Chapter 96: Feeling A Bit Faint

The days leading up to court reconvening for the spring were tense. Franz, Mariela, Al, Marcy and I went over every tiny detail we possibly could to make sure everything was set and ready to go. We felt confident that our plan had not been leaked to Sigmund's men, which was a small comfort.

The bad news was that we were expected to attend formal functions again as the nobility came trickling back in from the countryside. On the plus side, I was able to see Percy and Adele. But I also had to deal with a few very awkward encounters with the earl and countess.

Gone were the days I could get away with wearing whatever I wanted within the palace. Now I was stuck in a full corset and cage every single day.

Two days before court convened was a grand ball celebrating everyone's return to the capital. My dress and hairstyle were even more elaborate than usual and I felt like a porcelain doll.

"Not a word," I hissed at Al as he snickered slightly at the uncomfortable look on my face.

"I can't even say that you look lovely?"

I scowled. Sure, the overall effect was dazzling, but he had no idea how difficult it was to move in these things. I had been spoiled by my sweaters.

"Compliments on my looks mean nothing," I sniffed haughtily.

Al knew what I had originally looked like. I had told him the night we stayed up late talking about my former life. He had said with confidence that he would have fallen in love with me anyway, claiming that I had a beautiful soul. He earned a lot of kisses for that.

He shrugged me off. "I was only teasing you, Katie. We'll survive this ball and then you won't have to do anything until the resolution is passed."

Technically, as a prince of this nation, he had a vote on the council of nobility but he had never once bothered attending because the royal family had thoroughly convinced him he had no power. He never had anything to say until now so he never bothered to go.

As a female, I wasn't allowed to attend, but Al had promised to vote in my place. I was in for a few very stressful days of waiting.

And yet I was expected to be a pretty little figurehead at this extravagant ball. I had more important things to worry about! Unfortunately, not attending would arouse suspicion.

Only Mariela, who was nearing the end of her pregnancy, was allowed to skip out. Franz still had to make an appearance. He hadn't liked that one bit and had instructed Sir Marino and another guard he trusted to keep her in their line of sight every second he was gone.

My poor friend probably felt like a bug under a microscope but it wouldn't be much longer now. She was due in slightly under two months. I really hoped the castle wouldn't dissolve into chaos before then and put her in danger.

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Getting a heavily pregnant woman out of here without anyone noticing would be difficult. Al, Franz, and I could escape on horseback but she would need a carriage.

Using my foreknowledge, I suggested that Franz have a way to smuggle her out of the castle handy in case our plan didn't work out the way we hoped. Knowing how paranoid he tended to be, I was sure he had some sort of backup plan.

When Al and I were officially announced at the top of the stairs I felt a million eyes on me. I hadn't seen this many people since our wedding ball and that felt like a lifetime ago.

Even though I was married, everyone still wanted to dance with me because I was a beautiful princess. The rules allowed for anyone to dance regardless of marital status so of course I found myself unlucky enough to dance with a variety of men I couldn't care less about.

Including Duke Orla. I got through the first half of the dance using up every bit of small talk that I could but I could feel my energy draining away.

There was nothing else to talk about! What did this guy want with me anyway?

"I have not had the pleasure of seeing you lately," he said coolly. "I do hope you have been in good health."

Ugh, the way he said it made my skin crawl. But I also caught onto something. We had only run into each other once since he got back into town because I had been hiding after running into him. His words gave me the impression that he had seen me more than that.

I knew I had been getting a bad feeling about leaving the palace. Did he spy on me personally or send someone else to do it? Duke Orla seemed like the kind of person to prefer getting his own hands dirty.

Hang on…did he see Al and I leave the palace or not? Did he know where we went? Did he know anything about the Kanta? And if he did, what about Sigmund?

My blood ran cold. Now was the perfect time to feign a swooning episode. It would signal Al to come get me from where he had been cornered by a couple of lower aristocrats. I needed to tell him my suspicions right away.

"Actually, I have been feeling a bit faint," I lied, trying to make myself look pale and sweaty. I fanned myself with a gloved hand for effect.

My bad acting worked. I guess the duke had never had the wool pulled over his eyes like this before. His cold, emotionless exterior cracked momentarily with panic. He stopped the dance and led me over to a chair to sit down, running off to fetch me a glass of water.

Al spotted me from across the room with a frown. I signaled him with my eyes to get his butt over here. If Duke Orla really was onto us, we were in deep trouble and needed to come up with a plan.

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