Sanity

14. Plotting

The ceremony was short, and over before Jaelyn could even protest it. She almost grimaced when the officiate asked her and Noah to kiss, almost forgetting that it was a crucial part of a wedding. He made sure to tease her about her first kiss afterwards, but she made sure he knew he was her second. The memory of her heated, passionate exchange with William flashed through her mind, torturing her, but she had forced the images back down.

They stood around in the foyer of the palace, only the select dozens that were of noble or royal blood. Jaelyn had mingled with many of the people here, forcing a fake smile or a light laugh whenever necessary. She was well aware of Tank in the corner of her eye, almost inching ever so slightly over in her direction as Korey chatted with the people around him. She almost didn't recognise her mentor; seeing him in a tunic with his hair brushed back was almost as surprising to her as seeing herself wearing a dress.

"My beautiful lady Kamryn," a gruff voice cooed to her left, making Jaelyn force a scowl from her face before it was noticed. She turned slightly, excusing herself with a polite smile and a curtsey from the couple she had been holding a boring conversation with. Tank was half bowed in front of her, extending his right arm out and almost knocking a tray of wine out of the hands of one of the servants, who shot a glower at him as they walked past.

"Good day, sir," Jaelyn replied with a tight smile. "I hope you have enjoyed the wedding. A beautiful day, was it not?"

"So beautiful," Tank agreed, his words coming out slightly slurred. It didn't take Jaelyn long to realise the man was drunk. "I didn't know you had a body under all that fabric you used to wear," he continued, flashing a half grin that showcased his slightly rotting teeth.

"You are disgusting," she muttered, almost wanting to cover her chest with her arms to avoid feeling his repulsive gaze on her skin. "What are you doing here?"

"Be nice, Jaelyn," Tank hissed back, the grin gone as he moved within very close proximity to her. "I can have you exposed to everyone here as a fraud. You still belong to me, remember."

"Now now, let us play nice," Korey's strong voice floated into the conversation just as Jaelyn opened her mouth to give a retort. He appeared in front of her, almost glaring at Tank to his right before he returned a soft gaze to Jaelyn's face. She almost could've believed he was a genuinely friendly person from this single expression, did she not already know about his plans of usurping and murder.

"What is he doing here?" she asked calmly, keeping her face and voice level. Korey shrugged light-heartedly.

"Keeping an eye on you," he admitted honestly, causing Jaelyn's eye to twitch.

"What do you mean?" she demanded. "Have I not given you all adamant evidence that I am going to do this? It is not easy! If you want it framed on Noah, I need to time it right!"

"We believe that is what you want us to believe," Korey replied, looking down at her with a new kind of harshness in his gaze that Jaelyn struggled to meet with her own. "It has been long enough; you cannot complain that you did not have enough time to complete this."

"To make it not obvious as daylight, I needed more," she hissed at him. "They would have all suspected me, and that would have led them to you. Trust me, playing the waiting game was smart."

"But now we doubt your loyalty," Tank intervened, glaring at Jaelyn with something akin to hatred in his eyes. "We know of your secret meetings with the target. You can't expect us not to be suspicious."

"I wasn't trying to hide it," she muttered. "I've had this conversation with Maeve. You gave me the contract and now won't trust me in my ability to go through with it. You keep doubting me."