A Dove's Tale

Chapter 45

If I were brand new to the palace, that encounter with Prince Clavis would have left me frightened and confused. Now, over two weeks into this job, I was just annoyed - with Prince Chevalier and Prince Clavis.

Prince Chevalier could have been a little more clear about what he meant by holding my breath. I had been thinking along the lines of the saying 'don't hold your breath,' as if he didn't think I'd actually get into Prince Clavis' room, but he'd literally meant for me to hold my breath. Although, come to think of it, Prince Luke said something similar during that surprise party about holding my breath if I ever saw Prince Clavis throw a small glass vial.

Maybe I shouldn't be so annoyed with Prince Chevalier. At the very least, I shouldn't confront him about this, because he could easily point out that I was in the wrong for misinterpreting what he said.

But my annoyance with Prince Clavis was entirely justified.

What was so wrong with just locking his door?

And that was only one trap. Prince Chevalier said Prince Clavis deactivated most of the traps when he was in his room. He really didn't want anybody in there, which was ridiculous, because he had nothing to hide. The books in his room were all heavy tomes with dull topics like politics, economics, and pharmacology, and the stacks of papers and documents looked like official business, similar to what I'd seen in Prince Chevalier's office. I didn't inspect every single note tacked up on Prince Clavis' walls, but at a glance, they appeared to be reminders of events, tasks, or ideas. He was obviously a hard worker and very studious. The only thing that was potentially suspicious was his home laboratory in the corner. That must be where he made his assorted 'concoctions,' as he called them, and I had a hunch that none of those were actually harmful beyond causing temporary discomfort.

His mask covered more than his face. He had carefully cultivated this image of a carefree, fun-loving, possibly traitorous man to hide the fact that he was just insecure because of his genius older brother. The locked room no one was allowed to see added to his mystique. I imagined the other six so-called 'Seven Wonders of Clavis' were just as contrived. And what I found most irritating about the whole thing was that he wasn't mediocre or average in the slightest. He probably was a genius in his own right, but Prince Chevalier was so phenomenally gifted that Prince Clavis still felt hopelessly inferior.

I wanted to slap him and hug him, but he would probably enjoy both, shameless flirt that he was.

"Ivetta!" Theresa called, bursting into the library at noon, her green eyes bright and shining.

I abandoned my cleaning supplies and headed toward her. "Could we maybe not talk about the princes at all today?"

"Ooh, what happened? It couldn't have been Prince Nokto this time, since he's away on business," she said, linking her arm through mine and leading me out into the hallway.

"They're all trouble, and I have a hard enough time dealing with them the rest of the day, so I'd rather not even think about them on my lunch break," I said firmly.

"You know you're only making me more curious," she teased.

I sighed. "Fine. We'll switch. I'll be Prince Leon's maid, and you can be Prince Chevalier's maid. One day with his faction will have you begging to switch back."

She laughed. "Not likely. Prince Leon's faction is so tame compared to Prince Chevalier's. I could do with a little action, if you know what I mean."

"I'll introduce you to Prince Nokto, then. You'll get plenty of action that way."

"No need. I left my contact information in his room," she said, smirking mischievously. "Although I wouldn't mind you putting in a good word for me."

I rolled my eyes. "Saying what, exactly? That you're easy?"