**THE PRINCESS SERIES is part of the GOLDEN UNIVERSE, and considered a sequel to THE GOLDEN QUEEN/A BRAZEN LOVE**
♦YOU MUST HAVE READ THE GOLDEN UNIVERSE NOVELS AND THE BRAZEN NOVELS TO READ THIS SERIES! AS WELL AS BOOK ONE, PRINCESS OF CANDOR, AND...
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♪ Seasons may change, but we won't change Isn't it strange how different we are from all of our friends? ♪ {Lana Del Rey—Yosemite}
For the briefest of moments, Cordelia saw herself lunging forward, nimble and swift as she caught up to Helen and Denis. She'd capture Helen's hand and take off down the corridor with her, and they'd give chase to Denis until he was too exhausted or annoyed to keep up. Cordelia was born in this castle—she knew its twists and turns with her eyes closed, she knew its secret passages and where they led. One of them would lead to her and Helen being alone for a few minutes; long enough to warn Helen that Antoine was unlikely to spare her.
Cordelia had seen the rage in his eyes, saw the way his lips twitched in the few instances he'd dared to look at Helen. Whatever he'd seen in her all those months ago, as a mere English Lord's daughter who was seeking to escape her past—that image was gone. She was the woman who'd encouraged Cordelia to run—he would convince himself of that, no doubt—and the one who'd ravished her in the process, loving her in sinful ways that would shame the entire royal lineage were word to get out.
And word would get out, Cordelia feared it. Yet somehow, Antoine hadn't yet heard of the gossip of Cordelia's preferences before she'd unwillingly informed him. She'd expected Sir Richel's staff to leak the news, and it would of course filter over to Torrinni within a day or two. But it hadn't; she'd spilled the news without meaning to. Antoine had snuck up on them. Had she and Sébastien known Antoine was planning on invading the manor, she'd have kept her mouth shut. If she'd known her eldest brother was in proximity, she'd have never given herself and Helen away.
This situation—her and Helen being separated, and Helen's life being at stake—was her fault.
Affinities for the same sex were punishable by all sorts of means in Totresia, depending on the person, and on whoever was dishing out the punishment. A Princess would be pardoned; a foreign noble daughter was less likely. And when the one giving the capital punishment was the King of Totresia himself...
Cordelia clapped a hand over her mouth to contain the wail that was slithering up her throat.
She wasn't fast enough; Helen and Denis disappeared down the Long Corridor before she could react, before she could act. Would Denis mistreat her on Antoine's command? Or because he himself disliked those with sinful fancies? Or perhaps, by some miracle, he was sympathetic to such folk, and would be kind to Helen in her last moments in Torrinni—or her last moments of life?
Cordelia didn't want to think of her kingly brother as a murderer, as someone who'd have a woman hanged for loving someone of the same sex. He'd never done it before—because he'd never caught it. Cordelia knew of several ladies in the castle who frolicked about once all candles were extinguished. But there was always a first time. Other Kings in other countries hadn't stopped themselves for morality reasons; they thought they were in the right by eliminating such people from the world.
