Love Spell: Book 2 of The Grimm Laws (30 page)

They looked at each other and then back at Edward, as if they didn’t trust the words they were hearing.

“I thank thee, for thine assistance. ‘Twill be all,” Edward repeated more firmly.

They gave him curt nods before scampering away.

Cinderella breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

Edward gave her a kind smile that held the slightest hint of reproof. “Is life in the palace so intolerable?”

“Nay!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide. “I am sorry. I did not mean—”

He cut off her explanation with a flourish of his hand. “No apology necessary. ‘Tis a new way of life for thee.” He helped himself to the stuffed hen.

She looked numbly down at her hands. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to keep from saying or doing something wrong. “I meant no offense to the servants,” she finally said, lifting her eyes his.

“And I am certain none was taken. I am so accustomed to the servants that they have become part of the surroundings. They might as well be a table or chair.” He lifted his goblet to his lips and took a drink. “Or a goblet.”

“They are not a stick of furniture or goblet, they are people,” she blurted, her face growing hot.

A bewildered look came over his handsome features. “I have offended thee,” he mused.

“I apologize,” she amended. This was not going well. Not well at all. In another moment, he would have her thrown out of the palace or locked in the dungeon. His soft laughter caught her completely off guard. She cocked her head, an edge to her voice. “Did I say something funny?”

He leaned back in his chair. “You are good for me.”

She shook her head, trying to figure out where this was going. “I do not understand.”

“No one speaks to me that way.” He looked thoughtful. “No one, that is, except for Rushton.”

The very mention of his name sent her heart pounding. She knew Edward was studying her intently to get her reaction. He’d probably mentioned Rushton’s name on purpose. Her eyes met his. “Perhaps that is because Rushton and I come from a completely different world from that which you are accustomed, your majesty.”

He openly studied her, and she could see the slightest hint of a smile forming in his eyes. “Aye, but could you not grow accustomed to this?” He fanned his hand over the table.

“I could try,” she said plaintively.

At that, he started laughing again.

The wind picked up, rustling the strips of fabric above them. Cinderella suppressed a shiver. The conversation was reaching a turning point, and these next few moments would determine her future. Despite the chill of the evening, she could feel perspiration forming on her upper lip.

“Please … eat,” Edward said, but to her it sounded more like a command. Was this how her life was to be? A lifetime of trying to appease him? She took some of the venison and pudding and began eating. The venison was tender and succulent. The servant was correct—the pudding was delectable. She found herself enjoying the meal despite the circumstance.

When they had eaten their fill, Edward stretched back in his chair. “May I ask thee something?”

“Aye.”

“Why are you here?”

She tensed. “I am here because you summoned … um … invited me to share a meal with thee.”

He sat up straight. “I am not referring to tonight. Why are you here in the castle? Here with me?”

“Edward, I want thee to understand that I came to the castle because I wanted to be with thee.” The sincerity of her words rang in her own ears. Aye, ‘twas true. She had come here because she wanted to be with Edward.

“But why did you want to be with me?”

Here is where it got sticky. She could not tell him that she came because she needed his wealth to save her deceased father’s home. Because she needed to right the wrongs her father had unintentionally done. Because she no longer had a hope of having a future with Rushton. Because there was a part of her—a very small part—that felt responsible for Seraphina and Josselyn, in spite of all they’d done. Nay, she could not tell him all of those things. “I came here because you are kind,” she said instead. “You are kind and noble, and any maiden would be lucky to have thee.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Any maiden?”

She could feel her face growing warm. “Aye.”

“But what about you?” he prodded. “Do you feel lucky to have me?” He leaned forward.

“Of course,” she said flatly.

His eyes met hers, and he was so close that she could see the flecks of gold in his green eyes. They seem to be flickering like the flames on the candles. “Really?” he said earnestly. There was something in his expression that made him look as vulnerable as she felt. Maybe the two of them weren’t so different after all.

The honesty in his eyes demanded an honest answer. “The truth is that I am not so certain anymore,” she said quietly.

He looked hurt but satisfied that she’d given him a truthful answer. “I suppose Rushton changed things between us.”

Not sure how to answer, she remained quiet.

