Missing you and loving you always,
Luciana
When the ink dried, she folded the letter up, slipped it inside the bottle, and squeezed the cork in as tightly as she could. The letter was too incriminating to be left out in the open, so she hid the bottle beneath her pillow. Her gaze lingered on the dagger Leo had given her.
Would there ever come a time when she could tell him the truth? Or would her deception make him feel so betrayed that he would turn on her and her father? The minute the king learned of their deception, their lives were over. With a sigh, she realized there was no help for it. She’d have to carry her lies to the grave.
Remain strong, she reminded herself. Right now she had a more immediate problem. How was she going to place the bottle onto the rock offshore at dawn?
She unlocked the door and cracked it open a few inches.
Jensen bowed. “Was there something you needed, my lady?”
“Yes. If you recall a few days ago, I took a morning swim. I would like to do it again tomorrow at sunrise.”
He frowned. “My lady—”
“I’ve been cooped up here too long,” she continued. “The exercise will do much to revive my spirits.”
“I understand. But there are still two assassins—”
“They would never suspect I would be at the beach at dawn.”
Jensen shook his head. “I can’t take that chance.”
“I’ll have my father approve it.”
“Actually, the Lord Protector has taken charge of your safety. He would need to approve—”
“Oh.” She waved a dismissive hand. “There’s no need for him to know—”
“Know what?” Leo’s voice called out from the spiral staircase.
Luciana’s heart lurched as he came into view.
“My lord.” Jensen bowed.
Leo nodded at the guard, then gave Luciana a wry smile. “No need for me to know what?”
She swallowed hard. “It’s a trifling request, not worth bothering your lordship about.”
He stepped closer, his eyes watching her intently. “That’s a relief. I’d hate to think you were keeping secrets from me, Ana.”
Her fingers dug into the door as she looked away. “Of course not.”
“My lord,” Jensen began. “Her ladyship has requested permission to take a short swim in the sea at dawn.”
“Yes.” Luciana nodded. “The exercise will do me good. And I don’t believe the assassins would ever suspect I would be at the beach at dawn. I’m sure I’ll be perfectly safe.” She glanced at Leo and found him still staring at her. Her cheeks grew warm.
“Could you wait a few days till after we catch the assassins?” he asked.
She winced. “I have my heart set on tomorrow morning.”
His eyebrows rose. “It has to be tomorrow?”
“Yes.” More heat poured into her face.
“Perhaps I should go swimming with you.”
She tensed. “That won’t be necessary. I prefer to swim alone. For modesty’s sake.”
His eyes narrowed. “I will agree with certain conditions.” He turned toward Jensen. “You may do as she requests. I want you and two guards to accompany her. Do not tarry on the beach for long.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Leo glanced back at her. “I have a matter to attend to, then I’ll return to fulfill the rest of my condition.”
She swallowed hard. “What would that be?”
He stepped close to her and lowered his voice. “We will talk. And you will answer my questions.”
Chapter Eighteen
Back in the southern tower, Leo waited in his room for Brody to arrive. After leaving Tatiana’s tower, he’d asked the dog shifter to meet him here. On the ground floor of his tower, he’d found two of his personal guard and his squire, Edmund, sharing a meal.
“Brody will be coming soon,” Leo had told them. “Can you spare some food for him? And some clothes?”
When they agreed, Leo headed up the stairs to his room. Now he paced about the small, circular chamber. It was much the same as Tatiana’s room, furnished with a bed, a table, and two chairs. One window overlooked the Southern Sea, and the other one gave him an excellent view of the southwestern tower where Tatiana was living.
He stopped at the second window to scowl at her tower. Morning swim, my ass. She was exchanging messages with someone. And she didn’t want her future husband to know about it.
There was a knock at the door, then Brody peered inside. He was dressed in a spare uniform from one of the guards below. “Did something happen? Has Nevis returned?”
“Not yet.” Leo motioned for him to enter. “Did you get something to eat?”
Brody shut the door behind him. “They didn’t have much left downstairs, so Edmund ran to the kitchens to get some more. What’s going on?”
Leo crossed his arms as he gazed out the window. “The seals will be back in the morning.”
“The ones that brought my lady a secret message? How can you be sure?”
With a wave of his hand, Leo motioned toward her tower. “She asked permission to go swimming. It has to be tomorrow. At dawn. And she wants to be alone.”
“Damn,” Brody whispered. “What is Lady Tatiana up to?”
If she was Tatiana. Though now, she wanted to be called Ana. Leo dragged a gloved hand through his hair. Dammit. After the duel was over, she’d been invited to lunch with him, the general, and her father, but she’d refused. Was she avoiding him in order to keep her secrets?