Page 74 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

“Lord Thorsby!” Charis rushed forward.

He leaped from his chair, nearly spilling his tea. “Your Majesty!” He bowed.

“I’m so glad to see you safe and sound.” Charis grasped his arm as he fished a silk handkerchief from his coat pocket and dabbed his eyes.

“And I, you, Your Majesty. We’d hoped for your return, and we spoke about it as a certainty to keep people’s spirits high, but to actually see you here . . . I’m overcome. Forgive me.” He waved a hand at his face as he tried to stop the tears.

“A Rakuuna patrol saw us.” Holland moved into the room and plopped himself down in the chair beside Thorsby’s. “Rames pretended we were workers on a break, but we should make this quick.”

“We’ll need to find a safe place for Her Majesty to stay.” Lady Ollen looked around the room. “She certainly can’t sleep on the floor. Besides, if the patrol saw such a large group entering the bakery, this won’t be a safe hiding place much longer.”

“No need to find places for us to stay. We’re going back to the palace.” She patted Lord Thorsby’s arm and then sank into the closest chair. Tal immediately stationed himself beside her, silent and watchful.

“Are you certain that’s wise?” Lord Thorsby sounded faint as he settled into his chair.

“If we don’t, the Rakuuna will tear through the city hunting for us, and I’m not willing to be responsible for those deaths.”

“Is that Ferris Everly I saw upstairs in the kitchen?” Lady Ollen asked.

“Yes, more’s the pity,” Holland said.

“Does Lord Everly send any news?” Lady Ollen perched on the edge of a chair and leaned toward Charis. “They’ve been living in the palace since the morning after the invasion. Made to work for the Rakuuna, is my understanding.”

Lord Thorsby looked to Charis. “The Rakuuna knew they needed to obliterate the leadership in Arborlay immediately if they were going to take the country in a single night. They burned down the homes of many who were close to your mother. Or they turned the properties into barracks for their soldiers. The Everly home was the first to burn.”

“And what did they do when it happened? Did they turn to friends or find hiding places like we did? No. They moved into the palace itself and started speaking on behalf of the queen.” Lady Ollen spat over her left shoulder as though warding off a curse.

“Did they move there of their own accord? Or were they taken prisoner?” Charis asked, remembering the rumors that the High Emperor of Rullenvor had become a mouthpiece for the Rakuuna before ultimately dying when his usefulness to them ended.

“Well . . .” Lady Ollen’s dark green serpanicite ring flashed in the light. “They were searching for your family, and then they stayed on to be negotiators for that monster on the throne. But really, there’s no excuse. I would rather have died than be useful to those who killed our queen.” Lady Ollen jabbed a finger at Lord Thorsby. “And so would you, Jamison.”

He nodded, desperately dabbing at his shiny forehead. “Just so, Lady Ollen. Just so. Still, one does what one must to survive, and as they were the only members of the royal family left, it stands to reason that the Rakuuna wanted to use them to convince King Alaric to return to Arborlay.” He met Charis’s gaze. “Our best information indicates that the Rakuuna have demanded a rather large shipment of jewels from Montevallo.”

Charis nodded. “That’s correct. And I can confirm that the Everlys are living in captivity, along with the rest of the palace staff. We’re being kept in the same wing.”

“Clearly they know a way out, so why not just leave?” Lady Ollen frowned.

“Where would they go?” Charis asked softly. “King Alaric has demanded that all four heirs to the Caleran throne be present when he arrives. If the Everlys flee, the Rakuuna will hunt them down, the same as they did me.”

Lord Thorsby took a sip of tea and folded his handkerchief. “If the Rakuuna need all four heirs for King Alaric, why wasn’t a bounty placed on the Farragin twins?”

Charis blinked. Why indeed?

Holland looked offended. “I hadn’t thought of that. That could’ve been my one opportunity to have someone put out the call to bring me in dead or alive.”

“Knowing you, I’m sure there will be more,” Tal said.

“Thank you.” Holland appeared somewhat mollified.

“It still doesn’t answer Lord Thorsby’s question, however.” Charis tapped her fingers on the table. “Something doesn’t add up.”

“If they’d placed a bounty on all three of you, they’d have alerted you that there was a plan in place to get rid of every rightful heir to Calera’s throne.” Tal sounded miserable. “And knowing how your mind works, that would’ve been all the warning you needed to hide Holland and Nalani far from the Rakuuna’s reach.”

“The Rakuuna don’t know how Charis’s mind works or they’d never have allowed her the opportunity to leave Calera alive in the first place,” Lady Ollen said.

“The Rakuuna don’t, but King Alaric does,” Tal said flatly.

Charis glanced at him and found him staring at the floor, jaw clenched. Turning back to those at the table, she said, “What Alaric doesn’t know is that the heirs aren’t without resources. I have a plan. Tell me everything I’ve missed in my absence, and then I’ll tell you what we’re going to do.”

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