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To my amazement, Uther shakes it. This is as close as I’ve ever been to royalty, even though Uther himself isn’t even a member of the royal family.
From the whispers around us from the other patrons, I gather that people are starting to recognize Uther.
“Can we step outside and you can tell me what this is about?” Jakob asks.
The unflappable Uther’s face doesn’t move a single muscle. It’s like staring at a sculpture of granite. “If you wish.”
We move toward the door, and the other patrons return to their chatter and laughter, now that the scene is over for them. I glance toward Sabine as we make our exit with Uther. She gives me an apologetic look.
But I understand. The royals may not govern us in the same way now as they did for many centuries before, but they still hold an enormous amount of influence. No doubt Uther put pressure on a lot of people in Mirror Lake to track down Jakob.
But did they really have to bring out the royal fleet for this?
Right away, I feel embarrassed that a footman is holding open a car door for me, and here I am, dirty, sweaty, and dressed like a middle-aged mom out running errands, not for an audience with royalty. Or a royal interrogation—whichever this is.
In the back seat, Jakob’s arm encircles my shoulder as Uther sits opposite us, his stony face focused on the outside environment. It’s like he’s trained in avoiding eye contact with the public at all costs.
Outside the car window, the street is serene and picturesque. A family strolls along the lakeshore at sunset.
I wonder when that will be us. Will it ever be us?
Of course it will. Jakob will take his lumps for keeping the ring—though in my opinion, it amounts to no crime at all. And we’ll come back and resume the life we started. Maybe he’ll receive a reward and a little attention for saving Flora’s life, maybe he won’t.
All the fuss will die down after a few weeks, surely.
“Can you tell us what this is about?” I ask Uther.
“I am under orders from the queen to fetch Jakob. That is all I can tell you.”
The queen? Not the princess?
Then this is very, very bad.
Jakob looks at me, worry causing his brow to furrow and wrinkle prematurely. My hand reaches across his lap and covers his where it rests on his leg. “Look at me, husband.”
The love of my life appears hollowed out. His eyes are less aquamarine and now shallow pools of ice blue.
“Everything is going to work out fine.”
He blinks and gives me barely a nod, but it’s enough to signal that he hears me. And then he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it.
Perhaps this is my role: to reassure him and give him some peace that things will be normal again.
28
Jakob
Even the palace’s secret entrance is imposing as Uther leads us through the ornately carved doors dating back centuries.
Wordlessly, we pass by the kitchens, still redolent with whatever fine state supper was whipped up here hours ago. Now everything is quiet and in its place as the main residents and whatever guests slumber.
“I wonder what it was like to grow up here,” I comment. “Imagine never going hungry.”
Uther, not understanding, pauses and turns to us. “If you are hungry from the journey, I’ll have Rolf bring you both a late dinner once you are settled in your rooms.”
“Rooms?” Jo asks. “I thought we were here to be questioned about?—”
Uncharacteristically, I interrupt her, “—about Prince Sigurd’s whereabouts? We know nothing.”
