Page 52

The sun is risen and I feel a flutter of panic as I wonder what time of day it is and if my presence in my chambers has been missed.

The hard planes of the prince‘s body are curled around me and I feel the gentle exhalations of his breath against my shoulder. In, out, in, out they go in a relaxed rhythm. I turn to look at him and it’s obvious he’s in a deep sleep.

I smile, happy he has some respite from his troubles.

A bell sounds and at first I think it’s the morning bell of the Great Cathedral, but then I realise it’s the bell of the castle's main gate which only rings in limited circumstances, usually as a warning.

“Riders approaching the main gate,” the captain of the gate calls out and I immediately disentangle myself from the prince and carefully leave his bed.

I have no desire to wake him as his exhaustion from the past few days was all too evident the night before.

I quickly gather my things and make my way along the queen’s passage to my chamber. I’ve no doubt I will be informed presently who the riders are, and I wish to look composed and in charge when receiving such news, not like a woman recently come from her lover’s bed.

Judging from the lavender and pink of the sky it's not long past dawn and I wonder who these riders are that have ridden through the night to get here. I brush my hair and cover myself in my chambergown as a knock comes on my door.

“Enter,” I call out and the captain of the Night Guard makes his way into my chambers.

“Your Majesty,” he announces, “Lord Greythorne has sent riders, the chief one of which demands to speak with you.”

“Lord Greythorne?” I ask, somewhat surprised.

He nods. “Yes, Your Majesty. What shall I tell them?”

“Tell them I shall receive them once I have broken my fast. In the meantime see that their horses are cared for and they are given something to eat and drink.”

He bows. “As you wish, Your Majesty,” and leaves the room.

“Damn!” I exclaim to my empty chamber. “What the hell are Greythorne’s men doing here?”

***

“Commander Bates,” the chief courtier announces as Greythorne’s men follow behind him into the Grand Hall, “Commander of Lord Greythorne’s personal guard, accompanied by soldiers Ratchett and Browne.”

Bates barely waits for the courtier to step aside and his whole body twitches with impatience and annoyance, the latter I suspect at being made to wait for his audience with me.

He opens his mouth to speak when Kes steps forward.

“Bow before the queen,” she commands, and the tone of her voice leaves no doubt he will pay a heavy price if he doesn't.

All three bow, but Bates throws a look of undisguised fury at Kes.

“Now you may speak,” she barks at him.

“Queen Elinor, Lord Greythorne sends his regards and wishes me to convey to you how much he is looking forward to your nuptials.”

I smile and give a small nod.

“However,” he continues, “my lord is perturbed and concerned as to the ongoing presence in your castle of an emissary from Ellerban. He wishes to know the identity of this emissary and the reason for his presence here, especially why he has remained here for so long?”

“How interesting,” Kes whispers under her breath.

“Indeed,” I reply in a low voice, as I try to control my anger. How dare Greythorne send one of his men here to question me and to question me on matters pertaining to the realm as if he were already my king!

I rise from my throne and with slow and deliberate steps make my way toward Commander Bates.

Kes flanks me along with the captain of the castle guard and his men.

When I am but a few inches from him I reply to Commander Bates and I have no doubt the fury of my voice runs through him like a hot iron rod.

“Commander Bates,” I start, “when I finish speaking you will leave this castle immediately and you will tell Lord Greythorne the following. The identity of the Emissary of Ellerban and the business on which he remains here are none of Lord Greythorne’s damn business.

Also, how dare he assume my hand in marriage.

I don't recall accepting his proposal. You can tell him I'll be making an announcement on the first night of the new moon. I shall be holding a banquet on this night, and he is invited to attend.”

I finish speaking and turn to walk away when Bates speaks.

“The first night of the new moon is the night Lord Greythorne will make you his wife,” he declares, and I’m shocked at the audacity of the man.

I want to tell him there and then the netherworld will freeze over before I ever become the wife of Greythorne.

However, this would spoil my plan and I need Greythorne and his collaborators to be in my castle on the night in question.

I calm myself and turn back to face Bates.

I mask my anger with a cold smile and announce, “I shall make an announcement at the banquet as to my husband and king. Please tell Lord Greythorne I am very much looking forward to seeing him there. Now leave, Commander Bates, while you still can.”

I turn and this time I don’t look back or respond as I hear him huff in protest. There is somewhere else I wish to be and I don’t have the time or patience for any further nonsense from Commander Bates.

Kes informed me just before the audience with Bates that the spy she sent to Greythorne’s camp had just returned and I am most anxious to speak with her.

***

“Your Majesty,” Alina says on a reverent breath as she bows before me.

“Welcome back, Alina,” I reply as I take in the girl before me and wonder how a young and slender thing such as her fared in Greythorne’s province and to what extent she was able to glean any information.

“Thank you, my Queen,” she replies, “it’s good to be home.”

“I trust you are well and no harm came to you whilst you carried out your mission?” I ask.

She throws a quick glance at Kes. “I’m fine, Your Majesty, nothing happened that I couldn’t handle.”

I wonder what exactly she means by that, but I sense she is eager to tell me what she knows so I don’t ask for details and ask her to give me a report instead.

“First of all, Your Majesty, Lord Greythorne plans to arrive in Valensia sooner rather than later. I think he will be here before the new moon. He is not happy at the presence of an Emissary of Ellerban in the castle. Also, he has amassed more soldiers and his army is even larger than we thought. He has already deployed units at strategic points throughout the realm. Lastly, as you suspected, he has formed a number of alliances with other lords, most notably Glindenbrooke, Montrose, Sutton and Bottomleigh.”

