The Lost Prince (28 page)

Unfortunately, that meant Rook would be left on Zenhala, free to tell everyone all about Dean. Rook would drag his name through the mud, which was exactly where it belonged, but Waverly would hear everything. Who he was. What he was really doing on the island. He’d never get the chance to explain himself. As the time to leave drew closer and closer, Dean found he liked the plan less and less. He found himself looking for reasons to put off leaving. The party was as good an excuse as any.

“Ronan, we can’t leave before the feast. I’m the guest of honor. They’ll know something’s wrong if I don’t show up. We have to make an appearance. Don’t worry, we can leave halfway through.”

Ronan looked skeptical. “I’m sure you’ve slipped out of tighter spots than this.”

“Come on,” Dean pleaded. “We can ditch Rook at the party and make our escape before anyone knows we’re gone. As long as people see him, they’ll assume we’re somewhere nearby. It’s perfect. Besides, when’s the next time someone’s going to hold a feast in my honor? I can’t miss this.”

“There it is,” Ronan said. “That’s what I’m worried about.”

“What?”

“You don’t want to give up the good life. You want to keep playing prince and take your princess to the ball.”

“Wrong,” Dean said. “That’s wrong. I’ll have you know Waverly doesn’t even like dances. She’s not like that. She likes surfing, cliff diving, and that sort of thing. She loves the ocean like I do.”

“Really? Maybe you should ask her to come with you, then.”

“Do you think she would?”

Ronan glared at Dean. He was being sarcastic. Dean felt like an idiot. The words had slipped out before he could stop them.

“Look,” Ronan began, taking pity on Dean, “you want to have one last dance with your lady friend, fine. We’ll go.”

Dean’s face lit up.

“But don’t get it into your fool head anything’s gonna come of it. We leave this place tonight, you hear?”

Dean clapped his hands. “Ronan, you’re a prince.”

“Belay that!” Ronan shot back. “I’ve had my fill of princes.”

“Fair enough.” Dean laughed and ushered Ronan limping out the door. “Let’s go find Rook.”

The party was a grand affair, held in the palace throne room. Ronan might have had his fill of princes, but the nobles of Zenhala took a different view. By then, the prevailing wisdom at court was that Dean had to be the prince, and the lords and ladies of the kingdom feted him lavishly. There was music, food, and a great deal of merriment. In the minds of all the guests, only the lost prince could have conquered each trial in the spectacular fashion that Dean had managed. Everyone was delighted to see him. He was congratulated by everyone he met, just as Waverly said he would be. Dean left Rook and Ronan at a large buffet table and walked the room, trying to find her. He was going to miss Waverly. Life in the palace would be hard to give up too. When he left the lap of luxury this time, he knew it would be for good. Dean tried to console himself with the fact that he never belonged there to begin with.

Dean walked around the room, stopping in front of the Golden Throne. He looked at the brand on his arm.

Unless I do belong
 …

For the second time that day, Dean wondered if it could all be true. He had passed the trials, sure enough, but he attributed that to a little bit of skill and a whole lot of luck. The trials were not proof of royal lineage, regardless of what the guests at the party thought. The royal blood test—that was the only one that mattered, and that was a different story. Staying to take that test and waiting until the storm sealed him in was a risk he couldn’t take. What would happen if he stayed and his blood wasn’t blue? Would they make him leave? A year down the road, when the storm broke, would he be sent out into the world to try and explain to One-Eyed Jack where he’d been all this time?

Or worse, maybe they’d let him stay, but without the crown. He wouldn’t be the prince. He wouldn’t have Waverly. He might have to stand by and watch as she was wed to one of Arjent Ralian’s sons. The idea was too horrible to think about.

“There he is, the man of the hour!” someone called out. It was Jarret Ralian. He strode up, wearing a grin that Dean wanted to plow his knuckles into.

Speak of the devil.

“Congratulations on beating my record in the tunnels. A mighty feat, even if it did take two of you to do it.” He snatched two goblets from a passing server’s tray and handed one to Dean. Jarret clinked the cups together and drained his dry. Dean didn’t drink a drop. “What’s your secret, Dean Seaborne?”

Dean set his glass down untouched. “I cheat. Usually does the trick, wouldn’t you agree?”

Jarret looked amused. “Yes, I would, but I’m not talking about the trial. I couldn’t care less about that. I’m wondering what your
secret
is.”

Dean’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“Please, let’s be frank. It took you long enough to figure things out, but surely by now you’ve realized why my family wants you dead.”

Dean nodded. He had indeed. “You want Waverly.”

“It’s not Waverly. It’s what comes with her.” Jarret indicated the Golden Throne. “My father challenged the three of us to kill you during your trials and make it look like an accident. Whoever succeeded would be the one he put forth to marry Waverly Kray in your place.”

Dean regarded Jarret like a tiger that could pounce at any moment. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because if you wanted to turn us in, you would have done so by now. I’m curious. What tipped you off? Was it the first time Jin tried to kill you or the second?”

“Junter tried too,” Dean said.

Jarret shook his head and made a clicking sound. “He didn’t try very hard.” He leaned toward Dean and put a hand to his mouth. “Just between you and me, my brothers aren’t very bright.
Jin’s got a sailor’s knot where his brain should be, and I’m fairly certain Junter has a third bicep between his ears.”

“Ah,” Dean said. “You’re the smart one. Is that it?”

“Smarter than you.”

“If that’s true, why did you lose?”

