appeared within his field of vision.

“Damien, you must lay still,” he said, working to prop Damien up with more pillows. “The doctor says you have a concussion and will be a bit dizzy for a little while.”

Damien fought unconsciousness and focused on Serge’s face, creased with worry lines. His normally merry blue eyes were and cloudy and turbulent.

“Esmeralda,” he repeated, remembering her battered form collapsing beside him on the side of the road. “Is she all right? How did I get here?”

“Esmeralda is here. I saw to it that she was placed in a room nearby,” Serge replied. “Rawlins left the carriage when it overturned to get help. He thought you were dead.”

“We could have been,” said Damien, accepting the glass of water pressed into his hand. He drank deeply and placed the cup back on the nightstand. “Some bastard driving a black carriage ran us off the road.”

Serge nodded. “Rawlins told us everything. He’s pretty battered himself. He’s got a couple of broken ribs and a sprained ankle. If he hadn’t left to find help you might still be on the side of the road.”

“Someone should send for Esmeralda’s family.”

“It is already done. Her mother and grandmother arrived not long ago. They are tending to her now.”

“I want to see her.” Damien swiveled his legs over the side of the bed, pausing for a moment to gain his equilibrium.

“I know you’re concerned,” Serge said, grasping Damien’s arm tightly, “But you are in no condition to be up and walking around.”

“I have to see her, Serge!” Damien said, grasping his brother’s shoulder. “Either help me or get the hell out of my way.”

With a shrug, Serge allowed Damien to lean on him as he fought against the lightheadedness that threatened to unman him at any moment. Serge helped him into a dressing gown and led him slowly from his room. Damien felt like an invalid and despised the fact that he had to lean on his brother for support. He cursed his weakness, but knew he would do whatever he must to see for himself that Esmeralda was all right.

Serge ushered him into her room, where they found Isabelle, Akira, and Raina clustered around her. Raina turned as they entered, her eyes filled with worry for her daughter.

“She’s been asking about you,” she said, her voice at a near whisper. “We have tried to convince her to rest but she worries for you.”

“I am here,” he said, releasing Serge’s arm and limping over to the bed on his own. He squared his shoulders and fought the urge to scream out in pain. He would show the woman he loved no weakness. He approached her bedside and breathed a sigh of relief.

Besides a few visible bruises, Esmeralda appeared to be fine. She lay among the bedcovers, dressed in a prim white nightgown that Damien guessed had been brought for her from home. The white ruffles around the neck and shoulders added a feminine appeal. She had been bathed, and her hair washed and brushed until it gleamed, fanned around her head against the pillow. Damien sat on the edge of the bed and grasped her hand tightly. A lump had worked his way up in his throat and he felt the unmistakable sting of tears behind his eyes. When had she become so important to him? He wondered at his own uncharacteristic display of emotion. The room was full of people who would see him if he allowed tears to fall from his eyes and he couldn’t care less.

“I’m glad you’re all right,” she said, reaching up to cup his face gently. Damien lean his face against her open hand, grateful for a touch he had thought he’d never feel again. Yet here she was, warm and alive and here before him. He was so grateful.

“I see that you have been well taken care of,” he said.

She nodded. “Your maids were very helpful. They had me cleaned up in no time.”

Akira stepped forward, pressing a small vial into Damien’s palm. “A few drops of this in your bathwater and you will feel as right as rain. It’ll take a few days but it’ll do you much good.”

Damien smiled gratefully at the old woman. “Thanks.” He turned to Esmeralda. “You should rest. I will leave you now.”

She grasped his sleeve tightly. “No!” she exclaimed, desperation in her voice. “Please don’t go.”

Damien looked around the room. Serge, Raina, Akira, and Isabelle waited silently, each seeming unsure about whether to go or stay. “My dear, it would be highly improper.”

“Nonsense!” said Akira. “She is ill and needs comfort. Who better to give it to her?”

Isabelle nodded. “We’ll leave strict orders not to let anyone into this room.”

Akira had already grasped Raina’s hand and was pulling her toward the door. Serge placed a hand at the small of Isabelle’s back and led her away as well. Damien turned back to Esmeralda, who had moved to the other side of the bed to make room for him. She turned down the covers invitingly and smiled. Damien groaned as if in pain and lowered himself to the mattress beside her.

“Are you all right?” she asked, stroking his hair as he lowered his head to her breast. “Are you in pain?”

“Damn right I’m in pain,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “Here I’ve been dreaming of getting you into bed for weeks and when I finally do, I’m too weak to do anything about it!”

They laughed softly together and burrowed beneath the blankets. The comfort of the bed and the soft warmth of the body beside him created a drugging affect. Damien was soon sleeping peacefully.

Chapter 13

The crowded ballroom was overrun with people in elaborate costume. Fairies and wood nymphs promenaded by on the arms of Shakespearian heroes and Greek gods. Damien searched the room impatiently for Esmeralda, trying to see past the masks of the various ladies walking by. He knew that an air of mystery was essential at a masquerade ball, but at the moment, he found it a damned nuisance.

Damien had sent the carriage for Esmeralda, since he had been unable to go and fetch her himself. He had spent the afternoon trying to soothe Lionus’ ire. Though he and Esmeralda had fully recovered from the incident with the carriage and the rest of the week had passed uneventfully, Damien found that his brother was uneasy as a caged beast. Lionus had paced about the library, questioning Rawlins for the third time, trying to squeeze every possible clue from his version of the story. And though Damien, Serge and Nicolai had worked endlessly to soothe Lionus’ temper, the feeling was not lost on them. Damien fully understood Lionus’ apprehension, especially since they had come no closer to identifying the masked man then they had been a few weeks ago.

Damien sighed, flexing his fingers tightly around the crystal glass he held in his hand. This last attempt would not have rattled him so much had it not involved Esmeralda. He’d been racked with guilt for days, knowing that if not for her association with him, such a thing would never have happened to her. He had been helpless to protect her, able to do nothing as the carriage had hurtled uncontrollably down the road.

Damien knew she was doing well, as was he thanks to Akira’s potion. He had no idea what was in the small vial that the Gypsy woman had given him, but one drop in his bath water over the past couple of days had soothed his bruised and sore muscles. Now he stood as he hadn’t been able to in days, stronger than ever.

Nicolai appeared suddenly by his side, dressed in a green tunic and tights. A dagger was thrust through a belt at his waist and a green hat with a bright red plume sat at a jaunty angle on his head. A green mask covered his eyes and nose. Damien doubled over with laughter. “And who, pray tell, are you supposed to be? A woodland sprite?”

“I will have you know, dear cousin, that I am Peter Pan,” said Nicolai, humor twinkling in his eyes. He bowed before Damien, sweeping his hat from his head as he did so. “And for your information, the ladies find it charming.”

“Just be careful not to rip those hose of yours!” Damien guffawed, clapping Nicolai on his shoulder.

“I’ve another pair ready in case that happens,” Nicolai whispered with a wink.

Damien procured another glass of brandy from a passing servant. Nicolai did the same.  “Davina’s looking well,” Nicolai gestured toward a figure in blue with his glass. “It would seem being tossed over by you can do wonders for a woman.”

Davina stood regally, as always, surrounded by her lady friends and a few gentlemen admirers fawning over her jeweled hands. Even the elaborate, bejeweled mask she wore could not disguise her ample charms. Damien had received the bill for the gown she wore a few days before ending his liaison with her. The creation bore the clear stamp of Madame Didier, though it was so encrusted with beading Damien was certain Davina might topple over at any moment. The sapphires he had purchased for her glittered at her wrists and throat. The tiara had seemed like a frivolous purchase, but it was fitting to Davina’s taste. She patted the tiara, drawing everyone’s eye to the winking stones with the not-so-subtle movement.

The rare black diamonds set in gold that Damien had sent along in the carriage for Esmeralda would eclipse Davina and her blatant flaunting. Damien fought a smile as he pictured Davina’s face when she saw the twinkling jewels.

“Would you mind terribly if I approached her?” Nicolai asked, seemingly hypnotized by the indecently low bodice of Davina’s gown. “I believe she would accept my suit.”

Damien shrugged. “She is no longer of any concern to me. Have at her by all means.”

“Good man,” Nicolai said with a grin. “I believe I’ll start tonight.”

Damien watched Nicolai make his way over to Davina with a raised brow. His cousin knew how grasping and calculating Davina was. It would seem that it was a risk Nicolai was willing to take.

All thoughts of Davina fled from his mind when he heard a soft murmur rippling through the crowd. Nearly every head in the room swiveled toward the entrance, captivated by a vision in gold and black. Damien followed suit, nearly losing his breath at the sight of Esmeralda descending the stairs into the ballroom.

Madame Didier had, in Damien’s opinion, outdone herself. The black lace over the bodice offered a peek at the gold silk, which billowed out into her full skirts. An elaborate bustle had been fashioned at the back, and a short train trailed behind her as she walked. The gown was sleeveless, cut daringly low, with a high black ruffled collar that rose up behind Esmeralda’s neck. Her hair and been brushed and smoothed to the top of her head in a series of twists and coils, where two golden butterfly combs had been placed. A gold mask in the shape of a butterfly covered the upper half of her face and the black diamonds winked and sparkled at her ears and neck.

The crowd seemed to part, as if by magic, to allow her passage. Damien started through the opening, unable to tear his eyes away from her. Hands were held over mouths and whispers could be heard as Damien approached her,

On anyone else, Damien’s chosen costume would have seemed ridiculous, but no one else in the room had the presence to pull off a pirate’s costume. A red, military style jacket decorated with gold and black braid and shining gold buttons, clung to his muscular form, hanging down almost to his knees. Beneath the jacket was a starched white shirt, rakishly unbuttoned to reveal most of his tanned chest. Ruffled lace spilled from his wrists from beneath the cuffs of the jacket. Black breeches clung to his legs, and a pair of black polished boots reached up to his knees. A tri-corn hat sporting several feathers and an eye patch completed the ensemble. He looked incredibly rakish and dashing, a combination that set Esmeralda’s heart to fluttering.

Damien bowed over her hand, kissing it a second longer than was proper before linking her arm through his.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered near her ear, resisting the impulse to press his lips against her fragrant skin.

“And you look positively charming,” she replied. “I was very surprised to find these jewels waiting for me in the carriage.”

“No woman should attend a ball without the proper jewels,” he said, pulling her near the buffet table. “And you, my dear, deserve the very best.”

Esmeralda’s eyes widened at the assortment of food presented at the buffet table. It was hard to believe any one group of people could devour so much food in so little time.

“I know,” Damien said, leading her toward the line that had formed on one side. “It’s enough to feed a starving nation and we’ve got it all right here in this room. It hardly seems necessary.”

Esmeralda could only nod and follow Damien down the line. She could hardly decide between the various meat pies, fruits, tarts, breads and cheeses. And the wine! Champagne, port, brandy, sherry and Madeira all flowed freely. She chose a glass of Madeira and found a quiet corner in which to eat and converse with Damien.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her softly, once they had found a spot to themselves. “You look well.”

“I am well. Good as new.”

“I must impress upon your grandmother to learn her secrets. That mixture she gave me worked better than any laudanum or spirits.”

Esmeralda smiled. “The Gypsies are wise in the ways of healing,” she said. “My grandmother is also very taken with you.”

“Ah, so I may be able to learn her secrets after all.”

The masked man watched from across the room as Prince Damien leaned his head toward his lovely young companion’s and laughed. His fist curled at the sight of the arrogant prince, walking and talking amongst his peers as if he hadn’t faced death mere few days ago. Damn it all, he’d thought that carriage accident idea foolproof. He hated the thought of bruising the woman’s succulent flesh, but he had done what he thought needed to be done. If she had died, he thought with a shrug, well then that was her own fault for associating with the likes of Damien Largess.

God, how he hated them all! He studied each one of them from behind his mask, a different disguise from the one he usually wore. He smiled with contempt as he eyed Queen Alexandra across the room, who was without her husband this evening. Even behind the extravagantly painted and feathered mask, he knew who she was. It was in the regal tilt of her head and majestic fashion in which she strode about the room.

The one whom he hated the most had yet to make an appearance. He could barely contain his smile as he wondered what King Adare would think if he knew the very man who was trying to kill him was rubbing elbows with his friends and family. By God, he was close enough to reach out and touch the queen and the thought brought him pleasure. How he would like to wrap his hands around her throat and squeeze the very life from her! He almost hated her as much as her husband. The man who had abandoned and betrayed him.

A hush fell over the crowd as the betrothed prince and princess made their grand entrance together. Arm in arm, both dressed impeccably they seemed the perfect couple. Not many would notice, but he could see the light of love in Prince Lionus’ eyes as he bowed over his young bride’s hand. The crowned prince cared more for those around him than he let on, but he knew Lionus’ secrets. He knew how it would rip him apart to find his father murdered. This time, he would succeed. The plan had already been set in motion and not even those damned guards surrounding the palace would be able to stop him.

He lost interest in watching the prince and princess on parade and turned his eyes to a more interesting subject. Davina Russell stood, preening amongst her flock of admirers, fingering the hefty jewels around her throat. Her barely contained bosom was the perfect lily white background for those startling gems. He wondered how much Prince Damien had spent on them. He frowned.

He had been passed over by women like Davina far too many times. Women like her were all the same, grasping, conniving little vipers that were only out to boost their own standing in society by latching on to a powerful man. Men like Damien were more than happy to oblige them.

He shook his head, watching Davina from behind his mask, relishing the day he would make her his. Oh, she was far too much of a slut to be made his wife, but he would use her as he had imagined so many times. He might even kill her when it was over. Who would stop him? Once Adare and his sons were dead and they would be soon enough, he would reveal his identity as the king’s son and take his place as the rightful king and no one would be able to stand in his way. Everything would be as it should.

Esmeralda wrapped her am through Damien’s and allowed him to lead her through the palace gardens. She’d never seen a garden so large, so lush and fragrant, in her life. She admired the rows and rows of roses and azaleas and gardenias, all that would be shriveled and gone soon, until the harsh winter was over. Already, the night air had grown colder, biting at her bare shoulders and arms but she didn’t care. She’d danced nearly every dance and not just with Damien. Scores of men had approached to lead her out onto the dance floor and she found herself flushed and dizzy. She was grateful that her mother had taken the time to teach her the various ballroom dances. Esmeralda had put each of her lessons to use.

She walked now, through the moonlit garden, her head rested on Damien’s shoulder. He led her through the hedgerow maze to the fountain hidden inside. Damien sat her on the edge and kneeled before her, lifting her delicately slippered feet to rest on top of his thighs. He ran his hands slowly up and down her legs to gift her with his warmth.

“You should have allowed me to fetch your cloak.” He rubbed vigorously, his hands gliding over her silk stockings. “It’s cold tonight.”

Esmeralda shook her head and tilted her head back to view the cloudy night sky. “Winter is coming. It is my favorite time of year. The trees die and lose their leaves, but then the snow comes and covers everything with tiny white crystals. It’s beautiful.”

Damien stopped massaging her legs and circled each of her ankles with his hands. He looked up to find her looking down at him, her breath turning white on the breeze. “Winter is my favorite time of year too,” he said honestly. They stared at each other a moment in silence before he spoke again. “I do hope you’ve enjoyed yourself tonight.”

Esmeralda laughed, spreading her arms wide and leaning back as if embracing the heavens. “How could I not enjoy myself? The dancing, the music, the food, it was better than I imagined!”

Damien removed his hat and eye patch, placing them on the fountain beside her. “You are the belle of the ball, my lady. Everyone’s talking, wondering who the mysterious butterfly is.” He leaned in close, searching for her eyes through the golden mask she wore. She removed it and rewarded him with a smirk. He returned her smile. “Some are even saying that you are a foreign princess, come to be my bride.”

Esmeralda’s laugh rang out to mingle with his in the silence of the hedgerow maze, where the surrounding foliage sheltered them from the outside world. “That’s ridiculous!” she chuckled, her shoulders shaking with glee. “A princess?”

“You could be.” Damien was suddenly serious, all traces of laughter stricken from his face. He grasped her hands and held them to his lips, kissing each one fervently. “You have more refinement in these fingers than most women have in their entire bodies. You walk with confidence and speak with grace. You are good and kind. You may not have been born a princess, but I would make you my princess.”

Her eyes grew wide as she looked down at Damien. He drew her near and pressed his face against her middle, beneath her breasts, squeezing her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close.

“I love you,” he whispered on the night air. His words wrapped around her and warmed her from the inside out. She knew that if he looked into her face, he would see that she fairly glowed. “I think I’ve always loved you,” he said, running his hands up and down her back. Tiny tremors ran along her skin, causing her to shiver, although she could no longer feel the cold. “From that first night I saw you dancing at the palace, I wanted you. I thought to make you mine in body, but when I finally found you I knew I wanted to make you mine in spirit as well.” He lifted his eyes up to her. “I want you to be my wife.”

Esmeralda’s hand flew up to cover her mouth, stifling the tiny sob that escaped from the back of her throat. He was saying the most wonderful things, on the most beautiful night of her life and all she could think was that she was unfit to be a princess. How could Damien, a prince, wed a Gypsy girl? It was simply unheard of. She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts, then gently dabbed at her eyes with his offered handkerchief.

“Please say yes,” he whispered, searching her face for the answer he so desperately needed to hear. “Please tell me you’ll do it.”

“Surely you can’t mean it. You can’t mean to marry me.”

“And why not?” Damien shot to his feet. “No one will tell me that I can’t!”

“Think what you are saying, Damien,” she pleaded, standing to face him. “You must take a wife who was raised to take on the role of being a Princess.” She pointed toward the ballroom, which only a few moments ago had seemed worlds away. “Any one of those women in there would be more suited to be your wife than I.”

“None of those women is more fit to be my wife than you!” He shoved his hands through his hair, exasperated. “I don’t want them, I want you! I love you.”

Esmeralda smiled, though her eyes were cloudy with sorrow and tears. “And I love you. But can’t you see? You think you want me now, but I would never fit. I wouldn’t blend into your family or your life. I don’t know the first thing about royalty.”

“Damn my family! Damn it all! I would give up being a prince if it only meant we could be together!”

Esmeralda allowed the tears to fall freely now, beyond moved by his words. She almost wished he would stop, because she knew that if he continued to spin pretty words around her, she would be ensnared and unable to resist his offer. “You could not do that,” she said softly, reaching out to cup his face in her hands. “I would not ask you to leave your family, to forsake all that you have known, what is yours by right of birth. You belong here Damien. You have responsibilities.”

“Responsibilities?” his laugh was dry, dripping with scorn. “I am merely the third son. Everyone has a responsibility except me! No one will care who or when I marry and I like it that way.”

“But your dreams of opening a university...“

“I would never have the courage if it weren’t for you. You made me realize that it was more than a foolish dream. You made it a reality for me. Don’t you understand? I cannot do it without you.” He grasped her about the waist and pulled her against him, molding their bodies together. Damien gently grasped the nape of her neck and tilted her head back until her lips were parted and ready for his. He ravaged her mouth with his own, desperately clinging to her as if drawing from her his last breath. His fingers tightened, holding her captive. He kissed her repeatedly, savoring the sweet taste of her lips. She moaned softly and leaned into him, standing on tiptoe to offer him more of her mouth.

“Say yes,” he murmured between kisses, his voice a mere sigh on the night air. He showered kisses over her neck, working his way up to the sensitive place behind her ear. “Marry me,” he whispered before taking her earlobe between his teeth. “Don’t deny me.”

Her legs buckled as if she had been drugged and if not for his arms around her, she would have fallen at a puddle at his feet. He never ceased his assault, whispering love words in her ear as he nibbled at her vulnerable flesh.

“You’re not being fair,” she managed, clinging to him as his lips lowered to her shoulders. “I can hardly say no to you while you’re kissing me like that.”

“Then I shall never stop kissing you,” he whispered hoarsely, claiming her mouth once more. Esmeralda pushed at his shoulders, fighting for breath, fighting for control over her tempestuous feelings. It was inevitable, she realized now. She had known it from the moment he had tried to kiss her in the doorway of her little cottage that she would never be able to deny him. Even that afternoon in the shaded glen, when he had been but a breath of a moment away from making love to her, she would not have denied him. How then, was she to deny him this?

“Yes,” she said, tearing her lips away from his. “Yes Damien, I’ll marry you.”

Shock rippled briefly across Damien’s features before it was replaced by elation. His grin was broad and his eyes were bright as he lifted her in his arms and twirled her in circles. Esmeralda lifted her face upward to the starry night, exulting in his joy and claiming it as her own. He lowered her to her feet.

“We must go to my father.” Before she could respond, he had grasped her hand tightly and was dragging her through the maze. She trotted to keep up with his long strides, wondering idly how he knew his way through the maze.

“Your father?”

Damien nodded, but didn’t decrease his pace. “I must tell him of our plans to marry. He will support us, even if no one else will.”

“And Serge will as well, I believe.”

Damien smiled. “You’re right. Nicolai as well. See? There are more people on our side than you thought.”

“But now is hardly the time. Your father isn’t even present at the ball. Perhaps he is not well enough for visitors.”

Damien shrugged. “He is merely resting up for the wedding tomorrow. Normally he would not miss a masquerade.”

Esmeralda could only relent and allow Damien to lead her around the side of the palace, away from the crowded ballroom.

“We’ll go another way,” he explained, “I don’t want to get caught up in the crush.”

She followed obediently, her heart beating rapidly. What had once been delight was now replaced with dread. What if the king found her unsuitable to wed his son? She pressed her hand to her fluttering stomach and sighed.

****

She had seen King Adare in the paintings Damien had shown her throughout the gallery. She had also seen him in passing at the many functions she had attended at the palace over the last few weeks. She could hardly believe the difference that prolonged illness had made in Adare. The once strong, virile man was now a former shadow of himself, wasting away before their very eyes. Esmeralda tried not to let the pity show in her eyes as she approached the gigantic four-poster bed erected on a platform in the midst of the king’s chambers. She smiled demurely and executed her best curtsy. Adare smiled and stretched out his hand toward her. “Come, my dear and let me have a look at you.”

Esmeralda rose from her curtsy, pleasantly surprised at the strength still to be found in Adare’s voice. The sound was like music to her ears, echoing off the walls and high ceilings.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Your Highness,” she said as she approached his bedside. Damien walked a few paces behind her. The ever-watchful guards stood a discreet distance away, their eyes facing respectfully forward. She allowed Adare to take her hand and place a kiss on it, pleased by the radiance sparkling in his eyes.

“I have seen you from afar and heard much about you.” Each word seemed to draw upon an excessive amount of his breath. “It is good to finally meet you. Raina Brandon used to grace the palace ballroom with her radiance. I am pleased to see that there is much of her in you.”

Esmeralda was awed that he still remembered her mother. Raina’s days of dancing at the palace seemed like ages ago. “You remember her?”

“How could I forget? She is a remarkable woman, a remarkable dancer as well.”

Damien approached the bed, placing a kiss on his hollowed cheek. “You are looking well tonight father.”

“That is good to know. I hope to look my best for your brother’s wedding.” Adare turned to Esmeralda. “You will be attending, young lady, will you not?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Speaking of weddings,” said Damien, “I have asked Esmeralda to be my wife and she has agreed. I wish us to be married as soon as possible.”

The joy that leapt in Adare’s eyes was unmistakable. He smiled brightly and clapped his hands together gleefully, chuckling heartily. “This is wonderful news!” he bellowed. “I never thought I’d see the day! You know, this young rascal has been avoiding the noose of matrimony for years,” he said to Esmeralda with a wink.

“That’s enough of that, old man,” Damien laughed. “We don’t want to scare her away.”

”No,” said Adare, suddenly serious. “Your mother will try enough for us all. And I fear Lionus as well.”

“That is why we came to you first. I knew you would be supportive.”

Adare nodded. “You’ve made a splendid match. A love match. That much is obvious from the look in both your eyes. I could ask for nothing better for my son. I can only hope that your brothers will find such happiness.”

“With all due respect, Your Highness,” Esmeralda interjected, “I believe that Lionus already has. The Princess Isabelle loves him dearly.”

“She is very astute,” Adare said to Damien. “She has seen what not many others have been able to see between Lionus and Isabelle.”

“We should leave now and let you rest,” Damien said, taking Esmeralda’s elbow. “I should be getting Esmeralda home soon.”

Adare kissed Esmeralda’s hand one last time before allowing Damien to pull her away. “I know the two of you will be happy together. If it means anything to you, you have my most gracious blessing.”

Damien felt the sting of tears in his eyes. He felt then that he loved his father now more than he ever had. “It means everything.”

Esmeralda took Damien’s arm and let him lead her from his father’s chambers. She saw the unmistakable glistening of tears in his eyes, but chose not to comment on them. He’d had an emotional night and she had done her share of crying as well. But the time for tears was now over. She clasped his hand tightly in hers.

“So,” she said with a wide grin. “You want to go to a real party?”

Chapter 14

Damien sat close beside Esmeralda, sipping a mug of warm, spiced wine, sharing a blanket with her to ward off the chill of the evening air. They sat close by the campfire, shielded from the wind by a circle of colorful Gypsy wagons. The smells of roasting meat and aromatic spices filled the air. The strumming of guitar and the whistle of the flute could be heard, mingling with boisterous laughter and conversation.

Esmeralda had advised Damien to change clothes before coming to the Gypsy celebration and Damien was glad that he had. He had never been so comfortable at a party before, seated on the ground in his plain trousers and coat, wrapped in a coarse wool blanket. He had also never had more fun. “What are we celebrating?” he’d asked when they had first arrived.

Esmeralda shrugged. “Life,” she said with a laugh, grasping his hand tightly and leading him to the center of the camp. Small children ran in groups around the fire, squealing and laughing, watched closely by a group of mothers and grandmothers who sat nearby preparing food. Akira and Raina were among them. Desmond sat beside Tristan, strumming lightly on his guitar and sipping slowly on the spiced wine. Damien tried not to notice the venomous looks Tristan shot at him from the other side of the campfire. The orange flames cast a demonic glow over the handsome man’s face, lending it a sinister appearance.

Her family had been overjoyed at the news of their engagement, but Damien had not missed the shock and anger that had registered on Tristan’s face briefly. Esmeralda had been so surrounded by friends and family members offering their congratulations that she had not noticed. Damien shrugged inwardly and vowed to enjoy the evening. Esmeralda’s happiness was his only concern. She smiled up at him.

“It’s not exactly a palace ball,” she said.

Damien returned her smile and kissed her lightly. “No it’s not. It’s much better.” He gave her a light squeeze and rested his chin on top of her head. Damien had been walking about in a dream-like state ever since Esmeralda had accepted his offer of marriage. He could hardly believe that she would be his, for the rest of his life.

He knew that it would not be easy for them at first; Alexandra and Lionus were sure to be against the marriage. They would come to accept her eventually, or forget her presence completely. Besides, they did not have to spend all of their time at Largess Hall. Damien had three properties of his own, all fully staffed and secluded. He would be content to pass his time alone in one of those places, perhaps even watching her belly grow with his child.

Suddenly, Tristan and Desmond, along with a man with a flute and another with a small set of drums, struck up a lively tune. Several of the young women filled the area around the campfire, their bodies twisting and moving to the pounding rhythm. Esmeralda seemed drawn to the unmistakable call of the music, entranced by the slow hum of the sensual melody flow through the night air.

“Come on Esmeralda!” called Tatiana, pulling at her hand.

“Go,” Damien encouraged her, nudging her gently toward the fire and her laughing cousin. He had not seen her dance since that night he’d come searching for her in the tavern.

His mouth went dry as he watched her move. She smiled and laughed as she danced beside her cousin, her arms raised high above her head, her body swaying and dipping in time to the music. She had changed into a simple black skirt that swirled about her legs as she moved, and a ruffled white blouse that bared her shoulders. She had unpinned her hair and allowed it to fall down her back. Gold bracelets and anklets clanked together as she moved. Damien’s fingers tightened around his mug. He watched, hypnotized by her.

Surrounded by the glow of the firelight, her eyes connected with his. Her movements became even more sensual, Several of the men had joined the women, and though Damien did not know the steps, he could not deny her when she reached her arms out to him. He dropped the blanket to the ground alongside his empty mug and allowed Esmeralda to pull him into the midst of the twisting bodies.

The dance was unlike anything he had ever experienced. There seemed to be no clear pattern of steps; one just simply allowed the music to speak and followed its natural rhythm. He held Esmeralda close, more closely than would be considered decent in a ballroom. He was not in a ballroom. Damien was beneath the open sky, surrounded by a sea of writhing, undulating bodies.

She moved against him, guiding him, her arms around his neck. He lost himself to the music, giving himself over to the joy and sensuality of it. Damien found the rhythm and became bolder, leading Esmeralda instead of following.

The music ended and Damien didn’t want to let Esmeralda out of his grasp. She gazed boldly into his eyes, silently, and Damien discerned the direction of her thoughts.. She was still too inexperienced, too shy, to tell him with words what she wanted but he knew. They stood for several moments, the gentle hum of laughter and chatter surrounding them. It was cold; neither of them noticed.

“I am ready to leave,” she said finally.

Damien paused for a moment, studying her intently. Her eyes were golden liquid pools of yearning, beckoning to him, drawing him in. “Are you certain?” he asked, praying fervently that she was, but knowing he had to allow her the opportunity to withdraw. She nodded slowly, her eyes never wavering from his. She seemed sure, resolute and it was all Damien needed to know. He grasped her hand tightly and led her to where Persephone was tethered to a tree nearby. Wordlessly, he swung up into the saddle and pulled her up before him. They rode toward the palace in silence.

****

They stood face to face before the fireplace, silently. Neither knew quite what to say, though words hung on the air between them unsaid. Esmeralda admired the chiseled planes of his face, further enhanced by the flickering light of the fire. He had removed his coat and stood with his shirtsleeves rolled to the elbow and the top three buttons undone. She placed her hand on his chest, absorbing the heat of him into her palm. He covered her hand with his, pressing it more closely against his pounding heart.

“See what you do to me?” he murmured before leaning down to kiss her. It was true. No woman had ever caused him to feel so undone. He had always gone about love-making strategically, assessing every woman carefully and planning his assault upon her body deliberately. Now he realized that he had never truly made love to any woman. He did not know where to begin, for he wanted all of her and he wanted it all at once.

He decided to start with her mouth, which was open and ready for him as he lowered his head to claim a kiss. He held her hand against his chest and kissed her thoroughly. At first he was gentle, brushing his lips back and forth over hers. He eased her lips apart gently, his tongue gliding over hers so slowly, so achingly that she thought she would die from the thrill of it. He nibbled at her lower lip with his teeth playfully, tasting the spiced wine she had sipped before the campfire. His fingers came up to thread through her hair, and the ardor of his kiss increased. He slanted her head slightly, taking full advantage of the offerings of her lips.

She was dizzy, leaning against him for support as she returned kiss for kiss, feeling the urgency build up inside of her as she knew it was building in him. She swayed against him, grateful for the strong arms that came around her, for without them she would surely fall. He stepped back abruptly, holding her at arm’s length for a moment to catch his breath.

“I want to see you. All of you.” He loosed the first button at the front of her blouse. His touch against her breasts was feather-light as he undid the rest of the buttons unhurriedly. The blouse fluttered to the floor, forgotten as he skimmed his hands up her bare arms toward the straps of her plain linen shift. “When I make you my wife, only silks and satins will touch your body,” he said, his mouth pressed to her ear. He slid the straps of the shift from her shoulders slowly, peeling the material away from her breasts, leaving the shift at her waist for now.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her until her feet dangled inches from the floor. Her breasts were mere inches from his face, which is what he had intended.

Esmeralda moaned at the first touch of his tongue against her aching breast. She arched her back, grasping his shoulders tightly as he gently suckled at first one, then the other. He traced slow circles around her nipple with his tongue, causing her to shudder and quake against him.

“I love the way you taste,” he murmured against her breasts, his mouth moving slowly back and forth from one peak to the other.

Esmeralda nearly swooned at the sensations he was creating within her. Never had she imagined that such pleasure was possible, and he had only just begun. He lowered her slowly back to her feet, his fingers finding the fastening of her skirt.

She felt the slight grip of panic in her chest as he began to lower the skirt and shift over her hips. No man had ever seen her naked, and she had vowed long ago to never allow a man to have her in so vulnerable a position. But her fears were immediately banished when she stood completely naked before Damien. His eyes darkened, fairly smoldering with desire as he took all of her in. She stood before him unashamed and excited at the affect she was having on him

“Beautiful,” he sighed as his eyes traveled over her form. She was just as he had imagined her, just as he had seen her in his mind so many times before.

“I want to see you too,” she said suddenly, surprised by her boldness but not contrite. Damien nodded and reached for the buttons of his shirt, but she stopped him.

“Let me,” she said, reaching for the buttons herself. Her hands trembled slightly, but she steadied them and undid each button until she had completely bared Damien’s torso. She pushed the shirt from his shoulders and ran her hands over his smooth, flat chest. His breathing grew harsher and his eyes slid closed as she explored him slowly, tracing the ripples and bulges of his chest and abdomen.

“You are beautiful too,” she whispered, bowing her head to place a kiss against his chest. Damien jerked, nearly unmanned by the searing pleasure that shot through him at the touch of her lips against him. Her hair fell forward to brush against his tingling skin as she moved her lips over him, tasting him tentatively with her tongue.

“Men are not beautiful,” he said, grasping her upper arms tightly, his body shuddering uncontrollably. She did not know what she was doing to him, and he prayed she wouldn’t stop.

“And yet you are,” she replied, moving her fingers town to the waistband of his trousers. She unbuttoned the pants, and lowered them to his feet. He stood naked before her, as vulnerable as she, allowing her to look her fill. Her eyes were fixed on his shaft, which stood full and thick, a testimony to his rampant desire.

“I am not afraid,” she said, though her eyes told him otherwise. He took her in his arms and carried her to the bed. He lay her down and came down beside her.

“The past no longer matters,” he said to her between gentle kisses. “There is only the future and us together.”

“Yes,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down over her.

He explored her body, first with his hands, cupping and kneading her breasts, running his fingertips lightly over her belly. He followed his hands with his mouth, tasting every available inch of her, determined to teach her body a woman’s pleasure. She sighed and moaned under him, urging him on. She whispered his name over and over, and her impassioned cries echoed from the walls of his chambers.

He loved her slowly, taking his time, though he wanted to plunge into her and find his own satisfaction. This night was important, and he knew that he had his entire life to show her the many other ways he could love her. But tonight, this night, he would take his time and fulfill his vow to banish to ghosts of the past from her heart and mind.

When he could stand it no longer, he came up on top of her, resting his hips between her open thighs. He felt her moist, slick heat even as he paused at her entrance, poised to enter her. He looked down into her face, watching her, wanting to see her expression when he finally came inside of her. He pushed forward slowly, pressing into her inch by precious inch. She lifted her hips to meet his, sheathing him completely inside of her. His groan met her surprised gasp of pleasure, as he withdrew and slowly thrust forward again. Damien grasped her hips and lifted her to meet his slow, precise thrusts. He buried his face in her shoulder, every muscle in his body taut and straining as he moved within her.

Esmeralda had never known such pleasure. She grasped Damien’s shoulders tightly and moved her hips instinctively to match his rhythm.  She did not understand how her body knew how to respond to his, but Damien’s reaction told her that she was doing something right. She had known that being with him would be wonderful, but her mind had been unable to comprehend the magnitude of what she was feeling in that moment. She closed her eyes as the pleasure built inside of her, welling up until she was nearly overflowing with it. The cries echoing through the chamber were wanton and wild, and though she knew they were her own, she did not care. She surrendered fully to the sensations humming inside of her, knowing that she would surely die once they had overcome her.

Damien moved more swiftly, increasing the rhythm of their loving as he felt his own culmination was nearing. He knew the moment she reached her climax and knew that his was only moments away. She trembled and quaked, her tight sheath pulsating around him, drawing the very essence of his seed deep within her womb.

He gathered her against him, waiting for his pounding heart to slow, and his breathing to return to normal. She lay in silence in his arms, softly caressing his curls which were now damp with perspiration.

“I never imagined,” she said, tears springing to her eyes. “I never knew it could be that way.”

Damien lifted his head. “Neither did I,” he said honestly. He had set out to teach her about love making and instead had learned something new himself. Nothing he’d ever experienced had even come close. “You are mine now, body and soul,” he said possessively, tightening his arms around her.

“Yes, I am,” she said with a yawn. She was asleep in moments.

Damien lay awake for another hour, watching her sleep. He stroked her hair and smiled. Esmeralda had given herself completely and fully to him, and he had done the same in return. His heart rejoiced.

Tristan paced like a cornered beast, his hands clenched tightly behind his back. The hour was late, but he could not sleep. His dreams had tormented him, his mind had replayed the vision of Esmeralda smiling and dancing in Prince Damien’s arms at the Gypsy camp. He had left not too long after they had, his heart in tatters.

He had been patient, he had waited and it had gained him nothing. Esmeralda would marry the prince. She would be carried away to live in a palace and he would probably never see her again. If he did, he would have to suffer, watching Esmeralda beside her husband, gazing upon him with adoring eyes. Someday she may even give birth to his children. It was too much to bear.

“Tristan, can’t you sleep?”

