Reluctant Prince (17 page)

Elijah patted Ryleigh’s hand. “Thank you, my dear.” He stood and returned to the podium, placing the small book atop the larger one. “There is another matter I would like to discuss, though. Daygan has already made an attempt on the lives of two young girls I suspect may be Princesses of Cymmera. I would petition the Council at this time to offer them our protection.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Oh I am quite serious, Kai. Even if it turns out they are not lost princesses, Daygan obviously thinks they hold some value or he wouldn’t be trying to eliminate them.”

“Daygan is a fool.”

“Daygan is an extremely powerful sorcerer, and his seer is strong, very strong. You would do well not to underestimate either of them.”

Kai snorted in disgust.

“All right. Enough.” King Maynard stood. “Have you all voted?”

The other Council members all nodded their assent.

“Very well, then. Ryleigh and Mia, have you eaten enough?”

Both girls nodded.

“Okay. At this time you will be removed from this chamber. Thank you for your testimony, Ryleigh.” He gestured toward the door.

A guard approached the two girls and waited for them to rise.

“Where are they taking us?” Ryleigh’s voice held a note of panic.

“Sir.” Jackson stood to face his father. He knew what was coming and was glad Ryleigh and Mia would be removed before anything was decided. “Would you please have the girls taken to my living quarters? They can stay there for now.”

“Very well.”

Ryleigh and Mia were escorted from the room.

“Prince Jackson Maynard, please stand to receive your verdict.” Tatiana didn’t look at him.

His heart fell.

Jackson rose and approached the podium. He clutched the sides tightly, his knuckles white with the effort, and clenched his teeth as Tatiana continued to read.

“On the charges of treason. We, the Council of Elders, find the defendant not guilty.”

Jackson’s breath rushed out.

“On the charges of endangering the people of the Kingdom of Cymmera. We, the Council of Elders, find the defendant not guilty.”

The sweat that had popped out on his forehead began to chill.

“On the final count of trespassing. We the Council of Elders find the defendant…” She swallowed hard.

Oh, no.

“Guilty.” Tatiana’s eyes held only apology.

Kai’s held righteousness.

“Do you understand and accept the verdict of this Council?” Tatiana’s voice cracked, the only outward sign of emotion she showed.

“I do.” He lowered his head. Disappointment filled him, but at least Ryleigh and Mia had been spared. They hadn’t been charged, so they were probably safe.

“Please return to your chambers while your punishment is discussed. We will send for you once we’ve reached a decision.”

“Yes, ma’am.” This time the comment held no humor. Jackson stared Kai down as he left the Council Chambers.

“Do you think they’ll find him guilty?” Mia chewed on her thumbnail as she stared at Ryleigh, silently begging to be reassured.

Ryleigh shook her head. “I have no idea.” She glanced pointedly at the guard who accompanied them. Mia remained silent until they reached Jackson’s rooms.

The guard opened the door and entered before them.

Nika and Nahara sat with their heads cocked, expectation filling their eyes. Could they be waiting for news?

“Hi guys, nothing yet.” The guard reached up to rub Nika’s head. “But we should hear something soon.” He buried his face in Nahara’s neck.

She leaned down to rest her head on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, girl. It’ll be okay.”

“They look so sad.” Mia reached up to pet Nika.

“They’re just worried about Jackson.” The young man extended a hand to Mia. “I’m Dakota, by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” She took his hand. “I’m Mia, and this is my sister, Ryleigh.” Mia gestured to Ryleigh.

Dakota shook her hand as well.

“Are you and Jackson friends?”

“Good friends.”

Their voices faded to the background as Ryleigh’s thoughts turned to Jackson. Would she see him again? She turned her back on Mia and Dakota and stood before the fireplace with her hands held out to the heat of the flames. It did little to dispel the chill that came from deep within her. Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes then spilled down her cheeks before she could stop them. She swiped the tears from her face, impatience making the gesture unnecessarily harsh.

