Page 20 of Poisoned Heart (The Emerald Realm 1)

I worked with a constant smile on my face. My mind whirled to life as I scrubbed to the tempo of my thoughts. Tonight I would get to see Peter, and I had the perfect plan to share with him. I continued to beam my excitement as we moved to folding, then cleaned up for dinner. I could hardly eat with the anticipation building up inside me, but Glenda made fresh bread, so I managed. As the hour grew near, I excused myself for an evening stroll, nearly skipping out the door. Once outside, I pushed a few dark strands of hair out my eyes, then sprinted into the setting sun.

Fear not Isalla, you will be safe again soon.

chapter twelve

My feet carried me through the woods with an energy I hadn’t possessed in weeks. The air had grown frosty, stinging my cheeks as I swiftly continued. Thin, wet snow flurries trickled down from the sky, making the ground slippery under my boots. I slowed my pace to a brisk stride, recalling how often I had fallen on my first solo trip in the woods. Delicate snowflakes began to collect on my lashes, blurring my vision, but I never broke my stride. Before long, I had reached the clearing where the fallen log lay blanketed with a thin layer of white. On the other side of the log stood a tall, broad-shouldered man bundled in a thick black wool coat. He turned to me as soon as my footsteps were audible and instantly smiled upon meeting my eyes. I ran toward him, neglecting the safety of walking, and promptly slid across a wet patch. Instead of entirely falling, I regained my footing, but stumbled aimlessly until Peter leapt across the log and gathered me in his arms. I couldn’t help but laugh at my clumsiness as he held a tight grip on shoulders.

“Less than two weeks away from the castle, and I have already lost every ounce of grace I ever possessed.” I steadied myself, still laughing. “Thank you for coming to my rescue, but I believe I can stand now.” Peter released his grip on me, but remained at a close distance.

He smiled back at my amusement then crossed his arms. “Oh my, I never would have expected such blundering coordination from a lady of noble birth, never mind a princess.” He laughed at his tease, and I gave him a playful slap on the arm with an awestruck expression.

“I beg your pardon?” I tried to sound offended but couldn’t stifle a giggle. “The ground is slick, and I was far too excited to share my news with you to walk at a slower pace. Although, now I am uncertain if I should share my discoveries with such discourteous company.” I turned my back dramatically, flaunting the information as if it were peacock feathers.

He laughed at my theatrics, then raced in front of my line of sight. “A thousand apologies, Your Highness.” He bowed with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “May I be so brash as to request that you share this astonishing news which has you buzzing?” He returned to his full height, then looked me square in the eye. He still bore a playful expression, but there was a serious inquiry behind it.

“I have drafted a plan that will allow the queen to call off the engagement, remove King Garrett from Isalla, and even provide grounds for our allies to stand alongside us.” I proudly watched as his eyes grew wide with relief, then anticipation.

“That is indeed wonderful news.” He glowed with delight, and I noticed his green eyes light up with the joy. His eyes were always so expressive. Looking into them felt like I could see right into his heart and soul. “So, what is the plan? How may I be of assistance?”

“First off, I cannot take all the credit.” I brushed some of the soggy snow off the log to take a seat. “I had lunch with Lady Aurelia Lockly today, and she had some excellent insight on the matter.” Peter took a seat beside me and furrowed his brow in concern.

“Oh, don’t worry!” I continued, understanding his unease. “I was vague. She is still unaware of my true identity.” I watched his shoulders relax as he motioned for me to continue. “She reminded me that an engagement bears the same laws of alliance as marriage. Therefore, if one of the involved parties invokes harm upon the other, they are henceforth breaking the alliance, correct?” Peter’s face scrunched up in deep thought as he followed my words, but he soon nodded in understanding.

“I believe I follow you.” He tapped his chin quizzically. “So, what you’re saying is that if King Garrett posed a treasonous act toward his future queen’s kingdom, she would be permitted to break off the engagement under the law that the alliance was not maintained.”

“Precisely!” I replied brightly. “Now tell me, Peter, what is more treasonous than sending an assassin after your future step-daughter?” I cocked my head and leaned back.

“You want to convict him of your attempted murder?” His tone turned sobering and fully dropped his previous liveliness. “You’re correct to assume that it would be a heavy enough charge, but how do you intend to prove it was him? The attacker has scarcely been seen and has only spoken to you and me. I fear that is not enough evidence to sway in your favor.” He looked at me apologetically, though my grin did not fade with his solemn expression

“Yes, I have already considered that fact.” I offered him a sly smirk, earning a confused stir out of him. I then dropped my quirky expression into one of grave severity. This was the last complication I had to encounter. “I shall need an important witness to prove my case, and that is where I shall need your help, captain.” I held his gaze intensely.

Please don’t say no.This was the only part where I feared he would stop me. If he denied his help, I would be back at the starting line. I desperately hoped he would hear me out.

“Any aid you need is yours, princess.” He matched my intense gaze and spoke softly. Then he did something shocking. He reached out and took my hand. It was a simple movement, but it caused a reaction from every nerve in my body. His well-worn hand gently brushed across the top of mine, causing me to lose my thoughts for a moment. I looked up from the hold and saw he was looking only at me. “I wish to be of service in any way I can. Just say the word, Arabella.”

