Kings and Thieves

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The walk back to the ship was, for the most part, a quiet one. Aveline was deep in thought, contemplating all that she had heard.

She had no doubts that Ben was telling the truth. And though part of her wanted to rush back and confront the Hapsburgs right now, she knew it would be dangerous and impulsive. As of now, they stood no chance against armed crazies, she thought regretfully, telling herself to save her anger for later, when it would be needed.

Lyla was fuming, kicking randomly at stray pebbles as she walked, while Jamie seemed melancholy. Aveline couldn't blame either of them.

Ari ducked under a tree branch as they made their way out of the forest. "We have to go talk to your aunt, Lyla."

"I can't believe this," she growled. "They have no right. Arranged marriages were outlawed years ago. And with the kidnapping... it's practically rape."

Aveline flinched, glancing reflexively at Ari. He was looking at her, too, with a tightness in his jaw that she recognized.

"It's not going to happen." His voice was hard. "Aveline and I know what we're doing."

"Tristran and Ben weren't even going to be together," Jamie said sadly, and Aveline focused on her friend, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. "Ben would be forced to marry a princess, and Tristran would have to marry..."

"You, probably," Aveline realized with surprise. "You're Ben's sister. So they'd probably just pass Tristran onto you."

Her proclamation stirred a shocked pause, only irradiated by Lyla's gasp as her hand went over her mouth.
"Oh my God, Jamie, they're going to make you marry Prince Tristran!"

"No, they're not," Ari cut in, rolling his eyes. "No one is getting married. That's why we're here."

"Really, Ari?" Lyla huffed. "Because there are near fifty people in there, and there's only five of us."

"I said, we know what we're doing-"

"That's why the next step is to inform the Queen, Lyla. All she has to do is send in the royal guard and it'll all be over. The Hapsburgs are psychotic, not indestructible." Aveline shot a glance to Jamie. "Uh, no offense."

"None taken."

Eli sighed. "To the Apreuna palace, then?"

"Yes. Wait. No." Lyla wrinkled her nose. "What day is it?"

"The seventeenth."

"The Queen won't be there. The Marquess is hosting a fête at the old lighthouse in the Isle of Wescona tomorrow. She'd be expected to attend."

Aveline shielded her eyes as they approached the end of the village, watching for where Inez had docked the boat.

"The Wescona lighthouse? On the border of Apreuna?" Ari looked thoughtful. "I know where that is. And it's perfect timing, too."

"Perfect timing for what?"

"I should think it was obvious." Aveline briskly tied a knot in her skirts as they reached the ocean, hiking the fabric up to her thighs. "We're crashing the royals' stupid party. And then we're crashing a wedding." She exhaled, rubbing her thumb and index finger together. "Honestly, I think we should make it our goal to crash as many events as possible."

**

Everyone was still buzzing about the royals by the time they finished dinner. Lyla was restless, poking at her green beans, and Jamie was more talkative than usual, rambling to Eli to get her emotions off of her chest. Aveline traded glances with Ari across the table. Usually when planning an ambush in which they were massively outnumbered, it was no big deal: they'd usually rig something with explosives and congratulate themselves on another job well done as bodies flew in the background.