She prayed. She cursed. She wandered the room in search of anything to occupy her mind until news came. The chamber was simple, yet comfortable and inviting. The elaborate stonework surrounding the fireplace spanned the entire wall. The mantle was beautifully carved from deep, black stone, and she ran her fingers across the smooth polished surface. Hundreds of books lined shelves that were built into the walls on either side of the hearth. A wide variety of eras were represented, from ancient looking tomes, their pages brittle and yellowed with age, to a few recent bestsellers. What an interesting combination of the old fashioned and the modern. But the same could be said of the chamber itself.

A black rug covered the floor before the fire, and a fairly modern looking pit couch, filled with tons of pillows, sat in the center of the room. She picked up one of the pillows and hugged it to her chest, burying her face in the scent that always clung to Jackson. Earthy, musky, and all male, she inhaled deeply wishing for the strength of his arms around her, needing the comfort only he could offer.

The sound of the door opening ripped her from her reverie, and her gaze shot to Jackson.

His grim expression didn’t bode well.

Fear welled in her gut. She shoved it ruthlessly down. “Well, how’d it go?”

“It could have gone better.” His gaze met hers.

“Ah, but it could have gone worse. Right?” Her heart skipped a beat. She held his gaze. Waited. If she didn’t stop chewing on her lip, she was going to put a hole through it.

Jackson grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, I suppose that’s true.” He sobered quickly. “But not too much worse.”

A sob threatened, and Ryleigh struggled to stifle it. “What happened?”

Ryleigh followed Jackson’s gaze to Mia. Tears tracked down the young girl’s face, and she wiped them away with a shaky hand.

Ryleigh headed for her.

Dakota beat her there. “Here.” He held out a handkerchief. “Don’t worry, Jackson’s tough. Whatever happened, he’ll find a way out of it.” Dakota shrugged and sent Jackson a conspiratorial grin. “He always does.”

“I don’t know about this time, Dakota. I seem to be in a bit over my head.” Jackson’s shoulders hunched for the first time since Ryleigh had met him.

The young man’s expression turned serious, and worry filled his dark eyes. “What’d they say?”

With a deep breath, Jackson massaged the back of his neck. “I’ve been found not guilty on most of the charges.”

“Most?” Ryleigh held her breath.

He moved back and forth before the fire, restless, stopping to stare into the flames then resuming his pacing. He finally stopped and faced her, held her gaze with his. “I’ve been found guilty of trespassing.” His features hardened. A barrier slammed down over his eyes, but not before she caught the flash of pain.

“What are they going to do?” She forced down the cry pleading for release.

“I don’t know yet. I was asked to leave while they contemplate my sentence.” He returned to pacing, a caged animal desperate for escape.

“Isn’t the penalty for trespassing death or banishment?” Dakota’s voice shook.

“Yeah.” Jackson lowered his gaze to the floor. Silence fell over the room.

Nahara’s whimper broke it.

Jackson wrapped his arms around her. “It’ll be all right, girl. Don’t worry.”

“Can they decide to do something else?” Ryleigh lost the battle, and her tears escaped.

Jackson shrugged. “I guess they can do whatever they want, but with Kai pushing…” He shook his head and raked a hand through the long hair that already stuck up in tufts around his head. This was not the first time he’d repeated the gesture in the past few hours. “Come on. I need some fresh air, who wants to take a walk?”

“Could I wait here with Nika and Nahara?” Mia grabbed the tigrelle blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. “I’m sorry, I’m just so tired and cold.”

“Are you okay?” Ryleigh pressed the back of her hand against Mia’s forehead.

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

Ryleigh glanced at her watch, which still read fifteen minutes past the knock on her door. How long had it actually been since they’d slept? “Why don’t you lie down on the couch? I’ll stay with you.”

“I’m sure Jackson would rather walk with a pretty lady than with me.” Dakota aimed a smirk at Jackson. “Why don’t you two go ahead, and I’ll stay here with Mia?” A blush crept up his cheeks.

Ryleigh froze. No way was she leaving her sister with this stranger.

Jackson rubbed the tension from her shoulders.

His touch sent chills skittering through her.

“It’ll be fine, Ryleigh. Dakota is my best friend.” He shot the other boy a dirty look. “Sometimes, anyway.”

Dakota waggled his eyebrows and laughed.

“He’ll keep an eye on her while she sleeps. Besides, Nika and Nahara will be here with her too.”

