Page 14 of Decoy

“From what I can tell, all have sent a dignitary of notable rank, even if not every royal family is represented by one of their own members. Brimoire, for instance, has two princes—Crown Prince Lucian and Prince Ryland—but neither of them are present.”

“Undoubtedly due to the scandal.” Princess Collette’s expression immediately became impish as she lowered her voice to a theatric whisper. “The former Princess Evelyn was engaged to Prince Ryland before Estoria suddenly broke it off.”

Intriguing, as well as promising for my purposes. “Do you know why?”

She offered a dainty shrug. “There are various rumors, each more outlandish than the last. I hear the king is on his way here to attempt to negotiate another alliance, though I doubt he’ll be successful.”

His lack of success could potentially make Brimoire a prime suspect. They clearly had ample motive—whispers were that their land was inflicted with some sort of blight, putting them in dire need of Estoria’s magic, the promise of which had suddenly been snatched from them. I made a mental note to investigate the king once he arrived.

“Would you mind sharing more about the other royals present?”

They did, though none of the information they presented felt workable at present, save for their discussion concerning the infamous kingdom of Thorndale. Princess Collette nodded towards the grave-looking prince standing on the other side of the room. “Their kingdom is known for their greed and lust for power…and their willingness to acquire it by any means necessary, undoubtedly as a way to make up for the magic they lost several years ago. I’d be wary of them.”

Though I was admittedly intrigued, their eagerness to cast doubt on Thorndale only increased my misgivings about their true motive in imparting this information.

Lost magic? That seemed promising. I cast the Thorndalian prince a sidelong glance and found him watching me through narrowed eyes. The warning about him immediately put that kingdom at the top of my list to investigate, even as part of me wondered if it seemed too obvious that such a notable enemy was the one I was searching for, considering the Estorian spies would have likely investigated them first. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to test the waters.

After a few minutes more of light conversation with Eldenwood’s royalty, I reluctantly made my way towards the prince of Thorndale, still watching me with an unwavering gaze. “Good afternoon, you must be Prince Castiel of Thorndale. I’m Princess Evelyn of Estoria.”

I offered a proper curtsy, but he made no motion to bow in return, only continued to stare with an unreadable stoic expression.

I shifted uneasily. No amount of questions would yield anything useful about the kingdom of Thorndale or their potential motive for murder if the man proved unwilling to talk. I scrambled for a topic and gestured to a nearby nature scene portrayed in a blend of cheerful pastels, such a contrast to his dark, brooding manner.

“I noticed you admiring this painting.”

He remained silent, but his brow twitched slightly upwards in subtle bewilderment, as if questioning my powers of observation—for anyone who’d been paying him the slightest bit of attention would have noted his back had determinedly faced said painting the entire time he’d been in the ballroom.

“There’s a remarkable painting in the alcove just off the throne room that I like to visit every night,” I said with forced exuberance. “It’s a tucked-away place perfect for quiet reflection before bed.”

He seemed the last man alive to appreciate fine artwork, but should he read between the lines, he’d note there would be no witnesses for his crime should he be seeking opportunity.

He betrayed no emotion nor comment, so after a long moment of awkward silence I took my leave and made my rounds to a few other prominent families, giving each a different time and location—I told a Princess Liliana of Wisteria about a balcony that enjoyed the most beautiful sunrises every morning, I informed a count within hearing distance of another prince that I sometimes snuck out for a moonlit garden stroll in the palace’s rose garden, and I informed Prince Elton out of earshot of Collette of a tucked-away section of the library where I planned to spend the following morning researching.

The concentration required for scattering all these clues soon mingled with my heightened stress and lack of sleep the night before to create a sharp headache. Seeking a much-needed reprieve, I made my excuses and departed from Prince Elton to make my way to the refreshment table, thankfully secluded from the suffocating crowd. I pressed my fingers to my aching temples with a sigh. While my past had made me an expert in constantly entertaining suspicion, it still proved wearying.

“Are you well,Princess?”

That voice…I startled and spun around, half expecting to discover the masked figure I’d traipsed the rooftop with. Instead I found an achingly handsome man, his fine features accompanied by deep brown eyes, wavy dark hair, and a charming smile that seemed to reach deep inside me, bringing with it a sense of familiarity as well as an annoying sense of attraction.

I nearly gasped in surprise.Oh my. His good looks made me instantly wary, for past experience had taught me that looks and charm could easily become tools to manipulate. The fact he affected me so keenly gave me every reason to be on my guard until I deciphered his true intentions.

His lips curved slightly upwards, as if he knew his effect on me and took great pleasure in it…which only heightened my apprehension.

“I am well, thank you,” I shakily managed. Despite it being in my best interests to continue this conversation, my dismissive tone was an invitation to end it, a hint he ignored by angling his body closer in preparation for a cozy chat.

“A surprising response after so recently discovering your true identity. I’d find myself quite unsettled to learn I was a prince in disguise.” He spoke casually in light conversation, but his eyes were prodding. “I imagined the secret princess to be many things, yet I confess none have met the reality.”

His smile remained polite, but something lurked beneath his mask of friendliness in the depths of his dark eyes, a wariness that didn’t match his smooth words. I studied him. For all his charm, instinct warned me to maintain my guard, despite having no discernible clues as to why.

“Who are you?” Not the most polite of inquiries, but hopefully my borrowed royal status would allow me enough leeway to get away with it.

“Forgive me for failing to introduce myself. I am Lord Luke, the Son of the Duke of Rosewood, an Estorian duchy with close ties to your family.”

He offered a deep bow and I curtsied in return, all while my mind whirled. An Estorian dukedom would put him quite close to the royal family, which would either make him an ally to the crown or one of its fiercest enemies.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Considering our families have such close ties, I welcome the thought of an ally as I navigate this new and unfamiliar world.”

It might have been my imagination, but at the mention ofally, his smile became strained. “I’m always willing to be of service.” As if determined to begin immediately, he held out a glass of punch that would provide a refreshing respite from the heat brought by the swell of bodies pressing around me. “Might I offer you a drink?”

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