“I haven’t lost anything. You see, I know something these people don’t.” Jarret reached out and put his arm around Dean. “You’re not the lost prince,” he whispered.

Dean removed Jarret’s arm as if it were a piece of seaweed that had washed up on his shoulder.

“When you first got here, I was afraid you might be the genuine article. My father was convinced, but I had my suspicions. They were confirmed when you didn’t say anything about Jin’s second attempt on your life. Honestly! He didn’t even try to hide what he was doing that time. You knew beyond a shadow of a doubt it was him, and still you said nothing.” Jarret’s eyes flitted about the room and eventually settled on Rook, who could be seen stalking the edge of the dance floor, stuffing his mouth with shrimp. “That got me thinking.… If Dean Seaborne will keep quiet about something like that, what terrible secret must
he
be hiding? I’ll find out. I might have missed my chance to drown you in the tunnels, but we aren’t finished, you and I. You’ll never sit on the golden throne. That belongs to me.”

A footman at the door announced Waverly’s arrival. She
entered with grace and beauty, a priceless treasure in more ways than one.

“So will she,” Jarret said, picking up Dean’s untouched goblet. “Enjoy your party. It’s almost over.”

Dean stood there simmering as he watched Jarret leave. The way he paused in the center of the floor to offer Waverly a respectful bow boiled his blood. The little hellion was right. If they stayed here, she might actually end up with him.

He had to do something.

Dean crossed the floor to Waverly. “Was that Jarret I saw you talking to? What did he want? Was he bitter that you and I broke his record? I hope he was.”

Dean took Waverly by the hand and led her back to the door, away from everyone. “Forget him. I have to ask you something. Something important.”

“What is it?” Judging from the look on Waverly’s face, she could tell it was something that was weighing heavily on Dean.

He shook his head. “Not here. We have to go somewhere first.”

“Where?”

Dean looked around to make sure no one else was listening. “The orchard,” he said, his voice just above a whisper.

At first, Waverly thought he was joking. When she realized he was serious, she gasped. “The orchard? Why?”

Dean took a breath. There was no turning back now. “Because
I’m not the prince, Waverly. I can’t be. All these people here tonight are wrong about me. They’ll find that out soon enough. So will you.”

“No, Dean. You don’t know that. You’re just scared.”

“That I am. With good reason.”

“What reason? You already conquered the trials.”

“Tomorrow’s test is the only one that matters. I’ll take on any challenge, but I can’t change the color of my blood. You’ll see. Tomorrow, you’ll see. I’m telling you the truth.”

“I don’t understand. What does this have to do with the golden orchard?”

“I can explain everything, but it has to be there. I want to see it. I need to see it. Please, will you take me?”

Dean looked deep into Waverly’s eyes, silently pleading with her. She looked back, conflicted and confused. After what felt like an eternity, she closed her eyes and nodded. “Meet me outside the main gate in ten minutes.”

CHAPTER
28

R
onan limped over to Dean after Waverly left. “All right, then? Satisfied? Can we go now?”

Dean shook his head. “Not yet. There’s one last thing I have to do first.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’m going to ask her to come with us.”

Ronan shook. He grabbed Dean’s arm so hard he nearly broke it. “Seaborne! I wasn’t serious when I told you—”

“She’s taking me to the orchard, Ronan.”

Ronan relaxed his grip. “What?”

“You heard me. She’s taking me tonight. If she’ll go that far with me, who knows? Maybe she’ll be willing to go a little farther.”

Ronan raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. That changed things. “Fine. Go and see the orchard. Ask her, if you have to ask her, but get back here fast. We leave here tonight no matter what she says, understand?”

Dean nodded. “She’s going to say yes. I’ll meet you back in our rooms as soon as I can.”

“Meet me on the docks. I’ll have a ship ready. We don’t have all night.”

“We’ll be there.”

Dean left Ronan at the party. On his way out, he saw Jarret Ralian talking to Rook in a corner of the room. No good would come of that conversation, Dean knew that much. He hurried out, hoping the orchard wasn’t too far off.

Ten minutes later, Dean was waiting in the shadows of the main gate, watching for Waverly. The tower bells began to chime, and Dean’s body tensed up. Twelve bells rang out, tolling midnight. There was no sign of her. Dean was starting to worry when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

He jumped. And he screamed. Loudly.

“Shhh!” Waverly said, putting a finger to her lips and trying to keep a straight face. “Put this on.” She handed Dean a bunched-up ball of fabric.

“What’s this?”

“A cloak.”

Dean examined the garment. “One of yours?”

“Yes, one of mine.”

He looked at the cloak again, then back up at Waverly. “You couldn’t have gotten something else?”

“What’s the problem?”

Dean held up the frilly, pink cloak with two fingers, as if it might infect him. “Not very manly, is it?”

“That’s the idea. If you or I get recognized, it will delay us at best and derail us at worst. You need to disguise yourself.”

“Fine,” Dean said, grumbling as he pulled the cloak’s hood over his head.

“Do you want to see the orchard or don’t you?”

“I said I’d wear it!”

Waverly let out an exasperated sigh. “Men. Let’s go.”

They set off on foot. “How far is it?”

“Not far.”

They left the palace behind, following an eastern road around the mountains. Dean expected Waverly to ask him what this was all about as they went, but to her credit, she didn’t press him for any more details. The lights of town faded into darkness as they hiked into the woods and out into the province. Moving at a brisk pace, they passed run-down homes and shaky huts along the way. Dean eyed them with strange interest. Life beyond the mountains was far less wealthy and comfortable than what he had seen on the island so far.