The Opal Crown (9 page)

The gates close. I wrap my fingers around the golden bars, wondering how I could have made such a huge mistake.

“We have to go,” Rolf says.

“I can’t leave her—”

“You’ve
already
left her.” He pries my fingers off the gates.

“But he tried to kill her. He—”

Rolf grabs me by the shoulders. “You’re making a scene,” he whispers fiercely. “The best thing you can do for her is not get caught right now.” He takes my hand and begins pushing through the crowd.

As we make our way down the hill, I whisper a silent apology to the sister I’ve just betrayed.

8

B
ehind the gleaming shops and apartments that line the main roads of Allegria, the streets become much seedier. They are not opal-flecked, nor are they even cobbled. Instead, I tramp through mud and filth as I follow Rolf to our unknown destination. The buildings, many of them made of wood obviously in need of repair, are only two stories, with storefronts opening out to the street.

“Where are we?” I ask.

“The original section of the city. The one the nobles don’t
care to think of.”

We come upon a street where large cuts of meat hang in nearly every window shop. A river of blood runs from one, mixing in with the mud, and my stomach churns from the scent of raw flesh. Thankfully, we soon turn down another street that’s lined with bakeries and smells of rosemary and fresh bread.

“That’s where we’re going,” Rolf says, pointing to a shop where a long line of men stand waiting. We turn into a back alley and enter the bakery from behind, where we hear a woman’s voice, “We don’t have any more bread today. How many times must I tell you this?”

“Perhaps we should come in and see for ourselves!” Shouts erupt, drowning out the protests of the woman.

We pass through the kitchen and Rolf points to the staircase. “Go upstairs and wait for me.” As I walk up the stairs I hear him draw his sword “If any of you come inside this shop, you won’t be coming back out again!”

The upper story is one large room sparsely furnished with a wooden table and chairs and a few mattresses strewn around the floor. I cross the room and look out the window to the street below. The line outside the shop begins dispersing.

The stairs begin creaking. “Does that happen often?” comes Rolf’s voice.

“We close early every day now,” the woman replies. “We’re running low on flour. Kendrick declared himself in favor of—” They emerge at the top of the staircase, and the woman breaks off sharply. She has Rolf’s angular nose and high forehead.

“Elara, this is my sister, Alinda,” he says.

Alinda nods curtly at my greeting, examining me with discerning eyes. “I hope you’re worth the risk we’re taking for you.” Rolf shoots her a look, and Alinda sighs, her expression softening. “Forgive me. I shouldn’t have spoken so coarsely. It is an honor to have you in our home.”

She sinks into a curtsy and adds, “Your Highness.”

Chapter 14

Wilha

I
t takes everything within me not to flee the room as Lord Murcendor steps around me and Arianne and joins Andrei on the dais.

“But I thought he was . . .” I look at Andrei helplessly.

“In exile?” he finishes. “He was. Fortunately, he has returned to offer me counsel.”

“But . . . but did you not hear of the events in Korynth? How he—”

“How you went to the Kyrenican Castle that night to switch back with your decoy?” Andrei interrupts. “How he attempted to evacuate you from the castle when he became aware of Lord Quinlan’s plan to destroy Korynth, and you misunderstood his intentions? How Lord Quinlan was all too eager to capitalize on your confusion and paint Lord Murcendor as the villain, forcing him to flee? Yes, I have heard it all from Lord Murcendor himself.”

“Lord Quinlan’s plan?” I say faintly.

“Yes.” Andrei frowns. “I will forgive you for your error, of course. But now that Lord Murcendor is returned to us I shall expect you to pay him the honor due him.”

“Andrei,” Lord Murcendor admonishes, “you are being too hard on your sister.” He turns a pained look upon me. “Surely, Wilha, you cannot really believe that I would have ever hurt you?”

“It is difficult not to,” I say, forcing myself to look him in the eyes, “given that you put your sword to my throat and told me you would kill me if I did not marry you.”

