“My father needs off that throne,” Krew said, his voice lathered in determination and promise. “Soon.”
* * *
On the walkback to the carriage from the orphanage, I felt lighter. Seeing Warrick, Hattie, and the others had been exactly what I needed. While I understood that some people would see me differently as an Enchanted now, those children immediately understood I was still me, still Jorah.
Flora had gone back to her shop after tea. My mother went with us to the orphanage, and we would drop her off at our cottage before heading back for the castle. It had been a long day for all of us, but one well spent. I hoped it was the last of such trips before my mother became a permanent, but safe, resident of Kavan Keep.
When we reached the carriage, Krew gave the driver some instructions. He wanted to drop off my mother and then drive by the ongoing construction.
Just as he was walking back toward us to help us into the carriage, I felt my magic slither. Having ignored that feeling one too many times, I immediately began scanning the area.
And then I saw it. Ivy Westhaver Arquise. The now widow. She had a tomato in hand from one of the farmer’s open-front shops and brought it back like she would chuck it at Krew. She kept watching Krew, her jaw set and her eyes filled with fury.
I watched her, willing her to put it down. I knew she had to be thinking of her husband. How little time they’d had together. And likely blaming Krew, though she knew her husband had been the one to attack first.
I watched for two moments more, and when the tomato finally took to the air, I was ready and immediately stopped it with my magic.
Her eyes went wide in horror as my magic froze the tomato midair.
I was rather protective over my husband, but I knew in this case she was just hurting. It wasn’t a murder attempt. She was just mad. So rather than unleash my magic on her like I somewhat felt inclined to do, I instead walked toward her, grabbing the tomato right out the air and handing it to her.
“I believe this is yours?” I held it out for her.
She didn’t take it. “I—” For a moment I thought she might find me naïve enough to try to lie her way out of this. Instead, she offered, “My husband is dead because of yours!”
I gave her a pained smile. “I could see how that version of the story is easier for you in your grief, Ivy. But your husband is dead because of a massive misunderstanding. Of which Prince Krewan tried to avoid at all costs.”
Other people had stopped what they were doing and froze to watch us.
“And now Theodore too!” she continued while angrily shaking her head.
I sighed. “Yes. Theodore was innocent. Entirely. A horrible situation that I do feel an enormous amount of guilt over. Don’t assume I do not.”
“And you killed his murderer!”
I cocked my head. “Yes. I don’t even remotely regret it. He deserved it.”
“Don’t you see?!” she said more loudly, almost yelling at me.
“See what?”
“Death follows the two of you.” She gestured at the royal carriage. “People wind up dead wherever the two of you go.”
All the air left my lungs.
Krew, who had been patiently waiting for me, now ate up the space to be at my side. He grabbed the tomato out of my hand and placed it back in hers. “Ivy, death does not follow us. My father is a cruel man. There is a haze of evil around the crown, so I’ll give you that. But I will not allow you, even in your grief, to place blame upon my wife for things she did not do. She did not even have magic for half of the things you speak of. She is not responsible for any of it.”
Ivy whispered to him, “You’re truly disloyal?”
He gave her a tight smile. “The original founder, yes.”
She brought her free hand up to her mouth, the basket around her arm raising. “But that means—”
It meant her husband tried to kill one of his own, another disloyal, and died in the process.
“It means,” Krew offered, “your husband was severely misinformed. His actions were brave, the information behind them wrong.” He paused. “You may hate me for what happened. I can understand that. But raise your voice to your princess again, and we will have a problem.” He spun me back toward the carriage. “Good day, Mrs. Arquise.”
We loaded the carriage in a tense silence. I tried not to be too bothered by what Ivy had said. But this was Ivy. We had become better friends the first night at the castle. And then were friendly when I saw her and Jeremy at the Harvest Festival. And now? Now she had just told me that death followed me.
