Chapter 19

I could NOT believe I was doing this. I had no idea what time it was–after midnight for sure. The castle was quiet. Funny thing about stone castles, the floors don’t creak. It’s great for sneaking around at night; not so good if, say, you had enemies who wanted you dead. Yeah, now the quiet was downright eerie! I shook my head to clear it from these frightening thoughts. I was already spooked after what I’d found in my bed, oh about, 10 minutes ago.

I slipped into the music room, flicked the flashlight on my iPhone, and found the tapestry I was looking for. It was another one depicting Diana...I’d noticed that all the doors I’d seen so far that led to the tunnels were masked by Diana tapestries. I wasn’t not sure what that meant exactly, but it was handy to know. I tugged the heavy thing away from the wall and slid behind it, finding the door I was looking for. I flashed the light to find the handle, grabbed hold, and tugged, but the door didn’t budge. Ugh, these ancient doors were heavy! I put my phone in my pocket for a second so I could use both hands to pull,. Wait. I thought about the last time I opened one of these doors on my own. I was on the other side, and I pulled from that side. OK, must have to push from this side. I turned the knob and gave it a huge shove. A whoosh of cold, stale air hit me as the door finally opened just enough for me to wiggle through. I turned on my phone light again and shined it to the left and the right of the tunnel to get my bearings. And OK, to make sure there were no rats scrambling around. Ick. I’d scream for sure if I ran into one.

I was so happy to have my phone back and in my pocket again. Something about it just seemed to center me more, remind me who I really was. It was easy to get caught up in castle life with my new friends and all the frenzy of the month-long festival taking place. The battery, of course, would last forever considering it was in airplane mode. Still, I tried to be careful about taking it out and looking at it too much. The night I got it back, I snuggled under my covers in bed and went through all 1,201 photos saved on it. Just seeing the faces of people I knew and loved, remembering video shoots and my real life in general was so overwhelming I soaked my pillow through with tears. Then I turned the volume down as low as possible, put it right up to my ear, and played the last album I had downloaded before leaving for France back in June. How long ago that seemed now. The album had quickly become a favorite and I felt content as I let the mellow voice of Ed Sheeran lull me sleep.

I let some of those tunes play in my head now as I turned to my right and counted my steps as I went. I tried to see the rooms in my mind as I past them. Not every room had a door to the tunnels, but there was one along this hallway that I was sure about. Hmmmm, should be right about…I shined my light on the wall looking for a door…there! I found it. Of course, I hadn’t seen it in months, but I was pretty sure it was the door to the prince’s room. I stood outside it for a moment, slipped my phone back in my pocket, and put my ear to the wood. As if I’d hear anything, but hey, you never knew, right? Uh-oh, I got a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach imagining all sorts of scenarios on the other side of that door. Maybe this was a bad idea, I thought, not for the first time

.I started pacing back and forth in front of the door, ticking off on my fingers all the things that could go wrong here. One, he might not be there. Two, it might not even be his room! Three, what if he had someone else in there with him! Holy crap. I did not need to see that. I didn’t think he was that kind of a guy, the kind to play with one girl and entertain another. But really, what did I know? Four, what if he slept naked? Oh dear. Maybe this really was a bad idea. Of course, as luck would have it, before I could turn around and retreat, the door started opening toward me and I froze in place.

“Who’s there?” said a voice I was extremely glad I recognized. I let out a breath I hadn’t even known I was holding and stepped into the light coming from his room.

“It’s just me.” I about gasped when I looked up and saw him because, no, he was not naked, but he was shirtless. Oh my. I’m sure my eyes bugged out as he grabbed me and pulled me into his room.

“Izzy! What are you doing wandering around the tunnels?” he asked, as he slid the door shut behind me.

Wow, all that training with a sword really does wonders for the upper body, was all I could think. Hello six-pack abs. I think my jaw was still on the floor. There was possibly drool. I couldn’t really speak until he crossed his arms across his toned chest. I looked up (ooh, those shoulders...) to see the knowing smirk on his face. Yep, I was totally caught staring. I felt the blush burning my face and flashed him a sheepish grin.