Tristan winced inwardly, angry with himself for waking Morgana. She had left the party with him after he had asked- no, demanded- that she accompany him. She had mistaken his anger at Esmeralda for desire and had lain beneath him screaming in ecstasy as he had pounded her into the mattress. He had left her sleeping and now stood, shirtless before the waning fire. She stood in the doorway of his bedroom, naked. Tristan sighed. Much to his chagrin, he found his body responding to the sight of Morgana’s naked form.

“Why don’t you come let me put you to bed?” she said over her shoulder as she sashayed back into the bedroom. Tristan ran his hand over his face tiredly. He had not been able to rid himself of Esmeralda’s cousin and almost regretted taking her to bed at all. The girl fancied herself in love with him and though Tristan had never hinted that he returned the sentiment, she assumed that he felt the same as she. Though he found pleasure in her body, he found he could hardly abide her when morning came. No matter how callously he treated her, she fawned over him constantly, following him nearly everywhere he went. He hoped that her affection for him would wane soon, although he would be loath to give up her company in bed.

“Tristan aren’t you coming?” she whined. Tristan sighed, turning toward the bedroom. Morgana sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes shining brightly, waiting for him. He grasped a fistful of her hair in his hand and pulled her head back roughly, staring down into her dark brown eyes. She moaned when he grabbed her breast roughly, painfully. Stupid girl, he thought, squeezing harder, taking great pleasure in inflicting pain upon her, though she seemed to enjoy it. How could she ever think to take the place of Esmeralda in his heart? As he lowered himself over her and drove into her, he vowed to find a way to make Esmeralda his.

****

Esmeralda stood behind Isabelle, watching the princess as she studied her form critically in the full-length mirror. She looked like an angel, Esmeralda thought, enveloped in white satin and lace, her white-blonde hair loose and flowing around her shoulders. Esmeralda helped Isabelle’s maid fasten the sheer veil over Isabelle’s hair and lower it into place until it swept the floor behind her.

“You look stunning,” Esmeralda said, standing back to admire the bride. “Lionus will have a hard time keeping his composure.”

“That’s the idea,” Isabelle said with a giggle, turning to face Esmeralda. “Oh, thank you so much for standing up with me. I know we haven’t known each other very long but I feel as if I’ve known you my whole life.”

Esmeralda clasped Isabelle’s outstretched hands and held them tightly. “I feel the same way. I am honored to stand beside you today.”

“Who knows?” said Isabelle with another giggle. “Perhaps someday you and Damien will marry and we will be sisters-in-law.”

When Esmeralda did not respond, Isabelle turned slowly and studied her friend’s face. She was silent, but her eyes sparkled and her lips could barely contain a smile. She looked as if she were ready to burst.

“He didn’t!” Isabelle squealed.

Esmeralda nodded. “He did! Last night at the masquerade ball, in the garden.”

“Oh it must have been so romantic!” Isabelle sighed. “This is so exciting, we’re going to be sisters!”

They embraced tightly before they remembered their gowns and pulled away quickly, smoothing away the wrinkles.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” said Esmeralda, digging around in the bottom of her reticule. “A gift from my grandmother.”

She produced a small vial, holding it out to Isabelle. Isabelle opened the tiny bottle and sniffed, surprised by the heady fragrance that drifted up. “Perfume?”

“Grandmother made it herself. It’s a special blend. She said it was for your wedding night.” Esmeralda cleared her throat. “It is meant to attract the groom.”

“In that case I’d better put it on right now!” Isabelle said with a laugh, dabbing the sweet smelling oil on her wrists.

“Not too much!” Esmeralda exclaimed. “It is very potent. We wouldn’t want Prince Lionus trying to lay you over a table at the reception.”

Isabelle lifted an eyebrow before dabbing more behind her ears. “Then perhaps this will get me to the marriage bed much faster.”

The pair doubled over with laughter and this was the way Queen Alexandra found them when she entered the room.

“What on earth could be so funny?” she asked frostily, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at Esmeralda. She had objected strongly when Isabelle had announced her intentions of making Esmeralda her maid-of-honor. Isabelle had been unwilling to change her mind and the queen had had no choice but to suffer Esmeralda’s presence in silence.

“Nothing, Your Highness,” said Isabelle, fighting to hide her smile behind her hand. Esmeralda turned her back to the queen and fought back laughter. She pretended to fix her hair in the mirror, watching their reflections behind her.

Alexandra held a large box out to Isabelle. “My dear, I came to give you this. It was given to me by Adare’s mother on the day that we wed. It has been worn by Largess women for generations.”

Isabelle lifted the lid of the box, finding a thin silver circlet encrusted with diamonds resting on a black cushion. Isabelle gasped and fingered the delicate tiara. Alexandra lifted it from its box and placed it on top of Isabelle’s head over the veil. The circlet came to rest over Isabelle’s forehead, where a small diamond dangled between her eyebrows.

“Today you become a part of our family,” she said, clasping Isabelle’s hand tightly. “We have waited a long time for this day. Soon you will be queen. I could not be prouder.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Isabelle said graciously.

Alexandra patted her hand before turning toward Esmeralda. “As for you,” she said, lowering her voice and stepping close. Esmeralda turned to meet the frigid eyes of the queen. She felt as if the temperature in the room had lowered considerably. “My husband has told me of your so-called engagement to my son.” She emphasized the word engagement as if the word were repugnant to her.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Esmeralda said, squaring her shoulders resolutely. She would not allow this woman to intimidate her, and if she were going to be Damien’s wife she would have to learn to respectfully but firmly put Alexandra in her place. “Damien and I love each other very much and he has asked me to be his wife.”

“You may think to wile your way into the palace by marrying my son, but I promise you that I will do everything in my power to stop it. You may look the part,” her eyes swept over Esmeralda’s pale blue silk gown and elegantly dressed hair with contempt, “but you and I both know that you are merely a Gypsy girl who climbed her way out of the gutters and onto my son’s arm.”

Before Esmeralda could issue a scathing retort, Isabelle was between them. “Your Highness,” she said, her usually sweet voice cold and hard, “I hope you are aware that once I am queen I would have the power to have you banished from Largess Hall.”

“Isabelle!” Alexandra placed a hand over her chest and gasped in horror. “How dare you speak to me this way? I am surprised at you.”

“I dare to speak to you this way as Lionus’ bride and the future queen. You would do well to keep yourself in my good graces, for we both know that a queen has great influence with her king.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“I would!” Isabelle’s voice rose an octave and she drew herself up to her full height, which was nowhere near that of the queen’s, though that hardly seemed to matter at the moment. “You welcome me into your family and within the same breath tell this lovely girl that she is barred from it? Well, I won’t have it! Should I find you acting ungraciously toward Damien’s future wife I shall do everything in my power to see you banished from here.”

Alexandra stood silently for a moment, her eyes lowered. Her icy glare was no match for the chilling fury that radiated from Isabelle’s pale blue eyes. She had clearly been beaten.

“My apologies,” she said so quietly, they had to strain to hear her. “I shall go down and tell them that you are ready now.”

Alexandra turned and made her exit, but not before spearing Esmeralda with another hateful glare. Esmeralda ignored her and turned back to Isabelle.

“You should not have done that for me,” she said. “But I am grateful that you did.”

Isabelle grabbed up her bouquet and linked her arm through Esmeralda’s. “Nonsense,” she said, pausing to allow her maids to lift her train, “We princesses have to stick together!”

Chapter 15

The wedding had gone beautifully. Damien now watched the newly wedded couple as they danced their first waltz together as man and wife. Lionus had eyes only for Isabelle as he twirled her gracefully around the ballroom. He was elegant in a dove gray morning coat, matching trousers and snowy white linen. She was exquisite in her wedding gown and sparkling tiara, an heirloom passed down by the women of his family. His normally hard expression had softened around his eyes, and Damien could have sworn he saw the beginnings of a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

“Look at them,” Serge said, coming up beside him with two glasses of champagne. He handed one to Damien. “They look happy.”

Damien nodded, accepting the glass. “Yes, they do.”

“I envy him.”

Damien turned to his brother. His eyes were lowered to the contents of his glass and his jaw was tense. He had not said much, but those three words revealed much more than Serge had meant them to. Damien felt a stirring of pity for his brother. He had not realized that Serge’s admiration of Isabelle had gone beyond appreciation of her unflawed beauty.

“Someday you will feel the same for a woman.” Damien scrambled for the words to comfort his brother.

“I fear I already do.” Serge left his side, draining his glass as he went. Damien hoped his brother would find a way to rid himself of his feelings. They were dangerous and inappropriate and would serve to drive him and Lionus even further apart. Besides, lovesickness had turned Serge into a brooding shadow of his former self, a man that Damien hardly recognized and he longed to see his brother smile and laugh again.

His thoughts were quickly turned from Serge when Esmeralda appeared at his side. His eyes came to rest on the daring neckline of her gown, causing her to blush demurely.

“My love, you have no idea how much I want to whisk you away to my chambers,” he whispered, resting a hand at the small of her back. Esmeralda swatted at him with her painted fan playfully, sipping at a glass of champagne.

“Damien, it is still early! Besides, it would be rude to abandon the reception when dinner has not been served and the bride and groom have not yet left.”

“Very well then,” he replied with a heavy sigh. “I suppose we will be polite this time. But mark my words woman, when you and I are married we will shock many with our rudeness, for I will carry you away to our bed whenever the urge strikes.”

Esmeralda flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. She drained her champagne glass and fanned at her heated face. Esmeralda had been distracted through the entire wedding by Damien’s heat-filled gaze upon her. Everyone else had been captivated by the bride. Damien had spent the entire ceremony staring at her. His eyes spoke volumes, and she knew he was thinking of the night before. He watched her now as she accepted Nicolai’s arm and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.

As Damien stood watching Esmeralda dance with his cousin, Lionus crossed the room toward him purposefully. “Damien, a word,” he said curtly, gesturing toward the open doors leading out to the garden. Damien followed, resolute, knowing that only one order of business could be important enough for Lionus to pull him aside at his wedding reception.

“I have heard about your engagement,” he said once they were alone. He stared at Damien, waiting for an explanation.

“Have you called me out here to offer your congratulations?”

“I called you out here to talk some sense into you. What can you be thinking, marrying a Gypsy girl?” Lionus grinned cynically at Damien’s shock. “Did you think I would not find out? I have not revealed her true identity to keep from embarrassing our family, though the knowledge brings me shame.”

“I love her, Lionus.” Damien turned his back on his brother, unable to hide the hurt that his brother’s words had caused. He knew that they had never understood each other, but Damien had hoped he would understand him in this. “No one needs to know who she is, although I can’t understand how it should shame you.”

“That is because you are so unbelievably selfish.”

Damien winced as if he had been struck, anger welling up rapidly within him. His hands curled to fists at his sides. He kept his back turned to Lionus for fear that he would reach out to strike his brother. “Nothing I’ve done has ever met with your approval. You lectured me when I gambled or drank or kept women you did not approve of. I have stopped doing all of those things, as you have always wished and you would have Esmeralda to thank for that.”

Lionus grasped Damien’s shoulder and spun him around to face him. “Listen damn you, I am not going to stand out here on my wedding day and argue with you about this. You have a responsibility to this family-“

Damien shrugged out of Lionus’ hold. “And what responsibility does this family have to me? Love? Acceptance? I have received none of those things, least of all from you.”

Lionus shook his head. “I won’t allow you to marry her.”

“Until you are king, you can do nothing to stop me. Esmeralda will be my wife well before your coronation.”

Damien crossed his arms over his chest, daring his brother to strike out at him. The desire was apparent on his brother’s face and Damien would gladly oblige him with a brawl if that was what it took to get his point across.

“I thought you would understand,” Damien said, a pleading edge to his voice. “I love her Lionus, as you love Isabelle.”

“It is hardly the same thing,” replied Lionus.

“It is exactly the same thing!” Damien railed, threading his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Am I to be denied my happiness because Esmeralda is not of noble blood and Isabelle is?”

Lionus sighed, running his hand through his own hair in the same unconscious gesture shared by his brother.  “I must return now or I will be missed. If you insist on doing this foolish thing, then you had best do it before I am king.” He turned on his heels and strode back into the ballroom, leaving a deflated Damien behind.

“How sad,” Damien whispered to Lionus’ retreating back, “Isabelle is fortunate to be rewarded with your love and I, your own brother, have stood on the outskirts of your affections my entire life.”

****

Esmeralda stood in the doorway of the balcony, watching Damien as he stared out into the darkness of the early morning. He had seemed distracted at the wedding reception and had hardly spoken a word since bringing her upstairs to his chambers. He had made love to her heatedly, scorching her with hot kisses and fiery caresses. She had fallen asleep immediately after, but had awakened hours later to find him gone.

She slipped into his dressing gown, belted it tightly at her waist and ventured toward the balcony where he stood, his back to her, wearing only his breeches. The soft breeze ruffled the hairs at the back of his neck, but the rest of him was hard and unmoving as he stared silently into the distance. Esmeralda came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his back.

“You should be sleeping,” he said, clasping one of her hands.

“I was sleeping until I found the bed beside me empty.” He turned to face her, taking her into his arms. His face was drawn and his eyes were sober. Esmeralda frowned. “Something is bothering you.”

“Yes.”

“Will you tell me what it is?”

Damien rested his head on top of hers, burying his face in her fragrant hair. “I do not wish to trouble you as well.”

“It troubles me already, seeing you this way. Please tell me.” She looked up at him earnestly, her eyes searching his for some reason behind his troubled state.

“Lionus has warned me that when he becomes king he would try to stop me from marrying you.”

“Can he do that?” she gasped, holding Damien tighter as if Lionus’ phantom presence had appeared to drag him away from her.

“My father has the right to choose a bride for me,” Damien replied calmly, stroking her hair. “When Lionus becomes king that right will become his. He could choose a wife for me and I would be powerless to stop him.”

“But surely Isabelle...”

“...will not be able to persuade him otherwise. When Lionus has made up his mind, he can be quite unyielding.”

“Why would he do such a thing?”

“He chafes at the idea of my marrying a Gypsy dancer.”

Esmeralda had known her lineage would be a problem. She had tried to warn Damien, knowing that this sort of thing was bound to happen.

“I know you tried to warn me,” he said, and Esmeralda wondered if she had spoken her thoughts aloud. “But I refuse to let my brother come between us. My father has already approved and until Lionus is king there is nothing he can do to stop us. Once Lionus returns from his honeymoon trip with Isabelle, they will be crowned king and queen.”

“Then we shall simply have to get married before then.”

Damien breathed a sigh of relief. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that, love.” He crushed her fiercely against his chest. “We’ll have to elope as soon as possible. I can make arrangements to have it done in a few days. It won’t be the wedding I could have given you, but we’ll be together.”

Esmeralda placed a finger over Damien’s lips and smiled. “Damien, I am a simple girl. I don’t need a lavish wedding. I just want you.”

“And I you,” he murmured, his voice a velvet caress against her ear. He circled her waist with his hands and lifted her to the stone railing of the balcony. His hands found the sash of the dressing gown at her waist and untied it. He pulled the garment from her shoulders, finding her naked underneath.

Damien sank to his knees before her, lavishing her body with kisses as he went. He parted her legs and pulled her slowly forward to meet his waiting mouth. His nostrils widened as he took in her soft woman’s scent. Esmeralda’s eyes slid closed and moaned at the first touch of his lips against her. When his tongue flicked out to taste her, she cried out and laced her fingers through his hair. He held her captive with his hands at her hips, devouring her womanly flesh, delighted at the sweet taste of her. Damien teased her with the gentle strokes of his tongue, drawing out the exquisite torture.

She trembled in his hands and begged him to take her, but he continued as he was, waiting for the moment he knew was drawing near. When she threw her head back and shattered the silent morning with her climactic screams, he rose to his feet and entered her, bringing her long legs around his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him feverishly, her hips moving against his.

The sun had begun its slow ascent on the horizon and Damien was in awe of Esmeralda’s beauty against the backdrop of orange and purple sky. A fiery glow kissed her skin and made her eyes shimmer like brilliant gold. He felt as if he held a glowing ember in his hands; he expected her to burst into flame at any moment. They reached the height of their desire together, his low groans rising up to mingle with her soft sighs of delight on the chill air of the swiftly arriving dawn.

****

“Lionus has disappointed me greatly. I would have thought he would be more reasonable about this.”

Damien sat at his father’s bedside. He’d just finished telling Adare of Lionus’ plans to prevent his marriage. Adare was outraged. He sat amongst the bedcovers, his eyes bright with fury. “I won’t stand for it,” he continued. “I am still king until he returns from his honeymoon, and if necessary I will postpone Lionus’ coronation until the deed is done!”

“There is no need for such drastic action, father. We intend to elope as soon as the arrangements have been made.”

Adare smiled, grasping Damien’s hand tightly in his. “That’s my boy. If only I’d had the courage to do what you are doing. My life would have been drastically different.”

Damien frowned. He knew his parents had not been exactly happy in their marriage, but he had never heard his father actually express any regrets aloud. Adare and Alexandra simply tolerated each other. Their marriage had been arranged.

“I once loved a woman more than life itself,” Adare continued. His hold on Damien’s hand slackened. “I find that even now I love her still. I should have carried her away and made her my wife as you plan to do. But I let my duty to the crown come between us and married your mother instead, as my father commanded.”

“Would you do things differently now if you had the chance?” Damien asked, knowing that without Alexandra, he would never have been born, but also knowing that his father would have lived a much happier life with the woman he’d loved. Adare smiled.

“My boy, I would change nothing. From your mother I have been given three beautiful sons to carry on my name and my family’s legacy. That is more than most men receive from an arranged marriage. I can only use my experience to advise you, Damien. I can tell you that you will regret it until your dying day if you do not follow your heart and make Esmeralda your wife. You may marry another and you may even find contentment in your life. But you would always wonder what your life could have been.”

Damien knew his father was right. He knew now more than ever that he was making the right decision. It did not matter what Lionus did or said to try to stop him, Damien would make Esmeralda his wife.

“Thank you father. Your words have given me the resolve I need to carry through with my plans. Knowing that you are on my side makes all the difference in the world.”

“It is my pleasure son, to see the man you have become. I only wish Lionus could be more like you.”

Damien’s brows shot up in surprise. No one had ever described his brother as lacking in any capacity. In fact, Damien had been told numerous times that he should endeavor to be more like Lionus. “Surely you don’t mean that, father.”

“I do,” said Adare. “Lionus is a strong leader. He is strong and unwavering, proud and sure. He will make a good king, but he could be a great king, as I suspect you would be were you in his place.”

Damien shook his head. “Father, you are mistaken. Lionus is more fit to be king than anyone. Were the crown left in my hands I would let it fall to the next in line. Such a thing is not meant for me.”

“Don’t be so sure of that. You are passionate, fiercely loyal, generous and kind and you lack the arrogance that so defines Lionus’ character. I believe you would rule Cardenas fairly and with a heart for the people. I am not sure yet that your brother understands how to do that. This is why the two of you must learn to abide each other. Once I am gone, he will need someone to remind him that a king’s first duties are always to his people. That is where you come in.”

Damien watched his father in silent awe. He had never imagined that his father felt this way. To think that Adare thought him more fit to be king than his own heir! He found the idea preposterous, but kept his thoughts to himself out of respect for the old man. “I should be going now, father. You need to rest and I have to make arrangements.”

“Have you purchased a ring yet?”

“No. That is my first order of business, actually.”

Adare tossed the covers aside and eased his legs over the side of the bed. He strained mightily to lift himself to his feet.

“Father, where are you going? You shouldn’t be out of bed.”

Adare dismissed Damien’s concern with a wave of his hand and crossed the room, his white sleeping gown billowing around his emaciated frame. “Nonsense. I’m as spry as ever!” He walked over to a large, locked chest, retrieving the key from his wardrobe as he went. King Adare dropped to his knees before the unlocked trunk and rifled around in it for a moment before producing a large, flat box. He shuffled back to the bed, huffing and panting with exhaustion. A wide smile stretched across his face. “These belonged to my mother. I think you will find that they suit your fiancé to perfection.”

Damien opened the box to find a ring, earrings, and necklace cushioned against black velvet. The yellow topaz stones sparkled up at him, reminding him of Esmeralda’s eyes. He could imagine her wearing the sparkling gems, perhaps at a ball or dinner party. Her smile would be lush and her eyes would sparkle to match the jewels around her throat. He imagined undressing her at the end of the night, taking her to bed wearing only the vibrant topaz. He looked up at his father, his eyes filled with gratitude.

“They are perfect. I can’t thank you enough for this.”

Adare smiled, allowing Damien to settle him back into the bed and tuck the bedcovers all around him. “Give her the ring now and the rest as a wedding gift. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.”

Damien pressed a kiss to the old man’s forehead and hugged him tightly. “I’ll bring Esmeralda to visit you soon, hopefully as my wife.”

“I look forward to it.”

Damien walked from his father’s chambers, lighter than he had been when he’d entered. His steps were jaunty and he whistled happily. The black velvet box containing the topaz jewelry was clutched tightly in his hand.

****

The king’s chambers were dark and smelled of medicines and herbs. A few candles were lit at Adare’s bedside, bathing the dying man in a soft yellow glow. It had not been difficult for the masked man to climb the ivy-covered trellis to the balcony, where he stood now, watching King Adare fight for his last breath. That night, when the king’s evening meal had been brought to him, his fate had been sealed.

It had been so easy, ensuring that a lethal poison found its way into the man’s food. It was so brilliant, he could hardly believe he had not thought of it before. His first attempts had been clumsily executed failures but now, he would taste the very beginning of this sweet revenge.

The man who’d sold him the poison assured him that its affects would take hold within hours. The fatally ill king would not be strong enough to fight it. The guards for the night shift were changing places with the afternoon guards just outside the doors. He knew he could be discovered at any moment, but he also knew he would only be there for a few moments. The time for Adare’s death was at hand.

He stood at the foot of the king’s bed, watching him struggle and fight for breath as the poison worked its way through his body. The doctors had come and gone earlier, declaring him to be no worse off than he had been before. They expected him to live at least another year now that he had given up the duties of ruling a kingdom. How surprised they would be to find him dead in the morning, the masked man thought with glee.

Adare trembled mightily, unable to control the shudders that racked his body. Sweat dampened the bed sheets and poured from his brow, plastering his thin gray hair to his forehead. He opened his eyes and found the masked man standing at the foot of his bed. Fear flickered briefly in the emerald green depths, along with confusion.

“Am I dreaming?” he said, his voice barely discernible in the ominous room. “Or are you the angel of death, come to take my soul from this wretched body?”

“You are not dreaming,” said the masked man, stepping more fully into the candlelight surrounding the bed. “And I am no angel, but before I leave this room your soul will leave your body, you can be sure.”

“You!” Adare spat before powerful coughs racked through his frail body. He held a handkerchief over his mouth as he coughed and hacked. When he pulled it away it was stained darkly with blood. “Why have you done this? Why have you pursued my death so endlessly? What have you to gain from my demise?”

“I have more to gain than you could ever imagine, though you shall not live to see me gain all that will be mine once your sons are dead as well.”

Adare coughed and sputtered into his handkerchief, fighting even harder to draw breath into his lungs. “Would you show me the face of my assassin before I die? Or are you too cowardly to show me who you really are?”

Adare could almost feel the man smiling behind his mask. “Far be it for me to deny a dying man his last wish.”

The silver masked was pulled away and Adare gasped, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth. The face he stared into was so familiar to him, he almost could not believe his eyes.

“My son,” he whispered weakly, shaking his head from side to side, tears running down his sallow cheeks. “Why have you done this thing?”

Adare’s forgotten son stood over him, his face a twisted mask of anger and despair. He leaned forward and grasped Adare by his nightshirt, pulling him upward to stare into his eyes.

“You abandoned me. You pawned us off on the man who raised me, and then you went about your life pretending as though I did not exist, as if your time with my mother never even happened!”

“That’s not true!” Adare pleaded, trying to reason with him. His decision to send the boy away had not been made lightly, but his parents had demanded it, and so had Alexandra. She refused to raise a child that was not her own. “I wanted to keep you, but my father was still king and I was powerless to go against his wishes. I loved your mother deeply, and would have made her my wife if I’d had the choice.”

The young man looked taken aback for a moment, his eyes clouded by uncertainty. He shook his head to clear his mind of such thoughts.

“You are a liar!” he roared, giving Adare a mighty shake before dropping him back against his many pillows. “You cared nothing for her, though she pined for you every day for the rest of her life. She died a slow death, because she lost the will to live after you tossed her aside. Because of your abandonment, a little piece of her died with each passing day until she was no more than an empty, hollow shell. Even on her deathbed, she called out your name.”

Adare squeezed his eyes shut against the pain that he had caused. He felt certain, now that he had heard of his beloved’s tragic death, that he deserved what was happening to him now. “I did not toss her aside. I arranged a marriage and a comfortable life for her. I wanted you to have the best of everything, even if I could not have been the one to give it to you. I’m sorry if my decision brought you pain. I only wanted to give you as much as I could.”

“Crumbs, swept from your table, the same as you would give a dog. And you would have Lionus inherit the throne when you and that whore you married have known all the time that he is not truly the firstborn son.”

.

“Contrary to your belief, I always loved you,” Adare whispered, as he watched his son turn and head for the balcony. “I watched you from afar, proud of you always, knowing that you were the child of my heart, the child I’d created with the woman I loved.”

The masked slipped back into place, he turned to face Adare one last time, a smile twisting his features as Adare’s last breath left his body. He disappeared into the night, his mind already working on his plan of attack against his half-brothers.

Chapter 16

Damien smiled down at Esmeralda, holding her close by his side as they waited for his carriage to be readied. He could hardly believe his luck. It had taken him only one afternoon to make the arrangements for them to elope. Morning had come and now they stood, hours away from being husband and wife. Esmeralda was lovely in a white sprigged muslin gown. Yellow ribbons adorned her upswept hair, and the square-cut, yellow topaz ring glittered on her finger in the brightness of the sun. Damien cupped her chin gently with his hand and lifted her face upward for a light kiss.

“You make a beautiful bride, Esmeralda,” he murmured as he moved his lips over hers in a feather-light caress. “I can hardly believe my good fortune.”

Esmeralda nuzzled his nose affectionately and smiled. “And you make a very handsome bridegroom.”

He stood, watching the sun cast its rays over her face, illuminating the golden depths of her eyes. His euphoria was so great as he stood there, gazing at his bride, that at first he did not hear the devastating cries that intruded upon their silent moment. He tore his gaze away from Esmeralda, his eyes widening as he noticed Jarvis walking briskly toward them.

“Your Grace!” he called, as he came nearer. He was out of breath, and tiny beads of sweat had broken out along his forehead. “Your Grace, you must come at once!”

Damien’s heart plummeted into his stomach. His grip on Esmeralda’s arm tightened unconsciously. There could be only one reason why the usually stoic butler had come searching for Damien himself, and at a near run at that. “It’s my father, isn’t it?” he asked, his voice hoarse. Jarvis nodded slowly, reaching out to clutch Damien’s shoulder.

“I know that you are to be married today, but your family needs you.”

Damien needed no convincing. He turned to Esmeralda. “I’m sorry, love. It seems we won’t be getting married today.”

Esmeralda smiled her understanding, her eyes filled with unshed tears at the pain she found on Damien’s face. “Would you like me to come with you?”

Damien nodded and grasped her hand tightly, leading her toward the palace. “Has Lionus been sent for?” he asked Jarvis as they neared the king’s chambers.

“Yes, Your Grace, word was sent immediately.”

The doors to Adare’s chambers were swung open to admit them. Serge, Nicolai, and Alexandra all stood at the foot of Adare’s bed, looking down at his lifeless body. Damien’s knees buckled and he held Esmeralda close for support as he walked slowly forward. His body had obviously been cleaned and he lay among the bedclothes, his face more peaceful in death than it had been during the last few months of his life.

Damien paused at the foot of the bed, unable to come any closer. Grief welled up at the back of his throat, threatening to cut off his air supply. He breathed deeply and forced it back down. Damien would not lose control in front of his family. He would weep for his father in private.

“When?” he managed, his voice a strangled sound.

“I found him dead this morning,” said Jarvis. “I suppose he died sometime during the night.”

Alexandra sniffed quietly and dabbed at her red eyes with a handkerchief, her back ramrod straight, quiet and composed. Damien wondered at the little display of emotion. He knew there was no love lost between his parents, but more than thirty years had surely created at least affection and respect between the two. Alexandra lowered her head as the tears began anew, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed gently.

“Oh, Adare!” she cried, burying her face in her handkerchief. Her sobs tugged gently at Damien’s heart until he could bear it no longer and reached out to comfort her. At the touch of his hand on her shoulder, she cringed and pulled away violently, her blue eyes filled with annoyance. “Don’t!” she spat, pulling away from Damien’s comforting touch. She turned to Jarvis. “Notify me the moment Lionus arrives.”

As she walked away, Damien felt the familiar twinge of pain he had felt as a boy when he’d first realized how much closer Lionus was to their mother’s heart than he. Serge stared after her, his face twisted in agony. “Selfish bitch,” he muttered as she made her exit. He swiped his hand across his tear-filled eyes. “She gave birth to three sons, but has love enough for only one.”

Nicolai wrapped his arms around Serge’s shoulders. “You were fortunate enough to have the love of your father,” he said in comfort, his own eyes red-rimmed and misty. “Some men never experience even that much.”

“There is something else,” Jarvis said, eyeing them nervously. “I was waiting for Her Majesty to leave before I mentioned it.”

“What is it Jarvis?”

“I do not believe His Majesty died naturally,” he said, his voice a near whisper. “I believe that our masked man has finally succeeded.”

“What could possibly give you that idea?” asked Nicolai.

“He was fine yesterday,” Jarvis said. “He asked me to wheel his chair through the gardens in the afternoon so that he could enjoy the fine weather. He was happy and strong, stronger than he has been in weeks. The physicians had come just a few hours earlier and said that he could live another year at best. He was doing well.”

Damien observed his father’s body and frowned. “But there seem to be no signs. He has not been shot or stabbed, for there is no blood. There are no marks around his neck, so he was not strangled.”

“I was not thinking that he was killed violently, Your Grace.”

“Poison!” Serge gasped. “But that is impossible! All of the servants who handled father’s meals have been here for years. They are all trusted. Who would do such a thing?”

“I do not know,” said Jarvis with a sigh. “Perhaps I made a mistake in my choosing. I am to blame for His Majesty’s death.”

“No!” said Damien fiercely, unable to believe what he was hearing. “You have been a loyal friend and a trusted member of this household longer than I can remember. You acted in father’s best interest; we all did. If what you’re saying to true then no one is to blame. It would seem the masked man found a way to reach him.”

“What other proof is there that Adare was murdered?” asked Nicolai, incredulously studying the seemingly peaceful corpse. “He was sick for a very long time. Perhaps the doctors were wrong about the amount of time he had left to live.”

Jarvis shook his head adamantly. “When I found him, there was a significant amount of blood on one of his handkerchiefs. There was some also on his face and his nightclothes. I studied him for wounds but found none.”

“So you suspect he coughed up the blood last night?” Esmeralda spoke up. “Was this something that happened often?”

Damien shook his head. “No. That was not one of the symptoms of his illness.”

“Something happened,” said Serge. “I know it’s possible that father merely succumbed to his illness, but all of the signs here point to murder.”

“What do we do now?” asked Nicolai. “Surely we are all still in danger.”

“We’ll wait for Lionus,” said Damien decisively. “After all, he is now king.”

Esmeralda’s eyes met Damien’s silently. They were filled with sorrow. Neither of them would voice what they both knew the other was thinking. Though Adare had just died and it was selfish of them both, they felt misery in their hearts over another matter entirely. If Lionus was now king, they would never be able to marry.

****

Lionus drummed his fingers on the surface of his desk impatiently, watching the double doors of his library intently. Damien, Serge and Nicolai sat in chairs on either side of him, watching the doors as well.

Lionus had arrived the day following Adare’s death from one of his country estates. He had planned to spend a few days there with Isabelle before boarding a ship to Italy, but news of his father’s death had reached him first. Lionus had ordered Jarvis to bring all of the servants who had had access to Adare for questioning. He believed wholeheartedly, just as Jarvis had, that Adare had been murdered.

Damien studied his brother’s profile, unable to decipher any trace of emotion. He stared straight ahead, his eyes cold and hard, his mouth drawn down into a frown. Alexandra had been delighted to see her son of course and had cried his shoulder for a full hour upon his arrival. They had left her with Isabelle to tend to the pressing business of finding their father’s murderer.

“There can be only one explanation,” Lionus had said before ordering the servants brought before him. “There were only a select few allowed to attend father. One of them must be the culprit. We must find out who it is before we all find ourselves poisoned.”

Damien agreed. He had been too grieved to eat anything, but even if he allowed himself to succumb to the hunger gnawing at his insides, he knew he would be too paranoid to eat.

There was a great commotion in the hall before the doors swung open to admit Jarvis. He held the arm of a chambermaid tightly, pulling her roughly alongside him. Two armed sentries escorted him. The girl fought Jarvis with all her might, but the old butler was surprisingly strong.

“You may as well stop fighting girl,” he commanded, shaking her roughly. “There is nowhere for you to run.”

“Jarvis, what is the meaning of this?” snapped Lionus impatiently. “Where are the other servants?”

“Your Highness.” Lionus winced visibly at the new form of address but did not interrupt the butler. “This woman almost boarded a ship headed for God-knows-where. She was in a great hurry and was carrying a rather large sum of money on her person.”

”Lillian?” Damien gasped, recognizing the little blonde maid he had once admired.

Jarvis nodded. “I suspect her as being our culprit and found it unnecessary to involve the other servants. She was the one who brought your father his evening meal.”

Lionus’ eyes narrowed on the trembling girl. Her dress was torn at the shoulder and her face was streaked with tears. Lillian’s hair was a tangled mess around her head. Jarvis released her arm and she fell to her knees before them.

“What have you to say in your defense?” Lionus asked, his voice deceptively calm. Damien could sense the tension laced through his tone. Lillian was silent, keeping her head lowered.

“Speak, girl!” Jarvis commanded, looking as if he would like to strike out at the maid. Adare had not just been his master; he had also been a close and faithful friend. Jarvis would hear the truth from the girl or beat it out of her himself.

Lillian lifted her wide blue eyes and pleaded, “Please! I will tell you everything you want to know if you would but promise to spare me long enough for me to give birth to my unborn child!”

For the first time, Damien noticed that the girl was at least six months pregnant. She clutched her swollen belly protectively.

“If you have done this horrible thing, then you have no right to ask promises of me,” Lionus said scathingly.

“I would have your promise!” she cried, clutching her stomach more tightly. “I merely want to give my babe a chance to live! My parents would take her and then you may punish me as you please!”

Lionus rose and circled the desk swiftly, grasping a fistful of the girl’s hair. He yanked roughly, pulling the girl to her feet. She screamed out in pain. “I will punish you here and now if you do not confess!”

“Lionus-“Serge interjected. Lionus silenced him with a wave of his hand.

“Do not think to intercede on this witch’s behalf, brother. She does not deserve your sympathy.” He turned back to Lillian, pulling her head back to stare her fully in the face. “If I were you I would think carefully about this. Your choices are limited. You can die quickly or you can die a slow and agonizing death.”

She cried uncontrollably now, babbling incoherent words as she clutched the front of Lionus’ jacket.              He drew back his arm and delivered a stinging blow to the girl’s face, sending her sprawling to the carpet.

“That’s enough!” Damien bellowed, leaping between Lionus and Lillian. “What can you be thinking man! You’ll knock her senseless before she gets a chance to tell us anything!” He turned his back to Lionus and helped the pregnant maid to her feet, wincing at the ugly red handprint that had appeared across her face.

“Listen carefully,” he said gently, yet firmly. “I am going to ask you a question and I want an honest answer. If you do not answer me, I will hand you back over to my brother. Do you understand?”

She nodded but was otherwise silent.

“Did you kill my father?”

“Yes!” she cried hysterically, collapsing against Damien. “He came to me and told me he would take my child once it was born if I didn’t do what he wished! He told me that if I tried to run away he would kill me!”

“Who told you this? The masked man?” asked Serge, standing to join his brothers.

She nodded, struggling to catch her breath between sobs. “I told him I would never do such a thing. The king had always been gracious and kind to me. He gave me a job when no one else would. And he didn’t throw me out when I became pregnant but everyone knows that the masked man will find you no matter where you go. I had to protect my baby, I had no choice!”

“You could have come to us!” exclaimed Nicolai, looking very much like he wanted to strike her as Lionus had done. “You have been serving me in my chambers since I arrived; you had numerous opportunities to come forward with the truth.”

“I wanted to, believe me I did,” she argued. “But I was afraid that he was watching me. I was afraid that he would know if I told you. So I took the poison he gave me and poured it in His Majesty’s wine goblet. He told me it would be a quick death that he would not suffer.”

Lionus pushed Damien aside and stood almost nose to nose with the cowering maid. “So you chose instead to make my family suffer by killing my father.”

“I’m sorry!” she said, exploding into another bout of forceful sobs. She fell to her knees again, bowing low at Lionus’ feet. “I beg of you to allow my child to live! I don’t care about my own life anymore, but please don’t allow my child to die.”

“Damn the child!” Lionus roared, his mask of controlled calm rapidly slipping away. He looked like an avenging angel, his lustrous hair loose about his shoulders, his angular features touched by firelight. “You will hang by morning, so help me God!”

“No!” interjected Damien. “I won’t let you do that.”

