The Last Witch (Incenaga Trilogy) (19 page)

“That doesn’t sound like the Prince Weldon I know. If he had been in his right mind, he wouldn’t have left you alone. I’m sure he’ll be back to his normal self as soon as his brother returns.”

“I hope
you are right,” Emmeline said.

Adelia
assisted Emmeline out of her dress and gasped. The handprints on Emmeline’s arms were already darkening. Adding to Mahlon’s handiwork from before dinner, her arms were a mess.

“Did he
do this to you?” Adelia asked in alarm.

“It doesn’t hurt
. Let’s just forget it ever happened.”

“We can’t forget this, My Lady.”

“He’ll be my brother soon and I don’t want to put strain on our relationship, which is exactly what would happen if I made a fuss about this.”

“We should at least let someone know this happened.”

Emmeline let out a bitter laugh. “Who would listen? The Crown Prince is gone, the King is too ill to be burdened with this, and Mahlon will laugh. It’s better to forget about it. I’m sure it’ll all work out on its own.”

Adelia pursed her lips.
“As you wish, My Lady.”

Emmeline
lay in bed and began sifting through her thoughts, choosing which to hold on to and which to ignore. She hoped Adelia was right about Prince Weldon. She wanted to believe that his feelings were a product of the recent pressure placed upon him. She wondered if the Crown Prince also behaved erratically when the responsibilities of royal life rested on his shoulders. Perhaps the true reason for his absence was to avoid his burdens. Or to avoid her. Emmeline didn’t know what to believe. But something about the fire in Prince Weldon’s eyes told her that she hadn’t seen the last of his passionate outbursts.

The following morning Adelia bounced into Emmeline’s room, a cheerful smile lighting her face. Emmeline scowled and rolled over in her bed. She’d barely slept the night before, having fallen asleep just before dawn, and wasn’t in the mood for Adelia’s chatter.

“The rain has stopped!” Adelia s
quealed. “The Pravoli Festival won’t be postponed!”

Emmeline
sat up straight and laughed in spite of herself. The rain had stopped! “I think I’ll go to the library today,” Emmeline announced as she jumped out of bed. “You can spend the day preparing for the festival, if you’d like. I won’t need anything.”

“Are you sure? Let me at least assist you this morning. I
’ll fetch your breakfast.”

Adelia didn’t
wait for a response. She darted out the door and returned moments later with a silver platter of cut fruit. Once Emmeline was seated at the breakfast table, Adelia rushed around the room in a blur.

“Do you care which dress I prepare for you today,
My Lady?” Adelia called from the wardrobe closet.

“
Something warm would be nice.”

“Is it cold in the library?”

Emmeline smiled to herself. “Just a bit.”

“Very well.
” Adelia laid a wool dress on the bed. Dyed a deep plum, the dress had long sleeves and buttons trailing down the back. White fur trimmed the wrists and hem of her skirt and flowers had been sewn into the bodice with gold thread.

“That one is much too beautiful for me, Adelia,” Emmeline said
eyeing the white fur trim. It would get filthy the moment she stepped outside. “I’m just going to the library, I don’t need anything special.”

“Nonsense! You’re beauty outshines every dress in your wardrobe. None are too beautiful for you,
My Lady.”

“Is it even worth arguing
with you?”

Adelia giggled.
“I suppose not, My Lady. Now come here and I’ll help you into your gown.”

The dress
slipped over Emmeline’s slim frame. She sighed, doubting she would ever feel comfortable in such extravagance.

“Yo
u look magnificent!” Adelia exclaimed. “It’s a shame only the dusty books will see you. I wish you could attend the festival.”

“P
erhaps circumstances will be different next year.”

“Of course
. By then you will be under the protection of the strongest army, and you’ll be on the arm of the most skilled fencer in all of Dolmerti, the Crown Prince himself. No one will dare harm you.”

“Let’s hope.” In truth
, Emmeline didn’t know where circumstances would take her. By the following year, she could far from Dolmerti, safe with her father. She could never stay in Dolmerti knowing she had murdered their Prince. Emmeline cringed. Was that her choice? Was she going to murder Dolmerti’s Crown Prince? Or would she let her father die to save the Prince who fought for peace? She couldn’t think straight and couldn’t make a choice between two innocent men. If only there was a way to save them both. Her mind swirled into a jumble of indecision. She pushed away the unpleasant thoughts and watched Adelia, hoping for a distraction. There was still time to figure things out later.

Adelia
twisted Emmeline’s long hair with tiny strings of pearls. She stepped back to examine her work and after smiling her approval, she wished Emmeline a good day and bounced out of the room.

Emmeline
glanced toward the window, pleased with the sun shining through. Erick was the perfect distraction and a little sunshine could be just what she needed to clear her head. After today she would be able her to face her problems.

E
mmeline dashed into the corridor and giggled as the guards scrambled after her. She was at the library doors when an errand boy scampered up and announced the King’s request to see her.

“
Did he say what he wanted?” She hoped it was something that would only take a moment. As much as she loved her time with the King, she could hardly wait to get outside.

“
He said something about today being a beautiful day and he wanted to catch you before you were lost within the shelves.”

Emmeline’s eyes grew wide.
He knew! The King had somehow found out she’d escaped through the hidden corridor. She caught her bottom lip with her teeth. She’d been so careful to keep to the trees. No one could have seen her.

“
Are you sure that that is all he said?”

