“Oh.” Elora had missed that part of the conversation. She wasn’t sure what to say, so she said the only thing that people did in those circumstances. “I’m sorry.”
“Ha! Don’t be foolish, girl. You know as well as I do that arranged marriages are never what a woman wants, but we accept them out of necessity.”
Elora swallowed. This was new territory for them. This type of bonding over shared experiences that felt…fake. Dangerous in the way that every conversation with Queen Signe felt like she was dangling over the edge one minute and tucked safely in the plush covers of her bed in another.
But the queen was being genuine and honest in a way that Elora rarely ever saw, so now more than ever she didn’t want to ruin this. A nod seemed like the safest bet, but she kept it not too enthusiastic, in case this was a trap meant to prove that Elora wasn’t worthy of marrying the prince.
The queen seemed pleased enough with her response, for she motioned Elora to follow her.
“Come, let us continue this conversation of weddings and coronations with Leighton in the dining hall.”
“Of course,” Elora said, following after her, relieved to know that at least she would still have the protection of their bargain.
“Oh, but one more thing.” The queen spun around, onefinger raised. Elora barely had enough time to stop before running into her, which she was certain would be seen as an act of attempted murder, considering her Ashen nature. “The girl, my niece, we need her towantto practice magic. I need you to encourage her to do so. However, she is still my sister’s daughter, which means her magic might be too corrupt. And if that is the case, I will need you to kill her.”
Elora wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but it wasn’t that.
“Deal?”
Then again, she didn’t even know the girl. All she knew about her was that she was Caeloran. And if Kestrel was all that stood in Elora’s way between the crown and the freedom she deserved, she supposed killing her would be a small price to pay.
“Of course, my queen. Whatever you command.”
The wicked smile that crept up Queen Signe’s face made Elora’s stomach writhe like a nest of slippery snakes.
Chapter 20
The Bargains We Make
KESTREL
The further Kestrel was from the throne room, the more the tension eased in her chest. Not completely, but enough that she was starting to feel as if she could breathe again, and like she was back in control of her own body, aware of her surroundings.
She realized then that a servant was guiding her through the halls. She was short and stout, with her hair pulled into a taut bun at the nape of her neck. She carried a candlestick in one hand, as some of the rooms and hallways out here had their curtains drawn as well, likely to keep the queen’s curse at bay.
“Where are we going?” Kestrel asked the woman, not really remembering anything that had been said in the throne room leading up to her departure.
“I’ll be taking you to your room, miss. This way.”
Kestrel was surprised to hear that she even had a room, considering no one in the castle had been expecting her. She supposed that in a place as grand as this they simply had extra rooms for unexpected visitors.
So Kestrel followed close behind the servant, not wanting to let herself fall too far into the darkness thecandlestick left in its wake. Weaponry of all kinds decorated the hallway walls. From swords to shields, and a dozen other sharp or bulbous items that Kestrel didn’t even know the names of. They glistened like embers as they passed by, and Kestrel wondered how many of them had seen battle.
After entering and exiting a number of dimly-lit labyrinthian passageways and stairwells, they finally entered a hallway with sunlight. The blue velvet curtains were drawn open on all six of the large windows, and through the windowpanes, Kestrel could now see that they were two or three stories up.
She raced toward one of the windows, pressing her face upon the sun-warmed glass. From this vantage point, she could see the full spread of the kingdom, all the shops and townspeople they’d passed by earlier. The wall surrounding Irongate seemed even more expansive now that she could behold all of it, a formidable perimeter that likely kept every type of monster from entering the city.
They were safe here.
Shewas safe.
At least from the monsters.
Just beyond the Irongate walls, Kestrel spotted the lake Micah said separated them from the mountain pass and her mother’s original homeland. She wondered what it had been like living there. Maybe it would be something she could ask her aunt about tomorrow during their training.
“Come along now, miss,” the servant said, gently grabbing hold of her elbows and ushering her along.
They didn’t have much farther to go, and in just a few short strides, they reached a door.
