Hollow Kingdom

Lily walked back to the castle in a fog, trying to sort out in her head what had happened at Alec's house. His sister and the little girl seemed to outright despise her. If Prissy had a girlish crush on Alec then that came as no surprise. But Lily couldn't begin to fathom what Belle might have against her. Maybe she was just protective of her brother. Did he need protecting when it came to Lily? He had kissed her back readily enough before she left; but what on earth had possessed her to kiss him in the first place? They had both been adamant that they were just friends yet she couldn't deny the fluttery, lightheaded feeling she seemed to get around him.

Lily was so lost in her jumbled thoughts that she didn't notice Angie was in her room until her friend spoke and then she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"What's the matter with you, Lily of the Valley?" Angie arched an eyebrow.

"Nothing."

"You're blushing," Angie smirked. "And you were gone all night. Visiting your manservant, perhaps?"

"It wasn't anything like that," Lily said hastily, cursing her red face. "He was injured, trying to save me from robbers."

Angie's silver eyes went almost comically wide. "The poor lamb. Did he realize how foolish that was, after you sent them all away licking their wounds?"

Lily laughed slightly. "He was rather impressed with my ability to defend myself. Still, he was stabbed in the shoulder. I helped him get home and tended to the wound and accidentally fell asleep there."

"Look at you, being a charming little minx. He must be rather taken with you to brave a band of robbers on your behalf."

"He's just a kind man," Lily mumbled, though she couldn't stop a small smile from reaching her lips. Then her gaze grew curious as she took in Angie. Her friend looked more radiant than usual; she was fairly glowing and there was a sparkle in her eyes Lily hadn't seen before.

"Speaking of people being taken with each other," she said slyly, "you and Evan seem to be getting along quite well."

"He's so adorably charming," Angie replied with a laugh. "So much different from the ridiculous nobles I usually have dalliances with. He's...sweet."

"I'm happy that you're happy."

Angie nodded, suddenly looking far away. Then she seemed to rouse herself and smiled at Lily.

"He's joining me for dinner tonight. It wouldn't surprise me if he brings your dear Alec along with him. I should like to thank him, for risking bodily harm on behalf of my lovely lady-in-waiting."

Angie planted a kiss on Lily's cheek before flouncing off to pick out a dress for that evening. Lily normally didn't put nearly as much stock in her outfits as Angie did; Angie was the beautiful one anyway. But if Alec did come for dinner, then perhaps there was no harm in putting in a little extra effort on her appearance. Lily's head felt muddled again as she thought it but she went to her armoire and began to sort through the gowns hanging there.

After staring helplessly at the array of silk and satin she hesitantly pulled out an emerald green dress made of impossibly light, soft velvet. The bodice clung to her like a second skin and had long sleeves and a plunging neckline. Far more plunging than she normally wore; Angie was more the one for open backs and dramatic necklines. She fretted for nearly half an hour in front of the mirror trying to decide if she should even wear any lip stain or rouge, and finally settled for the barest trace of kohl to rim her eyes and a soft golden-pink color to her lips. She did a simple loose braid and hurried to the dining room when she realized how late it was.

Angie arched an eyebrow when she saw her. "Well look at you."

"It's too much isn't it? I look ridiculous. I should change."

"Lily," Angie laughed. "You look beautiful. Sit down, you silly creature. They'll be here any moment."

Lily sat down on Angie's right hand side, wishing she could be as effortlessly confident as her friend. Angie looked stunning as always in a black silk and lace dress, her hair wound into an intricate bun. Lily wrung her hands in her lap as they waited, and she nearly startled herself right off her chair when a servant opened the door to the dining room and announced Evan and Alec.

Angie squeezed her hand under the table and gave her a reassuring smile before rising and going to plant a kiss on Evan's cheek, looking amused when he flushed. Alec was smothering a smirk until Lily stood and murmured hello. He stated at her and she tried not to squirm, dropping her eyes and willing the heat to stay out of her cheeks.

Angie shepherded the boys to the table. "Dinner will be served any moment. You're just in time. I wanted to thank you, Alec," she added primly. "Lily told me all about your valiant rescue."

"It wasn't much of a rescue," Alec said. "She came away unscathed while I had to be nursed back to health." He shot Lily a crooked smile and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes, our dear Lily is something of an expert in self-defense," Angie agreed, beaming like a proud mother. The food was brought out then and the four of them talked well into the evening.

