Page 90 of Legacy of Glass
Chapter28
Olivia
Somehow, word of their rescue reached the palace ahead of them. When they rode through the front gates and across the long courtyard, they found Lord and Lady Emerson waiting on the front steps of the palace, along with King Robert and Queen Elsinore. The two monarchs looked tense, and Olivia suspected their hands had been full preventing Marigold’s parents from racing into the city in search of her.
As soon as Marigold tumbled off her horse, her mother scooped her into a hug, and her father turned a furious face on Cade. But Julius leaped down and inserted himself between the older and younger lord.
“We have just rescued your daughter from a warehouse, where she was shackled and held in captivity with another abducted girl. Lord Cade was part of the group that fought to free her and was responsible for working out where she was being held. Without him, she would likely still be in captivity right now. I will not permit any more of the baseless accusations you spewed last night.”
Lord Emerson drew himself up, his eyes flashing, but Julius held his gaze, his face steadfast. Lord Emerson finally relaxed, throwing a single vitriolic look at Cade before turning to his wife and daughter.
But when he tried to embrace Marigold, she thrust him away. “All this happened because of your stubbornness! I wouldn’t have been abducted to stop me marrying the prince if you hadn’t insisted on the betrothal in the first place!”
“That’s why you were abducted?” Olivia asked, realizing that in all the chaos, no one had clarified that point.
Marigold shrugged. “As best I could work out from the occasional comments dropped by my captors. They didn’t bother with a ransom demand because they were planning to hold me until the prince married someone else.”
“I’m relieved you were rescued but devastated you were in captivity for so long,” King Robert said gravely. He turned to Julius. “Well done, son. From what I hear, tales of your bravery are already spreading through the city.”
Julius raised his brows. “And the bravery of the others, I hope.” He indicated Olivia, Daphne, and Cade. “I didn’t do it alone.”
“As to that—” Whatever the king had been about to say was interrupted by the appearance of a man in palace livery.
Olivia recognized the man as one of King Robert’s most trusted aides—the same man who had reported on the response of the crowd the day of her betrothal announcement. She watched as the man whispered in the king’s ear, and whatever he was imparting must have been significant because she could see the traces of strong emotion on King Robert’s face, despite his lifetime of royal training.
When the man finished, the king nodded before turning to the people before him.
“Son, Lord and Lady Emerson, I must consult with you at once.”
“Have the men we captured been questioned?” Olivia asked eagerly, unable to keep quiet. “Have they identified their employer?”
“That is a matter for the guards,” the king said. “I’m sure we will receive a report in due time.”
Olivia’s brows drew together. “But?—”
“I’m afraid you will have to excuse us,” the king said inexorably. “We need to deal with a matter of both urgency and sensitivity.”
Before Olivia could think of anything to say, Lord and Lady Emerson, Marigold, and Julius had somehow been swept inside, leaving Olivia, Daphne, and Cade to wait with the horses until the approaching grooms arrived.
Olivia’s mouth dropped open. She turned to Daphne, incensed. “The abduction of girls from across the capital—and even of the daughter of one of the richest and most influential families in the kingdom—isn’t a matter of urgency and sensitivity?”
Daphne’s eyes narrowed. “What do you think, Lord Cade?”
But when the two girls turned to Cade, he was already halfway up the stairs to the palace door.
Olivia’s mouth fell open again. “Is he going after them? What is happening right now?”
“I don’t know,” Daphne said, her voice uncharacteristically grim. “But I don’t like it. The abductions should be their top priority right now. Unless there’s been an invasion we haven’t heard about or something.”
Despite everything, Olivia laughed. The idea was impossible to imagine. There had been peace between the kingdoms far beyond living memory.
“Come back to my suite,” Daphne said when the grooms finally reached them, and Olivia had given instructions for returning the horses. “You’ll just worry yourself sick if I leave you alone.”
Olivia reluctantly agreed, but she only ended up pacing Daphne’s suite instead of her own.
“Sit down,” her cousin complained. “I’m tired just watching you.”
“You’re always tired.” Olivia paced to the end of the room and back again. “Maybe we should go to the guards’ barracks ourselves. Julius ordered the prisoners brought there as soon as possible, so the first ones might have arrived. We could?—”
