The next night, Lucette woke with sadness for company. She would even have welcomed some of those would-be suitors who used to sleep outside her glass case. After releasing herself from captivity, she checked the letters left under the wall of the cell, but they were both from her parents. None from random suitors. None from Tristan. She read her father’s first.
Dearest Lucette,
I hope your days spent in the tower are bearable. At least I know you’re safe, although I know Tristan patrols the palace at night and can’t stay with you in the tower every moment. I’m glad you have him to talk to. The thought of you alone is so hard to bear. Did you know Tristan killed a vampire last night? Right in front of your mother’s room. It gave your mother a real start when she rose, but he apologized for not getting rid of the body.
Lucette’s heart raced and her head buzzed. Tristan was still here! And from the sounds of it, he’d been lying to her parents to maintain her cover.
Your young man is quite exceptional and brave. I’ll be so proud if someday he joins our family. I hope you’re giving him a chance. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. He even convinced your mother and me that we should sleep in the same bedchamber from now on to make it easier for him to guard us both. He told us how concerned you’ve been for our safety.
With love,
Dad
Happiness and hope flowed through Lucette. Her parents were sharing a bedchamber! Only the sight of Tristan’s face could make her happier. If he were around the palace during the daytime, where was he hiding? Was he spending his nights in the palace, too?
Although she wanted him to be safe from vampires, she was thrilled to hear he hadn’t returned to Judra. She knew her feelings were selfish, but she couldn’t help how she felt.
Lucette scrambled down the tower stairs, raced to the library, and pulled out the atlas. Another dozen roses sat atop of her clothes. Her heart thumped. They must be from Tristan. Even if he didn’t love her, the gesture filled her with giddiness. She changed quickly and then discovered he’d replaced the stakes she’d lost last night, too. Even better, she found a note sticking out of the top of her quiver of stakes.
Dear Lucette,
I tried to stay away, but I can’t. I didn’t see Alex last night, and I hope he isn’t hurt because I know that would cause you pain. I’d like to talk to you, but don’t want to intrude on your time with Alex. If you are willing to talk, please give me a sign by dropping one of these roses from the main entry hall balcony before midnight tonight. If you choose not to, I’ll understand, and will never bother you again.
Your loyal friend forever,
Tristan
Heart racing, she dashed out of the library down the corridor to the balcony and threw the entire bundle of roses to the foyer below.
She gasped. That had been foolish. Now she didn’t have any roses left for defense. She raced for the stairs, intending to retrieve them, and when she was halfway down Tristan appeared at the bottom. Happiness clutched her throat and her chest and her heart. She nearly tripped as she sped down the final stretch, then flung herself into his arms.
“Oh, Tristan, I’m so sorry! I never should have sent you away!”
He led her to the top of the stairs. “Does this mean you’re no longer in love with Alex?”
“I never was.” She shook her head.“How could I possibly love Alex when—when I know you.” She couldn’t risk saying the word love, although it was what she felt.
Embarrassed and terrified that he was about to reject her again, Lucette wished she could just shrivel up and blow away in the wind. She looked down, but he caught her chin in his fingers and lifted her gaze back to his.
Where she’d expected to see pity, she saw something else. She wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but she liked it. The blue in his eyes sparkled in the soft light.
His fingers lightly stroked her cheek and her body trembled with anticipation until he finally bent down to brush his lips against hers. The soft kiss sent a thrill racing through her. Her knees weakened, but Tristan slid his hand around her waist and pressed his lips more firmly against hers.
So many years she’d been dreaming about his kiss, but it was even better than she’d imagined. His lips were firm and demanding, his breath tasted of mint. So giddy, Lucette felt as if her feet had lifted off the ground. Realizing they had, she laughed against his lips. He spun her as they kissed, and she felt as though their bodies had created a vortex into which the entire world might collapse.
Tristan broke away and set her back on the ground. She placed her hand on his cheek. “Is this really happening?”
He smiled. “It is.”
“But I thought—” Feeling foolish, she stopped herself, not knowing what to say and not wanting to ruin the moment. This was her first kiss. She had no idea what to do or say.
“You thought what?” His arms felt warm and strong on her waist.