“Wilha, please.” He shakes his head. “I was merely trying to get you to leave the castle. I would have said anything to get you away from Lord Quinlan.”

Lord Murcendor’s eyes are as kind as I have ever seen. Gone is the madman from last year; all I see is the solicitous Guardian who advised me all the years of my life. Yet I am not the same girl who once blindly trusted him; I shall not be caught in his snare ever again. But as I stare at Andrei, sitting on his throne, Lord Murcendor standing closely next to him, my stomach sinks. Even if Andrei granted me the time to tell him every moment of what transpired in Korynth, he would never believe it.

Andrei and I may have been raised separately when we were children, but we have this one thing in common: Lord Murcendor was our closest friend and confidante. My father never understood how great a need a child has to be loved and listened to. A need, I
see now, Lord Murcendor has understood all too well.

“How does Lord Quinlan answer these charges?” I say finally.

“He said he was innocent—right up until the moment he was executed,” Andrei says.

My stomach churns; I was never close to Lord Quinlan, but in Andrei’s words I hear Lord Murcendor’s malice. So what am I to do now? My thoughts turn to Elara; she has always known just the right words to speak.
If she were standing here in my place, what would she say if she knew Lord Murcendor was here and playing the role of the devoted advisor?

“
Everyone plays a role
,” I hear her harsh voice in my head.
“Your job is to figure out which one is yours.”

Hoping that the sickness I feel in my stomach does not show on my face, I curtsy before Lord Murcendor. “Forgive me, Your Lordship. I never should have doubted you.”

The doors are thrown open once again, and Lord Royce appears. He has changed out of his traveling clothes and into his emerald robe. He strides forward, passing me and Arianne without so much as a nod, and drops to his knees before Andrei.

“I have failed you, my king. If you require my immediate dismissal, I offer it to you.” He removes his robe and holds it out to Andrei, both arms outstretched, the picture of perfect submission.

Andrei waves his hand impatiently. “Rise, Lord Royce. I have heard how eager you always were to please my father. I expect no less devotion to me.”

“You have it.” Lord Royce stands and puts his robe back on. “I am sorry for my failure in letting the girl escape.”

“How
did
Elara escape?” Lord Murcendor asks, scowling at Lord Royce.

“There is a bit of confusion on that point,” Lord Royce says. “A crowd swarmed Wilha’s carriage, and in the ensuing melee Elara may have slipped away. Or she may have escaped earlier when a different carriage broke down. I have spoken with the guards posted at the city gates. They did not report seeing a girl matching her description. It is my opinion that she is still in the city.”

“And do you have any idea where she may be?” Lord Murcendor asks.

“No,” Lord Royce answers. “I do not.”

Lord Royce is lying. I know it from the tension in his shoulders. The slight shift of his eyes as he speaks. The muscle that pulses at his jaw. Does anyone else see? I glance around the room. It appears they do not.

“Then you will find her,” Andrei says, “and you will bring her to me.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Lord Royce bows.

“There is an easier way,” I say, speaking up. “On the road Elara confided that she feared returning to the palace, as she didn’t expect to be treated well here. You could easily put her fears to rest, Andrei. Make Elara’s existence known to the entire kingdom. Tell the world I have a twin, and you want nothing more than to meet her, and embrace your second sister as an Andewyn. If you do so, and you mean it, Elara may come to you.”

I know I am speaking boldly, but I cannot help myself. Though I haven’t wanted to admit it, I have shared my sister’s fears. While her existence is kept a secret, Elara is vulnerable. But Andrei is king now, and the succession is secure. So why not shed the secret and welcome her back as the princess she truly is?

“All that time among the Kyrenicans has made you forget you place.” Andrei scowls. “I will not announce Elara’s existence, when for all we know she means us nothing but harm. If her intentions were true, if she had any interest at all in being a part of this family, then why did she escape?”

