Page 21 of Vanish

I glanced towards Lisette, who seemed torn between hope and terror. “Here, right behind my chair.”

The men around the long table exchanged glances and soft, disbelieving murmurs. “Is this some kind of insult?” The Thorndale emissary’s voice was icy.

“No, of course not. She’s simply not visible to anyone else at present.” An idea flashed through my mind and I gasped in triumph. “I can prove it!”

Father cleared his throat. “Son, why don’t you and I continue this discussion in private? You can wait in my study until I conclude the meeting.” He nodded at Ryland, who glanced uncertainly between me and Father before rising to escort me out.

I strode into the hallway, jerking away from my brother when he attempted to lay a conciliatory hand on my arm. “Tell me you believe me.”

He hesitated, his gaze sliding sideways before he sighed and silently started towards Father’s study. I followed, anxiously checking to make sure Lisette accompanied us, fearing that today’s events would have shaken her confidence.

I anxiously paced the study until I heard Father’s slow and weary footsteps. He quietly entered the room, meeting my eyes with mingled concern and compassion.

“I know it sounds delusional,” I said. “But Princess Lisette has not fully vanished. She’s nearly transparent and it seems I’m the only one who is able to see and hear her, but we’ve been working together to research the curse.”

Father shot a troubled glance towards Ryland, who shrugged. “Evelyn thinks there may be merit to this theory,” he offered.

Father’s expression became pensive as he turned back to me. “You mentioned you can prove her presence?”

I brightened, relieved that he was willing to listen rather than entirely dismissing me; from beside me, I sensed Lisette perk up as well. “I believe I’m the only one who can currently see her, but since we can communicate, I can ask her a question and relay her answer.” I turned to Lisette for confirmation and she gave a tentative nod. “Is there a question I wouldn’t know the answer to but she would?”

Father considered a moment before he angled himself towards the place I’d been looking where Lisette hovered.“How many were in your entourage when the curse struck you?”

She responded promptly. “My handmaid, Aira, was with me in the carriage, and we were accompanied by two guards on horseback, as well as the driver.”

I quickly relayed her response. Father nodded, though his frown lingered.

“That is a very specific answer, although I’m surprised that such a small group transported the princess for her wedding. Unfortunately there’s no way of confirming the truthfulness of her statement and that you’re not merely…” He hesitated.

“Imagining things?” Bitterness filled my voice, but I had to admit he had reason to wonder.

Lisette leaned forward and laid a nearly weightless hand on my arm. “The dignitaries you met with from Thorndale were General Radolf, Sergeant Gerbaut, Lieutenant Evenon, and Lord Bilmont, who confer with Father on matters of military strategy.”

This time when I relayed the information Father looked intrigued, as well as a little concerned to hear the visiting dignitaries were actually military.

“That does seem like information you wouldn’t have known since introductions were made before you arrived,” he said. “I would like nothing more than for the princess to truly be here. But even if she is, we’re still faced with the dual problems of convincing Thorndale that she has not actually vanished and finding a way to bring her back. I fear they will not back down from their demands until she is fully restored…if such a thing is possible.”

“How did the rest of the meeting go?” I clenched my hands to keep them from nervously tapping on the arm of my chair.

Father shook his head with a sigh. “We had no choice but to agree with their demands. They will return later with an official contract outlining their required price. I’m about to meet with our own advisors concerning the implications Brimoire will face; I don’t need to tell you that this is a loss we cannot afford. I’ll need both of you to attend. Perhaps we can expedite our curse research, but I fear we will need to turn most of our attention to gathering their payment…and possibly preparing for war.”

The only silver lining was that these matters took precedence over the unwanted discussions concerning my impending new arrangement that I didn’t want to endure, especially with my true fiancée nearby, a reprieve I was immensely grateful for. To my disappointment, ultimately my revelation about Lisette made little difference. Discouragement crippled me as I endured the meetings on other affairs that kept me separated from her for far too long, with little to show for the tedious hours that melted away.

Eventually it concluded, finally allowing me the opportunity for the long-awaited conversation I should have had with my fiancée years ago about just what she’d been forced to endure within the court of Thorndale.

CHAPTER11

Lisette

Arush of recollection collided in my mind like the discolored threads of a tapestry. The distorted fragments created not reminiscences of my relationship with my fiancé that I’d been struggling to make sense of ever since the curse had consumed most of my memories, but painful recollections of my life in Thorndale that the more I remembered, the more I realized they were ones I wanted nothing more than to forget.

Each harsh word General Radolf spoke formed outlines of what had initially been a blurry, indiscernible picture; shades of meaning gradually filled in the lingering gaps—a life lacking meaning beyond my role as Father’s political pawn, years of constant indifference and neglect, a painful barrier of shyness created to protect the fragile emotions of my heart that I worked tirelessly to keep hidden.

I flinched at the memory of Father’s angry voice when I’d ventured to ask him the reasoning behind a trade agreement. Even worse was the recollection of his cold triumph when he told me that, without my consent or even knowledge, he’d made a marriage arrangement between me and a man I’d never met, an alliance that would put me on the throne of another kingdom and increase his influence in international affairs.

With each remembrance I felt myself drifting farther from the meeting room filled with its horrible pronouncements and punishing memories into the nothingness that I’d been fighting to resist, leaving me without any strength remaining for the exhausting fight. Lucien cast me several worried glances throughout the meeting, the sole connection that kept me from finding myself at the curse’s mercy as its tight tendrils coiled around my awareness, coaxing me to stop struggling.

His image gradually grew fainter and the voices muffled, as if the real world was drifting farther away…replaced with sounds from the other world I thought I’d sensed during the night—voices of beings I couldn’t see, beckoning me like a siren to a place where I wouldn’t be forced to relive the memories from my time at the Thorndale court if I vanished.

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