“I thought you didn’t like me—not like this.” As soon as she said it, she felt presumptuous for assuming his feelings. But then she felt silly for that. After all, he had kissed her.
“Oh, Lucette.” He bent to capture her lips again.“When we were younger, I admired you more than I should have. You were so bold and determined, plus I thought you were pretty. But I fought my feelings. I had to. I was your mentor. It wasn’t right.”
He pressed kisses onto her forehead, then her nose. When I saw you sleeping in that glass case, I didn’t make any connection to the girl I’d tried so hard to push from my mind. Now I feel foolish for not recognizing you the second you woke.” He shook his head. “The instant I realized it was you, I fell in love. Now my beautiful warrior girl is an even more beautiful warrior woman, and so brave to be facing vampires all on her own.” He pulled her into a hug. “I can never lose you.”
Lucette felt like she’d burst from joy. Now that she’d found true love, the curse would end.
Standing on the stone balcony outside her bedroom, Queen Natasha turned to Alexander. “Bring the girl back here.”
“The princess?” her son asked, sprawling back in his chair as if she’d just asked him to clean up his room.
“Who else would I mean?” she snapped. Natasha forced herself to calm down. Her son was no imbecile, but for some reason, he was being purposefully obtuse, and she was determined to discover why. He might be her son, but she found him hard to trust, even though he’d been crossing into Xandra and reporting back on the work of her bloodsucking minions.
Regardless of all that, the moment Alexander stopped being useful, the moment she suspected treachery, she’d drive a stake through his heart and blame the slayers. The tragic loss of her son would build sympathy and support.
“Why do you want the princess brought here?” he asked as he traced his fingers over a rose embroidered on the arm of her favorite chair.
“Can’t you see?” She strode around the back of the chair and leaned over to put her lips next to his ear. “If we take her, Stefan will have no choice. He’ll invade, and then our armies will crush Xandra.” And then Stefan and Catia would cower at her feet. That idea was most delicious. As was finally sitting on the throne of Xandra as she’d been meant to.
“If you want war”—he pulled out a thread from the chair—“why not invade now?”
“Stop that.” She slapped his hand.“You’ll ruin the fabric.” She circled around to the front. “My darling son, if we attack first, then we’ll be the aggressor, and other kingdoms will rise up in Xandra’s defense. It would weaken me, spoil my chance to expand my empire later.” She wanted the subjects of all the kingdoms to bow down before her in adoration and fear. The combination was like the most intoxicating elixir. She’d learned that when she’d aimed a stake at her late husband’s heart.
Alexander didn’t need to know that the generals still refused to invade unless Xandra declared war. But soon those now-influential generals would bow down before her, too. Soon.
“I get it”—he nodded—“but I can’t bring back the princess. They keep her locked in a glass case.” He remained nonchalant. “There’s no way to get to her.”
She leaned down so she could look into his eyes. “Glass? I don’t see the problem.”
“The glass won’t break,” he said.“I think it’s enchanted.”
She flew back from his chair, slammed her fist down on the balcony railing, and the stone cracked. Those damn fairies, meddling again! She’d show them. “Have you really done all you can to get to the girl?” she asked her son.
“She’s a defenseless beauty in a glass case. I’m a teenaged boy, Mother. Of course I’ve tried.” Alex rolled his eyes, then smiled lasciviously.
She might have scolded her son for his snarky tone, but his words pleased her.“So you’ve taken a fancy to the sleeping beauty of Xandra?” This was an exciting development. Perhaps she would let her son live after all. Perhaps he would prove useful.
She set her hands on the arms of his chair and leaned toward him. “She’d make a good mate for you, I think.” She resisted an urge to rub her hands together in delight. Imagine, Catia’s precious daughter converted and married to a vampire, and one day giving birth to vampire children. The idea filled Natasha with vengeful glee.
But she questioned her son’s claim. “Others say they’ve seen the princess roaming the palace.” It was beyond frustrating that she couldn’t enter Xandra to see for herself.
“That’s not possible,” Alex said quickly. “If she ever got out of that glass case, I’d be all over her.” He shifted in the chair and grinned.“There are humans around the palace some nights—mercenaries from other kingdoms, I assume. Perhaps someone mistook one of them for her?”