“Cinderella,” he began, “I have thought about this a hundred different ways—have tried to put myself in thy shoes. You really have only two choices at this point …”

She swallowed hard. “And, pray tell me, what choices are those, my lord?” It was an effort to keep her voice light.

“Marry me or face the dungeon.”

Her eyes went wide, and she had the hysterical urge to laugh. “You do get right to the heart of the matter.”

“Do not think it brings me any pleasure to admit it. Am I so terrible that you would prefer the dungeon?”

“Nay,” she said quickly. “Nay! Thy behavior has been beyond reproach. You have treated me kindly from the beginning! If you will still have me then I will pledge my all to thee in this very moment.” Tears misted her eyes. “If you will give me another chance, I will not let thee down.”

He reached for her hand and took it in his. He started rubbing his thumb in small circles over the palm of her hand. “So you would offer me thy undying love?”

Her mouth went dry. “Aye,” she croaked. “Aye, I would,” she said louder.

“But what about Rushton?”

Her breath caught, and she noticed that he’d stopped rubbing her hand. A horrific thought entered her mind. Was Rushton here in the palace, chained like some animal to the dungeon walls? Nay, he couldn’t be. He’d escaped. Thank goodness, he’d escaped. At least she could take solace in that. “Rushton is gone,” she said, meeting his gaze. Emotion welled in her breast until she could no longer contain it. Everything that she’d longed to tell Edward tumbled out like water rushing off a cliff. “I am so sorry about what happened with Rushton, I never meant to betray thy trust. That night I met him in the forest, I went to tell him goodbye. To tell him that I had chosen thee. To tell him it was over,” she finished.

He withdrew his hand from hers. “For something to have an end, it must have a beginning. You loved Rushton once.”

She could only imagine what it must have cost him to speak those words out loud. “Aye,” she admitted. A single tear trickled down her cheek. “I loved him … once.” The words came out ragged before they disappeared into the night air.

“In the Parade of Maidens, where I first laid eyes on thee, you were hoping that it would be Rushton who selected thee.”

“Aye,” she whispered.

“And that day in the marketplace, you were wearing the daisy in thine hair because of Rushton.”

She hesitated, and his eyes penetrated hers, daring her to tell him a lie. “Aye,” she finally said.

He started drumming his fingers on the table.

“I never meant to hurt thee, Edward. I never meant for things to go the way they have. If you will give me a chance to make it up to thee, I’ll—“

He held up his hand to halt her speech. “I know, I know you would do just about anything to appease me at this point.”

She rocked back. For a moment she didn’t think she’d heard him correctly. Fear laid heavy in her throat, but anger soon pushed it away. “Pardon me?” Her eyebrows knitted. “Are you playing games with me?” She scooted back her chair and stood. “Is this elaborate set-up thy way of giving me my last meal before the execution? Of showing me everything that I will miss because of what happened? Forgive my frankness, prince, but you are being a brute!” Tears formed in her eyes, and she brushed angrily at them.

He placed his hand over hers. “Nay, I am not playing games with thee. Sit down.”

“She raised an eyebrow.”

“Please, sit down.”

Reluctantly, she complied. She pursed her lips together in a thin line and glared at him.

He blew out a breath. “The reason I asked thee to dine with me was so that we could talk openly. I was planning on dismissing the servants after our meal, but when I saw they were troubling thee, I dismissed them early.” He pointed upward to the twinkling stars. “’Tis a beautiful night. I am here, and you are here. We are here … together. We have a lifetime before us and all of the happiness the world has to offer. Do you not see it?” Hope tinged his voice. “’Tis all so close … all we have to do is reach out and grasp it. Tonight is the night for truth. I do not want to have any secrets between us. You once loved Rushton. Your relationship took place before you met me.” He gave her a searching look. “I am going to ask thee one question, and I want thee to tell me the truth. Regardless of how you answer the question, I will still marry thee. We will speak of it tonight and then never speak of it again. He motioned at the four posts, surrounding them. Nothing goes outside of these posts. Whatever we discuss will forever remain locked here.” He placed his hand over his heart. “I swear to thee that it will be so.”

She moistened her lips, trying to decide if she could trust him. His expression was open, benign. “Agreed,” she said, “but after I answer thy question, I get to ask thee one question.”

