“But if he fails to spin the straw into gold, your son will be executed for lying to the crown,” Queen Liliana finished in a cold, hard voice.
“What? No, I…” Jessamine gasped, her quavering voice trailing off at the end. Hugo glanced over, and his eyes met his mother’s wide, tear-filled ones. The horror of what her lies had created was finally clear to her. She’d thought it was a lark that would never be tested, even by the queen. She would have done anything to make sure that her son landed the very best possible husband, ensuring they all had a comfortable life. No more char work. No more being looked down on and scraping to get by. He understood her desperation to remain free of that pit and not to allow her children to fall into it.
Hugo’s heart softened. She might have gotten him into this mess, but he would not allow her to fall with him. Dorian and Augustine still needed their mother, and maybe his death would make her more cautious with her other two sons.
“But…I didn’t mean…”
Hugo grabbed one of his mother’s hands and squeezed it tightly as he took a large step in front of her, blocking her from the view of everyone in the room. “Yes, I can do it. I will do it. I’m the one who told my mother I can spin straw into gold, and I will.”
Behind him, his mother clung to his hand with both of hers, her fingers painfully icy.
“Wonderful,” the queen declared and motioned for a servant.
Hugo bowed low to the queen. “Please, Your Majesty, would you send my mother home while I spin the straw? It’s a long time for my younger brothers to be without her, and I don’t want them to worry.”
“Very well. Say your good-byes, and then a servant will take you to where you’ll be working,” the queen commanded, sounding bored with the whole affair.
Hugo turned to face his mother, who looked as if she were mere seconds from bursting into tears. He forced a smile and brushed a kiss to her cheek. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”
“But…” It was the only word left to her.
“Take good care of Dorian and Augustine. I’ll get on well enough here. Everything will be fine.”
Hugo held on to his smile as the butler returned to escort Jessamine through the palace to the waiting carriage. His smile fell away when several guards escorted him to a straw-filled room in the tower.
Five
Hugo held it together until the heavy wooden door banged shut behind him and the guard shoved the iron bolt into the lock. He really was in a tower. Not the tippy-top point of the tower, but it was still very isolated and scary.
His heart raced loudly in his ears, and yet he could barely hear it over his frantic panting. The room was medium sized with four large bales of straw, an old wooden spinning wheel, a stool, and a large basket filled with empty wooden bobbins to catch all the spun gold thread. In one corner, some kind soul had set up a tiny table and placed a pitcher of water and a tin cup on it along with a thick slice of bread. There was also a single empty bucket he could only assume he was supposed to use for his personal business. It wasn’t quite a cell in the dungeon, but it was a prison.
He was trapped. Thoroughly, completely trapped.
What the hell was he supposed to do now? His magic was about making pretty things out ofglass. He couldn’t spin straw into gold. No one could.
With fast steps, he crossed to the single window and swung it open to stare down. His stomach sank to his toes. It was a straight drop to the smooth paving stones of the inner bailey.
What were his options? Wait for sunrise when it would be revealed that he had lied about his magical skill and have his head chopped off, or jump out the window now? Which death was more painful?
And if he jumped out the window, should he do it now or wait for dawn? If he waited, his mother and brothers would have a better chance of escaping Buckleford without notice. That was assuming Dorian convinced their mother to escape at all.
What was he to do?
Hugo paced away from the window, shoving his hands through his styled hair, messing it up. Unfortunately, with the spinning wheel and straw, there wasn’t much room for him to pace. Too soon, he turned around and headed toward the window again.
Did he have any other choice? He’d already lied to the queen. Could he add another lie on top of it to save his own skin? What could he tell her that she’d believe? That he was feeling poorly and couldn’t use his magic? That he could only spin straw into gold during a full moon?
No.
No more lying. He couldn’t. It would catch up with him.
His one hope of living was to confess and beg for forgiveness. State he had been trying to protect his mother and brothers. As penance, he could offer to be a slave for the royal family. He could spend the rest of his life scrubbing pots and shoveling out stables.
But would that be enough? His mother had been the one to tell the first lie to Lady Hawthorne. Would she still seek retribution? He couldn’t risk it. His mother was a little careless and given to exaggerations, but she didn’t mean any real harm.She was just looking out for her children in the best way she knew how. If her husband hadn’t died so young, this would never have happened.
Facing the window, Hugo touched the jade and silver ring on his left thumb with his right hand, spinning it. The ring had belonged to his father. Charles Baker hadn’t been the type to like fancy things, but he’d indulged in this ring after he’d opened his newly expanded bakery. The only problem was that he never wore anything like jewelry while he was working. Not even his wedding ring. Because of that, the ring appeared almost brand-new.
Hugo had inherited it and rarely wore it, fearing he might lose one of the few things that had belonged to his father. He’d slipped the ring on today, hoping that it would give him some confidence and maybe a bit of luck.
