I glared at him but said nothing. It would have been too much to hope that he would leave me unguarded. And even with their presence, the first step in one of our more outrageous plans had just succeeded.
The two men led me silently through the palace, and I couldn’t help looking around curiously. It was magnificent, yes, but also a little cold. I found myself adding some warmer touches in my mind, as I had once found myself doing for the prince’s castle.
I shook my head at my foolishness. If I ended up queen of this castle, I would have other things to think about than redecorating. I would have to expend all my energy to keep the people safe from Cole’s selfish whims. But still, I examined the rooms as closely as I could, walking as slowly as the guards would allow.
Eventually they stopped, and one of them opened a door, gesturing for me to go inside with a grunt. I hurried through and pulled it shut behind me. For a moment I leaned against it, catching my breath, and then I looked around.
I had entered a sitting room, although I could see a bed through an open door on the left wall. These rooms had none of the cold feel of the rest of the palace. In fact, the hints of gold leaf and the elegant white marble were largely obscured by the soft fall of warm rose material. The chairs all had cushions scattered across them, and a basket overflowed with embroidery.
I walked over to a well-worn table of soft wood, and ran my hand along the book that lay there, lying askew, as if dropped in haste. Everything here appeared exactly as it must have when Queen Ruby left the room for the last time, just with a thick added layer of dust. Had she known her coming fate? Nothing I could see suggested it.
I sat in a chair and tried to breathe in some of the calm of this room. No large portrait dominated the wall here, but the queen’s presence seemed to linger all the same. She had so clearly made the space her own.
Sophie? Where are you? Are you still with Cole?
I told him I wanted to be shown to the queen’s chambers. I wasn’t sure he would let me out of his sight, but he seemed to find the request amusing.
Ugh. He would. She seemed to be enjoying having some small outlet for her disgust of Cole.
I memorized the route here, though. I relayed it to her. Do you know specifically where you are?
We do, thankfully. Cole never made any attempt to blindfold us. He went on and on about how complacent we all were, but he seemed pretty sure of himself, too.
Do you know how he got out of the prison in Marin? Does he have a godmother object?
Lily sighed. He wouldn’t tell us. But it’s the only thing I can think of. There was no sign of how he did it—the cell was just empty.
I stood. It’s time we were getting out of here.
Past time! She chuckled. You should see the look Jon is giving me. He’s going crazy wanting to know what we’re saying. I’ve whispered as much to him as I dare, but I don’t want the guard to realize something is going on.
It’s just the one guard, right? I asked, nerves hitting me. Is Jon sure he can deal with him? The plan we had decided on if we ended up in this situation required Jon to be able to take the guard out on his own.
Yes, there’s only ever one. We would have overpowered him before now, except that there wasn’t any point. He’s only here to make sure we can’t plot anything. There are three more outside the door at all times. And the locked door itself, of course. Naturally he doesn’t have a key on him.
Remind me what you’re wearing again? I walked through into the queen’s dressing room.
Lily described her clothes, and I looked through the largest wardrobe I had ever seen for a match. I found one that seemed close enough and pulled it out. Slipping it on, I discovered that the late queen had been taller than me, but thankfully not smaller. If anything, it was a little baggy, but not so much as to look ridiculous.
Is your hair up or down?
It was up originally, but it’s mostly come down now.
I looked around the room while we went over the plan one last time. Crossing over to one of the curtains, I ripped off a braided pull cord. It was gold, but I hoped that it would pass for rope at a hurried glance. I looped it awkwardly over my wrists, twisting it around several times to ensure it wouldn’t fall off while keeping it loose enough that I could pull my hands out quickly if I needed them. It didn’t look convincing close up, but I didn’t need it to.
I slipped my hands out, and stashed the makeshift rope inside my dress. Pulling my cloak over the new dress, I straightened my shoulders and opened the door. The two guards were standing on the far side of the corridor, and they both stepped forward at my appearance.
I ignored them and turned down the corridor. In my peripheral vision, I saw an arm reach out to grab me, and I froze. Wheeling around, I stared at the stretched-out hand with as much regal disdain as I could muster. The guard let it drop and exchanged an uneasy glance with his companion. I arched an eyebrow at them both.
“Well? Aren’t you coming? I wish to go for a walk, and Cole said you are to be my honor guard.” I looked them up and down disdainfully. “As disappointingly inferior as you are, I suppose you’re better than nothing.”
The two men exchanged another look, and then the one who had tried to stop me gestured awkwardly for me to continue. They fell into step behind me, and I suppressed a grin. It had been a significant gamble, but my haughty disdain had thrown them off too much to protest. Especially after Cole had been so supportive of my demanding the rights of a queen. They were off-balance, unsure to what extent they were supposed to be treating me as a prisoner.
I strode quickly down the corridor, heading back the way we had come, looking for a particular room. When I saw the open door to the small, intimate dining room, I paused briefly in the doorway. I scanned the walls, holding my breath until I saw what I had been hoping to find.
Without hesitation, I sprinted for the far side of the room. One of the guards gave a shout, but they were as slow to respond as I had hoped they would be. Partially due to surprise, I was sure, and probably also due to the mistaken belief that I had dashed into a room with no other exit.
I flung myself into the small wooden box nestled into the wall, only just fitting inside. I gripped the brake with both hands, pulling it loose. As I began to sink down, faster than I had expected, I saw the astonished faces of the two guards disappear from view.
Chapter 28