Royal Mistake #6 Page 17

  I lift my weapon to spar with him again, and he takes another point from me in only a second.

  He backs up again, keeping his weapon lowered. “Do the right thing for the people of Montovia, Victoria. I’ll let you win—you’ll be the hero of this country, winning back their scepter and beating the reviled Prince Reginald. And in exchange, you give Andrew back his ring.”

  “So he can marry Justine?” I shake my head. “He won’t marry her, even if I give him back his ring.”

  He lifts his weapon and we spar once more with Reginald taking the point after only a few seconds. As he backs up to reset, he speaks again. “No, he won’t be marrying Justine, either. He won’t be marrying anyone. That is what I get from this match if you agree, Victoria. The satisfaction of knowing Andrew will suffer for the rest of his life.”

  I look out over the crowd, and there. Near the back of the huge crowd that’s gathered around the stage, I see him. Andrew is looking at me, and though he can’t see me through my mask, I can feel our eyes meet.

  And it’s almost like he can hear what’s being said between Reginald and me, even though I know it’s impossible. He’s too far away and our voices are too low for anyone else to hear. But Andrew gives me a small shake of his head.

  My heart thrashes in my chest and I’m almost dizzy. If I wasn’t in the middle of a sweaty fencing tournament, I’d run to Andrew now and jump into his arms, telling him exactly what I’ve decided to do.

  And though I know I’m going to lose this match—badly—I decide to do what’s right.

  My chest rises as I prepare myself for the next point, narrowing my gaze at my opponent.

  I lift my weapon and raise my chin. “Go fuck yourself, Prince Reginald. I’m definitely not in.”

  Andrew

  My entire body is rigid as I watch the match between Reginald and Victoria.

  Around me, the crowd is getting louder and rowdier with every passing moment. The people of Montovia hate watching Reginald win our tournament every year, and while I know many of them still don’t know quite what to think of Victoria, they certainly would prefer her to win over Reginald.

  But I’m not as concerned with the results as I am with the way Reginald is looking at Victoria right now—like a cat playing with a mouse. I can’t see his eyes through his fencing mask, but I can see it in every line of his body—he sees her as his prey.

  I push through the crowd, trying to get closer to where the two of them circle each other. When people recognize me, they let me pass, but my progress is still slow.

  Meanwhile, my eyes never leave Victoria.

  She says something to Reginald, and he laughs—the same way he laughed last night when he was talking to me. I don’t know what he’s said to her, but it makes my blood boil all the same. And the way Victoria’s back stiffens makes me move that much more quickly toward the pair of them.

  Reginald scores another point on Victoria, and some of the people around me start to boo. I’m not entirely sure what the score is—I can’t tear my eyes away from Victoria—but it’s clear that Reginald is winning.

  I shouldn’t have let her compete. What was I thinking, letting her subject herself to this?

  I’ve reached the edge of the fencing arena now, and it takes all my energy to keep myself from running into the ring between the two of them. But I know that won’t solve anything. I have to let this play out.

  They’re circling each other again. I hear the sharp tones of Reginald’s voice again, but I can’t make out any of the words. Victoria says something in return, then lunges toward him again. She manages to land a point, and a cheer goes up around me.

  You can do it, my love. You can beat him.

  They’re both speaking again—it sounds almost as if they’re arguing. But I still can’t understand what they’re saying—they’re too far away, and the crowd around me is too loud. And their masks keep me from even attempting to read their lips.

  Reginald moves toward Victoria. For a moment, I think he’s scored another point, but Victoria manages to parry at the last moment. I’m holding my breath. For all that I agreed she should be able to fight for us in her own way, it’s nearly unbearable to stand by and do nothing while she and Reginald spar.

  You have to let go of some of the control, I tell myself. You have to trust her.

  My hands curl around the velvet rope encircling the tournament grounds. I want her to show Reginald that we won’t be intimidated by him. I want—as unprincely as it sounds—for her to kick his ass.

  He’s the better fencer—that much is clear, even to me. But Victoria has a spirit and a determination that is unmatched. And she’s fighting for something bigger than this. In spite of everything, I have every hope in her.

  And indeed, as the match goes on, she seems to be gaining some ground on him. She scores two points in a row, and nearly scores a third shortly thereafter. She and Reginald continue to argue, and if I’m not mistaken, some of the arrogance has left his tone. He’s starting to grow careless—perhaps because something Victoria’s said has shaken him.

  Somehow she’s done it. Somehow she’s managed to rattle him. I have no idea what she said to him, but I’ve always had a feeling that Reginald’s pride would be his downfall—perhaps because I’m all too aware that pride is one of my weaknesses as well.

  My eyes move to Victoria again. Never has that fact been clear than since meeting her—my pride has been challenged again and again since she came into my life. And though at times I haven’t reacted very well to that challenge, I know I am a better man because of her. She has that sort of power.

  Perhaps she can make a better man out of Reginald, too.

  They’re circling each other again.

  The crowd erupts into boos around me, even as Reginald takes a sweeping victory bow.

  I can’t take it any longer.

