Lost Princess (19 page)

“As I said, I’d prefer no blood shed, but if that is necessary, perhaps you could warn me first?“I looked over at him with surprise. He smiled at my shock. “Truly, wife, handle the ladies as you see fit.”

“Even Kasta?”

Max sighed. “Do you dislike her for the things you imagine I have done with her or for some other reason?”

“Honestly, both.” I admitted. “But before I ever knew you’d been with her, she had picked on me and tried to embarrass me, humiliate me, and just generally hurt my feelings. She’s called me names, told me I would never marry.” I gave him a challenging look. “Do you want to protect her because of what happened between the two of you?”

Max considered me. “I remember little of any time I spent with her. I’m not much for sentiment in any event, so no.”

“Good, then it is not a problem.”

Max was still watching me. “Wife, will you tell me what you plan to do?”

I replied breezily, “Sure, when I decide, I’ll tell you. If you promise not to stop me.“Max raised an eyebrow, and I reined in my look of challenge. I didn’t retract anything I’d said however.

Finally he said, “You sometimes are quite terrifying, wife.” He picked up my hand and raised it to his lips.

I smiled at him. “Thank you. Coming from you, Max, that is indeed a compliment.“He shook his head and took his leave.

I looked over again at the ladies of the castle. Max didn’t care much for ceremony, and had others handle much of the meetings with others, preferring to remain somewhat isolated. Since his reputation was such that most feared him, this seemed to work. In fact, there really weren’t that many who asked to meet with Max face-to-face. That seemed to suit Max just fine. 

Because of this, there wasn’t a ‘court’ like there was in most kingdoms. While Max liked the power of being the ruler, he didn’t at all like the pomp of the position. Devlin handled a lot of it, and Max had others he trusted to get things done. Max was not above checking on people, however, and that is why several rooms had screened areas that looked solid, but were actually permeable to see and hear through. It kept his people on their toes, he’d mentioned before. And it kept him appraised on what was happening without having to take the entire day to do so.

I was trying to decide what form I wanted my revenge to take. I felt devious and, okay, yes, a little excited about it. Hmm. A set up of some kind?  As if she had read my intent in my face, Kasta sauntered up.  Immediately after the wedding she’d been quiet, waiting, no doubt, to see what my power would be now. But after Max had humiliated me by making me serve, and by interfering between Kasta and myself, she seemed to have regained her nerve.

“He asked me to take over the duties you should be doing,” she said with a note of false concern. “It doesn’t look like you’re fit to be a lady here, certainly not his lady.”

I gave her a cool look. “Perhaps you are not seeing clearly.”

“I see everything. You know he simply married you because of who you’re related to, right? You could have been a one-legged crone, and he’d have still done it.”

I was starting to boil. “Then isn’t it fortunate I’ve both legs and am no crone?”

“Not a crone, no, but no beauty,” she said with malicious enjoyment.That hurt. I wondered if Max thought me ugly. Kasta continued, “It’s good you understand. You can be his lady in name. I will be his lady in truth, and run the castle. This is his will, and I will see to it he is kept…well satisfied.”

I stood and left abruptly. Kasta probably thought I was in tears and loving it, but actually I couldn’t sit there and listen to her one more second. I stalked out and nearly ran into Callista, who was standing in the hallway as if she didn’t know quite what to do next.

“Katrina? Are you all right?”

I pulled myself together. “Yes, I’m fine.” I looked at my friend who had lied to me for years. It was difficult to forget all of that. “I hear you’re getting married.”

“Yes,” she said. “Kat, please, please forgive me. You…” she turned and made sure no one was around who would hear, “you know how the Regent has always scared me. I knew my very life rested on doing what he ordered.”

I tried to look into her soul, but wasn’t sure I really knew her anymore. “Callie, he’s my husband.”

“I know, and I’m so sorry about that. I tried to keep him from you but.”

“Callie, I’m glad he married me! Glad!” I backed away from her.

She paled. “Please, Katrina, you can’t tell him what I said. Please!” Those heartbreaking tears made their appearance again.

I shook my head. “I won’t tell Max.” As if the god of bad timing was at work, Max came around the same corner I’d come around to hear my last words.

