“It is an excellent idea, Your Highness,” Prince Ilya said, as he stepped closer to him. Baron de Montefort looked down his nose at the prince, and bowed as he took his leave of Luka. The Sunvaaran silently watched the man go, giving nothing away.
“How do you two know each other?” Luka asked, finally unable to keep the question to himself any longer.
Prince Ilya started, and his eyes slid to the man at his side, Rana Singh, aide to the Crown Prince of Sunvaara.
“We were in Merovia last summer,” the prince said finally. “A princess from one of our border kingdoms married the Baron, as you must know. We were visiting the happy couple.”
No doubt to make sure the marriage—and the alliance would hold, Luka thought wryly. Was that why the Baron was so unhappy with the Sunvaarans? His dislike seemed to run deeper than that.
“Was this the same princess who was betrothed to your Crown Prince?” Maya asked at his side, and Luka watched the other man carefully to see his reaction.
Prince Ilya didn’t jump, or give a guilty start, but his eyes did narrow a little. “Oh, that’s ancient history,” he smiled widely. “You know ladies, always changing their minds.” He laughed, despite the narrowing of Maya’s eyes. “Princess Mallika—excuse me, the Baroness de Montefort—is very happy in her marriage. I believe there is a child on the way.”
“You must understand why we are curious,” Maya said, pressing the issue. “Your Crown Prince is set to marry Princess Ludmilla, after all. She is Prince Luka’s sister.”
Prince Ilya blinked, and then opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something. At that very moment, Luka saw Rana Singh turn to look at the man. Prince Sekhar’s aide widened his eyes a fraction, and Prince Ilya looked away with a forced laugh.
“The Crown Prince is a fine man,” he said, and Luka could hear the note of insincerity in his voice. “Your sister could do no better.”
Luka didn’t believe a word he was saying. Even if Prince Ilya or Rana weren’t the spy, they were still lying about Prince Sekhar being good for his sister.
Well, he could only hope that one of them would turn out to be the spy. That way, he could ensure that Ludmilla could break off her engagement without any repercussions to the alliance with Sunvaara.
“I need to go get my dress ready for tonight,” Maya said, still playing the part of the absent-minded inventor. “You could’ve given me a little notice, Luka, now I’ll have to spend all day in my rooms, searching through all my trunks for the perfect dress for the feast.”
Maya had spoken as if she was talking to him alone, but she had managed to project her voice so that all the lords present there had heard her. Luka knew she was making it clear that the lab would be unattended all day, and all night, when the feast would be in full swing.
If ever there was a time for the spy to strike, it was today.
~
Luka next met Maya at lunch, during which she reported that the spy had not shown himself yet.
“This is our last chance,” Luka hissed at her, while the other lords were busy with the food, a delicacy from Sunvaara that was so spicy that it turned both the Merovians and the Drakkans red.
“We’ll catch him, don’t worry.”
That night, as the feast began, Luka was pleased with the arrangements. He’d tasked Stoffel with making sure it went off without a hitch, and his aide had delivered on his promise.
The banquet hall was filled with the scent of roasting meats, bubbling pots of stew, and freshly baked bread. The long table was draped with a richly embroidered cloth and adorned with crystal goblets and silver candelabras. The guests, of course, were dressed in their finest attire, their jewels glittering in the candlelight.
As the feast began, Luka dug deep within himself and pulled on his old princely persona, the one who loved the spotlight and wanted nothing more than the love of everyone he ever met. He moved among the tables, making small talk with each of his guests. He laughed at their jokes, complimented their clothing, and poured them wine from a sparkling decanter. His charm and easy grace put everyone at ease, distracting them from any sense of unease or danger.
As he walked around the room, he kept an eye on the attendees. The Merovians and their retinue were all in the hall. As were the Sunvaarans, who had been his prime suspects. Luka had not liked the look of that man Rana, and he’d been sure the man was up to no good. But no, there he was, at Prince Ilya’s side, dour faced as ever.
While he kept them all distracted, Maya had slipped away, and as he watched now, she made her way back to him. As soon as she reached his side, Luka knew her time away had been unsuccessful.
“Anything?” he asked, as he drifted away from his guests.
“Nothing,” Maya said tensely, her eyes roaming the crowd.
“Stopstaring, you’re being very obvious,” Luka muttered, and Maya jumped, turning her gaze away.
“Sorry.”
They’d planned it out the night before, during the feast, Maya would question the cooks and servants, looking for any sign of suspicious activity. But it seemed her search had turned up nothing.
“We’ll know when they try to break into the lab,” Luka said reassuringly, and Maya nodded, grabbing a glass from the table nearby and taking a swig. Luka had put a mage spell on the lock on the lab’s door, he would sense it when someone was trying to break into the lab.
