Page 41 of Queen of Legends and Lies (Dragons of Tirene #4)

Chapter Thirty-Four

An incessant tapping invades my slumber, reminding me of the woodpecker at Castle Axton. Birdie, I’d called it. Not the most original name, but in my defense, I couldn’t have been older than six at the time.

I stretch, wincing as I flex sore muscles from the evening’s battle with the drachen, then sighing as my arm brushes a hard wall of muscle.

Snuggling into Sterling, I soak up his warmth for just a little bit longer.

My brain is hazy with sleep, my eyes still closed.

I have a busy day ahead, but for a few more blissful minutes, I want to?—

The tapping grows louder.

No, not tapping. Knocking. Someone’s pounding on the outer door to our chambers.

With a groan, I sit up and reach for my robe.

Sterling opens his eyes, scrubbing a hand over his face and shooting a murderous glare at the door. “It’d better be an emergency.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” I hurry to put on the robe, knotting the belt around my waist. “I’m coming!”

Sterling stumbles out of bed and pulls on a pair of loose black pants, then grabs his discarded shirt from the floor. “Okay, let them in.”

I pad across the thick rug of the bedchamber and into the sitting room, throwing open the door.

Rhiann stands in the hallway, fist poised to continue knocking. “Your Ma?—”

“Just Lark. You know we don’t care about formalities.” I open the door wider and gesture her inside.

“Thank you.” She enters before piercing me, then Sterling, with one of her classic let’s get down to business stares. “So sorry to wake you both, but this is important.”

“It’s all right.” The look on his face says otherwise. “What’s going on?”

Rhiann is unfazed by her cousin’s gruffness. She reaches inside an apron pocket to produce a small vial. “This. A maid found it in Celeste’s room this morning while cleaning.”

My breath hitches as I survey the black liquid. “Eyril?”

“Yes.” She hands the vial to me. “It’s been years since I’ve smelled the stuff, but it’s an odor I’ll never forget.”

A crease forms between Sterling’s eyes. “You didn’t get any on you, did you?”

She releases an indignant, very un-Rhiann-like snort. “Really, Knox? Do you think I’d be that careless?”

“Of course not. Sorry.” His eyes become molten, and I have no doubt he’s thinking about his corruption. What Xenon forced him to do.

Rhiann must sense it, too, because her glare softens. “It’s all right.”

My conversation with Knox from only a day ago comes rushing back, and nausea roils my stomach. “Wait. Please, tell me you know where Celeste is.”

“Unfortunately, no.” Her shoulders tense. “She’s not in her room. At least, she wasn’t twenty minutes ago.”

“Gods.” Sterling rakes a hand through his sleep-mussed hair.

“You were right to be suspicious, Lark. Celeste told you about the location of the caves, and when you got there, Xenon was conveniently waiting. Then I saw her in the hall after meeting with Agnar. She didn’t say a word about where you’d gone.

I don’t like to think what might have happened if that guard hadn’t overheard your conversation with Celeste. ”

I strongly suspect the word Sterling’s looking for is spied rather than overheard , but I won’t worry about that now.

“Why am I not surprised?” I slide the vial of eyril into the pocket of my robe.

“And remember when she told us to practice merging our powers away from the palace? What if she set that up so we’d be gone when the drachen came? ”

We stare at each other, the truth hitting us simultaneously like a bolt of lightning.

Sterling’s face hardens. “She’s a spy. A traitor.”

All her undermining—kissing up to the council, visiting the training grounds, questioning our defenses—suddenly makes sense. “We need to deal with her immediately.”

Just hearing the words out loud helps settle things into place.

“Rhiann,” he addresses his cousin, “not a word of this to anyone. Not until we figure out exactly what’s going on.”

“Of course, Knox.” She’s already heading for the door. “I’ll tell the maid to hold her tongue as well.”

As Rhiann leaves, we race to the bedchamber, a newfound sense of urgency fueling our movements as we dress. In a brief moment of levity amid the gravity of our discovery, I catch Sterling’s appreciative gaze roaming over my figure.

