Page 47 of The Shadowed Throne (Midlife Fairy Tale #4)

R o lay down on one of the bench seats in the boat’s cabin and tucked her hands under her head for a pillow. The day had exhausted her, and the injury to Anyka weighed on Ro, regardless that the Grym queen had wanted her dead.

If Anyka died, Ro worried that she would be blamed for it and what the repercussions of that might be. She closed her eyes. She hadn’t slept great the night before, so being able to relax now and rest felt like a gift.

A hand lifted her head. She looked up into Gabriel’s face. He was tucking his folded cape beneath her.

“Thanks.”

He nodded. “You’ve earned it.”

She closed her eyes again, comforted by the scent of him and the knowledge that her kingdom was safe. At least for now.

It was possible that Anyka would recover and still be angry. In fact, Ro thought Anyka would always be angry, if she lived. But she would have to see that she was never going to best Summerton and Ro’s allies.

Ro drifted, thinking of the feast she had promised the neph. The Wyvern guards and the Radiant guards would all be invited, too. Could the great hall hold that many? Would the kitchen be able to handle a feast on such short notice? Would…

“Mom, wake up. We’re here.”

She opened her eyes, blinking a few times. “I guess I slept.”

JT offered her a hand. “I’m sure you needed it.”

She took his hand and let him help her to her feet. They were pulling into the dock.

Gabriel took his cape back, giving her a smile. “Almost home.”

“I’m ready.” She’d never been so glad to see Summerton. Carriages awaited them, and Castle Clarion was visible in the distance, the towers and turrets a welcome sight.

The nap had helped. She felt like her tank was full again, or at least full enough to get through the rest of the day. She had to immediately send word to the kitchen about the feast, then she needed to craft letters to King Ehlzar and King Khamsin.

And she owed Nazyr a visit. He had helped Uldamar, and he had helped them. She could not, in good conscience, keep him in that cell any longer. She wasn’t ready to let him roam free, but the idea of sending him to work at Starfall appealed.

He could be watched there, and he could work to pay for his keep. She planned to stipulate he was not to leave the grounds without permission. That wouldn’t be much of a hardship. The estate was large, nearly eight hundred acres. If that wasn’t enough, he could stay right where he was—in a cell.

JT came to stand with her. “What’s next, Mom? Long nap?” He grinned.

Didn’t that sound lovely? She smiled back. “I wish. No, I have too much to do.”

“I know,” he said, giving her a playful nudge. “Anything I can help with?”

“You want to talk to the kitchen about the feast to honor the guards tonight?”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah, I can handle that. Anything else?”

“I have letters to write. And I need to go see Nazyr. He helped us, without a shadow of treachery. He deserves better than where he’s at.”

“You, uh … want me to go with you?”

She hadn’t expected that. Was it possible her son saw Nazyr in a different light since he’d helped them? “You can if you want to. Do you want to?”

His chest expanded as he took a deep breath. “Would you be mad if I said I kind of do?”

“I would never be mad about that. He is your biological father. Doesn’t surprise me that you’d want to know something about him.”

“I would never pick him over you.”

She laughed softly and hugged his arm. “Oh, sweetheart, I wouldn’t ever think that. You don’t have to feel any kind of guilt about this. I mean it. You’re a grown man, and you’re allowed to make your own choices.”

“Thanks. I’d like to go with you then.”

“Come see me after you get done with the kitchen.”

“Will do.”

The boat docked, and they took the carriages back to the palace, where several of the professors, Aunt Violet, and Posey were waiting.

Gabriel helped Ro down. She was extraordinarily glad to be home.

Violet was about to hug Ro when her eyes rounded. She pointed at the slit in Ro’s jacket. “What is that? Were you hurt?” She grabbed Ro’s arms, pulling her in for a closer look. “Did the vest work?”

“I’m fine, and the vest worked great.” Ro hugged her aunt, smiling. As she let her go, the smile faded. “Anyka could have used one, though. Beatryce threw a dagger at me, but it hit Anyka instead.”

Violet put her hand to her mouth. “Oh, that poor girl. She must be wracked with guilt. How is Anyka?”

JT and Gabriel approached in time to hear Violet’s question. JT shook his head. “Anyka didn’t look so hot.”

Gabriel was unbuttoning his cape. “Uldamar and Ecclesia stabilized her by putting her in a trance spell, but it will take some strong medicine and powerful magic to heal her.”

Professor Cloudtree joined them. “Forgive me, your highness. I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I overheard about Queen Anyka.”

“It’s all right, Spencer,” Ro said. “It’s information I’ll be sharing with everyone soon enough anyway.”

“Thank you. What does this mean for Malveaux?”

