Page 30 of Iris of the Crowned Flame

“I think he’s connected to Mother’s death.”

Father stared at me for a moment. I realized he hadn’t realized the incident with Frederick resulted in the same mark Mother had. I could tell that his thoughts were racing, trying to understand what all this means.

At long last, he stood, looking out the windows but not yet moving. He used all his authority in his voice as he decreed. “You will not be the one figuring this out. If he has killed, and if he’s that volatile, I don’t want you leading this charge. I will set people to trace his movements and screen his incoming and outgoing letters.”

I nodded. “Thank you. I need to be involved though, as the next Queen. I’m also worried about Lord Denenbaum. He’sthe one who invited Egan here, and I don’t know how he fits into all this.”

“We will also monitor him. I will say I have seen nothing suspicious from him, but I have lost my faith in him as of this moment.”

I breathed in a sigh of relief.

Father sat back down in his chair and reached for my hand. “Lyla, you are most important to me. You can always bring your concerns to me, and we will face them together. No matter who sits on that throne, I’m here for you first.”

His eyes glistened as he offered a small smile.

“I don’t want to lose you. Or Ethan. Losing your mom was more than enough for me.”

“I know, Father. That never worried me. I am relieved, but I never doubted you.”

“Let’s talk about this tournament. Should we continue to host it, considering we don’t know what Egan can do, or if others he may work with are here or can also do that?” Father looked to Juniper at his question.

“Your Majesty, I don’t know the right answer for that. Cancelling now could cause more turmoil. However, there is a risk of death that wasn’t previously accounted for, including whether Egan is working with others. I think that the Priestesses that will arrive soon will have better guidance to provide.”

Father raised his eyebrow. “Are you not a Priestess too, Lady Mallard?”

Juniper blushed. “Yes, I am. The identities of the Priestesses remain closely guarded information.”

“I have my ways of finding information no one wants to be known. I have known long before you arrived.”

I looked between the two, shocked.

Juniper glanced at me, as if she had forgotten I was here for a moment. “Princess Lyla, please don’t?—”

“I would never. Your secret is secure.”

I offered her a reassuring smile, which she returned. “We have five days until the first trial. I think waiting for the Priestessesto get here and then consulting with them will be the best option at this point?”

Father and Juniper nodded. “I have one question. If we cancel the tournament, which suitor would my daughter pick?”

I glanced away, towards the windows that overlook Mother’s garden. Before I could talk myself out of it, I lead with my vulnerability. “If I had to make a choice at this moment, I would try to ask the Council to allow me to marry my girlfriend.” I avoided looking at Father. I can’t risk seeing whether he is disappointed.

“Oh, Lyla.” His voice conveyed only compassion. I turned to look at him and saw tears in his eyes reflecting the tenderness his words held. “I would love to make that happen for you. For you, I would move the stars to make that happen, but the Council would remove both of us from the throne if we tried.”

The tears in my eyes threatened to spill. I knew that answer. I looked to Juniper, who nodded sadly. Taking a deep breath, I continued my answer.

“Then I would choose Spencer. His magic let him see that my soul rests with hers. He said he would not stop our love. It’s the closest I can get to her.”

Father hugged me. “He’s a good man. I hope he brings you all the happiness you deserve.”

CHAPTER 20

The next day, the Priestesses arrived early in the morning. I could watch them enter the grounds from the balcony in my chambers. I found myself surprised to see them enter with a full traveling coach and horses. My thoughts trailed back to where Juniper said that they were winnowing everyone across the lands to speed up their travel. I supposed I had imagined them to be arriving without a normal travel ensemble, which was ludicrous. It would look absurd to arrive on foot after traveling such a distance. I chuckled at imagining the reactions to seeing people from across the country just walking up to our gates with no beasts or coaches or signs that they had been traveling long distances. How tiring it must be to carry all those wagons, the horses, and people across such a distance. I concluded these priestesses must be powerful to have achieved so much so quickly.

I watched Juniper open the carriage door and welcome five women while I sipped on my tea. I was too far away to hear what they were saying, but I could imagine the urgency they feel. As I tried to lip read from this distance and failed miserably, Ivy came out to the balcony. “There you are! I was about to send for the guard to look for you around the grounds.”

I didn’t normally take breakfast alone on my balcony, andIvy knew my habits better than me. She knew I would have been in my chambers, trying to avoid starting the day.

“Come, let’s get ready. Juniper wants you in her office as soon as you can this morning. Spencer will be there, too.” She picked up my dishes and started shooing me inside.

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