Loving the Forbidden Prince

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE! Thank you for being willing to come on this very up-and-down ride with me. And thank you for purchasing privilege, and your summoning pens. I am so humbled by your kind words and dedication to these characters.

In September I am going to try and make sure you have at least a couple updates a week. If I gain more time, I will release more chapters. But we'll have to see how it goes. Regardless, I wanted to throw an extra chapter to you today to say thank you for still being here! I hope you enjoy!

*****

AYLETH

Ayleth and Falek had barely made it out of her chambers, her slippers shuffling quietly on the stone floor of the corridor outside her own door, when heavy, booted footsteps echoed behind them—running. All her training kicked in and without thought, Aylet sucked in and darted forward as, in one smooth motion, Falek whirled to put himself between Ayleth and their pursuer mid-stride, his hand on the hilt of his sword, the other arm out to cover her from approaching the threat. 

Ayleth's heart was pounding as she slipped into his shadow and began to turn, hands up for combat, but then she sighed with relief. Falek had already assessed the danger and was returning to his normal posture by the time she'd fully turned. They both sagged visibly when their wide eyes—searching for enemies and bloodshed—instead found Borsche racing up behind them. It took Ayleth a moment to recognize him in his leathers. Despite the last two days in the wilds, she was still accustomed to seeing him in the ridiculously brash and colorful tunics and slippers of the Court Clown. So watching him run in the thick, black clothing of a warrior, his breath heaving as if he'd been running for a while, she was struck by how intimidating he might be to meet in combat.

Ayleth swallowed.

Unaware of her shock, Borsche slid to a halt in front of Falek. "Finally, I caught you, please can we go somewhere private, I just spoke with Etan—"

Falek and Borsche both tensed and Ayleth held her breath as the men turned to search the corridor behind him, freezing in place. She was about to ask them what was wrong when Falek settled his weight on the balls of his feet and grasped his sword hilt again, glaring down at Borsche just as the shadows of two servants in the royal livery trotted into view. The pair were distracted and clearly not expecting to find the Princess, her Knight Defender, and another man standing in the corridor like cats deciding whether to fight.

Both women jerked to a halt, whispering to each other when they caught sight of the threesome in the halls outside the Princess's chambers. But Ayleth raised her chin and glared down at them, hurrying them along with her disapproval, until they curtseyed, then leaped to scamper past and disappeared around a corner up the hall.

Neither she nor the men relaxed. They all knew how servants liked to eavesdrop—or spy. Even with the women's apparent surprise, there was no guarantee they had not been sent to watch. 

Falek opened his mouth, but Ayleth spoke first, putting herself in mind of a moment when the young Lords had, perhaps, had too much to drink. Or the soldiers were feeling their oats.

"Take him and show him what we do with enemies who roam our halls, Falek," she ordered, making her voice cold, snappish, as if Borsche had inconvenienced her, and earned her disapproval.

"Yes, Your Highness."

She kept her face stern, but watched, internally sighing, as Falek took Borsche by the arm, turned him forcibly, and marched him down the hall, Borsche pretending to cower and wheedle, as if Falek might take him to the dungeon. In truth, Ayleth knew they only marched down the curved hall, out of sight of the servants who might have been peering from a cross-corridor, where there was a room three doors down where a closet would lead to the hidden passage that ended in the chamber of Ayleth's suite. It was one of Ayleth's escape routes in the event of an assassination—or kidnap—attempt. Or a way to reach her chambers without being seen. She had Falek had trained accessing it many times.

But just in case they did have watchers, for her part of the subterfuge, Ayleth shook her head and strode back to her chamber door, huffing as if she'd been irritated, then once she was inside, whirling to lock the door behind her and await the men's arrival through the secret door behind the tapestry.

She had paced the floor several times before the brightly woven tapestry flapped out from the wall and the two men emerged. She began talking before they'd even greeted her.

"Where's Etan?" she demanded of Borsche. "Where is my mother?"

Borsche's head jerked back. "You haven't found your mother yet?"

Falek grunted. "We were just on our way to the library in case she'd intercepted Etan somehow. He hasn't been seen, and neither has she since half an hour before we got to the Castle."

Borsche frowned and looked away from her as if he were trying to remember something. Ayleth waited impatiently for him to turn back. But when he did, it was to keep his eyes on the floor, raking his hand through his dark, peppered hair as if he were still searching his mind for the truth. 

"We split up when we got to the castle. I went to find his mother. It took some time to extricate her from… we didn't make it to the library until about an hour after we arrived. But Etan was waiting for us."

"He's there?!" Ayleth gasped and turned for the door, but Borsche and Falek both called her back. 

"You cannot go, Ayleth, he's sent me to you with a message!" Borsche insisted.

Ayleth stopped midstride. Both she and Falek waited until Borsche—who was muttering to himself and still looked confused—finally spoke up.

"When we got to the library he was alone, but there was the scent of perfume in the air," he said, his voice low and heavy. "And before I could ask him where you were, he became very insistent.

"He said to tell warn "our friends" that the Zenithrans were trying to block Summitras from the Peace Accord. He said drastic action was necessary and all our current plans must be delayed. Postponed until after the Accord was signed." Borsche's nostrils flared and he turned to Falek, his jaw tight. "He said "Our friends must step very, very carefully," that we could not give the Zenithrans reason to question your loyalty or intentions…"

Falek looked at Ayleth and her stomach sank.

***** 

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