Page 61 of Untamed

Princess Monserrat cocked her head closer to me. “Did you truly kill Prince Lux? I always thought you were particularly fond of him.”

The muscles in my neck tightened. How I longed to understand her motives and read every last thought connected to them, but I clenched my jaw.

“Prince Lux never gained my favor, and I couldn’t see why he had yours.” Monserrat sighed. “I called you out here because the palace has many prying eyes and ears. The illusionist steals our audience’s attention.” She returned her gaze out to sea. The light of a full moon reflected off a single tear.

“Is all well, Monserrat?”

She blinked rapidly. “I understand why you told Cosme before I left. I don’t blame you for telling your family.”

A pent-up breath released from my lungs. “Does your papá know about your separation from Cosme?”

“No. He believes your papá was fickle about the date.” She wiped her nose. “Why did your brother come? He claims it’s to reestablish a betrothal. Pray tell me, what should I make of hisvastattentions?” The sarcasm she layered onto the wordvastgrew an ache inside my heart for her.

I swallowed hard. “Why didn’t you tell your family?”

Tears raced along her cheek. “It’s embarrassing for one, and Cosme is much safer if Papá’s associates believe you are ignorant.”

Her statement echoed Cosme’s about my ignorance being my protection. I would never agree with the statement, but I could understand the sentiment. Perhaps I should forgive him and stop prodding as if my life depended on the next dollop of information.

She fingered under her sleeve and shoved a worn leather pouch at me. “Take this. Promise me you’ll fight these wicked men and pardon my family at the end of this.”

With a nod, I took the soft material into my hands. It was just longer than the length of my hand and flat with a slit on one side. I stuffed it up my sleeve along my forearm. A crunching noise sounded from the paper within Monserrat’s pouch. The extra bulk couldn’t be seen through the velvet and the tightness of my sleeve end would make it difficult for the large object to escape its confines.

“I ran across more interesting documents on Papá’s desk. This couldn’t possibly be the will of the Ancient One. The Black Knight is evil. This palace has eyes in the walls and some who politically detest Giddel.” Monserrat lifted an eyebrow. “Open it somewhere private and out of the palace walls.”

“Monserrat, you scare me.” I tried to laugh, to add some levity to the seriousness.

“You should be scared. I’ve watched our illusionist perform her story about our history several times. What keeps me trembling is the thought of terrible men attaining powers and twisting them for evil. We might end up like the old world.”

“But those are just stories.”

A shadow slid over her features. “And we have the same giftings of old, the same whyzers, and the same relics. Thewarning in the stories is that anyone could take what is given from the Ancient One and twist it for wicked gain. Isn’t that why only innocent children escaped?”

“Is it so bad to have both giftings and relics? Is it wrong to want to use the powers given?” The chain around my neck grew heavier by the second.

“I don’t know. But should I ever come across one of the relics, I’d toss it in the sea or build a monument around it. My heart longs for their abilities far more than I’d like to admit. But I know that longing can destroy everything in its path.”

The pocket watch beneath my gown pulsed in warning, the ever-ticking cogs counting down the end of everything I held dear.

Chapter 26

Beatriz

The next day, westill hadn’t gained information about the Black Knight, nor had Cosme reestablished a betrothal with Monserrat. The unopened leather pouch strapped to my forearm remained hidden, teasing me with secrets I couldn’t reach. Somehow, I had to get away from the palace to investigate the contents.

I walked through the gardens with Queen Tatiana, Princess Monserrat, and Laude. Floral arches delighted the eye and mounds of magenta grass swayed in the sea breeze. Though this should have been a pleasant excursion, the conversation was strained with the growing distance from the palace.

Queen Tatiana breathed hard. “Which flowers will you choose for your wedding celebration?” She turned her pointy nose toward her daughter.

My forehead scrunched. So, it appeared that she hadn’t lied about not telling her mamá of the broken betrothal. Or was this an act for my sake?

Princess Monserrat peeked in my direction as if to check my reaction. “I decided on Samba orchids. They’ll match my headpiece, and the hue brings out my color.” A strange note touched her voice.

Keeping my gaze fixed ahead, I resisted exposing her. After all, she deserved a chance to tell the truth. Competing loyalties wouldn’t be easy for any soul to manage.

“That will be lovely.” Queen Tatiana stopped mid-stride, seeming to wilt slightly. “The sun is too much today. We should head inside for a glass of cucumber water.”

“There’s a lovely trail up ahead that I’d love to explore further.” I pointed to a secluded path and gestured for Laude to continue talking. It would be a perfect opportunity to open Monserrat’s new letter.

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