“Yes, he just wanted a moment of your time.”

Emmeline nodded and followed the boy to the King’s receiving room. A guard announced her arrival and she entered with quiet steps. The King was not in his usual spot by the window. A mass of white pillows surrounded him as he lay in the bed, his eyes closed, his breathing shallow. Emmeline crept to his bedside and took his hand.

“How is my favorite daughter-to-be?”
the King said.

“I am your only daughter-to-be.”

“That's irrelevant.” His chest heaved and he coughed.

Emmeline squeezed his hand. “
I am doing just fine, but how are you?”

“Today is a beautiful day, I
can feel it,” the King said, ignoring her question.

“Yes, it is a beautiful day. The sun has already burned
off the fog and the plants are enjoying the light, it seems.

The King
smiled with a twinkle in his eye, “What a pity you are going to spend such a beautiful day among dusty bookshelves.”

“Yes, it is a pity.” Emmeline
fidgeted with her dress.

“Very well. If that is the way this conversation will go
then I’ll play along.”

Emmeline remained quiet, determined to believe her secret
still remained undiscovered.

“I hear there is quite a draft in the back of the librar
y, next to those old fallen shelves. I hope you don’t catch cold.”

Again, Emmeline said nothing and her silence seemed to be enough of an answer for the King. His mischievous smile spread across his face.

“I hope you don’t find any dark corners,” he said. “I have gone through great pains to hide those.”

“Alright, alright,” Emmeline
said. She sighed. “I found the hidden passage a few days ago and I went to the stables. I was planning on doing the same today, if you must know. I am perfectly safe there.”

The King
’s playful smile fell. “I had no idea you wandered as far as the stables. I thought you were just exploring the gardens.”

“I’m perfectly safe.”

“Yes, you mentioned that. Yet, there is no fire in the stables to give you power and I doubt you’ll be able to find anything in the woods dry enough to do anything more than give you smoke.”

“I may know where some dry wood
is.” At least, she hoped there was some buried at the bottom of Mahlon’s stacks.

“
Somewhere you could get your hands on it in a moment’s notice?” the King asked.

Emmeline’s shoulders
slumped.

“
You are vulnerable on your own, my dear. Need I stress how sought after you are? You have heard the tales, I presume? Your power can be mastered. It can be used against your will.”

“
Yes, I have heard.” Emmeline’s heart raced as she waited for the words that would ban her from the stables. A small tear escaped her eye and she wiped it away. She doubted she would be able to defy the King if he requested she not return to the stables. He had been so kind to her.

The King
squeezed her hand and brought it up to his face. He brushed his lips to her trembling hand and let out a sigh. “Such a lovely thing should not cry.”

Emmeline sniffed.
“I’m not crying.”

“Of course not, my dear.”
He patted her hands.

“How did you know I found a way outside?
I was so careful.”

“I may be old and de
caying but I still have a quick mind. On a number of occasions you have expressed your desire to be outside and your love for reading. I knew it was only a matter of time before you went to the library and found the corridor behind the bookshelf. I wasn’t positive you had found it, until now.” He grinned, proud of himself and his small victory.

Emmeline
wished she had seen through his trap, but she couldn’t be angry at the endearing old man.

“I want you to be happy
; however, your safety is of the upmost importance. Until you learn how to harness your power, you will be at the mercy of those who rule over you. You will have no choice but to grant your master’s desires, even if that means death and destruction. Do you understand, my dear? Do you see why it is so important to my son and me that you shouldn’t have a master? Not just for your sake, but for the sake of humanity. Do you understand?”

“Yes,
” Emmeline whispered. Her mother’s decision seemed clearer to her, the weight of understanding crushing her like the force of a falling boulder. Now she understood the choice her mother made and Emmeline feared she would suffer the same fate.

But
something else the King mentioned gave her a little hope. “Forgive me, but did you say I could learn to harness my power? Is it possible to keep from being controlled?”

The King
was silent for several minutes. “It is a theory, but one I believe,” he finally said. “With you being the last, however, I’m afraid there is no one to teach you. But there is hope, my dear. I have to believe there is.”

Emmeline nodded. There had
to be a way. If only the palace had fires, she could practice more often.

The King
cleared his throat. “Perhaps we could find a way to satisfy both your need to feel the wind on your face and my need to protect you.”

“Yes, please. Anything.”

The King relaxed into his pillow and his brow creased. After several long moments, his blind eyes turned toward her. “Was anyone at the stables when you found your way there?”

“Yes. Well someone helped me find the stables, that is.” Emmeline held her breath,
afraid he’d ask her who it was. She didn’t want Erick to get into any kind of trouble.

“Who was it?”

Her shoulders fell. “Erick, the gamekeeper.”

“Erick? A
gamekeeper, you say?”

“Yes, he is one of your gamekeepers, or the only one, I don’t know. He’s the only one I’ve met.
He doesn’t know I am an Incenaga. He thinks I am just a guest.”

The King
let out a laugh. “
Just
a guest. That is funny.” His boisterous laugh filled the room.

“Yes, well, he
assumed I was a guest and I chose not to correct him. We crossed paths near the palace. I asked him to show me the stables and he agreed. He’s not at fault.”

Despite
his blindness, the King’s eyes sparkled. “Of course he’s not at fault. What man could resist your charms and deny your request?”

“I beg your pardon, Highness. I assure you, he is a respectable man, not in
any way influenced by my charms. He was very kind and I trust him.”