Ameera sat perched at the edge of the bed as Astra pushed herself up on her elbows.
“I mean it, Ameera. I’ve had a really crazy day, okay?”
A dark laugh bounced off the walls.
Not a laugh Astra recognized.
Her head swiveled as she looked for the source. Everything in her lit up with greens and pinks when she realized who it was.
“Mother?”
“I’m afraid we’ve overwhelmed you,” she said quietly. “It’s only been about five minutes. Don’t worry. Nothing like last time.”
Astra felt a flush creep over her neck. “Tula?”
Oestera smiled softly. “Your father. We don’t keep secrets.”
Astra glanced around the room. Lunelle sat on the couch, looking as dazed as she felt.
“Where’s Lux?”
“I sent him to get your father. He went back to the manor to hide the shadow dagger. We have a safe room there. They should be back any minute.”
Oestera crossed the room and sat beside Ameera, resting a hand on Astra’s knee.
“I know you have a million questions, Astra, and we’re going to answer them all. But first, we need to get you out of these clothes.”
Astra looked down, her lips crinkling into a frown. Selenia’s golden blood splattered across her chest and hands.
“I’ll help you clean up,” Ameera said.
“I can help her,” Oestera replied. “Why don’t the rest of you go get everyone settled and have some snacks? Nayson hasn’t run that fast in thirty years. He’s going to be starving.”
Ameera stared wide-eyed at the queen, who, until today, had never cracked a joke in her presence.
“Can Lunelle stay?” Astra asked.
Oestera nodded. “Of course.”
The room emptied and Astra stood carefully as Oestera and Lunelle followed her into her bathing chambers. Sand poured from the soiled garments as she peeled them off, but the discomfort she felt being alone with just her mother and Lunelle was far more demanding.
“Grab her something soft, Lu. We’re going to be working all night.”
Lunelle disappeared into Astra’s dressing room, leaving just the buzz from Oestera’s chest, a soft pink glow rolling over itself.
Wait.
“Mother above,” Astra breathed. “Is that... am I reading you?”
“I suppose you are,” Oestera whispered, untangling Astra’s hair from the knotted bun it sat in. She ran her fingers through Astra’s curls slowly, reverently.
“I don’t know how to process this,” Astra admitted as Lunelle returned. She unfurled a soft knit set in a pale cream yarn, catching Astra’s eye. “I don’t want to be queen, Lunelle. You should be queen.”
Lunelle snorted. “Astra, thanks to you I will be a queen. Just not here.”
Astra’s face flushed again. “But is that what you want? I never asked for this. I don’t want it!”
“As,” she said, placing a hand on her bare shoulder. “This is exactly what I want, I promise. And more importantly, Mother and I agree, it’s what people need.”