Most of what she tells me confirms what I already suspected and I’m not surprised Greythorne knew about an emissary being here.

I’ve no doubt he has a spy or two of his own in the castle.

Thankfully, he isn’t aware of the prince’s identity.

Nevertheless, the part about him returning to Valensia ahead of when he said he would sends a chill through me.

“Thank you, Alina,” I say to the youngest member of the Khaleeni, “you may go. I’m sure you’re looking forward to some decent food and a rest.”

“Thank you, my Queen,” she replies as she bows and leaves me and Kes to discuss the information she has given us.

“How fares the prince?’ Kes asks.

“He was sleeping when I left him this morning,” I reply. “Myreena gave him a potent elixir yesterday evening.”

“Given everything that’s happened in the past few days, do you still intend to make him your king?”

“Yes, most definitely.”

“Then I suggest you do it sooner rather than later. I don’t like the sound of Greythorne’s plan to surprise us with an earlier return.

It sounds to me like he is suspicious, and I fear he plans to bring the wedding forward or take you by force.

If you are already married to the prince this ruins his plan. ”

I nod in agreement. “Yes, I fear you’re right.

We must do two things. I will marry the prince today, at the setting of the sun.

Please inform Barra and Aaran of this plan and arrange for the castle cleric to be in my chamber at the appointed time.

Also, there must be a ban on any lord entering Valensia before the first day of the new moon.

Greythorne may be permitted to set up camp on the outskirts but that is all.

See to it that a ring of steel surrounds Valensia. ”

Kes nods. “Consider it done.”

I smile. “Thank you, my friend. The only one getting a surprise around here will be Greythorne and his collaborators. Now, all that remains is for you to agree to be my maid of honour.”

Her face warms with a wide smile and she places her hand upon mine. “It would be my pleasure, my Queen.”

“Maid of honour? It seems a lot has happened in my absence,” a familiar voice sounds from behind us and both Kes and I are shocked to find Ailish standing in the doorway.

“Ailish!” I exclaim, “I was unaware you had returned. Come join us.”

“Thank you, my Queen,” she replies, “I have only just returned and came looking for you and the commander straight away as I need to speak with you urgently.”

She sits opposite Kes and I, and there’s no mistaking the concern etched across her face.

“Pray tell, what is it that worries you so?” I ask.

“Prince Mikil has declared himself king of Ellerban.”

I gasp, totally taken aback at her words.

“What?” I ask. “But how can he, the true heir to the throne, Prince Ronan, lives.”

“He has declared Prince Ronan either missing, due to his feebleness of mind, or dead. He informed the people that either way, he needed to take his rightful place on the throne and lead his people. He made much of his sorrow at his brother’s fate.”

I look at Kes, at a loss for words. I need a few moments to process this information and what it means for Prince Ronan.

I also try to quell the queasy feeling in my stomach as the thought occurs to me that Prince Mikil might have had something to do with what happened to Prince Ronan’s wife and son.

Kes merely raises her eyebrows in reply.

Obviously, this wasn’t something she expected to hear either.

“However,” Ailish continues, “that’s not the worst of it. I have reason to believe Prince, or should I say, King Mikil has formed a secret alliance with Greythorne.”

“What?” I ask, as my heart jumps to my throat. “What reason do you have to believe such a thing?”

“One night, a number of riders came to the castle. It was late and the night was dark, but there was something familiar to me about these riders and I realised I knew them from the day of the Harvesting. Their clothes, at least what I could see under the black cloaks they wore, were that of Greythorne’s elite guard.

The next morning a number of girls were being fed in the castle kitchen and some were being treated for injuries they received from these brutes the night before.

They told me of marks on the arms of these men and how they referred to their leader as Lord Greythorne. ”

I grab the edge of the table as a deathly chill runs through me. An alliance between Prince Mikil and Greythorne can only mean one thing. It was Greythorne’s men who killed Prince Ronan’s wife and baby son. Oh gods! I think, as I try to calm my racing heart, how do I tell Ronan?

“Elinor,” Kes asks, her voice loaded with concern, “what is it?”

I look her and Ailish in the eye and reveal to them the prince’s tragic tale and the horrific fate of Aonghus and Aurora.

“From what you have told us, Ailish,” I say in a low voice, “I believe it was Greythorne’s men who carried out this heinous act at the behest of and probably in return for payment from Prince Mikil.

And the gods help me, but I don’t know how to tell the prince. ”

“That’s why Prince Mikil accused Barra and Aaran of being part of some conspiracy to kill Prince Ronan, to deflect from his own involvement?” Ailish asks.

I nod. “I’m afraid that’s what it looks like to me.”

“The black-hearted bastard,” she exclaims. “I’ll kill him myself.”

“Not if Barra, Aaran or the prince get to him first,” I reply.

“Such news would come as quite a shock to the prince,” Kes states in a concerned voice. “Do you think he’s capable of dealing with it right now?

“I don’t know,” I reply, “but I think for now we need to deal with the immediate threat of Greythorne arriving sooner rather than later and trying to gain access to the castle and me. I will say nothing to the prince for now and will marry him tonight. I will inform him of my suspicions in due course.”

“I think that’s wise,” Kes agrees as she rises from the table. “I shall go in search of Barra and Aaran and tell them to be in your chambers at sunset.”

“And I shall go in search of food, a bath and some clean clothes,” Ailish announces.

I watch as these two warriors walk away from me and feel good in the knowledge they’ve got my back, especially in a world where men as evil as Greythorne and Prince Mikil exist.