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“Would you fetch me some more coffee, my dear?” With a smarmy smile, Prince Eric tapped her on the shoulder like she was his personal maid.
Stiffening, Tatiana fought the urge to tell him to get it himself. Instead, she smiled sweetly. “We have servants for that. All you need to do is hold up your hand and signal one of the waitstaff. See, there are several standing over by the silver coffee urn.”
Instead of being mollified, he pouted. “I’d rather you get it. Such a personal gesture carries so much meaning, don’t you think?”
Right, she thought. So much meaning. In a sad little way, he was right, because if she scurried to do his bidding, she’d be setting a precedent for the rest of their lives together. That is, if she was unlucky enough to actually marry him. She simply had to finagle her way out of this.
Clenching her jaw, she kept her pretty smile in place. No, she wouldn’t be jumping up to fetch and carry for him. Not now, not ever.
Pretending to misunderstand, she tilted her head. “Of course. I’ll do it.” And she lifted her hand, signaling a servant over. “Prince Eric needs more coffee.”
Immediately, the waiter brought over a new, piping-hot cup and set it down in front of the prince.
“There you go,” Tatiana said brightly, pretending not to notice Eric’s frown as he gaped at her, apparently stunned into silence that she hadn’t jumped when he had snapped his fingers. “Next time, you’ll know what to do so you can get it yourself.”
And with that small insult, she turned back to her left, keeping her sweet and slightly dopey smile in place. She’d learned early on that her beauty tended to intimidate men. Yet if she acted less intelligent, that one flaw appeared to negate the other, at least as far as they were concerned.
While Eric stewed silently, Chad leaned closer, smiling a small, secretive smile. “Well done,” he murmured. “Most women are so busy fawning all over him. I wager he has no idea how to react to one who doesn’t.”
Pleased, Tatiana took a sip of her own coffee, now lukewarm. She wished she could say more, but she had to be careful not to overplay her hand.
Speaking of which, Prince Chad squeezed hers under the table, apparently intent on continuing his sensual thumb massage.
Enough. Aware of the dangers of acquiescing too early, she moved both her hands to the top of the table, folding one over the other and pretending to inspect her flawless manicure.
He gave a snort of laughter, which she ignored.
Casually she glanced at her watch. Where the hell was Willow? Their mother had been quite clear in letting her know that she was to attend this breakfast on time. First she’d missed the welcome reception and now this? Already she was over thirty minutes late.
A quick glance at Queen Millicent showed her mother had definitely noticed and was greatly displeased. Though she kept her face expressionless, well aware of the consequences brought on by a frown, the queen’s eyes snapped with annoyance.
About to push to her feet and fetch her sister, Tatiana breathed a sigh of relief as the door opened and Willow strolled inside. Tatiana noticed her sister had not taken her advice and had chosen to wear the blue silk dress.
Both men turned to look. Inside, Tatiana prayed Prince Eric would somehow find Willow attractive, if only because of the sharp contrast between her coloring and everyone else’s.
Apparently, the weight of everyone’s stares made Willow falter. She nearly stumbled, regaining her balance only at the last moment and flashing the group a weak smile. “Good morning, everyone,” she murmured.
Even though this dress wasn’t as flashy as what most considered fashionable and Tatiana herself wouldn’t be caught dead in it, reluctantly she approved. She had long ago noticed that Willow looked better when she wore less glitz and glam. She had no idea why that would be so—in her opinion, the more glitter the better—but it was true.
And the sky-blue color of the gown made Willow’s dusky complexion glow. She had, Tatiana noticed, even taken the time to twist her long, dark hair into a chignon. If she was feeling charitable, Tatiana might even say her sister looked … pretty. In an odd, shadowy sort of way.
To Tatiana’s right, Prince Eric puffed out his chest, believing here would be another easy conquest. To her left, Prince Chad went very, very still. As Willow approached with her father, King Puck, in order for him to make the introduction, Tatiana noticed the younger EastWard prince’s set jaw. He narrowed his eyes at the woman he’d been promised to marry. If anything, he looked furious.
