Raelia (eBook)

Two

Alex’s eyes widened when the king stepped into view outside her cell, but she quickly came to her senses and dropped into a curtsey. “Your Majesty.”

“Alexandra Jennings,” King Aurileous returned. “I’ve heard a great deal about you, and none of it leads me to believe you have any kind of ill intent towards my family. So, tell me, what brought on that display upstairs?”

“I’m not sure what to tell you,” Alex answered honestly, looking from him to the now very clearly entertained Jeera and back again. “You see—”

“Alex, where are you? We’ve come to bust you out of here!”

She groaned at the sound of Jordan’s whispered voice echoing along the stone corridor. Only he and Bear would think they could break her out of a palace dungeon. Actually, considering both of their gifts, they probably could get her out, but that would just cause her more trouble when she was inevitably caught again.

She looked at the king and he gave her a ‘go ahead’ gesture.

“I’m over here,” Alex called weakly, hoping they’d have the presence of mind to get out of there while they still could. But no such luck, since a few seconds later, both Jordan and Bear sprinted around the corner and came to a wide-eyed halt.

Jordan rallied himself first and said, “Uh, hello, Your Majesty.” He bowed regally, with Bear following his lead. “We didn’t expect to see you down here.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” the king said with a touch of amusement. “Nor did I expect to see anyone but my guards and their prisoner. For future reference, no one has ever broken out of my dungeons before. Or been broken out.”

Jordan sent him a cocky grin. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, there’s a first time for everything.”

Alex couldn’t believe he’d actually said that—and to the king of all people—but she was more shocked when the monarch smiled.

“Indeed there is,” King Aurileous acknowledged. “But not in this case, I’m afraid. Unfortunately—”

“You have to let Alex go! She was only trying to help me!”

When D.C. came running around the corner mid-yell, Alex felt the need to bang her head against the cell barrier, regardless of the live electricity. So much for trying to keep her identity a secret, she thought. What a wasted effort.

“Dix? Is that you?” Bear asked, squinting into the shadows where D.C. had skidded to a stop at the sight of him and Jordan.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing down here?” the king asked.

“I… Uh… That is…”

For the first time since Alex had known her, D.C. appeared lost for words.

Jordan, however, looked like he wasn’t sure whether or not to laugh. “Did the king just call you ‘sweetheart’?”

There was a loaded silence where everyone appeared to be waiting for someone else to jump in and explain what was going on.

In a quiet voice, Alex said, “Dix, you’re going to have to tell them now.”

Bear glanced between them. “Tell us what?”

D.C. looked like she was frozen to the spot.

“Dix!” Alex called, trying to snap her friend out of her shock.

D.C. flinched and locked eyes with Alex, begging for help.

“Tell them,” Alex encouraged softly, and D.C.’s shoulders sagged.

“Could you please give us a moment?” she asked her father, her eyes flicking to include Jeera in her request.

“You want me to leave you alone in a dungeon with the girl who just threw herself at your mother and me, and who is now under suspicion as an assassin to the throne?” The king sounded both sceptical and incredulous. “Not to mention her trespassing friends, who are here to to stage a prison break.”

Put like that, Alex realised the situation wasn’t all that wonderful for any of them.

“I guess not,” D.C. murmured her acceptance. She stepped closer and turned to face Jordan and Bear. In a wavering voice, she said, “I wanted to tell you sooner, but I wasn’t sure how.”

“Tell us what?” Jordan asked, repeating Bear’s question.

“I’m the—” D.C. began, but she coughed mid-sentence, as if the words were stuck in her throat. She moved her eyes to Alex again who nodded reassuringly, prompting D.C. to take a wobbly breath, stand up a little straighter, and say, “I’m the princess. Of Medora. And, um, it’s my birthday party that we’re celebrating tonight. Surprise?”

Jordan and Bear stared at her in silence, their expressions not giving any indication as to what they were thinking.

Alex could practically feel D.C.’s tension until, finally, both boys looked at each other and shrugged.

“It makes sense, if you think about it,” Jordan said contemplatively. “You always were a prissy little—”

When the king cleared his throat loudly, Jordan’s gaze flicked up to the monarch’s stern face, and he finished lamely, “—uh, princess.”

D.C. released a breathy laugh filled with relief. “You’re not angry that I didn’t tell you?”

“We didn’t know you properly until recently,” Bear pointed out. “What right do we have to be angry?”

D.C. beamed at them both and rushed forward to wrap her arms around them.

“Can someone kindly explain the apparent importance of this moment and why we’re all down here in the dungeon to witness it? I presume the events are linked?” King Aurileous asked.

“Yes, Father,” D.C. said, stepping away from the boys. “You see, these are my friends, Jordan Sparker and Barnold Ronnigan.”

The boys waved cheerily to the king as she said their names.

“For a while now I’ve been putting off telling them who I am,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting to see them here tonight, and I’m guessing Alex was just as surprised.”

D.C. looked at her for clarification, so Alex picked up the story from her side.

“When I saw Jordan and Bear enter the ballroom, I knew I had to get Dix’s attention so she could escape before they recognised her,” Alex said. “Launching myself at you and the queen seemed like a pretty good distraction.”

Jeera let out a quiet snort and Alex looked at the king sheepishly. “I’m so incredibly sorry, Your Majesty. If I’d been able to think of an alternative, please believe that I would have taken it.”

There was silence while everyone mulled over her explanation.

“Oh, and I’m not an assassin, by the way,” Alex quickly added. “Promise.”

Someone around the corner laughed quietly and she wondered who else was listening to their conversation.

After a moment the king nodded to Jeera to open the cell. When the barrier was down, the Warden gave a quick nod of deference to him, sent a mysterious yet entertained smile in Alex’s direction, and walked away, leaving their small group alone but for the company of the dungeon guards.

The king stepped into the cell to join Alex. “Loyalty can be the strongest motivation for courage, Alexandra.” He held her gaze with the same uniquely coloured eyes that D.C. had inherited. “What you did was very courageous, if somewhat dramatic, and I thank you for being loyal enough to my daughter that you would risk your own well-being. Twice, now, if we consider what happened with Aven a few months back.”

“At least this time she didn’t end up with a knife through her lungs,” D.C. said. “That’s progress.”

“No, but the penalty for an assassination attempt is execution,” the king said, causing Alex’s breath to hitch. “Alexandra had no guarantee that any of us would have come to stop that from happening.”

Alex hadn’t considered the idea that someone wouldn’t have come to help her out. And considering the consequences, she was glad the thought hadn’t crossed her mind. Execution? Seriously? Yeesh.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Alex said, uncertain how else to respond after receiving a compliment from the king. “I, uh, promise not to do it again. Or, worst case, I’ll try to let you finish your dance first if there is a next time.”

King Aurileous laughed, causing his entire face to light up. “I’m sure my wife would appreciate that, Alexandra.”

“Alex,” she insisted.

He smiled at her warmly. “Alex, it is. And now it’s time for us to get out of here and enjoy the rest of the party.”

“You can’t be serious?” Alex said, forgetting that she was speaking to the ruler of Medora. “I can’t show my face up there again!”

“Nonsense,” the king said. “No one will recognise you.”

Alex doubted that, but she obediently followed as he led them out of the dungeon and through the maze-like corridors back to the...