Page 55 of If The Crown Fits
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”
“Well, where else would I be, than at the dinner table, where we’ll be having dinner... at dinner time.”
Cai gave me a look of slight confusion before shaking it off. I hadn’t meant to stumble over my words, but along with the fear of being caught and his charming face, which I had momentarily forgotten was kind of dashing, I hardly knew what to say.
“I must speak with you most urgently.”
“Cai,” I started in protest, but he sensed what I was about to say.
“It cannot wait anymore.”
“Surely there can be nothing of such importance...” I moved away, but he wrapped his fingers around my upper arm and turned me to face him.
“I know,” he said, his face completely expressionless and awaiting a reaction from mine.
“What?” I decided that acting ignorant was my last option until I could buy myself some time.
“I know.” He placed so much emphasis on the wordknow, eliminating any conviction in my mind that he was lying. “I know you’re not Eloisa.”
My mouth opened, but no words came out. It was at that moment the dining-room doors burst open and Cai and I sprang five feet apart. Lance sauntered in with his usual swagger and strutted over to his seat at the head of the table.
“Why the sour faces?” he joked, falling into his seat. “It is a joyous occasion we are celebrating, is it not?” I reached for my chair, but Cai beat me to it, pulling it out and waiting for me to sit.
“What do you mean?” I asked Lance, who had already started pouring himself some more wine, despite the fact that his cup was almost full.
“Well, your wedding, of course.”
Cai took a seat across from me, but wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“Cai and I had a very pleasant discussion about all the big wedding arrangements, didn’t we, Cai?”
Cai nodded, taking a sip of his wine, and my stomach dropped.
I glanced at the two of them nervously. Clearly Cai didn’t plan on sharing his newfound knowledge with Lance, yet. I could handle one unpredictable prince, but two was a completely different story.
“And would you mind sharing what you have discussed or am I to be left in the dark?” I took a large gulp of my wine.
“Cai signed the marital agreement that he will marry the eldest daughter of King Magnus and we settled that the wedding would take place in Everness, after which you will travel to Norrandale.”
Why was Lance making Cai sign agreements if we weren’t going to marry anyway? Did he still plan for Eloisa to marry Cai after this? It didn’t make sense. And if Cai knew I wasn’t Eloisa, why did he sign the agreement? How did he see all of this ending? Perhaps I had underestimated his character and the boyish charm was all an act, similar to mine.
What if he had planned something far worse? The thought made me slightly nauseous and I took another big gulp of wine.
The courses were carried out on silver platters and served one by one, while we spent the whole dinner in the most unnerving silence. Cai excused himself after we’d eaten, claiming he was tired, which meant the tonic was working. I could see it in the way his eyes started drooping.
“What have you done to the poor prince?” Lance asked once he was out of earshot.
“A sleeping tonic.”
“I didn’t know you could make tonics.”
I shrugged. “It was a last resort.”
“You and I aren’t all that different, you know.”
I laughed. “You and I are different in every way possible.”
He leaned forwards, holding my gaze. “You would like to believe that, wouldn’t you? But you and I both know we do what we have to do for survival. Even if it makes us cruel sometimes.”
