“This wing of the palace is not open to the attendees of the ball.”
“I have a personal invitation from Mi— Princess Charmina to stay at the palace. My name is Alan Smythson.”
“You are not one of Her Highness’s guests. I have seen them all. Lying about your name won’t help you.”
“I’m not lying, and I only arrived in time for the ball.”
The guard glared and grabbed my upper arm. “I’m not falling for your tricks.”
I resisted the urge to twist free of his grip. Getting in a fight with a palace guard was not a good plan. I let him lead me away from Mina’s room. Soon we passed a corridor I recognized. I pointed down the hallway Mina had shown me earlier. “Listen, I can understand that you don’t want me wandering around the palace, but can’t I at least go to my room?”
“You don’t have a room here.”
“If you don’t believe me, ask Sam. You said you know all the guests. Sam Wrison can vouch for me.”
“Keep arguing and I won’t just throw you out of the palace, I’ll have you arrested.”
I still didn’t fight the guard, but I stopped walking. I couldn’t just disappear without a word. “Can I at least write a message to Mina, letting her know where I’ve gone?”
His grip tightened, and he pulled me another stumbling step forward. “You will have no contact with Her Highness.”
“Then Sam,” I begged. “Let me tell Sam what is happening. Please. If you won’t let me write a message, then you can tell him yourself. It is important.”
Nothing I said swayed the guard. He towed me through the palace, and the only other people we saw were a few servants and other guards. No one who would recognize me. No one who could tell Mina what had happened.
The guard didn’t release me until I stood outside the gates, banishing me not just from the palace but the grounds as well.
“Walk away, or I will arrest you,” he warned me after the gates clanged shut.
I walked. I’d come back in a few hours, when dawn hopefully brought a change in the guards, and give my name once more. Hopefully, I’d at least be able to send a message to Sam at that point, if nothing else.
Once again, I was apart from Mina, and once again, it was my own fault. I had to do better.
Thirty-Five
Mina
???
At some point, I drifted off to sleep, though I had been determined to remain awake until Alan returned. My sleep was fitful, and I woke well before dawn. Reaching out, then opening my eyes and confirming that I was still alone in my bed, explained my restless slumber. Alan hadn’t returned.
I didn’t bother to ring for my maid, racing to get dressed in one of the few outfits fit for a princess that didn’t require a second set of hands. It wasn’t something I would normally wear outside my rooms, but I didn’t care today. Let the court gossip.
I made it to the hall where my guests had been given rooms less than a quarter hour after I woke. But I still didn’t know which room was Alan’s. A passing maid provided me with the information, but no one answered when I knocked. Nor was there any sign anyone had used the bed in the room when I entered anyway.
I moved on to Sam’s room. Luckily, he was awake and dressed, and answered after my first knock. He slipped into the hall, a grin on his face. Then he took a step back when he saw me, his smile disappearing. “Mina?”
“Have you seen Alan?”
“Not since last night when I left you both. What happened?”
I opened my mouth, but the words didn’t come.
Sam watched me for a moment, then glanced back at his room. His cheeks flushed, but he looked at me once more and opened the door just far enough to poke his head inside. “It’s Mina and I’m bringing her into the room.”
I didn’t hear a response, but a moment later, he opened the door fully and I stepped into his room.
A man stood by the bed, facing away from me, pulling a shirt on over his head. He turned around, and I breathed out a sigh of relief. Given everything I had seen the last few days, I hadn’t expected Sam to have anyone but Noel in his room, but I’d still suffered a momentary fear that I’d have to deal with a stranger. My brother was a welcome sight. “Noel. You haven’t seen Alan since the ball either, have you?”