“Well said, Your Majesty,” Lord Murcendor says, and Andrei seems to glow under his approval.

“We will speak again, Sister. In the meantime, you may go. And you will wear your mask.” He frowns. “I am king now, Wilha. You have to do as I command.” He turns expectantly to Lord Murcendor as if to say,
Right?

Lord Murcendor nods. “You are king, Andrei. We all must do your bidding.” He holds up the jeweled mask he carries. “Please, Wilha, put it on.”

Reminding myself to play my role, I take the mask and tie it on.

In doing so, it feels as if the shadow of the Masked
Princess rises and swallows me whole.

Chapter 15

Elara

L
ong after night falls and Rolf and Alinda and I have
settled down onto our mattresses, I lie awake,
thinking of Alinda’s words, “
It is an honor to have you in our home . . . Your Highness.
”

How many people has Lord Royce told of my identity? Over a meager dinner of cheese and leftover bread, I tried to question Alinda and Rolf about Lord Royce’s intentions, but they remained stubbornly silent.

Downstairs comes the sound of a key turning in a lock, followed by the creaking of a door opening.

I reach over and nudge Rolf. “Someone’s here,” I whisper.

Immediately, Rolf bolts upright and draws a knife from under his mattress. While he creeps over to the staircase, Alinda sits up and rubs her eyes.

“Who’s there?” Rolf calls.

“I was able to procure more grain and flour from the palace,” comes Lord Royce’s voice. “Enough to last the shop for another few weeks, if you ration it. I heard what happened to Kendrick.” He emerges at the top of the stairs. “I left the bags by the hearth. I would hide them, if I were you.”

“Who is Kendrick?” I ask.

“He was a miller in the city,” says Lord Royce. “A few weeks ago he publicly criticized Andrei. The next day, his home and mill burned down.”

“Taking most of our grain along with it,” Alinda interjects. She stands up and reaches over to hug Lord Royce. “Thank you for the grain, Uncle.”

Uncle?

“I must speak to the girl alone, and I can only stay for a few minutes,” Lord Royce says to Alinda and Rolf. “The king’s men will be looking for her tomorrow, and I have been tasked with leading the search. Make sure she stays inside. I will try to direct the men over to the northern section of the city, closer to the gates.”

After a few more instructions, Alinda and Rolf go downstairs. Lord Royce lights
a lantern and gestures for me to join him at the wooden table.

“How have my niece and nephew been treating you?” he asks.

“Did you know?” I say, ignoring his question.

“Did I know what?”

“That Lord Murcendor had returned to Allegria.”

He pauses. “Yes, I did.”

“How could you? You
know
what happened that night. What he tried to do. What he would have done to her if—”

“Her?” Lord Royce seems genuinely surprised. “I was under the impression it was
you
who was posing as the Masked Princess on the night of the masquerade.”

“It was . . . but originally we had planned to switch back that night . . . and Wilha had arrived when . . .” I sigh. “The story is convoluted.”

“Clearly.”

“But you know what Lord Murcendor is capable of, and you just handed her over to him.”

“I did so with your help.”

“But I didn’t know—”

“And suppose you had? What would you have done then? Would you have taken her place? Would you have returned to the Opal Palace and kept her location a secret?”

I’m silent, for I know the answer to that question all too well.

“I can explain letting one twin escape, but not both. Either way, one of you was going back to the palace; it was unavoidable.” He pauses. “In addition to conducting the search for you, I have other matters I must attend to in the city after being absent for so many weeks. In the meantime, you will have to live here. I will keep the search away from this street, but you will need to stay inside at all times.”

“And after you return? You said you had something you wanted to ask of me. What is it?”

“We will speak of it when I return. In the meantime, I offer you this.” From the folds of his cloak he produces a book and slides it across the table. It’s the book from my mother.
Eleanor of Andewyn House: Galandria’s Greatest Queen.