Microsoft Word - Cinder-Marie_Sexton.doc (7 page)

She blinked at him, smiling, and whether she really was confused by his question or whether it was an act, I didn't know. "The other one?" she asked.

"Yes," he said with seemingly infinite patience.

"The other shoe. They usually come in pairs."

Her face flushed. Her eyes darted from side to side.

Could he see the cold calculation in them?

"I lost them both, sire," she said. "I was in such a hurry to get away, I couldn't run properly."

"Why exactly did you run?"

"Well…" She played nervously with the necklace she wore. She bit her lip. I'd never realized what a wonderful actress she was. "I was so nervous, Your Highness. Being in your presence, I'm afraid I was a bit overwhelmed."

Xavier's puzzlement grew. "Overwhelmed?" he said, as if contemplating the meaning of the word. I knew he was thinking about our dance. Thinking about the fact that, unlike so many of the other girls, I
hadn't
been 63

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

overwhelmed by him. We'd talked of fishing. And magic.

And we'd kissed.

Jessalyn must have seen his hesitation. She must

have sensed his uncertainty. She took another stop toward him and said, "I'll prove it, sire. Let me try on the shoe."

His face lit with a smile. "Wonderful idea!"

Jessalyn sat on the ottoman nearest the prince. She reached down and removed the boot she wore. She looked up at him expectantly.

Xavier held the slipper toward her.

Jessalyn crossed her legs, right over left, holding her bare foot toward him. She tugged her dress a bit, causing the lace-trimmed hem to slide alluringly upward, revealing her pale ankle.

Xavier's face flushed. It was clear she expected him to get on his knee in front of her and help her into the shoe.

It was equally clear he had no intention of doing so. He held it out to Penelope.

"Assist her," he said. There was a note in his voice I'd never heard before—a tone of command. A tone he'd never used with me.

Jessalyn hid her disappointment well. Only years of living with her allowed me to see the quick blink of her eye that hinted at her dissatisfaction.

Penelope took the sandal from the prince and knelt
64

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

at her sister's feet. She held it out. I could barely breathe.

The air was heavy with anticipation.

Jessalyn slid her foot neatly inside.

Something inside of me withered and died. Some

dream I'd had. Some secret I'd buried so deep, even I hadn't quite known it was there. Jessalyn's pretty little foot in that stupid lace slipper was like a knife in my chest.

I wanted to throw myself at his feet. I wanted to tell him the truth.

I wanted desperately to be her.

Jessalyn beamed up at the prince. Xavier still

looked uncertain, but he smiled back. "I suppose this is the part where I ask for your hand in marriage."

She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck.

He hesitated, but only for a second. He put his arms around her. He buried his nose in her thick, chestnut hair.

He looked happy.

I closed my eyes. I forced myself to breathe. I

willed my heart to stop aching. So Jessalyn would have the man I loved as her own. What did it matter? It wasn't as if he could choose me anyway, even if he wanted to.

They were all talking at once. The room was so

loud. Plans were already being made. Time was short. The prince had to take a wife by midnight, nine days hence.

Jessalyn and Xavier would be leaving the very next 65

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

morning, heading back to his home to plan the wedding.

She'd see him every day. Every day for the rest of her life.

And me? I'd see him when they came to visit.
If
they came to visit.

"Eldon?"

It was Xavier's voice, and everybody else in the

room stopped speaking. I could almost feel the weight of their stares as they turned to look at me.

I took a deep breath. I made myself open my eyes

and look at him. He was smiling. He put his hand on my shoulder. "You'll come, won't you?"

"Sire?"

He scowled at me. I knew he wanted to tell me to

call him by his name, but after glancing quickly at Jessalyn, Penelope, and Aunt Cecile, he seemed to think better of it.

They were all watching us, obviously listening to our conversation. He stepped closer to me, making me feel that what we shared was special. His hand on my shoulder felt warm and heavy. "It's a fortuitous day. Not only do I find my bride, I gain a brother, too." His voice was low, but it was so quiet in the room, everybody heard him. "It pleases me to have a reason to keep you near."