Good, she thought with satisfaction. Evidently he hadn’t been told of the youngest princess’s physical shortcomings. And there was no way he could know Willow had no magic, either. Which was fine with Tatiana, since she planned to tell him herself. Once he believed himself to be doomed to marry such an ugly, non-magical woman, Prince Chad would be that much riper for the picking. He’d crumple under the massive assault she had planned.
She watched from under her lashes as his nostrils flared, obviously trying to maintain a bland expression.
She’d seen men do that before, though usually they’d been looking at her, overcome by her loveliness and trying not to show it.
All her life, Tatiana had been the beautiful one. Sought-after, cosseted, beloved eldest daughter. The world was more than her oyster—it was her pearl. And her baby sister, Willow, had proved to be the perfect foil, reflecting back Tatiana’s beauty and amplifying it by comparison.
For that, Tatiana was grateful, though she’d never expressed her gratitude to Willow. How could she, when to do so would mortally offend the younger woman?
Both of the EastWard princes watched Willow walk toward them, appearing riveted. Tatiana knew that had to be a ruse. They didn’t fool her. After all, who know better than her what men wanted?
Chapter 4
Here we go, Willow told herself as she propelled herself forward, aiming for the single empty chair at the table. She tried to move gracefully, even though exhaustion from the night before made her legs feel hollow and wobbly. Eyeing her sister as she approached, she wondered why Tatiana looked so smug, like a cat that had wandered across a mouse farm.
Of course the moment she took her attention from what she was supposed to be doing, Willow stumbled. She flailed her arms in a passable imitation of a windmill, nearly tearing her dress in her painful attempt to keep from falling flat on her face.
Despite the exhausted weakness of her traitorous body, she miraculously managed to keep standing.
Both princes immediately leaped to their feet to offer their assistance. Face flaming, she waved them away, not missing the wry look her father gave her.
At least her family was used to her complete lack of social skills. While this was her first fall, she was frequently guilty of other faux pas, like saying the wrong thing at the worst possible time. No doubt these two visiting princes had heard stories about her. Even as they once again took their seats, their backs stiff and unyielding, she felt their silence as a form of judgment. She didn’t even try to look at her mother, already aware of the furious condemnation she’d find there.
Instead she glanced again at her sister. Tatiana only tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. Normally, she would have made cruel jokes and laughed meanly. Instead, she sat solemnly, her golden beauty glowing, a sympathetic look on her beautiful face. False, but sympathetic nonetheless.
Weird. Really, really weird.
As she resumed her progress toward her seat, remembering what her sister had said, Willow tried to check out their visitors surreptitiously. Tatiana sat between the two princes, their three fair heads the exact same glorious gold, their eyes varying shades of violet, though close enough that they might have been related.
They were perfect examples of the Bright. As shimmering, as golden, as Willow was not. In fact, all of them were as unlike her as it was possible to be. Yet this time, she refused to let them make her feel … less. Because she knew she wasn’t. Prince Ruben had shown her this. If only for one night. She’d felt beautiful, perfect, shining. As she never had before. She wanted to keep that feeling close to her for as long as she could.
The only empty chair for her sat next to the man on Tatiana’s left, which meant he must be the younger son, the one her parents intended her to wed.
Her father stood and pulled out the chair as she approached, glaring at her as though he dared her not to do anything else to humiliate herself and by proxy, them. Only when she was safely seated did he speak.
“Prince Chad, may I present my youngest daughter, the Princess Willow.”
Chad stood, his expression shuttered. He didn’t meet her gaze while he bowed over her fingers. Since this was a formal breakfast, protocol dictated that he kiss her hand, something Willow had always hated. Some kisses were too much, slimy and wet. Others were dry, reminding her of snakes and bats. She’d endured them all time and time again, ever since she’d been a small girl. Always, there was no escaping this archaic ritual, so she suffered through it with a bland smile. When Prince Chad met her smile with an ironic one of his own, she realized he must hate the old-fashioned greeting as much as she did.
His mouth moved over her hand, the barest whisper.
Finally, he released her, dipping his cleft chin in a mock bow. The small glimmer of hilarity she saw in his violet gaze warmed her. Surprising. She thought she might actually like this man, despite his too-good-to-be-true handsomeness.