“Sorry, I knew this was a bad idea but...I...” I could hardly get the words out as I gripped my hands together and shook my head to get my thoughts straight. This was getting more embarrassing by the moment. “Well in truth,...I’m scared,” I blurted out all at once. I saw the worry in his eyes as he uncrossed his arms and drew me into them. I snuggled in against his chest., warm and, did I mention, bare? I felt a sigh escape my lips and instantly felt better.

“Come, sit by the fire and tell me,” he urged as he led me toward the cushioned chairs next to the fireplace. We sat down together in one and he pulled me in close, tucking me to his side. I didn’t know where to begin. I thought it’d be so much easier to show him the pictures that I’d snapped with my phone, in all their gory detail. Of course, that would start a whole other line of questions. So before I lost my nerve, I told him about all the threats I’d been receiving since that first one when my bedding was shredded, and how the threats seemed to be getting more sinister.

“Then tonight, as I entered my room,”–I hesitated, but pulled the folded up parchment from my pocket anyway. I tentatively opened it up and handed it to Charles.–“I found this.” I felt his quick intake of breath as he realized what he saw. It was horrible. A crude, but very accurate portrait of me. Only I was lashed to a stake, and flames were shooting up around me. Underneath the drawing were the words: BURN WITCH. Definitely agitated, he leaped from the chair and began pacing in front of the fireplace.

“Who would do this?” The anger in his voice was barely contained. I could see the muscles of his jaw working.

“I don’t know,” I answered him softly. In truth, I felt so much better just having shared the whole thing with him, like a big weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I’d kept it to myself for so long, not even telling Leonardo. Of course, I didn’t suspect him for one second, just like I didn’t suspect Charles. But still.

“Why did you not tell me sooner?” The full force of his anger hit me square on, and I stood to face him.

“What good would it have done? I honestly thought if I just ignored it, it would all go away. I couldn’t think of a reason why someone would hate me that much, or have cause to call me a witch.” I watched his chest rise and fall as the fury seemed to course through him. I stepped forward, reached out, and placed my hand on his rapidly beating heart to calm it. He covered my hand with his. I looked up at him. My own heart skipped a beat when I saw the passion in his eyes. “I think I know now what would cause someone to hate me,” I hinted softly as I stood on tiptoe and gently kissed his mouth. I felt the tension leave his body as he pulled me closer and his lips glided over mine. I stroked his face. The stubble on his jaw tickled my palm. I let out a sigh. For a moment, all troubles were forgotten and it was just the two of us. In that moment, I could believe we were just two ordinary people, from no certain time or place, finding strength and comfort in one another.

My hands caressed his bare shoulders and slid up to lock behind his neck. I forgot where we were, and that he was a prince of France. His hands on my back drew me closer, until we fit perfectly together like two lost pieces of a puzzle. The fact that I belonged in the 21st century completely escaped my mind. That’s all it took. One minute. Or maybe it was two. Or did time stop altogether? It was hard to tell. But the thump in my heart was undeniable. I was sure he felt it too. Oh, stupid heart. Why did you have to go and fall in love? Could my life be any more complicated right now?

I pulled away and looked up into his eyes, framing his face with my hands.

“You,” I breathed. “You are the only reason someone would hate me.”

His eyes widened in shock. “Do you think we have been seen together?” he asked. “Have we not been careful?”

“We have,” I agreed. “But maybe it’s the way I look at you, or you look at me?” I brushed the hair back that had fallen on his forehead, then took his hands in mine and led him back to the chair we had vacated. “I’ve been trying to think back to what happened during the day each time I’ve been threatened. The first one is obvious; it was the first time I really performed for the court. So right from the start someone didn’t want me here. But then, it seemed that anytime you and I were in each other’s company, that night I’d find a little ‘gift’ in my room. Which also made me wonder, the night of the stable fire…I don’t think that was an accident. I think someone saw us leave together.”

