Released

Lucian was getting ready for dinner when someone pounded on his bedroom door. He frowned, worried something was wrong, and jogged to it. On the other side, though, was a very furious Jerkin.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Your precious lady,” Jerkin spat.

“Is she hurt?”

“She will be if she keeps up the way she is,” he snapped and Lucian glared at him, gripping the doorknob.

“Are you threatening Percy?” he asked in a low voice.

Jerkin rolled his eyes. “I’m not an idiot, King Lucian. She needs to watch her mouth, though.”

“Get to the point, Jerkin.”

“She left without taking an escort!” he said. “When I told her that she needed someone in case she was in danger, she said I was the only danger to her! Can you believe it!?”

Lucian stared at him for a long time, fighting with the urge to laugh and the desire to make sure she really was okay. Jerkin was breathing heavily, a sure sign that he was furious and insulted. But was it because he now recognized Persephone? Or was he really just very insulted?

“Well?” Jerkin demanded, jerking him from his thoughts. “Are you going to do something about it or not!?”

“I think you’re overreacting,” Lucian said finally. “Maybe you heard her wrong. I’ll speak with her, though. Did she say where she was going?”

“No,” he said, looking smug now that he thought she would be in trouble. “She said she was going on your behalf, though.”

Lucian just nodded and tried to think of where Persephone could have gone. Before he could think too much about it, they saw her coming down the hall. When she spotted them, she hesitated. She glanced at her door then continued towards them. Lucian kissed her lightly on the cheek and she seemed to blush. Her face was already pink from the cold, though, and he saw snow on her cloak.

“Where have you been?” he asked, ignoring Jerkin’s pointed stare to yell at her.

“I went to see if I could find that person we were talking about,” she said vaguely.

He understood immediately what she was talking about and nodded. He took Persephone’s cloak and hung it on the hook by his door just inside his room before taking her arm. They walked down the hall, Jerkin two steps behind him. Lucian was annoyed. He didn’t have to answer to this ridiculous guard. It was the other way around. So why did he feel like he had to do what he said and punish Persephone? She had done nothing wrong. Unless you count almost giving her identity away.

“You need to be more careful,” he said finally and she looked at him. “Being in the company of the king can make someone a target,” he continued, choosing his words carefully. “You’re also put under great scrutiny. Anyone can be watching and listening; especially if you’re having… private conversations.”

“Yes, of course,” she said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“That’s it?” Jerkin hissed in his ear but Lucian didn’t pay him any attention.

The table was set up like the previous evening and he sat down, glad that Jerkin was at the other end.

“He’s really upset with you,” he whispered to Persephone after she had finished praying. “He told me what you said as you were leaving the palace.”

She sighed, blowing gently on her soup.

“I couldn’t help it, Lucian,” she whispered back. “He’s still trying to make advances.”

He frowned. “Are you sure?”

She scoffed. “He rubbed my arm while making suggestive comments about walking with me through the village. Yes, I’m pretty certain.”

Lucian felt his blood boil as he looked down the table at Jerkin. He was watching them and Lucian shot him a glare that made the older man frown.

“Why is he even still here?” Persephone hissed, gripping her spoon tightly.

He sighed. “My father. He put in his will that Jerkin is to stay unless he does something against the law.” Uther was starting to eavesdrop so he changed the subject. “Are you ready for switchboard tomorrow?”

She groaned. “Do I have to?”

He smirked. “Yes, yes you do.”

=

They all met in the tea room where the Switchboard setup was. Persephone tried to inch out but he grabbed her arm, amused at her reluctance.

Switchboard was simple. There was a large square board with boxes etched into the wood. Each person had a round piece of wood that they would slide around strategically. The goal was to get it to the opposite side and back without bumping into the obstacles. There was one twist, though:

After every turn, the board gets turned so you had to play the hand of the person beside you.
Lucian explained the rules and they all took a side of the board, Elisabeth looking eager. Persephone tried to be the odd one out but he made her be on his team.

