Page 60 of Tower of Tempest
A silver crown sat atop the king’s thinning hair, and he stroked his beard. Lines wrinkled his face, and his shoulders slumped like heavy weights sat atop them.
He looked tired, which made sense given it was the middle of the night, but I didn’t think that was why—it was a weariness about his whole body, the expression on his face, the way he carried himself. The queen just glared at me, green eyes icy.
Whatever Gran had done to them, it must’ve been bad. My gut sank as I swallowed.
“Please,” I said.
“Quiet,” the queen snapped.
My mouth closed.
“She didn’t come to us,” the guard said, stepping up beside me as I still remained on my knees.
The floor was cold and hard underneath, and I itched to stand, but I didn’t know what was proper in this situation.
“What do you mean?” the queen asked, her voice tired like the king’s—but also sad.
“We heard multiple reports about her, from citizens who saw the striking resemblance. She tried to run when we caught her.”
Oh no. They’d count that against me. Running from the royal guard. That surely warranted a harsher punishment.
The queen fluttered her hand. “I told you no more, Erasmus.”
So that was his name. Erasmus bowed his head. “I know, Your Majesty. But I just thought, given the circumstances, this one might be different. You have no idea how many reports the guard has received over the last couple of days. The striking resemblance?—”
She held up her hand.
“That’s enough, Captain,” the king said cooly. He reached over and squeezed the queen’s hand with such tenderness.
I didn’t understand any of this. The reports. The resemblance. I wanted to know what in the bloody skies was going on.
“Just send her away,” the queen said, massaging her temples. “This poor girl. You’ve kidnapped her from the streets. Brought her here, even though you were under no such orders.”
Erasmus cleared his throat. “It’s the middle of the night.”
“Then give her a room in the servants’ quarters and escort her from the castle tomorrow.”
The servants’ quarters? “So I’m not being imprisoned?” I asked. “Or put to death?”
The queen raised a brow. “Is there a reason you should be?”
I snapped my mouth shut at that.Stupid, Poppy. So unbelievably stupid. “No, Your Majesty.”
She stood abruptly, the silk of her nightgown falling around her slippered feet, wings expanding behind her back. “Then you’re dismissed.” She gave a pointed look at Erasmus. “We will speak more of this tomorrow.”
He looked down at his boots. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
We both bowed as the king and queen swept from the room, neitherof them giving me a backward glance. I could almost cry in relief. I was free. I wasn’t going to be arrested or put to death.
My chest loosened, the weight of this entire horrid situation lifting. They said I’d be escorted back to the mainland tomorrow. That meant I had a second chance. I would find Loch. I’d tell him I was sorry for running away, and I’d go with him to the shadow court. Tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty-Five
POPPY
Iawoke the next day with the sun streaming through the small window in the room where I’d been assigned to sleep. Bunks filled the room, now empty, servants no doubt up before the sun rose, ready to attend to their duties. I stretched out, yawning, feeling more at peace than I had in a while. Last night I’d thought I was going to die. Today, well, today was a new day.
The window, though tiny, gave a small view of the court spread out below, as well as the dazzling green of the hilly highlands, the jagged gray of the isle, the neat square city. Loch was somewhere down there, along with Leoni and Driscoll. I’d make my way to the inn and apologize for everything. I only hoped they’d forgive me for running away like that. They were probably worried sick. Hopefully they hadn’t left for Sorrengard without me.
