Identity (The Kingdom Chronicles Book 3) Read online

  Identity

  Camille Peters

  IDENTITY

  By: Rosewood Publications

  Copyright © 2019 by Camille Peters

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Rosewood Publications

  Salt Lake City, Utah

  United States of America

  www.camillepeters.com

  Cover Design by Karri Klawiter

  To my darling sister, Stephanie,

  for your constant love, friendship, and for being one of my biggest cheerleaders.

  I adore you.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Epilogue

  Also by Camille Peters

  Thank You

  Preview of Book Four: Reflection

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  This was Princess Lavena’s riskiest scheme yet—a remarkable feat, considering she’d had plenty of contenders over the years. How could she be sneaking out so close to her wedding, especially with her fiancé only a few corridors away? I peered through the slit in the drapes in Her Highness’s bedroom, searching the night for any sign of her. It was nearing midnight, and she’d already been gone for three endless and anxiety-ridden hours.

  I paced the perimeter of the princess’s elegant bedroom, as if my restlessness could somehow urge her to return sooner, all the while praying Their Majesties wouldn’t come check on their wayward daughter. Despite Princess Lavena’s claims, I knew they’d never be fooled into believing I was her; the façade only worked for those who didn’t know the princess well. If I was caught impersonating a royal…my stomach clenched at the thought.

  Why must the princess be perpetually besotted with so many different men and have the habit of sneaking out after dark to meet them?

  A familiar and relieving tap on the windowpane interrupted my pacing. Finally. I yanked the window open. Cool summer air washed over me, along with sweet relief at seeing Her Highness. She’d returned before midnight, a new record. Perhaps tonight I’d actually get some sleep.

  “Welcome back, Your Highness.”

  She slid expertly through the window before righting herself to pat her still-flawless hair and smooth her wrinkle-free skirts. “Thank you, Anwen. It was a lovely night.”

  “How so?” I didn’t really want to know, but I’d learned early in my service to the princess that she loved to be asked; feigning interest in her exploits was one of my primary duties.

  She sighed wistfully, her eyes bright. “My minstrel and I took a romantic stroll beneath the stars. It was like a dream.”

  I scrunched my forehead. “Your minstrel? I thought you were meeting the stable boy.”

  “He was last week’s interest. Keep up, Anwen.”

  If she hadn’t been royalty I’d have rolled my eyes. “My apologies, Your Highness.”

  She brushed my apology away as she pattered to her bed and fell onto it with a contented sigh. “Tonight was lovely. I think he’s been my favorite.”

  It was high praise indeed to be the current favorite among the countless men the princess had fancied herself in love with over the years. “He must be quite remarkable.”

  Another wistful sigh. “He is. It’s a pity he’s a common man, or I could be engaged to him instead.”

  The princess’s expression twisted at the thought of her unwanted engagement. I bit my lip to suppress a sigh. Here it came: Her Highness’s usual fiancé-bashing, which had become more frequent these past few days, considering we were not only visiting his home, the Dracerian Palace, but their union was only three days away.

  To my relief, the princess didn’t launch into her favorite stream of complaints. Instead, she spent a moment lost in her dazed “princess who thinks herself in love” expression as she stared unseeing up at her canopy before sitting up.

  “Prepare me for bed, Anwen.”

  I obeyed and retrieved her nightgown from the wardrobe. Princess Lavena stood rigidly as I went through the usual mechanical motions of dressing her. The princess was more talkative some nights than others. Unfortunately, tonight seemed to be one where she had much to say.

  “Tonight truly was magical, Anwen, especially compared to the tedium I endured this afternoon.”

  “You didn’t enjoy your time with Prince Liam?”

  “Ew no, you know I never do. We got in another fight, of course, and I gave him those juicy insults I brainstormed with you yesterday.”

  Insults I’d tried and obviously failed to persuade her not to give. As usual, she hadn’t listened to me.

  “It’s been the longest week of my life,” she continued. “I’ve never had to endure him this long before. It’s felt like a thousand years.”

  “You two need to become better acquainted before the wedding.”

  She wrinkled her nose towards the door, as if trying to send her disgust to its intended victim. “Don’t mention the wedding. It’s most unfair. Why do I have to marry someone I loathe? Three days until I’m leg-shackled to that ridiculous prince forever.” Her hand clenched in a white-knuckled fist.

  This time I did roll my eyes, but thankfully I stood behind the princess doing up her nightgown, so she didn’t see. I couldn’t fathom what the princess’s problem with the Crown Prince of Draceria was. He was not only handsome and charming, but he seemed like a very friendly and fun-loving sort…at least when he wasn’t around her.

