The Witchline

Chapter 13

June 21, 1677 - France

"Do you think the King summoned us on the solstice on purpose?" I asked Henri as we rode in the carriage towards the palace. Henri shrugged, looking out the window. I snap my finger at him, "hello! Earth to Henri!" He looks at me.

"I heard you, Adaline. King, solstice. I don't know what he has planned. This whole trip is nothing as I expected. And now it's over, and we have to go back to pretending like it never happened." He looked out the window again. Talk to me, Henri. What is wrong? I lean forward and turn his face to look at me. He sighs.

"We've had a month together in, essentially, easier times. It has been you and me this entire time. And now we have to go back to a place where it is not just you and I. Hollie is there. And you have, well; I don't actually know what you have with Felix. But I don't like it." I chuckle.

"Are you still jealous of him? After all this time?" He shoots me a look. The carriage slows to a stop. "Henri, I-" The carriage door opens. He exits that carriage and holds a hand out to assist me.

We both stare in awe at the palace. I've never left the States in modern time, and even in this time, we only ever saw the cottage or small chateaus around Paris. But this, this was Versailles. A monument built for a king, who was a god among men. Even though it was still under construction, the Hall of Mirrors won't even begin construction until the following year; it is the grandest structure I have ever seen. Henri looked over at me, smiling like a fool. What? I asked.

"You look so happy right now. I'm going to take you back here one day." I leaned up on my toes and kissed his cheek. You better! I want to see it finished! He laughed as we linked arms and entered the palace.

We listened to Lesage's advice to the letter. Follow behind crowds, don't draw attention, and blend. It was two hours after arriving at Versailles that the King made his appearance. Standing in the corner of a grand room, I hear a booming laugh from the far side of the room. I look at Henri. Do you think it's the King? He moves his head to try and get a better look. I can't get a good look. But Lesage said he is a man who craves attention, and that was definitely an attention-craving laugh. He tightens the hold on my arm in the crook of his arm. A chill ran down my spine as the same voice out filling the room.

"We are told that there are fortune tellers in presence today! Where are these gypsies?" Henri and I freeze. Neither one of us is dressed elegantly enough to go unnoticed now that the King called us out. Henri, I don't think I can do this anymore.

The crowd parted, creating a direct path to the King. I felt my heart race; there was no hiding from him now. I looked up at Henri, who stared directly at the King. I remembered that this man is the same as me, lesser even. I could control him if I needed to. The voice called from across the room.

"There are my gypsies! Come gypsies and entertain your king!"

He stood fixed in the same spot, a perfect portrait of royalty. I felt Henri pull me in the King's direction, down past the line of people staring at us in curiosity. I recognized some of the faces as the women from the Mancini chateau. We were really underdressed. As we neared the King, I noticed he was dressed head to toe in the finest gold and cream silks. A gold cane in one hand had a giant gemstone at the top; this was clearly only for show and not for support. Once we were an appropriate distance from the King, Henri released my hand to bend into a low bow. I dropped into an even lower curtsy. Was this proper? I felt the chill again as a voice entered my head. So my lord decides to send a messenger who can easily be my assassin. I felt your power the second you stepped out of your carriage. Don't worry, mademoiselle, we are the only witches in court.