The other—Prince Eric, no doubt—leaned across in front of Tatiana, his corded arm scraping her considerable bosom, causing Tatiana to draw her breath in a sharp hiss. If he noticed, he paid her no heed, fixing his bright violet eyes on Willow and flashing a dazzling smile that would have been painfully beautiful if it weren’t so practiced.
“I’m Prince Eric,” he intoned, his rich baritone both deliberately seductive and impossibly arrogant. Tatiana’s intended. Willow nodded in acknowledgment.
As her sister had mentioned, Eric was beautiful, in the same way as Tatiana. They were both flawless, golden and oh-so-Bright. Together, they would make a breathtaking couple. And their children would be perfect visions of Brightness. She tried to ignore the envy that coiled in her stomach.
Instead, she opened her mouth to pay them the compliment, remarking on their great beauty and how that would affect their potential offspring. She then realized Tatiana might not appreciate it, especially after what she’d said earlier.
“Pleased to meet you,” Willow said lamely instead.
Was that actually amusement that flashed in her sister’s bright violet eyes?
Though she’d already taken her seat, Chad began to fuss with her chair, ostensibly to help her get settled comfortably. She glanced sideways at him and felt … nothing. Which actually was a relief. He was no Prince Ruben, that was for sure.
The thought startled her. Merely thinking of the human prince made her entire body feel warm. Until she remembered the earring—oh, her mother’s pearl earring—and her stomach turned.
Her mother’s precious, no-doubt-magical, pearl earrings. Precious, not only because of the pearl, but because of the magical power contained within, although only their true owner knew how to use them properly.
She glanced at the queen. Luckily, though she’d decked herself out in a dazzling array of jewels for this breakfast, evidently her mother hadn’t yet realized they were missing. Willow crossed her fingers, hoping her luck held out long enough for her to travel through the veil and retrieve the lost one. Whether or not the baubles were magical, they belonged to Millicent and thus, were valuable beyond compare.
She had to find it. Or there would be hell to pay. Her mother would make sure of that. Therefore, failure wasn’t an option.
When she looked up again, she realized Prince Chad was watching her, as though trying to discern her thoughts. She pasted on her best social smile and pretended to be interested in the table arrangement.
As the servants stepped forward with an array of delicacies, her stomach growled, making her realize she was actually starving. Left to her own devices, she’d have preferred to break her fast with a hot bowl of oatmeal and fresh berries, but instead she allowed her plate to be filled with scrambled eggs, grits and sourdough toast. Though the meal looked heavy, the scent of freshly cooked food made her mouth water.
Glad to have something to do with her hands, she dug in, halfheartedly listening to the conversation swirling around her while she chewed and tried to develop a plan.
“Bright to Willow.” Prince Chad gave her a gentle nudge, nearly causing her to spew her orange juice. She gasped instead, choked and unfortunately began coughing, her eyes filling with tears as she grabbed her napkin to cover her mouth.
“Are you all right?” he asked, sounding concerned, even though a bit of ironic humor lurked in his gaze.
“Swallowed wrong,” she gasped out, waving him away. When she finally looked up, helpless, wishing she could make a quick exit from the room, everyone at the table was ogling her as though she’d grown two heads.
Some things never changed. Except they had, last night at the ball in Teslinko. That night, everything had been ideal.
She gave them a sickly smile, grabbed her napkin and wiped at the tears streaming down her cheeks. When she did, she saw her mascara had run and that she’d ruined her makeup. Another addition to a morning already gone bad.
Briefly, she considered excusing herself and either going to repair it or—and she liked this one better—excusing herself and never coming back. Only the steely look in her mother’s eyes warned her that she’d better not try either.
“Pssst, Willow.” Leaning around the back of Prince Chad, Tatiana rapped her on the shoulder.
Resigned, Willow leaned back. Now her sister would make sure her humiliation was complete. “Yes?”
“Lean closer,” Tatiana ordered, making Willow wonder what she was up to. Tatiana had many cruel tricks in her repertoire; she’d been perfecting them since the two were children together.
