Page 36 of The Crownless Prince

Edwin sent Marcus a look that saidbe careful.At least they were already planning on getting away from Thorne. Unfortunately, the plan was more of a goal than an actual plan at the moment, but they had time. Only two days, but that was better than nothing.

Thankfully Marcus knew exactly where the wine jar was from his earlier snooping. When he arrived in the sitting room, a couple of serving women were entering in front of him, bearing covered trays. A male servant was already inside, placing goblets on the small, round table that Adriana, Jairus, and Thorne were seated around. Roger stood in the shadows in a corner, ready if called upon, but unobtrusive.

Marcus approached Thorne, forcing himself not to glance at Adriana, and bowed.

“Excellent!” Thorne smiled. “Stand aside for the moment, and after the food is served, you will serve the wine.”

With another bow, Marcus withdrew. While the women set out plates of food, he broke the wax seal on the wine jar and worked out the stopper, then looked around.

The sitting room was slightly larger than Adriana’s bedchamber. A dark-blue woven rug covered most of the stone floor, the walls were covered with wood paneling, and a faint scent of dried lavenderpermeated the room underneath the savory scents of the food the servants were setting out. Aside from the table and its four wood chairs, several upholstered chairs and a chaise were arranged around a fireplace with a marble façade. A wood bookshelf held an impressive number of leather-bound books, a large basket in the corner appeared to be full of embroidery supplies, and a lyre and a lute hung from hooks on the wall beside a tapestry of a shoreline. In addition to the snapping fire, candles in the many wall sconces provided light.

The serving women left the room, and the man who had set out the goblets slipped back near the door. Likely one of the Faines’ servants, ready to fetch anything requested by the prince or princess.

At least Jairus was there. Since learning that Thorne was the kind of man who liked to lord his power over others and could be vindictive, Marcus particularly disliked the idea of Adriana being left alone with him.

Thorne looked to Marcus, and he hastened over to pour the wine.

Chapter 16

The venison stew with roots and herbs and the fresh bread rolls smelled divine, so Adriana focused on the food and utensils being placed in front of her and not on Marcus standing a couple of paces away. She had thought there could be no greater torment than being indefinitely separated from the man she loved, but it turned out that being in the same room as him while his life depended on her not acknowledging him was worse.

All fae blessings upon Jairus, though. He’d made the time they’d spent so far in the sitting room tolerable by keeping Lucien’s attention. She’d mostly blocked out what Lucien said, smiling or nodding or acting impressed when it appeared appropriate. He seemed to love to hear himself talk, particularly to boast about himself. She never would have been happy married to him.

Now to find a way to convince Father to call off the wedding. Unfortunately, he’d already conveyed that her potential happiness, or lack thereof, was not a deciding factor.

The servants left with the trays, and Marcus approached the table with the wine. He poured a little of the vibrant red liquid into Lucien’s goblet, and the lord gave it a quick inspection before nodding. Marcus served the wine to Lucien, then to Jairus, and finally he was standingat her side, so close she could have leaned against him. She stared at her stew and hoped her face didn’t look as warm as it felt.

Thankfully Marcus poured quickly and slipped away from the table.

“You said this Williams hasn’t been with you long?” Jairus inquired. “He seems skilled in his role.”

“I lured him and his brother away from another lord,” Lucien said, his tone conspiratorial. “Men understand a worthy leader when they see one.”

Well, Adriana could addliarto the list of her betrothed’s unsavory characteristics, but it’d need to be a far more consequential lie to draw Father’s ire.

“Oh?” Jairus peered over at Marcus. “Who did you serve before?”

She held her breath. Since the others’ focus was already on Marcus, she let herself look at him—and oh, the torment of seeing him standing there with his handsome face, alive and well, but still out of reach.

Marcus inclined his head. “I’d rather not be perceived as potentially insulting my previous liege, Your Highness.”

Jairus laughed. “Tactful and honorable. I can see why you’d want such a servant for your own household.”

“Now, don’t get any ideas about stealing him from me,” Lucien said with a chuckle. “I have no intention of letting him go.”

“He’s a person, not livestock,” Adriana snapped. Lucien frowned at her, and she wished she hadn’t spoken. But she had, and she couldn’t back down now. “A servant is free to accept any employment he wishes, and a person can’t be stolen.”

Lucien shrugged. “He’d have to break his contract to leave, and I know he doesn’t have the coin to pay the debt that would incur. I suppose someone could pay the contract-breaking fee for him”—he grinned savagely—“which on reflection, would be rather like buying him, so maybe he is livestock. But I don’t plan on accepting such payment from anyone other than him, so he can’t be bought.”

She gaped at him. “That…that’s just slavery. And you can’t refuse to accept payment in line with a contract—”

“My dearest bride,” Lucien interrupted, “are you trying to run my household for me already?” He reached over and patted her hand. “Don’t worry your pretty little head. It’s all perfectly legal and within my rights, and I’ll continue running the household so my princess can fill her days with leisure. And bear and care for my sons, of course.”

She snatched her hand away, then furiously bit into a roll. Her cheeks flamed, and she didn’t dare look over to see Marcus’s reaction.

“This wine is excellent,” Jairus said.

That was all Lucien needed to start on a spiel about the wine and how expensive it was to have it imported from across the sea, but she wasn’t listening. The tender pieces of venison in the stew were suddenly difficult to swallow, and her stomach tightened as his words replayed in her mind. He planned to keep her out of his affairs? A pretty accessory he kept around his castle—and who bore him children? A shiver went down her spine.

---