Jade nodded, changing course and walking in step with Theo to the base’s garden.
The garden was specifically set up to be a peaceful retreat for the soldiers on base. Walled in by tall hedges, the garden easily gave the impression of being separate from base, transporting the soldiers and officers to a tranquil escape in the midst of their demanding lives. A fountain sat in its center, as tall as Theo and cascading water down from upward pointing spouts into the pool below. Gravel pathways lined with stones wound around trees, shrubs, and flowers, with benches interspersed along the way.
Theo led Jade to a bench a little way in, positioned under the wide shade of a tall oak tree. When he sat, he leaned forward with elbows on his knees and clasped hands, squinting as he stared straight ahead. Jade sat beside him and angled her face to him, waiting with bated breath.
“I wanted to apologize for last night,” Theo said after a beat, his eyes still focused on the garden beyond. “I should have trusted you enough to handle it. You’re capable of taking care of yourself; I know you are. I just got—” He sighed and dropped his head. When he spoke again, his voice barely carried over the sound of the fountain. “I got scared.”
An involuntary flutter rippled through Jade’s middle, and her breath hitched. There it was again—another glimpse of affection he might have for her. Was he about to say as much? Jade’s pulse pounded, though she tried to appear cool and collected. They’d had so little time to themselves with theassignment going on that she hadn’t had a good chance to bring it up with him herself. Now, maybe she didn’t have to.
Theo straightened a little and continued speaking, apparently unaware of Jade’s raging heart. “It was foolish and reckless, and I put you in even more danger by showing up at the palace’s front door. I didn’t think enough about what I was doing, I’ll admit it. Something just took over inside me.” He finally faced her, his eyes warm and steady, with a fierceness she’d never seen before. “You deserve more from your backup, from your partner. I swear to you that I will do a better job from here on out. My first priority is your safety, Jade, and I let you down in that regard last night.”
Jade took in Theo’s face, his sincerity mingled with something else she couldn’t quite place. Worry creased his brow and distress lined his eyes, his mouth pulled into a tight line. The care radiating from his magnificent ocean eyes tugged at something deep within Jade, pulling her to him. She stopped herself from leaning in to him, instead laying a gentle hand on his forearm.
“I’m always safe with you,” she said, her eyes never leaving his. “I know that. I hope you know that too.”
Theo wrapped his free hand around Jade’s fingers where they rested on his arm. He nodded, the movement slight, and murmured, “I’d do anything to protect you. The thought of something happening to you...terrifies me. I’d be lost. You’re...You’re home to me, Jade. You’re home.”
Warmth radiated from Jade’s middle, and she wanted nothing more than to close the remaining little distance between them. She longed for his arms to wrap around her, to melt in the comfort of his embrace. The sudden thought of what his lips might feel like brushed against her mind, and she had to force her eyes from dropping to his mouth.
Jade squeezed the hand that curled around her fingers. “Likewise, Theo. There’s no one in the world who knows me like you.” A small smile curved her lips, and she nearly held her breath as she anticipated his next words.
He smiled in return as his eyes scanned her face as though he was looking for something. He must not have found it, pressing his smile intoanother line and giving her fingers one last squeeze. “I’ll see you at dinner, then.” Theo stood and took a step away, but he stopped and turned back, gravel crunching under his heel. He paused for a moment, seeming to carefully choose his words before finally saying, “I’m sure we’ll hear from one of the royals soon. You’ve done such an exceptional job getting them to fall in love with you.”
Jade barely had time to stand before he turned again and walked away, his long strides taking him farther and farther away from her.
Twenty
All the beauty of thegloriously hot summer day couldn’t rectify Jade’s dour mood. She’d received the report from Matherson that morning: another person close to The Claim had died of no apparent cause, and Grand General Devereaux had sent someone other than Jade to investigate. Even without being there, Jade had no doubts it was the work of the same killer, another death by rienevoir.
The victim this time was a close supporter of Robert Marchand, Earl of Southbury, the contender who had married into the royal family only four months before. Could this murder have been what Jade overheard Grannam setting up? Had he been supplying his assassin with the rienevoir necessary to kill this person?
If the grand general had had any tip or lead that the killer was about to strike again, she hadn’t shared it with Matherson and Jade. Irritation prickled within her as Jade couldn’t help but think that if she had been informed, shewould have had another chance at stopping the killer. She might have even caught him this time, or trailed him back to his base of operations, or gathered some physical evidence that tied him to the crime.
Whenever Jade returned to Nicolas next, she planned to ask about this murder. Had he known? Surely he had. He always seemed to. Yet she had received no lead from him.
Perhaps he meant what he’d said that he would only give her information if she provided him with what he sought. Despite the heat, Jade shivered.
At least Marguerite had called Featherly the day prior and invited Elena to tea in the garden with her and Alanna. It gave Jade something to do, something to direct her energies toward. Matherson had given her the go ahead to bring up the murders with the royal ladies to see if they had any insight. Word of the latest one had already spread, so it was reasonable enough to assume someone like Elena Tavigne would have heard about it. Matherson wanted answers as badly as Jade did.
Though Theo accompanied her again, driving her carriage to Evenshold Palace, Jade had barely spoken to him. She’d been so certain he was going to say more about how he felt for her in the garden, about what had truly driven him to want to be stationed with her. The fact that he hadn’t left her hollow. Maybe she was casting her own desires on him and the longing was one-sided. If that was the case, she didn’t want to be the one to say anything and mess up their friendship.
Theo wordlessly dropped Jade off at the front entrance, but Jade didn’t go inside. Instead, Marguerite met Jade in the drive to walk with her to the garden.
“I’m absolutely delighted you accepted my invitation,” Marguerite squealed, taking Jade’s hands and squeezing. “So much of your attention was taken by others at dinner the other night that you and I didn’t have a chance to chat properly.” She grinned as they crossed into the garden. “I hope you like tomato sandwiches, because we have loads of them. And cakes.”
Jade beamed. More delectable food to make this assignment one of the best things she’d done in the military. “I will happily eat whatever you feed me.” She leaned her head close to Marguerite conspiratorially. “But yes, tomato sandwiches sound perfect today. And I will never say no to cake.”
Marguerite guided Jade through the manicured garden, with low shrubs cut and shaped into designs and flowers organized into patterns by color. While magnificent, the gardens at Evenshold Palace were nothing like the small, intimate, more natural garden on base, which Jade preferred.
Trees lined the exterior of the garden, though none punctuated the designs within, and Jade spotted a white metal table with three chairs under the shade of one of the trees. Alanna was already seated, and a footman attended her with a cart full of delicacies and beverages.
Alanna stood at their approach and waved, and Jade waved back. Before they arrived at the table, Jade glanced back over her shoulder as if admiring the garden from a different angle, when in fact she was gauging Theo’s potential line of sight from the stables. He should be able to keep an eye on her in case there was any trouble, but Jade didn’t expect any issues having tea with Marguerite and Alanna. After his vulnerability in the base garden, she wanted Theo to have a way to see her more for his own peace of mind.
“It’s such a lovely day, isn’t it?” Alanna said when Jade and Marguerite reached her. She held out her hands to Jade and took them both, then leaned in to kiss the air beside her cheek. “It’s the perfect weather for tea outside.”
Jade smiled and sat as the other ladies did, then the footman offered them their choice of delicacies. “It was so thoughtful of you to invite me.”
“You’re delightful, Elena.” Marguerite shrugged, piling sandwiches on her plate. “And we only have you for a short time before you return to Ellyris.”
