Chapter 124

Chapter 124
Raven’s pov;

The moment the words left his lips,I felt a surge of anger course through my veins.

“Dorian will find the princess. Stay out of this, Raven.”

He meant well, but I couldn’t stay still, knowing that Princess Ellie might be with lady Joanna. I didn’t know how else to make him understand that.

“Please, don’t do anything rash,” he held my hands, gazing into my eyes.

I nodded and gave him a small smile, the best I could muster, but my mind was already twisting around what he hadn’t said. 

Lady Joanna had walked into his study like a queen herself, demanding brunch with a princess she definitely knew was missing. That wasn’t a casual visit. That was a threat. ‘I know what you’re hiding.’

I couldn’t let it go.

By the time I returned to my chambers, Lucy was waiting with that eager glint in her eyes, as though she had been born for this sort of mischief.

“He won’t let me go!”

“Well, you weren’t invited for brunch…”

“It should be an honour to her that I decided to grace her with my presence. She wouldn’t dare turn me away, she knows better,” I said, plopping onto the bed.

Lucy moved close to me. “You’re thinking of damning the  king's order and going there, aren’t you?” she asked.

I didn’t bother denying it. “Can you get me a way out? Quietly?”

Her lips curved into a grin. “Always, your highness.”

Lucy found me a simple dress, one that wouldn’t draw attention to me when I leave the castle. She then led me through the east wing. I had no idea that a place like that existed, and it was just behind the royal clinic!

Once we were out, we found the horses waiting.

“How did you manage all these?” I breathed out as I climbed onto the horse.

“Well, your highness, I have friends amongst the stable boys,” she grinned and I chuckled. 

“You are in love!”

She giggled as she got onto her horse, but didn’t say anything and I let it be, right now, I had even more worries.

Liam might’ve found out that I was gone by now, of course he wouldn’t be pleased. And lady Joanna? What if this is a trap? 

“Your highness?” Lucy’s voice broke my chain of thoughts.

“Mm,” I glanced ahead. 

The Gasty-Delacroix estate loomed ahead  like a fortress as we approached. I had never been there, but I knew from the Delacroix family logo etched on the high iron gates. It was enormous, bigger than the palace itself and almost bigger than the Belgravian palace,  It was a palace in everything else, but name.

The guards at the gate let us in upon presenting my key, an ornate key that was only carried by the royal house of Grok.

He narrowed his eyes at me before bowing. “Her Ladyship… was not expecting you, your highness” he said stiffly.

“Tell her that the Queen insists,” I replied.

He paled and it looked as though he wanted to say something but thought better of it before bowing and hurrying to presumably inform lady Joanna.

__________

Lady Joanna received me in a sunlit drawing room, her silver-blonde hair was impeccably pinned up, no strand out of place. 

She looked up from a porcelain teacup and smiled, not warmly, but like a cat about to play with its food.

“Your Majesty,” she purred. “I’m really surprised.”

“How so, lady Joanna?”

“Well,” she let down the cup. “I never thought a day would come that I would host someone as important as you.”

“I was told that you were hoping for brunch with the princess,” I said, taking a sip of the barley tea. “Unfortunately, she is unwell. I’ve come in her stead.”

Joanna’s gaze flickered, just for a moment, before she laughed softly. “How thoughtful. Though one might think a queen has far better uses of her time than visiting a humble old woman like me.”

“Hardly humble,” I said lightly. “Everyone knows that you are the power behind half the Council and the kingdom.”

She smiled. “Flattery doesn’t suit you, your highness. I think it’s best you leave it to those who’ve mastered it.”

The maids began to bring in trays upon trays of snacks. Fruits glazed with honey, spiced meats, sugared cakes, all very appetizing.

“I hope you enjoy all these, your highness,” she smiled before taking a bite of a chocolate glazed cookie. “I didn’t know what you like and I wasn’t expecting you.”

I took a bite of the sugar coated cake and offered her a smile. “It’s fine, lady Joanna,” I closed my eyes and smiled. “This is good, I might have to borrow your Chef.”

She chuckled. “Tell me, your highness, how is it that you’re here, when the king didn’t tell me anything about you coming.”

I leaned closer to her, the cake suddenly tasting like ash in my mouth, but forcing my voice to remain stable.  “That must be because he changed his mind.”

She probably didn’t know what else to say because she changed the topic, indirectly insulting me with her remarks in between like inexperience in court, foreign blood, not being trained.

I refused to take the bait. I kept smiling that my cheeks began to hurt.

When I finally stood to leave, she tilted her head. “Do send my regards to Princess Ellie. I hope her… ailment isn’t contagious. We wouldn’t want the entire court falling ill, would we?”

My stomach turned, but I nodded. “I’ll be sure she receives them.”

I was almost out of the room when a movement caught my eye. It was a maid passing by, struggling with a large basket of clothes. It looked obviously heavy, but that wasn’t what got my attention, it was the pale-blue fabric that peeked from the top.  

It was a dress, embroidered with tiny white lilies. I had always prided myself in having good eyesight and that was why from where I stood, I saw that the stitching pattern on that dress was different. It was only done by one dressmaker in Belgravia, the royal dressmaker. 

And I had seen that dress before, draped across princess Ellie’s bed when I had met her the night before she disappeared. 

My blood went cold. If princess Ellie’s dress was here, in lady Joanna’s house, it could only mean one thing.

Princess Ellie was here.