But there’s no time to waste. With Celeste’s betrayal, we have to act now to protect Tirene. There’s no telling what kind of nefarious plot she’s involved in. She’s been wandering freely for weeks.

Squaring my shoulders, I meet Sterling’s resolute gaze. He tugs on his boots as I finish braiding my hair.

As we burst out of the room, I motion for the guards in the hallway to follow us. Their armor clanks as they fall into step behind Sterling and me, a reassuring presence in the face of the impending confrontation.

Eldor appears from around the corner, his arms laden with heavy, ancient tomes. His charcoal gray vest looks clean, but the dust smudges on his black pants and shirt suggest the vest is simply hiding the evidence of digging through forgotten bookshelves. “Lark, wait!”

I slow my pace, allowing him to catch up. “Hey, Grandfather. You’re up and at it early.”

“I think I may’ve found something important in these ancient texts.” Eldor’s russet eyes are round with concern. “It’s about merging. Things you must be aware of. I think you merged with Agnar too.”

“What?”

“And there’s more. So much more than what we thought we knew.” Eldor shifts, trying to pull out one of the books he’s carrying. “Have you two had breakfast yet? We need to discuss this.”

Every fiber of my being yearns to unravel the secrets my grandfather has uncovered, but the thought of Celeste’s betrayal pushes me forward.

“Now’s not a good time.” Sterling rests a hand on the small of my back. “There’s an emergency we have to manage.”

Eldor’s brows furrow, his concern palpable. “This is also an emergency. There’s no time?—”

“Grandfather, please. This is urgent. I’ll explain later. As soon as I get a few minutes, I’ll ask Bastian to consult with you. I promise we’ll talk soon.”

As Sterling and I hurry off, Eldor’s parting words reverberate through the corridor. “Come find me today. It’s critical.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.” With Sterling and the guards at my back, I quicken my pace, determination fueling each step as we head toward Celeste’s chamber. The implications of Eldor’s discovery only reaffirm the urgency of finding and questioning her.

I burst into Celeste’s room, my heart pounding. But the space is empty, the bed neatly made. No sign of the traitor.

Frustration builds inside me as I whirl around to face Sterling and the four royal guards. “Search every inch of this room. Look for any clues as to her whereabouts.”

As they begin their search, I storm out into the hallway, my mind racing. Where could she be?

When Sterling gestures to a passing maid, her eyes widen in surprise. “Have you seen Lady Celeste this morning?”

The maid shakes her head, sending her brown curls flying. “No, Your Majesty. I haven’t seen her since yesterday.”

Yesterday.

“Thank you.” Sterling gifts her with one of his charming smiles. “If you see her, please, say nothing of our visit and alert a guard immediately.”

She blushes, curtseying to both of us before scampering off.

A guard emerges from the room. “It’s empty. I didn’t see any personal belongings.”

We march through the palace, checking the dining hall and kitchens first, just in case.

The rich aroma of baking bread fills the air, but there’s no sign of Celeste among the bustling servants.

Next, we move on to the council chamber, its circular walls lined with empty chairs, the fireplaces cold and dormant.

As we approach the Royal Archives, I spot Leesa and Bastian hunched over a table, surrounded by stacks of ancient texts. They glance up as we enter, their expressions a mix of surprise and concern.

Leesa rises from her seat. “Lark? What’s going on?”

I glance around, ensuring no one’s close enough to hear us. “Celeste is a traitor. Have you seen her?”

Bastian shakes his head, his brows furrowed. “No, we stayed up researching the histories Eldor mentioned. There’s some fascinating information here about how to merge magics and what can be done with it.”

Though learning more about merging is critical, I have to find that conniving bitch first. “Keep at it. Eldor mentioned that he discovered something important. We’ll check in with you as soon as we get a chance.” I turn to Sterling and the guards. “Let’s keep hunting.”

As we leave the archives, the weight of Leesa’s and Bastian’s concerned gazes land on my back.

I continue down the hallway, asking every staff member I encounter about Celeste’s whereabouts. Each negative response fuels my frustration.