I ducked my head to hide my smile.

Maybe my heart wasn't so broken after all.

66

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

2

The king left for home that very day, as soon as he was assured of Xavier's impending marriage, and I spent the next twenty-four hours rushing around like a fool, trying to get Jessalyn and myself both ready to leave.

Xavier offered to take Penelope and Aunt Cecile along too, but Jessalyn protested, saying she didn't want to trouble anyone. Her mother and sister were understandably furious.

They were gracious enough not to say anything in front of the prince, but once he was gone, the accusations and arguments began. I was glad. They were all so busy snarking at each other, nobody thought to question me about my friendship with Xavier.

Jessalyn may have claimed she was leaving her

family behind out of some misplaced sense of martyrdom, but I knew the truth: she didn't want anybody around who might embarrass her or remind others of her less-than-royal roots. She would certainly have left me behind as well, if she'd had the choice, but Xavier made it quite clear he wanted me along.

And so it was that I found myself on the way to the palace the very next morning, in the company of Xavier, Jessalyn, and a dozen guards and attendants.

67

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

And of course, Milton.

Jessalyn rode in a carriage with the prince. He'd started out on horseback like the rest of us, but she'd batted her eyes at him and made some simpering comment about getting to know one another better and he'd relented and joined her, tucked away inside the vehicle, out of sight, out of my reach.

I couldn't hear their conversation, but every so

often, I'd hear Jessalyn laugh. I tried to tell myself the jealousy I felt each time was foolish. I told myself my growing hatred of her was unjustified. I wondered over and over again if I should tell the prince that Jessalyn was not who he thought.

We stopped at midday to eat. I helped two of the

servants lay out a cold lunch of cheese, ham, biscuits, and fresh strawberries for Xavier and Jess while the other men tended to the horses and ate their own lunches of hard bread and dried meat. Milton eyed the picnic with an attentiveness that was downright alarming. Strings of drool hung from his heavy jowls. I was afraid if we turned away for even a second, he'd swallow the entire spread in one bite.

"Am I really supposed to sit on the ground?"

Jessalyn asked. "I'd hate to ruin my gown."

Xavier regarded her with what seemed a mix of

68

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

amusement and annoyance as she dispatched me to the carriage for cushions and a blanket in order to keep her dress clean.

I avoided his eyes as I helped her get settled across from him. I hated for him to see me as what I was—a mere servant to his bride-to-be. I was afraid I would look at him and see pity in his eyes.

"That's good enough," Jess said, making a shooing motion at me with her hands. "You can go."

I turned to leave, but I was stopped by a question from Xavier. "Why don't you join us, Eldon?" I turned to find him gesturing for me to sit next to him on the ground.

The question caught me by surprise. So did the look on his face. There was no pity or disgust, as I'd expected.

Only the same friendly regard I'd seen on his face every other time we'd been together. Whatever resentment I'd felt for my cousin was wiped from my mind by the warmth of his smile and the sincerity of the invitation.

"Oh Xavier," Jessalyn said, and I wondered if I actually saw a wince of annoyance on his face when she said his name. "A servant lunching with the prince? That really wouldn't be appropriate."

He smiled over at her. "Appropriate is boring."

The statement made me laugh out loud, but Jessalyn only blinked at him in surprise. "On the contrary, I think it's 69

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

important for us to maintain a sense of propriety when there are servants around."

The smile slowly faded from Xavier's face to be

replaced by a look of puzzlement. I knew he was thinking about our kiss, wondering if this woman he was talking to could possibly have forgotten having said those very words to him.

As much as I longed for time with the prince, I

didn't want Jessalyn watching us and listening in. I wanted to keep my friendship with him to myself. I wanted to keep it out of the reach of her grasping fingers.

