Chapter Thirteen

While my mother stood slack-jawed I took the opportunity to escape. I backed away slowly before turning and running into the castle. My many skirts tangled in my legs as I chased after Cassius. I stumbled and reached out for the nearest statue to steady myself.

Drat, these gowns!

I watched as he hurried down the hallway with his entourage. I wanted to do another very unladylike thing. I wanted to remove my skirts and shout after the king. I refrained, however. Grabbing the damask in my hands, I pulled it up to my knees and hurried behind them as they turned a corner. The hallway was empty though. Nothing but doors. I put my ear to each listening for anything. Finally, at the last one a soft mumbling from the other side. I grasped the knob and turned slowly, chewing my lip, hoping it wouldn't creak. I saw Cassius near a window waving his arms wildly yelling at someone. I furrowed my brow wondering if he needed my expert skills or not. I reached under my skirts to the leather strap around my thigh, running my fingers up and down the knife strapped there. As I watched, a woman in a flowing black gown came into view. Her curly brown hair hung down her back and the silver tiara shone in the candlelight.

Mary. Why is she fighting with Cassius?

I had to come up with a plan to get into the room and make it look like an accident. Searching my mind, I did the only thing I could think of that would possibly work. I fell into the door and let it slam into the wall.

"Oh, excuse me. I tripped over my skirts and fell into the door here. Do beg your pardon, majesties." I dipped into a curtsey.

Mary turned and spat out at me. "Joselyn? What are you doing here?"

"I was walking down the hall and tripped into the door. I am so terribly sorry." I smiled at the woman who glared at me with hatred in her eyes I never noticed before.

"It's quite alright, Joselyn. Would you come over here?" Cassius motioned for me to be at his side. "Mary, we're finished. My word is final on the subject."

"We are not finished. I will speak to you more about it later. When we can actually have some privacy."

"I said we are finished. I am the king."

She opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut her mouth. She pursed her lips into a thin line and turned on her heels, leaving the room quickly, bumping into me roughly, as she went. The door slammed behind her and two of the guards as they went.

"Cassius," I said, staring across the room at him.

He waved his hand at the four guards standing around us. They bowed to him and vacated, leaving us alone.

"Joselyn. This is rather, well, I suppose it's not unexpected."

"What is going on? Why is Mary in such a tizzy?"

"She's not pleased with the way I'm running the kingdom."

"She's rather brash, isn't she?" I asked.

"That's Mary. She has always been outspoken. I need to get her married and out of my hair." He shook his head and took two glasses of a nearby cart. He held up a decanter of red wine and poured one for himself and one for me.

I accepted the crystal glass from Cassius and sat across from him in front of a roaring fireplace.

"That was rather bold what you did with my mother."

"What?" He asked sitting back in his chair. "Have you thought much about how you will go about getting information on where Belle is?"

"A bit. I'll get it while the Duke and the rest of the household are in bed. I'll disguise myself as a servant."

"A servant?" Cassius narrowed his eyes at me.

"Who else is invisible in a lord's house?"

"Ahh, a wise move, my lady." He nodded head at me.

"I figured. Once I'm in the Duke's chambers, I shall do what needs to be done to extract the information from him. I will proceed to Belle's present location from there."

"Are you going to kill him?"

"No. It'll be suspicious if he dies while the king is in residence," I said before sipping my wine. "I'll torture him a little bit. Perhaps a lot."

Cassius folded his hands under his chin and stared at him. His eyes twinkled in the firelight. They were a remarkable shade of blue with flecks of gold in them. His long eyelashes hung low as the wine seeped into his blood. The color in his cheeks flushed.

"It all sounds good. I will send word tomorrow that we will be visiting. We leave in three days' time."

"Very good, majesty."

I stood to leave, but Cassius held his hand up for me to stop. "Wait."

"What?" I asked.

He stood and strode toward me quickly. I could feel his hot breath on my face, as he was mere inches in front of me. His soft lips grazed my cheek.

"Cassius!"

"Joselyn, do not think of it in a nefarious way. It's simply a thank you."

"You need not thank me. Protecting you is my duty. Finding Belle is my pleasure."

"Either way, thank you for handling such a difficult situation."

"I'm happy to do whatever I can to help."

"Well, it's a lot since nobody else knows what's going on and there is nobody else that I can turn to in this time."

I sipped at the wine, appreciating the moments of peace that I would have before more action. I didn't think about the fact I may be doing things outside of protecting Cassius's life. Even if I was not an assassin I would still do everything I could to find Belle.

I grabbed the decanter of wine.

"Majesty?"

Cassius' smile vanished and a small vein popped out on his forehead. "What, Wallery?"

"Majesty, do you have a moment to speak?"

"Yes. Make it quick."

"Uh, can we speak in private?"

"Whatever you need to say you can say in front of Lady Joselyn."

The cardinal shifted uncomfortably in his bright red shoes. His robes swished about his feet as he shifted. "I suppose I can."

"The Holy Roman Emperor has written and sent ahead a miniature of his niece, the Duchess of Milan."

"What does Charles want?"

"He says it is time to put the past behind the both of you and reminds you that his niece, the Duchess, is still seeking a husband. He says nothing would make him happier than to call you nephew."

"Please convey our appreciation for the Holy Roman Emperor's concerns on our marital status and explain that we are contemplating all marriages. We shall put the Duchess at the top of our thoughts."

My breath caught in my throat. He's serious about finding a wife I suppose. Don't care, Joselyn. That is none of your business. He needs to find a wife. A wife that is not you.

I sighed and drank my second glass of wine.

"Of course, Majesty."

"Was there anything else, Mister Wallery?"

"No, Majesty. I shall send the response now." The cardinal bowed low to the king and quickly left the room.

"The Duchess is a smart match, Cassius," I mumbled.

"She is. I've heard her beauty is immeasurable."

My cheeks flushed.

"Are you alright?" he queried.

I nodded. "Fine. Just too much wine I suppose."

I put the glass down and took a seat. Cassius came near me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Cassius..."

"Is it too much wine or a bit of jealousy?"

"The wine."

He laughed lightly. "I don't believe you."

"Well, you should." I brushed off his hand and stood. "You should marry."

He smiled and walked away. "My heart will tell me when it's ready. Wallery can place as many ladies as he wants in front of me. I will marry when I'm ready. No sooner."

"That's good reasoning."

"What happened to the last assassin who did fall for her king and marry him?"

"She was executed," I said softly.

"I know that. I mean what happened."

I took a deep breath and shuddered at the thought of the story told to us during our training. "The elders of the Guild burned her. Alive."

Cassius shook his head. "Terrible. Quit. Stop being an assassin."

I threw my head back and laughed heartily again.

"I don't find anything funny about what I said," Cassius said.

"One does not quit the Guild. You either die of old age or die doing your duty. I am happy to die keeping you safe, Cassius."

He shook his head furiously. I thought he knew. I thought someone explained everything to him. How could he not know how the assassins work? He said he knew.