His eyes rested on me, while Callie let the tears roll. “Katrina,” he said slowly, allowing me to hope he hadn’t heard or cared what I was saying. “I was looking for you.“He pointedly ignored Callie, turning his back on her. She backed up and nearly ran away in the other direction from where Max had come. “Come with me,” he said, taking my arm and leading me back to that office. He released my arm. “What are you doing? Kasta just came up to me to tell me we had your blessing if we wished to continue our relationship.”

I looked up at him. I wasn’t sure what pleased me more, the annoyed expression on his face at the offer, or that he’d told me about it instead of just agreeing.

“I warn you, if this is some kind of test to see if I—”

“No, my lord, it isn’t. And I must admit, she certainly has exceeded my expectations as a total bitch.”

As his annoyed expression darkened into anger, I put up my hands placatingly. “Max, let me explain.” He gave a curt nod.  I ran through the ridiculous conversation Kasta and I’d had. Okay, Kasta had done most of the talking. Max looked even angrier now, and I suddenly realized it wasn’t anger at me it was anger for me.

“She goes,” he said simply.

“You know, I think she should,” I agreed. “But, well…I hate to see her go unless I can get back at her somehow.” I put a hand on his chest. “I suppose that makes me an evil woman.“He looked down at the hand, thinking. A smile slowly came over his face. “Gregory will be here later today to collect his bride. Since it looks as though Callista will not be available, he will be looking for a bride. I can give him Kasta.”

My face fell. The last thing I wanted was for Kasta to get some rich husband Max had chosen for Callista. But would Max listen? And why did he want to reward her anyway?

Max chuckled at my expression. “Wife, it is not a secret I do not hold Callista in my favor. At least it isn’t a secret anymore. I admit I did not choose Gregory for his kindness. He is quite opinionated on the role of women in a marriage. I’d thought he would be the perfect reward for Callista’s perfidy.”

I took this in. “You mean he’s not a nice man?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t exactly say that. He simply likes to subjugate his wife. To others he seems like any other man. Get him alone with his wife, and he changes into something of a tyrant.” Max looked a little amused at this. Did nothing embarrass this man?

“I don’t understand.” Actually I wanted to say, ‘like you?’ but wasn’t nearly that suicidal. Besides, Max was sort of the opposite. Tyrant to everyone else, but kind to me, especially in the bedroom. Well, kind unless he punished me. And the punishment had been…well, let’s just say I was sort of waiting for it again.

Max looked over at the closed door thoughtfully. “Perhaps there is a way to show you.” He turned to me. “You know there are viewing screens in two of the rooms that are sometimes used for receptions of guests or petitioners?  I nodded. He’d told me this.“There’s also one in one of the guest quarters.” I gave him a surprised look, but he simply shrugged. “My grandfather put it in. He enjoyed watching others at times.” At my confused look he said meaningfully, “together.”

“Oh,” I said. I suddenly imagined seeing someone else do the things that Max and I did, and I suffused with color. I put my hands to my hot cheeks.

Max seemed to be fighting off a grin. “So the screen is still there. If you would like to see what I am talking about, we could certainly avail ourselves of it.”

“Oh,” I said again, wondering if I looked as flustered as I felt.

Max pulled me into his arms, chuckling. “Katrina, you continue to surprise me, and that isn’t an easy thing to do.” He kissed the top of my head and set me back, looking down at me. “So, what do you think, wife? Would that satisfy your need for revenge?”

I nodded solemnly, my eyes wide at the thought. “Will this Gregory take her? Kasta is not nearly as beautiful as Callista.”

“He’ll take her. I’ll see to it,” Max said. I was still trying to keep the images of what I might see out of my mind before I pulled Max to our bedroom. Max turned to go, but then stopped. “Oh, and Katrina, what is it that you won’t tell me?”

I looked over at him still flushed. “What?”

“You were telling Callista you wouldn’t tell me something. You understand that I will not have the two of you keeping secrets from me?”

“Well…” I stalled, trying to think of how to handle this.

“Katrina,” he said with a warning lilt to his voice. He turned and again took me in his arms. “You need to tell me. Callista has done nothing but lie to me. I can’t…won’t stand for it. Tell me.” His voice was turning harder, and I knew that no matter that I’d said I wouldn’t, I’d better tell him. No matter what Callista asked, Max had my ultimate loyalty. I wondered when that had happened.  “She asked me not to tell you she’d said she’d tried to keep us apart.” I shrugged to show him I thought it of little importance. “I told her that I was glad you’d married me, but she is very afraid of you.”

