Raelia (The Medoran Chronicles Book 2) (33 page)

“Do you like stories?” Alex asked the boy, and the answer was obvious when his eyes lit up.

She knelt to the floor and, holding her breath to avoid the relaxant fumes, opened her pack and reached to the very bottom to dig out the massive book of children’s stories.

“Would you like Skyla to read to you?” Alex asked, holding the book out to him.

Seeing the item in her hands, he took a step forward, then another one. When he arrived at Skyla’s side, he looked up at her with owlish eyes and said, “I’m Benjamin. We can be friends if you read to me.”

“Oh, Benny, you’re
so
cute!” Skyla said in a voice so high-pitched that Alex feared someone would hear. “Let’s tuck you in while Aunty Alex brings us the storybook.”

Aunty Alex? Wow, Skyla really was a kid person.

Alex zipped up her pack and stood up to find that Skyla had snuggled into Benjamin’s bed with him. “Here you go,” she said, handing over the heavy book. “Happy reading.”

“Look, Benny! There are pictures!” Skyla said. She seemed more excited than Benjamin at the discovery.

“I’ll leave you both to it,” Alex said. “I’ll see you downstairs, right, Skyla?”

“Ten minutes, Alex,” Skyla said, tearing her eyes from the book. “I promise I’ll be there.”

“See you then,” Alex said, hoping that would be true.

“Hey, Alex,” Skyla called just before Alex reached the door. “You need to swap your shoes. And it’ll probably be a good idea to untuck your dress unless you’re trying to make a new fashion statement.”

Feeling like an idiot, Alex untucked and straightened her gown and swapped back into her heels. She also remembered to grab the compact powder out of Skyla’s makeup case, which was essential for their plan to work.

“Thanks, Skyla,” Alex said, genuinely appreciative.

She hurried out of the room and down a hallway, finding a staircase and descending to the next floor. When she was there, she snuck into a bathroom to straighten her hair and check her makeup. Once she was satisfied that she didn’t look like she’d just climbed up a building, she purposely left the powder brush on the bench and closed the compact, keeping it in her hands. Then she followed the hallway again until she reached the staircase that led down into the ballroom on the second floor.

Alex stood at the top of the stairs and looked out at the scene below, positioned just as Sir Oswald had been when he’d addressed his guests.

I know I need to get his attention, but I wish I’d come up with a better plan than this,
Alex thought despairingly. Just like her ‘Inebriated Guest’ moment at the royal palace, she knew she would likely regret her next move.

Steeling her resolve, she clenched her teeth and slowly moved her foot to the next step down. But instead of resting her heel on the solid stair, she closed her eyes tightly and deliberately overstepped.

The effect was instantaneous.

She fell like a Slinky spring, tumbling painfully down the staircase. The musicians stopped playing and she heard gasps and exclamations all around her. Only when she came to a stop on the hard floor did she open her eyes, finding a swarm of faces all around her.

“Make way, please. Make way,” came the familiar voice of Sir Oswald.

Perfect.
Just as she’d planned.

“My dear, are you all right?”

“How embarrassing,” Alex whimpered, actually managing to fill her eyes with tears. It wasn’t all that difficult, considering how painful her landing had been. “Please tell me no one saw that?”

“Of course not, my dear,” Sir Oswald lied, kneeling beside her. “Are you injured? Do you need me to call my personal physician?”

“No, please,” Alex begged. “I feel humiliated enough as it is.”

“There’s nothing to be ashamed about,” he said, patting her on the hand. “Do you think you can stand?”

When she nodded, he closed his fingers around hers and stood to his feet, pulling her up with a surprising amount of strength for someone his age. The room spun around her and it wasn’t hard for her to overdramatise her dizziness. She leaned heavily onto Sir Oswald, apologising profusely when she was finally able to lift her head.

“No need to apologise, my dear,” he told her kindly. “Why, it’s a pleasure to be able to assist such a beautiful young woman.”

Alex almost gagged. He was old enough to be her grandfather. And if he called her ‘my dear’ one more time…

“What’s your name, my dear?”

Alex’s eye twitched at the repeated endearment, but she answered him charmingly. “Ally Jones, Sir Oswald. My mother, Larissa, had me listed as her plus one, but she’s picked up a stomach bug and thought it best for everyone if she stayed home and I came without her

Alex held a breath as she waited to see if she was right about Hunter’s clue and her ‘mother’ having lots of friends—hopefully enough friends to secure an invitation to an event such as this.

