A Dove's Tale

Chapter 18

I wasn't able to read at all after Prince Clavis left. He was pushing me too far, and Sariel - I didn't trust him one bit. One o'clock came, and I got back to work, still seething at both of them. My eyes kept wandering to the clock, watching the minutes oh so slowly tick by. I needed to see Mother safely at home for myself. Why did the day have to pass so slowly?

And I still had to deal with Prince Chevalier. He hadn't brought up a punishment earlier in the morning, but maybe he was just trying to lull me into a false sense of security. I didn't know how his mind worked. Every time I thought I was getting closer to figuring him out, he said or did something out of line with everything I knew. The only things he kept consistent were his schedule and his cold attitude.

I was finding a new job as soon as Mother-

No. I wasn't thinking about that.

Prince Chevalier arrived at two thirty as usual, and I brought him his tea, steeling myself for what may come. He looked up at me as he took his first sip. His icy blue eyes and impassive face gave me no clues to what he was thinking, but I knew he was reading me as easily as the book in his hand. The mask wasn't doing me much good, particularly since I couldn't be bothered to worry about it when I was too busy worrying about Mother. It didn't matter, anyway. No matter what I said, no matter what I did, I always ended up in trouble with somebody in the palace.

"You're tense," he commented.

"I have a lot on my mind, Prince Chevalier," I said carefully.

"Four-Eyes?"

How did he always seem to know everything?

I nodded.

He set the teacup down, smirking. "You're very bold to raise your voice at him."

Prince Clavis must have told him. He was part of Prince Chevalier's faction, after all, and he'd witnessed the whole thing.

Well, almost the whole thing.

"He wouldn't listen otherwise, your highness," I said coolly.

"He hasn't moved her."

There was nothing in his expression or his tone to reassure me, just the words themselves, but those were enough. I exhaled slowly.

"Are you sure, Prince Chevalier?"

He nodded. "You're dismissed."

I often left Prince Chevalier's presence with a sense of relief, but never because of him; rather, because I was getting away from him. It felt strange to be comforted by something he said. He was, overall, unpredictable and untrustworthy, but he'd never lied to me. He said what he meant, and he did what he said. That had never changed.

He never spoke about punishing me yesterday, did he?

I didn't know what to make of him, but I had work to do. That never changed, either.

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful - outside of my mind, at least. That was still in chaos. I believed Prince Chevalier, but after everything with Sariel, I needed to see Mother for myself before I could truly relax. And then there was the doubt nagging at the back of my mind. Moving her was bad for her health. Leaving her alone for much of the day wasn't good for her, either. Was it worth the cost to get her better care? Twenty-four hour care with an actual nurse? Even if that meant committing to dealing with all eight of the princes regularly?

She'd said that she wanted me to move into the servants' quarters in the palace. I knew why. It was the same reason that worried Prince Jin when he walked me home, and the same reason I couldn't fathom why Prince Nokto would see me as a threat to Prince Licht. I made for an easy target.