“Sir, we have urgent news regarding the missing Queen Marigold. She was captured earlier today. If we do not see Topaz immediately, her life could be at stake. Itisat stake, in fact. And time is of the essence. You are an important player. You can see that we have no ability to do anyone harm, and besides, your guards are too skilled for that. Please, let us in.” She smiled and produced a loaf of bread. “For your trouble.”
The porter skeptically reached for the bread. He tore it in two and took a bite.
“I’ve never tasted anything like it,” he said.
Rosemary smiled.
“It was a joint effort. My sister Julianne and I baked it just this morning.”
Finn cleared his throat.
“Right,” the porter said. “I’ll let you in to disturb King Topaz while he is sleeping. He is a good king who will not punish me even if you are imposters.”
The porter let them through the gates, a guard trailing behind them. It had begun to rain, and as they put their horses in the stables, Finn couldn’t help but feel some awe at the majesty of the palace. Freddie especially was taken with the image that she had only seen rendered in paint.
They entered the great hall with a posse of guards, looking rag-tag and innocent, to be sure. They were given wine and cheese, which Freddie ate with relish, having never in her life been on a ride that long before.
Finn took in the grand surroundings. The portraits. His eyes rested on the one of Marigold. Damn it, he loved her. He knew it as he took in her image. He saw so much there, even though the painting was likely in the words at a time when Marigold was deeply unhappy. He saw the spark of his Marigold even so. The flash in her eyes. She was so beautiful.
William asked Finn what he was looking at, and then his eyes found the picture, too.
“Marigold,” he said, and Finn nodded. “How is it that she could have been unnoticed here?” Finn asked. “I can’t take my eyes off of her.”
William gave Finn a curious look and opened his mouth to speak, but just then more guards were entering the hall, and behind them, Finn recognized King Topaz and the new queen, Helena.
Finn felt a riot of jealousy in his breast as he took in Topaz. This was the father of her children: handsome, stately, and beloved by all. Even though Marigold said she could not love him, Finn couldn’t help feeling possessive.
This man had kissed Marigold. Had held her hand. Had slept in the same bed as her. Run his fingers through her hair. Called her wife.
He had a friendly aspect though, Finn had to give him that. And this even when woken up in the middle of the night by unimportant looking strangers.
Queen Helena was lithe and pretty, with blue hair and neat dressing gown covered by a blue cloak.
They all kneeled, though it very much pained Finn to kneel before the man whom he would like to punch.
“How can I be of service?” Topaz asked.
“It is we who can be of service to you,” Finn said curtly. “I am Finn, and this is my brother William, and these are my sisters Rosemary and Freddie. Just this morning the former Queen Marigold was taken by displaced subjects of the dead water king who uncovered her identity. We need your help to find Marigold and secure her safety.”
Topaz’s casual manner immediately shifted.
“Marigold? She’s not safe?”
“Of course not!” Finn nearly shouted.
“But—but—she left me this letter, saying not to look for her, but that she’d be fine, and she would come back—”
“Shewassafe, with us. Until that pamphlet came out and she was recognized. Now she may well be dead. We must act quickly.”
Topaz looked a little scared, but Helena, the warrior who had ultimately triumphed over the evil water king, looked ready for battle.
“Let’s think about this,” she said. “They’ve got her. Where would they go? How was she captured?”
“Carried off,” Finn said. “One of them was a shifter.”
“And where were you, great protector?” Topaz asked. Helena nudged him in the ribs.
“That’s of no concern now,” Helena said. “Think—where would they take her?”
