Promising Hope (30 page)

She approached the kitchen doors. The scent of
freshly baked bread hung in the air. Servants shuffled back and
forth with loaves of bread, platters of fruit, bowls of porridge.
She saw Dar next to a pile of dirty dishes, his back to her.

“Excuse me,” she said to a passing servant.

“Lady Grace,” the woman said.

Dar looked back at the sound of her name. Grace
quickly glanced at him before turning back to the servant. She
looked only a little older than Grace with dark blonde hair pulled
back.

She wiped damp hands on her apron. “How can I help
you?”

“I’d like to take breakfast with my parents in the
west wing sitting room,” Grace said.

“Yes, m’lady,” the woman replied. “We’ll send your
dishes up right away.”

“Thank you.” Grace stepped towards the corridor,
looking back at Dar one more time before returning to her
family.

In the sitting room, they sat around a small table
next to the fireplace. The west wing sitting room was smaller than
the others. Nearly everything was rose-colored or silver: the
furniture, the carpets, the walls and tapestries.

“So,” Mother said, her hand on Grace’s leg. “How have
you been feeling?”

“I’m well,” Grace said. “I’m not sick anymore. I woke
up the night before last.”

“I’m afraid to ask how you align yourself now,”
Father said, looking at the empty fireplace.

Grace shrugged. “I’m still with the Avialies, Father.
I can’t support the Protectors or their decisions.”

Father sighed and brought his gaze back to her. “Then
I suppose you’re only here because of that Avialie.”

“His name is Dar. I know you tried to kill him, but
I—”

“I’d do it again if it meant keeping you safe,” he
said, his voice turning sharp.

“Is that what you think you were doing? Keeping me
safe?” she snapped. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you—”

“Don’t you dare,” Father said, raising his voice.
“You forced me to make a choice—”

“If you hadn’t stabbed Dar, I would be with him and
with the Avialies right now, and that still wouldn’t please you,
either. Nothing would except for me being locked up in that
manor.”

Father stood, his chair rocking back.

“Oh, please, Daniel,” Mother pleaded.

“I’m your father, dammit, and I want you safe!”
Father yelled. “Not with barbarians, and especially not with that
two-faced son of swine,
Dar
! He’s going to be the end of
you, Grace. You ran away from home for him, you—”

“I didn’t leave for him,” Grace said evenly. “I left
to help find the ancient texts.”

“I can’t believe so much has happened without me
knowing it,” Mother said, glaring at Father.

He turned on her. “Pearl, this isn’t the time!”

Mother huffed and turned to Grace. “Grace, I just
don’t understand. Why would you want to leave? You have the eye of
the prince. You could be queen someday.”

Father made a disgusted noise and started pacing
around.

“I don’t want to be queen,” Grace replied. “I want
the Avialies to be treated like human beings.”

Mother pushed some hair from Grace’s forehead. Grace
leaned away. Mother dropped her hand to her lap, just a moment away
from another indignant huff. “Grace, you may think you’re in love
with Dar, but I assure you, you can grow out of it. You should be
with Prince William instead.”

“Why?” Grace asked.

Mother opened her mouth to respond when the door
opened. The blonde servant from the kitchen came in with a tray of
food. Another servant trailed behind her, and they set plates on
the table. They placed the extra food on the small tea table next
to the couch.

Grace and Kyler exchanged glances, and he gave her an
soft smile, rolling his eyes at both their mother and father. Grace
squeezed his hand, grateful they were here, even as they argued.
She wished she could go home with them.

Once the servants left, Mother asked, “Do they know
about the shape changers?”

“I think some of them do and some of them don’t,”
Grace said. “I’m not really sure where the boundaries are.”

“Well, anyways,” Mother said as she buttered some
bread. “This is the best life for you.”

Grace refrained from rolling her eyes. “I think I
should decide what’s best for me.”

Father, still standing, turned away from the
fireplace and scoffed. “Pearl, have you already forgotten what
Tisha told us?”

Mother glared at him. “You can’t honestly believe
him!”

Grace reached across the table for the sugar. “I
wouldn’t believe anything he says.”

Father narrowed his eyes. “He said the prince hurt
you when he found out about the love potion.”

