Page 15 of To Steal the Sun

Natalie gave her a contemptuous look. “The only thing I can’t understand is why it’s taken the grown-ups so long. If you want something to change, it’s simple. Change it.”

Charlotte sat back, not sure whether to laugh or cry. Had she ever possessed the naive certainty that exuded from Natalie? The girl was so clearly young, and yet at the same time, she’d already achieved more in her life than Charlotte had done. Could she really dispute Natalie’s philosophy?

While the two of them were whispering, Easton had started the explanation to the older couples. When he got to the part of their plan where he married Gwen and became king, the story broke down, overwhelmed by their exclamations. He eventually had to start again and explain it all to his mother a second time.

“You will be king?” Dane asked, clearly incredulous. “Our son?”

“It wasn’t my idea,” Easton said, sounding defensive. “But if we want to break the enchantment…” He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. Clearly he lacked the confidence to baldly state that he was the only one Gwen loved and therefore the only one who could break the enchantment with her.

“It’s not a terrible idea,” Patti said thoughtfully.

Her husband threw her a look, and she shrugged. “You know how the people of the city talk about Easton. And even if their ideas are fanciful, it’s true that at only thirteen he had the courage to stand up to Celandine. Who else in the kingdom can say that? And he and his family have suffered at her hands. They have the bloodlines to satisfy the courtiers and the credibility to be accepted by the city folk.”

Dane nodded slowly. “As always, you speak wisdom, my dear.”

Patti winked at Lydia, who smiled warmly back. “If we have any standing here in the city, it’s because of your family’s support.”

“Support that you’ve earned,” Patti said firmly. “And that you’ve worked tirelessly to repay. You haven’t had an idle day since you came here.”

Charlotte stood to her feet, unable to take any more.

“Speaking of idle days,” she said. “Are we really supposed to sit around here and do nothing while we wait to see what happens to Gwen?”

As soon as she spoke Gwen’s name, Easton tensed.

“No,” he said shortly. “Obviously we can’t do that.”

“If you’re going to be accepted as king, we’ll need to make some discreet introductions,” Dane said. “Let people know you’re back.”

“No,” Charlotte said sharply. “That’s the opposite of what we’re supposed to be doing. We have to keep his identity—and even his return—a secret.”

“A secret from the queen’s supporters,” Jett said. “But we have to think beyond the wedding. Just succeeding in the marriage won’t be enough. We still need to put them on the throne. And for that we need supporters. We’ll be careful and keep the circle small. Just the most influential among the rebels. The people we need to speak up in our support at the crucial moment.”

Charlotte bit her lip. His words sounded sensible, but her instincts still protested. The more people who knew, the more likely someone would make a mistake. If this was their only chance to free Henry, then everything needed to go perfectly.

“What about me?” she blurted out instead of the protests she really wanted to make. “What am I supposed to do?”

No one answered, looks of discomfort on their faces. They felt for her situation, but they didn’t need her for what they were trying to accomplish.

When they began a conversation about who to introduce first, an unexpected arm slid through hers. “You’re with me,” Natalie said quietly. “Someone has to plug the rather glaring hole in the count’s plan.”

“Hole?” Charlotte asked.

Natalie raised an eyebrow. “The bit where the queen is restrained at the crucial moment during the ceremony, of course. Were you thinking that would be easy to achieve?”

Charlotte blinked. “No, I’m guessing not. With so much going on, I hadn’t thought yet about—”

“Exactly.” Natalie gave a long-suffering sigh. “I’m fairly sure everyone is hoping one of the others will think of a solution for that. So I guess that means it’s up to us.”

Charlotte shook her head. This was the girl who thought everything was possible. Charlotte should definitely be interjecting some realism into the situation.

Natalie lowered her voice. “I’m thinking we’ll need to sneak into the palace grounds as a starter. We’re not going to be able to restrain her without more information on both her and those enchantments she’s got locked up.”

The protest died in Charlotte’s throat. Go to the palace, to Henry? She felt no desire to talk Natalie out of that.

Natalie gave her a sly smile as if she knew exactly what Charlotte was thinking. Internally, Charlotte winced. Natalie had clearly been waiting for a partner in crime as reckless as herself, and a more sensible part of Charlotte knew she shouldn’t encourage the other girl.

But it didn’t matter what sensible thoughts Charlotte tried to think. Henry was in the palace right now. It had been too long since she’d seen him, and she couldn’t bear to sit in Natalie’s house waiting for someone else to figure out a way to rescue him. Easton could meet the rebels and make connections. Charlotte was going to do what she’d come to the mountain kingdom to do—she was going after her husband.

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