He nodded his head, deep in thought. “You may be right. I suspected then, but I did not understand the reason why.”

“Would it help if we made a list of possible suspects?” I asked, glancing over at his desk where ink sat near a pile of parchment.

“Yes,” he began, “a list. Perhaps we can piece together this puzzle.” He got up, walked to his desk and sat down. He grabbed a shirt and pulled it over his head on the way. So inconsiderate, I sighed with disappointment. Oops, maybe I did that out loud, since he flashed that crooked, knowing smile my way again. The tease.

He slid a clean piece of parchment in front of him and dipped the quill in ink. He tipped his head in my direction, “Perhaps we should start with those we are fairly certain are not out to send you to your death.” We both looked at each other and smiled. “Leonardo,” we said in unison, grinning stupidly. I scooted a chair next to him and we spent the next hour or so writing down names in two columns. Those we might suspect, and those we thought were most likely innocent. Unfortunately, Leonardo, Charles, the king, and the queen were about the only ones on the possible “innocent” list. I looked at the list of names under “suspects” and felt instant remorse at putting my new friends in that column.

“I hate putting Nicole, Fleur, Chantal, Louise…,” sigh, “even Genevieve, on the suspect list. They’ve become my friends.” I heard the whine in my voice, but it was the truth. They had become my friends. Yet, I couldn’t deny the old saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer. They were the ones who were the closest to me and had access to my room.

“I know,” he put my hand in his, turning it over and tracing circles in my palm. “But if jealousy is the motivator, it stands to reason that they are the number-one suspects.” I nodded my head, which was quickly becoming hypnotized with the sensations from my palm tingling up my arm and down my spine.

“Still,” I cleared my throat, as it came out sounding a bit husky. “Fleur? She has to be the sweetest person in the world. And Nicole? She’s your cousin, not to mention one of the best friends I’ve ever had.” I honestly didn’t know how I would have made it this far in this century without Nicole. I was lucky to have a friend like her. It bothered me very much to see her name under the suspect list. Originally, I had put her on the innocent side, but Charles moved her over.

“Sadly,” he confessed as he stopped the motion on my palm and bent over it to place a kiss in its center, “when it comes to royalty, one can never discount one’s family of wrongdoing.” That thought hadn’t occurred to me before. However, when I thought about history, that was certainly true enough. You could even go all the way back to Cain and Abel for such examples.

“Come,” Charles said, pulling me to my feet and swiping his thumb across my brow. “You worry too much. Let me worry for you now, before this line,” he rubbed the spot between my eyebrows., “becomes permanent.” He had the nerve to chuckle. “I can see you are tired.”

“I am,” I admitted, swatting his hand away from my worry lines. “I know I won’t be able to sleep in my room though. So I will go to the music room for the night.”

Before I could even grasp his intentions, he lifted me into his arms and carried me over to his own bed, laying me gently on the mattress.

“Charles!” I exclaimed in alarm, “I can’t stay here. This will only make it worse. People will talk.” I struggled to get up. It’s not that I didn’t want to stay. Here, I knew I was safe from anyone who wanted to harm me. But here, I was also far from safe from my own heart. The thought of leaving Charles to go back to my own time was getting harder and harder. This would only make it worse. There was something between us that I couldn’t explain. I felt completely drawn to him, as if we were connected.

“Do not worry, my Izzy. You are safe with me.” He looked into my eyes and brushed the hair from my face. “I will sleep by the fire, and awaken in time to take you back to the music room. People will think you worked through the night for the festival.”

“OK,” I relented sleepily, stifling a big yawn, “but will you just stay by me until I fall asleep?” I didn’t want to sound too needy, but I really did need the comfort only his arms could give. He settled the featherlight comforter around me, then lay beside me on top of the covers, pulling me to him and tucking my head under his chin. My hand lay on his chest. A sigh of contentment escaped my lips, and the picture of me surrounded by flames while tied to a stake that had been haunting the forefront of my mind was soon replaced by the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.