The Heirs (The Heart's Edge Series, Book #1)

Chapter 22

I watched the door quietly for a long moment before taking a deep breath and exiting. The guards all turned to look at me and I almost sighed in exasperation. Nonetheless, they were only doing what was instructed to them and so, I continued on my journey.

The buttery paper in the pocket of my coat brushed against my gloved fingers.

My sun,

Meet me in the greenhouse. I have a pleasant surprise waiting for you.

Yours till death,
Julius.

"So dramatic." I huffed. Still, I went. It was better than being stuck in the chambers. I had already finished the book I borrowed from the library.

The snow was a lot thicker as it had snowed heavily during the night. Replicating the tension that was visible in everyone's faces as I passed by many servant and even more soldier, the day was dark and dull. Everything seemed gray. The snow fell in delicate flakes. Dark trees loomed on the top of mountains far away and I was sure I spotted a majestic stag. It looked like it stared at me for a second before shaking his head in disapproval and returning to his own element. By the time I reached my destination, I had to rub my eyes to rid my lashed of the powdery snow on top of them.

The guards entered after me but Ravenswood, in all his glory, waved them away. I was surprised to see him genuinely smiling. He usually refrained from letting anyone at all see him display any human emotion but perhaps this surprise was too exciting.

"Well,-" I dusted snow off my shoulders as the guards closed the door behind me. "-What is it?"

"Is this her?" A voice said to my right.

I turned in time to see a woman in red standing near one of the windows. Her eyes travelled over me once before she smiled and beckoned us both forward. I looked at Julius in confusion and he nudged me forward. Once near her, he stood a step behind me as she reached for me.

"I have heard a lot about you." She said. Her voice was smooth, velvet-like. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

I blinked, "I am sorry but I am not sure I know you." I shrugged her hand off my shoulder slowly.

The corners of her eyes crinkled as she watched her hand slip off me. "I am Amarantha Harvey. You may know me as Julius's nanny."

"Ah." I said. "It is a pleasure to meet you." If Ravenswood wanted me to meet her, she must be really important to him.

"I assure you she is more than that, Colfield." Ravenswood leaned over my shoulder and smiled at her.

"You flatter me, my boy." She caressed his face. "I did what my duty asked of me."

"And you did it fantastically." I added. The twist of her smile, the pleasure in her demeanor - she liked to be praised.

"Why, thank you, Rose." She bobbed her head.

I almost impulsively raised my brows in distate at being referred to so casually. But holding myself back, I offered her a seat. Once seated, she poured tea. Her hands moving like machines- cogs working flawlessly.

"So, how do you like my Julius so far?" She smiled.

I weighted my words. Ravenswood glanced at me hesitantly. I said, "He is exactly what I expected the crown prince to be. If not more." I accepted the teacup. Julius declined his.

She leaned back in her chair, "Yes, I agree with you there." She looked at him lovingly. "With time I believe you two shall be fit for the roles of King and Queen."

I only nodded with a smile before taking a sip of my tea.

She continued, "I have been wanting to meet you for some time now but other obligations have kept me from doing so. Of course, that is the case for all nowadays. You have been cooped up in this castle since your arrival."

"Yes-" I set the cup down. "- unfortunate circumstances have prevented me from introducing myself to a lot of people. Once this is behind us-"

"Why wait?" She tilted her head to a side.

"Mrs. Harvey-" Ravenswood interrupted. "-surely you know about the recent events."

"Yes, my dear, I do." She nodded. "Which is why I suggest a gala in honor of your courtship. If the enemy wants to strike fear in our hearts, we must send a clear message that not only do we not fear him- we laugh at his attempts."

Ravenswood blinked. Once, twice. "I will speak to mother about it." He nodded.

His leg lightly brushed against mine just as a guard came in. "Your Highness, you uncle requests your presence in the laboratory immediately."

Mrs. Harvey pulled herself up, "Well, I suppose this is the end of our meeting. I shall not keep you two any longer. You have the world to save, after all."

"I am so glad you could visit." Julius held her hand as we exited the greenhouse. A maid was standing at the steps to escort her to her carriage.

As Mrs. Harvey bid her goodbye and we watched her disappear behind the line of pine trees, I spoke, "Why did you want me to meet her?"

Julius watched the imprints of her footsteps in the snow. "I've always thought it best to let two serpents deal with each other."

"Flattering." I replied coldly. "She seemed more venomous."

"And you- far more willing to strike." He smiled dryly.

"Does she have anything to do with murders?"

"I kept thinking that I've heard of a Dorothy somewhere until it stuck me that I know Dorothy Harvey." He inhaled a breath with his hands behind his back. "Turns out she had married a man and became Dorothy Wheeler a few years ago."

Looking back at the tracks Ravenwood had so carefully studied, I asked. "She never mentioned her daughter?"

"Never."

My eyes wandered from the impressions in the snow to the man in front of me and eventually, to the pale white of the ghost orchids. In the middle of the greenhouse, they unfurled towards the towering roof of the castle. "The gala she mentioned- how quickly can you arrange that?" I decided.

Perhaps, the Queen was right. Nobody could do this.