“But the line is entailed through your mother?”
“Yes,” she said. “Why all the questions?”
“I want to know if Emperion has any weaknesses we’re unaware of,” he said. “Aren’t you at all concerned where Eliza and Jana are? What plots they could be concocting?”
Allyssa shrugged. She hadn’t given them much thought. “My mother never seemed worried. Jana was supposedly very sick, and it was believed she’d die at an early age.”
“Your kingdom has a rich history, that’s for sure.” Prince Odar chuckled. “What else haven’t I seen in this castle?”
Allyssa decided to take him to one of her favorite places. Entering the solarium, she watched the rain fall, pattering against the glass above her. She strolled between the low bushes and roses that lined the pathway to the water fountain. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back and listened to the sound of water all around her. Two hands gently rested on her shoulders, making her jump. She opened her eyes. Prince Odar was standing right behind her.
Her future husband.
“Allyssa,” he whispered. He’d never called her by her name. It felt too intimate. She turned to face him. “I want to kiss you,” he whispered.
She took a step away from him. Weren’t they taking things slow? Getting to know one another? Prince Odar’s face hardened with a look of determination as he put his hands on her shoulders once again, stepping toward her so they were only inches apart.
“Why?” she asked. Was it because he was curious to see if there was something between them? Did he actually desire a kiss from her? She couldn’t decipher his intentions.
“Because I want to,” he said, smiling.
Movement caught her attention. She looked past the prince and saw Jarvik entering the solarium with several Fren soldiers. He stopped a few feet behind the prince.
“Your squire—” she started to say, but the prince cut her off.
“Why are you always talking about him? Why can’t you just focus on me?” Prince Odar asked.
“What’s going on?” Jarvik interrupted, saving her from answering.
The prince startled and dropped his hands, abruptly taking a step back, away from her. “Nothing,” he answered. “The princess and I were just talking.” He turned to face his squire, his head shaking ever so slightly in disappointment.
“Prince Odar,” Jarvik said, “I need to speak with you alone for a moment.”
“If you’ll excuse me,” Allyssa said. She went to the other end of the solarium in order to give the prince and Jarvik privacy. Gazing outside at the falling rain, there was nothing she wanted more than to run out there, letting the water pound on her head. Instead, she was stuck inside the castle, forced to entertain the prince.
“I’m sorry for the interruption,” Jarvik said, coming to stand next to her, staring outside at the storm with her.
“It was actually well timed,” she mumbled, not really intending for him to hear. They stood in silence for several minutes. Lightning flashed across the sky and a moment later, thunder boomed. For the first time ever, she was glad Jarvik stood beside her. There was something about his steady stoicism that made her feel safe and not so lonely.
“I hope it lets up before tonight,” he said, folding his arms.
“It’ll be easier to conceal our movements with the storm.”
“As it will be for the assassin, too.”
She hadn’t told Jarvik yet, but after she met with the assassin, she planned to see Grevik. This time, she wouldn’t ask. She would just go to her friend. Her chest ached from not seeing or talking to him. She had to make sure he understood why she lied. Their friendship couldn’t be over—not after all these years.
“Did you need something?” she asked, curious as to why he was still there.
“I just had to tell the prince something,” he said.
Scanning the solarium, she didn’t see Prince Odar anywhere.
“He left. He is needed elsewhere,” Jarvik said.
Closing her eyes, she listened to the pattering rain.
“Are you all right?” he whispered, his voice sending a shiver through her body.
“I’m fine,” she lied, forcing a smile. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare for a meeting this afternoon.” It was the first time she felt the need to flee not because Jarvik had upset her, but because his presence was preferable to the prince’s.
Approaching her bedchamber, she heard Marek arguing with Madelin and Mayra inside. It was nothing new for the brother and sister to fight; however, it was unusual for Madelin to be involved. Allyssa went in, closing the door behind her. “What’s going on?” she asked, hoping it had nothing to do with her.