Finally, a young page boy pipes up. “The last time I saw her, she was heading toward the apothecary, Your Majesty.”

My heart leaps at the lead. “The apothecary? Are you certain?”

He nods, his mop of blond hair falling into his eyes. “Uh-huh. She seemed to be in a hurry.”

I address the guards, who’ve caught up with me. “The apothecary. Let’s go.”

Minutes later, I open the apothecary door with care, releasing the scent of herbs, oils, and woods. Celeste leans over a worktable, carefully measuring liquid into a beaker. Several of the tiny drawers along the back of the table are open.

She’s pouring a shimmering liquid into stoppered bottles, her golden hair cascading down her back in its typical fashion. Boxes, jars, and unfolded wax paper packets clutter the workspace. I don’t spot any notes pertaining to the concoction in the beakers, yet my blood still freezes to ice.

Betrayal sharpens my voice. “Seize her and summon an alchemist at once to identify the substances.”

The alchemist will only confirm what I already know. The faint reek of oily, sweet decay reveals the truth.

Eyril. The bitch is messing with tainted eyril.

The guards sprint forward, their armor clinking.

Celeste spins around, eyes wide with surprise. “Lark? Knox? You’re up? What’s happening?”

I step closer. “You know exactly what’s happening, Celeste. You’ve been working against us this whole time.”

She struggles against the guards’ grips, her face contorting with desperation. “No! I would never betray you. Please, you have to believe me.”

I glance at the bottles on the table. “Then what are you doing here?”

Tears form in her eyes. “I heard Eldor’s words about the corruption. I thought I could find some sort of cure here, even a temporary one, since your tears are often depleted.” She shifts toward Sterling, her eyes beseeching. “Knox, you know me. You know I’d never do anything to harm anyone.”

Sterling’s jaw tightens, eyes hardening. “We worked together, Celeste, but we never truly knew each other. I was pretending to be someone else when I taught with you at Flighthaven.”

Celeste’s shoulders slump, her facade crumbling.

How could I have been so blind? So trusting? I should’ve seen through her deceptions long ago. “Take her to the dungeon. Lock her in a cell and ensure that two guards are with her at all times.”

The guards nod, dragging a protesting Celeste toward the door.

Sterling places a comforting hand on my shoulder. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, love. She won’t get away with her betrayal.”

With a heavy sigh, I drink in the shimmering potions before me. The kingdom is at stake, and I will do whatever it takes to protect it, even if it means confronting the lies of those I once trusted.

The door slams shut behind Celeste and the guards, leaving Sterling and me alone in the apothecary. The soothing scent of herbs does little to calm my racing thoughts.

I pace the room, struggling to clear my head. “I should’ve seen it sooner. Ever since she got here, Celeste has been a little too eager to help, too quick to offer advice.”

Sterling leans against the workbench, his muscular arms folded across his chest. “You can’t blame yourself. You were the one who figured it out.”

“Not soon enough.” I pause, swerving around to face him. “I’m the queen. It’s my job to protect Tirene, to see through the lies and deceptions.”

“And you will.” He pushes off the bench, closing the distance between us in two long strides. His hands find my waist, pulling me close. “We’ll figure this out together. But you’re human. Remember that.”

For just a minute, I lean into his touch, drawing strength from his presence. “I just can’t help but wonder why she did it. What could’ve motivated her to betray us like this? To betray all of humanity.”

Sterling’s brow furrows, his expression growing thoughtful. “Maybe she was working for Xenon all along. Or, perhaps, she had her own agenda, her own plans for the kingdom.”

“Well, she was the one who brought you back to Tirene. Maybe she hoped you would become king so she could use your past friendship to manipulate you.”

His grip tightens on my waist. “If that was her plan, she gravely underestimated us both.”

I smile and reach up to cup his cheek. “She underestimated the strength of our love, the power of our bond.”

Sterling leans down, capturing my lips in a gentle kiss. I melt into him, the worries of the kingdom fading away for a brief, blissful moment.

But as we break apart, the reality of the situation comes rushing back.

There’s a traitor in our midst.