Hereafter (The Lost Princesses Book 3) Page 16

  I’d never asked anything of the king before, and I prayed he would realize how rare my request was.

  His eyes swung back to me.

  “You would do anything for Mother, to make her happy, would you not?”

  “Of course.”

  “It is the same for me. I only follow your worthy example and wish to make my wife as happy as you have made yours.”

  “If you wish to follow my example, then you will not allow your wife to control you.” His gaze was sharp, even piercing, the kind of look he bestowed upon those who displeased him.

  I stiffened, wanting to blurt out that Emmeline didn’t control me, that rather my love for her did. But I couldn’t say it, not now, not under these circumstances.

  “Ready yourself and your men to leave for the labyrinth within the hour,” the king commanded. “The sooner you can get there and back, the better.”

  Before I could manage a bow, Emmeline pulled away from me, her eyes wide with horror. “You’re going to the labyrinth?” I started to nod, but she cut me off. “You can’t possibly go. It’s much too dangerous.”

  “I am not afraid of danger, Emmeline. You should know that by now.”

  “You don’t understand. The labyrinth is a death trap. You and your men will never make it to the treasure alive.”

  “How can you be so sure?” The king watched Emmeline with a calculated look that set off a warning inside me.

  “Because the designer was none other than the great historian himself, Saint Bede, who was the personal scribe to King William.”

  “And why should that matter?”

  “Bede’s historical accounts are full of clues to the deadly snares he placed in the labyrinth.”

  “And you know these clues?” the king asked.

  The warning clamored louder. Emmeline needed to be silent and say no more, but I was helpless to stop the king’s questioning.

  “Yes,” Emmeline replied, pulling herself up proudly. “I have read nearly every one of Bede’s books multiple times, and my father and I plotted the location of his traps within the labyrinth as well as the methods for bypassing them.”

  “How can you know so much when the greatest scholars in the kingdom remain ignorant?”

  I tugged at Emmeline’s arm, warning her to silence, but she only jerked herself free. “Most, if not all, of Bede’s manuscripts were hidden in the cottage where I grew up. I spent much time analyzing the riddles and clues inside the books.”

  “Then your map?” the king persisted “It is accurate?”

  “I believe mostly so—”

  “Then you will travel with the prince to the labyrinth, guide him through it, and protect him from the traps.”

  My heart ceased thudding at the same moment Emmeline recoiled. The king wasn’t serious, was he?

  “I cannot go—” Emmeline started.

  “I will not take her,” I cut her off with the first words of defiance I’d ever uttered to the king.

  “You must.” The king’s penetrating eyes narrowed upon me, then Emmeline.

  “You would never ask Mother to do anything so dangerous.” I could not halt my objection even though I was moving onto dangerous ground. “How, then, can you expect me to take my bride into so deadly a place?”

  “She is needed to gain the treasure.”

  Apparently, not only was the king calloused to my feelings in the matter, but he placed little value on Emmeline’s life if he could so easily send her into danger. How could he be so cruel to me after all I’d done for him to prove my loyalty?

  “Please, Father. She is my wife. And I—I love her.” The words came out a desperate plea. I was once again counting on the king’s love of my mother and praying he’d understand and empathize with my feelings for Emmeline. I didn’t dare look at Emmeline for fear of her reaction. Perhaps it was too soon for her to know the truth about how I felt, but it was out now, and I wouldn’t take it back.

  “Do not speak to me of love.” Instead of understanding, the king’s eyes filled with contempt. “You hardly know the princess.”

  “I know her well enough.”

  “If we gain the treasure, you will not need her anymore.”

  “Not need her?”

  “She can easily be put aside for a better alliance.”

  “I made vows to her I intend to keep—”

  “Enough!” The king’s voice bellowed through the chamber. In the doorway, I could see the men in the hallway scurry away, clearly afraid of the king’s unpredictability when angered.

  The king’s features were taut, and his eyes blazed with a fury I’d seldom seen. Fury I’d worked hard to avoid but was now directed at me. I’d crossed a line in not only defying him but also in showing and voicing my emotions. Now that it was crossed, I couldn’t go back.

  Neither could I go forward. I’d pushed the king far enough and would only further endanger Emmeline if I persisted.

  As though understanding the same, Emmeline’s shaking fingers slid into mine. “Have no fear, Your Majesty. I’ll go with the prince and help him find the treasure.”

  Though I loathed the thought of her joining the mission, the determined jut of Emmeline’s chin told me that even if I could somehow manage the impossible task of getting the king to change his mind, I would never change hers.

  Chapter

  17

  Emmeline

  We traveled for five days and nights without stopping—first by boat up the Cress River and next by horse into the Iron Hills. After my previous journey with Rex from Inglewood Forest to Delsworth, I should have been prepared for his unrelenting pace. But by the end of the fifth day, I was weary and sore.

  I suspected without me, he would have pushed even harder and made fewer and shorter stops. I had my own mount, which aided our speed and endurance. Nevertheless, I could see the furrows in his forehead grow deeper every time he glanced over his shoulder to the south. He didn’t have to say anything for me to guess we were being followed.

