Her face flushed. “What are you doing?”
“Shh.” He loosened the string of his pants and glanced about the room. Rushing over to the couch, he grabbed the blankets, tossing them into the bathing room. He took a deep breath and pulled open the door, leaning lazily against the frame, looking like he’d just rolled out of bed. “Stepmother,” he said in a groggy voice. “To what do I owe this honor?”
“Is that…girl here?” Jana asked with a haughty voice, peering around the side of him and into the room. He moved his body to block the queen’s view of the bedchamber.
Allyssa pulled the blankets up around her neck, wishing she wasn’t so vulnerable with the evil woman close by. It dawned on her that Jana had probably ordered Soma to kill her last night. Jana was here to see if the job was done.
“By that girl, do you mean Princess Allyssa?” Kerdan asked.
“Yes, is she…here?”
“If by here, you mean alive, then yes, she is alive and well. I’m sorry to tell you your son failed. Again. He’s not much of an assassin, is he?” The pleasure in Kerdan’s voice was palpable.
The queen shoved him aside and swept into the room. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Allyssa in Kerdan’s bed, her upper lip curling in disgust. Knowing she couldn’t appear weak, Allyssa summoned every ounce of energy she had and threw the blankets off her body. She slid out of the bed, trying not to wince at the pain in her abdomen as she did so. Her feet hit the floor, and she glanced down at her bare legs, realizing she wore one of Kerdan’s large shirts and nothing else. Her face flushed.
“This is what you’ve been doing?” Jana said to him. “You’ve turned her into your own personal harlot?”
Allyssa came and stood awkwardly next to him. She couldn’t hide under the sheets now.
“I’m sure Rema will be pleased to learn you’ve been reduced to this.” Her hand swept over Allyssa’s body.
It took sheer willpower to remain upright. “I am not a harlot,” she ground out, understanding her reputation was ruined. Odar’s parents would never sanction a union between their kingdoms if they believed she’d slept with Kerdan. Could the situation get any worse?
“As much as I enjoy seeing you lowered to a common wench, I’m here because I need information. Why does Fren believe that Prince Odar is dead?” The queen tilted her head to the side, waiting for a response.
Allyssa stood there, refusing to utter a single word.
“Answer me!” Jana shouted, making her jump.
“I’m sorry,” Allyssa said, trying to keep her voice pleasant. “If you are speaking to me, you will address me by my name and title.”
The queen wrinkled her nose in disgust. “You do not deserve the title you bear.”
“Neither do you.” Allyssa folded her arms over her chest, trying to maintain some sense of dignity while dressed in the flimsy white shirt.
“Tell me why Fren believes their prince is dead, or return to the dungeon.”
“I’ve been a prisoner in Russek for weeks. I cannot presume to know what is going on throughout the continent.”
Kerdan went to his dressing closet and returned with a long fur robe, draping it over Allyssa’s shoulders. She hadn’t realized she was shaking from her lack of clothing until the warmth of the robe enveloped her. The prince kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She forced her body to relax and not flinch from his touch. Why hadn’t he put a shirt on?
The queen’s eyes narrowed, watching the two of them. “I don’t know what game you’re playing,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper and sharp as a blade. “But I assure you, you cannot fool me, nor can you win.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” the prince said, his fingers digging into Allyssa’s shoulder.
She had the distinct impression that he was using her to restrain himself from killing the queen. Reaching up, she patted his hand, trying to comfort him. As much as they might want to kill Jana right now, they couldn’t without serious repercussions. There had to be a squad of soldiers on the other side of the door ready to pounce.
“The only explanation I can come up with for Fren believing that Prince Odar is dead is if someone survived the attack,” Jana explained. “So tell me, did anyone survive?”
Allyssa held her chin high, refusing to be intimidated by her aunt. Marek, the sole survivor, didn’t know that Odar and Jarvik had switched places. Her father, on the other hand, did. What an interesting move on Darmik’s part to allow the deceit to continue. She would have to think on the matter in more detail when the queen wasn’t watching her. “I saw your son shoot an arrow into the back of every man present the day he kidnapped Odar and me.”
Jana clenched her hands together, her knuckles turning white.
“Anything else?” Kerdan asked. “Because if you’re done here, I have some unfinished business.” He pulled Allyssa’s body against his. This was not part of their deal, and she would speak to him about it later. But for now, she went along with the ruse.
A cold and devious smile similar to Soma’s slid over the queen’s face, turning her features harsh. “I will go and speak with the king. I’m not sure how he will feel about his son sleeping with the enemy. It might be time for the harlot to return to the dungeon.”
“Don’t waste your time. My father gave her to me. She’s mine.”
“He assumed she was a spoil of war and would be treated as such. She seems far too comfortable and at ease in your bedchamber.”
“You mean because I enjoy the prince’s company?” Holy hell, she couldn’t believe she just said that out loud.
The queen raised her hand to strike Allyssa, but Kerdan caught her arm mid-swing. “Don’t,” he said, a lethalness to his voice. “You need to leave. Now.”
“You can’t tell me what I can or cannot do,” Jana said, yanking her arm out of his grip and adjusting the sleeve of her dress. “I am the queen. I outrank you.”
“No, you don’t,” he answered. “I am next in line to the Russek throne, not you.”
Jana’s eyes flashed with fury.
Kerdan took Allyssa’s hand, kissing the top of it. Clearly, he wanted the queen to think they had something beyond a physical relationship. What she couldn’t figure out was why.
“And should you think about killing my father in order to rule Russek, don’t. After him, the throne goes to me, and then I have uncles and cousins you know nothing about. You can’t kill them all. It’s time you understand that the throne will never be yours.”
The queen bristled.
“Didn’t my father ever tell you the line of succession is through the men?”
Allyssa couldn’t help herself and said, “I guess you could say you are a harlot of sorts.”