Page 52 of If The Crown Fits
Cordelia wore the strangest of smiles on her face. “You know exactly what I mean.”
“I do not,” I replied in earnest.
“Obviously you are completely besotted with Prince Cai.”
My eyes grew wide and I flew up into a sitting position. “I am not!”
Cordelia let out a giggle. “I can’t very well say I blame you. He is very handsome and charming, is he not?”
I stood up and started pacing in front of her. “Did you hit your head on the way here, or something?”
“You cannot deny it,” she persisted. “I see the way you look at him.” I met her eyes from across the room. “You’ve taken a liking to him, haven’t you?”
“Likeis a very strong word.”
“But?” She urged me on.
“But I’ll admit he isn’t quite what I expected him to be.”
“You mean he isn’t arrogant, selfish and spoiled?”
I didn’t reply.
“But you cannot deny he is very handsome.” She swooned slightly, repositioning herself more comfortably.
“Then you should have been the one to pretend you were going to marry him.” I stopped pacing.
She laughed again. “That would never have worked.”
I placed my hands on my hips. “And why ever not?”
The look Cordelia gave me suggested she knew something that I did not. “Because, my dear friend, I see the way he looks at you as well. And he has taken quite a liking to you too.” I snorted and she stood up, taking my shoulders from behind and urging me to face the mirror. The reflection looked so unlike the girl I was used to. “Don’t be upset. It’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”
Which was true. With all Cordelia’s lessons and my attempted flirting, the goal had been for Cai to like me, but to trust me most of all.
“I understand why you do what you do. I know you see it as justice. And I don’t think you’re entirely wrong. But this,” she said, “this is more personal. You will have to decide if the gold you’re being paid is worth his life.”
My chest tightened a little. Lance wouldn’t kill Cai.
Would he?
I turned to face Cordelia. “What about you? You said Lance had his way of getting what he wanted.” She hadn’t given me an answer the last time.
She sighed and looked away. “You mean, how did I get myself into this mess?”
I didn’t answer.
Cordelia stepped away from me. “My parents, though happily married, didn’t always make good choices. They married me off to a terrible man for money.”
“I’m sorry.” And I did feel some remorse for her.
She slowly paced up and down the room. “When he tried to hurt me, Rhen went at him, but he fought back and, well, Rhen killed him while defending himself. Instead of hanging him as a murderer, Lance gave Rhen a chance to redeem himself by working for him.”
“But this also means that he can blackmail you into doing anything he wants?”
She nodded.
I walked over to her and placed my hands on her upper arms. “When this is over, we’re going to get you out of this. I’m not sure how, yet, but I’ll figure it out.”
