Damask & Deception (Spellbound #2)

Chapter 28: Congregation

"Ideally, you should have the king's child."

Rhiannon stared at Ailla's reflection in the mirror as the young woman brushed her hair. The lady's maid had been very pleased when she discovered that the couple now spent every night together. Rhiannon had more or less moved into Baudwin's chambers, only keeping her own for storing clothes and herbs.

"Hopefully, you'd have a son and when you fulfil your mission to kill the king, your son will be the new ruler. It would help our cause greatly."

"Surely they would chase me out of the kingdom, if not execute me?" Rhiannon grimaced. The idea of having Baudwin's child was more appealing than she'd admit. Fortunately, she was regularly chewing some leaves that prevented such things from taking root.

Ailla scoffed. "Don't be stupid. I'm sure you can think of several ways to divest of the king with no one ever tracing it back to you."

Looking down at her hands tightly gripping the hem of her dress, Rhiannon forced herself to relax her grip. Even if she could, there was no way she would ever go through with it. She could never kill Baudwin. Not even to save herself. For now, he was safe, while his adversaries expected her to do her duty. When the time came and she had to refuse them, she would have to live with the consequences of the mistakes in her earlier life. She would have to come clean and tell Baudwin everything. She would have to watch his love turn to hate. But not today. Not yet.

"Has he told you anything else?" Ailla asked as she braided Rhiannon's long hair.

"No, they've not heard anything new. Still just taking precautions."

"And no one knows who Son of Deva is?"

Rhiannon shook her head. They had the same discussion nearly every day, but Ailla seemed to need the constant reassurance that everything was proceeding as planned. The one thing the lady's maid had not asked about for some time was the Godstone, but she'd caught her rooting through her room for it. Having not found it, she must have concluded that Rhiannon spoke the truth when she said she had stored it somewhere safe.

Resisting the urge to touch the locket to ensure it was still there, she surveyed her hair in the mirror. Ailla had pinned the long braid around her head like a crown. It was a new style. She was used to leaving her hair out, but had to admit it didn't look half bad. The lady's maid handed her a set of earrings to put on and after threading them through her ears she stood up. Still wearing only her undergarments and a loosely tied corset, while her hair and face were immaculate, she looked rather ridiculous.

They were having an open meeting that afternoon, allowing Baudwin to garner the support of the other lords to help against the attack from the western lords which was considered imminent. Only two days ago they had received word that they were gathering their troops and getting ready to march on the capital. What was her stepfather playing at? Did he really think he could dethrone Baudwin? While the western lords had large armies, they would not measure against the king's and his vassals'.

Ailla pulled tightly on the strings of her corset, and Rhiannon had to take a gulping breath. The lady's maid either enjoyed torturing her, or she didn't think women needed to breathe. Either option left her with a tightly laced chest that made breathing difficult.

"A little bit more room, please?" she asked, feeling a little faint from only being able to take superficial breaths.

The lady's maid muttered something, but allowed her another half inch. Barely enough, but why be greedy? Rhiannon pressed her lips together in a grim smile.

When finished, Ailla did her usual inspection, nodding as she approved of the maroon dress. It only really lacked a bit of gold, and Rhiannon could have attended the banquet as the Breoch banner. Fortunately, the dressmaker had chosen a black damask pattern on the skirt instead, but no one could ever blame her for not representing her kingdom.