The sugar bowl nearly fell out of her hands. She
caught the bowl, but half of the sugar fell out on the floor.

Kyler straightened up. “Is he telling the truth?”

“Of course it isn’t,” Mother said hurriedly.

“Is it, Grace?” Father demanded. “Kyler told me how
he treated you in Kleisade.”

Grace placed the bowl down, trying to still her
shaking hands. She didn’t want the prince to turn on her family.
They may be misguided, but she didn’t want anything to happen to
them. She looked steadily at her father. “He was upset, but he
didn’t hurt me.”

“Don’t lie to me,” Father said.

“I’m not lying,” she said through gritted teeth.

He pounded a fist down on the table, making both
Grace and her mother jump. “Then why did I see bruises on your neck
the first day you were sick?” Father resumed his pacing.

“Daniel, sit down!” Mother hissed.

“I don’t trust him,” Father said, his voice coming
out in a growl.

“Father,” Grace said. “Be careful what you say. They
can hear us.”

Kyler shook his head. “No, they can’t. Their Cosa is
missing.”

Grace stared at him. “What? But just last night—”

“She left around midnight,” Father answered, “and was
supposed to be back an hour later, but she hasn’t returned yet.
Tisha told me when I arrived. By now, the magic has faded from the
less important areas of the palace. They can’t hear us.”

“What else are you keeping from me?” Mother asked
with a sniff.

“Dammit, Pearl!” Father yelled. “You’re driving me
mad!”

Mother gasped in offense. “Well, I never!”

Grace rubbed her eyes at her parents’ antics. What
had happened to their Cosa? Could it be the Avialies? “How do you
know he’s not lying so he can listen while we speak freely?”

“I know because Tisha trusts me. He asked me to
enlist some of my men to search for her.”

She still wasn’t sure whether to believe what he’d
said. She leaned back in her chair.

“The prince needs some time from you,” Father said
softly. “He’s been offended and he’s going to take it out on you.
You should come home.”

Grace shook her head. “He’s not going to let me
leave.”

“You’re not some kind of criminal,” Mother said
through a mouthful of food.

“I am in their eyes. I helped the Avialies and broke
the curse.” She looked down at her food. “Besides, I’m not leaving
Dar.”

“Grace,” Father said, sitting back down and leaning
towards her. “I know the prince. I know that at first he’s charming
and charismatic. But he’s ambitious and proud and he does not
forgive easily.”

“I know that, as well,” Grace replied. She shuddered
as she thought of last night again. “I know what he wants to do to
me, but I’m staying here.”

“What does he want to do to you?” Kyler asked. He
hadn’t touched his food.

She didn’t answer him. “If I left without his
permission, he could kill Dar.”

“Not much of a loss,” Father grumbled.

Grace bristled. “Do you remember what Kyler said
right after you stabbed Dar?”

Father gazed at her steadily. “No.”

She looked at Kyler. “Do you?”

Kyler shook his head. “No, I… so much was going
on.”

“He said I’d never forgive you,” Grace said, “and I
wouldn’t. Dar tried to keep me safe from the Avialies. He tried to
keep me from helping them. But that was my choice, and he came
along just to protect me.”

“It’s his fault—”

“I love him,” she said quietly.

Father groaned, and Mother tutted quietly. “I know
you think that, Grace,” she said, “but it will fade. I’ll tell you
a story about when I was younger. I knew a boy—”

“Mother,” Kyler said, “we all know about your romance
with Lord Cobalt.”

“Dar has been nothing but good to me,” Grace said.
“But if I left, William could kill him.”

“He wouldn’t do that,” Mother said.

“Mother, please!” Grace shot at her. “You don’t know
him. You don’t know anything about what’s going on here.”

“Well, maybe that’s because no one has told me
anything!” She threw her napkin down. “You three act as though I’m
stupid.”

“They’re going to find a new Cosa soon,” Kyler told
Grace.

Mother huffed and crossed her arms. “Fine, just
ignore me.”

“Grace, this is your chance to leave,” Kyler
said.

“Didn’t you hear what I said?” Grace asked. “I’m not
leaving. I don’t want him to hurt Dar.”

Father heaved out a sigh, leaning back in his
chair.

“Please don’t worry about me,” she said, glancing
from her father to Kyler.