  “He cheated!” I shout over the noise. “Judges! He cheated!”

  A couple of people around me hear my shouts and echo me. Soon cries of “He cheated!” start getting louder and louder.

  Across the way, I see the judges look at each other in confusion. They didn’t see what I saw—Reginald made sure of it. And this is only the Montovian Salt Festival, not the Olympics or some professional sports league—there’s no “instant replay” here to check for things like this.

  I leap over the velvet rope. A small cheer goes up, while angry shouts of “He cheated!” get louder and louder.

  Reginald turns toward me. He takes off his mask in one graceful movement, then cocks his head as if listening to the cries of the crowd around us.

  “You cheating bastard,” I say through gritted teeth as I approach him. “Victoria should have won.”

  “Ah, how adorable,” he says in a mocking tone. “Crying ‘cheater’ to protect your American whore’s feelings.”

  “This isn’t about her feelings. This is about a fair and honorable match—”

  “Ah, I see. You’re defending her honor again. After you didn’t have the courage to face me yourself.” He grins. Even though his face still bears some bruises from our fight yesterday, he doesn’t look much the worse for it. In fact, he’s positively gloating.

  Involuntarily, my hand curls into a fist at my side.

  Control yourself, I think. Don’t do this in front of the crowd. But I’m very quickly losing the battle with my temper.

  Until I feel a gentle touch on my arm.

  Victoria.

  I look down at her. She’s taken off her mask, too, and she looks up at me with those deep, beautiful eyes of hers.

  “Don’t,” she says softly. “He’s trying to bait you.”

  “You should have won,” I say through gritted teeth. “This was your match—”

  “I know,” she says. “But it’s not worth it.”

  “Of course it’s worth it. Victoria, I—”

  “It’s not,” she says firmly. “There are more important things than winning, Andrew.” Her eyes flick away from me, t
oward the crowd around us that is growing louder and rowdier with every passing moment. “Do you want there to be a riot? Because that’s where this is heading.”

  Victoria

  The grin on Reginald’s face makes me want to slap him. It only seems to widen as the crowd begins to chant about his cheating. And perhaps he did cheat, not that it matters. He beat me—he’s a fine fencer, and there’s really no denying it.

  “I’ll not stand for cheating. The people of Montovia deserve better—”

  “It isn’t worth it, Andrew.” I’m not sure why I have to keep repeating that to him—it isn’t as though we can go back and refight the match, even if Reginald did cheat. And it isn’t as though I’d want to fight him again, anyway.

  “If he—”

  Reginald walks over to where we’re standing, still grinning as he performs another sweeping bow, his épée still drawn. “My offer still stands, my dear lady.”

  I narrow my gaze as my hand tightens on Andrew’s arm. “I believe I declined your offer, Prince Reginald. And you’ve already won—”

  “What is he talking about?” Andrew snaps his head to look at me. “What offer?”

  Reginald straightens and turns his gaze to Andrew. “Why, I offered her everything you want, Your Highness.” He pauses for a moment. “Well, I suppose not everything.”

  I glare at the man standing in front of me. “And I declined. And I still decline.”

  His smile falls slightly and his gaze darts between Andrew and me for a few moments. “Then how about I make you a deal you can’t refuse, Victoria?”

  “There is no deal I’m taking from you—”

  “Perhaps you should wait to hear my offer before you refuse out of hand.” His smile falls away completely as he narrows his gaze at Andrew. “I’ll give you the scepter and the rights to the Amhurst Valley.”

  Andrew’s mouth falls open for a moment and he turns to look at me. “Victoria—?”

  “With the same conditions, of course.” The grin returns to Reginald’s face. “So what do you say, Victoria? Do we have a deal? Montovia gets back her scepter and avoids certain war with my country.”

  My heart is pounding in my chest, thrashing in my ears. The crowd of people surrounding the stage is yelling so loudly now that I can barely think straight. And Reginald didn’t really just offer what I think he did—he couldn’t have.

  “Of course, if you accept, there is one tiny addition to what I’ll need you to do in exchange…” Reginald’s grin is impossibly wide.

  My mouth is opening and closing like a fish out of water. The crowd is chanting beside me. Andrew is saying something to me—asking what Reginald is talking about, I think. And Reginald’s head is cocked expectantly, waiting for my answer.

  “You really have little choice, do you Victoria?” His head tilts in the other direction. “Of course, I’ll need you to do what we talked about in exchange for the scepter and the land rights. And I’ll need you to do it here. Now. In front of all these adoring citizens.” He makes a sweeping motion toward the crowd.

  He’s right, of course. I have no choice. I have to do what’s right for Montovia and stop thinking only of myself and what’s right for me. My heart doesn’t matter. My love for Andrew doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is doing what’s right for the many—not for me.

  And the crowd is so loud now, I can barely hear Reginald, even though he’s right in front of me.

  “What is he talking about?” Andrew is nearly screaming in my ear.

  But I can’t answer him—I can’t say anything at all to him. He’ll only try to talk me out of it, but this is the right thing to do. If Andrew has taught me anything, it’s that the most important thing to him in the world is his duty to his people. And this will make him the hero. It will win him back the love of his people. And that matters so much more than the love between the two of us.