There he went saying my name again. My cheeks felt hot, and I felt my heart flutter without restraint. How could one man be so captivating? I wanted to tear my eyes from him in embarrassment of my attraction, but something pulled me closer. No matter how much I denied it, there was a part of me that wanted to continue like this forever. I let out a deep breath remembering what I had intended to say in the first place. Focusing on my kingdom should be the priority right now, not my interest in Peter.

“The assassin,” I said plainly, trying to keep my unruly emotions in check. “He shall be my witness. I intend to set a trap for him with your help and bring him to the court to testify against the king.” I anxiously watched as Peter’s soft expression morphed into one of horror.

“Trap the assassin? Have you gone mad?” He stood from his seat to pace in front of me. My heart sank as his hand broke away from mine. This was what I feared. “That man has sadistically been prowling for you for over a week. He has already made an attempt on your life and is unlikely to give up after the fourteen days have passed. If we intentionally brought him into close proximity with you, I am certain it would only make his job easier.” His pacing left deep tread marks in the snow. I sat uncomfortably as he continued to let off steam. “I understand this is a matter of life and death, but your life is just as important as any others.”

I stood, matching his intensity. “That is where you are wrong.” I spoke strongly with the power of the ruler I was born to be. “My life means nothing in the grand scheme of saving my kingdom.” His eyes still burned with intensity, but I held my ground firmly. “If I cannot put my life on the line to protect my citizens, then what poor excuse for a princess am I? My father never hesitated to lead his troops into battle when the Ashbourne kingdom tried to siege. His bravery built Isalla into the proud kingdom it is today. I will not let Isalla fall in his absence merely because I was too much of a coward to do what was needed.” My chest heaved from my outburst. Ferocity raged inside of me as I unloaded the frustrations that had been building up inside me for years. I may have been content to sit and look pretty in the past, but not anymore. Peter’s intensity had dwindled into one of respect and sorrow. I remained where I stood as he reached out and took my hand again. My pent up emotions rushed out of me at the touch.

“Arabella,” he sounded frightened, and I looked up, confused by his reaction. “I have no doubt you will be the bravest queen Isalla has ever had the honor of revering.” He lifted my hand toward his chest and held it level to his heart. “But unlike you, I am a coward. I am terrified of what will happen if I fail to protect you before you can grace your throne.” He raised my hand to his lips and placed a delicate kiss upon the top, and my pulse quickened—my heart was threatening to escape at how quickly it raced. Was he saying what I thought he was? “I would not be able to live with myself if that monster laid a hand on you. You are far too important to this kingdom and to me.” He squeezed my hand gently.. Did Peter have feelings for me? Or even yet, did I have feelings for him? I focused on his expressive green eyes looking for answers he was much too anxious to ask out loud.

“Peter I—“My words failed me as I got lost in those alluring eyes. I took a deep breath and summoned my courage. “I need to do this.” My voice shook. It was so hard to ask this of him now. His expression held so much weight behind it, and I felt terrible for adding more. But this wasn’t for me, it was for my people. “Please, I can’t do this without you.”

He slowly released my hand while lowering it from his chest. Hid weighted gaze faded into a stone hard visage that bore no emotion at all. He now looked like a soldier, the type who had just been assigned a mission that held the weight of the world. A rush of guilt flooded over me for stirring such a response out of him.

“As you wish my, princess.” His eyes were empty now, as if his soul no longer remained within his body. “I understand your concerns and shall proceed with your requested plans, however…” His voice dropped intensely with a strong serious inflection, “if he comes too close to threatening your life, I swear, I will end his.” I felt an odd shiver run down my spine. It was a welcome feeling to be protected, but his intensity rattled me. Within an instant he was back to his flat military expression as if his warning was merely a comment on the weather.

“Thank you, Peter,” I said cautiously, uncertain of how to proceed. I knew he would oppose the idea, but his feelings had surprised me. I was aching to know more about how he felt toward me, but I feared I had already ruined the opportunity. Did he resent me for my request? I began to wonder if my insistence on the plan had come off as a rejection toward him. My mind tried to piece together a dignified reply that would preserve his attachments long enough for this craziness to settle.

“Peter, I…” I paused as he gradually walked back over to the log and sat. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that this is what must be done but... Please, just know that when this is all over and I am back where I belong, I don’t want to forget about you.” My nerves started to grip at me. He remained stark, merely watching me with that empty expression. “You are amazing, Peter, and I could not have made it this far without you. You made me feel safe when nothing else could, and I am forever grateful to you. I hope you can forgive me for putting you up to such a strenuous task.” I looked to him, desperately searching for a reaction, yet his face remained the same. I wanted to scream at him or maybe just cry. What had I done?

“Thank you for the kind words, Your Highness.” His tone remained flat, and I felt a sting at the use of my title as I longed for him to say my name again. “Since you have devised this plan, may I ask how you intend to put it into practice? We shall need to formalize all of the elements before it is implemented.” He sounded so much like a captain now, and I wanted to slap myself for separating the man I knew.

The man I cared for.

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