Witch King's Oath by AJ Glasser

Author:AJ Glasser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy, fantasy romance, witches, magic, intrigue, politics, battles, mystery
Publisher: AJ Glasser
Published: 2023-07-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

The days after Beatrice’s brush with danger in the garden were tense and gray, as if the sky held one last icy gasp of winter back before a furious storm. Beatrice tried to pace the floor in her room, but it was difficult to do on one foot. She pulled herself along the furniture and hopped on one leg.

“What ails you, girl?” Aunt Alys asked. She watched from the pocket doors as Beatrice hop-paced and fumed. “You’re as wound up as a watch! Shall I call my nephew’s man to take you out for some air?”

“No—no thank you, Auntie,” Beatrice said. Her heart quickened at the thought of seeing Ciamon again. She flexed her hand and wished for one of the knives from her trousseau. Instead, she reached into her pocket where the heavy silver coins sat. She squeezed them for reassurance.

I am Beatrice of Sanchia, the most beautiful daughter of Duke Cesar of the Golden Fleet, she told herself. I came to Ammar to marry Prince Anryniel, and I will be Queen in Ammar.

These words became her prayer as time dragged along. Every hour or so during the day, she limped to the window to look out into the street. Once, she saw the sedan chair waiting down below. When Gruffydd’s valets came to fetch her, she pretended to be sleeping. The chair did not appear outside the mansion again.

Aunt Alys must’ve said something to her nephew because the next day, Riccardo was back, pounding on the door.

“Bea? They said you stopped eating? That hardly sounds like you...” He slid back the door before she could hobble over to open it. The sight of her brother made Beatrice even more anxious—he looked tired and drawn.

“I took breakfast in my room—here, you can carry down the tray, if you’re so worried,” Beatrice said. She reached out to rebutton Riccardo’s jacket, noticing he’d missed one. She tried to think of some way to tell him about Ciamon, but found that she was too embarrassed to say anything. Dick would laugh at her if she told him how she crouched down in the bushes with a man out in public.

Still, Beatrice had to say something to reassure her brother that this wedding would go ahead as planned.

“There are so many people out in the street now, it didn’t seem worth the trouble to go out,” she told him. “Besides... It builds anticipation. They’ll go wild when they finally do see me. But I’m not setting foot outside until the prince shows up.”

“Well, alright,” Riccardo said. He scratched underneath his cap. “Saves on the cost of food, at least. Gruffydd’s got so many people coming in from his own estate, they’re eating up what’s left in the pantry. Better come down now for tea before more of them come by tonight looking for dinner.”

He reached out to lift her up. Beatrice turned him around with both her hands and hooked her arm through the crook of his elbow.

“I’m going to make it to the altar, Dick,” she said.

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