  Prince Liam seemed just as disenchanted with the princess as she was with him. I’d served as their invisible chaperone on multiple occasions and witnessed both their epically long silent treatments and their harsh battles of words. If their marriage actually happened—which at this point seemed inevitable—one of them would surely murder the other shortly thereafter.

  “Forgive my saying so, Your Highness, but perhaps you shouldn’t sneak out anymore, considering your wedding is so soon. What if His Highness catches wind of it?”

  She snorted. “I wouldn’t care if he did. I don’t intend to stop just because we become legally bound together for the rest of our miserable lives. If we’re forced to marry, then he’ll discover my habits soon enough.”

  I gasped. “But Your Highness, it would be wrong for you to continue meeting men when you’re married to another.”

  “Stop scolding,” Princess Lavena snapped impatiently. “I’ll need to do something to make my upcoming sentence bearable. Now stop your worrying; you do it far too much.”

  At least one of us does. I bit m
y lip to silence that retort. Handmaidens didn’t talk back to princesses, as much as they deserved it.

  She pouted. “Besides, don’t I deserve a bit of freedom after I become a prisoner to contracts that benefit everyone except me?”

  “The alignment of two great kingdoms will be to the benefit of countless people,” I recited, having heard the argument many times from Their Majesties during Princess Lavena’s frequent complaints about her upcoming match. “It’ll not only strengthen trade but also—”

  “I know, Anwen, don’t lecture.” Princess Lavena sighed. “But why should I have to sacrifice my happiness for a bunch of people I don’t even know?”

  “They’re your subjects,” I said as I picked up her hairbrush and began her nightly hundred strokes, which would be difficult to keep track of with her current ranting. “As a princess and future queen, you should care.”

  “Well, I don’t. Being a queen sounds terribly dull. Living life with my minstrel would be much more enjoyable. Think of all the places we’d visit and the freedom from responsibility we’d enjoy.”

  Doubtful. The princess would only enjoy it for a time before finding something new to complain about; nothing would compel her to give up her favorite hobby.

  The princess tugged some of her hair away from my brushing in order to twist and untwist it around her finger. “I can’t believe the union I’ve dreaded for so long is nearly here. I can’t marry Liam. He’s simply awful, Anwen.”

  Prince Liam could be a saint and the princess would still hate him. Once Her Highness made up her mind against something, there was no dissuading her.

  “Lately we’ve taken to ignoring one another,” she continued. “We need to practice for our marriage.”

  “I truly don’t see what you have against him; he seems an amiable sort.”

  “Spoken by one who doesn’t even know him. But even if you did, I’m sure you’d force yourself to find good in him, like you always do. You’re so strange, Anwen. Too bad you can’t marry him instead.”

  The princess suddenly froze, staring wide-eyed at her reflection. I could almost see another scheme unfolding in her devious mind. She gasped and twisted around in her chair. “That’s it!”

  Dread pooled in my stomach. Princess Lavena had that gleam in her eyes that always accompanied words I didn’t want to hear. “What is it?”

  The princess smirked. “I’ve just had the most brilliant idea, my most spectacular one yet.” She leaned closer, her eyes glistening darkly. “You shall take my place and marry Prince Liam in my stead.”

  I gaped at the princess, trying to make sense of her words as they jumbled in my mind. “What?” I stuttered. She couldn’t have suggested what I thought she had. But by the scheming glint in her eyes, I knew I hadn’t misheard.

  “You will marry Liam instead of me.”

  I continued to stare at her. She couldn’t be serious. But the longer I searched her expression, the more I realized she was. Trepidation knotted my stomach. “Are you insane?”

  Princess Lavena’s eyes narrowed dangerously in warning, but I didn’t care I was speaking disrespectfully to a princess. There were times to remain the silent and submissive servant, and moments when doing so was suicidal. This was such a moment.

  “I can’t marry Prince Liam,” I stammered. “I’m only a handmaiden. I couldn’t possibly take your place in a political alliance between Lyceria and Draceria. Not only is it far too important to tamper with, but it would never work; we don’t look that much alike.”

  “You know we do.” Princess Lavena motioned triumphantly to our side-by-side reflections in the mirror on her vanity. I stared, silently cursing our uncannily similar looks: same heart-shaped faces and high cheekbones, same dark hair nearly the exact same shade, same chocolate-brown eyes, same upturned nose…even our heights were only an inch apart. Fate had been cruel to me to have me look nearly identical to the princess, a fact that brought me nothing but trouble. But what Her Highness was proposing now was trouble of a far different sort.

  I had to reason with her. “We’re not twins, Your Highness.”

  She squinted at our reflections. “I admit we aren’t, but Liam doesn’t know me well enough to be able to tell us apart. That’s all that matters.”