Natasha stepped back and narrowed her eyes. It was doubtful, but possible. She wouldn’t put it past Catia and Stefan to lure some poor girl from a neighboring kingdom to impersonate their daughter and act as bait. Did they think she’d be so easily fooled?
Alex crossed his legs and rested his elbows on the arms of his chair. “I’ve always wondered. Why did you do it in the first place? Why curse a baby?”
She studied her handsome son for signs of deceit, but his question seemed sincere.“Because her hateful mother and father betrayed me most egregiously, that’s why.”
“How?” His expression showed concern for her suffering.
“I was meant to marry King Stefan, not Catia. That horrid, hateful snake stole the man who would be my husband. He was mine and she went behind my back and took him—and my place as the rightful queen of Xandra.”
“I understand how that would make you angry. More than you know. Tell me more.”
Natasha pulled up a chair beside her son and sat down. “I’ll tell you everything.” Perhaps Alex did have leadership potential. It was so hard to know with teenagers, but he was maturing, finally showing some promise. Perhaps he wasn’t as much like his father as she’d first feared. Perhaps it was time he knew the whole truth.
And if there were no way to capture the sleeping princess, Natasha would order her minions to capture the king and queen themselves. She’d make them pay, and no one would ever know what had happened to the Xandran monarchs. No matter what, it was time to escalate the nightly invasions. From now on, her minions would be ordered to kill.
“Don’t ever do that again,” Lucette told Tristan as he waited for her to change from her gown into her slaying clothes. “It doesn’t seem fair that you watch me sleep.” And knowing he was on the other side of the screen right now sent tingles through her body.
These past weeks with Tristan had been wonderful, but although she felt sure she was in love, the curse hadn’t lifted.
“But you’re so beautiful,” he replied from the other side of the screen. “How can you blame me for watching you sleep?”
It was kind of romantic. Still... “But during the day I’m in a glass case, and can’t wake up. It just doesn’t feel right. If you watch, it’s like you’re spying on me.”
“That is messed up,” another male voice said. “Creepy, in fact.”
Her boots not yet laced up, Lucette shot out from behind the screen. “Alex!” She ran to hug him. “You came back!” It had been over two weeks.
Tristan stood to the side, and Lucette admired him for remaining calm.
“Do you think I could really stay away?” Alex winked, and then nodded toward Tristan. “I see he came out of hiding.”
“You knew Tristan hadn’t left?” she asked, looking back and forth between the two young men.
Alex shrugged and said,“I never would’ve left you completely alone. I figured he’d show himself eventually.”
“So you’re not mad?”
“Nah.” Alex took a step back and ran his fingers through his hair. “And I’ve got big news. Huge.”
“What’s going on?” Had his mother decided to lift the curse? Her hope vanished when she saw his expression. “Bad news?”
He took a deep breath. “It’s not all bad, I guess, depending on your perspective.”
Tristan pressed a kiss into her hair. “You two talk. I’ll go check on your parents’ room.”
Lucette watched him leave, her heart nearly bursting with happiness. Alex was back and Tristan trusted her enough, and trusted Alex enough, not to object when she wanted to talk to him alone.
As soon as Tristan left the room, Lucette pulled Alex to a set of leather chairs. “What’s your mother done now?” She bent to tie up her boots.
He sat down and crossed one leg, a foot up on his knee. “She wants your dad to invade, so she won’t be blamed for starting a war. She’s also trying to capture you and your parents and bring you to Sanguinia. And”—he paused and ran his fingers through his hair—“I think I finally understand her grudge against your family.”
Lucette raised a questioning eyebrow. “Tell me.”
“Well,” he leaned forward, “for starters, we’re cousins.”
“What?” This had to be some kind of a joke.
“Yeah.” His cheeks flared red. “Turns out our mothers are sisters.”
Lucette felt as if she’d been crushed under a huge stone. The vampire queen was her aunt? Alex, her cousin? No wonder she’d never felt the romantic kind of love for him.
Alex leaned back in the chair. “Crazy, I know. I could barely keep from wanting to strangle my mother when she told me. But I had to make her think I understood why she’d done it.”
She looked up. “That must have been so difficult.”
He squared his shoulders. “That’s just the start. I also found out why my mother laid the curse.”