Nika lifted his head, his posture proud, as if he understood Jackson’s trust and faith in him.

“Go, Ryleigh. I’m fine. I just need to sleep for a little while.” Mia sank down onto the rug and curled up between the hounds, the blanket tucked tightly around her.

Nika and Nahara snuggled closer to her, offering warmth and protection.

Dakota settled on the couch, his eyes never leaving his charge. He appeared to be about Mia’s age, though he was probably much, much older. He was handsome, in a boyish way, made even more so by the sweep of dark hair that kept falling over his eyes. He swung his head once more to remove the hair and caught Ryleigh staring at him. He shot her a charming smile that lit his almost black eyes.

She couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“We won’t go far.” Jackson reached for her hand, twined his fingers in hers.

She started to walk beside him but pulled back on his hand. “How will we know when the Council has reached a decision?”

Jackson opened the door and nodded to the guard who stood at attention. When they started to walk, the soldier fell into step a few feet behind them.

They walked in silence through the castle. Although they were each lost in their own anxious thoughts, the silence was comfortable, companionable.

When they stepped out into the dark night, the cold, brisk air slapped against Ryleigh and sent a surge of cold rushing through to her bones before her body quickly regulated its temperature. She tried to ignore it, but the certainty that she somehow belonged here had already crept into her heart and mind, settled into her very soul. There was no way to deny it, and yet, she couldn’t stay without Jackson. Her grip on his hand tightened. She couldn’t lose him. The multicolored starlight reflected a myriad of colors across his profile.

“I want to show you something.”

She jumped, startled by the deep timbre of his voice as it broke through the silence.

He led her down a dimly lit pathway, the echo of their feet striking the cobblestone the only sound in the quiet night. He stopped at a fenced courtyard where two soldiers stood guard.

They bristled as Jackson and Ryleigh approached, stiffening their stances, placing their hands on the handles of the swords at their sides.

“Stand down, soldiers.” Jackson casually dismissed the pair.

The two men stood tall, blocked the path. “I’m sorry, Jackson. We can’t do that.” The words were respectful enough, but his attitude and the challenge in his stance contradicted them.

“That’s a direct order.” Jackson pulled his hand from Ryleigh’s and let it hover close to the dagger on his belt.

“You have no authority here, Jackson.” The bigger of the two men flexed as he issued what could only be interpreted as a warning.

Jackson’s stance stiffened, aggression emanating from him. He stepped in front of Ryleigh, blocking her view of the altercation.

Ryleigh stayed quiet, unsure of what would be expected of her and afraid of unwittingly provoking anything between the men.

“Let it go, Lucas.” The guard who’d followed them intervened, stepping between the two.

At first it seemed as if Lucas would argue with him, derision puckering his already tight lips, but in the end he stepped aside. His glare followed Jackson into the courtyard, though, before he finally sank farther back into the shadows and allowed Jackson and Ryleigh at least some semblance of privacy.

“What was that all about?” Unease crawled up her spine, and she looked over her shoulder to find both courtyard guards staring at her. They were probably too far away to hear her hushed words, but discomfort gnawed at her gut.

Jackson tugged her hand, bringing her attention back to him. He lifted his other hand and pushed back the hair the wind had blown across her face. His dark eyes held hers.

Her heart rate kicked up. Excitement? Fear?

“I wanted you to see this.” He tore his gaze away.

“See what?” Way too breathless.

He gestured to a bare tree surrounded by a stone wall as high as her chest. Lanterns hung from tall metal poles illuminating the entire courtyard, but mostly focused on the tree. “This.”

The tree wasn’t encased in ice as the others she’d seen since entering Cymmera. It stood tall, its bare branches reaching for the stars as if beseeching them. The smooth bark a much deeper, darker shade of brown than any tree she’d ever seen.

Jackson studied her, his dark eyes intense, his elbows resting atop the wall, hands clasped together.

“I don’t understand.”

He didn’t answer, simply waited while she directed her focus back toward the tree.

She studied the unmarked trunk, followed it up and searched each of the branches, looked at every…A green speck. Her breath caught in her throat. Her gaze tracked back to the spot she’d just passed. When she spared Jackson a glance this time, she was once again met with the cockiest grin.