Page 74 of Unbetrothed

Someone shifted in their seat. I leaned my head toward the grate to peek into the room. Mamá maintained a dead stare, and Lux walked toward the window behind Mamá. That broke societal rules. No one should ever cross the desk of another unless invited. I let out a shaky breath. What an insult.

“Queen Cottia, you misunderstand me,” Lux said without turning toward Mamá.

Neither did Mamá turn toward him when she said, “We speak in circles. If I didn’t know better, I’d believe you hold me hostage in my ownoffice. Himzos will arrive, and the confirmation is in my daughter’s words. One might assume you had something to do with it, though you claim you merely will not assist us in battle.”

Lux ignored her statements and continued to peer out the windows toward the sea. His eyes scanned the horizon in such a way I imagined that he waited for someone to arrive. But who?

“I also assume you had something to do with my husband attending to matters across the sea. We both know that if he were here, he’d squash any skirmish before it even began.” Mamá said it as a matter of fact.

My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. Lux would never betray us. He simplycould not be Zichri’s contact. His father yes, but Lux no. He loved me and Mamá. He even told me he aspired to be like Papá one day.

If I could speak reason into Lux, he’d even go against his father for me. I know it.He was willing to break ties with Alexa to form a betrothal with me. That would have caused much strife between him and his father. Without reconsidering, I kicked open the grate.

Mamá howled. “What are you doing here?”

I crawled through and ran toward Lux. His mouth hung open in, and his eyes grew playful. I grabbed his hands. “We’ve known each other since infancy. As a best friend, would you reconsider your plan of action? I’m certain we could come to an agreement that will leave us both happy.”

“Bea, you know me. I don’t have that much influence over my father. He makes decisionsas he pleases. I am but a loyal servant to the crown.” He searched my face in the same way he always had done. “This is nothing personal.”

While his gaze twinkled with affection, I felt something different through our touch. A pulse of something malevolent swam in his heart. He must not have known that I had a gift to sense others. Was this what Uncle had done when he distinguished truth from lies? He had never told me how it worked.

Trying to smile, I said without considering my words, “Is this why you sent me away?”

He pulled his hands out of mine and looked out to sea. “Do you accuse me of leading you astray?”

“No, I’m asking if you had other motives for having me seek my gift.” I bit my bottom lip. All this wasn’t going the way I hoped.

“Did you get what you desired?” His mouth tipped to one side.

“No,” I lied.

“Oh?” He lifted a brow and peered out the windows. I reached for him through invisible means. Any attempt to grab hold of him deflected. He grinned in my direction. “You lied to me about your gift.”

My heart raced. How did he know? I shrunk back. “What do you mean?”

“I can feel you trying to use your gifting on me. Like I just finished telling your mamá, I cannot be manipulated by others.” He looked past me.

Mamá pushed her chair back, scraping it along the hardwood floor. She stood up and flipped out her train. “Beatriz, you need to leave this room. I said I would be with you as soon as I could. You see that we wait for someone. We will not get anywhere with Prince Lux until his ship arrives.”

A sharp pinch took hold of my ear and dragged me to the door. “I want to stay here.”

Mamá opened the door and called for a servant. She scowled at me while we waited for a person to scramble up the stairs from the main floor. “Take her to her room by whatever means necessary. Make sure two guards stand at her door. They may use whatever is in their power to subdue her.”

My eyes snapped wide open. “Mamá, please don’t do this.”

She pulled me in for a hug and said over my shoulder to the servant, “I want guards at her door. Get Myla.” She hugged tighter, watching another set of servants sprint down the stairs from the third floor. “I know about the Himzos. They still cannot defeat us without support from other kingdoms. You will be safer up in your room than with our enemy. Myla will lock the secret passages connected to this hidden corridor so you stay put. He can use you against me, and I won’t have that.” She let go.

Strong arms dragged me backward. Mamá nodded in agreement with the guard’s method. My boots slid along the floor. I wiggled to get out of the man’s clutches. “I’ll walk on my own.”

He released me, and I raced up the last flight of stairs, up to my room. There was no doubt in my mind that this man would do exactly as Mamá requested. Orders directly from the queen would not be disobeyed.

I sprinted ahead. The guard’s feet pounded the steps trying to catch up. Upon reaching my room, I hammered my fist on the flower-carved surface.

Laude cracked the door open. “She isindispose—”

I wedged through and slammed the door shut in a guard’s face. The man’s stunned expression reflected my sentiments. Thrown out of the meeting room by my sweet mamá. Jailed and expected to sit by and do nothing. That may have been me before, but it was not me now.

CHAPTER 37

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