Page 89 of The Forgotten Queen
Marx had to glance away. He was only two minutes into operation ‘Don’t Fall for Your Wife,’ and he wasn’t going to blow the mission now. That glowing smile wasn’t going to be his undoing.
“Anyway.” He cleared his throat, stepping back and bumping into the couch. He looked behind him at the sofa as if the collision was somehow the piece of furniture’s fault. “What I really came to tell you was that I made you an appointment with the castle doctor.”
“What for?”
“I thought we should get a second opinion on your condition. See if he has any thoughts on your memory loss or if he has another solution for your heart besides your medicine.”
Sydria’s hand went to her chest. “That’s nice of you.”
“Not nice,” he said, backing out of the room, “just part of the plan.”
The plan he was executing perfectly.
He made it to the door. “I’ll meet you in the royal sitting room after lunch.” Marx didn’t even wait for her response. He left the room, shutting the door behind him. He took a deep breath.
So much for reining things in.
Sydria
Sydria spent the morning riding horseswith Dannyn. She hadn’t been sure she even knew how to ride horses, but the second she hopped onto the saddle, her body took over, and a feeling of skill and confidence filled her. They rode down the long stretch of the beach nestled below the castle, the same place Sydria had walked when she’d lived with Von and Edmay. It was interesting how the more time she’d spent at Cristole Castle, the less she’d thought about them. There had been days that they hadn’t even crossed her mind. She thought about dropping into their cottage and visiting them, but what good would it do? Sydria had decided the day they’d sold her that she would never think of them again, that her obligation was over.
Besides, the life she lived now was a thousand times better than the one she’d had with them.
The women nudged the horses into a full gallop. The wind blew around them, and splashes of ocean water sprayed into their faces with each stomp of the horses’ hooves. Dannyn led Sydria through a path up the rocks to dry land as they made their way back to the castle grounds. They slowed their horses to an easy trot, giving the animals a rest.
“It’s beautiful here,” Sydria said.
Dannyn looked out at the ocean. “It is, but I’ve never been anywhere else, so I couldn’t say if there’s something better.”
“I can’t remember anything else, so I couldn’t tell you either.”
Both women laughed.
They rode a few more paces before Sydria spoke again. “You’ve really never been anywhere else?”
“I’ve traveled all over Cristole, but I’ve never been to another kingdom.”
“Do you like being a princess?” Sydria asked.
Dannyn smirked. “You know me, I love being the center of attention.”
“I’d be perfectly happy out of the spotlight.”
Dannyn continued chatting as a splash of a moment colored Sydria’s dark mind.
Green grass.
Mountains.
Dark curly hair on a nameless face.
“You don’t like the spotlight?”the nameless face said.
Sydria closed her eyes, trying to squeeze more out of the memory.
“Are you scared to marry me?”he asked.
The wedding popped into her mind.
