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“You’re devious,” she muttered as she stomped toward the further one.

Gustav kept pace by her side. “I like to think of myself as efficient.”

“Bossy, too.”

“Assertiveness is a rook trait, and I’ve got plenty of it. How do you think I ended up the Grand Rook?”

She snorted. “Were you this outspoken with your last queen?”

“Yes, but in private of course. I didn’t become Calixte’s personal protector by telling her only what she wanted to hear.” It felt odd to hear her mother’s name rolling from his tongue. He’d always been so proper when she’d seen them together.

“I appreciate that you are doing the same for me. It’s been a rough day and I do apologize for being snippy and ungrateful.”

“Don’t apologize. You’re doing remarkably well considering.”

“If you say so,” she muttered. It didn’t feel that way.

Gustav entered the consort’s suite first and gave it a quick peek before beckoning her to enter. She walked in to find it stripped. The floor was bare of carpets and the space lacked furniture and decor. The tapestries on the wall had been removed, leaving behind pale spots in the stone. The table and cozy chairs that used to sit in front of the hearth were missing, the chest at the foot of the bed also gone. All that remained were a massive garderobe and a bed, its mattress lacking linens.

“It’s as if he never existed,” she murmured, glancing around. “The staff were thorough.”

“Wasn’t them. The leech took everything with him.”

“Benoit emptied the room?” She couldn’t help a lilt of surprise.

“Oh yes, the moment he realized he’d lost his power, he fled with everything he could.”

“I’m surprised he left the bed,” was her dry retort.

“Only because it wouldn’t fit through the door.” Gustav swept a hand. “Will this room do?”

“That depends, does it have any secret passages?” Avera eyed the walls suspiciously.

“No. I inspected it thoroughly. As a precaution, though, the door to the hallway, and the one adjoining the former queen’s suite, will be guarded.”

She nodded. “Then, yes, this will do. Thank you.”

“In that case, let’s make it comfortable.”

In short order, at Sir Gustav’s bellowed request, the bed bore sheets and pillows, a carpet covered the stone floor, and a fire blazed in the hearth. A tray of food with enough for two had been set on a table scrounged from somewhere.

“Don’t touch it,” Gustav advised as she removed the dome, releasing a cloud of steam.

She glanced at Gustav. “I know it seems terrible given I’m in mourning, but I’m hungry.”

“You can eat in a moment. I need to test it first.”

“For what?”

“Poison.”

Her jaw dropped. Would this be her life henceforth? Constantly on guard for attack?

When Gustav declared it fit for consumption, she found her appetite had vanished and only picked at the herbed chicken and roasted potatoes. Once a servant cleared the remains, she tried reading more of her mother’s ledger until she finally put it aside, unable to concentrate.

She rose and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Gustav demanded.