Her heart raced as she watched Sir Oswald scrunch his face in confusion.

“Larissa Jones?” he said. “I don’t believe I know… Unless…” His eyes lit with comprehension. “Do you perhaps mean Larissa Rolar?”

“Rolar was her maiden name,” Alex said, the make-believe story flowing effortlessly from her mouth. “When she married my father she took his surname.”

“Not Renwick Jones, surely?” Sir Oswald guffawed. “That slimy old toad! Who would have thought he’d manage to land a catch like your mother? Ha! Well, good on him, I suppose. There may yet be hope for the rest of us.”

Alex couldn’t believe he was actually buying her deceit.

“Come, come, dear Ally,” Sir Oswald continued. “You must tell me all about how your enchanting mother is faring these days. You clearly inherited her beauty—that much is evident. Too many years have passed since I last saw her…”

Sir Oswald went on to share a memory that included a chicken, a tea set and a thunderstorm, but Alex wasn’t paying much attention to his words. She was trying to figure out if she should start laughing or just shake her head in astonishment. She would have to remember to thank Hunter later… Or not, depending on how the rest of the evening played out.

“—and so, really, I have your mother to thank for setting me up with my darling wife. Oh, how dearly I miss my beloved Bryonie.”

Alex had no idea what to say, so she patted him consolingly on the hand that still held her own.

“You’re such a lovely girl,” he told her. “Kind and caring, just like your mother.”

She managed to plaster an embarrassed smile on her face. “That’s very sweet of you, Sir Oswald.”

“Come along, my dear,” he said, taking her arm. “I want you to meet some of my acquaintances. Although, I daresay you will have been introduced to many already, given your mother’s commendably active role in society.”

“I’d be delighted to,” Alex said, but her fear spiked as she tried to figure out how to move her plan along and not get stuck talking with people Larissa’s ‘daughter’ should already know.

“Sir,” called a guard, stopping them from going any further. “Please allow me to scan the young woman’s ID before you continue.”

“That’s unnecessary, Quinn. Ally is no intruder,” Sir Oswald said.

“All the same, sir, for your guests’ piece of mind, I ask you to permit me to check,” the guard insisted.

“Be quick about it, then,” Sir Oswald said, clearly unimpressed.

“Your identification tag please, Miss,” the guard said to Alex, holding out his hand.

“Of course,” she said, brushing her hand along her side and frowning in mock-confusion. “I had it pinned to my dress right here. It was there just before… when—Oh! I must have left it in the bathroom. I took it off when I went to powder my nose.”

Alex held out the compact container of makeup that remained grasped in her hand as if to verify her words. At least she hadn’t dropped it in her fall down the stairs.

“Miss, you’ll have to come with me,” the guard said in a no-nonsense tone.

“Come now, Quinn,” Sir Oswald said. “I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding. Why don’t we both escort Ally back to the bathroom so she can retrieve her ID and ease your fears.”

“Sir, I’d prefer it if you would remain here with your guests,” the guard said.

“Fortunately for me, I don’t take orders from you,” Sir Oswald replied firmly.

“Your guest of honour will be arriving shortly,” the guard said.

“And if you cease stalling, then we’ll
all
be back in time to greet him,” Sir Oswald returned. “Now, lead the way, Quinn.”

Quinn must have realised he wasn’t going to separate Alex from the party’s host, so he abruptly turned and led the way
up the staircase. When they reached the top and began along the hallway, Alex had to quickly modify her original plan. Sir Oswald was exactly where she wanted him to be but she hadn’t counted on an armed escort. She just had to hope Skyla was in position and not still reading stories to Benjamin.

When Quinn opened the door and stepped into the bathroom, Alex felt some of the tension leave her body at the sight of the pillow resting on the bench beside the powder brush she’d left there. Skyla was ready and waiting, which meant that their plan just might work.

“It’s over there,” Alex said, pointing to the bench.

Quinn asked Sir Oswald to remain in the doorway and the host grudgingly agreed, ordering the guard to hurry up.

Alex stepped over to the bench. Her armed escort remained a few feet behind her, but she needed him to be closer.