Still, Willow’d learned either to do as Tatiana asked or risk making a scene. Another scene. She leaned closer, crossing her fingers that her sister wouldn’t be too harsh this time.
“Hold still.” With gentle hands, Tatiana cleaned her face. Stunned, Willow couldn’t move. When her sister made a second pass, using some kind of compact makeup to repair the damage, Willow couldn’t help but wonder if she’d just had her face painted bright green or something.
“What are you doing?” she finally asked, careful not to touch Prince Chad’s rigid back. Unsure of the protocol, the prince was doing his best to eat and pretend the two women weren’t having a conversation directly behind him. Grudgingly, she found she admired that, too.
Meanwhile, at the head of the table Prince Eric carried on a one-sided conversation with her parents. Either he was trying to help distract them, he was oblivious, or just didn’t care. Willow was betting on the latter.
A rueful look from Tatiana showed she thought the same thing. Finally, she finished fixing Willow’s face. “There you go, sis. Good as new.”
Since Tatiana had never called her sis in her life, Willow wasn’t sure how to react. “Thanks,” she finally muttered, trying not to watch as Tatiana flashed a warm smile before turning away to pick at her own, mostly uneaten breakfast.
Uneasy, Willow tried to do the same. The food on her plate had grown cold, but she was still hungry, so she doggedly ate it anyway.
Everyone else resumed their breakfast, as well.
While they ate, Prince Eric continued to talk, often with his mouth full, a lapse in manners that normally would have horrified her mother. But no, a quick glance at the queen showed her mother pretended to hang on Eric’s every word.
But by the time he got around to bragging about his talents with horsemanship, Queen Millicent’s patience had obviously frayed. Mouth a thin line, she sipped at her coffee and glowered at the young man.
Finally, her father, experienced at deflecting this sort of thing, deliberately shifted the conversation to include Tatiana and Willow. As King Puck went on about their prowess on horseback, Willow felt her eyes glaze over.
Chad, too, barely stifled a yawn.
After listening to this for a few minutes, Eric magnanimously decided they must all go riding after the meal.
Gazing at Chad, Tatiana smiled and breathlessly agreed.
Willow clenched her jaw and continued eating. Riding. On horses. Where she’d be expected to pretend to be gracious and magical and … Bright. Everything she was not. This would be another possibility for an epic disaster.
Though Willow didn’t demure, she had no intention of accompanying them. This was her perfect opportunity. While they were out riding, she’d have time to get to the veil and cross over to Teslinko. With any luck, she could find the missing magical earring and be back before anyone even noticed she’d been gone.
After all the plates had been cleared, everyone dispersed to get dressed in their riding gear. They had agreed to meet at the barn in half an hour. Rather than give an excuse and waste valuable time, Willow planned to simply not show up.
She had to hurry. Dutifully heading to her room, she rushed down the hallway with her heart pounding. She prayed no one—particularly Tatiana—would follow her. She needed a few minutes to change—into jeans rather than breeches—and then make her escape into the woods.
This one time, at least, she hoped her prayer was answered.
She took a deep breath. The meeting with the EastWard princes had rattled her more than she’d expected. Though Prince Chad seemed charming enough, something about him unsettled her. She suspected it was the possibility that they were a bit alike. Used to living unnoticed in the huge shadow cast by their perfect older sibling, like her, he was able to do many things unnoticed. Slipping underneath the family’s radar was a trick she’d perfected ever since she could walk. Chad most likely did the same. She had the feeling he saw way too much. For once Tatiana had been intuitive rather than self-absorbed.
A knock on her door startled her. Heart pounding, she opened it. Chad.
“I didn’t want to go riding, either,” he said, flashing an easy smile. “How about we go for a walk and get to know each other?”
Stars. Her plans not so secret anymore, she said the first thing that came to mind, which happened to be the truth. “I can’t. I’ve lost one of my mother’s earrings and I’ve got to find it. Once I do, I’ll come looking for you, all right?”
To her relief, he dipped his head in a nod and left her alone. She closed her door and locked it, willing her rapid heart rate to slow.
