“He was yer ancestor?” Luciana asked.
The duke smiled. “Yours, too. The land was considered too dry and too far away from the royal court in Ebton. Nobles usually prefer to be closer. But Allesandro was a wise man. He planted vineyards and olive trees. After years of hard work, Vindalyn became famous for its wine and olive oil. The castle of Vindemar on the Southern Sea is one of the strongest fortresses in the kingdom. Now Vindalyn is the richest and safest duchy in Eberon.”
Luciana glanced at her goblet. The wine they drank at the convent came from Vindalyn. All these years she’d been drinking it without knowing it came from her father’s land.
“Unfortunately,” the duke continued, “the House of Benwick has now become as corrupt as the tyrant they once usurped. What do you know of the current king?”
“King Frederic,” she replied. “He has ruled for almost thirty years. He has one son—his heir, Prince Tedric.”
“Exactly.” The duke gave her a wry look. “But no doubt your books have refrained from mentioning how cruel and ruthless Frederic is. He detests the nobles who own so much land and the allegiance of a great many vassals. So he has devised several methods for stealing the land back. One way is to deny a noble permission to marry. If there is no legitimate heir to inherit, the land reverts to the Crown.”
Luciana blinked. “Is that why ye didn’t marry again?”
The duke nodded. “He doesn’t want me to have a male heir. Frederic has craved my land for years.”
Luciana bit her lip. With Tatiana gone, she was next in line to inherit.
“Another way the king steals land is by ordering a nobleman to fulfill a task for him. If the nobleman fails, he is declared a traitor to the Crown, and he and his entire family are executed. With no heirs left alive, the land goes to the king.”
Luciana winced. The king was definitely a tyrant.
The duke leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “A month ago, the king decreed that Tatiana must marry his nephew, Lord Leofric of Benwick, the current Lord Protector of the Realm.”
“Ugh.” Tatiana shuddered. “The Beast of Benwick. It’s enough to make me grateful I died.”
“I was ordered to deliver her to court,” the duke said.
“Would ye not be excused if ye explain that yer daughter has died?” Luciana asked.
“There are no excuses for disobeying a royal command. Frederic is eager to label me a traitor and seize my land.” The duke sighed. “Then all my people would come under his power and be subjected to his harsh rule.”
And ye’ll be executed, Luciana thought. But the duke hadn’t mentioned that. He seemed more concerned about the welfare of the people who depended on him. And he’d planned to return home without letting her know about the danger he was in. He did love her. He loved her so much he was willing to face execution in order to keep her safe.
There, she thought as a pang reverberated in her chest. There was the kind of love she’d always craved in her heart. And there was the connection, the resemblance. She loved her sisters with the same kind of love he was showing for her.
Her heart swelled. This was the man she wanted as her father. And he needed her.
Tears filled her eyes. “That’s why ye need me self to go with you. So ye can deliver a daughter to the royal court as ye were ordered.”
He nodded. “I still have two months before the deadline runs out. Unfortunately I cannot present you at court as Luciana. Once the king realizes you’re a twin…”
She would be killed. A chill stole down Luciana’s spine. “Then I must pretend to be my sister?”
He regarded her sadly. “I’m afraid so.”
Tatiana scoffed. “What a ridiculous notion! No one would ever believe that you’re me.”
“And if the pretense is discovered, we would both be executed for deceiving the king,” her father added.
Luciana swallowed hard. This was too much. How could she possibly do this? She started when her sister suddenly burst into laughter.
“I just realized!” Tatiana slapped her leg noiselessly as she continued to laugh. “Oh, this is too rich. Now you will have to marry the Beast of Benwick!”
Luciana gasped. A surge of panic bubbled up her throat. How could she marry a man who was referred to as a beast? Without thinking, her hands formed the sign of the moons.
Her father winced. “That gesture alone will get you killed.”
She flattened her hands against her chest. Her heart was thudding beneath her palms.
“I can see how frightened you are.” Her father patted her shoulder. “Fear not, child. I will not ask this of you. The king doesn’t know of your existence here. As long as you stay here, you will be safe.”
How could she remain, knowing her life here would cost her father his life? “I … I cannot stay here.”
“Think, Luciana.” Her father grabbed her hands. “If the king ever learns that we tricked him, we will die. One slip of your accent, one sign of the moons, one mistake, and you will die. You must remain here where it is safe.”
She blinked back tears, but they threatened to overflow. How could she say good-bye to her sisters? And if she left, she would have to give up more than her home, her sisters, and her beliefs. She would lose her identity.
But how could she send her father back alone when it would mean his execution? How could she live with herself then? “I will go with you.”