Page 84 of The Queen's Crown
Sabine took a deep breath, thankful the conversation was shifting away from her.
“How about we let the princess prepare for her wedding while I meet with you,” Rainer said. “After all, she is young and naive. There’s nothing she can contribute.”
His words stung. Sabine realized she must have said something Rainer didn’t agree with. Peering over at him, he wasn’t even looking her way. She glanced at Axel who was diligently using his fork to move the food around on his plate, not looking at anyone, with a small smile on his lips. If she didn’t know better, she’d say he was on the verge of laughter.
“Very well,” the man said.
For the remainder of breakfast, Sabine simply sat there, not paying attention to the conversations going on around her. Instead, she kept trying to figure out what she’d said that had upset Rainer. The other possibility could be that he didn’t want her in the meeting because there was something he didn’t want her to know. Either case was not acceptable.
She feared that once she was announced as the official queen of Lynk, Rainer would still treat her the same way. He wouldn’t confide in her or ask for her opinion. She had a feeling that it wouldn’t change with time, that it was the way things were here in this kingdom. Not only that, but she was an outsider and didn’t understand their ways. The entire time she’d been here, she’d been trying to wear Lynk clothing, do things the Lynk way, and assimilate as much as she could so she’d be accepted. Welcomed. Valued. However, she was coming to understand she was simply a means to an end. Rainer needed to secure his throne, and that could only be done by marrying and producing an heir. She was simply a horse to be bred, nothing more.
No longer hungry, she shoved her plate away. She sat there sipping her tea with honey, the only one drinking the warm beverage in a kingdom where tea wasn’t a tradition like it was in Bakley. She didn’t know who had asked for it to be brought to her every day, but it was. And she was the only one who had a cup of tea leaves in front of her.
It was time she started paying more attention to the things going on around her. She knew not all was as it seemed.
People started leaving one by one.
Sabine remained there, sipping her tea, a plan starting to form in her mind as she realized she wasn’t there to take her sister’s place any longer. She was there to ensure the survival of her family and of Bakley.
The last person stood to leave. He was one of the men from the delegation. On his way from the room, he paused next to Sabine. “Why did you really take your sister’s place?” he asked, his voice a whisper in the empty room.
She knew this was a loaded question. That the words spoken meant more than what was asked on the surface. For some reason, her gut told her to answer as honestly as possible. She looked up at him and said, “To save the children in my kingdom.” Even though Bakley was no longer her kingdom. Lynk was. Her loyalty remained with her native kingdom and always would.
The man’s brows drew together. “From being kidnapped, is that correct?”
“Yes. I thought I already explained this about twenty minutes ago?” There had to be something he either didn’t understand or agree with. For some reason, this issue felt vital. As if everything hung on what she said.
“Do you know who’s kidnapping them?” he asked.
She tilted her head back farther so she could look directly into his clear eyes. “Carlon.” She’d already said this, so why was he asking her again?
“What proof do you have that it is Carlon?”
“They’ve been raiding our towns. They attacked me on the way here.”
“I thought you were power hungry,” the Avoni man whispered. “I can see I was wrong. It’s not you who we need to be concerning ourselves with. Like your sister, you’re simply a victim.” He bowed his head and then left the room.
Stunned, Sabine replayed the conversation over again in her head, considering everything the man had—and hadn’t—said.
Rounding the corner, Sabine spotted Lottie and Anton in the courtyard on her right, their heads bent toward one other, talking quietly so their voices didn’t carry. She decided to cut through the courtyard to see what the two of them were up to. When Anton noticed her approaching, he straightened and said something to Lottie, who turned to look at Sabine.
When Sabine reached the siblings, she patted the side of her leg once—the command for Harta to sit and wait. “Do I even want to know what the two of you are gossiping about?” she asked, trying to keep her voice light. The new plan she was putting into action involved keeping up the appearance that she was indeed young and naive. Unfortunately, it also included putting her sister’s killer second on her list of things to do. Her priority was now figuring out why Rainer had chosen Alina to marry in the first place. Once she understood what was really going on, she suspected she’d find the assassin.
Lottie smiled. “We were just discussing the Avoni delegation and their awful clothing.”
For the first time since meeting Lottie, Sabine realized she wasn’t being sincere. Lottie’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, her words felt forced, and her fingers kept twitching as if nervous. That, coupled with the fact that this was Anton Lottie was speaking to—not Axel—told Sabine that Lottie was lying.
Whatever it was the two of them were discussing, they didn’t want Sabine to know. “I’ll leave you alone then.” Sabine forced her own smile on her lips. She was just about to pat the side of her leg twice—the command for Harta to follow her—when Lottie reached down, turning her hand out.
Harta went over to Lottie and sat in front of her, lifting her right paw.
“I didn’t know she’d listen to you,” Sabine said. “And Rainer didn’t teach me that command.”
“Oh,” Lottie said, looking down at Harta. “I work with all the dogs. I help to train them. Sometimes I give a command without even realizing it.”
“What command did you just do?” Sabine asked.
“That told Harta she did something well and I have a treat for her.” She knelt. “I’m sorry, girl. I don’t have anything to give you.” She scratched behind the dog’s ears and made kissing sounds. “This will have to be enough.”