  I hold up my hand to the crowd, and I have no idea why, but a hush falls over them almost immediately.

  Reginald lifts a brow, still smiling. He turns to the crowd. “Good people of Montovia. I’ll admit it—I cheated. Victoria of America should be named the winner of the festival jousting tournament.”

  Andrew’s mouth falls open as he turns to look at me. He seems to know somewhere inside him that something terrible is about to happen, but he can’t do anything to stop it. Not now. He pulls my hand into his as he turns to face the crowd.

  But he doesn’t get a word out. Reginald continues. “As a show of good faith, I am offering the scepter back to your country with my apologies.”

  Reginald pauses and looks at me for a long moment, waiting to continue until I give him the slightest nod, agreeing to his terms.

  “Victoria?” Andrew turns to me again, his voice so low I can barely hear it.

  “And good citizens, as a further apology for my behavior at your festival these past few nights, it is with my father’s permission that I also offer the rights to the Amhurst Valley as a show of good will. Let this night be one that we shall all remember as the first night of peace between our countries in more than a century.”

  There’s silence in the crowd—everyone seems to be as in shock as Andrew is beside me. But after a long moment, a cheer starts, growing louder and louder until Reginald raises his hand.

  “Citizens of Montovia, I believe Victoria has something she would like to say.” Reginald turns to me with a grin.

  There’s no way out of this—no way not to do to Andrew exactly what he did to Justine a few days ago. But it seems a small price to pay for doing right by an entire country.

  I can barely breathe—barely get a word out. I pull my hand from Andrew’s—the one with the ring still on it. I set down my épée at my feet and turn to the man I love. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

  His brow furrows with confusion. “Victoria?”

  “I’m sorry.” My words are still only a whisper as I slide the ring with the beautiful black pearl from my finger. I don’t dare look at it—I can’t bear to see it. I place the ring in his hand. “I can’t marry you.”

  Reginald laughs. “This… This, good citizens of Montovia. This is what in my country we like to call…Karma.”

  Andrew’s mouth is still gaping open as his hand closes around the ring.

  I can’t seem to tear my gaze from his, but I know I have to. And I can’t seem to say anything else to him, so I whisper to him again. “I’m sorry. So, so sorry, Andrew.”

  And all I hear as I run from the stage is Reginald’s laughter in my ears.

  Andrew

  I don’t understand.

  I stare down at the ring in my hand. The dark pearl catches the light from the lanterns, and for a moment, it looks like it’s glowing. My eyes focus on that faint light while my mind tries to process what’s happening.

  She gave back the ring. She said she won’t marry me.

  No—she said she can’t marry me.

  It takes me a moment to remember that I’m not alone, that an entire crowd of people is watching me. They’ve fallen completely quiet, and their silence rings in my ears. They’re all watching. Waiting. Only Reginald makes any sound at all. His laughter grates against my skull, echoing through my brain and intensifying the sharp pain I’m suddenly starting to feel.

  He did this. He tricked Victoria into doing this.

  But she made the final choice, the other part of my brain says. She knew the cost, and she was willing to pay it. She was willing to give this up after everything you’ve been through together.

  And give it up for what?

  Slowly, I turn and look at Reginald. He’s still laughing, and he slaps his hand against the hilt of his épée as if he can barely contain himself. He’s enjoying this far too much.

  My fists clench at my side. It takes all my effort not to punch him right here, in front of all these people. But I don’t have time to get into a fight with this prick. I have to find Victoria.

  I practically leap down off the platform. I must go
after her. Most of the crowd is still stunned, but some move back, giving me space.

  “Let me through,” I tell them. I must catch her. I must. Even if I have to tear the whole damn city apart.

  The people part for me, but the crowd is too thick to let me move very quickly. I push my way through, mumbling an apology here and there, but as my desperation builds, so does my anger. Behind me, I can hear Reginald pause to catch his breath, and my anger is sharp and hot.

  I try to shove the emotion aside. My focus must be on one thing and one thing only: finding Victoria.

  When I finally get through the bulk of the crowd gathering around the dueling rings, I pause, scanning the roads for Victoria. People mill about, laughing and singing and enjoying the revelry. Many of them don’t even notice me—I doubt they would have noticed Victoria, either.

  If I know her, she’s gone straight to the train station. I don’t pause to think for long—if she means to flee, she’ll do it as quickly as she can.

  I turn down the road toward the station, running through the crowds of revelers and dodging street performers and food vendors. I push my way through the crowds, not caring if they think me rude. I’ll worry about that after I find her.

  “Victoria!” I call. “Victoria!”

  My voice barely carries above the noise of the festival. But I call for her anyway. People are starting to turn and look at me, but I run by before anyone can stop me or ask me what’s going on. All that matters is finding her.

  I’m out of breath by the time I reach the train station, but I don’t even pause. I scan the line in front of the ticket desk and, when I don’t see her there, turn my attention to the platforms. I don’t see her.

  I don’t have time to search every train…