  Even though they’d been betrothed for nearly seven years, I knew that to unfortunately be true. I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my pounding heart and brace myself for what would likely be an arduous battle, one that I had to win at all costs.

  “Your Highness, please consider what you’re proposing.” I fought to keep my voice calm so the stubborn princess wouldn’t become defensive; then I’d never win.

  “I’m not asking you to undergo torture. Although this being Liam…” Princess Lavena wrinkled her nose. “I’m providing freedom for me and an opportunity for you. You don’t want to be a handmaiden your entire life, do you?”

  “But if I marry Prince Liam, what will you do?”

  She clasped her hands, starry-eyed. “Be with my minstrel, of course.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “A common man?”

  “The life of a minstrel sounds utterly romantic. How adventurous would it be to travel to different places and sing for your keep? I’m an excellent vocalist. We’d make quite the pair.”

  “But you love your lavish lifestyle,” I reminded her. “Why would you throw it all away?”

  “I’m currently a prisoner, Anwen. A gilded cage is still a cage.”

  I knew the princess: she’d rather be trapped in opulence than free in poverty, but as usual, she refused to see any chink in her latest plan. But she would. Eventually she’d want her old life back, and when she did, I’d be the one in trouble.

  “You do realize what will happen to me if our switch is discovered. Impersonating a royal is a serious offense. I’d be imprisoned at best or executed at worst.” My chest squeezed at the thought and it suddenly became difficult to breath, as if the noose was already around my neck.

  The princess rolled her eyes. “You worry too much, Anwen. Nothing will happen to you.”

  I gritted my teeth. “It’s easy to gamble when it’s not your own life. I could be sent to the gallows for this.”

  She frowned at me as if she’d never seen me before, and indeed she’d never seen this side of me. I’d never dared be so uncooperative or argumentative before, but fighting for one’s life was the greatest motivation for talking back.

  “You’re not going to the gallows,” she said.

  “I will when I get caught.”

  “You won’t. I told you Liam won’t notice our switch.”

  That was likely true but I refused to admit it. “But Their Majesties will.”

  “Perhaps…” She trailed off, and for a moment I felt a flutter of hope that she’d finally seen reason…until she dashed it with her next words. “But I doubt it. My parents don’t exactly spend time with me.”

  “Of course they’ll notice. You’re their daughter.”

  “They won’t,” she said firmly, as if trying to convince herself more than me. “I doubt they’ll even visit after the marriage, not after they’ve gotten their use out of me to fulfill their precious political contract.” Sadness filled her voice before her expression hardened with determination.

  She clearly wouldn’t be dissuaded. But she had to be. If she wasn’t…panic clawed at my throat as I frantically tried to come up with another argument. “Your Highness, please see sense; this can’t possibly work.”

  “It will,” Princess Lavena said. “It’s worked before.”

  “Switching places for a few hours at minor state functions where those in attendance don’t know you very well is nothing to switching places for the rest of our lives.”

  Naturally, Princess Lavena made no acknowledgement of my logic. “I’m a stranger in Draceria,” she pressed. “Thus this will work. It has to.”

  I gaped at her in disbelief. Was she really willing to risk it? By the determined gleam in her eyes I knew she was.
Like always, she seemed to think the entire thing a game. The noose wasn’t even a possibility for her, and she didn’t seem overly concerned that it was for me. After all these years serving her, I’d hoped my life meant something more to the princess. Obviously she cared only for herself.

  She eyed my panicked expression with impatience. “Stop being so difficult, Anwen. You’ll make a better match with Prince Liam than I ever would. This is an opportunity for a better life.”

  “I don’t want this kind of life.” Who would willingly choose one of deceit?

  “It’s better than your previous life I rescued you from.”

  “I was happy as a goose girl.”

  She scoffed. “No more arguments. I’ve made my decision—you will take my place and marry Liam.”

  She nodded, affirming that the matter was decided, but I refused to allow this to happen, not when I had the power to stop it. I lifted my chin. “I’m informing Their Majesties. I’ve been a silent accomplice against my will in your other schemes, but this is too far. I refuse to let you get away with it.”

  “You have no choice,” Princess Lavena said darkly. “You’re my servant and will obey my commands.”

  “I won’t, and you can’t stop me.” I stomped towards the door, but Princess Lavena blocked my exit, her dark eyes flashing.

  “Who do you think you are, handmaiden? I’m a princess, whereas you’re a nobody. Thus I’ll have my way if it’s the last thing I do.”

  I folded my arms. “How? You can’t bind my tongue. I’ll reveal the truth, whether it’s tonight or the day of the wedding, but I refuse to go along with such a dangerous and dishonest scheme.”