Page 59 of Untamed

Footfalls stomped in the hallway. Ears flew into the room. “We’ve got a visitor from Pedroz, but I daresay they spoke of deals behind closed doors. They’re the ones we’ve been waiting to encounter.”

“Minerva?” Cosme placed a hand on her delicate wrist.

She smoothed a palm over the table, opening a rippled hole in the middle of the wood. The view beyond focused into a grand sitting room not so different from the quarters where I’d left Beatriz in the palace. Minerva climbed into the portal and stepped into the space, her body shifting to a horizontal position from my vantage point, but a natural standing position for her.

Cosme followed suit, and so did Zichri.

Jaime reached for my hand. “Will you accompany me to the banquet tonight?”

I chafed at having to lift my leg over the table into this strange portal. “Can we just walk into the palace the normal way?”

His eyebrows shifted halfway up his forehead.

“I’ll take that as a no.” I clung to Jaime’s arm and let the strange tugging pull me through space to the polished quarters in the Aracibel palace.

Chapter 25

Beatriz

Servants lined the archedpassageway to the dining room. The exquisite paintings depicted Aracibel’s royal families from the first age to the current. One of my great-great-uncles had married a princess of Aracibel and solidified the alliance long ago. For years, we’d relied on that connection, but not anymore. I looped my arm through Laude’s, inching forward. Her face mirrored the twisted emotions marching through my veins. Was this a set up? What secret message would Monserrat share?

Zichri and Jaime followed in tow. Zichri had assured me that Cosme had gone ahead to scope the dinner arrangements. I glanced again at Zichri who met my gaze with a comforting wink. A blush crept up my neck. I wished he was the one clinging tomy arm, but Cosme thought it prudent to not give away Zichri’s identity.

Upon crossing through the double doors, I swallowed every last detail as I had been instructed. Chandelier light poured over long tables set up in a square around an expansive open space. Aguiternastrummed from somewhere to the right. Cosme stood at the end of the table chatting with Lucas. I stopped, waiting for the signal to proceed.

King Sebastian, Queen Tatiana, and Princess Monserrat sat high on a podium across the large space. Two wily children smacked toy swords in front of the high tables—the young princes of Aracibel.

“Princess Beatriz, follow me,” the haughty male servant from earlier said.

I waved at Cosme to try and catch his attention, and Laude joined my efforts to no avail.

“Princess Beatriz, would you like me to seat you beside your brother?” the male servant asked. The ends of his lips twisted upward, but a condescending air made him anything but inviting.

“Yes, thank you.” Only a spattering of aristocracy remained in their seats while the others moseyed around, unconcerned about our presence. Their demeanors gave no reason for alarm. A tingle of energy grazed beneath my skin, as if asking to check my surroundings, and I let energy roam. All easy spirits and nothing to cause concern. I stopped the flow and pressed my fingernails into my palms.

The servant’s slender face slackened into a frown. “Are you searching for someone besides Prince Cosme?”

“No, yes, sorry, I would love to sit beside my brother.” I pursed my lips, feigning confidence, and the servant guided me around the periphery of the room. I stayed an arm span behind the man.

The servant pulled out a wooden chair across from Cosme and left without acknowledging Laude. Zichri nudged my side. An easy grin slid along my lips. Clanking pewter mugs, laughter, and murmurs sounded, but my focus remained on his dimpled grin as he pulled out a chair a couple spaces away. He waved for Laude to take a seat and filled the gap with himself. My stomach buzzed to life in response. I straightened my spine to counteract his effect. But the gentle way his cropped hair touched the tops of his ears and his rapt attention stirred my insides like a spoon in honey.

Laude waggled her brows at me and bit her bottom lip. She had a bad habit of daydreaming about romantic notions. Even though she didn’t share her thoughts, I could read her perky cheeks better than I understood our current predicament.

Cosme placed his palms on the table and hunched over. “Fermín destroyed the original map. Our tongues are free from their cages.”

I peeked over at Laude who couldn’t have smiled wider.

She whispered, “The map. The Black Knight’s map. It worked.” She squealed with delight.

My brother leaned back and shifted his jaw. More of the aristocracy entered and filled the tables. Fermín’s slender figure breached the hall entrance with Minerva close to his side. As they walked in, Cosme straightened into a more regal posture. He waved for the last of our company to join us.

I cast my gaze to the high table where the king and queen cheered for their sons in their mock battle.

Princess Monserrat sipped from her glass and turned her attention to Cosme. A difficult to read emotion flickered along her pinched lips and trickled into every feature. What were her feelings about my brother? She might be dangerous if they turned bitter.

“What did she hand you?” Zichri asked in hushed tones.

“Ahh … you saw. Always one to attend to details.” A muscle tightened in my cheek.

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