Page 10 of If The Crown Fits
“And none of this seemed even slightly suspicious to you?”
I placed my palms flat on the table. “Look, your people out there are starving. It doesn’t matter who asks you to do what, or if it is treason. If the money is good enough, most of us would do anything.” Lance didn’t come across as the caring sort of prince. No matter how much he might pretend to be one to the court.
“Besides, it’s just a stupid necklace — Eloisa has lots of jewellery, and I doubted she was going to miss one of her necklaces.”
Lance pressed his lips together, and my concern grew.
If I couldn’t jump out the window and I couldn’t talk my way out of there, I didn’t have many options left. His guards must still have been waiting outside the door. I couldn’t exactly just knock him unconscious and make a run for it.
“I’m afraid stealing this necklace isn’t as harmless an act as you thought.”
He walked over and took the necklace from me again. “This necklace being stolen could lead to war.”
My eyes widened. My anonymous benefactor had failed to mention this. Then again, why would they?
“My sister is engaged to the prince and future king of our neighbouring kingdom, Norrandale. This necklace was an engagement gift from Prince Cai to her.”
I frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”
Lance rubbed his chin in a moment of thought. “I was really hoping we would be honest with each other, Lara.”
Where was he going with this?
“You see, I know you didn’t tell me the whole story. Because you weren’t just asked to steal the necklace, you were asked to leave something in its place. Weren’t you?”
The letters. How could he possibly know about the letters?
“Did you know the contents of those letters when you left them in my sister’s possession?”
“No, I didn’t care. I’m not exactly opposed to committing treason, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“So you did know that you were possibly committing plotted treason.”
I felt my breaths getting shorter. “Of course I did. The question remains, how doyouknow?”
“They were fake romantic letters from a made-up secret lover, telling her how he loves the necklace she sent him as a token of affection.”
Maybe I should have taken the time or the care to read those letters before I placed them.
“You see, Prince Cai will be visiting the kingdom and my sister in a few days and he will expect her to wear the necklace at their engagement celebration. When it is discovered that she no longer has it, combined with the letters, Prince Cai and Norrandale will be furious to have been betrayed, and will wage war on Everness. King Eric’s army may be weak, but he has too much pride to let something like this go.”
He pulled up one of the chairs and sat down again. “I know all this, because I’m the one who hired you to steal the necklace.”
My mouth fell open, and my palms began to sweat.
“It was you? But why?”
“A few reasons actually. I needed the necklace without my sister getting suspicious, and I needed a thief. You have quite a reputation around here.”
“But you’re willingly putting your sister’s life and your kingdom in danger! And for what?” “We don’t have to do any ofthat.” I didn’t like him using the wordwein a sentence when it meantthe two of us.
“What are you talking about?”
He placed the crown atop his head again, still slightly askew. “As well as testing you, I needed to get you and the necklace in the same place at the same time. This was the easiest and most efficient way to do so. Now, I know about your loyalties and your skills. You are most welcome to applaud me anytime you wish.” At least now I knew why the guards were upon me so quickly. It was a set-up. By the royal heir, of all people.
I swallowed hard. I was wrong — he wasn’t a philandering, partying prince. No, he was a scheming, conniving liar. “What do you want from me?” What was all this for?
He took a sip of wine. “I need you to steal something for me.” I could hardly believe what I was hearing. All of this, everything, so I could steal something for him?
