Page 7 of Queen of Legends and Lies
Rafe, though, is another story. His gleaming eyes and smirk are a slap in the face.“See, girl, this is all beyond you.”That’s what his smile says. No words necessary.
They’re aligning before me, forming a solid front with a clear message. They’re the experts. They’ve done this dance of politics and war before.
Me?
I’ve never even led a council meeting.
And the first time I’m attending one, I’ve been firmly put in my place.
“Your coronation will be held in two days’ time, Your Highness.” Serle is all smiles, as if this is a good thing. As if abandoning the man I love is no big deal. “Would you care for more wine?”
I rear back, causing the chair behind me to scrape loudly against the stone floor. My hands shake, and a hot, wild fury builds inside me. It’s the same kind of fury I get when my magic stirs, only there’s no enemy to unleash it upon here. Just this circle of supposed wisdom and guidance.
“No. No more wine. I need to sleep and think.”
With that, I whirl around and storm out. The door thuds shut behind me, a satisfying echo to the tumultuous thoughts swirling inside my head.
Chapter Three
I barrel down the palace corridors, light from a combination of ever-lights and sconces casting long shadows on the ornate walls. The echo of my boots against the marble is obnoxious in the quiet of the night, but I don’t care. My mind is a tempest, my thoughts whirling with strategy and loss.
As I round a corner toward the king’s wing, a familiar figure blocks my path. Dark hair with silver accents styled in an efficient updo, the Lady of the Bedchamber wears a wrinkle-free, navy dress and a crisp white half apron.
With practiced grace, Rhiann Barda swings her skirt to the side as she dips her head. “Your Highness.”
This is new. Sterling’s cousin has never curtsied to me before.
“You’re up very late.” I falter just slightly. Despite the hour, her dress is pristine. “What’s going on?”
Her calloused fingers curl around my wrist, not harsh but insistent. “Come with me. I have something to show you. Something I think you’ll like.”
“Wait, my room is this way.” Confusion pulls at my tired mind, but she’s already guiding me down an unfamiliar route.
“Your old bedchamber no longer suits your status. You’ll see.”
Her head is high, her chin up, but under her prim facade, I glimpse the sadness eating at her. A new set of rooms is the least of my concerns.
“I will bring Knox home.” I squeeze her arm, fighting the tears that prick my eyes. “I don’t know how or when, but I will bring him back to us.”
Her eyes flick to me, and the tightness there softens. “I know. I trust in you, as my cousin does. If anyone can do this, it’s you.”
After my meeting with the council, the belief she has in me, in my abilities, is a relief.
“Do I really need new rooms? I’ve just barely gotten used to the last ones.” I can’t help but grumble a little, ruining the touching moment between us. I’ve gone through several apartments here already…not counting my delightful stay in the prison cell.
“Haven’t I always ensured your new ones were better than the last?”
We stop before massive doors carved with the crest of a dragon entwined with a rose. Her lips twitch up in a gentle smile as she pushes them open to reveal a suite so grand it could swallow my previous quarters whole. “There are five rooms?—”
“Five?” My voice bounces off the high ceilings. “What am I going to do with five rooms?”
“Live as befits a queen.” The silver in her dark tresses catches the light as she bows again and waves me into the new apartment. “The dowager queen refuses to leave the rooms she shared with her late husband, so these have been sitting empty until now.”
Flipping my battle-loosened braid over a shoulder, I survey the luxurious accommodations. “This is extravagant.”
I step into the suite, my filthy boots sinking into plush, cloud-like rugs. Tapestries woven in gold and silver threads drape the walls, depicting Tirene’s many victories. Grand chandeliers hang from the vaulted ceilings and cast soft glowing light. The visual is a stark contrast to the moonlit forests and star-kissed skies of the Hidden Valley I’ve been dreaming of lately.
“Crown Princess Lark,” Rhiann’s eyes twinkle with amusement as she draws my attention to the absurd extravagance around me, “this is your new sanctuary. Perhaps, your first one yet.”
