The Complete Diviner's Trilogy by Nicolette Andrews

Author:Nicolette Andrews [Andrews, Nicolette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: nicolette andrews

Chapter 17

Queen Celeste was attended by Danhadine guards. Prince Reynard wore the emblem of the Order of the Oak. Princess Arlene gifted land to Princess Sarelle, which Prince Reynard inherited. Princess Sarelle died in a hunting accident, just as Princess Arlene's betrothed had. One of these three had a hand in Sarelle's murder. If I unlocked the murder, I could save Johai. My dream of Arlene had only confused me further. She wanted the crown. Prince Reynard was set to inherit after his brother. Are they allies, or is it a farce? Is the queen in bed with Danhad, or is she, too, being used? The Elenna in my dreams said Arlene was the key. What does she unlock, Sarelle's murder or something else entirely?

I paced the study and thought. My mind was a twisted pathway without conclusion. Jon came in as the twilight was settling in and sat at his desk, with his feet propped up.

"Are you going to pace around forevermore?" he teased.

I did not even stop to scowl at him. My mind continued to loop through what I knew. He laughed and picked up a piece of parchment I had written notes on.

"Arlene seems most likely, which makes me think she did not have a hand in Sarelle's death," Jon said.

I stopped pacing to frown at him. "What led you to that conclusion?" Is he tricking me or purposefully leading me off track? Then why would he have helped me up until now? My head felt likely to burst.

He shrugged. "Arlene's betrothed died when he was thrown from a horse. Princess Sarelle died in a similar manner. On the surface it appears to be a correlation, but considering her death occurred within a month of her engagement to Prince Reynard, it would seem someone did not want their marriage to happen."

"Then it must be Arlene," I said.

"Why do you say that?"

"She has the motive. She wants the throne in her uncle's place."

"Yes, but you have seen the princess and spoken with her. Does she seem the type to engage in subterfuge?"

"She is using the lord privy seal to spy for her on the queen." I bristled defensively. Princess Arlene was my number-one suspect.

"Why do you think she is spying on the queen, then?"

My frown deepened as I considered his question. Initially, I had assumed she was trying to see if Reynard was contacting the queen. "She suspects the queen of something, or she is trying to get information that the queen has." I frowned as the realization dawned on me.

"Exactly." He winked.

"If you knew this, why did you not tell me before?" I pointed a finger at him.

He laughed. "I didn't know. It was here in your scribbling. The answers were there before you, but you just needed to pluck them out."

I scowled at him then.

"You should not make such a face. It does not suit your beauty." He smiled and sauntered over to me. He brushed a curling tendril away from my cheek.

I turned my head away.

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