Page 107 of Façade

While we waited, I finally had the opportunity to reintroduce Ryland. They cautiously listened to my account of the events leading to our hasty marriage and a summary of all that had transpired during it. Though they eyed him with considerable wariness, there was little time for them to voice their concerns before Silas returned.

A woman accompanied him, dressed in a blue silk gown from my wardrobe with her dark hair swept up in an elegant bun. Her coloring resembled my father’s—a resemblance that had undoubtedly helped convince the court of her royal claim—whereas I’d always taken after my mother’s fairer features.

She evenly met my gaze without the usual deference I’d come to expect from the court. She possessed a fierce spirit, as evidenced by the determination in her eyes and the hard set her jaw, all hints of the past that had led to her condemned sentence. I sensed her capabilities in taking my place, even as I still felt a prickle of guilt it’d been rendered necessary.

I’d been so occupied in studying her that at first I’d failed to notice the young nobleman who’d accompanied her, a man with dark brown hair and eyes, features that possessed an air of familiarity even as I couldn’t quite place him.

Father frowned upon seeing him. “You were only to retrieve Princess Evelyn, Silas.” It took me a startled moment for me to realize he referred not to me but to the decoy.

Silas’s disgruntled expression hardened as he offered a deep bow of apology. “My apologies, Your Majesty. He was with the princess when I found her and insisted on accompanying her, even going so far as to threaten to tell the entire courtthe secretif I resisted.”

Father paled. “The secret?” He raised his eyebrows at the nobleman, who stared evenly back without the least bit of penitence. “Explain yourself, Lord Luke.”

Lord Luke…I cycled through my knowledge of the noble families within Estoria as well as the more prominent ones outside our borders before placing him as the heir to the Duchy of Rosewood.

The duke’s son’s smile was charming as he swept into an elegant bow. “Forgive me for my impertinence, Your Majesty, but I felt it was my duty as a gentleman to accompany the princess to ensure nothing befell her.”

Father’s lips thinned. “We have guards to protect the princess. Did you truly believe our head guard capable of allowing anyone to harm her?”

Luke simply shrugged. “I’ve yet to meet the royal family’s head guard and thus couldn’t verify his identity. Perhaps my caution could be considered excessive, but it’s my understanding there’s an unknown threat against Her Highness’s life. One can’t be too careful when the assailant could be anyone…even Estoria’s most loyal guard.”

Father’s eyes bulged. “How did you know about—“

His gaze immediately flickered to the decoy, whose chin lifted at a defiant angle against the silent accusation. “I’m not so foolish as to expose such information to anyone when the threat remains unmasked; the man figured it out on his own.”

Father gaped at her before turning his astonishment towards Luke, who only continued to smile. But although the look was friendly, a sense of triumph filled his eyes…along with amusement, as if he were enjoying a private joke.

“Rest assured I have no reason to expose the secret; my wish is only to protect theprincess.” He over-emphasized the title, as if casting doubt that she was who she claimed.

Father frowned. “While your wishes to protect Princess Evelyn are admirable, they don’t grant you the right to impose your presence upon a private audience with her. You will leave.”

Silas stepped forward with an overeagerness to escort the rebellious lord out…but the nobleman merely crossed his arms and leaned against the wall in a pose shrouded with an air of familiarity. “I’m afraid I cannot leave theprincessalone with you.”

“Are you implying we would ever harm our daughter?”

“I’m implying nothing of the sort…but you have no reason to care about what happens to the woman whoisn’tyour daughter.” His gaze flickered towards Blair with a brow raised in silent challenge, as if daring my parents to contradict the information he’d so casually presented…but they’d been rendered into disbelieving silence. He smirked before looking past my parents. “I’m quite interested in what the real princess has to say.”

My breath caught and Father’s eyes narrowed, but the decoy only rolled her eyes.

“Such dramatics.” But fondness filled her indulgent look before she turned a more dismissive one towards me. “In the course of my own investigations, I’ve come to discover that Luke is quite good at uncovering secrets.” She spoke indifferently, as if it was no concern to her which royal secrets were exposed in the scheme in which she’d been a reluctant participant. “I’m curious what Her Highness insists on speaking with me about…or do you merely want to gloat at the one sent to the chopping block in your place?”

Shame burned my cheeks. “I didn’t mean—I had no intention of—“

“You don’t need to attempt to explain that my life is meaningless to the royal family for whatever business you currently have with me.”

With such a gruff manner it was any wonder this woman had fooled anyone into believing she was the Estorian princess…or perhaps the current circumstances being what they were, she now felt she had very little to lose.

Yet hidden beneath her attitude was a fear and sadness she couldn’t quite suppress, evidence that her hardness acted as a fragile protection against the fear that had undoubtedly cloaked her ever since her sentencing.

“Blair, was it?”

She startled at the name before suspicion narrowed her eyes. “How do you know my name? I don’t believe I divulged it to Their Majesties.”

“It was told to me.” I monitored her reaction. If the Shadow knew her name, he’d quite likely received it from the decoy herself…which would tip her to my source.

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. “I see.” Her tone was breathless, the first falter in her composure since the air of defiance that had followed her into the room. “I had no idea you’d interacted with my…acquaintance.”

“The events of our meeting matter little,” I said. “I desire to learn of the progress in eliminating the threat against our crown…as well as to make you a promise in exchange that my family will uphold our end of the bargain to grant you your freedom once you find who we seek.”

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