Page 13 of The Crownless Prince

“Yes.”

Marcus pushed his fingernail along a groove in the wood table. Avoiding Faine Principality would be safer, both for his life and his heart. He could wait for word to reach him instead of searching it out, wait until there was some indication of whether Mortimer would be lenient with the son of his former rival and whether Adriana was still waiting for him…but if he was going to learn from his past mistakes, didn’t that mean he should stop holding back out of fear? Besides, going to Faine Principality meant less time spent wondering about Adriana and manufacturing worst case scenarios.

He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I need to know she’s all right.”

After a moment, Edwin nodded. “I’m not surprised. At least that gives us a destination. We can determine what to do next when it’s time.”

“Thank you, Ed. For everything.” He didn’t know how to properly put into words how much it all meant to him—how Edwin hadn’t grown bitter over the last four years, had offered quiet support through all of the revelations of the day, and had understood that Marcus couldn’t rest until he knew that Adriana was all right.

Just then, the front entrance opened. A man stalked in, his face hidden under the black cowl of his cloak. White flecks of snow melted on his clothing. A sword hung at his side and two daggers glinted on the baldric across his chest. The innkeeper scurried out of the back.

“Can I help you, sir?”

The newcomer tossed back his hood, revealing long brown hair braided away from his forehead and a tanned, hawkish face with sharpeyes. “Do you have accommodations for the night?”

“Aye.”

He nodded and reached under his cloak, withdrawing a large sack of clinking coins. “How much for my own room?”

“A gold piece.”

“And for information?”

She tilted her head. “Depends on the information.”

“I’m looking for Prince Marcus Alimer.”

Chapter 5

“It scares me to death every time you climb that trellis.”

“What scares me is the thought that one day I could arrive, and it will be gone, torn down to keep me out.”

Adriana rolled her eyes, a teasing smile playing about her mouth. “I say I’m worried about you falling to your death, and you’re only worried about how you’ll get in?”

Marcus didn’t smile. “If the trellis was gone, that’d mean your father found out about us and is preventing me from seeing you. I think a part of me would die if I could never see you again, Adriana.”

Her grin faded as she stared at him. “Marcus… If things keep going the way they are…you said yourself you suspect your father is stirring up trouble in Nydellan Principality. We don’t know what could happen. If a conflict does arise, you might not be able to sneak out.” She stepped closer and placed her soft hand against his cheek. “If that happens, we won’t give up on each other, will we?”

The fervency in her eyes ignited a similar resolvewithin him. “Of course not. No matter how difficult things get or how far apart we are, we’ll keep hope that we’ll see each other again, no matter how long it takes.”

Marcus spun away from the door and ducked down in his chair. With a frown, Edwin leaned closer and spoke so quietly Marcus almost couldn’t hear him, “You look suspicious.”

“Oh, that’s so easy it’s free,” Helen exclaimed. “Prince Marcus has been in a tower in the valley just south of here for years. You’re on the right track, but you’re also right you’ll be needin’ a place to stay tonight. No sense travelin’ in the dead of night, and sun’s already settin’.”

“He’s still in the tower?” the man covered in blades asked.

“Far as we know. King Mortimer send you to release him?”

The man was silent for a moment. “Something like that.”

Marcus blanched.Assassin?he mouthed.

By Edwin’s grim look, he had concluded the same thing.

Helen led the man upstairs, and Marcus tried to calm his mounting panic.

“He likely doesn’t know what you look like,” Edwin whispered. “So if we don’t do anything to give ourselves away, we’ll be fine. He’ll go to the tower in the morning, and we’ll head toward Faine Castle, and he’ll never find you.”

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