Page 10 of Of Curses and Moonlight

Lady Gertrude bowed, her brown eyes glowing with curiosity. “Yes, my queen.”

Rothbart’s shoulders slumped slightly. Of all the ladies, he didn’t want Lady Gertrude to remain, but the decision was out of his hands.

The rest of the ladies shuffled out in a flurry of feathers and skirts.

After they were gone, Rothbart took a long slow breath. Lady Gertrude present or not, he was going to do this. “As you may be aware,” he said, “I am in search of my family’s murderers. I have determined that those who had means to kill my family must have association with the members of this court.”

The queen frowned and withdrew her hand. Rothbart’s jaw clenched before he blazed ahead.

“I seek your permission to question the members of your court in connection to my family’s death so that I might flush this murderer out.”

She considered his words, studying him. Rothbart grasped the edge of his robe’s sleeve, fighting to remain still, even while sweat broke out across his skin.

Lady Gertrude snorted. The queen raised an eyebrow and turned toward her lady-in-waiting. “Do you have something to say?”

“What makes him think that a member of this illustrious court is guilty of such a heinous crime?” Lady Gertrude’s eyebrow arched in challenge.

“That is a good question.” The queen turned to face Rothbart for an answer.

“Whoever hired the Night Hawk assassins must have considerable means and connections. They do not take just any job.” He met Lady Gertrude’s challenging gaze with one of his own.

“Are you sure the culprit is a member of my court?” Queen Emiranda finally asked.

No. But he couldn’t say that. “Almost certain.”

The queen’s calm, regal eyes seemed to see right through him. “I am so very sorry for the devastating loss of your family, Rothbart. As you know, I attended your parents’ wedding. And no one treasures more than I the great loyalty that your father bestowed upon me, especially after the death of my dear husband, King Bryant. He stood by me when so many were questioning my and Torsten’s right to rule.”

Rothbart nodded. Queen Emiranda and her son Torsten weren’t descended from the royal Salian line, the lineage that had ruled their kingdom since its founding. They had married into the throne. Just like Stellyta and Zoya had married into Rothbart’s family. He understood how people tended to question the legitimacy of their family simply because their parents had married with previous children. It was something they had in common. Even though Stellyta was his step-mother, from the moment she’d joined him and his father’s lives, she never once made Rothbart feel like he was anything other than her son. Rothbart’s biological mother had died giving birth to him, and Stellyta had stepped in and filled that void that had always existed in his heart.

“However,” the queen said gently, “I’m afraid I cannot allow you to turn this court into an inquisition.”

All the air seeped out of him. He suspected this would be her answer. Still, it was a blow to the gut. She turned away from him to move back to her throne, her head bowed.

But Rothbart wasn’t giving up without a fight. “Your Majesty, please reconsider. Someone, with means and motive, attacked my family. My father was the head of the queen’s sorcerers. The lead sorcerer of your court. If they can take out my family, what might they be planning for other high ranking leaders? The other members of the court may be at risk, and dare I say, your majesty, your very life could be in danger unless this culprit is discovered.”

She settled into her throne and stared at Rothbart, she tapped a thin finger against her cheek in thought. “Perhaps you make a good point.” She let out an extended sigh. “You will be tactful in your questions?”

A thousand bricks lifted from Rothbart’s chest. “Yes, your majesty.”

“And you will make no accusations against members of my court without consulting me first with your evidence?”

“I swear, your majesty.”

“Then you have my permission.” She leaned back, her hands on the armrests of her throne, the image of regalness and propriety. “But beware, Rothbart. Even the most tactful of questions about such harrowing events can’t help but breed enemies.”

“I shall be careful.” He bowed. “Thank you, your majesty.”

“Good luck, Rothbart.”

He left the throne room, determination coursing like fire in his veins. At last, he could take a definitive step in finding who hired those assassins. Hurrying back to his father’s potions room, he snatched his lists up off his desk. He glanced out the window and groaned. It was already dark. The members of the court would be gone for the day. He’d have to put off his investigating until tomorrow.

Never mind. There was someone else he could question. Then again, he’d been questioning her for weeks and she hadn’t cracked. But last time they met, besides her attempt to kill him, he felt he might have gotten through to her. If he persuaded her to cough up the information she and the other assassins were concealing, then his job would become so much easier.

And he was on a roll today. He checked the sky. Yes, the moon should be touching the lake. The small lake he had tied them to in the middle of nowhere. He grabbed his raven-black cloak off of the back of his chair and swung it around his shoulders before tying it on. He reached into the pocket, pulling out a portal bean. Perhaps he’d pay his swans a visit.

He hadn’t told the queen or anyone about his swans, just as he had told no one about Zoya’s survival.

He pictured the overgrown gazebo set in the small clearing a little way from the lakeside. The place where he and Odette tended to meet. He tossed the bean into a side wall and the space split open, revealing the area he had been imagining in his mind. Straightening, he stepped through and willed the portal closed behind him.

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