Page 61 of The Mad King and the False Queen

“Of course, Your Highness,” Martine said, clearing the distance between them and giving a courteous nod at both the king and the captain. “There is shade at lunch. Perhaps we’ll go over early?”

“Wonderful,” Claude said. “Sabien, join them, I’ll be over as soon as I finish cleaning up.”

Sabien nodded before clasping his hands behind his back and giving an enticing glance at Dagmara.

While Claude returned to the castle, Martine took Dagmara by the arm and began leading her to the luncheon, a few paces ahead of Sabien and out of earshot. “Princess, you look as though you’ve seen a ghost. Are you ill?”

“It’s the sun.” Wavering slightly, Dagmara fought to remain presentable. She had been standing too long. She simply had to sit, have salt, and then she would be able to confront Sabien.

The man rose from the dead. If the stab wound hadn’t killed him, the fall into the ravine would have. No one would have been able to survive the rapids below.

When they rounded the corner, a small, circular table came into view underneath a canopy. It was already set up for lunch, with plates and silverware, and a lilac bowl of fruit overflowing at the center. Martine led her to the table and Dagmara sat down, her heart rate no doubt at its peak.

“Thank you,” Dagmara said.

“Can I get you anything?” Martine asked.

“No,” Dagmara said, eyeing the fruit before her. “I’ll just—”

Sabien grabbed her wrist before she had a chance to touch the fruit. His grip was like iron, sending a shiver down her spine.

“You should wait for the king before touching anything,” he said, his voice low. He relinquished her like he would a child, and Dagmara didn’t even meet his gaze.

“Water, perhaps, Martine?” Sabien directed his question to the guard.

“Of course,” Martine replied.

Dagmara sat upright. “I’m fine, truly.”

Martine froze.

“The water.” Sabien commanded once more.

The Ilusaurian guard eventually listened to her superior, heading toward the castle to summon the servants. Dagmara could see them at the glass doors, but they were too far away. The other guards on the premises were yards away. She would be alone with Sabien until Martine returned.

Sabien casually pulled out the seat on her left, settling himself down at the table. She was unaware he had been invited to this lunch.

She could get out of this. Maybe he didn’t recognize her? If he did, this would all be over.

“Have you enjoyed the Ilusaurian castle so far?” Sabien asked, his voice mysterious.

“Yes,” Dagmara replied. She scoured her brain for anything to talk about that didn’t give herself away. So she said, “Your kingdom is much hotter than ours.” The weather? She scolded herself for being so stupid.

“I know,” said Sabien. “I was in Azurem once.”

Damn. Her weather comment gave him the intro he needed. What would Magda say if she was meeting this person for the first time? Magda was curious and unguarded, like there wasn’t anything in the world to fear. Dagmara could pretend to be like that.

“Oh really?” Dagmara mused. “What for?”

“The coronation.”

Dagmara studied him scrupulously. There was a way out of this. If he recognized her, she could simply brush it off and say that Magda was visiting the tavern for a short drink since she needed a break from royal life before the coronation. But then the fallacy of that plan came to her. If she made it seem like Princess Magda was at the tavern, Magda would be blamed for murdering her own citizens!

Sabien read her silence as surprise—or so she hoped. “Don’t worry, we didn’t meet there. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the coronation. I was tied up in personal affairs.”

Personal affairs? Dagmara had to get out of this conversation so she didn’t slip up. Maybe he didn’t recognize her. Maybe she was overreacting.

“Maybe it was better that way,” Dagmara offered. “The coronation wasn’t what we planned.”

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