Not Princess Material

Chapter 15

"Wait, he's missing?" Sky looked between Piper and Arthur.

Arthur nodded. "We believe he went to confront the baron and he did it alone."

"Are you certain?"

"As certain as we can be without marching up there and demanding answers that we probably won't receive," Arthur answered.

She grumbled some sort of reply beneath her breath before turning away and walking a circle around the room. She came to a stop before him. "Why would he go there alone and for what reason? What could he possibly confront the baron about?"

He shifted uncomfortably and shot a quick glance at Piper. "We have reason to believe the baron is responsible for the attack in the garden."

"Care to expound further on that statement? You don't sound as if you're certain."

"We just don't have enough information to make a determination!"

"Well we need something more! We need to find Codey!" she snapped.

Edwin stepped between them. "All right, arguing isn't going to find him and get him back. Arthur is correct, if we march in there and demand to know Codey's whereabouts, the baron will insist he knows nothing."

Skylette smiled at him. "Then we don't march in. We go in and pretend we know nothing of Codey."

"What exactly are you planning?" he asked her with a frown.

"A wedding tour!"

A wide smile spread across Piper's face. "You're going to show us your beautiful countryside, Princess Skylette?"

"Yes. It's a very nice gift from the royal family, don't you agree?"

"And you don't think the baron will think it a bit odd?" Edwin asked her with a frown.

She shrugged. "Why should he? We aren't going to ask about Codey."

"How exactly are we going to find Codey if we don't actually search for him?" Arthur asked.

"We aren't going to search for him ... you are."

"How do I do that?"

"We will distract the baron and you slip in and search for him. Very simple," she told him.

Arthur dragged a hand down his face. "That doesn't sound so simple to me. How in the hell am I supposed to slip into the castle? The guards know my face!"

She scowled at him. "I don't know! Knock out one of the guards and take his uniform!"

He opened his mouth to snap out a reply, but closed it. After a minute, he nodded. "All right, that could work."

Piper clapped her hands together. "Well then, I suppose we should get prepared for our tour of the kingdom!"

***

"Stay back out of sight. Find a guard and you know what to do from there," Sky instructed Arthur.

"I've got it, don't worry. I'll do whatever it takes to find him and get him out of there." He flipped up the cowl of his cloak, hiding his face.

She turned to Piper and Edwin. "Ready to go?"

"Yes, let's get this over with," Edwin answered in a tight voice.

They mounted and set off toward the baron's home. The rode in silence until they neared the gates. Then Sky began a narration about Kingsley, pointing things out as she described them.