The Rebel Prince (The Season Series #3)

Chapter 47

His feathers were certainly ruffled and I fought down another grin when his jaw muscle sprang taut. "As your wish...Thomas." He cleared his throat. "I tried to locate you after the assassination, but the castle was in chaos. Dulciana had soldiers lying in wait in your chambers, so I took the liberty of disappearing and bribing information out of the servants I'd befriended. The moment I was certain that you hadn't been captured by Dulciana, I boarded the first ship for Highcastle to tell your parents what had happened."

"You certainly are not without your wiles," I said. "Makes me wonder what kinds of adventures you and Amberly got up to, back in the day."

For a moment, I thought the ghost of a smile might've passed over Giles' face, but it was gone in a blink. "I am no stranger to sneaking out of foreign countries, Your...Thomas." He shifted uncomfortably. "However, you should know that Dulciana sent a letter to your father, falsely claiming that Frederico had abducted you as a hostage. A second letter arrived yesterday, claiming that she had rescued you from her brother and promising your safe return in exchange for military aid in subduing the Ardalonian rebels."

"What?" I jerked upright.

Yesterday? But I'd been on the fastest ship, there was no way some courier had beaten me home. Which only meant...

My stomach lurched as the carriage jangled through the palace gates. Dulciana had known all along. She'd known that I was with Frederico, she'd known she would capture me. She'd set all her plans in motion before I'd so much as set foot on home soil. I scraped a hand through my hair.

"Perhaps I ought to arrange for a barber," Giles said, eyeing the mess of my hair.

"How do you know about Dulciana's letters?" I asked.

"Because your father told me about them. He trusts my word more than hers." Giles glanced out the window as the carriage lurched to a halt. "I do hope you're prepared to explain why you've invited me in here when His Majesty asks."

I followed his gaze and my heart twisted. Arrayed before the great, gilded doors of the palace, my family stood in a cluster, surrounded my courtiers. Anne bounced on her toes until my mother laid a hand on her shoulder, though Mother's eyes had latched expectantly on the carriage and tension was etched into every line of her face. Beside Anne, Andrew stood with his hands neatly folded behind his back, though his lips were set into a concerned line. Beside him, Libby squinted, as if trying to peer through the shaded carriage windows.

And then there was Father. I don't think he could've looked more unimpressed if he'd tried, though thankfully he'd restrained himself from folding his arms as he so often did when I disappointed him.

I didn't dare look at the others. I didn't dare see which courtiers had come to greet me. There was one I very much didn't want to face. Not yet. Not ever, if I could manage it.

"Thomas." Giles paused, his hand on the carriage door. "You should know that Dulciana has spies among us. I have not been able to determine who, but her second letter made mention of yours and framed it as proof of your kidnapping and coercion by Frederico. Someone told her about it, but His Majesty's opinion has wavered on the matter of whether or not her word is trustworthy."

I ground my teeth. Of course Father would be compelled to believe her. Nothing could ever come easy for me, could it?

"I know who told her," I muttered. But I didn't want to speak her name just yet.

Giles studied my face. "It wasn't only Umberwood's heiress," he said. "Dulciana mentioned things that only one of the king's advisors would know about our military. Be careful."

Pale, cloud-filtered sunlight flooded the dim carriage when Giles opened the door. And when I climbed out behind him, the court exploded into cheers.

I ground my teeth to keep from rolling my eyes and lifted a hand to them. But their gushing cries only hastened my steps up to my family.