“She should be,” Max rumbled.

“Would you really kill her, Max? Really?”

Max looked at me. “I do not threaten. If I’ve said it, I mean it. So yes, I would. Her sister…” a strange expression came across his face. I wondered if it was vulnerability. If so, it was an expression very few saw. I felt closer to him than ever. “Was a great shock to me.”  He kissed me somewhat absently. “I wanted to kill her then, but I also wanted her to befriend you.” His eyes sharpened. “I am not a man who will put men or women in a dungeon to rot away. I would prefer a clean death to such an end, so I give others that as well. And it’s my experience that someone you cannot trust who wishes you ill will always come back to try to hurt you later. So I don’t give them the opportunity.”

“Max, I…” I was going to say, ‘love you.’ But I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. Instead I smiled at him, reaching up on my toes to kiss him. “Thank you for telling me that.”

“And thank you for telling me what Callista had said.” He quirked a grin. “Without me threatening dire punishments.“As his arms loosened, I stepped away and moved to the door.

“Of course, husband, although…” I hesitated with my hand on the doorknob. Finally I took a breath and gave him a glance over my shoulder. “Sometimes I think I might not mind being punished again, as long as you’re the one doing it.“I left Max looking at me in surprise.

Chapter Sixteen

I had my chance to deal with the ladies later that day. Kasta was absent, and although my mind flitted to images of her with Max, I was steadfast in shoving those disturbing thoughts away. The rest of the core group of what I thought of as my ‘tormenters,’ were seated in front of the fire, and as I walked across the hall, there was some laughter as there often was when I was about. But this time I did not ignore it as I’d always done but changed my direction until I was standing near the five of them in their tight little circle.

“Good afternoon,” I said calmly. I wished I’d thought this out ahead of time, now I had to think fast. “It’s come to my attention that some of you have trouble with me in my role as lady of the castle.” I smiled at them as they looked at each other, one of them actually smirking at me. Vendevar, of course. “That is unfortunate, for I have decided to chose my ladies, and anyone who has been unkind to me at anytime in the past will not be among them.”

Vendevar said, “The Regent will not let you be cruel to Kasta. She is special to him.“I felt as if she’d slapped me, but then I remembered about Gregory.

“Yes, Kasta will no doubt get just what she deserves,” I said calmly. “Max will handle her.” I let their little titters flutter around me but did not lose my cool. “However, the rest of you are my responsibility, and I’m sorry to say at this time none of you, in my opinion, deserve the title of lady. In this castle, everyone must have a purpose, and you have no purpose that I can see. I will ask Max what he does with women who come begging. Perhaps you can work for your keep, or possibly you can find some poor fool to marry you. And, of course you are all welcome to pack your belongings and leave my husband’s lands.“The ladies were no longer smiling. In fact, they looked quite angry. I fervently hoped Max would indeed back me up in this or I would look weaker than ever and deserve to be laughed at. “You have one week to decide what you will do.”

“You can’t do this,” Vendevar said, outraged.

“I assure you Max has directed me to handle the ladies. Except for Kasta, of course, who gets his special attention. I would suggest you do not go to him with complaints since he has much to do and not much love for the politics of women.” I gave them all a clear hard look. “You have all been gleefully dedicated to making my life difficult. Now you will regret that.” I smiled. “Have a nice afternoon.”

*                                  *                                  *

Gregory arrived and was seated with us at our table at dinner. Max had not yet seen him, and Gregory was looking around for the woman who was to be his wife. He was a nice looking man, with blond hair tied back at his neck that would probably be past his shoulders if down. Most titled had long hair, although neither Max nor Devlin did. I’d heard it was considered fashionable for men to let their hair grow long. Not that Max cared a whit about fashion.

He was already seated with Devlin, who had met him when he’d arrived, when Max and I came in. Devlin and Max’s eyes met, and I knew Max had told Devlin about Gregory and Kasta. Communication flowed between the twins, and I suddenly wondered if Max had told Devlin about watching the couple tonight. My cheeks immediately flushed and Gregory asked if I was well. I nodded, feeling a little faint.