  I had no doubt the moment Adelaide heard we were on the way to the labyrinth, she’d dispatched her warriors to stop us. I’d reassured her the king wouldn’t be able to get the treasure, that it would be nearly impossible to attain. As a result, she’d entrusted me with the third key. What must she think of me now?

  I could only hang my head in shame. Maybe she hadn’t seen my marriage to Rex as a betrayal of her cause. But, after learning I was with Rex and his group, she’d see me for the coward I truly was and despise me. Rather than standing strong against King Ethelwulf, I’d given in to the enemy just as I had all along.

  At least in sneaking away from the castle and Delsworth with Rex and his knights, I’d discovered a new secret passageway I might be able to use in freeing my parents from the castle after our return—if we returned.

  The tunnel wasn’t the same one my parents had used to escape when Maribel and I had been only hours old. But from Lance’s description, I guessed it was similar, running under the moat and opening up into the dense forestland to the west of the castle. Though I’d been terrified each step through the passageway, I’d pushed myself forward, knowing I had to stay strong so I could come back again and lead my parents to freedom.

  Ahead, Rex led us in single file up the narrow rocky path. The summer sun had been especially harsh since reaching the Highlands, where even the tallest crags provided little shade. In spite of the cooler air, I was parched and hot and ready to sleep a few hours—somewhere besides the bottom of a boat or on the back of my horse.

  The soldiers riding directly in front of me picked up their pace, sending a shower of pebbles down the steep ridge. I nudged my horse onward and prayed Adelaide would forgive me again and understand I’d had no choice but to accompany Rex.

  Would Father be able to forgive me for using my knowledge to help the enemy? All the while we’d studied the labyrinth together, he’d believed that someday I’d use the details to help my sisters. Little had he known I’d wield the information against
them.

  Even if King Ethelwulf hadn’t ordered me to go, I wouldn’t have let the prince navigate the labyrinth without my help. There was a reason it was called the Labyrinth of Death. So many had lost their lives that eventually the labyrinth had been sealed off and forgotten.

  The truth was despite my knowledge of the traps, we’d still face many unknowns, including the creatures who guarded the treasure. I didn’t know how many beasts remained or where they’d be, and if we could outsmart or outfight them.

  And I didn’t know how I’d be able to crawl down into the tight, dark confines of the labyrinth without panicking. Even now, thinking about the damp walls pressing in made my pulse speed erratically and my stomach roil. What if I got down into the labyrinth and froze with fear?

  I held my reins tighter, wincing at the pain of the blisters on my palm. I couldn’t think about myself. I had to focus on Rex. Keeping him alive in the labyrinth took priority.

  Although we’d had little chance to speak to each other privately over the past days of travel, my longing for him had been growing, especially every time I thought about his bold declaration to his father. She is my wife. And I love her.

  Maybe at first his decision to love me had been prompted by his marriage vow and his determination to be a man of honor. He’d made an effort to love me with his actions, showing me kindness and consideration.

  But somewhere along the way, his love had become more than mere actions. His declaration had contained a deep emotion that beckoned my heart to respond with the same. Could I love him back? Or would his loyalty and faithfulness to his father stand in the way?

  The king’s true feelings about me had come out in our last conversation—he held no affection for me. I hadn’t expected affinity. Nor had I expected devotion. But I had hoped after he’d gone to such lengths to secure my future to Rex’s, that he’d accept me.

  As it turned out, however, he’d never planned to keep me. Perhaps all along he’d intended to get rid of me when he no longer needed me so he could form a more profitable marriage alliance for Rex. He’d likely have me murdered so the people would never suspect his hand in it.

  I shivered at the thought, even with the sun beating down relentlessly.

  How far would Rex go to defy his father’s wishes? That last moment in my chamber, Rex had spoken out on behalf of my parents and had objected to bringing me on this trip. But he’d accomplished nothing except to anger the king. If Rex had pushed harder to keep me home, as I’d been afraid he’d do, I’d feared he’d only jeopardize his own safety with the king.

  I’d pondered the dilemma the entire journey, but I’d been unable to see a way out of the predicament in which we found ourselves. Though he might care for me—even love me—he was helpless to protect my parents, or even me, without incurring the king’s wrath upon himself.

  In some ways, he was at the mercy of the king too.

  At the very least, I could take comfort that Rex had commanded the guards to keep my parents safe during our absence and had forbidden Magnus to start any torture. Even though Rex was doing what he could to compensate for his father’s decision, how long could he go on without having to choose between loving me and serving his father?

  As my horse scrambled up the last incline, the reins dug into my tender flesh until the warmth of blood oozed between my fingers. At the top, I drew in a breath of relief to find the rest of the party dismounting.

  Rex strode toward me, his face dark with stubble and the dust of the trail. His hair was lighter as if it had soaked in the sun’s rays. As his blue eyes met mine, my pulse hopped with the need to be with him.

  “I didn’t expect another break so soon.” I flexed my sore back.

  He reached up and lifted me down. “We have arrived. The entrance is within that cave.”

