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After spending the rest of the night searching, Alexander gave in to exhaustion and headed to his rooms.
Giselle had found an exceptional hiding place—that, or she was actually gone.
“Too much to hope for,” he muttered, stumbling over his feet yet again. He waved to one of the maids when she stopped, concern on her face. “Stayed up too late.”
“Yes, Highness.” She smiled and kept going, a breakfast tray in her hands.
Was it that late?
“Or that early.”
He scrubbed at his face, trying to remember the last time he had stayed up all night. Saxon had given him an earful when he stopped to check on Reggie, pausing long enough to point a flour coated finger at him and ordering him to bed.
All he needed was a few minutes off his feet, perhaps some of Saxon’s delicious pastries; the scent of warm dough and almonds had left his mouth watering as he stood in the kitchen. If the maids were delivering trays, that meant—
A fresh burst of energy sent him down the last corridor and he skidded to a halt at the double doors to his room. When he pushed them open, he smiled at the silver tray sitting on the small table in front of the fireplace. Half a dozen pastries waited for him, piled on a plate, along with a pot of coffee.
“Bless you, Saxon.”
He grabbed the top pastry and took a huge bite, closing his eyes as he savored the sweet, warm frosting, the perfectly crisped edges, the almond paste that added just the perfect amount of sweetness to the dough.
Finishing off the pastry in record time, he reached for the second—and caught the edge of the table when a sharp pain dug into his gut.
“What—”
“Good morning, Alexander.” Giselle stepped out of Reggie’s chamber, smiling as she walked to him. “Enjoying your breakfast?”
Horror coiled through him, and he yanked his hand away before he touched the second pasty.
“What did you—” Another burst of pain cut him off, this one threatening to double him. He gripped the table with both hands, his fingers shaking. “What did you—do?”
“Defended myself, of course. You were determined to drive me away, with your jealousy, your petty, selfish need to keep your father all to yourself. He deserves happiness, and that happiness is me.” She clasped her hands together and studied him. “It was a clever idea, one that came to me while you were stalking around the castle. If I rid myself of you, there would be no one to stand between me and your father.”
“You—poisoned me?”
“Nothing so uninspired.” An ugly smile crossed her face. “I cursed you.”
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