Lionus quirked a brow at Damien and laughed. The sound was harsh and ugly. “You think to stop me, brother?”

“I do,” he said firmly. “Father would not allow this. He would not allow you to murder an innocent child, no matter what the mother had done. Do not forget who the real enemy is, Lionus. Save your fury and your savagery for him!”

“He is right,” said Serge, helping Lillian to her feet and pressing a glass of water into her hand. She accepted the glass and gulped noisily. “Allow her to live long enough to give birth to the child and give the child to her parents. She can spend the next few months reflecting on what she has done. That’s as good a punishment as any, I’d say.”

Lionus looked from one brother to the other in disbelief. He turned to Nicolai.

”Do you agree with my brothers?”

Nicolai shrugged. “It does seem awfully cruel to allow the child to die with the mother,” he said slowly. “I would not advise it. You may frighten and anger some of your citizens. That is not the way for you to begin your reign.”

Lionus sighed, deflated. “Fine,” he said curtly. “She will remain locked away until the child is born.” He turned to Lillian. “Should you start to die during childbirth, I will command the midwives to do everything within their power to save your miserable life. I will see you hanged publicly for what you’ve done.”

“Oh God bless you, Your Highness!” she cried, allowing the guards to lead her away. “God bless you all!”

Lionus turned toward the roaring fireplace once they were alone. “I am ordering a complete evacuation of Largess Hall,” he said softly. “Until the masked man is found, the court will be dismissed. We will retire to one of my estates in the country. We will begin preparations immediately; once father is buried we will leave under armed escort.”

Serge nodded. “I’ll inform mother.” He left quickly with Nicolai on his heels.

“Lionus, I will bring Esmeralda with me,” Damien said to his brother’s back. “We will be married.”

Lionus turned swiftly, piercing Damien with his glacial stare. “I have told you I will not allow it.”

“We were going to get married yesterday,” Damien pleaded, not caring how truly desperate he sounded. “We never got the chance.”

“I am relieved,” Lionus said sharply, stepping away from the mantle and towards Damien. “That only means that I am now in a position to stop it from happening.”

Damien could hardly believe his ears. Lionus was still determined as ever. “Then I won’t be leaving Largess Hall with you.”

“Are you mad? You will not disobey my orders in this! We are all leaving together and that is the end of it. When this has all blown over we will return and I will arrange a suitable marriage for you.”

“I did not say I wouldn’t be leaving Largess Hall,” Damien replied. “I merely said I wouldn’t be leaving with you.”

“What are you saying?”

“I am saying that I’ll take Esmeralda as far away as I must to escape your reach. I will marry her, Lionus, with or without your approval.”

“You would abandon your family, your country?”

“I will abandon the things that do not matter for the one thing that does.”

If at all possible, Lionus’ countenance hardened even more. He turned his back to Damien once more, dismissing him. “Very well,” he said calmly, in control of his emotions once again. “Do what you wish, I care not.”

“That has always been plainly obvious,” Damien said to the back of Lionus’ head. “Tell me, brother, have you shed even one tear for our father?”

He did not wait for a response. Damien was out of the room moments later, leaning against the doors of the library. He had just pledged to leave his family, leave the only home he had ever known, and he knew in his heart that he had done the right thing. His father had told him to not abandon his love and he would not. He would build a new home and a new life with Esmeralda away from the pressures of court life and the tyrannical rule of his brother.

As he turned to walk away, he heard a strange sound. He looked up and down the darkened hallway, trying to discover its source. When he re-opened the door to the library, he discovered what it was. Lionus stood as he had been before the fireplace, one hand resting on the mantle. The other hand was pressed against his face. Gut-wrenching cries racked his body, shaking his shoulders with the force of it. As Damien turned to leave, his brother dropped to his knees before the fire. His soul-wrenching sobs followed Damien down the dark corridor.

****

Esmeralda had been unable to sleep. She had not seen Damien since the day of Adare’s death. She longed to see him, to offer him whatever comfort she could, to tell him that she understood what it was to lose a father. Esmeralda left her bed and paced the length of her room. After awhile she opened the window to allow the crisp breeze into the room and continued pacing.

Esmeralda fiddled nervously with the large ring Damien had slipped on her finger only a few days ago. It might as well have been a year ago, so uncertain was her future with him. Adare’s death placed Lionus square upon the throne, ruining their chances at even an elopement.

She prayed fervently for a way, knowing that she would not let go of Damien. Esmeralda knew that Damien would make a way, in that she could trust him. She only hoped he would find a way soon.

“Esmeralda!”

She looked around the room carefully, certain she was alone, but also sure she had heard someone whisper her name. “Esmeralda!” It was unmistakable this time; someone was definitely whispering her name. She rushed to the window listening intently. “Down here!”

She looked down to find Damien standing beneath her window, poised to climb the uneven brick. “Damien? Be careful!” she cautioned as he began his slow ascent to the second-story window. When he was close enough, she offered him her hand and helped ease him up over the windowsill.

He fell into her arms immediately, trembling with uncontained grief. She nearly buckled under his weight, but held fast, wrapping her arms tightly around him, determined to lend him her strength in his time of weakness.

“I know I should not have come so late, but I needed to see you,” he said, his face pressed against her neck, soaking the neckline of her nightgown with his tears. “I had to hold you.”

Esmeralda pulled back slightly to study his face. “You look exhausted!”

“I haven’t slept,” he said. “I haven’t slept in almost two days.”

She stroked his hair lightly, allowing him to rest his head against her breast. “You will lie in bed with me then,” she said soothingly, feeling him relax against her. “I won’t take no for an answer.”

He motioned for her to sit on the bed then lowered himself to one knee before her. “I would ask something of you first,” he said, taking her hands in his.

“Anything,” she responded, her heart in her throat. She knew that Damien would tell her he could not marry her.

“If I asked you to come away with me, to leave Cardenas and start a new life someplace else, would you do it?”

Esmeralda was too stunned to respond immediately. She stared blankly at him for several seconds, unsure of what she had just heard. It certainly was not what she had been expecting.

“You would leave your home?” she asked in disbelief, understanding immediately what he was asking her to do would entail. “You want me to leave my family?”

“My brother will not allow this marriage to happen,” he said, tightening his hold on her hands. “And I will not allow him to marry me off to some insipid young courtier! If you’ll agree I can arrange passage to anywhere else in the world. We can start over, Esmeralda, start our own family. Your family can come too! It would be perfect.”

“Would we ever come back?”

Damien shook his head solemnly. “I doubt it very much, love. Once we leave, we would have no reason to come back.”

“Of course we would!” she exclaimed, “What about your family? What about Serge and Isabelle and Nicolai? What about Lionus and your mother?”

“To hell with both of them! They would only seek to come between us and I won’t have it! I only want you.”

Esmeralda considered this carefully. She knew that Raina, Akira and Desmond would gladly come with her, but what about The Golden Dancer? She would probably never see Tatianna, Morgana, or Tristan ever again. Esmeralda would be leaving behind her closest friends and part of her family. She would abandon the only home she’d ever known and the Golden Dancer, which her father had left in her hands.

“I know I am asking a lot of you,” he said. “But my father told me I should do whatever it took to ensure our future together. He told me that if I didn’t I’d regret it and he was right. I will travel to the ends of the earth if it means we could be together.”

Esmeralda smiled, stroking his face affectionately. He was right, of course. She would leave Cardenas behind and hopefully her family would follow. Even if they did not, she would have Damien.

“All right,” she said. “I’ll go with you.”

Damien lifted her in his arms and twirled her about the room, kissing her with a loud smack. Esmeralda laughed with him, delighted at the thought of a new life, one that had endless possibilities.

“I won’t be a prince where we’re going,” he warned.

“You’ll always be a prince to me,” she said earnestly.

“We will have money, though,” he said. “It will be enough for a comfortable life for us and for your family. Perhaps I’ll even open that university.”

“You won’t be sad, leaving your home?”

He shook his head, taking her face in his hands gently. His lips hovered inches from hers. “How could I be sad to leave a place that is only soil and stone? Where you are is where my home is.” He took her lips with his. “This is home,” he murmured against her mouth, running his hands over her body. She trembled in his arms, and clung to him fiercely.

She met him kiss for kiss, matching his ardor with her own avid desire. He ran his fingers through her hair, caressing the softly curling tendrils as he made love to her mouth with his. She felt the cool night air against her skin as her nightgown slid to the floor. He carried her to the bed, coming over her as soon as he was unclothed. She welcomed him eagerly, opening her body to him as well as her heart. Their loving was joyous, a celebration of their life to come, an uninhibited expression of their love. When it was over, they clung to each other, sated, happy, hopeful.

Damien slept peacefully that night, his curly head resting on Esmeralda’s shoulder. Esmeralda lay awake and planned.

****

The morning of Adare’s funeral brought the first snow of winter. Damien stood between Esmeralda and Serge, warmly bundled against the cold, beside his father’s freshly dug grave. Usually, the king’s body would be prepared and placed in the massive cathedral at the heart of the city for one week, to allow the inhabitants of Cardenas a final look at their sovereign. The circumstances surrounding Adare’s death had forced Lionus to make his funeral a private affair, including only family and very close friends. The court had been dismissed several days earlier.

He stood with his family, Esmeralda pressed closely to his side, until the last of the dirt had been shoveled over Adare’s grave. They all stayed for a moment while the priest spoke his final words.

One by one, they drifted away toward the warmth of the palace. Lionus and Alexandra first, Serge and Nicolai second, Jarvis and Hopkins third. Finally, Esmeralda turned to walk inside, her arm linked through Isabelle’s. Damien waited until he was completely alone and approached his father’s freshly carved headstone. He placed a handful of the special black orchids he had grown himself. Speckles of lightly falling snow clung to their edges. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his greatcoat and stood silently for several minutes.

“We’ll be leaving Largess Hall tomorrow, father,” he said to the empty air around him. “Mother, Lionus, and Serge will return, but I fear I may never set foot on this ground again. I am doing what I promised you I would and following my heart. I have already made arrangements to take Esmeralda and her family to America. I hear they call it the land of opportunity. It sounds like the perfect place for us to make new start.” He paused for a moment to choke back the tears that threatened to weaken him. Damien took a deep breath and continued. “I am sure Lionus will do fine as king without me. It would seem that there is much we cannot see eye to eye on, and I think it is best that I’m leaving.”

He knelt before the headstone, reaching out with his gloved hand to touch it. The stone was cold and hard and he wished that some part of his father’s spirit would impart itself upon it so that he could feel it for himself one last time. The stone was, of course, unresponsive. Damien sighed, rising to his feet. “Esmeralda and I will be departing in a few days, and I just wanted to say goodbye.”

He walked back toward the palace slowly, breathing deeply. The cold, crisp air was cleansing and he took it deep into his lungs, marveling at how renewed it made him feel.

He found Nicolai standing in the courtyard before the palace, watching as his luggage was loaded onto his carriage.

“Leaving already?” Damien asked as he approached, watching the liveried footmen as they carefully lifted Nicolai’s heavy trunks.

“I’ll be going home for a day or two to look in on my father,” responded Nicolai. “Someone’s got to make sure the old man doesn’t drown at the bottom of that liquor bottle. I’ll be joining your brothers by the end of the week.”

“Have a pleasant journey.”

Nicolai turned to Damien. His features alight with curiosity. “So you’re really going to the colonies, eh? You really are going to leave this place.”

Damien nodded, meeting his cousin’s amused gaze seriously. “I am. I won’t allow Lionus to dictate the course of my life. I want Esmeralda for my wife and a life of my own choosing.”

Nicolai nodded his understanding. “I get what you’re saying. I just hope you don’t regret this.”

“Never.”

Nicolai shrugged. “Well then, I guess now’s the time for good-bye.” He extended his hand to Damien. They shook hands first, then embraced tightly. “Good luck with your new life.”

“And good luck to you, Nicolai. I hope that Lionus does not try to arrange a marriage for you!” The two laughed together, doubled over and clutching their sides.

Nicolai was suddenly serious. “I wonder…” he said slowly, studying Damien thoughtfully.

“What?”

“If the crown were available to you, would you come home to claim it?”

Damien was caught off guard by Lionus’ question. He wrinkled his brow and frowned, mulling over his cousin’s question. He shook his head quickly. “No. I told father once that such a thing is not for me. If, God-forbid, the crown should ever come to me I would let it pass down the line. Naturally, your father being next in line, it would eventually make its way to you.”

Nicolai chuckled and turned toward his carriage. “Of course these things hardly ever happen. With our luck, Lionus will live to be one hundred and fifty!”

Damien laughed with his cousin, knowing that he was going to miss these moments once he was gone. “I will miss you, Nicolai.”

“And I will miss you,” Nicolai replied. “But we all have to make our own fortunes, don’t we?”

“Truer words were never spoken.”

Damien stood in the courtyard and watched as Nicolai’s carriage disappeared against the horizon. He turned to go back inside. Damien had much to accomplish if he and Esmeralda were to leave by the end of the week.

****

When Tristan came exploding through the back room at the Golden Dancer, Esmeralda knew immediately why he had come. She was expecting him, in fact, and was not the least bit surprised by his anger. He had heard that she was leaving, perhaps for good.

“What is this I hear about you leaving for America?” He slammed the door to her office behind him. She sat at her desk, pouring over the tavern’s ledgers, determined to leave things in order for Dominic and Tristan.

“I’ll be leaving at the end of the week,” she said calmly. She had been hoping to have a civilized conversation with him about this, but it seemed at this point that that was highly unlikely. “Mother, grandmother, and Desmond will be coming with me. I’ll be leaving The Golden Dancer to you and Dominic. With Tatiana and Morgana here, I have no doubt you can keep the place running.”

“I don’t give a damn about The Golden Dancer!” he bellowed, coming around her desk to stand before her. He grasped her by her shoulders and forced her to look up at him. “I care about you. This is madness what you’re doing, running away to marry this man! What would your father think of this?”

“My father would want me to be happy!” Esmeralda snapped, suddenly very tired of Tristan’s interference. “I know that you feel the need to protect me, but I don’t need that anymore! Soon I will have a husband that will protect me. What I need from you is your assurance that you will keep The Golden Dancer open. Desmond may want to return someday and it will be his by right of birth.”

Tristan stared at her silently for a moment, a muscle in his jaw working furiously as he clenched his teeth. For a moment, she thought he meant to strike her. His hands curled into fists at his side until his knuckles were white.

He spoke finally, his voice ominously low. “I had always believed that you would come to love me,” he said. “I hoped and wished for it like a fool. All this time you’ve kept me waiting and now you expect me to just let you leave? You think I will just stand by and let you get on a ship and sail half a world away?”

“Tristan, you have no say in this. This is my decision! You can either support me by taking over The Golden Dancer, or I will find someone else to do it.”

“You ask much of me, yet you are willing to give me nothing in return,” he said, his voice a low growl as reached out and pulled her roughly against him.

“Tristan, don’t!” she cried, pushing against his unyielding chest. “What about Morgana? I thought that you cared about her.”

Tristan laughed. “Your cousin is a nice girl, but I would turn my back on her in a moment if it meant I could have you.”

Esmeralda shook her head furiously as Tristan’s face inched closer to hers. His lips found hers and crushed them in a bruising kiss. She chose not to fight him, knowing that it would gain her nothing. Esmeralda allowed her lips to go soft and pliant beneath his, but did not respond to his skilled seduction of her lips.

He pulled away with a heavy sigh. When he released her, her arm shot out and her palm connected with his cheek. The sound of her hand against his face resounded through the small office like a gunshot.

Tristan was first shocked, them immediately repentant. “Forgive me,” he said, pressing his hand against his stinging face. “It’s just that I’ve loved you since I was a boy and I have often wondered what that would feel like.”

“Will you do what I’ve asked you?” she asked calmly.

He nodded. “You know I would do anything you ask of me.”

“Then I would ask one other thing of you.”

“Anything, Esmeralda.”

“Have a care for my cousin’s heart. She is young and frivolous. I would hate to see her hurt.”

Tristan nodded and, wordlessly, turned to leave. Esmeralda sat back behind her desk, lowering her head over her ledgers once more. She wondered when her relationship with Tristan had become so complicated.

“Good-bye my friend,” she said to the closed door of her office. “I wish that you would find your happiness somewhere.”

Chapter 17

The convoy of vehicles bearing the royal crest was only a few yards away. The newly crowned king and queen rode in one carriage, the queen mother and her son rode in the other. The masked man watched from his position among the trees. His hired men lurked in their strategically chosen places, waiting for his signal. He tasted victory, but would not allow himself to rejoice just yet. The success of his plan would depend entirely upon timing. The royal caravan would be heavily guarded, but he was confident that he had brought enough men to bring the king’s royal guard under submission. He sat patiently in the saddle of his horse and waited, watching as they drew ever closer.

When they were merely a few yards away, he lifted his pistol into the air and fired a single shot. This threw the king’s horses into a panic. It also communicated to his men that it was time to act. They came from their places of hiding, surrounding the convoy as the drivers fought to regain control of the frightened horses.

“Stand down!” shouted the captain of the guard, unsheathing his sword. His men followed suit. “By the authority of King Lionus, I order you to remove yourselves from our path or be cut down!”

He smiled behind his mask, pulling his own sword from its sheath, relishing the fight to come. “I do not follow the orders of your king. Tell your men to stand aside and let the mighty Lionus fight his own battles. There is no need for your men to die.”

Even as Serge and Lionus stepped from their separate carriages, swords at the ready, the armed guards formed a protective circle around them, blocking the king and prince from harm. “So be it,” said the masked man, signaling his men to attack.

The sound of metal against metal shattered the silence of the night, the grunts and groans of fighting men echoed among the trees. Lionus fought his way through the aggressive gang of men, who all wore dark, course wool over the lower half of their faces. Their eyes were visible, filled with hatred and malice that Lionus did not understand. The silver-masked man waited for him, his sword raised to him in salute.

“Hail King Lionus!” he bellowed with a chuckle, bowing before him mockingly. Lionus stepped forward, steeling himself to face the man who had murdered his father. His mother and his wife huddled together in a carriage a few feet away; he had to protect them.

“Tell your men to stand down or I will run you through!” he commanded, searching the soulless black eyes of the silver mask. It seemed to taunt him, torment him. Lionus charged forward when the man did not respond, his sword at the ready. This man had killed his father. Lionus would show him no mercy.

The masked man was ready for him, bringing his sword up to parry Lionus’ thrust. The two men circled each other, neither a stranger to the deadly art of the sword. Lionus learned quickly not to underestimate his opponent’s skill. The man held the sword as if he’d been born that way, wielding it with deadly precision. Lionus fought calmly, too disinclined to allow his white-hot anger to affect his concentration. He soon had his opponent backed away from the battle that ensued behind them. Serge fought amongst the royal guards, desperately fighting to keep the men away from Alexandra and Isabelle.

Lionus parried his enemy’s thrust and lifted one of his long legs to catch the masked man in the center of his chest with his heavy riding boot. With a grunt, his enemy lost his footing and Lionus was over him in an instant, but not before the masked man regained his hold on the hilt of his sword. The men waited in silence, each watching for the other to strike.

“Unmask yourself,” Lionus said coldly. “I would look into the eyes of my father’s murderer before I run him through.”

A gloved hand reached up to slide the mask away. When Lionus looked into the eyes of his father’s killer, he felt as if the wind had been knocked from him. The face of his enemy was so familiar, yet the malice that he saw in the handsome features had never been present before.

“No!” Lionus stammered. He staggered backwards, his sword falling limply at his side. “It can’t be!”

A man Lionus had once called friend stood to face him. “I’m afraid it’s true, brother.”

Lionus’ shock was paralyzing. He could only gaze at the man and stare. “Brother?” Of course, the man was his brother. How could he have not recognized the signs? He had never truly looked at the man, not as he studied him now. The man had many of his father’s features. “Why have you done this?”

“To take back what is rightfully mine,” he said, raising his sword once more. Before Lionus could react, his brother’s sword found his shoulder. Lionus dropped his sword and drew back his fist to connect with his opponent’s face. He staggered backward from Lionus’ blow. Lionus reached up to pull the blade from his flesh, ignoring the searing pain shooting through his arm. He threw his brother’s sword at his feet and lifted his own with his uninjured arm. “Stand and fight me, you coward.”

Serge fought madly, cutting down the men that had been dispatched by the masked man to kill him. He could see Lionus through the madness that surrounded him. Serge could see that their father’s murderer no longer wore his mask, but the man had his back turned and Serge could not see his face.

Raw fury raced through him and he fought to make his way to his brother’s side. He would not allow his brother to face the villain alone. Serge heard the shrill screams of a woman behind him and turned to find three men surrounding Isabelle and Alexandra’s carriage.

An inhuman battle cry was the only warning the attackers had. Serge hacked his way through them, decapitating the first, severing the sword arm of the second and running his sword clean through the middle of the third. He looked up to find Isabelle watching him from the window of the carriage, her eyes wide with fear. Serge knew he must look like a man possessed and felt the sticky wetness of another man’s blood across his face. He reached through the window to take her hand, ignoring the tiny shivers of awareness that shot through him at her touch.

“Isabelle, are you able to drive this carriage?” She looked behind him to see that one coachman lay dead and the other was fighting among the guards.

“I can if there is no other option,” she said, her soft voice filled with a strength he had known she possessed.

“Good. Take the reins and drive this thing as fast as you can. Go back to the palace. Damien is not scheduled to leave until tomorrow. You must find him and tell him what has happened. Tell him to send aid.”

Isabelle nodded, exiting the carriage to climb onto the driver’s perch. Alexandra cried hysterically in the confines of the carriage. Ignoring her, Serge turned back to Isabelle, who held the reigns in her hand. He lifted his pistol from beneath the carriage seat and handed it to her.

“Do not hesitate to use it,” he said. She took the pistol without hesitation and pushed it down into the pocket of her skirt.

“Go!” he bellowed, slapping one of the lead horses on the rear. The horses whinnied and were off like a shot, carrying Isabelle and Alexandra to safety.

Relieved, Serge turned back toward Lionus, who still fought the masked man. Blood trickled down his arm and soaked the front of his coat. He was slowing down, swinging his sword sluggishly. Serge leaped over two men who had fallen to the ground, locked together in a struggle. Most of the men lay dead or dying, but Serge’s main concern was his brother.

He raised his sword, prepared to strike out, when he was brought up short. Pain exploded at the back of his head and his vision blurred as he fell to his knees. He fought for consciousness, knowing that if he lost himself to oblivion, he and Lionus would both be dead within moments.

One of the masked man’s accomplices grasped him by the arms and held him down, a pistol pressed against his temple.

“Hold still or I will gladly blow a hole through your head,” a raspy voice said beside his ear. “Then my boss will be furious with me, since he’s determined to kill you himself.”

Serge could only watch Lionus fight as his blood rapidly drained from his body through the gaping wound in his shoulder. His heart twisted painfully in his chest when Lionus finally dropped to his knees, too weak to continue.

“No!” Serge cried as he watched their enemy shove his sword through Lionus’ middle. “Lionus,” he moaned weakly, watching his brother’s lifeless body fall into a heap on the ground. He struggled against the arms that held him, enraged, but the blow to his head had sapped much of his strength.

Darkness shrouded the face of his enemy as he approached, wiping his sword clean of Lionus’ blood. Serge growled like an enraged beast, straining against his captor’s hold. Another blow to the head subdued him and he waited for his adversary to show his face.

“No,” he whispered, when the man finally came into view. Could it be? This man had been a part of Serge’s life for as long as he could remember .They’d been like brothers, yet the evil and hate he found on this man’s face stung him.

“I can’t believe it.” Serge shook his head and narrowed his eyes, determined to see someone else before him, but the face and form before him did not change. Blond hair fell into flashing green eyes filled with malice. His heart ached at the sight. “Why?”

“Because our father abandoned me,” he said simply.

“Our father? Tell your men to release me and fight me, damn you!” Serge fought with renewed strength, anger numbing the throbbing pain in his head. “Let me go goddamn it!”

He fought and screamed. Serge kicked and flailed as ropes were tied around his ankles and wrists. He cursed his half-brother for the coward he was, as his ankles were tethered to the back of the remaining carriage.

The face of a man he once held dear loomed over him. “I will not stand by and watch you inherit everything that is rightfully mine. When you awaken in the afterlife, you can thank your father for this.”

He lifted his pistol above his head, firing a crackling shot into the dead of night. The horses reared and whinnied before dashing off down the road, dragging the carriage and Serge behind them.

****

Damien bent over the lens of one of his most prized telescopes, alone in the observatory. The instrument was far too big for him to bring on board the ship that would be carrying him across the world in the morning. So now he stood, gazing through it one last time at the clear night sky.

The palace was eerily quiet now that his family had gone, leaving behind only a handful of servants and guards. The majority of the staff had left ahead of them to prepare Lionus’ country estate.

A tingle of excitement worked its way up Damien’s spine and he smiled, lifting his head to study the heavens through the domed glass ceiling. A new beginning awaited him in America and he could hardly wait to begin it. He was told that places like New York and Boston fairly bustled with industry and educational opportunities. He and Esmeralda would live a comfortable life away from kings and royal courts.

Damien looked up just in time to see Jarvis entering the room. The faithful butler had stayed behind to see Damien off, and planned to join the family once he had escorted Damien to the waiting ship. The old man’s face was white as a sheet. Damien stepped away from his telescope. “What is it Jarvis? Is something wrong?”

“Your Grace, Her Majesty and the queen mother have returned,” he began, wringing his hands together nervously.

“Alone?” Damien frowned. “Where are Serge and Lionus? What’s happened?”

“They were attacked,” Jarvis said, flinching at the fury that blazed in Damien’s eyes at his announcement.

“Where are they?” he demanded, already striding through the doors of the observatory. Before Jarvis could respond, the sound of Alexandra’s wailing drifted down the hall to greet his ears. He followed the noise until he found Isabelle and Alexandra seated in the green parlor. Alexandra sobbed noisily. Isabelle paced before the fire.

“Damien!” she cried when he entered. She flew across the room at him, clutching his shoulders. “You must gather up more men! You must go to help them!” Her face was streaked with tears, but she spoke calmly and clearly, struggling to be heard over Alexandra’s noisy crying.

“How did you get back here? Did you come alone? Where are my brothers?”

Isabelle turned to Alexandra. “Would you shut up!” she cried sharply. “I can barely hear myself think!”

Alexandra clamped her lips together and stared venomously at Isabelle, but was otherwise silent. Isabelle continued. “I drove the carriage back. Serge…he saved us…we were attacked by a band of men along the road. Your brothers stayed with the guards to fight them off.”

Damien turned to Jarvis. “Get as many guards together as you can and have them ready in the courtyard immediately. Have Persephone saddled as well and bring my sword and pistols.”

Jarvis hurried from the room quickly to carry out his command. Damien turned back to Isabelle. “Was it him, Isabelle? The masked man?”

Isabelle nodded. “Yes. When I left he was locked in a swordfight with Lionus. Oh Damien, I fear they may both be dead! Lionus was severely injured and Serge and the guards were greatly outnumbered!”

Damien held her against him, patting her shoulder soothingly. “Don’t worry, I’ll find them. Do not think such things just yet. They could very well have routed the attackers and started on their way back to the palace.”

Even as he said the words, he did not believe them. He left Isabelle with his mother and found Jarvis in the front hall waiting for him. Jarvis handed him his greatcoat, gloves, and a belt holding his sword and a pair of pistols. Damien fastened the belt around his hips and pulled on the gloves. He swung the greatcoat around his shoulders and turned to Jarvis once more.

“Send for a physician, Jarvis. We don’t know what…condition, we will find them in. Have some maids standing by with supplies and bandages as well.”

“Your Grace, do you think…” Jarvis trailed off. The words hung unspoken between them. Damien might find his brothers dead or dying. His heart plummeted into his stomach at the thought.

“No, Jarvis. We won’t think that way until we have to.” He turned back in the doorway and added, “Send a messenger to Esmeralda’s cottage in the city. Her grandmother has a knowledge of healing, she may be able to help.”

Damien led the small group of guards down the darkened road, his eyes scanning the area carefully. He had clung to the hope that he would find his brothers along the way, headed back toward the palace, unharmed. The longer he rode, the less likely that became. He stayed on alert, aware that a trap could be set to ensnare him as well. His handful of men rode behind him, weapons at the ready, alert and watching for trouble.

He came upon a lone carriage, observing the crest of the royal family on its side. The horses stood calmly, pawing at the hard earth. He looked inside and found it empty.

“Search the area,” he commanded the guards, they have to be close by.” He stood and turned in a slow circle, searching the line of trees on either side for the slightest movement.

“Your Grace!” the panic in the guard’s voice brought Damien running around to the back of the carriage where he was greeted by a sight that caused his stomach to turn.

He barely recognized Serge, who lay lashed to the back of the carriage by his ankles. His clothes were bloodstained and in shreds. Blood caked his hair and soaked the snowy-white ground beneath his head. One of his arms was twisted at an odd angle and Damien was quite certain it was broken in several places.

Damien knelt beside his brother’s still form, pressing his fingers against the base of his throat. He was shocked to find a slight fluttering, the only sign of his brother’s life that remained. “He’s still alive!” he cried, hope expanding in his chest. “Get him into the carriage,” he bellowed. “One of you drive him back to the palace! The rest of you keep looking.”

Damien knew that Lionus was out there somewhere, injured. Fury swept over him and he prayed zealously that the masked man was still near, alive, so that Damien could squeeze the life out of him with his bare hands. Two guards carefully cut Serge free of his bonds and lifted him gingerly into the carriage. Damien watched as it hurtled into the night. “Hold on, Serge,” he whispered, hoping that his words somehow reached his brother’s ears. “Don’t die on me now.”

He continued his sweep of the area, passing several bodies, strewn out along the way. He recognized some of the palace guards laid out among the villains hired by the masked man. Damien gazed into the face of each corpse, relieved by each passing second that his brother was not among them.

He swiveled around and drew his sword at the sound of a low groan. A crumbled form of a man shifted nearby and Damien ran toward it, followed by the faithful guards.

“Lionus,” he whispered as he neared his brother. “Thank God you’re alive.”

Lionus groaned again, his hands pressed tightly over his stomach. His shirt was drenched in blood and Damien inhaled sharply as he knelt beside him. Lionus had been completely impaled. He lifted Lionus into his arms and trudged toward his horse slowly, straining with the effort it took to carry a man who was inches taller than him. Lionus mumbled incoherently, his head lolling on his shoulders.

“Damien,” he managed. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” said Damien, holding his brother tightly against his chest. “I am the one who is sorry. I should have been here. Perhaps the outcome would have been different.”

“Serge,” Lionus rasped. “They dragged him….” His voice cracked and tears sprung freely to his eyes. “I saw them drag him.”

“He is still alive,” Damien reassured him as they neared his horse. The guards helped him lift Lionus into the saddle. Damien came up behind him, allowing his brother to lean back against him. He placed his arms on either side of Lionus, grasping the reigns. “I need you to stay alive too, do you hear me?”

Lionus had already lost consciousness, but he still breathed. The sound was shallow and ragged. Damien dug his heels into Persephone’s side. He thundered down the road toward the palace, his men following close behind.

****

Esmeralda and Isabelle sat in silence, waiting to hear news of Damien’s return. Isabelle’s skin was pallid and cold and she stared listlessly into the fire. Esmeralda was at a loss for words to comfort her friend. She could not lie and tell her that everything would be all right because she was not sure things would ever be the same.

Raina and Akira sat on the other side of the room, also silent. Akira clutched the small pouch containing her medicines tightly, watching the open doors of the parlor for any sign of movement. If someone were brought back injured, Akira would be ready. The physician had not yet arrived, but Jarvis had assured them he would be there soon. Esmeralda dared to believe that Lionus and Serge would be found alive and unharmed, but each passing minute chipped away at that hope.

A commotion in the front hall brought the women to their feet. Esmeralda clearly heard Damien’s commanding voice, shouting instructions to Jarvis, who fluently passed them on to the waiting servants. She followed Isabelle into the hall and reached out to support her friend, who muffled a strangled cry against her hand and crumbled at the sight that greeted them.

Serge was being carried as swiftly up the stairs as possible by two footmen. His clothing tattered and hanging from his body, his limbs twisted at impossible angles. Damien held Lionus in his arms, his cheeks tinged pink from the biting winter cold, snow sprinkled over his greatcoat. He handed Lionus over to two more waiting footmen.

There was so much blood. Lionus’ shirtfront and coat were stained with it and Damien’s clothes were smeared with it as well. Esmeralda was relieved when she realized it was not his own.

“They both live,” he said, his own voice a foreign sound to his ears. He could hardly believe that his brothers lived and held out hope that they would survive the night.

All was in chaos when the physician arrived. Maids bustled about with hot water, towels, bandages and fresh linens. The doctor was brought up to speed on both patients’ conditions and decided to see Serge first. Akira chose to tend to Lionus. Damien exchanged his blood-soaked shirt for a clean one offered by the stalwart valet, Hopkins and swiftly followed the doctor to Serge’s chambers, leaving Isabelle in Esmeralda’s care.

“Oh God,” Isabelle moaned. “I don’t think I would survive if he died,” she said to Esmeralda, clinging to her tightly. “Do you think he’ll die?”

“I don’t know,” Esmeralda answered honestly. She had seen briefly the wound through Lionus’ middle. His chances were slim. She led Isabelle back to the parlor and settled her down on an overstuffed couch beside Raina, who had brought along some of her calming tea. She’d had Jarvis prepare a pot upon their arrival.

“Drink this,” Raina said softly, pressing a cup into Isabelle’s slim fingers. “It will calm you and you must be calm now for your husband. We can do nothing but wait.”

“They are both still alive for now,” Damien told them an hour later. He ran a hand over his tired face and sank down into a chair across from Isabelle and Esmeralda. “Akira mixed a potion to help them sleep.”

“Will they live?” Esmeralda asked.

Damien shrugged. “We have no way of knowing at this point. We had the devil of a time trying to stop Lionus’ bleeding. He sustained two wounds, both through and through. His injuries are nothing compared to Serge’s. Both is arms and legs are broken and the doctor suspects internal injuries. They don’t expect him to last the night.”

Isabelle was silent, staring blankly ahead as she had been for the past hour, her hands folded tightly in her lap. Raina patted her shoulder gently. “Did you hear that, Isabelle? Lionus is all right. Maybe you can go up and see him now.”

Damien nodded. “That’s a good idea. I believe I’ll go look in on Serge.”

“I’ll come with you,” said Esmeralda, rising to follow him. They walked in silence, neither of them willing to say what needed to be said. Their voyage to America would have to be postponed, perhaps indefinitely.

Akira was hovering over Serge’s still form, trying to pour a thin broth down his throat. “He’ll need his nourishment if he’s to fight for his life,” she explained, placing the bowl aside and mopping Serge’s chin with a handkerchief. Esmeralda felt tears springing to her eyes and she looked down at Serge. He face was severely bruised and swollen in places. A jagged scar ran the length of one side. Clean, white bandages bound his injured head, and his broken limbs had been set and bandaged as well. His breathing was nearly imperceptible, almost nonexistent. One had to strain to see the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

Akira gathered her various herbs and placed them back into her little pouch. “He is broken,” she said, her voice a barely audible whisper. “But is he strong. He has the will in him to fight.”

“Thank you for your help,” said Damien. “I will have a carriage readied to escort you home.”

Akira nodded, turning to Esmeralda. “You stay here and watch over him for me,” she said. Esmeralda wasn’t sure if she spoke of Serge or Damien but she vowed to watch over both. “Of course, grandmother.”

“I’ll return in the morning with a tonic for His Majesty,” she said as she turned to leave. “If he survives the night it’ll do him much good.”

As Akira exited, Jarvis entered. His face mirrored the exhaustion and angst that Damien felt within. “Why don’t you retire for the night, Jarvis,” he suggested. “You’ve certainly earned a decent night’s rest.”

“Of course, Your Grace. There is just one more matter that requires your attention. I thought it should wait until morning, but the man was quite insistent he speak with you tonight.”

“Who the devil would be here at this hour, Jarvis? Send him away. I have far too much on my mind to be bothered with him tonight.”

“Mister Forth was most insistent,” said Jarvis. “He said he would not leave until he had spoken with you.”

“Forth?” Damien was suddenly interested. The name was well-known by many in the royal court. “As in August Forth, the silversmith?”

“The very same, Your Grace.”

Damien turned to Esmeralda. “Will you stay with him until I return? I’ll only be a moment.”

“Of course,” she said, settling into the chair beside Serge’s bed. Jarvis informed Damien that he had shown the man to his library and had taken the liberty of offering the man a drink. Damien thanked him and made his way to the library, his mind racing.

Serge had gone to all three silversmiths in town in an effort to learn the identity of the owner of a very remarkable walking stick. Two of the silversmiths denied ever having heard of such a thing. They both advised Serge to seek out the only other silversmith in the city, a man who was most known by members of the aristocracy for his extravagant, one-of-a-kind creations. When Serge had gone to see the man, he had been informed that the silversmith was away on holiday and would not return for several weeks. That silversmith’s name was August Forth.

Chapter 18

“I thank you for seeing me, Your Grace,” said August Forth, standing to bow as Damien entered the room. The tall, bony man removed his beaver hat and waited for Damien to be seated. Damien took his place behind his polished mahogany desk and motioned for Mr. Forth to be seated.

“Jarvis assured me that your visit was of the utmost importance,” he said, helping himself to a liberal splash of brandy.