  I followed his nod to a gaping black arch in the bedrock where several soldiers were unloading our packs of food. The interior of the cavern was dark and narrow. How could I go in there? I looked away from it and attempted to swallow my fear. “Are we eating before we enter?”

  He peered past me over the miles of rocky terrain we’d traversed. “The queen’s party has dropped behind.”

  I searched the crags and boulders for any signs of movement or dust and saw nothing. “What can that mean?”

  “It likely means they have finally stopped for a break.”

  I wasn’t so sure and couldn’t keep my disappointment at bay. In some ways, I supposed I’d been hoping they’d intercept us and take the key back so we wouldn’t have to go into the labyrinth after all. In fact, what if she’d purposefully given me the key so that I’d set into motion this treasure hunt and draw all three keys out of Delsworth where she could more easily recover them?

  “Since we have a lead,” Rex continued, “I have decided we shall eat and rest momentarily before we begin the next part of our journey.”

  “I won’t protest.” I brushed back a strand of hair, then winced.

  He captured my hand before I could hide it and frowned at the sight of the blood there. “You are hurt.”

  I tried to free my hand. “It’s nothing to worry about. Only a few blisters.”

  With a grumble under his breath, he scooped me up and began to carry me.

  I couldn’t contain a smile. “I’m perfectly capable of walking. My fingers hurt, not my feet.”

  He didn’t smile. “You should have told me you had blisters.”

  “And have you decide to leave me behind? No, I won’t let you get rid of me that easily.” I snuggled against him, relishing the closeness after the days of riding apart.

  He called out orders for one of his men to bring him the medical supplies. As we neared the cave, I slipped my arm around his neck and stared at the opening. “Do we need to go inside? Can we not stay out here?”

  “There is a smaller second cave next to the larger one. And we shall rest there with more privacy.”

  If it was smaller, I’d like it even less.

  Rex ducked into the opening of the side cavern. Though bright sunlight angled in to fill the room, I was reluctant to release my hold from Rex’s neck when he lowered me to a pallet that had already been unrolled.

  “Emmeline,” he chastised softly as he unhooked my arms. “You have nothing to fear here.”

  I had everything to fear—especially that I’d lose him when I’d just begun to care about him. I nodded and attempted to hide my quaking. If he suspected my aversion to tight, dark spaces, he’d probably insist I stay behind, and I couldn’t let that happen.

  For a short while, a young soldier tended my bloody hands while Rex conversed outside the cave with his men. Once the soldier left, Rex returned with a pouch of food and his leather water bag. He spread out cheese, figs, and dried meat then sat down next to me on the pallet.

  “This cavern probably served as home to a guardian of the labyrinth,” I mused as we ate.

  “To keep away intruders?” Rex asked, leaning back on one elbow, his legs stretched out in front of him.

  “No. More likely to warn people not to go inside.”

  Rex paused in his chewing.

  “Must we go into it?” I asked, unable to stop my desperation from rising. “Your father will never be the wiser.”

  Rex resumed eating, studying my face, almost as if he was memorizing every detail.

  “Please, Rex.”

  “The king will expect me to return with the treasure or return not at all.”

  Aside from my aversion to cramped dark places, the dangers below were innumerable and the mission nearly impossible. Even with my knowledge of the labyrinth, there was the very real chance of never coming out alive. I couldn’t bear the thought that we might be throwing away our lives for a man like King Ethelwulf. “Why must you bend to his every whim?”

  “He is my king and my father and as such deserves my honor and service.”

  “But why should you care so much about pleasing him when he cares so little for you in return?” />
  “He does care. Maybe not in a way you can see.”

  “I see nothing but a selfish man who only values how the people in his life benefit him and not how he might sacrifice for them.”

  Rex stiffened and began to stand.

  I grabbed his arm, regardless of the pain to my blistered hands. “Rex, wait.”

  He halted, halfway up, his back towards me.

  “I’m sorry.” I tugged him, wanting him to stay, needing just a little more time alone with him.

  He didn’t bend. “You should rest.”

  I didn’t want our private moment to end like this, with him aloof and upset. “Please don’t go,” I whispered. “Rest with me.”

  Slowly he pivoted, his eyes questioning.

  I pushed aside the remaining food. Then I pulled him down with me, my eyes beckoning him. This time he didn’t resist. He came willingly, stretching out next to me and holding me close.

  Within the confines of his solid chest and thick arms, I barely had time to release a contented breath before his lips covered mine, moving desperately and deeply as if he too recognized the danger of what we were about to do.

  The kiss was consuming and yet contained a sadness that made my insides ache. I didn’t realize my tears had escaped until his lips broke from mine and he gently began to kiss them away.

  “I meant what I said,” he whispered, letting his lips linger against my forehead. “I love you.”

  More tears squeezed out. “I love you, too.” I’d denied my growing feelings long enough. Why deny them any longer when we were leaving for so dangerous a journey?

  At my confession, he pressed another kiss hard against my forehead before pulling back and cradling me gently against his chest.

  “Rest now,” he whispered.

  With his steady breath upon my temple, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to fall asleep, praying I’d have many more days to sleep in his arms and resisting the prospect that this might be my last.

  Chapter

  18