𝚂𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 ✔

Chapter Forty-Nine

"Take this." The guard with a blue cape handed me a black cloak, then looked around. "We mustn't keep him waiting any longer, Miss."

"Thank you, sir." I quickly put on the cloak, pulling the hood securely around my face. "After you."

All the guards I had seen up until that point adorned green capes and some form of wolf symbol, but this man was dressed nothing like them. The crest of a rose was as plain as day on his left shoulder, and he wore the color of the queen.

"Are you of the Queen's personal guard?" I asked quietly, trying to keep my voice from echoing through the long empty corridor.

"I serve the Queen and his Highness, Prince Thomas, yes." His answer came quick and cold, as if I should not pry any deeper than that.

"I see." I had not seen the Queen use the rose crest on any of the letters she had sent me, nor was it anywhere in the rooms where she held her daily court. Though it was not unusual for the sons of Kings to bear different emblems, however they were usually of the same symbol with minor differences like as colors, such as the blue of his cape instead of the usual green.

Perhaps he was a paid sword, and the rose was of his faction, and not that of the Queen?

We turned left at the end of the hallway, then continued down the outer hall until we came to the front of the palace. Instead of turning left and continuing on towards the main hall where the large staircase was, we turned right and entered through a door he had to unlock.

Inside, a smaller staircase wound in on itself and we began the accent upwards.

"Where are we going?" I asked, hesitant to continue on.

"The top floor, opposite side of where the family resides in their separate apartments." He did not even turn back to look at me.

The echoing sound of his metallic footsteps bounced off the white stone walls. With how lacking the décor was and how hollow the stairs felt, it was clear they had been meant for servants and guards only. Hidden from the sight of guests and to reduce the number of servants visible in the halls.

What I would have given to have still been somewhat drunk. At least then it would have all been easier to face. Pieces of my hair had fallen out of the updo, brushing against my neck every once and a while and putting me more on edge.

"I have made a mistake." I thought as I forced myself to continue on. "I should not have come."

My heart pounded in my chest, and slowly choked out all other sounds, leaving me with thoughts better left buried. "Before the courting began, there were rumors going around about Prince Thomas." Rheda's voice replayed in my head. "Thomas nearly beat one of his whores to death in a fit of rage after she said something he took the wrong way."

I wanted to believe he was a good man, odd and spoiled, but still good. Yet, I was terrified of him and his temper, of how unpredictable and pushy he could be. I had convinced myself that if he tried anything I would have been able to stop him, but the truth was, I knew I could not.

But if I refused this meeting, I knew he would have sent me home, even if the Queen preferred me. I knew I had started this game between the two of us, edging him on with all the flirting, hoping to secure his affections through lust. Lust I now felt for someone else.

If Henry had not kissed me, if I had not known of his feelings, then going to Thomas would have been no issue for me. As it would have been one of the things I had to do to secure my place in the Courting. But now knowing the feeling of his lips on mine, and the taste of him still fresh on my tongue, just the thought of sharing that with anyone else made me feel sick.