“My business is actually with your brother, Prince Serge,” August said, adjusting his wire-rimmed spectacles. “But your butler informed me that he is feeling ill and cannot receive visitors.”

Had Jarvis been in the room, Damien would have kissed him. He understood as well as Damien that discretion was critical. No one needed to know what had occurred on the side of the road that night. He would give Lionus and Serge time, give the doctors time to make a better guess at their prognoses.

“I give you my word that whatever information you have for my brother will be communicated to him as soon as he is well enough to receive it.”

“Very well,” August said, reaching into a slim leather portfolio. He removed several sheets of thin parchment and laid them on Damien’s desk. “Your brother left a message at my shop that this was of the highest importance. He inquired about a custom made walking stick, featuring this figure in pure silver.”

Damien looked down at the drawings of an eagle, wings outstretched as if in flight. The eagle was entangled in the vicious hold of two snakes, both posed on either side with their fangs exposed as if to strike. Akira’s cryptic words came back to him in a rush of memory: “Within the house of the king, there lies a viper…If you are not careful, this viper that you nurture in your bosom will strike a deadly blow, one that will bring the royal family to its knees”. He studied the drawings carefully, knowing he had never seen this symbol before.

August cleared his throat. “Your brother seemed quite insistent I inform him immediately of the identity of the man who commissioned this remarkable cane. I found the request quite odd, to say the least.”

Damien’s brows snapped together in confusion. “Why should you find it odd?”

“Because, Your Grace, the owner of this cane is a member of your family. I found it strange that Prince Serge seemed oblivious of this fact.”

Damien’s blood ran cold. A tiny frisson of dread ran through him, and he stood watching the silversmith, still as death. “Oh God,” he said, his hands curling to fists on the desk. “Nicolai.” August Forth’s nod confirmed it.

He did not want to believe the truth. Surely someone had stolen the cane from his cousin, or seen it and had an exact copy made. There could be no other explanation. Fighting for composure, Damien turned to Mr. Forth with a forced smile. “I appreciate your coming tonight, Mr. Forth. I cannot tell you why, but I would appreciate your discretion in this matter. Tell no one that you spoke to me tonight.”

August stood, shuffling the drawings back into his portfolio and donning his beaver hat. “Of course, Your Grace, I spend too much time in my shop to gossip. I only know that your brother seemed quite adamant that I inform him of the owner’s identity immediately upon my return. I hope the information proves helpful to you.”

“Oh yes,” Damien said softly. “You’ve been most helpful.”

Damien turned and began pacing the length of his library, thinking over the events of the past few weeks. Nothing added up. Nicolai had aided them in their search for the masked man. How could he possibly be the culprit? He searched his mind for any inkling, any speckle of truth that could prove or disprove his suspicions.

He thought objectively and first pondered all the reasons that Nicolai could not be the culprit. He had been just as dedicated to finding Adare’s would-be assassin as he and his brothers had been.

For another thing, the criminals who had been hanged for their part in the masked man’s plot had told them that the man sought justice for wrongs committed against him by the royal family. What possible revenge could Nicolai seek to gain by murdering members of his own family?

The final reason was the most obvious. Nicolai was like a brother to him. The four of them had been that way their entire lives. He could not imagine that his normally amused cousin could nurse even an ounce of hatred.

Though it pained him greatly, he turned his mind over to all the reasons that Nicolai could very well be the villain. The first reason seemed almost silly, but he could hardly keep the ominous words of Akira from his mind. She had warned him of a viper and advised him that the viper was close to him. Could she have been referring to Nicolai?

He also realized that Nicolai had left a few days before the rest of the family, an action that had seemed harmless at the time, but now Damien saw it as a strategic move. It would have placed Nicolai in a position to strike out at them. His residence at Largess Hall for the past several weeks would have been convenient as well.

If the crown were available to you, would you come home to claim it? The question had seemed innocent enough when Nicolai had asked it, but now Damien wasn’t so sure. Was Nicolai trying to position himself to take the throne? With Adare and his sons out of the way, Nicolai’s father would take the crown. Upon his death, Nicolai would naturally be next in line.

Damien rose from behind his desk, his face grim. He left the library and headed for the kitchen. He found Jarvis there, sitting over his usual evening glass of sherry. He silently sat at the large oak table beside him and accepted an offered glass. Jarvis leaned back in his chair, his jacket removed, his cravat untied and the top button of his shirt undone. His wife, the head cook, and the kitchen servants had all gone to bed; they were alone. Jarvis sighed heavily.

“I heard,” he admitted to Damien, lifting his glass to his lips for a healthy swallow.

Damien laughed bitterly and took a large gulp as well. “Jarvis, I am old enough now to realize that you have been listening at keyholes in this place since well before I was born.”

Jarvis straightened his shoulders and pretended to be offended. “My dear boy, I never eavesdrop. I merely listen in on occasion.” He was suddenly very sober. “It is my duty to see after your welfare. After all that has happened today, I thought to wait nearby with a loaded pistol in case you needed me.”

Damien smiled at the trusty old butler. Of all people who resided within the walls of Largess Hall, Damien knew that Jarvis could be trusted. He could just imagine the somber, gray-haired man toting a pistol in the hall outside of his library. Though the image itself amused him, Damien knew for a fact that Jarvis could fire a pistol with deadly precision.

“What will you do now?” Jarvis asked, refilling each glass with the crystal decanter nearby.

“What would Lionus do?”

Jarvis chuckled

“You know,” he said, “I have watched you boys grow into men and I know as well as anyone that even though you and Lionus do not get along, you love each other. You, my dear boy, cannot seem to free yourself from a younger sibling’s desire to be like the elder. You admire and respect him, even if you do not like him very much. Now Lionus, he frets over you like a mother hen, trying his best to put a sober face upon his disapproval of your actions. The two of you make quite a pair.”

Jarvis blinked and shook his head, circling back to the point.

“Your brother would objectively observe the facts.”

“I have done that!”

“And?”

“I have decided that Nicolai is a highly likely suspect, though it pains me to think that way. I can see no reason for him to commit such a heinous act. For God’s sake, I am thinking of accusing my own cousin of murdering my father! How can I do such a thing? The man is like my brother.”

Jarvis cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. “There is a reason for that, Your Grace.”

Damien lifted a brow at Jarvis, his curiosity at its peak. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Jarvis ran his hands through his thinning hair and sighed

“Your father may have told you of a great love in his past,” Jarvis began carefully, “one that he had to reluctantly give up in order to marry Alexandra.”

“Yes, father told me the story. He said his father had already arranged a marriage to mother and he was unable to convince him to allow him to marry the woman he loved.”

“Did he tell you that there was a child?”

Damien felt the beginnings of apprehension curling in his stomach. He had a feeling he knew where this story was headed. “No, he did not tell me that.”

Jarvis nodded. “He wouldn’t have. It is a little known secret, one that has been closely guarded. Your father knew that Margaret carried his child and begged his father to allow him to wed her. He did not want his first child to be born a bastard. Your grandfather would not be swayed. He forced your father into a union with your mother. Your father was devastated.” He wasn’t content to just let her go on her way with his child, though. He did the only thing he could do to ensure a life for Margaret and a future for the child. He searched out your uncle, who had always had feelings for Margaret himself. He asked your uncle to marry Margaret and claim the child for his own and of course, he agreed. It was on that day that Nicolai Largess went from being your brother, to being your cousin.”

Damien could hardly believe he had never known this. Even now when he thought back, he realized his father had been infinitely interested in the details of his nephew’s life. He thought it had only been because Nicolai’s father had seemed so uninterested, but now Damien understood why. He also understood why Nicolai bore a stronger resemblance to Adare than Lionus, why he looked more like Damien’s twin than Serge.

“It all makes sense now,” said Damien, his fingers tightening around his glass. “The prisoners we executed told us that the masked man meant to right the wrongs committed against him. Nicolai must feel slighted because father gave him away and did not claim him as his legitimate heir.”

“Yes,” said Jarvis. “And by killing your father and all of you, he would be gaining the throne that he feels should have been his to begin with. So to repeat my earlier question, what do you intend to do now?”

Damien stood, his eyes cold and hard as flint. “It’s very simple Jarvis. The man has killed my father and viciously maimed my brothers. I intend to find him. I intend to kill him. As long as he lives, none of us are safe.”

****

Davina slowly opened her eyes and found that one of them stung slightly with the effort. Her muscles ached and with every movement she had to stifle the urge to cry out in pain. Nicolai Largess had left her chambers while she slept and she was relieved.

She had known for some time that Damien’s cousin held an interest in her. Davina was not entirely uninterested in him, after all Nicolai was devastatingly handsome. Who would pass up the chance to become the mistress of a prince? Davina had passed him over for his cousin and now it would seem fate had conspired to make her pay.

When Nicolai had approached her at the masquerade ball, Davina had thought to use him to make Damien jealous. Perhaps seeing her on the arm of another man would cause him to lose interest in Esmeralda and return to her. Of course, the ploy hadn’t worked and now Davina suffered at the hands of Damien’s cruel cousin.

The first time she’d taken him to her bed she had enjoyed it. She knew there were some men who liked to apply the strap to a woman’s behind and found that she herself liked a bit of rough play in the bedroom. It soon became apparent that Nicolai was not the sort she’d thought he was. She soon realized that Nicolai gained pleasure from inflicting pain, from watching the fear he could cause to well up in her eyes. Before long, he began to ramble on for hours after rough sex, telling her of his plans to take the throne. He warned her that if she were a good girl, she could one day be the king’s mistress.

Davina had given no credence to Nicolai’s mad ramblings at first. She thought only of ways to escape him but he would not allow it. The man came and went from her townhouse as he pleased and seemed to know her every move. He attended every soiree she did and clung to her possessively as they mingled among the guests.

When news of Adare’s death had spread through the city, Davina had known Nicolai to be at fault. She also knew that if she told anyone what she knew, she would be killed. Nicolai had issued no such threat aloud, but then he didn’t have to

Now, hours after another bout of violent intercourse, Davina stepped gingerly from her bed. She pressed her hand against her throbbing temple. Davina had protested Nicolai’s rough treatment and had been rewarded with an open palm on the side of her head, thus her sensitive eye. She peered at her reflection in the mirror and found a nasty bruise. Davina sighed and pulled a silk dressing gown around her naked body. If she didn’t do something soon, Nicolai would either kill her or permanently disfigure her.

She cursed Damien for leaving her to this fate. Damn him for being swayed by another pair of pretty eyes and shapely legs!

Yet, angry as she was at him, she knew that the only way out of this predicament was to find a way back under his protection. She tapped her finger against her chin thoughtfully. It would not be enough to go to him with the evidence of his cousin’s abuse. Damien, gallant romantic that he was, would probably rush to her defense if he believed her, but that would be the end of it.

No, she thought, she needed a more permanent way to bind herself to Damien, to make him take her as his wife as she had always thought he would. Davina studied her reflection with a smile, an idea beginning to take shape in her mind. She stood and bellowed for Anne to bring her a pot of chocolate. She sat up most of the night planning.

****

Lionus was awake, though in a great amount of pain, when Damien arrived in his chambers the following morning. Isabelle, her face haggard and drawn, still wore the same gown she had worn the night before. She had spent the night at his bedside, just as he and Esmeralda had at Serge’s. They had talked most of the night, though they also took turns sleeping. Damien reassured her that his intentions were unchanged.

“No matter what the outcome, I will make you my wife,” he’d said resolutely, clutching her hand tightly in his. Their ship was setting sail without them and their new beginning was temporarily on hold, but Damien was more determined than ever to make it happen.

He had told of her of Nicolai’s treachery, once he had dispatched soldiers to comb the city for his cousin. Every citizen of Cardenas was to be questioned and Hensley Hall, where Nicolai lived with his father, was to be searched extensively. So far, Damien had received no word from the captain of the guard, but he waited patiently for news. He knew that they would find him, it was only a matter of time. Nicolai would not leave Cardenas without ensuring his victory over his brothers.

“Are you certain you will be able to go through with it?” she’d asked him when he informed her of his decision regarding Nicolai. “I know what he has done to you, to your family, but can you honestly say that you will kill him when given the chance?”

Her question had given him slight pause. His fury was great, yet he knew that taking Nicolai’s life would hurt him greatly. But it was a burden he was willing to bear.

He sent Esmeralda home a few hours after dawn, ordering her to rest before returning with Akira and the tonic she was preparing for Lionus.

Damien was relieved to find both brothers still alive in the morning, though they both hovered precariously on the brink. He stood beside Isabelle, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Have you had any chance to rest?”

She nodded, pulling her shawl more closely around her body. “He slept through most of the night and so I was able to doze off right here in this chair. The maids came a few hours ago to change his bandages. He is still bleeding heavily from the wound through his middle. I fear he has lost too much.”

“Stop talking about me as if I am not in the room,” Lionus managed weakly, his cobalt eyes swiveling in their direction. “I may have a hole through my middle, but I haven’t gone deaf.”

Isabelle was up and swiftly at his side, shoving a bowl of broth into his hands. “Drink this,” she said. Lionus drank obediently then allowed his head to fall back among the pillows. His face was ashen and pale and Damien feared, just as Isabelle, that he had lost too much blood.

“Nicolai-“Lionus croaked, his eyes widening when Damien approached his side.        Damien placed his hand on his brother’s uninjured shoulder.

“I know,” he said. “I have soldiers combing the city for him. He will not go unpunished, Lionus, I swear to you.”

Lionus raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You sent out soldiers?”

Damien shrugged. “Seemed like a good idea. I only thought to do what you would have done were you in my shoes.”

Lionus nodded, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “For some reason I find myself strangely proud of you,” he said. Damien’s heart was immediately warmed. He could not think of a time when Lionus had said anything so nice to him.

“Serge?” Lionus questioned.

“Serge has survived the night, but it doesn’t look good, Lionus. All of his limbs are broken and the doctor fears that there could be bleeding inside his abdomen. He has yet to awaken.

Lionus squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his hands to his middle. “That bastard!” he cried, thrashing wildly against the pain. Damien was unsure if it was his wound, or his heart that hurt him more. For all his emotional shortcomings, Lionus loved his family fiercely, even if he did not know how to express it. Nicolai’s betrayal was more painful to him than any wound sustained from a sword.

“You must hold him!” Isabelle cried, rushing around the other side of him to hold down is injured arm. “He’ll rip the stitches in his shoulder!”

Damien saw the blood seeping through the bandage in Lionus’ middle and pressed his full weight on Lionus, who was surprisingly strong for one who had lost so much blood. Damien stared down into Lionus’ tear-streaked face, pressing his body down to the mattress with all his strength.

“Lionus I know you are in pain by you cannot move about so much. Doctor Keane would be very angry to find you have ripped his fine stitches,” Damien said calmly but his words had fallen on deaf ears. Lionus was delirious with the pain by now and blood flowed even more freely from the gaping wound in his middle.

Damien turned to Isabelle. “Doctor Keane stayed the night in case he was needed. He is staying just up the hall, go and find him!” he bellowed, struggling to hold Lionus down. “Hurry!”

Torn between following Damien’s directions and staying to help her husband, Isabelle decided it would be better to find Doctor Keane. He could do more for Lionus than she could. Damien found fresh linens and pressed them to Lionus’ wound, praying feverishly that the pressure would staunch the flow of blood. Lionus groaned and fought against Damien, his eyes frantic and glazed.

Doctor Keane came tearing in to the room with Isabelle on his heels. He quickly peeled back the linens that Damien held to find that they had soaked through. The doctor commanded Damien continue pressure, while he rifled around in his bag.

“Do something!” Isabelle shrieked from the foot of the bed.

“All we can do is apply pressure to the wound and pray that it will stop. I can give him something to ease his pain but we must get that bleeding under control!” Doctor Keane produced a bottle of laudanum from his bag forced Lionus’ mouth open. He poured a generous amount of the liquid down his throat and then proceeded to help Damien. Isabelle leaned against the wall, crying silently, shaking her head rapidly from side to side. “Please,” she prayed, her voice a whisper. “Please don’t let him die.”

Within minutes, the laudanum began to take its affect and Lionus’ stilled, his pain slightly dulled. He focused his glassy eyes on Damien. Doctor Keane lifted the blood soaked linens away and shook his head firmly. “There is nothing else we can do,” he looked toward Isabelle anxiously. “I’m sorry, but he won’t last another hour.”

“No!” Isabelle shrieked, throwing herself at the doctor, her voice shrill. “Do something! You have to try and save him!”

Doctor Keane looked to Damien, unsure of how to handle the sobbing woman. He was relieved when Damien plucked her from his arms. He bent back over Lionus, leaving the business of consolation to Damien.

“Isabelle,” he said firmly, taking hold of her shoulders and shaking her gently. “You must cease this. Lionus is going now and there is nothing we can do to help him, do you understand?” Isabelle hiccupped and nodded, but was silent. “You cannot let him go without saying good-bye. You have to tell him how much you love him and that he will always be in your heart. You cannot let him go without telling him.”

Damien and Doctor Keane stepped aside, allowing her to sit on the edge of the bed beside him. Blood soaked her gown, but she seemed oblivious to it as she ran her fingers gently through his unbound hair.

“Lionus,” she sobbed, pressing her lips to his, “I love you so much. Please don’t leave me. Please don’t die!”

Lionus lifted one hand to her pale cheek, his face softening as he studied her angelic face. “My love, I will never leave you,” he said, his voice a raspy whisper. “You will always carry me in your heart. For that is where you have always held me.”

Isabelle pressed her lips to his again and clung to him for dear life. Lionus wrapped his good arm weakly around her. He locked eyes with Damien over her shoulder. “Brother,” he said. “I cannot leave this earth without telling you what you meant to me.”

Damien was beside him in seconds, clasping his outstretched hand. “I have always known, Lionus.”

Lionus shook his head feebly from side to side. “Marry Esmeralda,” he said, smiling faintly at the astonishment on Damien’s face. “Marry her and keep her close. Don’t let her slip away. I was wrong to try and stop you, I know.”

Damien could no longer hold back the tears. They fell in warm drops on the back of his hand. “I will, Lionus. I will.”

“There is one other thing. It is important. You must not fail me,” Lionus said. “Take up my sword.” Damien searched the room, his eyes falling on Lionus’ sword, propped up in the corner beside the bed. He took the sword and held it where Lionus could see it in his hand. Lionus inhaled deeply, his chest swelling with pride. “That is the sword of the kings of Cardenas,” he said. “It has been wielded by Largess men for generations. I am giving it to you.”

“But surely you would want Serge to have it. He is next in line.”

“Serge may not live and that would make you king,” Lionus pointed out, much to Damien’s dismay.

“No,” he objected, having never fully thought about what Serge’s death could mean. “I can’t be. I won’t be!”

“You must!” Lionus insisted, holding Isabelle closer with one arm, clutching Damien’s hand more tightly with the other. “You are the son of Adare Largess. His blood runs in your veins. You are more fit to be king than even I.” Damien shook his head fiercely, as if the movement could shut Lionus’ words from his ears. Lionus released his hand, too weak now to hold on any longer. “You will take my sword and avenge our father,” he said, closing his eyes. “And you will rule Cardenas in my stead should Serge cross over into the afterlife.”

Damien fell back against the wall, watching Lionus whisper his final good-byes to Isabelle. A few seconds later, he was dead. Isabelle collapsed over her husband’s lifeless form, her shoulders shaking with soft sobs. Damien could only watch, clutching Lionus’ sword against his chest. Doctor Keane ushered in a small group of maids who busied themselves with stripping Lionus of his bloodied clothes and linens. Isabelle helped them.

Damien turned suddenly from the room, unable to abide the stench of death any longer. He ran through the twisting, turning corridors, seeking to fill his nostrils with fresh air. Damien raced through the main hall and burst through the heavy front doors. He collapsed at the top of the stairs, welcoming the biting cold that reached out to grasp him with its icy fingers.

He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes, willing the cold winter air to cleanse him. When he opened his eyes, he noticed for the first time that his hands were smeared with Lionus’ blood, just as they had been in the vision Akira had shown him.

Anger, blazing and hot rose within him. He threw his head back and allowed a guttural, pain-filled cry to spill from his lips. Damien sobbed until he could no longer breathe, his lungs contracting powerfully with the force of his cries.

Chapter 19

The sound of the priest’s voice echoed from the high painted walls of the cathedral. He spoke of life and death and the open arms of God that King Lionus was sure to encounter once he reached the city with streets paved with gold. Damien stared straight ahead, barely discerning the monotonous lilt of the gray-haired priest’s voice.

He sat in the first pew, Alexandra seated on his left, Isabelle at his right. Esmeralda sat at Isabelle’s other side and Jarvis sat at the end. Damien’s severe black and gray dress matched his mood. His fury was black and building within him with each passing day. Nicolai had yet to be found, though the soldiers he had sent out had brought back some interesting news.

He had last been seen at Hensley Hall. By the time the soldiers reached the castle, Nicolai was gone. His father had been found lying face down in the garden fountain, a bottle of port clutched in his icy hand. The man had been in his cups ever since the death of his wife and an accident was possible, perhaps even inevitable. Damien suspected foul play. He had come to believe now, more than ever, that Nicolai was killing off members of their family one by one.

Damien knew that Nicolai thought Serge to be dead and wanted to keep it that way. If his half-brother thought that the only person who stood between him and the throne was Damien, he would come directly to him. Damien would not be caught unaware. Even now, he felt the cold steel of a pistol tucked into the waistband of his trousers and knew that Jarvis carried one as well.

Damien’s eyes fell to the gilded casket, still open to display the lifeless body of his brother. He could not even summon the tears to cry for his brother or his father any longer. He had spilled the last of them on the front steps of the palace. Since then, all he had been able to feel was a black malice, one that had planted itself within him like a seed and now grew to the farthest reaches of his body.

She slipped her hand through his. Her other hand was held by Isabelle, who seemed to be holding on for dear life.

Isabelle’s head was bowed, a black lace mantilla covering the pale blonde hair pulled back into a severe knot. She wore black bombazine, black boots, and black lace gloves. Her face was drained of all color, and was a startling contrast against the severity of her mourning attire. Her eyes were red-rimmed and so filled with sorrow that Damien’s heart broke just gazing upon her.

Damien watched as Lionus’ coffin was closed and lifted. Soon they would follow the box out into the swirling snow to the royal cemetery at Largess Hall. He would stand in the bitter cold and watch them lower his brother into a dark hole in the ground. Beside Lionus’ freshly dug grave would lay his father’s. Damien determined with every ounce of his will, that this grave would be the last to be dug for years to come.

He would will Serge to live and take his rightful place on the throne. Nicolai would pay for what he had done and Damien would marry Esmeralda. He refused to allow it to happen any other way.

He looked over at his mother, who sobbed softly into the handkerchief he had offered her. Damien had tried to muster even one ounce of sympathy for the woman, but found that he could not. He knew that Alexandra had never held any love in her heart for Adare, yet had loved their first-born son. He wondered sadly if she would be so affected if it were Serge lying in that coffin instead of Lionus.

Later that evening, when the palace had grown quiet, Damien encountered Alexandra coming from the kitchen. Damien was surprised to find her there, holding a pot of tea and a china cup, a long, dark braid hanging over one shoulder. In her prim white nightgown and matching wrapper, she appeared much younger and softer than Damien had ever seen her.

She stopped abruptly when she saw him, pausing in the doorway of the kitchen to study him intently. Alexandra seemed to struggle internally for a moment before speaking.

“I have been meaning to speak with you,” she began, clutching the porcelain teapot tightly in her hands. “I had hoped to find you alone and I suppose now is as good a time as any.”

Damien folded his arms across his chest and gave her a slight nod. He would hear what she had to say, in hopes that she would leave him to return to Esmeralda, who he’d left waiting in his chambers.

“Lionus is dead,” she rushed on. Damien discerned a slight faltering in her voice, but Alexandra pressed on. “Serge is not at all improved. Doctor Keane has said that he is in a coma. He does not believe that he will ever wake up.” She paused for a moment and watched Damien intently. Her scrutiny made him uncomfortable, and he shifted slightly under her gaze.

Alexandra continued. “Because your brother’s condition is so uncertain, I believe that it is time for us to consider your succession.”

Damien shook his head vehemently, his eyes glittering dangerously. “No,” he said, his voice deceptively calm. “We will not have this conversation right now.”

“When would be a good time then? When Serge is already lying cold and dead in the ground?” Alexandra’s sliced through him ruthlessly and Damien closed the distance between them, his fingers itching to reach out and throttle her. He clenched them behind his back instead.

“Serge is not dead!” he hissed through clenched teeth. “I wonder, mother, if you would cry any tears for him as you did your beloved Lionus.”

Alexandra lifted her chin regally and stabbed Damien with her cold blue eyes. “You always were a romantic, a dreamer like your father,” she said. “But you cannot go on dreaming forever. Do you honestly think I want to be having this talk with you? That I would not rather be content in the knowledge that Lionus and Isabelle will rule Cardenas and Barony well, as they were born to do? Well I tell you now that I wish none of this had ever happened, but we have to face the facts. Serge may die at any moment and you must be prepared to take the throne.”

Damien felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under him. He suddenly felt tired, deflated and completely out of control. He had never allowed himself to consider the possibility of Serge’s death. His injuries were severe, but Serge was strong as an ox and stubborn as a mule. He had to survive. But what if he doesn’t? The question nagged him, taunted him with the certainty of his future. He, Damien Largess, third son of Adare, would be king of Cardenas.

“I will not take the throne while Serge lives,” he said finally. “We will wait and see what happens. I will not take something that is not rightfully mine.”

“I am not asking you to,” Alexandra replied. “According to the law, if the king is unfit to rule, then the council must be assembled. A decision must be made there in order to pass the crown down to you. Doctor Keane can be made to testify to your brother’s condition. The council will no doubt rule in your favor.”

Damien had never known such anger before. He gripped Alexandra’s shoulders tightly, shaking her roughly. The teapot in her hand rattled and the painted china cup and saucer clattered to the marble floor and shattered to pieces. Alexandra whimpered and fear filled her eyes, but she did not struggle against him.

“You are a pitiful excuse for a mother,” he said, his voice a low rumbling growl. “You have rejected me my entire life and have shown me nothing but disinterest and contempt. Now you seek to manipulate me as well and I will not allow it. You haven’t a loyal bone in your body, so allow me to make this clear to you. I will not assemble the council and convince them to wrest the crown from my brother while he fights for his life. Until he awakens I will act as steward to the throne.”

He released Alexandra and she took a few steps away from him, schooling her features into a mask of cool reserve. “Very well,” she said, knowing she was powerless to force his hand. “I can see that you are still very hurt over your father’s death and Nicolai’s betrayal. You must eventually come down from the cloud you have been living on and face reality. Serge will more than likely die. The fate of Cardenas and Barony will rest in your hands.”

When he did not respond, she turned to leave but stopped suddenly. “Oh, and you might think of poor Isabelle as well,” she said, turning to glance at him over her shoulder. “Her future is as uncertain as yours.”

Damien cursed her under his breath as he made his way back toward his room. He had almost reached the door to his chambers when he remembered his reasons for going to the kitchen in the first place. With a heavy sigh, he turned and walked back. He hated himself for the pattern of his thoughts, but Alexandra’s words had the nasty sting of truth in them. It was as if someone had doused his face with cold water.

He gathered a hunk of crusty bread, some fruit, a few slabs of roast beef, and a bottle of Sherry before turning back toward his chambers. In his heart, he willed his brother to live, but in his mind, he knew it would be hopeless. Damien saw his dreams of a new life with Esmeralda falling down around him like great hunks of crumbling stone.

****

Esmeralda shivered and wrapped her thick shawl more snugly around her shoulders. December was rapidly approaching and the bitter cold was becoming harsher. Akira stood and gently poked at the dying embers of the fire before adding another log. The flames leapt upward and Esmeralda held her hands out toward the radiating warmth.

“The days grow colder,” said Akira, her eyes clouded. “This year winter will be bitter and cruel.” Esmeralda frowned as she studied her grandmother. The old woman had been quite distracted lately and Esmeralda knew that could not be a good sign. Whenever Akira sank into one of these moods, it was because she had seen something in one of her visions that disturbed her. Esmeralda wondered if it concerned her.

She was just about to ask, when a pounding at the front door interrupted. She leapt to her feet and crossed to the door, but Akira was already there. “He’s late,” she murmured before swinging the door open. Damien strode in, bringing in a great deal of snow on his boots and shoulders of his greatcoat.

He barely spared Esmeralda a glance before turning back to Akira. His eyes were wild, as was his hair, which Esmeralda could tell had been mussed by nervous fingers. He looked like a caged jungle cat, prepared to pounce. Something had obviously happened in the few days since she had seen him.

“I need to know where he is,” he said to Akira. “I have to know where to find my cousin.” Damien knew he must look and sound like a madman, but his anger and frustration had reached their limits. The captain of the guard had sent him several messages; he had led his men on a thorough search, but Nicolai was nowhere to be found. The servants at his estate said he had not returned. They had searched and questioned everyone Damien could think of, but he knew that the search was futile. Nicolai could lose himself in the mountains that bordered Cardenas and Barony and never be found.

“You have to help me,” he pleaded. “You showed me things before and they all came true. This time maybe you can show me where he is.”

Akira reached out and grasped his hands tightly.. Akira watched him for a moment, then nodded decisively.

“Come,” she said, motioning toward the staircase. “Esmeralda,” she commanded, “be a good girl and brew some of Raina’s special tea. Your beloved with probably need it when we are through.” Esmeralda grudgingly obeyed, even though she wanted so desperately to follow them up the stairs. She set the teapot over the stove, plopped down into a chair, and waited.

Akira’s room was just as Damien remembered it. Though it was mid-afternoon, dark curtains kept the light of the afternoon sun away, shrouding the room in darkness. Akira lit a lamp and led the way to the same low table they had sat at before. Damien took his place, kneeling across from her, waiting patiently for her to offer him her pipe. She removed the pipe from one of the pockets in her voluminous robes and stuffed it with tobacco from a small glass jar nearby. The familiar blue smoke curled around her as she lifted it toward her lips.

When it was Damien’s turn he inhaled eagerly, relieved that the fragrant smoke did not choke him as it had before. Once his vision had cleared, he saw himself standing in the courtyard before Largess Hall. Snow fell all around him, yet he was not wearing a coat. He stood in his shirtsleeves, with Lionus’ sword clenched at his side, the steel glistening menacingly in the moonlight.

A figure in black moved toward him through the swirling flurries of falling snow, his sword drawn as well. As the man drew near, Damien saw the unmistakable glow of Nicolai’s white-blond hair and the flash of eyes identical to his own. Just before the image faded, he saw the two figures rush toward each other, their swords clashing together between them.

Damien fought to hold on to the image, but it was gone and a new one was in its place. He saw the figure of a woman and though he could only see her back, he knew it was Esmeralda. She was gowned in white and her hair was loose and flowing down her back. Her head was covered with a white lace mantilla and Damien could faintly make out a small bouquet of flowers in her hands.

Joy filled his heart at the sight of Esmeralda dressed as a bride. His heart swelled even more as that vision faded and the third one sprang to life before him. A child ran, laughing across the lawn at Largess Hall. He recognized the circular band of trees behind the child, a girl, in the background. She ran and giggled, waving at some unseen person. Her eyes were as green as the grass she ran on.

Damien was smiling when the haze dissipated and he found himself back in the room with Akira. Akira was solemn. “Patience will serve you well,” she said, leaning back against her many cushions with a tired sigh. “You will not find your enemy, but do not despair. He will come to you.”

Damien nodded. He and Nicolai had confronted each other on the steps of Largess Hall and Damien could see from his vision that the attack was well anticipated. He had only to wait. He stood quickly, a wide smile crossing his features. Damien left Akira to rest and took the stairs two at a time down to the kitchen where Esmeralda waited for him.

She was surprised to see him smiling and was even more surprised when he lifted her in his arms and spun her around, laughing joyously. “What has gotten into you?” she asked before he silenced her with a searing kiss. “I suppose the news was good.”

Damien set her on her feet. “You have no idea. I’m so glad I came today!”

“Are you going to tell me what you saw?” she asked. His excitement was contagious. Damien studied her for a moment before responding. Esmeralda did not yet show signs of pregnancy. The child in his vision had been at least 2 or 3 years old, so she might not have conceived yet but the possibility had lifted his spirits beyond belief.

“I saw you as my bride,” was all he said. He did not wish to unnerve her by speaking of the child and he certainly wasn’t going to tell her about the duel with Nicolai. All of these things could be dealt with as they came.

He left Esmeralda’s cottage filled with a hope that he had long deserted him. Damien turned to see her watching him from the doorway and his heart was lifted, thinking of the new life to come and the new life that could now be growing inside the woman he loved.

The snow was relentless, falling in flurries that swirled around the still form of a man standing on the precipice of one of the mountains bordering Cardenas and Barony. Nicolai stood, his legs wide as if on the deck of a rocking ship. His black greatcoat whipped about his body with the shifting of the biting wind. The fur lining served to keep him considerably warm. He stood with his gloved hands shoved deep in his pockets, his cool green eyes surveying the land below him.

Soon everything as far as the sparkling ocean beyond would be his. The end was near, and Nicolai could taste the inevitable victory. Two brothers down, he told himself. He had debated extensively over his decision regarding Damien. Though he knew things would be much simpler if he did away with his only remaining relative, Nicolai never did anything that didn’t serve some sort of purpose.

Damien had said with his own lips that if the crown were in his hands, he would allow it to pass him over. He knew that the recent deaths of his father and brothers had held Damien back from leaving the country, but Nicolai knew him well enough to know that his cousin would not give up that easily. So, Nicolai waited.

He glanced over his shoulder at his loyal band of men. Each of them was discontented with their lots in life, money hungry and willing to do anything to better their own circumstances. He had promised them all titles, wealth and a place in his royal court when he was crowned. So far they had proven invaluable, his own private little army.

Nicolai knew they were growing restless. They were watching him, huddled around the small campfires between the opulent tents Nicolai had provided. The men slept on fur rugs, had all the ale and spiced wine they could ask for and more than enough food, even if there weren’t many choices.

When the king’s soldiers had come looking for him, Nicolai knew that one of his brothers had lived long enough to reveal his identity. He had been ready for such an occurrence and immediately led his men into the mountains. The men were impatient, some even questioned why they didn’t just have done with it and kill Damien.

Nicolai had decided to give his brother time, hoping that he would be wise enough to follow through with his plans to whisk his fiancé off to America. He would allow Damien to decide his own fate. The moment he received word that Damien had set sail, he would take his rightful place. The second he heard otherwise, Damien would not live long enough to regret it.

Chapter 20

Two more weeks passed without any change in Serge’s condition. Damien and Esmeralda spent much of their time at his bedside, watching and waiting for any sign of life. Damien was beginning to believe that his mother and the physicians were right. Serge wasn’t going to wake up.

The time had come for Damien to go to the High Council. Alexandra had said no more to him on the subject, but Jarvis had informed him that the queen mother had already petitioned the council on his behalf. He had only to call on them and they would assemble, ready to rule in his favor. He stood at the foot of his brother’s bed, attired in formal court dress, complete with military style jacket and sash boasting the blue and grey colors of the Largess family. The jacket fit him well in his broad shoulders and tapered in at the waist where a black belt holding a jewel-hilted sword was fastened. The jacket boasted rows of silver buttons down his chest, and epaulets and silver braid at the shoulders; snowy white linen was tied at his throat, and highly polished black boots gleamed on his feet.

Damien stood silently for a while, watching his brother’s shallow breath. Serge’s fluttering pulse at the juncture of his jaw and throat was barely detectable. He sighed heavily, wondering how a person could hover so precariously on the line between life and death. Damien had hoped and prayed so furiously that his brother would wake up, but the heavens seemed to be ignoring his requests.

“I am prepared to make my statement to the council,” said Doctor Keane as he entered Serge’s chambers. “You have no need to worry, Your Grace, the council will rule in your favor.”

“Is that supposed to reassure me?” Damien inquired, his voice low and menacing. “You think I want to do this? You think I want to take from my brother what is rightfully his?” Doctor Keane stammered and stuttered in the face of Damien’s anger. When he could come up with no suitable reply, Damien dismissed him with an imperious wave of his hand. “Leave us,” he said softly, turning back to Serge. “The council should be assembling now. Go there and tell them I’ll be along in a moment.”

Doctor Keane rushed from the room as fast as his feet would take him, passing Esmeralda and Akira in the corridor, who had come as they did almost every day to look in on Serge. He turned to face her. “It’s time,” he said. “The physicians all agree that if he doesn’t wake up soon he will either die, or remain as he is for many years.”

Esmeralda rushed forward to wrap her arms around him. “He would understand, Damien,” she said, knowing how tormented he had been over this decision. She held him tightly and forced a little smile for his benefit. “He would not hold this against you. It was not his way, and you know it.”

Damien nodded, wrapping one arm around her. “I know,” he said. “But that doesn’t make me feel any better about doing this.”

A light knock on the door followed Alexandra’s entrance into the room. She ignored Esmeralda and Akira completely and turned to her son. “It is time,” she said from the doorway. “The council awaits.”

Damien stepped from the circle of Esmeralda’s arms and placed a light kiss on her forehead. “Will you be here when I return?” She nodded. “Good,” he said before turning to leave. He stopped in the doorway one last time and gazed back at Serge over his shoulder. “Forgive me brother for what I am about to do.”