“I won’t,” Mother said, “because I know the prince
isn’t some criminal. He doesn’t kill people to get what he wants.”
She started eating again.

“I hope you’re right,” Grace muttered.

After a tense meal, Father said he needed to speak
with the king. He left Grace, Kyler, and Mother in the sitting
room. Mother told Grace about the lunch she had with Lady Rebekah
and her mother and news of Lady Rebekah’s failed courtship with Sir
Leonard.

Kyler sat in stony silence for most of the story,
then tried to talk her into coming home again. Mother huffed in
exasperation and started arguing with Kyler about the prince. When
Father returned, Grace let out a breath of relief.

He said few words. “I think it’s time to go.”

Mother hugged Grace again. “Let’s do lunch at
Jocelyn’s tomorrow. I’ll talk to her mother, I see her tonight.
I’ll come by tomorrow mid-day, all right?”

Grace nodded. “All right.”

Kyler hugged Grace as Mother gathered her shawl.
“Think about what we said,” he said. “About coming home.”

“I will.”

“No, she won’t,” Father said. He opened the door and
looked over his shoulder at her. “But I swear to God if anyone
hurts you, royal or Avialie or otherwise, I’ll kill him myself.” He
left without another word.

“He’s so dramatic,” Mother said, rolling her
eyes.

Grace swallowed back tears. She wanted to depend on
his protection, believe that he could keep her safe from William.
But William was the prince, and he’d be king someday. And did that
mean her father would try to hurt Dar, too, if he thought he was
hurting her?

Kyler hugged her again. “Don’t worry, Dar’s safe for
now. We all are.”

“For now,” she whispered.

He and Mother left her then, and Grace wished she
could get into the carriage with them and travel back home.

* * *

Chapter Twenty

Sashe found Grace in the west wing sitting room.
Empty plates sat on the tables, and she was flipping through a
book.

“I’ve been looking all over for you,” Sashe said. She
only found her after Dar told her she was having breakfast with her
parents here. “We missed you at breakfast.”

Grace chuckled. “I didn’t miss most of the people
there.”

“I would have rather eaten with you,” Sashe replied.
She hardly choked down any food with Gregorio at the table. But he
wouldn’t be here for long. “I thought we could go into town
again.”

“That sounds great.” Grace stood, smoothing her dress
down. “If William wants me here, he can stop me himself.”

“I asked Tisha if we could go out and he actually
thought it was a good idea.” If only he knew what was to come.
Sashe rolled her eyes. “I’ve never had to ask for permission
before.”

Grace looped her hand around Sashe’s extended arm.
“It’s a small price to pay for my companionship.”

Sashe laughed. “You remind me so much of Sierra
sometimes.”

Grace smiled as they left the sitting room. “I miss
her. Even though I didn’t get a chance to experience anything
normal with her. We were mostly on the run for our lives.”

Sashe patted her hand. “I miss her, too.”

They walked back to Sashe’s room in silence and got
their cloaks. Sashe made sure Grace had a dagger. Grace looked at
her questioningly, but they couldn’t talk openly just yet. Wendy’s
magic was still strong around her quarters.

They went to the stables and waited while the
servants readied their horses. Dar was probably still stuck in the
kitchens since he wasn’t there.

As they rode away from the castle, Sashe swore she
felt her shoulders lighten. She wished she could leave forever.
Maybe someday she would, if she thought it was best for her child.
Right now, she was safest there, under Thomas’s protection.

They reached the city borders. “You haven’t talked
much,” Grace said as they slowed their horses.

“I’m sorry,” Sashe said. “I’m a little nervous.”

“About what?” Grace asked.

“I wanted to tell you everything before we left,”
Sashe said, “but I thought we should just leave. And I didn’t want
to overwhelm you after last night.”

“Tell me what?”

Sashe turned her horse, motioning for Grace to follow
her. Instead of going into town, they stayed on the outskirts. They
approached the houses near the river. One house was fairly isolated
from the others with a small barn and a cluster of trees hiding it
from the outside world. A cluster of horses were in the barn, and
Sashe brought hers over there before dismounting. This was where
they’d come yesterday to meet with the Zinna who talked to Sierra
for them.