“We’re going to lose,” she warned.

“Don’t be so pessimistic,” he said and handed her the wooden die. “Will you do the honor?”

She sighed and rolled the die in her hand then tossed it onto the board. It landed on three dots so she studied the board. Lucian glanced over at Frederick. He was standing opposite his father and staring at the board. It wasn’t his usual shy stare, though. He was studying it very carefully. He knew that look, having worn it many times: Not only was he looking for his moves, but he was thinking of different ways to sabotage the others.

Persephone ended up moving their wood in a diagonal line and the servants spun the board. Frederick was up next and he rolled the die. He got a five and triumphantly bumped their wood into a square with the image of a fire on it.

“I told you!” Persephone cried, tossing her hands into the air. “I’m awful at this!”

Lucian laughed. “We still have two more opportunities.”

She huffed as the board spun again.

Frederick was by far the best out of them all. Lucian was secretly happy to see that King Uther was the first one out completely, courtesy of his son. It came down to between Lucian and Persephone against Frederick. As the game continued, Persephone started to take a back seat and Lucian let her. He was focused on the board, fighting with his desire to win and his hope that the king would look favorably on his son.

The board was spun to Luca and he rolled the die nervously. He sighed when he got just a one. He was almost to his side of the board again! If only he had rolled a five!

Frederick took the die and got a six. Lucian held his breath, hoping Frederick wouldn’t see the square that had a large black circle: the image of a hole. If he did, Lucian would be out of chances. Maybe Frederick would be too nervous?

Lucian should have known better. A proud grin broke across Frederick’s face as he quickly slid Lucian’s token onto the black spot. Lucian groaned but applauded along with everyone else.

“You’re a natural!” he praised and Frederick looked embarrassed but pleased.

“Thank you,” he mumbled. “Who came up with this game?”

“A man who passed through the kingdom,” Lucian said. “He taught us at the palace first then down in the village. Any time my father would kick me out of the throne room, she would take me here and play with me and two other servants. Of course, I always won but I think she was just humoring me until a few years later and I lost miserably.”

“Let me guess: you let the prince win,” Jerkin sneered and Lucian shot him a glare over his shoulder.”

“No, actually,” he said, making Frederick look surprised again. “I was praying he didn’t see that black spot. God, I was so close.”

Persephone giggled, squeezing his hand, as they entered the gardens. Elisabeth beamed and immediately took Persephone away from Lucian and wandered through the plants. She was asking questions and Lucian hoped that Persephone remembered enough about the gardens.

Frederick had wandered off, too, leaving him with just Uther and Jerkin.

“Can we have some privacy?” Uther said to Jerkin.

“Go,” Lucian said and Jerkin rolled his eyes.

“Why is he still here?” Uther asked through clenched teeth.

“Father’s orders,” Lucian muttered as they wandered among the vegetation as well.

He made a ‘humph’ noise and shook his head. They saw the two women giggling over an oddly shaped plant and Lucian smiled.

“She’s a very beautiful young woman,” Uther said.

“Yes, she is.”

“How did you meet?”

“She’s a village person,” Lucian said, deciding to give him most of the truth. “I met her when I was out looking over the village.”

“What’s her occupation?”

“She’s a barmaid. Her parents are both deceased so she never had a family business to fall into.”

“Lucian,” Uther said suddenly and pulled him to a stop by the small fake waterfall. Lucian frowned at the sudden disparaged look on Uther’s face. “Elisabeth…. I think she’s dying.”

Lucian felt like his stomach dropped. He remembered everything Persephone said and looked over at Elisabeth. Their arms were linked but he noticed Elisabeth was leaning on Persephone a little.

“How can you be sure?” he asked.

“Her illness is attacking more frequently. I fear that, if we don’t find a cure soon….”

Lucian passed a hand over his face. “Come with me to my office, Uther,” he said. “There’s something Percy has done and, well, just come with me.”