After changing into jeans and boots, feeling much calmer, she went to her window and, grasping the trellis that she’d had installed a few years ago as an escape route, climbed down the outside wall. She looked both to the left and the right and seeing no one, she hurried away and slipped into the woods. Her woods.
The moment the shadowy forest enveloped her, all the tension left her. The scent of damp earth and leaves, pine and oak filled her senses. The dappled sunlight felt welcoming and warm. Here, she felt at home as she did nowhere else. She rolled her shoulders, breathing deeply, her footsteps quiet on the cushion of leaves.
Nearby she sensed several of the numerous forest creatures she’d befriended, but she didn’t call them to her as she usually did. Time was of the essence today. She had to get to Teslinko, find the missing magical earring and return to SouthWard before anyone noticed she was missing.
With this in mind, she hurried toward the veil. Once she thought she had heard footsteps behind her, but when she had slipped behind a tree to listen and watch, there was no one.
Because it never hurt to be careful, she picked up her pace. Dead leaves crackled underfoot as she hurried toward the portal.
Jogging, then sprinting, she found herself breathless by the time the shimmering power of the veil made itself known. She felt it long before she finally saw it, but once she did, she leaped forward, leaving her home the same way she’d returned, as though a demon from hell was on her heels.
Only this time, one actually was.
Prince Chad of EastWard couldn’t decide whether to be amused or angry that the SouthWard royalty had thought to marry him off to their youngest daughter. Obviously, Willow wasn’t of pure royal blood, not looking like that.
Again, he grimaced. Not that Willow was ugly. Quite the opposite, in fact. She was just … different. Both her parents had the standard Bright appearance—blond hair, violet eyes and pale skin. Like all the SouthWard and EastWard people. The Bright. Boring, but the epitome of both feminine and masculine beauty, as far as he was concerned.
No, Willow looked more like the Shadows. The people of the north and west—the Shadows—were completely different in their appearance. They were the polar opposite of the Bright. With her dark hair and dusky skin, Willow easily must have come from either NorthWard or WestWard. She was the quite obvious by-blow of some Shadow lover.
Which meant the rumors were true. For years, it had been whispered that Queen Millicent had strayed with one of the Shadow princes. Willow obviously was the result of that union. Evidently King Puck hadn’t wanted to risk humiliation and had accepted her as his own.
Furious, Chad clenched his jaw. As second son, he was always given second best. Once again, as eldest, Eric would get the most beautiful daughter. The bastard one, who was rumored to have weak magic as well, would be foisted off on Chad.
Like that would ever happen. Though he grudgingly admitted Willow had her own exotic beauty, he could never marry a woman who looked like that. There were his future offspring to consider. His children. Mating with her would risk tainting his bloodline.
Acknowledging this, he realized something else. She intrigued him. Something about her innocent sensuality appealed to his bloodthirsty nature.
While he couldn’t marry her, he still wanted her. He’d freely admit that Willow of the SouthWard fascinated him, unlike her sister who—like his brother, Eric—had absolutely no secrets. Willow moved with an unconsciously sensual grace, and the slight tilt of her almond eyes was alluring. Her lush mouth gave her an earthy sexual appeal.
Though he knew she wasn’t aware of it, Willow had passion simmering underneath her complacent, dusky beauty. Chad thought he might just be the one to awaken that in her, even if he had to use honeyed lies and false caresses.
He wouldn’t marry her, but he would have her. Of that he was determined. His brother Prince Eric might be showy, but Chad always got what he wanted, no matter how underhanded the methods he had to use to obtain it.
Always.
His initial fury subsided. This entire situation had actually surprised him, not an easy feat these days. When the marriage between Eric and the spectacularly lovely Tatiana had been arranged, the South-Ward royal couple had wanted to throw their youngest daughter into the bargain. Chad had thought it a bit odd, but what the hell. Eric was expected to marry and produce an heir. It would be to Chad’s advantage to do the same, just in case something happened to his elder brother. And you never know, he thought wickedly. Something just might.
An earring, eh? Even better, a magical earring belonging to Queen Millicent. Who knew what impressive powers the piece of jewelry might contain? Willow might have lost it, but if he could find it before her …