Page 119 of Charmless
He bowed and exited the room, quietly closing the door behind him. But I thought I heard him chortling as he descended the stairs.
A heavy silence settled after Greenleaf’s departure. Mal roused himself enough to set Ebony down. He crawled over to the broken orb. Picking up the two halves, he tried to fit them back together.
“Perhaps there is some way the orb can be mended,” he muttered.
“Forget it, Hawkridge,” Horatio said curtly.
“Or if the orb cannot be fixed, we’ll find some other way to prove who you are.”
“Isaidforget it! Can you not see how much your insane pursuit of this legend has nearly cost? We should consider ourselves fortunate to have escaped with our lives from this mad escapade. Greenleaf has been remarkably generous.”
“Generous!” Mal croaked. “That evil conniving wizard is planning to steal your crown. You cannot just meekly step aside and allow him to do it.”
“Sidney may be cunning and ambitious, but I don’t think he is evil. Hopefully, he will help Prince Kendrick become a fair and just ruler.”
“Do you really believe that? The kingdom does not belong to Kendrick. It’s yours.” Mal said. “You saw how the orb reacted to you. Surely deep down in your heart, you must?—”
“No!” Horatio cut him off. “What my heart tells me is I am no legendary prince, and I am in no way suited to be king. As far as I am concerned, this madness is over. Now if you will excuse me, I must return to my duties.”
As he reached for the doorknob, Mal pleaded with me. “Do something, Ella. Stop him.”
I took a hesitant step in Horatio’s direction, but he warned me away with a sad shake of his head. “I realize you and I have much to discuss, but not now, Ella. I am far too weary, and I need time to think.”
Something in his tone filled me with foreboding about where his thoughts might lead him. But he looked so overwhelmed, I could not bring myself to press him, especially not with Mal and Ebony listening.
“All right,” I conceded.
As soon as the door closed behind Horatio, Mal insisted, “You must go after him, Ella. Right now.”
I turned back to Mal, feeling exhausted. “And do what?”
Clutching Ebony in his arms, Mal struggled to his feet. I was surprised that Delphine had not transformed by now. But since Mal was absently stroking her, I suspect she was enjoying his caresses far too much. She snuggled against his chest, softly purring.
“I will never accept that Crushington is the right man for you,” Mal told me. “But he is right for Arcady. Brave, honest, fair, intelligent, and stuffed with honor. In short, our perfect king.”
“But Horatio doesn’t want to be king. He still doesn’t believe the legend.”
“Then you must convince him. Make him believe, Ella. You are the only one who can.”
Twenty-Five
Istepped outside of the Hawk’s Nest into an empty street. Horatio was already nowhere in sight. Despite Mal’s urging, I decided not to immediately search for Horatio although I longed to do so.
I hardly knew what I would say to him. I agreed with Mal that Horatio would be the perfect king and Mal insisted that I was the only one who could convince him. But did I have the right to force upon Horatio something he believed was wrong?
My stalwart commander was overwhelmed by all that had happened at the Hawk’s Nest. His entire orderly life had been upended. Small wonder Horatio insisted that he needed time to think, as hard as that was for Mal to understand. Horatio was not like Mal or me, impulsive, and quick to act. Somber and sensible, Horatio would mull everything over carefully before deciding what course his future would take. Whatever he decided, was it possible that his future could still include me? I had brought the man nothing but disaster. The unselfish thing to do would be to let him go.
But I was not that noble. I could not help hoping that somehow, someway, Horatio and I could be together and succeed in finding our happily ever after.
Meanwhile I had given little thought to the way I had left my family. I cringed with guilt, imagining the alarm of my stepmother and sisters when they arose to find me gone. If they read the letter I had left for Chuffy, it would seem as though something dire had happened to me and I would never return. My poor Em would succumb to hysterics.
I didn’t know how late it was, but if there was still a chance I could prevent that, I needed to hurry home. Racing down the lane from Misty Bottoms, I winced when I trod upon a sharp pebble, but I did not allow that to slow me down.
As uncomfortable as my glass slippers had been, I wished I still had them to turn me invisible. On the way out of the Hawk’s Nest, I grabbed a floppy brimmed hat from Mal’s workroom. I hoped that would be enough to avoid being recognized in my masculine attire as I hastened through Midtown.
I was reassured to see that the morning was not as advanced as I had feared. The shops were just beginning to open, but an unusual number of people were already in the streets. The royal heralds must have been at work, blowing their trumpets and rousing everyone from their beds with the announcement of the death of the king and his eldest son. Midtown citizens clustered outside the shops, discussing the news in shocked, hushed tones.
A group of young ladies, a few of them still clad in their nightclothes, clutched each other sobbing loudly. I doubted any of those tears were being shed for the late king. I pulled my hat lower to shield my face as I passed. But I need not have worried. The girls were far too distraught over the death of Prince Florian to notice a strange looking boy slipping past them.