"Thank you for the invitation," I said, "but perhaps I should take care of Milton."

He was disappointed, I could tell, but Jessalyn said immediately, "Good idea, Cinder. Tie him up behind the carriage."

I did take Milton behind the carriage, but I didn't tie him up. Instead, I took off my boot, and the two of us played fetch until it was time to leave.

Xavier chose not to return to the carriage. Instead, he had his horse brought to him. "I'm going to ride ahead and make sure everything's ready at the inn," he said, motioning two of his guards to accompany him. Then he turned to me. "Eldon, will you join me?"

"I'd love to."

70

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

"Of course he'd love to, Xavier," Jessalyn said, "but it will have to be another day."

This time, I was sure I saw a flash of annoyance in Xavier's eyes, although it was gone by the time he turned to her. "And why is that?"

She seemed to sense his impatience. She

immediately turned on the "poor me" routine, ducking her head and looking up at him through her long lashes. She gestured to the rest of the guard. "I don't know any of these men," she said. "You wouldn't leave me in the company of strangers, would you?"

"Do you suspect any of them would be fool enough to harm you?"

"Of course not," she said. "It's just that I'd feel so much more comfortable if Cinder were here with me."

I clenched my hands tight on the reins of my horse.

I ducked my head so they couldn't see my expression. I hated to be caught between them, not because I didn't know which direction I preferred, but because I knew the more Xavier pushed, the more miserable Jess would endeavor to make me.

The prince sighed. "Fine," he relented. "I'll see you in a few hours."

He turned without another word and left us, Milton running ahead with a triumphant howl, the two guards 71

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

following behind.

I was left alone with Jess and ten men I did not

know.

With the prince gone, Jessalyn dropped her act in an instant. She turned to me with fury in her eyes. "Get in the carriage, Cinder," she said. "It's time you and I had a talk."

* * * *

The carriage was awful. Jessalyn had the curtains closed on the one small window, making it dark and stuffy inside. I sat across from her. The space was way too small.

I could feel the anger and resentment coming off of her, filling the carriage, making it hard to breathe. I wished I could scoot back and put more distance between us. I thought of how uncomfortable the ride must have been for Xavier, who was several inches taller than me. No wonder he'd decided to ride his horse for the second half of the day.

Jessalyn waited until we were well underway before she spoke. I knew she hoped the sound of the wheels and the road and the horses would prevent the guardsmen from overhearing.

"How do you know the prince?" she asked, her voice pitched low.

"I met him in the forest."

72

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

Disbelief flashed in her eyes. "Doing what?"

I didn't know if she meant him or me, so I answered both possibilities. "I was going to the river to fish, and he was playing fetch with Milton."

"And then what? He just decided to talk to you?"

"He asked if he could go fishing with me."

"A
prince
asked a
servant
if he could go fishing?"

"Yes."

"Why? What lies did you tell him?"

"I only told him the truth."

She slapped me. In all the years I'd been part of my aunt's household, she'd never struck me, and it took me completely by surprise.

"Don't lie to me!"

I put my hand to my cheek, as if I could hold the sting of her wrath there. I savored her anger and her jealousy. I had no desire to appease her. "You know all about lying, don't you?"

She went very still. The only movement was the

flaring of her nostrils.

"Shall we talk about the shoe?" I asked. "We both know it doesn't belong to you."

"Are you threatening me?"

Was I? Even I wasn't sure. But she didn't give me a chance to answer.

73

Cinder

Marie

Sexton

"Think about this,
Eldon
." She'd never called me that before, and I knew she only did it now to remind me of the prince's familiarity with me. "If you tell him, and he believes you, what happens then? Have you thought about that?"

"He'll pick a new bride."

"Yes. And I'll be sent home. And where do you think you'll be?" She smiled at me—a cruel, malicious smile that made my blood run cold—and she gave me the answer. "You'll still be working for me. And I promise you, Cinder, I will spend the rest of my life making yours a living hell."