Ro looked around. The other professors had gathered. “I suppose we won’t really know until we find out what happens to Anyka.” She glanced at her Professor of Protocol, Everand Larksford. “What would happen if I were injured and comatose?”

He swallowed. “Prince James would be made king, at least until you were able to serve again.”

Ro nodded. “So will Malveaux do the same? Will Princess Beatryce be coronated?”

“That would be protocol. Was Queen Anyka really that bad?”

“Yes,” Ro answered. “I’m not a doctor, obviously, but I think her chances of survival might be fifty-fifty at best.”

“Worse than that,” Gabriel said. “Especially since they no longer have their Minister of Magic to rely on. The best they can hope for is a competent doctor and a strong healer. There is nothing better than the combination of medicine and magic. If I was in her court, I’d start a kingdom-wide search for a healer.

They’re going to need every bit of help they can get. ”

Ro rubbed at her temple. “I don’t know much about Beatryce, but she doesn’t strike me as being ready to rule. I imagine she’d be a very different queen than her mother.”

“You never know,” Gabriel said. “Power has a way of changing people. Especially in Malveaux.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Posey, I need to get some letters written. Can you come to my quarters with your things?”

“Right away, your highness.” Posey left to get her writing implements.

Ro turned to JT. “Go take care of the dinner arrangements, then meet me up there.” She touched his arm. “Have the kitchen send food to my quarters, too. Enough for all of us.”

“Will do.” JT took off with Raphaela at his side.

“Your highness?” Ecclesia said.

“Yes?”

“Do you still need me? If not, I would like to go to my quarters.”

“You’re free to go. Thank you for today. If you need anything, send for it. And please don’t leave without letting me know.” Ro had a feeling the old woman might disappear now that her job was done.

Ecclesia bowed her head. “Thank you. And I won’t, I promise.”

Ro turned and addressed the professors who remained.

“There will be a dinner this evening in the great hall to say thank you to the neph and the Wyvern who assisted us today and helped keep me alive. As you’ve probably heard, Queen Anyka was seriously injured due to a dagger thrown by her daughter, Princess Beatryce.

A dagger meant for me. Before that happened, however, everyone who was in attendance saw Queen Anyka attempt to kill me.

Besides the witnesses, I have the proof. ”

Ro pointed to the slice in her jacket. “The blade was deflected by the vest I wore. But make no mistake—without it, I would be dead. If Queen Anyka survives and remains on the throne, peace with Malveaux will be highly unlikely. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to attend to.

I look forward to seeing you all at dinner tonight.

Please spread the word to the other professors. ”

She gave Gabriel a look, and they started walking. Violet and Uldamar joined them, along with Violet’s guard, Vincent.

By the time she was in her sitting room, a wave of exhaustion hit her. She sat down.

Violet frowned. “Are you all right? You look pale.”

“I’m okay. I think the day just hit me.” Ro exhaled. “It’s probably from the adrenaline wearing off, you know?”

“Absolutely,” Gabriel said. “Can we do anything for you?”

“The kitchen is sending up food. I think that will help.” She looked over at Uldamar, who had taken a seat, too. “It is so good to have you home.”

He smiled and leaned back. “Thank you, your highness. It is good to be back. And to be myself again.”

“I will never ask you to do something like that again.”

“If you need me, whatever the task, I am here.”

Posey came in, pen, paper, and traveling desk in hand. “Ready, your highness.”

Ro had just signed her name to the second letter when JT and Raphaela showed up. Posey sealed the letters as Ro greeted her son. “How did it go? Is the kitchen mad at me for such short notice?”

JT laughed. “No, they were fine with it. They’re going to do a bunch of carving stations with a buffet set up for side dishes and another one for desserts. I told them the buffet was fine, but maybe I should have checked with you first.”

“I have no problem with them making things easier on themselves. Thank you for doing that.” She stood. “Let’s go see Nazyr. By the time we get back, the food will probably be here.” She looked around. “Everyone good with that?”

Gabriel got up. “Fine with me.”

Uldamar stayed seated. “Do you need me, your highness? Otherwise, I’ll stay here with your aunt.”

“You’ve earned some rest. You don’t need to come.”

He dug into his robes and pulled out a small clothbound book. “Here is the book he wanted. There is nothing magical about it, I promise you. Tell Nazyr, from me, that I am grateful for the information he gave me. He made it possible for me to become him. I hope you take that into consideration.”

“I am, I promise.” But it was still good to hear.

Book in hand, she headed for the cells with Gabriel and JT. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that the man she’d once thought she was in love with, the man who, without a word, had left her pregnant and alone, would be at her mercy.

For a long time, she’d hated him. Now, she just felt sorry for him. Life was funny sometimes.