The fifty members of the High Council were gathered and ready, each seated in their designated place in the Hall of the High Council. Damien’s boots clicked against the marble floors as he walked to the center of the room, where he was to stand and plead his case to the men gathered. Alexandra and Doctor Keane took available seats against the side wall, waiting silently for their chance to speak. Damien stood beneath the domed, painted ceiling, gazing up at the members of the council, men who had all been chosen specifically by his father.

Francis Boswell, the most senior member and Speaker of the High Council, began the proceedings. “Prince Damien,” he said, his voice echoing off the walls and ceilings, “You have summoned us here today to discuss the condition of your brother and current heir to the throne, Prince Serge. If Prince Serge has been found incompetent by his attending physicians, then you have every right by the dictates of the law to succeed to the throne in his stead. You may now state your case.”

Damien clasped his hands tightly behind his back, hoping that no one would notice how badly they were shaking. He knew that this must be done, yet he could not seem to find any sort of peace about it. Damien forced himself to square his shoulders and speak. “Gentlemen,” he began, “I gather you here today with great sadness in my heart and a heavy burden upon my conscious. My father and eldest brother are dead and another brother lies upon his deathbed as well. As the third son of Adare, I never thought to be in a position to take the throne. It is with great remorse that I come here today to do just that. I have brought Doctor Keane here, the senior physician attending my brother, to speak on my brother’s condition. I will ask him to come forward now.”

Doctor Keane stepped up beside Damien and cleared his throat. “Gentlemen of the council, I have conferred with my fellow physicians, each of whom has examined Prince Serge personally. He has sustained a catastrophic amount of trauma and we are doubtful that he will ever recover. Even if he were to live, he will continue to lie in a coma, just as he is now. We can do nothing more than care for him until the day of his passing.”

“Doctor Keane, you swear before this court that Prince Serge will never awaken from his coma?”

Doctor Keane shrugged. “There is a slim possibility that he could awaken,” he replied. “But in my experience, people who wake up from comas are never the same as they were before. Some never speak or move on their own. They simply sit and stare blankly ahead. Considering the amount of trauma that the prince has been through, it seems highly unlikely that he will ever be able to function as a normal person.”

Francis Boswell nodded his head and dismissed Doctor Keane with a wave of his hand. “If you will but give us a moment, Your Majesty,” he said to Damien. “We will now adjourn to discuss our decision.”

Damien silently agreed and watched as the men of the council disappeared one by one through a door at the back of the Hall. He took a seat beside Alexandra and waited. Half an hour later, the doors opened and the men who would decide his fate filed silently back in. Damien stood to face them, dread unfurling rapidly in his belly.

“We have reached a decision,” said Francis, once every member was seated. “We have reviewed the signed testimonies of each physician that has examined your brother. We believe what they say to be true and have decided to name you King Damien, ruler of Cardenas and Barony, as is your right as next in the royal line. For what it’s worth to you, I believe your father would have been proud.”

Damien felt the cruel weight of finality crushing down on him. This was not what he had wanted. Never could he have imagined he would be here, accepting the responsibility that came with ruling two kingdoms. Damien inclined his head in acknowledgement of the council’s verdict. Francis stood, and the other members of the council followed. “All hail King Damien!” he bellowed.

“All hail King Damien!” The council members echoed, their voices ringing in Damien’s ears as he strode swiftly from the Hall.

****

Esmeralda linked her arm through Damien’s and allowed him to lead her down the winding path through the garden. Nearly all of the flowers had died now and the frost of winter snow had settled on the branches that were left. Snow crunched beneath the soles of her high boots and clung to the bottom of her fur-lined cloak. The cloak had been another of Damien’s numerous gifts, one she was grateful for now as they strolled through the beautiful garden clothed in a soft white winter blanket of snow and ice.

The tension that had been present before Damien’s meeting was now gone, though she knew his mind was burdened with the many duties that awaited him as king. Esmeralda was relieved, but in a way nervous as well. Damien still spoke of marrying her as if his becoming king had not just changed everything. As Damien’s wife, Esmeralda would become queen of two countries. Though Cardenas and Barony were small, the thought of ruling as queen of anything caused the butterflies in her stomach to flutter their wings mercilessly.

“You must start planning the wedding at once,” Damien was saying, as they walked. “I will speak to Jarvis and let him know that he is to be available to you at all times. We will have to be wed as soon as possible, three weeks if we can manage it. Once we are married, I’m afraid we’ll have to forgo a wedding trip. The state of Barony can be ignored no longer.”

Esmeralda nodded slowly, but her mind was reeling. She hadn’t the faintest idea how to plan a lavish wedding fit for a king and queen. Normally she would turn to Isabelle for guidance but her friend had not quite been herself since Lionus’ death. She walked about as if in a dream-like state, shrouded in her black mourning clothes. Isabelle was always there to take up the vigil at Serge’s bed whenever Damien and Esmeralda were not present. Sometimes she would read or talk to him, convinced that he could still hear what was going on around him. Other times she merely sat in silence and stared out of the window.

“A decision must be made about Isabelle’s future as well,” Damien said, as if reading Esmeralda’s thoughts. “Though I daresay she is not ready to discuss the matter just yet.”

“She is hardly recovered,” Esmeralda replied glad for the change of subject. She would worry over the planning of the wedding later. “Give her a bit more time. Perhaps she could stay here with us.”

Damien shook his head. “I know that she would if I asked her to, but Barony is her home. She was meant to return there and continue the royal family line. It hardly seems right the way things have unfolded.”

Esmeralda patted his hand gently. “I’m sure you’ll think of something. You can’t blame yourself. You can only take things one step at a time. Eventually, I’m sure we’ll find the peace to live a normal life.”

Damien stopped and smiled down at her, lifting her chin with his fingertips to capture her mouth in a tender kiss. “I will be the most fortunate of men to have you for my wife,” he said, brushing his lips across her cheek and down to her neck. The hood of her cloak slipped back from her head and Damien caressed the loose tendrils of hair that had fought their way from the neat chignon at the nape of her neck.

“I’m not sure,” she said, fighting the waves of exhilaration that rippled through her at his touch. She could barely think with his hand cupping the back of her head, drawing her in for another kiss, his thumb tracing light circles on the sensitive spot behind her ear. “If you are king, then that makes me queen.”

“Mmmmm,” he rumbled against her throat, nibbling gently and sliding his hands inside her cape to span her waist with his hands. “And you shall be the most beautiful queen to ever sit upon the throne,” he murmured.

“What on earth does a queen do anyway?” she asked absently, closing her eyes and giving herself over to the pleasure of the moment.

“Whatever the hell she wants,” he replied, pulling back to look down into her worried eyes. “Devote herself to charity work, bear lots of children, spend obscene amounts of money, lounge around all day nibbling on chocolates, plan lavish parties, take your pick.”

Esmeralda laughed. “I think I’ll stick to charity work and bearing children. I don’t care much for spending money, and chocolates and lavish parties are sure to ruin my figure.”

Damien thought of the child from his visions and smiled. He couldn’t ask for a better gift. “More than anything else I simply wish you to be my wife. In the same way you would if I were still a prince, or a simple farmer, or a Gypsy.”

Esmeralda knew that he was right. She had a lifetime to learn how to be a queen, she would spend that lifetime as his wife and the mother of his children. “Anything you say, Your Highness.”

Damien laughed, a sound that Esmeralda had come to miss over the past few weeks. It warmed her more than her fur-lined cloak had in the chill of the winter afternoon. “You know,” he said, “I have not been very fond of that title, but I rather like the sound of it coming from your sweet lips.”

Esmeralda smiled. “Then I’ll have to say it more often, Your Highness.”

Jarvis was waiting for them when they returned from their walk. He took Esmeralda’s cloak and Damien’s greatcoat and ordered hot tea for them both.

“Have mine delivered to my library, Jarvis,” Damien said. “I have pressing business to take care of, things that have been neglected long enough.”

Jarvis felt his heart swelling with pride as if Damien were his own son. He had known all along that intelligence and determination were a part of the young prince’s character, though many overlooked those qualities and chose only to see his rakish façade. On his first day as king, Damien was efficiently stepping up to the task at hand. Adare would have been so proud.

“Of course, Your Highness,” he said. “Might I suggest having your things moved to the king’s chambers? I thought you would like to start getting used to your new quarters.”

Damien nodded. “I’ll leave that task up to you, Jarvis. I would prefer to bring the furniture from my library, though, and my books as well. Have them switched out with those in the king’s study.”

“I shall see it done today.”

“Good. Make yourself available to Esmeralda as well,” Damien said. “I am trusting you to see that all goes smoothly in making the wedding arrangements.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Damien gave Esmeralda a quick kiss on the cheek and was gone up the winding staircase in the span of a few seconds. Esmeralda waited until he was completely out of sight before she turned to Jarvis. “Oh God, Jarvis what am I going to do? I haven’t the faintest idea how to go about planning this wedding! I would ask Isabelle for help but she is hardly in the right frame of mind and I know that Damien’s mother will only laugh in my face if I ask her for help!”

Jarvis smiled and grasped Esmeralda’s hand, leading her toward one of the many sitting rooms where her tea awaited. He lowered her to an armchair and handed her a steaming cup. “You must calm yourself, my dear,” he said. “I think you will find my assistance invaluable in this. If you would allow me, I can make suggestions as to where you are to start.”

Esmeralda nodded eagerly. “Yes, thank you.”

“I will contact the florist and order whatever floral arrangements you think will be suitable. Might I suggest a trip to the cathedral? You will be able to visualize what type of flowers would look best in that setting. I will also contact Madame Didier in regards to your wedding gown. I’m sure she will be honored to create the wedding dress of a future queen. I will inform her that she is to report to you at once. I will also take you to my wife, the head cook, to consult her about the wedding reception, which will of course be held here.”

Esmeralda’s head was spinning, but she was grateful for the sweet old butler’s help. “Jarvis, I have a feeling you and I will get along nicely together.”

Another smile tugged at the corners of Jarvis’ normally straight mouth. “I have no doubt in my mind that you are right.”

****

Footmen and maids scurried to remove themselves from her path as she glided down the hallway at a brisk pace. The only sound that could be heard was the click of her high-heeled slippers on the marble floors and the rustle of her black skirts. Queen Alexandra could have been wielding and sword and shield, so quick were the servants to be out of her way. She was on the warpath and they all knew instinctively not to cross her when she was in such a mood.

She marched toward her son’s wing of the palace, moving gracefully past footmen toting trunks and various furnishings. Damien was moving into the king’s chambers. She had already vacated the room adjoining the king’s chambers and now had her own wing of the house, which she found quite satisfactory.

This was not the issue that brought her before the new king. The news of his impending wedding to that insipid Gypsy girl had not been well received. She had hoped that her son would be wise enough to know that his newly elevated status demanded that he choose a more suitable bride.

Apparently, Damien needed some sense talked into him and she was fully prepared to do battle with him on this. The two guards on either side of the door hesitated when she demanded entrance, but soon stepped aside when it became evident that she would not leave before gaining an audience with her son.

Damien was seated behind his desk, talking quietly with a man in military dress that Alexandra recognized as a Captain in the army. The two men stood and shook hands.

“Thank you for this opportunity, Your Highness,” the captain said as he turned to take his leave. “I know that this decision could not have been easy for you, but I am honored to know that you trust me enough to reward me with this position.”

“You will make a fine General, Adams. I have no doubts about that. I shall assemble the High Council in a few weeks’ time. General Stombol will be arriving from Barony soon and I will expect a full report from the two of you when the council is gathered. Use whatever information he can give you on the state of affairs in Barony and come up with a strategy. I will expect the two of you to be prepared to share that strategy with the council and myself. Be sure to include the amount of money and the number of troops you will need.”

The newly appointed General Adams bowed and turned to leave. He stopped to bow once more before the queen mother and was gone. Alexandra stepped forward.

“Damien, a word if you please.”

Damien sat back behind his desk, his head lowered over a letter he was composing. “Who allowed you to come in here?” he asked distractedly, never lifting his eyes from his quill pen and paper. “I asked not to be disturbed.”

“I made it quite clear that I would not be turned away,” she replied, approaching Damien’s desk. He glanced up at her impatiently.

“State your business and leave. I have several other important meetings today and I don’t have time for another one of your lectures.”

“You will make the time,” she said, her eyes growing even more frigid with her fury. Damien infuriated her even further by daring to appear unruffled in the face of her anger. Alexandra lowered herself regally into a chair and folded her hands tightly in her lap.

“It has come to my attention that there is a wedding being planned for a few weeks from now,” she began.

“Yes,” he said sharply.. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. “I assume you’ve come to congratulate me.”

“I have come to talk you into coming to your senses! What on earth could you be thinking, choosing a peasant Gypsy dancer as your queen?”

“There is no law dictating my choice of bride and since father and Lionus both neglected to choose one for me before their deaths, I have made the decision for myself.”

“I won’t allow it!” she shrieked, leaping to her feet. The false mask of calm she had donned before entering was now slowly slipping away. Her cheeks were tinged pink and her fists were curled tightly at her sides. She was furious.

Damien stood, his fury a match for hers. “And how do you think to stop me? All I have to do is say the word and you will be confined to your rooms for as long as I wish it! Or better yet, I could have you banished!”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she hissed, though she was not so sure. She had never shown Damien great affection and now her neglect of her youngest son might just come back to haunt her. It would be just retribution in her son’s eyes to have her sent away.

“You think so?” he taunted “Do you really want to find out?”

Alexandra sighed, unclenching her fists and smoothing her skirts with her palms. She took on her smooth, cool demeanor once again. “I warn you, you are making a terrible mistake.”

“No,” Damien said with a frown. “It is the only thing that makes this whole situation bearable. I had no desire to be in this position and yet here I am, in my brother’s place. I just appointed a General to take Serge’s place. I find myself responsible for the lives of everyone around me. When I think of a future with the woman I love, all of those things seem inconsequential by comparison.”

“You are being unbelievably selfish,” Alexandra said. “You haven’t the slightest idea what being king really entails. Your father sacrificed much for the sake of duty and honor.”

“Yes, and look what it gained him; a loveless marriage, and a vindictive bastard son. Do you honestly wish that kind of life for me? I am your only remaining son! I would think that you would want some form of happiness for me.”

Alexandra sighed, exasperated because things had not gone her way. It was clear that Damien was not going to listen to reason. All this drivel about love and happiness were blinding him to the truth. She decided to take her leave of him. Surely, within the few weeks that remained before the wedding, she could find another way to prevent the marriage from taking place.

“I hope you will at least think about what I’ve said,” she remarked before leaving. “As king, you do not have the luxury of thinking only of yourself.”

When Damien did not respond, Alexandra breezed through the doors of the library, which magically opened as she approached. The guards swung the doors shut behind her and she turned in the direction of her own chambers. She encountered Jarvis as she neared her wing of the palace.

“Your Highness,” he said with a stiff bow. “You have a caller.”

“Who is it Jarvis? I do not wish to be disturbed at the moment.”

“Lady Davina Russell was most insistent. She said that it was urgent and she would be willing to wait all day if necessary to see you.”

Alexandra sighed. She had never cared much for Damien’s ex-mistress. The woman was vulgar and crass, but she would be more than grateful if Damien were to turn his attentions back to her instead of carrying on with a common Gypsy dancer. At least Davina Russell was of noble blood. Alexandra wondered what the girl could possibly want with her.

“Where is she?” she asked, allowing curiosity to overcome her desire not to be disturbed by callers.

“I placed her in the room overlooking the rose garden, Your Highness; the yellow salon.”

“Very well,” she replied, waving Jarvis away high-handedly. “See that we are not disturbed.”

She entered the salon to find Lady Russell seated on a soft yellow chaise, holding a china cup in her gloved hands. She stood and curtsied prettily. Despite the girl’s flaws, she was very beautiful, Alexandra observed. She possessed a confident air and an impeccable sense of style. With a little more polish Lady Russell could be transformed into a lady fit to be her son’s queen.

“Your Highness,” she said demurely, “I am so pleased that you would take the time out of your busy day to meet with me.”

Alexandra took a seat on the other side of the coffee table, allowing Davina to serve her a cup of chocolate from the gold tea service between them. “I was assured that your reasons for coming here were most urgent,” she said, accepting the offered cup and sipping slowly.

“Oh yes,” Davina said passionately, whipping a white, lace-trimmed handkerchief from her reticule. Tears welled up in her wide brown eyes. “It is most urgent, Your Highness, and I thought to come to you first since Damien has avoided me like the plague since ending our…association.”

Uncomfortable with the girl’s simpering display of emotion, Alexandra sat her cup down in its saucer and reached across the table awkwardly to pat Davina’s hand. “Pull yourself together girl,” she commanded between Davina’s soft sobs. “Tell me what kind of trouble you’re in and I will tell you what I can do to help you.”

“I am with child!” Davina cried, dabbing at her eyes, careful not to smudge the kohl she had carefully applied that morning. “I am pregnant with Damien’s child.”

Alexandra was stunned. She knew that it had only been a few months since Damien had last been with his ex-mistress. She also knew that the girl had spread her thighs for several other men since then. Alexandra was suddenly delighted. Even if the child wasn’t Damien’s it would be just the leverage she needed to convince Damien to marry Davina instead of Esmeralda. “Are you quite certain, dear?” she asked.

Davina nodded vehemently. “Yes. I had it confirmed by a physician only this morning. I know that Damien no longer holds any affection for me, but I was hoping that he would at least provide for us. I know I could not expect any more from him than that.”

“Nonsense, child. Of course, Damien will do what is right by you once he hears the news. Now, you are certain that the child is his? I only ask darling because you have a certain…reputation, as it were.”

Davina nodded. “Oh yes I am certain. The doctor assured me that the conception took place during my last few weeks with your son as I have not had my monthly courses in over two months. I know that I have not exactly been circumspect in my liaisons, but I assure you that the child is his.”

Alexandra narrowed her eyes. “Would you be willing to bring your physician here? Damien will want to know for sure that you are pregnant.”

Davina nodded again, clutching her handkerchief tightly in her hands. “Yes. He would be willing to come if I asked him, I know it.”

Alexandra stood and began to pace before the fireplace, the wheels in her head turning rapidly. She knew that Damien had a reputation as a scoundrel, but her hopes were that he was not so much a scapegrace that he would abandon a woman pregnant with his child. “You must leave everything to me,” Alexandra declared. “You mustn’t worry anymore, everything will be all right.”

“Oh, thank you, Your Highness. You are most kind to assist me.”

“Think nothing of it girl. You go home now and rest and I will send for you soon.”

Davina stood and curtsied to the queen mother, gathered her reticule, and went out into the hall where the butler was waiting with her cloak. Alexandra watched her go, a smug smile of satisfaction twisting her lips. Perhaps things would go her way after all.

Chapter 21

Largess Hall was a chaotic whirl of activity; the wedding plans were now well underway. Esmeralda spent much of her time with Jarvis, following his guidance on nearly every aspect of the planning. The only thing she felt confident about was her wedding gown, which Madame Didier was designing with relish. Each time Madame Didier called on her for a fitting, the gown became more and more beautiful, more a work of art than a piece of clothing.

She followed Jarvis’ lead on everything, from the flowers to the wedding reception menu. Even Isabelle managed to shake off her somber mood to throw herself into helping Esmeralda plan the wedding. Esmeralda sensed that her friend merely needed something to take her mind off her own troubles.

The evening was growing late, but Esmeralda was suffering through yet another fitting for her gown. Isabelle was being outfitted as well, having agreed to stand up with Esmeralda as her maid of honor. The grey silk dress she was having created for the affair was still in keeping with the tradition of mourning colors.

Once the fittings were complete, Esmeralda and Isabelle retired to the dining room for a late supper. Once Jarvis served them, they ate in companionable silence, each lost in her own thoughts. Esmeralda wondered how her friend felt about her uncertain future. Esmeralda would soon be stepping into the role Isabelle had been born to play and Esmeralda could not shake off feelings of guilt over it.

“Nonsense,” Isabelle said in her soft, melodious voice when Esmeralda voiced her concerns. “None of this is your fault. No one could have foreseen that things would happen this way. I must find my own place in this world now, whether it be here or in the country of my birth. You must find your happiness here with Damien. Believe me when I say I am truly happy for you.”

“I’ve never been more nervous about anything in my entire life. I only hope that Damien does not regret making me his queen.”

Isabelle shrugged. “There’s nothing to it, I promise you. The men run the world and we are simply to bear their sons and congratulate them on their many accomplishments.”

Esmeralda giggled and Isabelle joined, her eyes sparkling as they hadn’t in weeks. There were still signs of sadness around her mouth and eyes, but Esmeralda was grateful to see signs of her old friend slowly rising back to the surface.

Damien found them a few minutes later, sipping coffee over dessert and chatting. He took a seat beside Esmeralda and helped himself to a bit of her dessert. Esmeralda slapped at his hand playfully. “You bad boy,” she admonished; the sternness of her voice did not quite reach her face. “Do not think that just because you are soon to be my husband, that you may now avail yourself to everything that is mine!”

“My dear,” Damien replied, smiling wickedly, “That is exactly what my becoming your husband entails.”

Isabelle stood. “Perhaps I should leave. The two of you have much to discuss.”

Isabelle’s impish grin told Esmeralda the she knew exactly the type of business Damien would like to discuss right now. His eyes were fixed on the luscious custard topping on her dessert. He looked very much like he wanted to lay her across the table and slather her with it. Esmeralda pushed Damien away, her shoulders shaking with laughter. “Damien behave, you’re going to chase Isabelle away.”

“Isabelle understands,” he said, kissing her shoulder lightly. That slight touch sent a jolt like electricity through her body. Long weeks had passed since they had last made love and Esmeralda found she was as desperate to have him as he seemed to be to have her.

“As I said, I’ll be leaving the two of you alone now,” Isabelle repeated, edging toward the double doors of the dining room.

Just as she reached for the knob, the doors swung open to admit Alexandra, who swept regally into the room, leading another woman in behind her.

“Davina?” Damien’s surprise at seeing her was evident. She smiled softly at him and curtsied. “What is she doing here?” he queried, turning to his mother and ignoring her completely.

“Damien there is an important matter we need to discuss,” Alexandra said, motioning for Davina to be seated at the table across from Damien. Esmeralda stood.

“Perhaps I should leave too,” she said, moving toward the door where Isabelle hovered, unsure of whether to go or stay. “You probably want your privacy.”

“I think perhaps you should say,” Alexandra said. Her tone clearly told Esmeralda that this was not a request. “This involves you as well, I suppose,” she added.

Esmeralda chose to remain by the door, unwilling to sit across the table from Davina, who had been shooting daggers at her with her eyes since the moment she entered the room. Isabelle clasped her hand tightly in understanding.

“I had hoped that the two of you would be able to resolve this without my interference, Damien,” said Alexandra, “but Davina informs me that you have been avoiding her and have refused to see her on several occasions.”

Damien shrugged nonchalantly. “That is because there is nothing more for me to say to her. I made myself quite clear before. What is this about?”

“Davina is carrying your child,” she said, a self-satisfied smirk crossing her features at the look of sheer panic that crossed Damien’s features at this revelation.

Damien was stunned. His face had drained of all color and he stared blankly ahead, his face ashen, his eyes widened. While she didn’t want to believe it, Esmeralda knew that it was possible. Isabelle gasped, clapping her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. Esmeralda was silent, but looked as if she had been doused in the face with ice-cold water. She fell back against the paneled oak wall of the dining room and closed her eyes, wishing she could will herself to disappear. She did not want to be here for this, yet could not force herself to leave the room. Everyone stood or sat in silence for a moment longer.

Damien was the first to speak. “Are you certain?” he asked.

“Of course!” said Davina crossly. “I was examined by my physician.” She stole glance at Esmeralda and hoped the girl could see the smug satisfaction in her little smile. “I had hoped not to trouble you with this before your wedding, but Her Highness insisted you would do the right thing.”

Damien stood, running a shaking hand through his hair. He lowered his head and examined the table silently for quite some time, his mouth pinched and his forehead creased with worry. “This changes nothing,” he said quietly, his voice barely discernible. He turned his jade green gaze upon Davina, their normally warm depths cold and hard; his voice raised, his tone was sharp and brusque. “Do you hear me? This changes nothing!”

“Damien, surely you do not mean to abandon your child!” Alexandra admonished, clicking her tongue in disapproval. “Can you really be so selfish?”

“I have not said I will not provide for the child,” he said, turning his steel-edged gaze toward his mother, “I want the word of a physician that you are truly pregnant,” he continued.

“Of course,” Davina said smoothly. “My physician can be here in a moment’s notice to-“

“I want you examined by my physician,” he interjected. “Do you think I would trust you enough to believe you without adequate proof?” His laugh was rough and harsh and cut through the silence in the room like a knife. “You forget I know how vindictive you really can be. You will return when I summon you to be examined. If the physician finds you to be pregnant as you say, I will settle whatever amount you request upon you and the child. I will not give you or the child my name and you will speak of this to no one!”

“What am I to do?” Davina cried, rising to her feet, her shrill voice raised to a near scream. “Where am I to go? I’ll be ruined!”

“Honestly, Damien,” Alexandra admonished, placing a hand around Davina’s shoulders. “Will you not think of this poor girl’s welfare? She is quite right you know, you’ve absolutely ruined her.”

“I don’t care where you go or what you do,” Damien said, driving home the finality of his decision. “My decision will not change. I will not be forced into marriage by you or anyone else.” He grasped Esmeralda by the hand and led her from the dining room. “When I return I want her gone,” Damien threw over his shoulder before slamming the door behind him.

Esmeralda allowed Damien to lead her up the winding staircase toward his new chambers in silence. She wanted to cry. Esmeralda wanted to yell and scream at the fates for conspiring to keep her and Damien apart. She wanted to disappear. Instead, she followed Damien docilely until they were behind closed doors.

He strode over to the sideboard and poured himself a liberal splash of brandy. Damien downed the first glass with one long gulp and poured himself another. Once he had drained the second glass, he turned back to Esmeralda who had sunk silently into a chair near the door. She stared unseeingly into the fire.

“This changes nothing,” he said once again, coming down on his knees in front of her, grasping her hands in his. “We will still be together.”

Esmeralda shook her head. A lone tear slipped down her cheek and splashed onto the back of his hand. “Don’t you see, Damien? This changes everything!”

“No!” he bellowed, fairly shaking the walls of his chambers. “No! It can’t! I won’t let it!”

“I know you, Damien,” Esmeralda replied, her voice laced with the pain and sorrow he had caused. The sound ripped his heart in two. “You are not the kind of man to abandon his child,” she continued, “even if you no longer care for the mother.”

“I won’t lose you,” he said, burying his face in her lap and clinging to her as if for dear life. “So much has happened to keep you from me already. I couldn’t bear it if I lost you now.”

“The selfish part of me wants you all for myself,” she admitted, stroking his hair affectionately. “But I know in my heart I could never truly be happy with you, knowing what we did to poor Davina.”

“There must be a way,” he pleaded. “You must let me find another way.”

Esmeralda pushed him away gently and stood. “There is no other way,” she said, delivering the final blow to his already aching heart. “Think of all that has happened because your father shunned his responsibility to Nicolai. Do you honestly want to have a hand in making this child hate or despise you?”

Damien shook his head slowly. Esmeralda cupped his face in her hands and kissed his lips gently, longingly, maybe, she thought, for the last time. He clung to her, savoring the feel of her lips and the taste of her tongue. He grasped her waist and pulled her close until she was starved for air. She threaded her fingers through his golden curls and drank her fill from him, memorizing the feel of his lips on hers to get her through the cold, lonely winter to come.

“If the physician should find that Davina is not telling the truth, I will come for you,” he promised, stroking the loose tendrils of hair around her face.

Esmeralda told herself not to cling to hope, but found herself doing it anyway. If Davina was lying about her pregnancy, then they still had a chance. “I love you,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his quickly one last time.

****

Two days later, Damien sat in the corridor outside one of the many rooms in his wing of the house, waiting for Doctor Keane to finish examining Davina. The physician had asked him to leave the room for the sake of the lady’s modesty and though Damien had protested, he was eventually coerced into sitting in the hallway. He did not trust Davina alone for a moment and had wanted to see her examined with his own eyes.

Damien knew he was being ridiculous. Doctor Keane had been a trusted physician for the royal family for years. Damien blamed his irrationality on the fact that he’d hardly slept in the last forty-eight hours. He had lain awake both nights, praying to God that Davina was not really with child, hoping that his relationship with Esmeralda was not too far beyond repair.

She did not blame him for this turn of events, he knew. This had happened before he even knew her. Damien still blamed himself. He had been foolish to think he could outrun his past and make himself a better person with Esmeralda. The past seemed to forever come back to slap him in the face. He had tried to change, but the consequences of his past lifestyle were far-reaching and painful.

Damien knew he could not abandon the child. He also knew that he even if he did, Esmeralda would never marry him now. Aside from that, Damien would forever hae to live with the guilt of knowing the child would not have much of a future without a father. He could not be as callous as his father had been and pawn his ex-mistress and child off on some other man. His conscience would forever eat away at him, as he knew it had his father. Of course, he could always send Davina away and raise the child himself, but knew he would forever regret that his child did not have a mother. He only hoped Davina would prove to be a better mother than his own had been.

If Davina were truly with child, he would have to marry her. The thought nearly made him sick, but there was no other option. He stood as Doctor Keane left the room, adjusting his spectacles as he closed the door behind him. All of his hopes were finally dashed when Doctor Keane spoke.

“She’s pregnant all right,” the doctor said. “From what I gather she is anywhere from two to three months along.”

Damien’s heart sank as the noose of duty and responsibility settled itself firmly around his neck. Despair settled in the pit of his stomach. “Thank you,” he said to the doctor, dismissing the man from his mind as he disappeared down the corridor. Damien stood outside of the room for a few minutes, pulling himself together. He would go in and face his future, however unwelcome it may be. Damien vowed not to make the same mistakes his father had made. He might not be marrying for love, but his child would be loved and well taken care of. His child would carry his name.

When he entered the room, Davina was seated on the edge of the bed, her hands folded demurely in her lap. She watched him silently as he crossed the room, waiting for him to speak.

“We will be married as soon as possible,” he said once he had reached her side. He folded his arms over his chest and looked down at her with contempt. Even the lust that had once been so apparent on his face when he gazed upon her was absent.

“I hope we can come to an understanding, Damien,” she said, reaching out to place her hand on his chest. He slapped her hand away impatiently and captured her wrist roughly in his hand.

“Do not make the mistake of thinking I care anything for you,” he said, his voice raw and naked in his misery. He pulled her close, his grip tightening on her arm. She could smell his masculine scent and was slowly falling under the spell of desire. The display of strength in the tightly corded muscles in his arm made her hotter for him than ever. She brazenly wriggled her body against his, brushing her breasts against his chest.

“Come Damien, surely you have not lost all the feelings you once had for me. I seem to remember you having one very strong feeling.”

“Lust,” he said, spitting the word from his mouth as if it were distasteful to him. “This is not a love match, Davina. I care nothing for you and were it not for the child you are carrying, I would have thrown you out the moment you walked back into my life. As my wife I ask only for your loyalty to me as your king and your care of our child. You and I have hardly remained faithful to each other and I do not intend for us to start doing so now. So long as you are discreet in your affairs, I couldn’t care less.”

Davina’s brow raised in surprise. As the queen, she would have men constantly fawning and falling over her feet. To think that Damien would look the other way while she indulged herself to their available charms! The thought sent a tiny thrill down Davina’s spine. She cared not if he had affairs of his own, of course, so long as he did not neglect her in the process. Their wedding night would be soon enough to reacquaint themselves with each other in the bedroom.

Davina smiled. “I understand perfectly, darling,” she said with a wide smile.

“I will instruct Jarvis to send someone for your things. I suppose you can start moving into your new chambers immediately.”

Davina watched him go and then fell on to the bed with a whoop of delight. She had not been so sure of her plan in the beginning. Davina had panicked slightly when Damien had informed her that she was to be examined by his own physician. She knew that surely her lie would be found out and Damien would kick her out the moment he discovered the truth.

Luckily for her, Doctor Keane’s eyes had fixed on her full breasts as soon as he walked into the room. Davina knew immediately that she could have the doctor under her power with a few sexual favors and knew that she would do whatever it took to get the man to lie for her. She had flirted and smiled suggestively, she had taken every opportunity to draw his eyes to her ample charms. When he asked her to disrobe for him so that he could examine her, she had done so slowly, tantalizing him as she removed each article of clothing.

She had dropped her gown into a puddle around her feet and thrust her proud breasts forward as she dropped her petticoats and chemise down to the floor to join them. Davina had crawled onto the bed and offered herself to him in a blatant invitation and he had leapt at the chance to discover the delights that awaited him between her creamy thighs.

Doctor Keane was not unattractive, though he was a bit plain to look at and a little on the thin side. His dull blonde hair did little to brighten his appearance, but when she removed his spectacles she found he possessed soft blue eyes that were actually his best feature.

She had to clap her hand over his mouth to silence his moans and groans as he lifted her and pressed her against the wall and drove into her wildly. Eventually she offered him her large breast and he suckled hungrily and silently as took her up against the wall. She was not at all unpleased with the doctor who was a bit clumsy, but not totally inefficient. She found more pleasure in the thought that they could be caught at any moment than anything else.

Once they were finished, she secured a promise from the doctor that he would tell Damien anything he wanted. Of course, the man expected to visit with her again and Davina found she did not think the idea too repulsive. She rather liked to idea of taking the doctor as her lover for a little while, if for no other reason than to secure her secret until she could come up with a baby.

Orphanages were full of unwanted children and of course Davina would find a boy. Her son would inherit everything that belonged to his father, including the throne. Davina’s place at Largess Hall would then be secure.

Finding that she was exhausted from her romp with Doctor Keane, Davina curled up beneath the covers on the bed and quickly fell asleep.

Chapter 22

Tonight was the night. Damien couldn’t figure out how, but for some reason, the palpable tension in the air told him that this would be the night he would face Nicolai for the last time. One of them would not walk away alive and due to the current turn of events in his life, Damien found himself not caring which one of them it was. He sat before the fire in the green salon, slowly draining his second glass of brandy, staring thoughtfully into the fire.

Davina’s things had all been moved into the adjoining suit beside his the evening before. She was already making plans to redecorate. Damien knew the project would cost him a great deal of money, but he did not care. So long as Davina stayed out of his way, she could do whatever the hell she wanted.

Guests had already started arriving for the wedding. The wedding of King Damien and the mysterious young Esmeralda whom no one could quite figure out. Very few in his household knew about Esmeralda’s background and for some reasons his servants had not gossiped overmuch about her identity. Many still assumed she was some foreign princess come to be his bride.

Of course, now explanations to the contrary had to be made. Damien left it up to Jarvis to make the announcements as to the change of bride, though the date and time of the ceremony were to remain the same. There would be much gossip and speculation, but no one would dare to question him. One of the many perks of being king, he supposed.

He looked out into the approaching sunset, stirred to attention by the howling winds and flurries of rapidly falling snow. A blizzard was upon them, another reason that Damien felt confident that Nicolai would be coming to him any moment. He remembered his vision clearly. Nicolai walking toward him as he stood on the palace steps, walking through darkness and whirling snow.

Lost in thought, he did not at first hear the commotion just outside the doors of the salon. Very faintly, he thought he could discern the voice being carried in on the winter storm. It sounded like a man and as the sound became clearer, it sounded as if his name were being called.

Damien turned and inclined his head in the direction of the noise, trying to hear over the pattering feet and mumbling voices in the main hall.

“Damien! King Damien!” The voice was unmistakable now, though it was hardly more than a whisper on the wind. Damien strode toward to doors just as Jarvis swung them open. The voice seemed to echo through the main hall from outside and Damien knew in that instant who it was. “Damien!” he called, growing bolder and louder as he entered the courtyard. Damien could almost see the arrogant stride of his long legs and the determined set of his arrogant chin.

“Nicolai,” he said, turning toward Jarvis. “My sword,” he commanded, moving through the salon into the main hall. Though it was freezing outside, Damien declined the greatcoat and gloves offered to him by a footman. Damien knew swords would be his brother’s weapon of choice and he needed to be as unencumbered as possible. He rolled his shirtsleeves to the elbow and accepted his sword from Jarvis.

Damien studied the ornate hilt of the sword that had been wielded by generations of kings. He felt that perhaps some remnant of his father’s spirit still lingered there, as well as Lionus’. Damien could still hear Lionus’ voice pleading, commanding him not to fail him. “I won’t fail you, Lionus,” he promised as he strapped the sword around his narrow hips.

Jarvis grasped his shoulder, his face filled with fatherly concern. “Palace sentinels are prepared to take him into custody for you. He is mad to think he can just walk up the steps of the palace and murder our king.”

Damien clasped Jarvis in a tight bear hug. “No Jarvis,” he said to the man who had been like another father to him his entire life. “The palace guards will stand by in the event that this is an ambush. I know Nicolai, he will want the pleasure of killing me himself.”

“And you, Your Highness?”

“I would take great pleasure in killing him myself.”

Jarvis relinquished his hold on Damien and nodded, his jaw set with the same determination that hardened Damien’s features. “Finish it, then.”

Damien allowed a footman to open the massive door for him and allowed ten palace guards to follow him out into the courtyard. The rest were ordered to stay in the main hall and await Damien’s command.

