To Love a Prince (Knights of Valor Book 1)(72)

“You’re smarter than I gave you credit for. Did she agree?”

Eli paused. Auburn had said she loved him even when she thought she was dying. When she had been dying.

“Don’t forget to ask her. Give her a fancy ring to match that necklace.” Leopold nodded to Eli and left the prince with his thoughts.





Chapter 42





The weeks passed quietly, and while Auburn suffered bouts of nausea, she enjoyed her time with Eli.

It was late afternoon, and they still had several weeks of travel ahead as Eli sat beside her with the chessboard in front of them. She was getting better, and she was making his victories harder.

Eli smiled as she put his king in check and touched a kiss to her temple.

A knock on the cabin door had them both turning and Eli frowning.

The prince walked to the door and waited.

“Know you’re in there,” Leopold said.

“You have a password.” Eli’s hand flexed over the hilt of his sword, but he opened the door and admitted Sir Leopold, Ndrek, and Rolland.

“To what do I owe,” Eli paused and raised a brow, “this visit.”

“Rolland got one of those magic messages,” Leopold said.

Eli stilled. “I’m listening.”

Hands shaking, Rolland handed the slip of paper to Eli. Scrawled across the white parchment were the words: Finish it.

Eli’s fist balled over the paper. “Who’s it from?”

Rolland lifted his shoulders. “I cannot be certain. I have received no word from His Grace since I left Tamryn. Could be from anyone.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“He brought me the message without me requesting it from him,” Ndrek said.

“Because he knew you were a mage.”

“But whoever sent it must not know I am a mage,” Ndrek said. “Or must not know I am with Sir Leopold.”

Eli nodded to Rolland. “You can go.”

The attaché bowed and left the cabin.

Clearing away the chessboard. Eli motioned Ndrek and Leopold to sit. “How do we use this to flush out Fredrick?”

Auburn listened to them talk, trying to absorb all the intricacies of Tamarian politics. They were more certain than ever that Fredrick was behind the attacks, but devising a plan to prove it was difficult.

And they had to prove it. The Dragon Church demanded it before they could act.

As the dinner hour approached, Auburn went down to the galley and arranged for food to be sent to Eli’s cabin.

On her way back up, she paused a moment and watched the black waves crash around the ship. The silver moon had risen high in the sky, and a blanket of stars surrounded it. A fresh sea breeze tousled her hair and filled the ship’s sails.

She studied the sky. The stars appeared similar and yet different from her home. Qumaref felt like a lifetime ago, her days serving the sultan and dodging Priyanka a distant past.

Thoughts of the future flickered through her mind, but they were poisoned by the man with the eyes of a snake.

Shivering, Auburn rubbed her arms and remembered the golden dragon from her visions. The snakes retreated.

Much had changed. Much hadn’t.

The door to the cabin opened, and Auburn stepped deeper into the shadows hoping the Knight wouldn’t notice her.

“Now I know you’re avoiding me.” Leopold stood beside her but focused on the water.

She didn’t lie to him as she continued to study the stars.

“You told him yet?”

“I haven’t.”

“Given you several weeks.” Leopold sucked in a long breath. “If you don’t, I gotta.”

Swallowing back the fear that balled in her throat, she glared at the Knight. “Why?”

“He’s gotta decide to do the wrong thing before the Church can step in.”

“And do what? Force me to marry him?”

Leopold paused. “You don’t want to marry him?”

She stared at the black waves without seeing them. “Would you want to marry someone you loved that didn’t love you back?”

“Don’t tell me stupid’s contagious.”

Auburn’s eyes widened at the slap of Leopold’s words.

“You’re looking for words, and he’s given you actions. You know how good Eli can be with pretty lies. Which would you rather have from him?”

“I know how I’d feel if someone tried to take away my son. I don’t want to take from Prince Eli what he wants most. What he’s spent his life trying to get.”

“How do you know you aren’t taking away what he wants most wants by running away? Sounds like you’re scared. Might get what you want, might not, but sneaking off is the coward’s way.” Leopold turned his attention back to the cold water. “You don’t like what he has to say, you can bunk with Ndrek and me. After that, the fight’s mine not yours.”

“If I have to bunk with you and Ndrek, I don’t want you to fight for me.”

“Don’t think it’ll come to that, but we won’t know until you tell him.” The Knight stood beside her a moment longer then left her to her thoughts.

Auburn closed her eyes. Sir Leopold was right. She needed to tell Eli the truth. Cowardice had earned her nothing, and she wouldn’t embrace it now. She would be the example for her son.