Page 29 of The Royal Throne
“I think I am, but my sister might not agree with me.”
“I am in desperate need of a lady’s maid,” Sabine said matter of factly. “Would you like the job?”
Harper’s eyes widened. “You want to hire me?” she asked, her voice louder than necessary in the small store, her excitement showing through.
“I do. I need someone I can trust.”
“I’d love to work in the palace.” Her smile got even bigger.
Sabine turned to face Drew. “Can you handle this matter for me?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll speak with her family and make the necessary arrangements.”
“Thank you.” She faced Harper again. “I’d like you to meet Captain Drew. He is in charge of my personal guard and will be going over everything with you. I hope to see you later this evening.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. You won’t be disappointed.”
Sabine exited the store with the rest of her guards following close behind. A small crowd had gathered outside. While she didn’t think she had room for any more flowers in her bedchamber, she took all the bouquets that were given to her, thanking every single person who’d taken the time to do something so kind for her.
Then she perused through the town, buying some bread, honey, and even a few pieces of jewelry. These people needed to know she was one of them. If that meant purchasing items frequently, she would do so. A lot of them were reserves in the army. Since she wanted to take control of that army, she needed them on her side.
A servant opened the door, granting Sabine entrance into a quaint sitting room. Even though the sun had set, the windows and doors remained open, allowing the warm air to pass through. Dozens of candles had been lit, brightening the space. A handful of people were present, all the men dressed in uniform which meant they were in the army. When she entered, her guards remained out in the hallway, probably because this was the commander’s private rooms and she would be safe in his presence.
Lady Regina immediately rushed over, going into a low curtsey. Commander Felix joined her a moment later, bowing.
“Thank you for coming, Your Majesty,” Regina said as she stood.
Cutler came over. “Queen Sabine.” He bowed.
“Thank you for inviting me.” A servant handed Sabine a glass of wine. She took it and went farther into the room.
Felix introduced her to everyone—they were all high ranking officers and their wives.
“We weren’t sure if the king would be joining you this evening,” Lady Regina said, glancing at Cutler.
Sabine smiled. Let the games begin. “Though the king returned last night, I have seen little of him. He seems to be preoccupied with personal matters that don’t include me.”
“That’s a shame,” Felix said. “He is lucky to have you by his side. I must admit, I haven’t seen him since he returned. He hasn’t been to the training center. Had my own son not told me, I wouldn’t even know the king was here.”
Cutler stood off to the side, leaning against the wall, a drink in hand.
Sabine rarely pitied anyone. However, her heart ached for Cutler. It was obvious Rainer and Heather had spent the day together. It was also clear that Cutler loved Heather. For Heather to throw that in Cutler’s face, Sabine found it hard to stomach.
An uncomfortable minute stretched between those present. One of the wives said, “Your Majesty, I’m so glad you’ve returned to the palace yourself. We heard you’d been gone as well.” It sounded more like a question.
Sabine understood the statement for what it was. These people wanted to know where she’d been.
“I’m thankful to be home after the horrible ordeal of facing an assassin.” She took a seat on the nearby sofa, taking a sip of her drink.
“An assassin?” The woman said. “Was it the same one who…”
Not missing a beat, Sabine nodded. “It was. I just don’t understand why King Rainer didn’t arrest his sister once he found out she was the one who’d hired the assassin. Not to do anything, to let her send the assassin after me, I can’t tell you what terror that caused.”
“Princess Lottie?” another woman said.
“She wants the crown and is trying to overthrow her brother.” Sabine looked around the room, taking in everyone’s response to her words. A few looked skeptical, so she forged on. “King Rainer discovered his sister was behind Princess Alina’s death. Since he’s a new king, he thought it would look bad to have his own sister trying to usurp him, so he married me hoping that it would afford me the protection I needed. However, I then heard Lottie with the assassin telling him to end me so her brother would lose the throne. Fearing for my life, I fled the palace and went to see my brother. Once the assassin was dealt with, I returned. I only hope Lottie doesn’t hire another one. I’ve tried talking to Rainer, but he barely speaks to me.” She let her eyes fill with tears.
“That is horrible,” Regina said, her hand going to her chest in shock. “Though, I’m not surprised. Our king seems to be preoccupied with his concubine instead of protecting what matters most.”