Damien stopped at the top of the stairs, bringing his guards to a halt behind him. He could faintly make out the gleam of something silver coming toward him through the night. As the black-cloaked figure drew near, he saw the silver mask glowing in the moonlight over his cousin’s face. The silver head of his cane glinted menacingly in his hand.

“All hail, King Damien!” mocked his cousin’s voice from behind the mask. He came to a standstill at the center of the courtyard and bowed; the irony of the gesture was not lost on Damien.

“You were foolish to come alone Nicolai. Even more foolish to think this plot of yours would gain anything more than your death.”

Nicolai laughed through the twisted smile of the mask’s mouth. “Who says I am alone? My men are at the ready and waiting, close enough to hear what we are saying. Once I have killed you, they will storm the palace. All who reject me as their king will be put to death.”

Damien could hardly believe his ears. This man who had been so close to him had never sounded so angry or irrational. “You’re mad!” Damien cried, taking the steps one at a time, down toward the center of the courtyard. “Do you honestly think you will ever be king? The people of Cardenas won’t stand for it!”

“The people have no idea what is good for them. Once I am in power, I will make it known that all who oppose me will be put to death. Naturally, I will start with your mother and the more loyal members of your staff. Perhaps I’ll even have a little fun with your little Gypsy girl before I carve her to pieces.”

Damien’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. He knew Nicolai was baiting him, drawing upon his anger to make him irrational; it would put him at a great disadvantage in the fight. Damien fought for control. “This is your last chance to stand down, Nicolai,” he said calmly, taking a few more steps into the courtyard. The moon was full and high overhead against a cloudless sky, providing the perfect light for a late night fight and Damien was now close enough to reach out and touch his cousin. “Tell your men to surrender and I will have mercy on you all and allow you to live.”

Nicola’s laughter was an ugly and harsh sound, one that caused Damien’s blood to boil. He gripped his sword handle until he thought he would snap it in two.

“Surrender to you? Don’t be ridiculous,” Nicolai scoffed. “We were just starting to have fun.”

“Since you have refused my generous offer, I feel the need to tell you that at the end of this night, you will be dead. I will not allow you entrance into this palace after your mindless slaughter of your family.”

“My family? My family lied to me! Tricked me! My own father pawned me off on his spineless brother and turned his back on me.”

“Father loved you. He loved Aunt Margaret as well. He only did what his duty demanded of him.”

“Adare never looked back. If he’d had any love for her, he would have seen how living without him had affected her. She spent much of the rest of her life nearly sick with longing for a love she could no longer have. Even on her deathbed, when she told me that he was my father, she declared her love for him. My father was standing right there and could nothing more than drown his sorrows in drink because the woman he so desperately loved wanted his brother!”

“Take off your mask,” Damien said, searching for Nicolai’s eyes through the dark slits for eyes. “I want to look upon your face before I run you through.”

Nicolai gladly obliged, tossing the silver mask aside; it clattered against the cobblestones. A pair of green eyes met his and Damien wondered how he never noticed the resemblance. Even now in his anger, he had to admit that he and Nicolai had more similarities to each other than he had with his other brothers.

“I had hoped you would be smart enough to leave the country with your Gypsy dancer like you’d planned,” Nicolai said once he was free of the mask. “I never thought I would have to wrest the crown from your grasp. Did you lie to me when you said you didn’t want it?”

“No,” Damien admitted. “Even now the crown weighs heavily on my head because of the way it has fallen to me. I’ll be damned if I allow it to fall to you after what you’ve done, you bastard!”

“Bastard.” Nicolai smirked. “Rather a fitting title for a cast-off son, don’t you think?”

Damien had grown tired of talking. The longer Nicolai stood before him, the greater his anger became. He knew the time had come to end things. Damien unsheathed his weapon. Wordlessly, Nicolai grasped the head of his walking stick and pulled. A long narrow sword was unsheathed from the cane, which doubled as a sheath.

Nicolai tossed the sheath aside and removed his cape, tossing it aside as well. “This ends tonight,” he said, raising his blade in salute to his brother. Damien gripped his sword tightly, poised and at the ready for Nicolai’s attack.

They stood that way in silence for the span of a few seconds, fiery green eyes clashing with fiery green eyes. The wind whipped Damien’s curls wildly about his head. In his mind, he saw Lionus dying a painful death as his life’s blood drained from his body. He saw Serge’s battered and broken body lying upstairs, lifeless. Damien knew that he had to emerge the victor this night.

Nicolai attacked first, as Damien had known he would. He charged at Damien with his sword raised, bringing it down to meet his with a loud clank that rang out in the quiet of the courtyard. Damien timed his parries perfectly to Nicolai’s thrusts, knowing his brother’s every move. They had sparred together many times, knew the other’s strengths and weaknesses, and were equally matched.

Damien circled Nicolai, reaching out with the edge of his sword and finding his target. His blade sliced into the skin of Nicolai’s sword arm. Damien watched in satisfaction as Nicolai’s blood dripped slowly to the cobblestones below, but did not celebrate too long. Nicolai was far too skilled to be bested by a simple cut on his arm, but Damien hoped that in a few moments Nicolai was going to have a hard time holding up his sword.

Nicolai fought like a madman, growing angrier by the second. He aimed for Damien’s neck and torso, while Damien concentrated solely on taking little slices out of his opponent’s limbs. Nicolai’s clothes were nearly in ribbons and blood trickled from several small cuts on his arms and legs. Damien had been deeply cut once on his leg and the wound bled profusely, but he stood strong.

Nicolai was growing sluggish, his movements growing slower and sloppier with each passing moment. Damien could have moved in for the kill at any moment, but was content to drag out his punishment for as long as he wished. He watched Nicolai squirm and writhe in pain before him even as he continued to fight for his life. A carefully executed swipe caught Nicolai across the back and with a cry of agony and he fell to his knees.

Damien stood over Nicolai, watching as he fought for breath. Though he knew the moment of his death was upon him, his eyes were still filled with venom and hatred for the man who should have been his brother, but was now his enemy. Damien pressed the steel of his blade to Nicolai’s throat.

“For my father and brothers,” he whispered before dealing his final blow. With an expert flick of his wrist and a great deal of strength, Damien sent Nicolai’s head rolling across the courtyard. His body remained in its position on its knees for a moment before it fell sideways beside his head.

Damien turned away, signaling the palace guards. They ran past him with their swords drawn, followed by those who had been waiting in the main hall. As he walked back toward Largess Hall, he heard the clash and clank of sword and armor. He knew it would be only a matter of time before Nicolai’s men were brought under their control.

Damien ordered them all kept alive to be beheaded publicly as a message to any others considering plotting against the royal family. Jarvis stood in the open double doors to the main hall. He wordlessly accepted Damien’s sword and handed it off to a footman to be cleaned. Jarvis followed him towards his chambers where Damien turned to face him. He held out his palms, which were stained with his half-brother’s blood. His face and neck were splattered with droplets of blood as well.

“I killed him,” he whispered, staring at his hands in disbelief. “I killed my brother.”

He dropped to his knees on the carpet and Jarvis went down on his knees as well, pulling the boy into his arms. Damien sobbed against Jarvis’ shoulder, the force of his sorrow and anger shaking him to the core. Jarvis held him silently until he was finished and then rang for Hopkins, the valet.

“You have avenged your father and brothers,” he said softly, helping the young man rise to his feet. “You did only what was necessary. Lionus wouldn’t have done it differently himself.”

Damien nodded. He knew that Jarvis was right. Though he was proficient with a sword and pistol, he had never before had to kill another living being. Cardenas had been in state of peace his entire life and he had never even seen war. Seeing the blood of another man on his hands had nearly been his undoing.

He took a deep breath and brought his breathing under control. Luckily, the commotion had not alerted any of their guests, who were mercifully far enough from the main hall not to have heard. He felt a sense of peace and calm come over him as he realized it was really over. The threat to his family had been removed and now they could live their lives without fear of an attack around every corner.

Once Hopkins arrived, Damien allowed his butler and valet to strip him of his bloodied clothes and help him wash the blood from his hands and face. He soaked in the tub for nearly an hour before the fire, sipping gratefully at the brandy provided thoughtfully by Hopkins.

He supposed that now his life could take on some semblance of normalcy. Damien nearly laughed at himself for such a thought. How could anything ever be normal again when his father and brother were dead? How could anything ever be the same when Serge was lying in a bed in a state somewhere between death and life? To top it all off, when all was finally peaceful in his life, he had no one to share it with.

****

Damien couldn’t sleep. Every time he tried to close his eyes he saw Nicolai’s head rolling over the cold stones of the courtyard and a gruesome spray of blood that stained his face and hands. Finally giving up on sleep, Damien went to his library to find a book. Settling on a volume of poetry he hoped would be soothing, Damien carried the leather-bound book back to his chambers where he took up a full decanter of brandy.

He had just settled into an armchair with his book when the connecting door between his room and one of his adjoining sitting rooms was opened. A slender maid in black and white entered the shadowed doorway and stood in front of the closed door in silence.

The girl stepped forward silently and Damien dropped the book absently to the floor and stood. He went to her silently and took her in his arms, crushing her tightly against his chest. He breathed the scent of jasmine, a smell he had never thought to experience again, and closed his eyes. “Thank God you’ve come,” he said, looking down to stare into wide amber eyes.

Esmeralda still did not speak, but then, she didn’t have to. Damien knew from her expression that she had been informed of the night’s events. She had come to him, knowing how he would be feeling this night. Relieved, because it was all over angry, because he had unnecessarily lost his brothers in the process. Tormented, because he had to kill someone he’d loved for all of his life.

“I’ve come to say goodbye,” she whispered. “But I did not want anyone to know I was here so I used the servant’s entrance again. I know it is bad of me to come when you’re engaged to someone else but I knew you would need comfort tonight.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, not giving a damn if the entire castle knew she was with him. Esmeralda opened her mouth to speak, but Damien swiftly covered it with his, scorching her with his heat, causing an unmistakable surge of desire to unfurl in her middle, as it always did when he was near. “Please don’t say anything else,” he pleaded, grasping her waist and sinking against her softness. “We don’t need words to say goodbye.”

Esmeralda nodded in silent agreement and raised her arms to wrap them around his neck. Where his first kiss had been soft and sweet, this one was anything but. His lips clamped over hers with an overwhelming force. He knew that this would be their last nigh together. Damien intended to make it count.

His lips and hands were everywhere all at once, touching her, moving along the familiar slopes and planes of her body for the last time. They undressed hurriedly, nearly tearing at each other’s garments in the desperation of their final joining. When they were finished, they hurled themselves at each other and landed together on the lush rug before the fireplace, tangled in each other’s arms. Damien rolled until he was over her and lifted himself on his elbows to gaze down at her. She stared back at him brazenly as his eyes moved down over her bare skin enhanced by firelight.

When he dipped his head down to taste the dusky peak of one breast her fingers came up to tangle in his hair and she cried out in delight. He moved slowly, reveling in her taste, her smell, her softness. She moved her hands over his muscled shoulders and chest, lifting her head to taste and tease his skin as he did hers. His seduction was slow and precise, a reminder of all that had been between them and a wish for what could never be.

After what seemed like an eternity, Esmeralda pleaded with him to take her. Tempted as he was to oblige her, Damien held out as long as he could, giving her all he could with his lips and his hands, showing her just how precious she was to him. She writhed and squirmed beneath his him, shuddering at each touch of his lips. Esmeralda continued to plead and beg and finally Damien could wait no longer.

Rising up to his knees, he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped her legs around his waist. He wanted to watch her, see the light of the fire play over her golden skin as he loved her. He moved slowly, thrusting upward into her heated core, drawing out the inevitability of their impending climax. He ran his hands through the wild mane of hair tumbling down her back, pulling slightly to expose her neck to his hungry mouth.

Her cries rose to echo from the high ceilings and Damien didn’t care who heard. He increased his pace, watching her face in pure enchantment as she neared the height of her pleasure. He reached down and gripped her hips tightly in his large hands and increased his pace, allowing himself to reach that place with her. They climbed together and soared, clinging to each other as wave after wave of intense rapture washed over them.

Esmeralda collapsed against him, trembling, her head lolling against his shoulder, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Damien fell back onto the rug with her, cradling her in his arms. He tried not to think about the fact that they were saying goodbye. Damien closed his eyes and pretended that everything was all right, that he and Esmeralda would awaken in the morning and go on as they had been for weeks. As he felt the hot splashes of her tears against his shoulder, he knew that he could not go on deluding himself. Instead, he would throw himself into their final night together.

He lifted her chin with his hand and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. Damien stood and lifted her in his arms. He carried her toward the bed where he laid her down and proceeded to show her once again just how sorely she would be missed.

Another hour later, when he finally collapsed beside her, he was able to find peace in sleep curled up beside her. When he closed his eyes he did not dream of death or blood, he saw only her face.

When he awakened in the morning, she was gone. Her glittering Topaz ring sparkled on the pillow beside him.

Chapter 23

Today was his wedding day and though Damien had tried his hardest not to dwell on that fact, he could think of little else. Today should have been the happiest day of his life, but instead it was quite possibly the worst. He would be locked forever in marriage to a woman he could barely tolerate.

He rose early that morning, setting out for a ride, knowing he would have little privacy in the hours before the wedding. Already the servants were up and about, preparing Largess Hall for the wedding reception feast. Damien made his way past servants carrying large floral arrangements, polished silver and folded linen napkins and turned in the direction of the stables.

Over the weeks that had passed he had tried fruitlessly to push Esmeralda from his mind. He knew it would be better for him to just forget that she had ever been a part of his life, but he also knew that such a feat was impossible. Perhaps over time the heart could heal, but the mind could not be made to forget.

He found Desmond outside the stables, grooming one of the horses that would be hitched to the carriage carrying Davina to the cathedral for the ceremony. Desmond stopped what he was doing and bowed formally. His face was blank and emotionless, though Damien could detect a slight frown pulling at the corners of his mouth.

“Your Highness,” he said before heading toward the open doors of the stable. “Can I saddle Persephone for you?”

“That would be fine Desmond, but first I would have a word with you.”

Desmond stopped and turned, his annoyance clear. Obviously, Desmond knew that Damien was not marrying his sister today. The young man was, apparently, not pleased. “Of course,” he said tightly, his voice strained. Damien reached out and grasped the boy’s shoulder gently. Desmond flinched but made no move to shrug him off.

“I am sorry for the way things have turned out,” he said. Desmond had cast his eyes down toward his scuffed boots and refused to meet his gaze, but Damien pressed on. “You must know how I feel about your sister, but this was her decision.”

Desmond nodded. “I know.” “I hope that you will remain here,” Damien added. “I also hope that you and I can still be friends.”

Desmond nodded abruptly and turned to go back into the stable. Damien decided to give the boy time. He had not attacked Damien on sight and that was something, he supposed. He knew that once everything blew over, the boy would warm up to him again. At least, that was what he hoped would happen.

Once Persephone had been saddled, Damien swung up onto her back and took off at an exhilarating pace, breathing deeply in the cold air of winter’s morning. He pushed Persephone hard and fast, thundering over the cold, hard ground. Damien only wished he had the freedom to dig his heels into the mare’s sides and just keep riding, over the mountains and away from the world he had been born into. Before long he had to turn back and face the inevitable.

Hopkins was waiting in his dressing room when he returned, prepared to shave him. Damien endured Hopkins’ fussing over him absently, staring off into space as the valet shaved and groomed him. Jarvis entered his chambers just as Hopkins finished tying his cravat. He wore all black, save for his white shirt and linen; he had decided that it was more than appropriate for him to wear mourning colors on his wedding day.

Jarvis stood watching him silently for several minutes, the disapproval on his face more than clear. Damien ignored him. Jarvis cleared his throat noisily. “What the devil is it, Jarvis?” Damien snapped, glancing toward the frowning butler.

“Your Highness, if I may be so bold-“

“You may not!” Damien barked. The warning in his tone was clear. “There is nothing to discuss,” he said, his tone softening a bit.

Jarvis inclined his head and bowed slightly. “My apologies, Your Highness.”

When Hopkins was finally finished, Damien went to the waiting carriage prepared to take him to the cathedral. He did not know if Davina had gone before him or not and quite frankly, he did not care. Damien stared absently out through the window as he rode silently in the carriage with Hopkins and Jarvis, who would serve as the best man.

The rest of the morning swept by him in a blur. He faintly remembered standing at the front of the chapel, which was filled to the rafters with guests. Even the courtyard outside of the chapel was filled with Cardenas’ citizens, all seeking to gain just a glimpse at the new king and queen. Damien tuned out the priest’s droning voice. He kneeled for prayer when it was time and partook of the ceremonial communion. Damien repeated the vows mechanically, though he could not have told anyone later what he was promising.

The priest pronounced them man and wife and a stone weight seemed to settle itself within him. He lifted Davina’s veil and barely brushed her lips with his. It was done. He was married.

A few hours later, he found himself seated beside his bride in the ballroom. He downed glass after glass of champagne, effectively drinking himself into oblivion. Friends and well-wishers lifted their glasses in toast, one after the other. Damien was glad when the first course arrived and the toasting finally ceased. If one more person wished them a happy and prosperous marriage, Damien thought he might just become violently ill.

Of course, no one was so bold as to mention his previous betrothal to another woman. All of this seemed a distant memory to his guests, though there had been several rumors as to why the sudden change of bride. Many speculated that Esmeralda had grown homesick and returned to whatever land she had come from, unable to go through with the marriage. Others thought that she had run off with another man to elope. Still, others were certain it was because the king’s former mistress was with child and of course, Damien said nothing to confirm or deny those rumors. Everyone would know soon enough, when the child was born.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t drink so much champagne,” Davina hissed in his ear when he signaled a waiting servant to bring him another bottle.

“Nonsense my little wife,” he said, accepting the open bottle and pouring himself another liberal glass. “This is a celebration. Come, join me in celebrating this joyous day!”

Alexandra shook her head in disapproval from her seat on Damien’s other side. “Shameful,” she muttered, turning her attention back to the bowl of soup in front of her.

Damien barely touched his food and as course after course were brought before them, he ignored them all in favor of the bubbly champagne. At some point, he pushed his glass aside and took to swigging straight from the bottle, relinquishing it only long enough to lead Davina to the midst of the ballroom for their obligatory first dance as man and wife.

Despite his inebriated state, he managed to lead her gracefully through the waltz and wow their guests with his superior command of the dance. He then left Davina in the company of several young admirers and took his place once again at the table. Davina was partnered by an endless stream of men and barely had time to notice that Damien was upon his third bottle.

Finally, it came time for Damien and Davina to retire for their wedding night and Damien found himself grateful to escape the stares and smiles of his so-called friends. He’d been on display the entire day and had grown quite weary of it. He collapsed onto the edge of the bed and lay there for a few moments until the room stopped spinning. Perhaps it hadn’t been such a good idea to drink so much champagne, but he felt so deliciously numb and nonchalant. He hardly cared that a woman he detested was now next door to him readying herself for their wedding night.

He struggled into a sitting position bent at the waist to remove his formal shoes. With slow, clumsy movements, he fumbled at his cravat until he had succeeded at removing it. Where the devil was Hopkins anyway, he wondered. Probably off somewhere with Jarvis shaking his head in disapproval. Well they could damn well hate their new queen all they liked; hell, he hated her too.

Just as soon as he had removed his starched white shirt, the connecting room between his and Davina’s suite opened and his bride entered. She was dressed in a wispy bit of white material that was nearly nonexistent against her pale skin. Her gleaming brown waves had been brushed and fell loose around her shoulders. She stopped and struck a provocative pose in the doorway.

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long, my husband,” she purred, walking slowly toward him. “I see you are nearly ready to receive your bride.”

Damien studied Davina with a mocking grin, his disgust undisguised. After a moment, he burst out laughing, doubled over at the waist, clutching his sides. When the laughter had subsided and he had composed himself, he rose from the bed, suddenly stone cold sober. She mistook his intensions as he walked toward her purposefully and smiled invitingly. Only when he drew near did she see notice the stubborn set of his jaw and the disturbing glint in his eyes.

He grasped her roughly by the arms, squeezing painfully until she cried out in pain, bringing a glint of satisfaction to his eye. “You disgust me,” he snarled. “Do you think you have anything to offer me that I haven’t already had from you countless times before? Let me assure you, I’m not interested sweetheart.”

“But….but it’s our wedding night!” she stammered once he had shoved her away and turned back toward his bed. She gasped, her eyes widening at the sight of his naked thighs and muscular buttocks as he divested himself of his trousers and flung himself beneath the covers. He blew out the lamp near his bed and turned his back to her.  “Good night, Davina,” he said. He was snoring within seconds.

Davina’s rage-filled scream could be heard halfway down the corridor had anyone been near enough to hear. Humiliated and outraged, she turned and stomped angrily back to her room.

****

Esmeralda burrowed her head beneath her pillow and tried to drown out the sound of Raina’s voice from the other side of the door. In the few days that had passed since she last saw Damien she had been feeling quite ill. She had slept for hours during the day and in the evenings had found herself too tired to give an adequate performance at the Golden Dancer. After one performance she had to run quickly through the dressing room and out into the alley way where she was violently sick, spilling the contents of her stomach out onto the street.

By now her mother and grandmother were worried sick with wondering what was wrong with her. They tried special teas and soups and tried to coax her into eating, but nothing helped. They assumed she was simply languishing from a broken heart. Her heart was the least of her worries.

She was pregnant.

So much had happened over the past month or so that Esmeralda had not even realized she had missed her monthly. By the time she realized it, it was too late. Today was supposed to have been her wedding day, but now it was Damien and Davina’s. The irony of her situation had not been lost on her. After she had finished crying over it, she had laughed bitterly at how cruel a mistress fate could be. How plausible was it, that mere weeks after Davina showed up at Largess Hall claiming to be pregnant, she would discover her own pregnancy?

This discovery would have brought her endless joy a few weeks ago. Now the news of her pregnancy filled her not with happiness, but despair. If Damien were to find out that she was pregnant it would only confuse and upset him. He would be forced to choose between her and Davina, and though she knew in her heart that he would choose her, she was not so sure if his decision would be the right one.

Damien must never know, she decided. Her child would not know who their father was, and Esmeralda would raise it alone. The idea was not very encouraging, but what else could she do? The only thing Damien could offer her now was financial support and that would make their time together seem cheap and tawdry. Esmeralda refused to cheapen their memories in such a way.

So much had gone wrong already and she just wanted to be able to find a sense of peace and normalcy in her life; she wanted the same for Damien. Surely by now he had resigned himself to his marriage with Davina; even now, on their wedding night, he could be making love to her. Esmeralda tried not to dwell on it too much. She thought instead of the last night they had spent together, loving each other desperately, neither of them knowing that his seed had taken root within her womb weeks ago.

Raina finally ceased knocking on the locked bedroom door and declared that she would leave Esmeralda’s dinner tray outside the door. Esmeralda was relieved when her mother’s waning footsteps indicated her retreat. She needed time, time in which to think and devise a plan. When she was finally ready to tell her family, they would not be able to talk her out of whatever decisions she had made. But for now, she only wanted sleep. Her eyelids were heavy, and though she had slept for hours before, she felt as if she had been awake for days without rest. Fighting the waves of nausea that swept over her when she even contemplated getting up to retrieve her dinner, she welcomed the open arms of sleep.

****

“But Tristan, I don’t understand. I thought you loved me!”

Tristan crossed his arms over his chest impatiently. He did not have time for this nonsense. He had better things he could be doing, like comforting Esmeralda, who needed him as her friend. He stood in the dressing room of The Golden Dancer, where he had accidentally encountered Morgana while searching for Esmeralda.

The time had long passed for him to end their relationship. The girl had been diverting enough when he had needed something to take his mind off Esmeralda, but now that the woman he loved was suddenly available again, Morgana’s usefulness had run its course. Tristan had very gently told her that it was over and had been rewarded with an insipid bout of tears accompanied by an annoying amount of sniffling.

“I never said that I did,” he pointed out, wishing that he had never gotten involved with her in the first place. Morgana was young, barely nineteen and taking her virginity had been a terrible blunder. She had obviously mistaken their affair as one that would inevitably lead to marriage and now she saw all of her carefully laid plans falling down around her.

“Yes but we made love,” she whispered, as if this were explanation enough. “Did I do something wrong?” She grasped his shirt and pulled him close, pressing her lips to his ear. “Please Tristan,” she sighed, pressing her soft, wriggling body against his. “Whatever I did, I won’t ever do it again. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll let you do whatever you want to me. Please.”

Tristan grasped Morgana firmly by the shoulders and gently dislodged her from his clothing. Dark smudges of kohl streamed down her face and her cheeks were a mottled shade of red. Tristan grimaced at the sight and offered her one of his handkerchiefs. “Keep it,” he said.

Morgana swiped at her running eye makeup and stuffed the handkerchief in the pocket of her skirt. “Please don’t go,” she said with another sniffle, fighting back another string of sobs. “I’ll do anything for you, I promise.”

Tristan shook his head. “Morgana, it is time for you to grow up and understand the way things work between men and women. We had sex. That does not mean that I love you or that you love me. You only think you love me because I was your first. Soon you will be over me and some new man will catch your eye. Maybe he will be the one for you.”

Morgana was genuinely stunned. Morgana’s hands balled into fists at her sides and she flew at him, screaming her rage like a battle cry, pummeling him with her tightly clenched hands.

It took a great deal of control for Tristan to fight her off without seriously hurting her, for in her anger Morgana was surprisingly strong. Eventually he managed to grab hold of her wrists and push her a bit roughly into a nearby chair. She struggled against him but he tightened his hold on her wrists until she lowered her head submissively.

“That’s better,” he said, releasing her slowly. “Morgana, this was a mistake. You are obviously too young to understand what I’m trying to say to you. I hope soon that you and I can be friends again. Maybe you will look back on all of this after you have married and laugh.”

Tristan backed away toward the door, his eyes locked on Morgana as he watched the fight go out of her. She slumped her shoulders and remained in the chair Tristan had placed her in, her gaze lowered to the floor. He regretted hurting her, but there was nothing for it now. Tristan hoped that in time, she would forget all about him.

Chapter 24

“I am going to America.”

Esmeralda’s announcement left her gathered family stunned. Akira, Raina and Desmond sat silently and stared at her in amazement. Three weeks ago, Esmeralda had locked herself in her room, claiming to feel ill and had allowed no one to enter. She took meals infrequently and hardly ever came out. Then suddenly, a few days ago, she’d become a whirlwind of activity, running in and out of the house as if on some mysterious mission. Of course when asked what she was up to, Esmeralda had promised an explanation later.

Her announcement was even more shocking than her previous behavior. “I’ll be leaving on a ship at the end of the week,” she continued when no one else spoke. “I’ve managed to sell some of my gowns and the black diamonds Damien gave me for quite a bit of money. I also have some money I’ve been saving that I intend to take with me. I’ve already secured my passage.”

Raina was the first to speak. “Why?” Would we ever see you again?”

“Of course you will,” Esmeralda said, sliding onto the sofa between Akira and Raina. She put her arm around Raina’s shoulders. “I’ll come back to visit you often, I promise.”

“You still haven’t answered the question,” Desmond said, standing and jamming his hands in his pockets. His expression could be mistaken for none other than anger. “Why are you doing this?”

Esmeralda sighed. The time for the truth had come. She had rehearsed this moment over and over in her mind, but never guessed it would be this hard to tell her family why she was going away. “I am pregnant with Damien’s child,” she said.

Raina gasped, Desmond’s jaw dropped and Akira silently smiled. “No wonder you have been so ill,” said Raina. “But Esmeralda, why are you leaving the country? Why have you not gone to him with this news?”

“No!” she practically shouted, shocking everyone in the room with the vehemence in her voice. “He must not know of this.” She turned toward Desmond, who encountered the king almost daily. “You must not tell him.”

“Why?” Desmond demanded, full of righteous indignation. “He should know. He would want to do something!”

“What can he do?” Esmeralda challenged, daring one of them to go against her. “He is already married to a woman bearing his child. He cannot offer me his name; the only protection he could offer me would be as his mistress! Is that the kind of life you want for me?”

“Of course not,” Raina said calmly, patting Esmeralda’s hand. “We just think that you’re being a bit irrational with this decision. America is a strange land and you would be all alone with a new baby. Surely you cannot mean to do this alone.

“I haven’t spoken to her yet, but I intend to ask Tatiana to come with me. She always tells me how bored she is with things here; perhaps America will be an adventure for her.”

Desmond shook his head. “No. This isn’t right. Cardenas is our home. Your home. What about The Golden Dancer?”

Esmeralda smiled at her little brother, who was evolving into a man before her very eyes. “I think it is time for you to take over, Desmond. With Tristan and Morgana still here, you will do fine. Morgana can train new dancers.”

“It just seems as if you’re running away,” Raina said. “I know that this situation seems impossible, but if you decide to stay we will help you in any way we can. No one will tell anyone about the baby unless you wish it,” she added, casting a glare in Desmond’s direction.

“I’m not running, I’m just starting over,” Esmeralda replied. “I feel like I need a new start and America is just the place for it.”

Raina sighed. She Desmond had turned his back and was staring into the roaring fireplace, and Akira had quietly left the room. Raina held Esmeralda close.

“You are a grown woman, Esmeralda,” she relented. “Whatever decisions you make, I will be supportive.”

“Thank you,” Esmeralda said, clinging tightly to Raina. She didn’t dare tell her that she really wasn’t so sure about this, but it seemed like the only way. She could not bear for Damien to ever find out about the child, and going away where he could never see her again seemed like the best solution for both of them. For her, it would put an entire ocean between them so that she would not be able to run to him as she was yearning to now. Yes, she decided with a decisive nod, this was the only way.

****

Tatiana agreed to accompany Esmeralda to America immediately. Esmeralda was relieved. She had known that she would hardly have to convince her younger to cousin to come along on what Tatiana would undoubtedly think of as an adventure.

Tatiana chattered excitedly as the two of them walked arm and arm toward The Golden Dancer. Despite her lingering sadness, Esmeralda could not help but smile at her cousin’s enthusiasm. She felt herself starting to feel a small glimmer of hope; perhaps she was making the right decision after all.

Her cousin had not tried to talk her into going to Damien about the baby and for that, Esmeralda was grateful. Tatiana seemed to understand Esmeralda’s need to start a new life. She had decided to take on a new identity, one of a widow, so that she would not have to bear the stigma that would undoubtedly come with being an unwed mother.

The plan was flawless and she was nearly completely packed for the journey. All that remained now was to meet with Tristan and Desmond, who would be taking over once she was gone.

Shivering against the cold, she was grateful when they swung open the back door to the tavern and rushed into the warm dressing room. Tristan was waiting for them in the back office. Desmond had not yet arrived. Esmeralda could not meet his gaze. Somehow they had grown apart as friends and she deeply regretted the rift that her relationship with Damien had caused. Now that it was over, she hardly knew how to talk to him.

She could feel his eyes boring into her. “Tatiana, would you give us a minute alone, please?” he said softly, never taking his eyes from Esmeralda’s face. He clasped his hands tightly behind his back and paced behind the desk for a few moments once they were alone. Esmeralda knew he was struggling with whatever it was he needed to say, but she could only stand there and wait for him to say it.

“I know about the child,” he began, saying each word slowly as if pondering over each one before uttering it. “Your grandmother came to me this morning with the news. I think she is hoping that I will try to stop you. I know you better than anyone. You have been my friend since we were children and I know that when you’ve set your mind to something, you are going to do it.”

Esmeralda nodded. She was still incapable of words, still unsure of how to talk to someone she had known all of her life. Had the past few months changed her so drastically? “That’s right,” she managed finally, sinking into a chair across from what had once been her father’s desk, it was now Tristan’s.

He sat on the edge and folded his arms over his chest, gazing down at her in that unsettling way of his, as if those black eyes of his could see straight through her. “I know that I cannot say anything to stop you, but that does not mean I won’t try,” he said, coming off of the desk’s edge.

He kneeled before her and took her hand in his. Esmeralda suddenly understood what this private meeting had been all about and felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest. She knew she should stop this, tell Tristan that she was flattered, but could not think of ruining his life by marrying him. She knew she should tell him she was not ready, that her heart was still too injured but she could say none of those things, not when Tristan was gallantly down on one knee, the look in his eyes naked and vulnerable. She could only sit there numbly and wait.

“I know that you do not love me,” he said. “But I think in time, after your heart is no longer broken, you could learn to love me. I know that we could be happy together, Esmeralda. I know that I could be a good husband to you.”

“But the child...“she interjected. Surely, he was not thinking of the fact that she was carrying another man’s baby.

“The child is yours and because it is yours I will love it like it is my own. I will give it my name and no one has to know it is not ours together. Perhaps someday we will have some of our own as well. Please, Esmeralda, don’t leave. Stay and marry me.”

Esmeralda’s eyes filled with tears. Never had anyone so selflessly offered her anything before in her life. She had known Tristan loved her, but never had she understood just what he would be willing to do for her.

Here he was, on his knees, saying all of these beautiful things and offering her the solution to all of her problems. If she said yes….God, she wanted to say yes to him….if she said yes, that would mean security for herself and a father for her child. Didn’t every child need a father?

If she said yes, she could keep the Golden Dancer and she wouldn’t have to leave her family. No one would even have to know the child was Damien’s and she did not have to run the risk of him ever finding out if everyone thought her husband had fathered the child.

“It hardly seems fair to you,” she said, still thinking over his proposal in her mind. “I don’t know if I could be a good wife to you, Tristan. You must know that my feelings for Damien are not gone, may never be completely gone.”

Tristan smiled that devilishly charming smile of his and shrugged. “I will be happy to spend the rest of my life changing your mind. Please say yes.”

Esmeralda sighed. She was suddenly very tired. More tired than she had ever felt, not just physically but emotionally. She was tired of fighting. Perhaps it was time to take the easy way, to allow Tristan to care for her and her child. She would try her damnedest to return his love.

“All right,” she said, hardly believing what she was saying. “Yes, Tristan. I’ll marry you.”

Tristan’s smile widened and he kissed Esmeralda’s cheek gently before pulling her into his arms. She sank into the comfort of his embrace gratefully, that she did not have to face the world alone anymore; grateful that someone would be there beside her, even if it was not the man she loved.

***

The date for the wedding was set for one week away; Raina and Akira thought it would be best for them to be married immediately in a small, private ceremony if they were to have any chance of passing off Damien’s child as Tristan’s.

It was hardly the ideal situation in which Esmeralda had dreamed of once planning her wedding, but it seemed her only option. Tatiana had been disappointed at first upon finding out that they wouldn’t be going to America, but had brightened instantly upon being asked to stand with Esmeralda as her maid of honor.

No one seemed surprised by this announcement. Everyone that Esmeralda had ever known since childhood had been expecting her to marry Tristan. No one even mentioned her short engagement to a certain prince, much to Esmeralda’s relief.

She stood now, on the morning of her wedding, waiting for her mother to finish fastening the long row of buttons down the back of her ivory wedding dress. Tatiana had tried to talk her into wearing the gown that Madame Didier had created especially for her, but Esmeralda refused. The gown lay at the bottom of a trunk in the attic, one of the few remnants that remained of her time with Damien. Esmeralda just did not feel right about wearing it after all that had happened.

She’d chosen the materials herself, an ivory satin with matching lace laid over it. Raina had worked day and night to complete the dress. It was simple and modest, with long sleeves and a wide satin ribbon tied into a bow at her back. She wore the pearls her father had bought for her, and tucked a white calla lily behind one ear. Her hair had been brushed and allowed to hang down her back. Akira carefully placed an ivory lace mantilla over her lustrous waves.

Both Raina and Akira, and generations of women before them had worn the mantilla. Despite its age, it had been remarkably well preserved, and Esmeralda was proud to wear it. Raina placed the bouquet in her hands and stood back to gauge the full effect. She smiled.

“You look beautiful,” she said, clasping her hands over her heart. Esmeralda saw the glimmer of tears in her mother’s eyes and prayed that they were tears of happiness.

“Are you ready?” asked Akira, walking in a slow circle around the bride, studying her with a smile and a nod of approval. “I think you are ready.”

Esmeralda nodded, slowly. She supposed that she was as ready as she would ever be. She forced a smile, if only for the sake of her mother and the groom who waited for her at the small church only a few miles from home.

Esmeralda followed Raina and Akira down the stairs and to the front door where she pulled a cloak around her shoulders to ward off the cold. Desmond waited outside, perched on the driver’s seat of the wagon that would take her to the chapel. He helped Esmeralda into the wagon, then turned and assisted Raina and Akira as well. Esmeralda tried not to notice the grim expression that pulled at the corners of his mouth.

The ride to the church was surprisingly short, and before she knew it, she was standing in the outer hall, waiting for Desmond to walk her down the aisle.

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” he asked as he offered his arm. “You don’t have to, you know.”

Esmeralda’s smile was genuine this time as she turned to kiss her brother on the cheek. When had he become taller than her, she wondered? And when had he become so devilishly handsome? His charcoal gray jacket and black trousers set off his dark hair and eyes to perfection. Esmeralda wondered why she had not noticed the moment he had actually become a man. Her heart swelled with pride and she felt the prick of tears behind her eyes.

“What a fine man you have become, Desmond,” she said as the doors to the chapel were swung open. The small gathering of family and friends turned to watch Tatiana as she walked down the aisle, clutching her bouquet in front of her. “I know that you are only thinking of my well-being,” she whispered. “But I promise you that I’ll be fine.”

