I spotted Jane and Hunter standing at the far end of the room, looking out of place among so many guests with fancy clothes. But Hunter held Jane’s hand and she leaned in close, and both seemed oblivious to everything else going on around them.
I noticed the wizard talking to a group of men and saw Scuppers standing by the food table, gnawing on a cooked chicken leg. So much for obeying my orders to stay outside. Still, there was nothing I could do about it even if I had wanted to shoo him away. Besides, when you came right down to it, his table manners weren’t all that much worse than those of other men I’d seen in the Middle Ages.
Prince Edmond talked to me of the kingdom and the crop predictions for the season. He pointed his father out to me, a middle-aged man who, despite the streaks 355/431
of gray hair on his head, seemed to be made mostly of muscle. I wondered what the king did to stay so fit. As Edmond spoke, I nodded, smiled, and answered him halfheartedly.
My WSM and two stepsisters, as per the fairy tale, watched me sullenly from the side of the room, but showed no sign that they recognized me. It wasn’t worth taking the time to gloat. I kept wondering how I was ever going to get away from Edmond long enough to talk to Tristan.
After another song Tristan apparently grew tired of waiting for me, and disappeared from the edge of the dance floor. When I saw him next he moved past me, towing Margaret in his arms. Margaret. He’d probably have been safer if I’d left him outside.
She smiled at him, but even from a distance I could tell it was a condescending smile. Why in the world he kept smiling back at her, I didn’t know.
We danced two more songs. When I saw Tristan walk Margaret back into the crowd, I told Edmond I was thirsty and asked if he could get a drink for me. He obliged me and we walked off the dance floor. As soon as he went to look for a serving girl, I slipped through the crowd, making my way toward Tristan.
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He stood by Princess Margaret and several other nobles. They were offering their condolences that the Black Knight hadn’t responded to his challenge.
“Surely he’s heard of your success with the cyclops and dragon and is afraid to face you,” one man said.
Several agreed. A few suggested Tristan ring the bell tomorrow and see if the Black Knight responded then.
One added, “It’s a fight I won’t miss—when the Black Knight finally faces Sir Tristan.” I took hold of Tristan’s arm to get his attention. “Can I speak with you for a moment?”
The men all stopped talking and bowed in my direction. Their eyes took me in and they smiled enviously at Tristan. I found the attention disconcerting, but I could tell it totally ticked off Princess Margaret. She pursed her lips together and glared at me.
Tristan said, “May I present Lady Savannah to you,” then repeated the names of the earls and barons who stood nearby. I didn’t try to remember them, I just smiled and nodded, then pulled Tristan away. As we walked toward the far corner of the room, I checked over my shoulder. No sign of Prince Edmond, but I was sure it wouldn’t be long until he tracked me down again.
Really, if Edmond insisted on being so attentive, I would flee long before midnight.
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“You decided to be Cinderella after all,” Tristan said tightly, eyeing my dress. “I thought you were through with princes.”
“I came to warn you that Margaret may be trying to poison you. I’m not positive, but she could have bought the poison from Simon and I can’t think of who else she’d want to kill.”
“Oh.” Tristan gazed back at me without concern.
“Margaret might have bought poison and she might want to use it. Well, you obviously couldn’t deliver that message without dressing in a ball gown and dancing with Prince Edmond for every song.” Tristan reached over and pushed my skirt away from my feet. “You’ve even got the glass slippers. Perfect.” I yanked my skirt out of his hands. “Did you even hear me about Princess Margaret?”
“Yes, you don’t like her. I understand that.” I tried again to make him see my point. “The poison that Simon stole—think about it—if she’s in league with the Black Knight, what else would she do with it?” Tristan’s blue eyes narrowed in on mine. “You just assume, of course, that she doesn’t want to marry me.
That she couldn’t. Marrying me would be a fate worth killing for.”
I blinked at him in surprise. “That isn’t what I meant.
I just don’t want you to trust her. She could hurt you.” 358/431
“She could hurt me? She’s always been very nice to me.” He looked upward as though considering the charge. “And not once has she set fairies on me to transport me to another realm.”
“Tristan—,” I started, but he cut me off.
“One time when she didn’t know I was near, she told her lady’s maid that she didn’t care whether a man was lowborn or not. An ambitious man would rise to the top regardless. And I have. It’s too bad you’ve been too wrapped up in fairy-tale princes to notice.” I took a step away from him, stung. “I came all this way to warn you. I don’t know why I bothered.” His gaze ran up and down me. “You came all this way to meet up with Prince Charming. It’s what you’ve wanted all along. I read your contract.” I felt my cheeks flushing. “Fine. Trust her. You’ll see I’m right after you’re dead.”
“Well, it all becomes a moot point after that, doesn’t it?”
Which is pretty much why it’s impossible to argue with smart people. They pay more attention to what you say than to what you mean. I turned around so quickly my skirt twirled around my ankles, and I stalked off in the direction I’d come. I’d find Edmond again and dance with him until midnight. And I didn’t care if Tristan 359/431
spent the entire time dancing with Margaret. They deserved each other.
Chapter 24
I weaved through the crowd, but instead of looking for Edmond, I went outside onto the balcony. I wanted to be alone.
I walked past couples standing in the moonlight. The stars spread out in the sky above the green, untamed land below. I had to grudgingly admit that the Middle Ages was nice in that regard—everything green and wild.
Even here at the castle, their pinnacle of civilization, thick vines crawled up the balcony’s walls.
Looking at the romantic scenery made me feel even worse. I had thought that Tristan cared about me. Had all his feelings for me evaporated? Perhaps they hadn’t been that strong to begin with. I should just leave and go back to the inn.
I’d only taken a few steps into the ballroom when Edmond found me. He carried two goblets, and after giving me one, took my free hand in his. He pulled me back toward the dance floor. “Come, let’s quench our thirst and dance again. You’ve been away from my arms for too long.”
We walked several steps until we came upon Tristan.
His eyes flickered over my hand in Edmond’s and his 361/431
jaw grew tight. I nodded at him, said “Sir Tristan,” and waited for him to move out of our way. He didn’t. The next moment Princess Margaret arrived at his side holding two goblets. She offered one to Tristan without paying any attention to Edmond or me. “Are you thirsty, Sir Tristan?”
“No,” I said too quickly.
I sent Tristan a wide-eyed look of warning, but he took the goblet from her hand just to spite me. “Thank you, your highness. You’re as thoughtful as you are beautiful.”
“A toast then.” I held my goblet up and tried not to glare at him. “To love, and the things we do for it.” Edmond smiled and raised his own goblet. “Here, here.”
Margaret raised her drink and clinked it into mine with a cold smile. Tristan reluctantly raised his own drink. His face was serious and he didn’t take his eyes off of mine.
I slammed my goblet into his with such force that it flew backward, spilling the entire contents on his tunic.