A Dangerous Dance [BOOK ONE]

Chapter Four

THE ENTRY HALL WAS IN CHAOS.

Magdalena, Natalie, Ophelia, and even Phoebe were chasing each other around the space, squealing and shrieking. Faith and Gwyneth were sliding down the banister of the stairs and running back up once they got to the bottom. Dahlia and Evelina were trying to help Lenora untangle a clip she managed to get stuck in her hair.

"It's hopeless." Blythe said with defeat in her voice.

Althea sighed and shook her head. She knew that the only reason the girls were acting out was because they were nervous about the King's return.

She wasn't any exception. Nerves fluttered around in her stomach like butterflies longing to escape. The King. Lord Etherson. It was almost too much.

"Not to worry, Your Highness," Both girls turned as Lady Andrea appeared, hands on her hips, "We'll have them sorted out for your father."

Lady Andrea had been in their family for a long time. A close, personal friend of Althea's mother and then a nursemaid turned governess for all of their girls. Her hair was almost all silver, but she was still a woman with a backbone of steel and words that could bite.

True to her word, she managed to arrange the girls oldest to youngest. Phoebe was settled on Althea's hip, happy to munch on a biscuit, and because Ophelia wasn't quite old enough to stand in the line herself, Blythe held onto her hand.

"Thank you, Lady Andrea." Said Althea, giving the older woman a tired but grateful smile.

The smile she returned was twinged with sadness.

Althea faced the doors just as they opened, and just like that her father was back.

She almost gasped when she saw him. The war had not been kind to King Nathanael. His golden hair and trimmed bread had gray shot through it and premature wrinkles lined his mouth, nose, and eyes. His eyebrows were set in a scowl, defining the lines in his forehead. He was dressed in his general frock coat, polished medals hanging over his heart.

He used a walking cane, limping painfully in his left leg.

He stopped a few yards away from the girls, taking in each individual girl. Althea knew that he looked at Cassidy and Lenora, who took after their mother more than most of the girls, with sadness.

"Althea. Blythe." He nodded curtly at the two girls, "I trust everything is well?"

"Yes, sir." Answered Althea, meeting his stern gaze with one of her own.

He nodded once more, "Good. Where is Locklyn? I have important matters to tend to."

Althea didn't even realize she was squeezing her fist until the sharp pain reminded her of the habit. His own daughters weren't important?

"But, sir—"

She didn't know why she bothered. He was already moving on, checking his daughters off of his list. Blood oozed between her fingers and roared in her ears. Anger, bright and violent, made Althea shake.

"Al," Blythe hissed in her ear, "stop."

She hadn't realized she had taken a step forward. Inhaling sharply, she moved back before her father could see her movement.

"Thea, hurting me." Phoebe whined, patting at Althea's collarbone. Sighing, she passed the little girl over to Cassidy.

"Your Highnesses." Their father's steward, Mathers, stepped forward and bowed, "May I introduce Lord Blake Etherson and his cousin, James Harding."

Still buzzing with anger, Althea's eyes narrowed when Lord Etherson entered, his cousin in tow. Althea had not been aware that his cousin would be visiting along with Lord Etherson.

He was exactly what she had been expecting. Handsome, with pleasant features and broad shoulders, but carrying an air of arrogance. He wore fine clothes, cut to his exact dimensions, had neatly trimmed hair and a sharp jawline. Everything about him screamed wealth and privilege. His cousin was no different, although his face didn't sport such an arrogant look, and his facial features were different, constructed a different way, as were his eyes, a much lighter color. If Althea cared to guess, she would say he was near Dahlia and Evelina's age.

Etherson did a thorough inspection of Althea, making her skin crawl, and swooped into a graceful bow. His cousin followed a moment later.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness." The way he spoke was a clear indication that he was not pleased to meet Althea at all.

She dipped into a curtsy, clamping down on her cheek to stop a groan of pain. Her leg still hadn't recovered from dancing, and bending it required a copious amount of work and serve pain.

"Likewise, Lord Etherson." Althea was quite proud of how steady her voice was even though blood was still roaring through her brain.

"This is my cousin, as well as my close friend, James." She noticed that the name didn't quite sit right in his voice, as though he was used to saying something different.

James bowed, then gave Althea a dazzling smile, "Hello, Your Highness. I would prefer Jamie, if it pleases you."

Her eyes narrowed when his eyes went to Dahlia, who blushed and whispered in Evelina's ear. The two girls giggled behind their hands and Cassidy shot them a scolding look.

"My sisters." Althea then went down the line, knowing that he wouldn't bother to learn any of the girls names past Blythe. Most visiting dignitaries and nobility only learned her and Blythe's name because they were the eldest and that Althea was heir.

There was her and Blythe of course, then Cassidy, Dahlia, Evelina, Faith and Gwyneth, who made up the older set of girls. Holly, Iris, Jaqueline and Kadence, and Lenora were the middle girls. And Magdalena, Natalie, Ophelia, and Phoebe were the youngest girls.

The King had insisted on alphabetical order, but Althea's mother had picked the names.

"You must be weary from your journey," Blythe spoke, "Mrs. Higgins will show you to your accommodations."

The palace housekeeper, a no-nonsense woman, stepped forward and bowed to Lord Etherson and his brother.

All of the girls were silent as Mrs. Higgins led them away, then broke out into chatter when the two men disappeared up the stairs.

"Let me see your hand." Jaqueline demanded, marching over to Althea and holding out her hands. Jaqueline was medically minded, so different from her twin Kadence, who was more musically inclined.

Sighing, Althea unclenched her stinging hand and held it up for Jaqueline to see. Her palm was a mess of blood and angry crescent-shaped marks from her fingernails.

"Oh, Thea." Jaqueline murmured, gently laying Althea's hand on top of her palm to get a better look.

"It's fine." She snapped, jerking her hand away.

Cassidy and Blythe stared at her, and Jaqueline looked hurt. Althea turned away, curling her hand up again so she wouldn't have to see the marks and the blood.

"I need to speak with the cook about the Ball tomorrow." She said, her voice sounding ragged after speaking curtly with her sister.

She walked away, holding onto her skirts. And when she was well away from the sight of her sisters, she fell against a wall.

Althea bit into her knuckles as the hopeless sobs overtook her, stealing her breath and blurring her vision.