"I shouldn't have eaten so much," Angie lamented. "My dress feels two sizes too small now."

"Well it looks perfect," Evan assured her. Angie's smile was so radiant it could have put the sun to shame. Lily caught Alec's eye and they shared a knowing smirk. Angie leaned closer to Evan and started talking in a low voice. Lily took it as a cue to leave.

"Alec, would you like to take a walk?" she asked.

"A walk sounds lovely." They both stood and Angie shot Lily a wink. Lily and Alec wandered out of the castle and through the gardens, talking about nothing in particular. They came across a marble fountain nestled in a patch of rose bushes and sat on its edge. Lily watched the water sparkle in the moonlight for several minutes before speaking again.

"Alec, you never answered my question. About who your father is." She cut a glance at him. "Why did those thugs know him? What's so important about him?"

Alec was quiet for a long time. "You remember how I told you my father vanished several years ago?" he asked slowly. Lily nodded.

"I don't know where he went, but I do know why he left. My father...he had a talent for magic. And as I mentioned before, Queen Angelique wanted those with magical ability banished from Aegaera. Anyone found to be using it now is jailed and executed. My father left to protect himself and us. We haven't heard from him since. We don't even know if he's alive or not."

Lily's stomach twisted into unpleasant knots. The ominous reminder of what Angie had been doing as Queen made her feel like she'd been doused in ice water. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "But why did those men know him? Know you?"

This time Alec was silent even longer, and Lily could tell he was having a debate with himself; weighing his words carefully. Finally he took a breath.

"I told you that the rumors about rebellion may be more than just rumors. I know for a fact that they're more than rumors. My father was an active revolutionary in the early stages of the rebellion. He helped to start it, in fact." He hesitated again, closing his eyes briefly before saying what he had to next. "I'm involved with the rebellion, Lily."

She stared at him for a long moment, the rest of the world going fuzzy. Then a surge of humiliation and fury raced through her.

"You're a rebel," she said slowly. Then her hand clenched into a fist and she punched him so hard that his head snapped back. He grimaced and held a hand to his jaw. Lily jerked away from him and leaped to her feet. "So you've just been using me this whole time," she hissed. "You've just been lying and pretending to my friend!" Her face went red as she remembered the circumstances under which they first ran into each other. "Did you sleep with me that first night as a way to get close to me?" she asked in a strangled voice.

"No!" Alec looked horrified as he stood and caught her hand. She wrenched it away, trying to ignore the stung look on his face. She was no stranger to people trying to use or take advantage of her, but she never would have expected Alec to be one of them. She crossed her arms tightly across her chest and glared daggers at him.

"Lily, please, just let me explain." He paused to wince and touch his jaw again. "Damn, that hurts. I swear I didn't even know who you were that night. I didn't know until after, and then-"

"Then you decided to use me and lie to me?" she asked flatly. Alec flinched.

"I really did want to reconnect with you, Lily. That wasn't a lie. It's true that I was hoping to gather intel on the Queen but I do enjoy spending time with you. And then I thought maybe you could help us."

"What?" Lily frowned.

"Lily, you've seen what things are like. I know Angelique is your friend but she can't run the kingdom this way. I know you agree with that."

Lily didn't answer but she didn't turn and walk away on the spot either. Alec seemed to take that as a good sign.

"I'm taking a huge risk by telling you this," he said. "Most everyone else thinks I'm crazy for trusting you. But I do. I saw the way you stood up for that family when the guards were harassing them about taxes. You're a good person, Lily. I know you want all of this to stop just as much as I do."

"I won't tell her about you but what help do you think I can give you? I'm not going to help you kill her."

"Maybe you can help us save people from more unfair executions," Alec said. "You live in the castle. Snooping shouldn't be difficult."

Lily narrowed her eyes and stared at him, considering his words. "Fine," she said stiffly. "If I catch word that anyone is in danger of being arrested or hanged for unjust reasons, I'll try to warn you."

Alec started to grin then winced again. "You really throw an impressive punch."

"I'll do a lot worse than that if you lie to me like that again," Lily grumbled. Then she sighed. "Come on," she said wearily. "I have some herbs in the greenhouse that will help with the bruising and swelling."