Page 72 of Destiny Redeemed
The voice—decidedly not Anderic’s—shattered the moment like ice water down my spine.
I yelped, shoving Anderic away with enough force that he nearly rolled off me. But with that supernatural grace of his, hewas on his feet in an instant, positioning himself protectively in front of me. I scrambled to grab his leather cloak from the ground, yanking it over my barely covered body as I peered around Anderic’s protective stance.
Chapter 18
Standing at the cave entrance, silhouetted against the morning light, was Lady Minerva. Her elegant posture and knowing smirk were unmistakable even in the shadows.
Oh for the love of—couldn’t I have one moment without the universe conspiring against me? First kidnapped, then almost murdered, and now caught in a compromising position with the crown prince by one of the most powerful women in the kingdom. At this rate, I’d be lucky if the next disaster waited until after breakfast.
I watched as Anderic’s shoulders relaxed, his defensive stance shifting to one of mere surprise.
“Lady Minerva,” he greeted, his voice remarkably composed for a half-naked man who’d just been caught in a rather enthusiastic embrace.
“Your Highness,” she replied with a slight bow of her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. “And I know Lady Ilyana is hiding behind you. You can come out, dear. I’ve seen worse in my many years at court.”
I clutched the leather cloak tighter around me, wishing the ground would open up and swallow me whole. When no such mercy came, I stepped out from behind Anderic, my chin liftedin what I hoped was a dignified manner, though I suspected the effect was somewhat diminished by my tangled hair and flushed cheeks.
“Lady Minerva,” I managed, forcing steadiness into my voice. “What a… surprise.”
“I’m sure it is,” she said dryly, her eyes twinkling. “No need to look so scandalized, child. I was young once too, believe it or not.”
“What brings you here?” Anderic asked, tactfully changing the subject.
Lady Minerva’s expression turned more serious. “I thought you should know that I’ve already sent word to the palace about your whereabouts, Your Highness.”
I froze. “You did what?” The words escaped before I could stop them.
“I had no choice, my dear. The Crown Prince disappeared during a storm? The entire palace would be in an uproar.” She gave me a pointed look. “And yes, I mentioned you were with him.”
My stomach plummeted to my feet. “But that means—”
“Not to worry,” Lady Minerva interrupted, raising a hand. “I sent the message directly to Queen Felicia. She’s quite adept at managing… delicate situations. I’m certain she’ll ensure the news doesn’t spread beyond where it needs to.”
“That’s… thoughtful of you,” I said, still not entirely relieved.
“I’ve also taken the liberty of sending for your maid. Laurel, is it? She’s on her way with a carriage as we speak. Should be here within the hour.”
Anderic bowed his head slightly. “Thank you for your assistance, Lady Minerva.”
She laughed, the sound echoing through the cave. “Oh, put your princely manners away, boy. I’ve known you since you werestealing sweets from the kitchen. No need to thank me.” Her eyes softened with genuine affection.
“How did you even find us?” I asked, still clutching the cloak like a shield. “We’re miles from anywhere.”
“An excellent question,” Anderic agreed, his eyes narrowing slightly. Not with suspicion but rather curiosity. Anderic trusted her. After all, Queen Felicia and Lady Minerva were close friends. So, that was to be expected.
Lady Minerva’s gaze bounced between us, her lips twitching upward before settling on me.
“My dear Ilyana,” she said, her voice taking on a teasing lilt, “surely you didn’t forget about me feeding the geese at the lake every morning? Or did you mix up ducks and geese again?”
I looked down at my bare feet, suddenly fascinated by the cave floor’s uneven surface. “They look remarkably similar,” I muttered, aware of how ridiculous that sounded.
Anderic’s eyes darted between us, curiosity evident in his expression. The morning light streaming through the cave entrance caught the gold in his hair, making it shine like a halo—an effect utterly at odds with the man himself.
Minerva laughed, the sound bouncing off the cave walls. “Well,” she continued, still chuckling, “when I came here this morning as usual to feed my geese, I noticed something rather… unusual.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
My head snapped up, eyes wide with panic. The body. Oh gods, Gareth’s body was still out there. My heart hammered against my ribs as I remembered leaving the corpse by the lake’s edge.
Damn, Gareth. He is creating problems even in death.