He thought for a moment. “Fair enough. I will go first.” He looked her in the eye. “Did Rushton cast a love spell over thee?”

Her heart started hammering in her chest, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. “What do you want from me?” She looked him in the eye, pleading. “I told you that I loved him … once. Is that not enough?”

“The trial begins tomorrow. You will have to answer the question. And the answer you give will affect thee … us.” He balled his fist. “I am putting my future in thy hands. The least you can do is to tell me the truth.”

They locked eyes. Their future together … her future. It was all dangling by a thread. One false step, and it would all crumble to bits. Her head was starting to ache, and she reached up to massage her temples. “I have asked myself the same question a thousand times. The truth is … I don’t know,” she admitted. “I just do not know.” How she’d dreaded speaking those words, but now that they were out in the open, she was surprised at the relief she felt.

A shadow crossed Edward’s features. “How could you not know?”

She shook her head. “I went to the forest that night to tell Rushton it was over.”

“Did you feel compelled to leave the castle that night?”

“Perhaps … I suppose … I cannot say for sure.”

He held up a finger. “But there is a possibility that you were under a spell. I can hear it in thy voice.”

She thought back to that fateful night and how Rushton threatened to use the potion on her. “Aye, I suppose ‘tis possible.” Even as she spoke the words, she felt like a traitor.

He reached for her hand, holding it gently, as if he were afraid it would shatter like glass in his grasp.

She had to make him understand. “But do you not see? I do not know for sure that I was under the influence of a love spell.”

“Aye, but by the same token, you cannot say for certain that you were not.”

“Exactly,” she said, glad that he was finally grasping the scope of her predicament.

He leaned over the table. “Rushton is gone. Regardless of what you testify of tomorrow you cannot hurt him.”

Gone! Did he mean
gone
as in he had escaped or
gone
as in he was dead? A shudder slithered down her spine. She could feel her hands growing clammy and wondered if Edward noticed. “What do you mean that Rushton is gone?” She tried hard to keep the emotion out of her voice.

He merely shook his head and looked away.

She clutched his hand. “If we are going to have any semblance of a relationship, then I need for thee to tell me what happened to Rushton …
please
,” she added.

His eyes met hers. “He escaped.”

Relief flooded her, making her feel weak.

“He escaped, and with any luck, is probably a kingdom away by now.”

“Very well,” she said, keeping her expression impassive.

“Do you see now? Whatever you say tomorrow will not affect him. ’Twill only affect us.”

She nodded. “I understand what you are saying.” She stopped. “But what about his mother, Wisteria? If I testify that Rushton cast a love spell over me, then she will be implicated.” As much as she detested Wisteria for what she’d done, she did not want to be the cause of her execution.

Edward scoffed. “You and I both know that witch has been practicing magic for years. When my dad sent the guards to arrest her, they came back empty-handed.” His voice rose. “They refused an order of the king, Cinderella, because they were so petrified of her. Do you understand the seriousness of what can happen to a guard that refuses to obey the order of the king? ‘Tis not pleasant. The best they could hope for was a dishonorable discharge and the worst … death. She wields too much control over people. She is a powerful witch, and she must be stopped!”

Edward was right. Wisteria had wielded power over her and Rushton and had destroyed their lives. A hot anger burned in her breast. For so long, she’d felt trapped in a corner, and Edward was opening a path for her. His reasoning sounded convincing. The entire kingdom knew that Wisteria was guilty of practicing magic. What would it hurt to add one more offense to the charge? Deep down, a part of Cinderella was starting to wonder if she had indeed acted under the influence of a spell. Her attraction to Rushton burned hot and intoxicating. There was nothing that he couldn’t eventually convince her to do. Would Rushton actually stoop to casting a love spell over her? She knew the answer before the question fully formed in her mind. He would. He would consider it a necessary step in order to achieve his desired goal. Rushton would use any means to get what he wanted, and the thing he wanted most in the world was her. Rushton would walk through fire for her, slay dragons … she looked at Edward … Rushton would challenge an entire kingdom for her—had challenged a kingdom for her. Quite simply, Rushton loved her. He had loved her with every fiber of his being. She had been his every waking thought, the breath that filled his lungs. That kind of love was all consuming. Dangerous.