“Oh, look, I left my powder brush here, too,” she said. “Silly me.”

She giggled as if it was the funniest thing in the world as she reached for the pillow.

“I see the brush, Miss,” Quinn said. “But I don’t see your ID.”

“It’s right here,” Alex said, gesturing for him to step closer.

He looked at her with narrowed eyes and raised his Stabiliser, edging forward.

Alex’s heart thudded in her chest and she prayed that the relaxant would be as fast-acting as it had been with Pip. She stepped towards the guard and deliberately staggered sideways, collapsing onto the ground at his feet.

“Ally?” Sir Oswald called from where he stood at the doorway to the bathroom. He made to move towards her but the guard held up a warning hand, so Sir Oswald remained where he was but in an irritated voice, he ordered, “Quinn, help her.”

“Miss?” the guard said cautiously, kneeling down in front of her.

“I guess I’m still a bit dizzy,” Alex admitted sheepishly. “These heels aren’t helping, either. Would you please help me up?”

Quinn hesitated for a moment before he lowered his Stabiliser and reached for Alex with his free hand. She latched on and yanked him closer, causing him to overbalance and stumble forward. It was the perfect position for her to shove the pillow into his startled face.

“What—”

His eyes glazed over before he could manage a second muffled word, but she kept the pillow pressed against his face for a few more moments to be sure he was mentally out of it.

“Ally, what are you—”

Alex didn’t pause to think as she grabbed Quinn’s fallen Stabiliser and aimed it at Sir Oswald, pulling the trigger. A blast of light hit him in the chest and he crumpled to the floor where, if Kaiden was right, he would remain unconscious for the next ten minutes.

She stared in shock at what she’d done, but she didn’t have the chance to feel guilty because Quinn chose that moment to collapse on top of her. The increased contact with the relaxant had not just sedated him, it seemed to have knocked him unconscious. Alex grunted with the strain of his weight and slid him off her and onto the floor. She then stood and moved over to the doorway to drag Sir Oswald into the bathroom so that he lay beside his guard.

“Skyla? Are you in here?” Alex called.

The door to the toilet opened and a white-faced Skyla stumbled out.

“Do you know how many bathrooms there are on this floor?” she asked hysterically. “Five. Five bathrooms! It’s a good
thing no one picked up your powder brush, because otherwise I never would have known where to meet you!”

“You did great, Skyla,” Alex said. “But we have to hurry before they wake up or someone comes looking for them. We don’t have much time.”

“All right, all right,” Skyla huffed. “You get his clothes.”

Alex grimaced as she removed Sir Oswald’s jacket, tie, vest, dress shirt, trousers and shoes. She left him in his underclothes, but she still felt uncomfortable at having to undress him at all.

“Here.” She handed the clothes to Skyla who transformed so quickly that Alex blinked and said, “Whoa. That was fast.”

Standing in front of her was a perfect replica of Sir Oswald, only he was wearing a pale yellow evening gown that was almost bursting at the seams.

“Some people are easier to imitate than others,” Skyla said, her voice an exact copy of Sir Oswald’s.

“That’s disturbing,” Alex mumbled and she turned her back so Skyla could change into the man’s clothing.

“I’m ready,” Skyla said when she was done.

“I’m not sure about Quinn,” Alex said, sliding the Stabiliser under Skyla’s jacket so that it was hidden from sight, “but we don’t have much time before Sir Oswald wakes up, so we have to move.”

Neither of them knew where they should go but they figured downwards was the best direction, so they descended a stairway at the opposite end of the hallway, which took them to the ground floor of the mansion.

“What now?” Skyla asked.

“Now you need to ask for assistance.”

Alex explained what she had in mind, and once she was sure Skyla understood her plan, she latched onto the arm of ‘Sir Oswald’ and started fake-giggling. Skyla led them to the entry
of the mansion where they caught the attention of the guards standing outside by the doors.

“You, there,” Skyla called, and both guards stepped back into the building with alert expressions.

“Sir Oswald?” said the guard on the left. “Is there something you need?”

“This lovely young woman desires to see the juggler perform an act,” Skyla told him, her much deeper voice slurring deliberately. “I’ve had a wee bit too much to drink and I’m afraid I’m a little unsteady on my feet. Will one of you escort us to see my prisoner?”

The guards looked at each other before turning back to their employer.