“Promise me that you’ll be happy,” he said, tightening his hold on her hand.

Esmeralda nodded. “I promise.”

Damien did not know why he was here. It wasn’t as if he could do anything to stop the wedding, but when he’d leapt onto Persephone’s saddle, he could think of nowhere else to go on this day. Desmond had told him days ago about Esmeralda’s wedding and Damien had lain awake every night since, tortured by the news.

He had risen on the morning of the wedding and paced his chambers, trying desperately to drive the image of Esmeralda as someone else’s bride from his mind. He remembered clearly the vision that Akira had showed him and his heart plummeted even deeper into the depths of despair. He had been unable to see the groom in his vision, but he knew now that it was not him.

After a few hours of trying fruitlessly to clear his mind, Damien walked out to the stables. He had not even realized what direction he had taken until he found himself in front of a small chapel. He saw the waiting wagon, decorated with ribbons and bells, prepared to whisk the bride and groom away after the ceremony and knew that he was at the right place. He had managed to enter without drawing any attention to himself and find a seat in the last pew, which was conveniently shrouded in shadow.

He had watched Tristan standing at the altar beside a priest and a man Damien assumed was the best man. Tristan looked nervous as he chatted amiably with the best man. He also looked devilishly handsome, damn him!

He knew that the man loved Esmeralda and knew that he did not have to worry over her happiness. Damien wished for it, in fact, even though his own life was decidedly miserable. He hoped that Esmeralda would come to love her husband, and that he would give her everything that Damien could not.

Damien did not know why he stayed, but he did. He remained to watch Desmond lead his sister down the aisle. His heart swelled at the sight of her and though he knew he shouldn’t, he imagined that she was walking toward him instead of Tristan. He could not see her face, but he imagined that as he stood at the altar, she walked toward him and her face was lit brightly with the smile that was on her face. Her amber eyes were glowing softly in the candlelight.

He stayed to watch them exchange vows and winced as if in pain when they were pronounced husband and wife. He knew he was only torturing himself, but he could not look away when Tristan leaned down to claim her lips in the kiss that would seal their bond as man and wife. Damien’s fists clenched and he had to fight down the urge to go stomping down the narrow aisle, declaring that no one touched what was his. He reminded himself that Esmeralda was not his anymore.

Damien stayed in the back pew as the church emptied behind the newly wedded couple. He sat and listened to the sounds of friends and well-wishers out in the front yard of the chapel and knew they were tossing rice and cheering for the young couple as they went up into the decorated wagon.

He knew that they would now go to wherever the reception was being held and they would dine and dance in front of all their guests and that Tristan would spend most of the night holding Esmeralda close to him. Damien knew that at the end of the night, Tristan would take Esmeralda home and to his bed. He knew that she was now lost to him forever.

****

Esmeralda ate and drank large quantities of spiced cider. She smiled and talked with anyone who approached. She danced with every man who asked and with Tristan a few times as well.

Esmeralda was stalling. She knew it and she suspected Tristan knew it as well. Soon their wedding reception would be over. The food would run out, the guests would grow tired and the time would come for husband and wife to retire together for their wedding night.

The party had lasted well into the night, for which Esmeralda was grateful. She had not really given much thought past the wedding and was completely unprepared for the wedding night. Esmeralda noticed her cousin, Morgana, sitting alone in the kitchen. Most of the guests mingled in the spacious living room as much of the furniture had been moved to make room for them, some even stood in clusters outside smoking tobacco and sipping mugs of ale.

The food had all been prepared earlier and now the kitchen was abandoned, the perfect place for a young girl to sit and brood. In fact, Esmeralda thought, Morgana had been uncommonly cool toward her recently and she had no idea why. Esmeralda decided to try and find out.

“Would you mind if I joined you?” Esmeralda asked, taking a seat beside Morgana at the table. She looked up from her steaming mug of cider and frowned. Morgana hesitated for a moment and then nodded slowly before turning her attention back to her mug.

“I hope you’re enjoying yourself,” Esmeralda said after a few moments of strained silence.

“You certainly seem to be,” Morgana replied, her tone brisk. Esmeralda’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. She and her cousins had been like sisters. Morgana was a bit younger than Esmeralda and Tatiana, but they had always been close.

“Is something wrong, Morgana?” she finally decided to ask. “You seem agitated. You know that you can tell me what’s bothering you.”

Morgana laughed. It was a short, forced, ugly sound. Esmeralda could hear the malice dripping from her voice when her cousin swiveled toward her suddenly and grabbed her wrist tightly. “Why would something be wrong? I am here, at this wonderful party, celebrating my cousin’s marriage to the man I love!”

Esmeralda’s chin dropped and her mouth hung open for a fraction of a second before she snapped it closed again. That Morgana was still in love with Tristan was news to her. Esmeralda hadn’t seen this, immersed as she had been in her own affairs.

It was clear now. Morgana’s wide brown eyes were filled with unshed tears and with the misery that Esmeralda had caused. She felt like the worst sort of friend. “Morgana I didn’t know,” she said, her voice a near whisper. Morgana’s hand was still clamped around her wrist like an iron manacle and Esmeralda felt it tighten brutally. She winced but was otherwise motionless.. “I wish you had told me before now. Surely you know I would not have married him if I had known you still had such strong feelings for him.”

“Would you have? I wonder,” she said. “You have ignored him for years and still he followed you around like a lovesick puppy. You never cared for his feelings!”

“That’s not true!” Esmeralda protested.

“It is! It is true! You had your prince. You were supposed to marry him and leave Tristan alone. If you had, maybe he would have come to see how he really felt about me. Maybe then we would have had a chance. You have ruined everything.”

Esmeralda shook her head, fighting to free herself from Morgana’s grasp. People were starting to notice them, since Morgana’s voice had risen considerably since the start of their conversation. “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

Morgana flung Esmeralda’s arm away as if she had been burned and stood. “It is too late for that,” she said.

“Morgana!” Two pairs of eyes swiveled toward the kitchen entrance, where Tristan stood. His arms folded over his chest, his dark eyes glistening with fury, he was quite a forbidding sight. “What in the hell do you think you are doing?”

Morgana’s eyes met his and burned even brighter in their intense hatred. “Nothing,” she said nonchalantly, smoothing her hands over her skirt as she edged around him toward the sitting room where everyone was gathered. “I was simply wishing my cousin well. Congratulations,” she said, her voice drenched in sarcasm. “The two of you deserve each other.”

Esmeralda sighed heavily and buried her face in her hands. Everything had gone horribly wrong. She had not wanted to hurt anyone; she had only wanted a father for her child. Tristan was her best friend. Surely, she was not selfish in choosing him for her mate, even though she did not return his love. Was she?

Tristan’s hand on her shoulder jerked her from her thoughts. “I think it is time for us to go,” he said, gently lifting the wrist that Morgana had bruised with her rough handling. He placed a lingering kiss on her bruised skin. Esmeralda endured it, reminding herself that Tristan was her husband now and had every right to kiss her.

She nodded, standing to her tired feet. It was time to stop avoiding the inevitable. “Yes,” she replied, allowing him to loop her arm through his. “I am ready.”

He retrieved her cloak and his coat and led her out to their waiting wagon. Their family and friends followed them into the night, seeing them off with cheers and waves before setting off for home themselves. Tristan drove home at a brisk pace. He concentrated on driving, but Esmeralda could feel the tension mounting between them as if he were watching her.

He reached over and patted her hand reassuringly once, but otherwise kept his hands on the reins. When they reached Tristan’s home, her home now too she supposed, he jumped down from the wagon and handed her down gallantly. “Go on inside,” he said. “I’ll just see to the horse and wagon.”

Esmeralda nodded and went into the small cottage. Someone had come ahead of them and lit a fire. Esmeralda glanced around the living room, which was simple and sparsely furnished. Esmeralda had brought several things from home to brighten the room and she busied herself with warming her hands before the fire and thinking over the small feminine touches she would add to the little house.

She was lost in thought when Tristan returned from outside. He stood next to her, holding his chilled hands out toward the fire. Tristan stared into the crackling flames as he rubbed his hands together. After a few moments, he turned and took her into his arms. Esmeralda went willingly, knowing that she had no right to deny him anything after the sacrifices he had been willing to make for her.

She would yield to him on this night and give him every right that was his as her husband. Esmeralda looked up at him as he gazed down at her and realized that she was not afraid. She supposed she had Damien to thank for that. Esmeralda shook herself inwardly. She would not think of him this night; he was in her past, Tristan was her future.

“It seems like I have been waiting for this moment my entire life,” he murmured, rubbing his hands slowly up and down her arms. “I know that you may be frightened...” He trailed off. They both knew how afraid she had once been of a man’s intimate touch. She forced a small smile and shook her head.

“No. You don’t have to worry, I am not afraid.”

Tristan seemed relieved at this and much of the tension left his tall, lithe frame. “I will never forget this night,” he said, inching closer until their bodies were touching. “Hopefully when I am finished, you will not forget either.”

Esmeralda lifted her head for his kiss and closed her eyes. She concentrated on the lips that moved over hers and the arms that went around her tightly, trying  with all her might not to picture a tall, golden god of a man working at the buttons at the back of her dress. She knew it was wrong to picture Damien’s arrogant mouth moving over her throat as he removed the white lily from behind her ear, but she couldn’t help it.

Esmeralda opened her eyes and watched Tristan, hoping that as he undressed her and led her to the bed, she would forget about the man that she wanted most but could not have.

Tristan worshipped her body with his hands and mouth, as skillfully and passionately as she knew he would. She clutched the sheets and suppressed the tears that came to her eyes as she found her release. Esmeralda felt like the lowest, dirtiest creature, a whore for experiencing lust at the hands of another when her heart belonged to someone else. She felt like a traitor for thinking of another man when her husband was so fervently making love to her.

Tristan jerked and groaned before collapsing onto her, sated at last. Esmeralda was grateful that it was over, glad that the confused mingling of guilt and pleasure were over. As Tristan rolled to his side and pulled her back against him, Esmeralda finally allowed the tears to flow.

Chapter 25

In the months that followed Esmeralda and Tristan’s wedding, their lives found a comfortable, serene sense of calm. They managed The Golden Dancer together, although Esmeralda no longer danced. She claimed that it could not be good for the babe she carried, although she knew in her heart that even if she had not been pregnant, she would not have danced. It no longer seemed the same to her.

Esmeralda spent most of her time in the small back office going over the ledgers and managing their modest income. She had hired a new dancer to replace her, and set Tatiana to teaching the girl. Her belly had begun to protrude slightly, and Esmeralda began to feel the tiny flutters and kicks of the life inside her.

Tristan spent a lot of his time pressing his hands to her stomach, waiting to feel the kicks of their baby. Esmeralda felt tears spring to her eyes every time Tristan referred to the child as ‘theirs’. He was delighted, and one would never know that he had not planted the child there himself.

Tristan had insisted that Esmeralda not spend all of her evenings at The Golden Dancer, declaring that she might as well get used to it, because when the baby was born, she would not be able to anyway. Besides, she needed her rest. Esmeralda could not argue with his logic and so spent many quiet evenings at home alone.

Her mother and grandmother often came around to visit, but Esmeralda found that things were not the same as when they had lived together. At some point, the two women would have to depart, and Esmeralda would spend most of the evening alone, knitting or reading or simply staring off into space. She felt lonely, and was counting the months left until the child was born. She knew she would then have enough to fill her days and nights, and would probably never suffer from feelings of loneliness ever again.

Of course eventually, Tristan would come home and they would spend a few moments before the fire together. Then it would be time for bed and the inevitable lovemaking that accompanied it. Esmeralda had found an odd sort of comfort in Tristan’s arms. It was not so much a grand passion, nothing like she had experienced at the hands of a certain prince, but Esmeralda was grateful for it. She had worried that intimacy between her and Tristan would be strained and awkward. Instead, it was easy and soothing if nothing else.

It was better that way, Esmeralda decided. Who needed grand passion anyway? Those sorts of feelings only led to hurt, and Esmeralda was glad she did not have to worry about Tristan hurting her. She had guarded her heart well, and though it would not ever belong to anyone else, it was safe from harm. Esmeralda knew it was the only way she would survive.

Largess Hall was buzzing with activity. It often was now that Davina Largess had been made its mistress. Flocked on all sides by her courtiers, Davina instructed the bustling servants with her shrill voice, sending them running off this way and that on various errands.

She was throwing a lavish dinner party for nearly one hundred guests as she did at least twice a week, between the more intimate dinner parties and entertainments she hosted on other nights. There were also shopping excursions, sleigh rides through the winter snow and trips to the theater.

Damien hardly had time to bother to attend her various events, burdened as he was with the impending war brewing in Barony. The citizens were growing restless, weary of being terrorized by the rebel army, who took refuge high in the bordering mountains. Damien was working feverishly with General Adams to gather and train soldiers. It would be months before they could even think of marching toward Barony due to the harsh winter weather, but when they did they would be prepared.

Damien had just returned from a meeting with General Adams and was looking forward to a quiet, solitary evening when Davina accosted him in the main hall. He could hear voices coming from the open doors of the green salon and sighed in agitation when he observed nearly the entire court milling about, sipping wine and chatting.

Davina, who was dressed to the nines despite her rapidly growing belly, wrinkled her nose at Damien’s plain coat and breeches. “Would you mind making yourself more presentable? I have guests you know.”

“Perhaps it would be more logical to inform me when you do not have guests, since you have seen fit to open our dining room to every member of the royal court every night for the past six months.”

Davina rolled her eyes. “Would you please just go upstairs and change? People are going to wonder why you are dressed like a commoner.”

Damien pinched the bridge of his nose and felt the impending throb of a headache as he usually did when forced to endure his wife’s presence. “I have just come from a very long, tiring meeting with General Adams and I have a pile of paperwork on my desk to look through. I will trust you to convey my apologies for missing dinner.”

Instead of going back into the bosom of her adoring court, she followed him when he turned on his heels and headed for his library. Her high heeled slippers clicked annoying on the floors as she struggled to keep up with his long strides. “Damn you, Damien, I cannot keep up with you!”

When he finally stopped and turned, he found her slumped against the wall, breathing heavily and clutching her swollen belly. Damien felt a small niggling pull of guilt upon his conscience. He did not care for his wife, but he did care for the child that grew within her. He stopped and grasped her shoulders gently.

“You should rest,” he said, eyeing her with concern. “You’ve been pushing yourself way too hard. The court will understand if you do not host so many parties for a while. You will wear yourself out.”

Taking advantage of his nearness as she always did, she swayed closer to him and smiled suggestively. “Why don’t you take me off to bed then?” she purred.

Damien pulled his hands away from her shoulders and started back down the hall. “I have business to attend to.”

“Fine!” she spat, stamping her foot like a spoiled child. “Go! See if I care! While you sit in your library and dream about your stupid university, I shall find some other willing man to warm my bed!”

Damien shrugged and continued down the hall without even a backwards glance. Once alone in his library, he sat behind his desk with a contented groan. He gratefully lit the cigar Jarvis had obviously thought to leave lying on the desk for him in a crystal ashtray and inhaled slowly. It had taken some time, but he had finally gotten into the flow of daily life that accompanied the crown.

He had never felt older or more oppressed in his life, but when he collapsed into bed at night and thought of his father and brothers, he was quite proud of himself. Clenching the cigar between his teeth, he shuffled through the stack of papers waiting on his desk. They were the plans for the university he hoped to begin building right away. He was putting quite a bit of money into the endeavor, but he knew that it was necessary to make the university worthy of his father and brother’s memory. The Adare Largess School of Astronomy and The Lionus Largess School of Botany would be completed within a year’s time.

Damien was even mulling over plans for the Serge Largess School of the Sciences. His brother had been fond of biology and chemistry and Damien thought it fitting to name the place after him. Damien signed and placed his seal on the agreement that had been drawn up for the architect he had chosen and quickly signed a bank note for the full amount needed to build and furnish the buildings. He had just chosen several acres of prime land right in the heart of the city.

His heart swelled with pride as he looked over the blueprints that had been drawn up by one of the most renowned architects in the city. His dream was almost a reality and he couldn’t be more pleased.

Actually, he knew he could be a lot more pleased but tried so very hard not to think of that. As usual, he was unable to turn his thoughts away from hair dark as night and luminescent amber eyes.

Esmeralda had encouraged him, told him to make his dream a reality and he had done it. He only wished she could be here to share in it with him. Damien shook his head to clear his thoughts and stood to pour himself a glass of brandy at the sideboard.

He was so busy these days he hardly had time to think of Esmeralda. Of course, when he had time to sit on his own and allow his thoughts to wander, he always wondered how different his life would be if Esmeralda had become his wife as planned. She would be delighted that he was having plans drawn up for the university. Esmeralda would tell him how proud she was, and smile at him dazzlingly.

She would only throw parties for special occasions and would spend her time at more noble pursuits than flirting with the men at court or spending decadent amounts of his money. Damien shrugged away his black mood and turned toward his chambers. He knew it was still early, but he hoped to find some sort of peace in sleep while he could. Tomorrow held a whole new plethora of things for him to attend to and hopefully, when he busied himself with those things, his mind would be focused on something other than bronze-colored skin and the sweetest smile his eyes had ever beheld.

****

Anne Doyle was in a bind. She had served the queen for some time now and though she would not do anything to purposely incur the woman’s wrath, she knew that she could not allow this deception to continue. King Damien had hired her when his wife had only been his mistress, and though he had rarely spoken to her, he had been kind and courteous when he did. He had showered the ungrateful woman with gifts beyond any of the things Anne could wish to own and still it had not been enough.

When Queen Davina had taken Anne into her confidence, she had sworn Anne to secrecy and coerced Anne into helping her pad her stomach each morning to lend her the appearance of pregnancy. She had also informed Anne that it would be her job to procure an infant boy from the orphanage whenever Davina was ready to “give birth”.

She had gone along with it at first, afraid to anger her mistress and end up on the street without a job but enough was enough. She had seen how miserable the king was with his new wife and Anne felt as if she were completely responsible. Everyone knew about the young lady the king had really wanted for his wife and though the talk had died down, Anne had not forgotten.

She watched him sulk about the palace, his only joy found in the building of his university and the impending birth of his child. A child he thought was his. A child that she would bring from an orphanage and pass off as his. Anne shook her head.

She paced outside the king’s library, reluctant to knock, but determined that the man would know the truth before the day was out. She knew he was in there, she had been told so by the butler only a few minutes ago; or had it been an hour? Anne really should stop dawdling, but she feared the wrath of King Damien when he learned of the deception she had had a hand in.

Finally, she squared her shoulders resolutely and raised her hand to knock. “Come,” said the king’s voice from the other side of the door. Anne hesitated only a moment before placing her hand on the knob.

“Your Highness, I hate to disturb you,” she said with a quick curtsy. “But I think there is something you should know.”

****

Damien was angry. No, he was worse than angry, he was furious. No, he was something worse than furious, but at the moment he could not quite figure out the right word. He was barely aware of the flurry of motion he created as he stormed down the corridor, as servants flung themselves left and right to clear a path for him.

Davina had planned yet another dinner party and he knew he would catch her in the middle of dressing. Perfect, he thought. He balled his hand into a fist and lifted it to pound on the door of her chambers. A wide-eyed maid swung open the heavy door and then dropped into a curtsy. Damien breezed past her and came up behind Davina, who was seated at the vanity table, applying a liberal amount of rouge to her cheeks.

She stared up at him in the mirror and frowned. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her eyes snapping back to her reflection in the mirror.

“Leave us,” he commanded the trembling maid. When the frightened girl had closed the door behind her, Damien placed his hands on Davina’s bare shoulders. “Stand up, darling. I want to look at you.”

Never missing an opportunity to place herself on display, Davina rose and turned to face him. His eyes dropped to what appeared to be her swollen belly and stayed there. By all appearances, his wife seemed to be pregnant. There was only one way to learn the truth.

“Take off your clothes,” he said, his eyes never faltering from her midsection. He would have the truth, by God, and he would have it now. When Davina only stared at him in shock, he sighed and reached for her himself. “I haven’t got all day. Do as I said and take off your gown!”

“Finally!” she said, her relief palpable. “You’ve come to your senses. I knew you couldn’t stay away for too long.” Her lips turned upward into a smirk and she inched toward him slowly. “I know you wouldn’t want to ruin all the work my maid had to do to get me into this gown. I have guests expecting me at any moment. I wouldn’t be disinclined to lifting my skirts a bit.”

Damien had long since run out of patience. Weary of Davina’s games and tricks, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He grasped her by the wrist and swung her around before she had a chance to react. Damien grabbed her before she could pull away and pulled her back against him. He caught a glimpse of her in the vanity mirror and was satisfied to see the sheer panic the crossed her face when she realized that he intended to undress her himself.

She struggled against him, trying to twist around in his grasp, but her belly and his unbreakable hold on her made it impossible. He worked furiously at the back of her gown, exposing her back, inch by inch. When he moved his hands to pull at the gown, Davina darted across the room.

“Please, Damien!” she cried. “You’re frightening me!”

Tears had sprung to her eyes and Damien could see that she was, in fact, frightened. “Good,” he rasped, leaping across the space that separated them. They fell together onto a heap on the bed, and Davina swung her arms and legs in a final attempt to fight him off.

It took him longer than he had intended and when he was finished her hair was tumbling down from its pins and tangled, and his face sported a few scratches where she had used her nails against him, but when it was all over she stood before him, exposed. Over her chemise, she had fashioned some sort of cushion and tied it around her middle.

Damien had not known what to expect, but seeing the lengths she had gone through to deceive him snapped the last thread of control he had clung to. He grasped a pair of scissors conveniently located on the vanity table and snipped away at the cords tethering the false belly to Davina’s middle.

She was silent as he did this, resigned to whatever fate was to now befall her. When she was free from her bindings, standing there in only her chemise, petticoat, and sparkling jewels, he stepped back and eyed her with disgust.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?” His voice shattered the silence. He grasped her chin roughly in his hand and forced her to look up at him. “You were willing to deceive me in order to gain the crown?”

“You weren’t supposed to find out!” she cried. Tears sprung forth and rolled down her cheeks. “And I didn’t know you were going to marry me at first. I only wanted to be back under your protection. When you offered marriage, how could I have refused?”

Damien’s hand trembled at his side. Never before had he been so tempted to strike a woman. He was coming dangerously close to leaving the imprint of his hand across her pale cheek. “Doctor Keane? You convinced him to lie to me?”

She nodded.

“And my mother? Did she know about this too?”

“No!” she exclaimed. “I believe she really thought I was pregnant. She only wanted to stop you from marrying Esmeralda.”

Damien grasped her arm roughly and proceeded to drag her down the corridor.

“What are you doing?” she shrieked, pulling against him in a vain attempt to halt his progress. “I am not even dressed.”

“Why should that matter, my dear? Most of the men you’ve invited tonight have seen you wearing far less.”

“You think to shame me before the court?” she gasped, fighting him with renewed vigor. “Surely you cannot be so cruel!”

He halted abruptly, bringing her around to face him. His eyes gleamed dangerously in the dim lighting of the hall. The shadows that crossed over his face lent him a sinister appearance. Davina shrank away from him, now beyond frightened. “You are the one who is cruel,” he said, his voice no louder than a whisper. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

She did not answer,and he did not expect her to. Anything else she said would just anger him further and then he really would be forced to do her bodily harm. “I want everyone to know that you are a fraud,” he said as they neared the dining room, where the invited members of the court had been seated for dinner. “I want them all to know why I will be petitioning the High Council for a divorce.”

Davina almost protested, but thought better of it. Divorce was nothing compared to the many other things he could have done to her for her deception. She knew it was best not to speak, and Damien thought it was the most admirable thing she had ever done.

Two footmen hardly batted an eye when he approached the double doors of the dining room. They silently swung the doors open and stood aside to allow him entrance. Gasps and murmurs met them at the door and Damien had to wait a few moments for the buzzing to die down before he could speak.

“Ladies and gentleman,” he said, his voice deceptively calm given the tumult of emotions raging war inside of him. “I present to you, your hostess for the evening, the ever lovely Davina Largess. As you can see, she was not quite prepared when I chose to escort her before you this evening. I am sure you all have noticed that she has lost quite a bit of weight since yesterday.”

He flung Davina away from him. She landed on her knees on the carpet and remained there, her head lowered. The murmuring continued to ripple through the assembled guests. “I hereby denounce this woman for the vicious, lying, black-hearted bitch she is. I no longer claim her as my wife.”

He turned away from his shocked houseguests, to find Jarvis waiting for him in the doorway. “Have her taken to the dungeon until I decide what to do with her,” he said. Jarvis only nodded and summoned a nearby guard. Damien only stayed long enough to watch the guard haul Davina to her feet and drag her away. He refused to meet anyone’s curious stare as he turned to walk away.

“Damien!” a voice hissed from behind him once he’d reached the corridor. He whirled to find Alexandra standing a few feet behind him, her mouth a grim line. “Surely you know I had no part in this,” she said as she neared him. She reached out to grasp his shoulder, a surprising gesture considering that she had not touched him in years. Damien shrugged away from her touch.

“You may not have known about Davina’s treachery, but you are just as responsible as she is for this! I shall never forgive you for the part you’ve played in ruining my life.”

Spinning on his heels, he set off down the hall at a mad pace, leaving a tearful Alexandra behind.

Life was cruel, Damien decided hours later. He sat at Serge’s bedside, nursing a bottle of brandy, still at a loss at how to pull his shattered life back together.

“I guess I could start with beheading the lying witch,” he murmured to Serge’s prostrate form. His brother lay silent and motionless. Damien nodded. “Yes, you’re right of course,” he continued. “Executing her would make me seem a monster. Well then, what do you propose I do about it, since you know everything?”

He took another long swig of brandy and then smiled. “Ah, yes. Transportation. I suppose shipping her off to some far removed place once I divorce her would be best. I certainly wouldn’t want her near enough to cause any more trouble.”

Damien watched Serge’s face for any sign of life and sighed when there was none forthcoming. He visited his brother frequently, having never given up hope that he would wake up any day. Isabelle was there often as well. She had even managed to persuade Damien that Serge could hear everything going on around him.

So Damien poured out his heart, telling his brother of the deception that had caused him to make the biggest mistake of his life. Now, it wasn’t even possible for him to fix things. The woman he loved was married to someone else.

Damien drained the rest of the brandy and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. He wondered still about the vision he had seen of the little girl running about on the sloping lawns at Largess Hall. The girl’s dark hair and wide green eyes had seemed so real to him, that he had dared to hope for the happiness she could bring to his life. Was it really all just in his head? Or had he ruined his chance for happiness by allowing Esmeralda to walk out of his life?

I should have tried harder, he told himself, I should have sent Davina away and begged Esmeralda every day until she agreed to marry me. He knew even as he thought it, that it would not have been so. Esmeralda was too kind-hearted to aid a man in abandoning a child. A child that did not even exist much to his disappointment. Damien turned back to Serge and shrugged.

“Well I guess it’s just you and me now,” he said, raising his empty bottle in salute to his brother. “Just you and me.”

Chapter 26

She was beautiful. He could hardly take his eyes off of her. Tristan looked down at the newborn child and smiled. He could never have imagined that something so small and fragile would capture his heart so completely. He had not known that he could ever feel for another person the way he felt for Esmeralda. Now he knew that it was possible.

They had named her Leila. She was a perfect little bundle of beauty, all dark hair and dusky skin like her mother. When she awoke from slumber and opened her eyes, her eyes were as green as new blades of spring grass. Tristan had thought that those eyes would haunt him, forever a reminder that he had not actually sired this child. He saw only Leila, only the daughter that was truly his, who he would raise and love and care for until he died. Perhaps someday they would have more children, and Tristan knew he would love them all just the same.

He glanced up at Esmeralda, who was standing over the fireplace stirring soup in a large kettle. He loved these moments, because he was content to sit and watch her and hold his child, who was fascinating even in her sleep.

The labor had been long and hard, but Esmeralda had been strong. A few months later, she had completely regained her figure, although there was a bit more fullness there that Tristan found added to her appeal.

“Do you want me to take her now?” Esmeralda asked, glancing at the tall grandfather clock in the corner. “It is almost time for you to go. I thought you might want to have dinner first.”

Tristan gave Leila over to Esmeralda reluctantly and plopped down at the table where Esmeralda sat a steaming bowl in front of him. Darkness was falling outside, he noticed as he ate quickly. The Golden Dancer would be opening soon. He wolfed down the last of his dinner then rose to take up his guitar case. Tristan kissed Esmeralda swiftly on the cheek and disappeared out into the night.

Turning in the direction of the tavern, he set off at a leisurely pace, enjoying the pleasant evening air. He whistled as he walked, swinging the guitar case at his side as he neared the back door of The Golden Dancer.

As he neared the door, he noticed the figure of a woman advancing on him from the corner of his eye.

“Morgana?”

She held out her arms to him, stumbling toward him with tears in her eyes. “Please,” she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck. His guitar case fell onto the street as he reached up in an attempt to dislodge her. “Please tell me what to do,” she pleaded, clutching tightly at the collar of his shirt. “I don’t understand why you don’t want me anymore!”

Tristan stared at her in disbelief. “Morgana let go,” he said, trying to remain calm. He glanced up and down the empty street, grateful that no one was there to see him in this embarrassing position. He fought to untangle himself from her grasp.

“Please, I’ll do anything,” she continued, seemingly oblivious to his attempts to free his shirt from her grasp. “I’ll even be your mistress, no one has to know!”

“Morgana!” he snapped, finally done with patience. He grasped her shoulders and shook her roughly, pushing her away. She landed on the ground a few feet away from him, her eyes wide as she clapped her hand over her open mouth. Tears streaked down her face, but Tristan was unmoved. He had grown weary of her childishness. It was time to end this foolishness once and for all.

“You do not love me,” he practically pleaded with her in hopes that would understand. “I do not love you. We have not been together in almost one year. It is time for you to move on.”

Morgana shook her head rapidly from side to side, clapping her hands over her ears as if to block out his words. “No!” she moaned. “No! Why are you saying this to me? I love you, Tristan! I have always loved you.”

Tristan sighed. He was getting nowhere. “Leave me in peace,” he said, turning his back on her to retrieve his guitar case. “I have a wife and I love her. Nothing you could ever do will change that.”

Tristan did not look back and so did not see Morgana rise to her feet. He did not see her unsheathe the curved dagger from the belt at her waist. He did not even hear her footsteps as she ran to catch up to him.

Her harsh, animalistic cry was the only warning that came before she plunged the knife deep between his shoulder blades. When he fell face-down onto the ground, she came over him and twisted the knife cruelly before pulling it from his back. Tristan’s cries were heard by no one as she drove the knife into his back over and over again, until they were both drenched in his blood.

His vision blurred and he could barely see her, but he could hear her sobs as she laid his head in her lap and took him into her arms. “I’m so sorry,” she crooned, stroking his blood soaked hair. “I’m so sorry I had to do this, but if I can’t have you for my own, then neither will she.”

She lifted the dagger one last time, turning it toward herself. She looked down into the eyes of the only man she had ever loved and smiled. “I love you,” she whispered before plunging the dagger into her own heart.

She collapsed beside him, blood rapidly soaking the front of her blouse. She turned her head to look into his eyes, which were slowly closing. With her last ounce of strength, she reached out to take his hand. So, she thought with a little satisfied smile, now in death they would be together, as they had not been together in life.

****

Esmeralda was numb. There really was no other way to describe it. As she stood over her husband’s grave at the edge of the church burial ground, she found that she could no longer cry for him. Leila squirmed and wailed in her arms and she absently handed the child into Raina’s waiting arms.

When she had discovered her pregnancy almost one year earlier, she had thought then that she would die from the heartache. She never thought that she would feel so abandoned again. It turned out that she was wrong.

Morgana had been buried the day before, but Esmeralda had refused to attend the service. She did not think she would have the strength to maintain her composure at two funerals, and felt that she owed it to Tristan to attend his.

Feelings of guilt had been gnawing at her from the moment Desmond had burst into her little cottage, carrying Tristan’s bloodied body. Esmeralda knew that it was her fault. She should have left. She should have gone to America with Tatiana and the child she was carrying and she should never have accepted Tristan’s proposal. Maybe if she had, they would both be alive.

She ignored the pitying stares and murmured condolences of those gathered around the gravesite, as she made her way back toward the wagon that Desmond had driven them to the church in.

It was suddenly too much. She couldn’t stand all these people feeling sorry for her, when she knew that this had all been her fault. Finally, the tears she had been unable to shed welled up and she did not try to hold them back. Her reasons for marrying Tristan had been selfish. She had wanted a father for her child, a companion so that she would not have to be alone. Now she would have neither.

Sobs wracked her body and nearly threatened to force her to the ground. Esmeralda gripped the side of the wagon tightly, giving herself over to the powerful force of her grief. She thought she would collapse, but found instead that she was being held up by a pair of strong arms. The feeling was familiar and she nestled closer to the warm body those arms belonged to without thinking. She buried her face against a solid chest and breathed the scent of sandalwood shaving soap and tobacco.

The soothing hand that reached up to stroke her hair was one she had felt so many times before and the voice that softly crooned and whispered comforting words was so achingly sweet, that she immediately ceased sobbing. When she had finally composed herself enough to look up her eyes clashed with a pair of sympathetic green ones. Her heart was flooded with relief.

Once again, Damien had no idea why he had come. When he found himself sitting outside the same church where he had watched Esmeralda and Tristan’s wedding, he had been unable to make himself leave.

His heart was broken for Esmeralda. Even though he had not really known Tristan and from the limited experience he’d had with him found he did not much care for the man, he knew that he had been one of Esmeralda’s most trusted friends. For a year, the man had been her husband and based on the tiny bundle she held to her bosom, he would daresay the man had been the father of her child as well.

Seeing her holding that tiny bundle did nothing more than remind him of the future he had let slip away. Thinking of her growing round with another man’s babe filled him with an emotion he could not even name. Sadness, perhaps. Aguish. Despair. Some combination of the three.

He had not planned on stepping down from his carriage. Damain had stayed inside during the funeral, watching from behind the curtains. When he had seen her run toward the wagon and nearly collapse in her grief, he had been unable to stay away. Even an entire year apart had not dimmed the torch he carried for her.

He stood now, holding her against him as she cried, ignoring the stares and whispers of the people nearby. He did not care what anyone thought of the King of Cardenas attending the funeral of a Gypsy dancer and holding the widow in his arms. He only knew that he had to be there for her. How could he not, after all they had suffered, both together and apart.

“Would you allow me to see you home?” he asked when she had finally composed herself. She nodded slowly and then turned to search the small crowd still standing about near Tristan’s grave.

“I have to find my daughter,” she said, avoiding his gaze. He watched her walk over to where Akira was holding the child. They exchanged a few words and then Esmeralda turned back toward him empty-handed. “Mother will bring her along in the wagon,” she explained, allowing Damien to hand her up into his carriage after she had given the driver directions.

Once inside, she took the seat across from him and turned to stare out of the window. He was content for the moment to just sit and watch her. Damien realized that he had forgotten nothing, he traced the outline of her profile with his eyes, but he knew that he did not have to. Even with his eyes closed, he could clearly see every feature that had been ingrained into his memory. He longed to reach across the space that separated them and pull her into his lap, but he knew it would be highly inappropriate.

When they pulled to a stop before a small cottage, Damien linked her arm through his and walked her to the door. “Perhaps you’d like to come in for tea,” she offered as she fumbled with her keys.

“Yes,” he blurted, before she even had a chance to finish asking. If she noticed his eagerness to remain in her company, she did not allow it to show. He followed her into the house, his eyes wandering, taking in every detail of the home she had shared with another man. He felt like a stranger, an imposter, as he took the chair she offered him at the table.

“I am sorry for your loss,” he said, though he immediately regretted it. I’m sorry for your loss? Nothing about that statement carried even one ounce of the pain he felt at seeing her so utterly abandoned. “I know that Tristan meant a lot to you,” he added, watching her put a kettle over the stove she had just lit.

“I did not love him,” she said. Damien started, but was otherwise silent. He realized that her statement had not exactly been directed at him. She wasn’t even looking at him, but was staring at a point somewhere over his shoulder. “I did not love him,” she repeated. “But he loved me and he wanted me. I married him because I didn’t want to be alone. Now he’s dead!”

She collapsed in a chair across from him, finally meeting his gaze. “This is all my fault,” she whispered, biting at her lower lip. Damien reached across the table and took her hands in his.

“Of course it isn’t. How could you even think it?”

“I was selfish. I knew that he had a history with my cousin and still I accepted his proposal. I took him away from her. She loved him in a way I never could have. She loved him so much, she could not bear the thought of life without him so she took her own life.”

Damien shook his head. “That is not love,” he said, squeezing her hands tightly between his. “Love is knowing what is best for the other person, even if it means not being with you.”

A long silence stretched between them, as they each comprehended how true his statement really was. “Besides,” Damien continued. “Your cousin did not just take her own life, she took his as well thinking to rob you of your happiness.”

“The way I robbed her of hers,” Esmeralda interjected.

“You did not mean to take anything from anyone. I know you too well for that.”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was too heartbroken.”

Damien hung his head and sighed. “That would be my fault.” He laughed bitterly as she rose to take the screaming kettle off the stove. “So in reality this entire thing was my fault. I was trying to do the right thing, because I knew it was what you wanted me to do. Look what it has gained us.”

