The Dark Fae (The World of Fae #1)(30)

She turned her attention back to the climb and inched her way up some more.

Then the prince spoke again. “If she gets into Lady Lucien’s chambers, I want a dark fae tracker on hand. Just in case.”

“But won’t that spoil the chase?” a lady asked.

“I wouldn’t want to lose the prisoner before I even find out what onerous crime she’s committed.”

Well, she hadn’t committed any crime before this, but as soon as she could get hold of one of Lady Lucien’s gowns, they’d consider her a thief, no doubt. However, they had stolen her gowns—Ritasia’s rather.

When she reached the ledge, she paused to take a breath. Her arms and legs trembled with the strain of the climb. How was she going to be able to escape this place with a circus of observers watching her every move?

“Why is she hesitating?” a man asked.

No one responded.

Alicia took a deep breath. It was now or never.

She rose on the ledge, then peered in through the window. Lady Lucien’s chambers were decorated in robin egg’s blue and shimmering gold. Alicia climbed in through the window.

Clapping and cheers from down below followed.

She dashed across the tapestry-carpeted floor and threw a chest open. Then she pulled out a blue gown and golden sandals. Standing, she spied sparkling hair clips decorated in sapphires. And next to these, a golden medallion embossed with the sphinx. Alicia grabbed them, then climbed out of the window. As she expected, the fae had all vanished.

Outside of the room several voices spoke at once.

“Prince Raglan, what are we waiting for?”

Alicia yanked the prison tunic off and tossed it down the cliff. She pulled the fae gown on, then edged closer toward Prince Raglan’s bedchambers.

“Oh, she is not here!” a lady exclaimed from Lucien’s room.

“Where’s the tracker?” the prince shouted.

Alicia tossed the moccasins and shrugged out of the trousers. As they fell to the bottom of the cliff, she climbed in through Prince Raglan’s window.

Now all she had to do was hide until the fae sat down for their meal, and she’d attempt her escape.

Voices approached the prince’s room.

Alicia glanced around at the black velvet furnishings all embellished with gold. She slid under the bed as the door to the room opened.

“She must have transported, my lord,” a man said. “But the tracker should be able to pick up her trail.”

“Who was she?” Prince Raglan asked.

Another man said, “A dragon fae. There were two of them who escaped the tower earlier. The one left a trail and a tracker is already after her.”

Alicia prayed the countess would not be caught.

“And the other?”

Alicia could only see boots as several men walked into the room.

When there was no response to the prince’s question, the prince said, “What about the other?”

“She left no trail.”

The prince cursed under his breath. “What fae would leave no trail?”

“A minor, my lord. If she is not yet eighteen…”

“Damn. Then she might not be able to fae-transport. That’s why she was scaling our cliffs. Find her! Find her at once!”

“And then?”

“She will tell me who she is.”

The men all left the room and closed the door behind them. She assumed faeries didn’t normally hide themselves under beds. But then again, they normally wouldn’t need to.

She climbed out from under the bed. After slipping the sandals on, she fastened the hair clips to her hair the way Ritasia had done. Finally, she pulled the sphinx medallion over her head.

She was certain she’d be recognized as an imposter at once. But if she were lucky, she could blend in well enough to slip through the halls and leave the castle.

She stood next to the door listening. Voices beyond the door forced a shiver down her spine. When would breakfast be ready? Then she recalled that at Venicia, a bell announced the arrival of the meal.

Before she could crawl back under the bed, the door began to open. The decision was made for her. She dived through the bed curtains and prayed whoever entered the room wouldn’t search the prince’s bed.

Footsteps crossed the room to the chest. The lid creaked open.

The prince said, “Lady Lucien says her blue gown is missing. The prisoner must have changed clothes. Has anyone found her prison garments yet?”

“No, my lord. You wish to wear the silver tunic for the morning meal?”

There was no response and Alicia imagined the prince had nodded.

“Did anyone discover how we came to have two dragon fae in our prison? We’re neutral here. Always have been.”

“Spies, my lord. The one was caught at Venicia. They brought her here and Queen Irenis is sending an escort to retrieve her.”

“Why was I not told of this?”

“King Persenus has been made aware of the circumstances.”

“And the other dragon fae?”

“She was spying on us, my lord. For what reason, we have no idea.”

“Did Queen Irenis want this one also?”

“No, my lord.”

“Why did she want the other then?”

“Seems, and this is only rumor, my lord, but it seems Prince Deveron has designs on the dragon fae.”