“Please,” Esmeralda urged as she placed a steaming cup in front of him. “Let’s not speak of the past. It is too painful.” Damien nodded. She was right. They sat in silence and sipped their tea. Damien could not help sneaking glances at her whenever he could.

Raina entered moments later, carrying Esmeralda’s child. Damien nodded his greeting as she walked silently through the sitting room and kitchen and into the open door he assumed was the bedroom. When she returned, she was without the child.

“Leila is sleeping,” Raina told Esmeralda. “I laid her down in her crib.”

Esmeralda nodded. “Thank you.”

Raina nodded and then disappeared back into the room with the baby.

“Leila.” Damien said with a smile. “A lovely name.”

Esmeralda returned his smile, causing his heart to accelerate maddeningly. “Yes,” she said. “Tristan actually named her. He was such a good father.”

They lapsed into silence once more. Damien did not know what to say. All he could think was that he would have been a good father too. “Perhaps I should be going,” he said. “I am sure you are wanting to rest after the day you’ve had.”

She stood and led him toward the front door where she smiled up at him again. “Thank you for being here today,” she said. “It was very comforting.”

He nodded. “I couldn’t not be here,” he murmured, edging closer to her against his will. Damien knew it was madness to want to kiss her on the day of her husband’s funeral, but it was all he could think about. He settled instead, on kissing her forehead gently. “Should you need anything, I am never too busy to assist you,” he said, hoping against all hope that she would call on him.

“Of course,” she said, placing a hand on his arm. He jerked beneath her touch, which seared through the sleeve of his jacket like a hot branding iron. Damien could have sworn he could still feel her hand there, as he climbed up into the carriage. He could almost detect the faint scent of jasmine that lingered there as well.

Esmeralda watched his carriage disappear down the road, her heart sinking lower and lower with every second. One year had changed nothing. Her heart still raced at his nearness, her stomach still fluttered. She still loved him, she realized, even though she had spent so much time trying to force him into a tiny corner of her mind.

Raina came out of the bedroom when she heard the front door close. She stood across the room for a moment and eyed Esmeralda knowingly. “That was nice of him to offer you an escort home,” she said slowly, still studying Esmeralda’s face. What she was looking for, Esmeralda did not know. Surely, her heart was not in her eyes. “Yes,” she agreed, moving about the table to clean up the empty cups and saucers. “It was lovely to see him again.”

“Did you tell him?”

The question froze the blood in her veins. She had been expecting the question, but was in no way prepared to answer it. “No,” she said simply, hoping that Raina would not expect her to elaborate.

“He should know,” Raina said simply, moving about the small sitting room, picking things up here and there.

“You did not think so when Tristan was my husband.”

Raina sighed and straightened, holding Tristan’s guitar case in one hand and a pair of his boots in the other. “The situation has changed completely since then. He was married to someone else then, someone we thought was also expecting a child. You did not want to burden him. If the expression on his face was any indication, he would be nothing but pleased if you were to tell him.”

“And I suppose he will bend down on one knee and ask me to be his wife like he did before,” Esmeralda snapped, slamming the tea kettle into the sink viciously. She was so tired of people trying to advise her on how to live her life. She was still reeling from the loss of two people she had dearly loved. Esmeralda was in no mood for a lecture. “No one will be surprised if I were to say yes. After all, who would refuse a king? I suppose you would all stand around with handkerchiefs pressed to your teary eyes as he swept me onto his horse and rode off with me into the sunset. I once thought that love worked that way, but I learned otherwise. The hard way.”

Raina shook her head. “I am not telling you that you should marry him tomorrow. I am not saying that you should marry him at all. I am only saying that he has a right to know about the child and now that Tristan is gone you must think of the child’s future. You must think of your future.”

Esmeralda grudgingly admitted that her mother was right. Even though the fantasy of Damien riding off with her into the sunset was still lingering on the edges of her mind, Esmeralda knew it would not be that easy.

“My husband has barely been buried for an hour,” she said. “I need time.”

“I understand,” Raina conceded as she turned to leave. “Just don’t take so much time that you miss out on something wonderful.”

“I still love him,” she admitted, swiping at a tear with frustration. Esmeralda did not want to cry anymore. She had spent an entire year avoiding heartbreak and sadness and although she had not been deliriously happy, she had been safe and comfortable. “How do I stop loving him?”

Raina shrugged. “It’s possible. But only if you truly want it to be.”

Chapter 27

Damien could not stay away. He knew that he should, but only four weeks after Tristan’s funeral passed before he found himself standing on Esmeralda’s doorstep. He knew that he had to give her time and space to grieve, but he could not deny himself the sight of her any longer. She was surprised to see him, but he could tell that she was also pleased. She accepted the yellow roses he offered her with a smile and ushered him into the sitting room.

“I hope you don’t mind my coming by,” he said, watching her fill a vase with water. “I was thinking about you and wanted to see for myself how you’re doing.”

She took a seat on the sofa beside him, nearly unmanning him with her nearness. He wanted nothing more than to crush her against him and smother her with kisses. He had not touched a woman since his last night with her, had not wanted to until that moment when he was close enough to reach out and touch her. He folded his hands in his lap instead and watched her lips when she spoke.

“We are doing well,” she said, indicating the small cradle where Leila lay sleeping a few feet away from where they sat. “Desmond comes by whenever I need him to fix things or to bring me firewood. He’s been a great help.”

Damien nodded. “I am glad to hear it.”

He turned to study the sleeping infant in the cradle. Swirls of inky black hair covered her little head and dark lashes lay like crescent moons on her plump cheeks while she slept. Her skin was the same shade of Esmeralda’s and she had her nose as well.

“She’s beautiful,” he murmured, rising to take a closer look at the sleeping child. “Just like you.”

“She does take a bit after her father,” she said, coming to standing behind him. Leila began to squirm in her sleep and within moments she was crying, a tiny little mewling sound that warmed Damien’s heart. With her eyes squeezed closed and her tiny fists balled up, she kicked her tiny feet as she cried.

“May I?” he asked, turning to Esmeralda for permission. He had never had a chance to hold the child he’d thought would be his and for some reason he suddenly had an urge to hold this one.

Esmeralda hesitated for a moment. Damien could sense her apprehension. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “I’ve held a baby before.” He had meant to put her more at ease, yet she seemed even more nervous with each passing second. Leila continued to cry and after a few seconds, Esmeralda nodded silently.

Damien bent over the cradle and slid his hands beneath the baby, one at her head and one at her bottom and lifted her against his chest. “Shhh, hush now,” he crooned to the tiny thing, swaying gently from side to side as he held her. She fussed for a few for seconds before nestling against his chest. Leila found her thumb and began to suckle with a loud smacking sound. He could not have described the emotion that welled up within him in that moment. Damien felt as if this child had always belonged in his arms.

He looked up to see Esmeralda with her hands clapped over her mouth, her eyes filled with tears. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his brow wrinkled in concern.

“Nothing,” she sobbed, clasping her hands together tightly in front of her. “It’s just that holding her comes so naturally to you.”

Damien studied her curiously for a moment, wondering why the sight of him holding her child should bring tears to her eyes. Then he looked down just as Leila opened her eyes. They were the color of emeralds. They were his father’s eyes. His eyes. His head jerked up and he found Esmeralda’s gaze.

“Tristan’s eyes are brown,” she said.

Damien could hardly believe it. The child from this vision, this child, was real. She was real and she was his. “Why didn’t you come to me?” he asked, though he was sure he already understood. He could not even be angry with her for not telling him. All that he had been through in the past year faded into nothingness in this moment as he held his firstborn child.

“I’m sorry,” she said, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. “I didn’t know until after you had already married Davina. By then, you had been through so much I did not want to burden you.”

“This child could never be a burden.”

“Yes, but I know how hard it was for you to make the decision that you did. I thought it was better that you never knew. I had planned to sail to America and start over, that way I could be sure you would never find out. Then Tristan discovered that I was pregnant and offered me marriage. He did not care that Leila was not his by blood. Tristan loved her because she was mine.”

“I owe him a great deal,” Damien said, unable to tear his eyes away from the child he held in his hands. “For taking care of the two most precious things to me, I will never forget him.”

They stood in silence together, gazing down at the life they had created together out of love. Leila quickly drifted off to sleep again. Damien laid her gently in the cradle and then turned toward Esmeralda. Their eyes locked and they stood there wordlessly, their eyes communicating things that could not be said with words.

In the blink of an eye, he was across the room and sweeping her into his arms. She did not resist him when he leaned down to kiss her. Esmeralda responded with unrestrained ardor, opening her mouth to him to accept his invading tongue, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. Her taste was so familiar, but it had been so long since he had experienced it that Damien could not get enough. Her knees weakened, but his hands tightened around her waist to keep her from falling.

“I’ve miss you,” he murmured against her lips as he moved her in the direction of the bedroom. All logical thought had fled the moment he tasted her lips and he knew that now he could not stop, would not stop until he had her naked and spread beneath him.

He tore at her dress. She tore at his shirt. Articles of clothing flew in every direction until they tumbled unto the bed together, naked flesh pressed to naked flesh. Damien looked down and was pleased to see that childbirth had not detracted from her figure. If anything, it had enhanced it, adding to it a certain womanliness.

He loved her as he never had before, reminding her of what had been, and showing her what would be now that she was his again. His hands were everywhere, traveling over the hills and valleys of a body that had haunted his dreams since the last time he’d gazed upon it. Damien marveled at the fuller breasts that filled his palms as he bent to taste them and the soft feel of wider hips that enveloped him as he lowered himself between them. Esmeralda’s voice rung over him, filling his ears with the soft music of her moans as he entered her for the first time in what had felt like forever.

Damien took her slowly, fighting against the climax that nipped desperately at his heels. It had been too long since and he was dying to sink into her and lose himself, but held it in check, longing to savor the silky grasp of her sheath around him and her thighs gripping his. It wasn’t until Esmeralda screamed her name at the force of her climax that Damien buried his face against her shoulder and let go. His thrusts became frenzied and uncontrolled, pounding out frantic rhythm against her as he soared over the edge and beyond.

When it was over, he knew she knew just how much he had missed her.

When they lay together tangled in the bedcovers, he held her close. He whispered in her ear, mindless love words that he had been dreaming of whispering to her night after night for a year. She clung to him, burrowing her face against his neck, reveling in the familiarity of his skin against hers.

“How soon do you think we can be married?”

She stiffed in his arms and the question hung between them unanswered. Esmeralda struggled into a sitting position and reached for her shift. She pulled it over her head and started searching for the rest of her garments, which were scattered around the room.

“Esmeralda?”

She turned her back to him and pulled on the rest of her clothes.

“Surely you know that I will not live the rest of my life without you and Leila,” he continued as he left the bed to find his clothes. She faced again she was sure he was completely dressed.

“You have to give me time,” she pleaded, trying in vain to avoid his smoldering gaze. “My husband has only been dead one month. I cannot even think of marrying again until more time has passed. It wouldn’t be right.”

Damien came forward and cupped her face in his hands. His gaze was tender and his fingertips gentle and he lifted her face toward his. He kissed her. Once. Lightly. “We have waited long enough,” he said. “Tristan is dead, but that doesn’t mean we have to be. It is time for us to live. Together, as a family, as it should have been from the beginning.”

Esmeralda squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that if she didn’t look at him he would stop weaving the magical spell that he was creating around her with his eyes. “So much has happened to keep us apart that I just don’t know if I’m brave enough to risk heartache again.”

“I know that nothing has turned out the way we planned. We have both been through a lot apart, but we have also been through a lot together and I know that together we are stronger. Whatever happens, at least we’ll have each other. We’ll have Leila.”

“I need more time,” she whispered.

“More time? We have spent more than enough time apart. I don’t think I can wait any longer. “

“Please don’t make me decide now. If you truly love me, you won’t deny me that.”

Damien sighed wearily, but nodded his agreement. “At least you did not say no,” he said with a wicked grin. “I will give you all the time you want, but I will not give you space. I shall be here, every hour of every day until you give me an answer.” When Esmeralda groaned in frustration, Damien merely chuckled. “You didn’t think I would make it that easy, did you?”

****

He did not make it easy. Less than one month later, he was standing in the garden at Largess Hall, watching as Esmeralda’s brother led her toward him through tall white pillars wrapped in garlands of spring flowers. They had decided on a private ceremony in the garden with only their family and closest friends. His first wedding had been grand and lavish, yet hollow and without meaning.

As Esmeralda walked toward him in white silk and lace, a wreath of flowers set on top of her unbound hair, Damien’s heart leaped in its chest. As she came near and smiled at him, he knew that this time would be different.

This time, when he knelt before the priest for prayer, he silently added his own plea that God would keep them together for eternity. This time, when he said his vows, they meant more to him than any words ever had in his life. This time, when he slid the ring on his bride’s finger, he did so with the knowledge that it would never be from her hand, and he found joy in that revelation. This time, when he kissed his bride, he could not stop kissing her.

So they kissed and they kissed and they kissed, until the priest cleared his throat noisily. Then they kissed some more.

****

Isabelle smiled from her seat in the garden, applauding just as loudly as the other guests. The sun was beaming down on them and the fragrant flowers surrounding them created a small cocoon where only happy endings happened and fairy tales came true. Her only wish was that such a place could truly exist.

A tear came to her eye as she thought about Lionus and how close they had been to their happily ever after. She wiped it away. Today was about happiness. Today was about her closest friend and her dear brother-in-law finding each other again and coming together in love.

Esmeralda’s grandmother, Akira, took her hand and squeezed it.  “It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked, her smile wide. Isabelle could not be sure why, but for some reason she always felt as though the old woman could see right into her soul.

“Yes,” she agreed. “I am so glad that they have found their happiness.”

“Not to worry,” Akira said with a reassuring pat on her shoulder. “Yours is closer than you think.”

Isabella turned back to the new married couple and sighed. “I’m not so sure about that,” she murmured, a touch of sadness still lingering in her voice.

The old Gypsy woman only chuckled, her eyes twinkling mysteriously. “Oh, but I am.”

Epilogue

Sunlight streamed through the window and why that should bother him when his eyes were closed, he was not sure. The drapes were obviously thrown open and the sun had decided to stream directly into his eyes as he lay in the bed trying to sleep.

He flung one hand over his eyes to block out the light, but to no avail. It was almost as if the light were reaching out to him, calling him, beckoning him to wakefulness.

His body ached. He could not recall what he had done the night before, but his head was pounding something awful and his mouth was so dry he could barely swallow.

Then in a flash, he remembered. The dark night on the side of the road, his brother run through by a sword, the fear in his sister-in-law’s eyes as she took the reins to the carriage in her hands, the evil glint in his half-brother’s eyes as he had ordered him lashed to the back of a carriage.

He remembered.

He shot into a sitting position, his eyes flying open. A gasp from a corner of the room alerted him to someone else’s presence. He searched the room until he saw her. She rose slowly from her chair in the corner. The book she had been reading clattered loudly to the floor. For a moment, she did not move or even speak. She stared at him as if he were a ghost and did not move as if she were afraid she would frighten him off.

He stared back at her, awed as he had always been by her beauty. Her wide blue eyes were filled with tears as she walked slowly to his bedside. He looked down to see that she was offering him a glass of water.

He accepted and drank greedily, savoring every last drop, unable to understand why his throat was so damned dry. When he was finished she took the glass from him and set it aside, still staring at him as if she could hardly believe her eyes.

How he had longed for her to gaze at him this way. For so long he had loved her, watched her from afar, longing for what could never be between them. His heart pounded in his chest when she hurtled herself against him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

He was unsure of how to react, so he wrapped one arm around her, using the other to keep himself propped up. He closed his eyes and inhaled. She smelled heavenly. He did not know why she was crying and holding him as if she had not seen him in years. He only knew that he did not want her to let go.

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed my debut novel, The Third Son. The sequel and book two in my ‘Kings of Cardenas’ series will be released January 2012. Happy reading.

Regards,

Elise

Now Available: Book 2 in the Kings of Cardenas Series

Now available, book 2.5 in the Kings of Cardenas series

Please enjoy this excerpt from book 2 in the Kings of Cardenas series, The Second Son.

Prologue

Cardenas, 1856

The sound of highly polished boots against gleaming marble floors echoed down the seemingly endless corridor. Its cadence held a sense of urgency, impatience even and all who heard were wise enough to stand aside though they did not forget to bow or curtsy to the man moving swiftly past them. His strides were long and purposeful and his face was devoid of all outward emotion. Those who knew him best would know by looking that nervous fingers had been raked several times through his light blonde curls.

His full mouth was pressed into a grim line and his jade eyes were focused steadily ahead. He increased his speed once rounding a corner, almost to his destination. The footman that had come running into his study had brought exciting news. The news was so phenomenal, in fact, that if anyone else were privy to what was going on behind the closed door of his brother’s chambers, they would wonder why he was not leaping for joy.

It was what he had been hoping for, praying for, waiting for. Perhaps this was why he had refused to get his hopes up. The news seemed too good to be true and he wasn’t sure he would even believe it until he saw for himself. He neared the tall oak door leading to his brother’s rooms and paused. He was not sure what to expect. The footman’s message had been hurried and panted out between short breaths since the man had run across the entire length of the palace to find him.

During his short reign as king, Damien Largess had learned a lot, and one of those things was that he could not govern everything. This was a daunting thought, especially for one who could command an entire army or a fleet of ships with a single word. He had authority over much but he found that he had never been able to control the things that really mattered.

He had waited for this day for so long, and now that it was here, he was unsure how to proceed. Would his brother have his memory? Would he be angry at Damien for having to take the throne in his stead? Would he be anything like his former self, or a merely a shadow of what he once had been? There really was only one way to find out.

He lifted his hand to the knob and turned, pushing the door in slowly. He poked his head through the doorway and peered into the room.

On the bed was his brother, sitting upright with his eyes open for the first time since he’d slipped into a coma one year ago. He had lost a considerable amount of weight, and his hair had grown past his shoulders, but he was otherwise unchanged. Damien’s heart swelled and tears sprung to his eyes. Every emotion he had ever known welled up within his chest and threatened to spill forth in a chorus of prayers and cries of thanks to God.

The sound of soft sobs, a woman’s cry, alerted him to the presence of another in the room. Damien had been so immersed in studying the face of his long-lost brother and thanking the heavens, he had not even noticed that his sister-in-law was seated on the bed with Serge, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Isabelle was crying, he knew, even though he couldn’t see her face. Her shoulders shook gently with her sobs and she held on to Serge as if she did not want to let go.

Damien knew the feeling. The two of them were the only people left in the entire palace that had held on to hope. Neither of them could let themselves believe that he would not awaken someday and now he finally had.

“Serge,” he said gently, stepping quietly into the room and closing the door behind him. He did not want anyone else intruding upon this moment. Both Isabelle and Serge glanced up at the sound of his voice and smiled. Isabelle stood from the bed, her hands clasped together as if in prayer.

“He came to a few minutes ago,” she said with a sniffle, wiping at her pale blue eyes with the back of her hand. “One moment he was just laying there and the next he was sitting up in bed, looking at me.”

She grabbed Damien’s arm and propelled him toward the canopied bed, since his legs seemed to have stopped functioning on their own. “He doesn’t know how long it’s been,” she whispered before they got to the foot of the bed. Damien’s heart sank to the pit of his stomach and he repressed the urge to sigh aloud.

Serge had not yet looked in a mirror, but when he did, he was sure to understand just how long he had lain unconscious in his bed. He frowned. “I’m glad to see you Damien,” he said. “But Isabelle told the footman to go and fetch Lionus. Where is he?”

Damien turned a questioning glance at Isabelle who shrugged helplessly. “I told him to go and find His Highness immediately,” she said, and Damien understood. Serge did not yet know that Damien was now His Highness. He cleared his throat.

“There is something you should know,” he said, taking another step toward the bed. “Much has occurred that you should be made aware of.”

Serge grinned, swinging his legs over the side of the bed to stand. Damien rushed to his side immediately, knowing that an entire year in bed could not have been kind to his brother’s leg muscles.

“You mustn’t try to do too much at once,” he admonished when Serge stood and fell against him. “You’ve been extremely ill and will no doubt be a bit weak for a while.”

Serge’s smile faded and he looked first at Damien and then at Isabelle, who suddenly found she could not look him directly in the eye. “Ill?” he asked, furrowing his brow in concentration, obviously trying to remember. “How long?” he asked. “A few weeks?”

Damien sighed. There was no use in holding back he supposed. He had much to say, a lot of which he was sure Serge would not be happy to hear. He knew it was better that he hear it all at once. Much like pulling a tooth, Damien would have to do it swiftly, though it would be extremely painful. The sooner it was over, the sooner Serge could begin to really heal. He took a deep breath.

.

Chapter 1

Lionus was dead. It was a fact that Serge rebelled against in his mind every moment since he’d heard the news. It just could not be true, he told himself, convinced that he was right despite the startling evidence to the contrary. When he’d been strong enough to leave his sickbed and finally dress himself and leave his chambers, Serge had left the palace with only one destination in mind.

He now stood in the royal family’s private cemetery, where generations of kings, queens, princes and princesses had been buried. Green hills dotted with lush trees surrounded the gated burial ground and the coolness of fall surrounded him in a swirl of red and brown leaves. He could hardly fathom the change. Before he’d slipped into darkness, Cardenas had been cloaked in winter.

The pain in his heart when he found his brother’s year-old tombstone, placed neatly beside his father’s, had been unreal. He knelt before the smooth stone and reached out with his hand to touch it. Despite the warmth of the afternoon sun beaming down overhead, the stone was ice cold.

Serge sighed and closed his eyes, willing himself to remember the past year. As always, he could remember nothing other than snatches of conversation that seemed more like dream than reality. He grunted in frustration and pounded his fist against the tightly packed earth beneath him. He had awakened from a year-long coma to find that there was an entire year of his life that stood somewhere in shadow within his mind, and try as he might he could recall none of it.

He turned back toward Largess Hall, looming high and proud against the clear, bright sky. Leaves crunched beneath his feet and beyond his home he could see the snow-capped mountains bordering Cardenas. Soon, the snow atop those mountains would also blanket the hills surrounding the palace and the air would go from crisp coolness to bitter cold. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers and walked slowly, knowing that if he moved too quickly, he was bound to get dizzy. He may even pass out again, left lying on the grass for hours until he either awakened or was found. The prospect was not encouraging.

As he neared Largess Hall he allowed his thoughts to turn toward the changes that had occurred in the long year he had been absent from his body. Many things were the same, yet everything had changed. After his father had been poisoned by his treacherous nephew, whom no one had known was really his illegitimate son, Serge had thought that no pain could compare to the emptiness he had felt then. Adare Largess had been a great man, as well as a great king, with more love in his heart for his sons than any man could have wished for.

He could remember vividly the night they had been attacked on the road leaving the city.

While Serge, Lionus, the queen mother, and Lionus’ new bride, Isabelle, had traveled down the road toward one of Lionus’ country estates, Nicolai and his hired band of cutthroats had waited for them, their purpose sure, their intent deadly. Serge remembered that night with a bitter taste in his mouth. He and his brother had fought together, each terrified for the women that they protected, neither willing to just stand aside and allow them to be killed. He remembered with an aching flash the moment when Lionus had been felled by their half-brother’s sword. He remembered being held down by two men, stunned by a blow to the back of his head, forced to watch as his brother was run through.

He could remember the white hot fury that had struck him like lightning, and his shock and dismay upon discovering the identity of the man who had killed his father and wounded his brother. He had fought madly, with every ounce of his strength until he was bound, hand and foot and lashed to the back of a carriage. After that there had been only darkness. He could faintly recall flashes of pain so unbearable that his mind has instantly retreated back into unconsciousness. In fact, he could remember reaching for wakefulness several times, only to be snatched back into darkness when the agony of his injuries overtook him.

He continued to carry the scars that that night had left upon him. His left leg, which he was told had been broken in several places pained him still, and caused him to limp slightly. Serge had refused to accept the cane that the doctors tried to force upon him and felt that his leg had actually grown stronger once forced to bear his full weight. Only one scar was visible when he was fully dressed. It haunted him when he glanced in a mirror, or even now, when he held his fingers up to his face to trace the jagged line marring his otherwise unspoiled countenance. It ran almost the entire length of his face on the right side, slashing from just beneath his eye, diagonally to his jaw.

Every time he looked into a mirror, he felt as if he were looking at a stranger. It wasn’t just because of the scar, which had not done much to alter his appearance, nor was it because of his hair which hung loose and untamed down to his shoulders when he had once kept it cropped short and neat. Something else was there; he could see it in the depths of his eyes. There was a pain, a deeply rooted agony that he could not seem to cover up no matter how hard he tried. Even when he smiled, he knew that it never quite reached his eyes.

Serge nodded to the footman who held open the double doors leading into the main hall. He appreciated the familiarity of the space with its marble floors, high domed ceiling and towering arrangements of fresh flowers upon polished mahogany tables. He was relieved to find it quiet, save for the servants bustling about, tending to their various tasks. He knew they were all observing him from under lowered eyelids as they stopped what they were doing to bow or curtsy as he walked past. At least they weren’t dropping things or stopping dead in their tracks to stare at him as if he were a ghost. It had taken more than a week for them to become accustomed to seeing him roaming the halls again.

He headed toward the smaller dining room reserved for intimate family meals. A table just large enough to seat ten was set with an white table cloth and canary yellow lace overlay, which matched the flowing drapes. The windows were thrown open to the pleasant fall air, filling the room with the fresh scent of the outdoors. He was relieved to find it almost deserted though luncheon was being spread out on the sideboard. He took a seat across from his sister-in-law, Damien’s wife, Esmeralda.

“Good afternoon,” he said with a nod as he lowered himself into a chair.

“Hello,” she answered with a striking smile. Serge could not help but smile back. Esmeralda had an inner beauty that rivaled her outer beauty and always seemed to show through her smile. He must think of her as queen now, he reminded himself. It was hard to think of her that way. When he’d first lain eyes on her she had been dressed in Gypsy garb and dancing for the finely dressed members of the court. It was easy to see why Damien had been so entranced by her that night and Serge had been more than pleased when he’d learned of Damien’s plans to marry the girl.

They were married and had one daughter, who Serge had fallen in love with the moment he’d laid eyes on her. The child was beautiful and sweet, and she was the only person in the entire castle that did not know how much he had changed. Esmeralda’s true identity as a Gypsy dancer was a closely guarded secret, one that Serge was pleased to find had not been revealed. No one had ever guessed she would become queen, but then no one could have imagined that Damien, the third of Adare’s sons, would have become king.  They seemed happy enough, he thought as they moved to the sideboard together once the footmen were done setting it with steaming dishes. No one would guess that either of them had not been born for the roles of king and queen, for they fulfilled their duties admirably.

Once they were seated again Serge attacked his food with vigor, hoping that he would soon regain the weight he had lost over the past year. His own clothes hung loosely from a frame that had once been broad and powerful. He had taken to wearing Lionus’ clothes as his brother had been much thinner than him..

“Damien has been looking for you,” she said after a few moments of silence. He looked up to find her observing him carefully.

“I went for a walk,” he said simply.

“Yes, I’m sure you needed to get away from all the whispering and staring.”

. “They act as if I’ve risen from the dead.”

“It is as if you’ve risen from the dead, Serge. No one expected you to live.” She smirked. “You sure showed them.”

Serge returned her smile. “You know, I suppose you are right. Where is Damien, by the way? I hadn’t intended to avoid him.”

She stared into the murky depths of her teacup and sighed heavily with obvious relief. “I am glad you feel that way, because he thinks that you are angry with him.” She tore her gaze away from the painted china cup in her hand, her eyes filled with worry. “He fears that you resent him for taking the throne. Even now he is petitioning the High Council, hoping to right the wrong he feels he has done to you.”

“I am not angry,” Serge said honestly. “I know that Damien did what he had to and that there was nothing underhanded about it. Hell, Damien is the last person who would ever have had aspirations toward the throne.”

“You know him well,” she said. “It has been quite an adjustment for him, for both of us really, but he has adapted well. He is a great king.”

Serge finished his plate and rose for seconds. He waved a footman over to refill his cup. “From what I have seen and heard, you are a great queen,” he remarked around a mouthful of smoked ham. Damn but he had missed the taste of food!

Esmeralda shrugged. “I have done my best. Damien and Isabelle have been very helpful in guiding me.”

“It is uplifting to see that becoming a queen has not changed you,” Serge replied. “You seem more refined, but you remain refreshingly kind and without the wiles that seem ingrained in many gently bred ladies.”

“Having my family here has helped to remind me of who I am and where I come from,” she said, allowing the footman to come and take her empty plate. She accepted a second cup of tea and relaxed in her cushioned chair. “I daresay it has been an adjustment for us all. We are used to working for a living.”

They lapsed into a companionable silence as Serge wolfed down the rest of his lunch and drained his cup with relish. He dabbed at his mouth with a linen napkin and stood. “I’ll go find Damien now,” he said, bowing over her hand and brushing a chaste kiss across her knuckles.

Esmeralda waved goodbye and Serge left the dining room in search of his brother. He walked toward Damien’s wing of the house and was a little more than halfway there before he remembered that Damien had moved into the King’s chambers. Turning on his heels, Serge set off in the right direction. It seemed as if the corridors of Largess Hall stretched on forever. Really, one could lose oneself here, never to be seen again if one truly wished it. At this point, Serge thought, it did not seem such a daunting prospect.

Serge found Damien in his study, talking with the newly appointed general of Cardenas’ army. Damien was still wearing formal court dress and Serge knew he had just come from meeting with the High Council. General Adams stood as Serge entered and bowed reverently. The man eyed him nervously and Serge forced a smile to put the man at ease. The new general had been appointed to take Serge’s place as leader of Cardenas’ armed forces and was undoubtedly nervous about Serge’s feelings on the matter.

As the second born prince, Serge was supposed to have taken his place as general when Lionus was crowned king. He had studied and prepared for the position his entire life, but that had been before. Before, Lionus was supposed to be king and he was supposed to be general. Before, he was a whole man, not only a ghost of his former self.

“Good to see you again General,” he said shaking Adams’ hand and taking a seat on the other side of Damien’s desk. Adams visibly relaxed beside him and Serge was relieved. It was hardly the man’s fault that things turned out the way they had.

“I was just taking my leave,” General Adams said with another bow. “I am glad to see that you are well Your Grace.” Serge inclined his head in thanks and General Adams left hurriedly.

“I searched for you this morning,” Damien said, shuffling a stack of papers around on his desk, signing a few and setting a few more aside for his secretary. “You were nowhere to be found.”

Serge shrugged. “I wanted some fresh air. After being cooped up in my chambers for the last year I have discovered a new love of the outdoors.”

Damien smiled. “I’m glad to see you up and about. You look as if you are feeling stronger.”

“I am,” Serge said with a nod. “Every day I feel just a bit better. I hope to be my old self again soon.”

“I hope for the same.”

“Have you just come from the council?” Serge asked, indicating Damien’s state of formal court dress.

“Yes.”

“And?”

Damien sighed and ran his hand over his tired face. He had always been the most handsome of the three brothers; everyone knew it and as his fraternal twin, Serge was even more aware of it than anyone else. Not that Serge was plain. He knew that he was attractive enough in his own way, but he was not so delusional as to think that his looks could rival Damien’s. His features were chiseled and refined and his physique was long and lean with muscle. He had often heard women say that Damien’s was the sort of face that could make angels weep.

Now, as Serge sat across from Damien, he could see what time and responsibility had done for his brother. The eyes, which had once held a limpid, heavy-lidded sort of boredom were now sharp and shrewd.Damien had chosen to grow a beard, which he kept neatly trimmed. The beard, a rich golden hue, only served to enhance his formidable stature and noble features.

It would seem that becoming king was the best thing that had ever happened to Damien. What it meant for him, he was not sure. He did not know, but he did know that he would not take back the crown from his younger brother, although it was his right as the second born son. Destiny would have to provide him with a different path. It had, after all, made him a different man.

Damien was silent for a few more minutes, silently turning over the thoughts in his head and deciding how to word them. He drummed his fingers against the desk rhythmically, staring at some point over Serge’s shoulder silently. Finally, he spoke.

“The council was at a loss at how to handle such a situation,” he began slowly, his eyes finally meeting Serge’s. He stopped drumming his fingers and clasped his hands together on the desk in front of him. “Never in the history of Cardenas has such a thing occurred. I allowed them to argue among themselves for some time before I stepped in. I told them exactly what I thought they should do.”

Serge’s brows shot up in surprise. He wondered how long it would be before he became accustomed to this new facet of his brother’s personality. A Damien who drank, gambled and whored was a man he was most intimately acquainted with. A Damien who commanded and led with passion and strength was an entirely new person all together.

“What did you suggest?” he prodded when Damien did not continue.

“I told them that I would abdicate the throne.”

Serge had been expecting the words, but in that moment when they were spoken, something within him rebelled. He knew it was the right thing to do and yet some tiny part of him, some innate thing knew that his feet had been placed on a different path. He shook his head. “No.”

Damien lifted one eyebrow. “No?”

“Exactly. You will not abdicate the throne, Damien. I won’t allow it.”

Damien smiled. Then he laughed. He slumped forward onto his desk, his chuckles ringing out through the library, his shoulders shaking gently. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “In case you have forgotten, brother, for the time being I am still king. You have no power until I give it to you.”

“Of that I am well aware,” Serge said with a scowl, not at all amused. “But please allow me to plead my case before you refuse,” he said. “I think you are being hasty. You have been king for well over a year and from what I can see, things could not be better if I were in your place. You would have made both Father and Lionus proud.”

“Yes, except for the very obvious fact that if father and Lionus were still alive, I would not be in this position. I would still be the drunken third son. It isn’t right for me to stay in this position when you are alive and well. It is your right as the second son to sit upon the throne. I should never have allowed mother to coerce me into going to the council in the first place. I was so discouraged by the prospect of you dying in that bed upstairs, that I went against my better judgment and went to the council. They declared you incompetent, unfit to rule and named me king in your stead.” Damien buried his face in his hands. Serge rose from his seat and went around the desk to place a firm hand on Damien’s shoulder.

“You did what was necessary,” he said, knowing that he meant every word. “No one could have asked you to do any different. Cardenas needed a leader and you stepped in to fill the position. I could not be prouder to call you my brother.”

Damien shook his head. “It wasn’t right. I don’t know how you’ll ever forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive. Things are they way they should be. You are king. You got to marry the woman you love and make her your queen and start a family. I won’t take that away from you.”

Damien nodded decisively and stood. He paced slowly in front of the fireplace before turning to Serge. “There’s more,” he said. “I had a feeling that you would react this way and took the time to devise another way to make things right. The council has already approved and will await word from me. If you accept this offer, it will give me an opportunity to fix this and it will take a tremendous load off of my shoulders as well.”

“I am listening.”

“As you know, the situation in Barony has become volatile. The people are terrified and angry and the rebel army has multiplied greatly in the years since Isabelle has been in hiding.”

Serge nodded. The king of Barony had negotiated a betrothal between Isabelle and Lionus, the crowned prince. Upon their marriage, Lionus and Isabelle were to have been king and queen of both Cardenas and Barony, thereby preserving the royal line through them

The two families and countries united, the rebel force would be easily vanquished and Barony would be at peace once again.

Unfortunately, Lionus’ death had complicated everything. Damien and Esmeralda were technically still king and queen of both Cardenas and Barony, but Serge knew that the people were not happy about it. They had expected their long lost princess returned to her rightful place on the throne.

“I would have thought the rebel army leader dead by now,” Serge said, joining his brother beside the fireplace. “It has been twenty years since Isabelle was sent here.”

“We are not sure if he is still living or not. In either case his son has played a great role in the rebellion,” Damien said with a scowl. “The bastard is pillaging Barony’s villages, burning down houses and taking all for his plunder. He captures and rapes women and makes slaves of children and kills the men who will not join him in his fight. I fear he is a greater foe than we could have imagined.”

“So, where do I come in?”

“As you know, Isabelle has remained here since Lionus’ death and I have allowed her adequate time to mourn him. I believe the time has come for her to take her rightful place as queen of Barony.”

“You would send her back to Barony alone?”

“No,” said Damien with a shake of his head. “I hope to send her back with you as her husband.”

About The Author

Elise Marion is a lover books and has a special place in her heart for sweet and sensual romance. Writing about love across all walks of life is her passion, as is reaching people through the written word. The Army wife and stay-at-home mother of two spends most of her time taking care of her children. Her second job includes writing stories about characters that people can fall in love with. When the Texas native isn’t caring for her family or writing, you can usually find her with her nose in a book, singing loudly, or cooking up something new in the kitchen.

More by Elise Marion

The Second Son (Kings of Cardenas Book #2)

Now available

The Lady Knights of Barony (Kings of Cardenas Book #2.5)

Now Available

Fallen (Angels Among Us Book #1)

Now available

Tempted (Angels Among Us Book #2)

Now Available

Cake

Now Available

The Valentine’s Masquerade

Now Available

The Secret Life of Avery O’Dea

Now Available

Coming Soon

Redemption (Angels Among Us Book #3)

October/November 2012

Gypsy Rose (Kings of Cardenas Book #3)

December 2012/January 2013

The Mistress (Kings of Cardenas #3.5)

2013

The Gypsy (Kings of Cardenas #4)

2013

The Groom (A Contemporary Romance)

2013

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