“Resting in the infirmary. He isn’t to be bothered. Please, Yanna.” Lilac did not appreciate the dubious frown Yanna gave her. “What’s the matter?”
“If he’s in charge of all your weaponry, he might already be on his way to La Guerche. Either that,” Yanna added at the utter rage spreading on Lilac’s face, “or he’s sent a large supply of more weapons.”
“How do you know?”
“Isabel and I stayed behind last night. Piper had us help clean and listen for more trouble while she went upstairs and made sure you were safe. We overheard some of the staff chatting, saying they earlier saw various boxes, arrows, and shields being carried out through the bailey. They were loaded into a single carriage that departed.”
“By whom?”
Yanna shrugged.
“Withmycoachman?”
“I’m not sure. It was a quick ordeal.” Yanna looked unsettled. “You didn’t sanction this.”
Lilac felt sick. Shaking her head, she made it halfway down the hall before Yanna called after her.
“Is everything all right, Your Majesty?”
“It will be.”
Huffing, she burst onto the landing above the double staircase, ready to address the pair of guards flanking the entry—but they weren’t there. Those guards never made rounds. What was happening?Shewas ultimately the last and final say. At the very least, she should’ve been notified of any change, certainly of any movement of weapons. Had no one trusted her?
More concerningly, had they emptied her castle’s armory? They wouldn’t be able to defend themselves against France without resources.
Lilac’s mind raced as she tromped down the stairs. Should she rouse her father? Should she call a meeting for the remaining guard?
She ducked into the hall behind the stairs, passed the old coat closet, and turned the corner. Several doors to the guest suites flanked the left, while the armory sat on the right. The stern gaze of the person leaning against the armory door made her freeze. Her eyes adjusted quickly; she recognized him as one of her father’s higher ranking guards.
One of Renald’s men.
He frowned at the sight of her, leaning away from the door and bowing at the waist. “Your Majesty, I’ve never seen you out of bed so early.”
She didn’t bother returning the gesture. “Are you the head of my armory?”
“No, I’m Ciel. I’ve been stationed here temporarily. You never know with all the guests present, and that disturbance last night at your party.”
“Fine. I need to talk to him.”
“Inwold isn’t here,” he said curtly, crossing his arms.
“Well, where is he?”
“He’s been summoned by your men out east. Left last night to bring more weaponry and supplies to them.”
Lilac stared, unsure whether to believe Ciel. She hadn’t expected him to tell the truth, yet he hadn’t offered up more details. If they’d brought more weapons to the La Guerche, who wielded them? Was there an increase in foot soldiers she hadn’t been alerted of? Had her father tapped the local militia after her last order of accounting for all eligible men? If this were the case, things would then be shifting in her favor.
Something about the way the guard watched her told her asking him these questions would lead nowhere. “I don’t recall giving that order.”
Beneath his thick beard, his lips curled in a way that infuriated her. “I don’t recall you givinganyorder,” said Ceil. “What I do recall is your absence most days, whereas your father has been left to handle France.”
Lilac held her tongue—the fire it wanted to spout, anyway. “I’m here now. I am handling France. I want access to my armory.”
Ciel stopped rubbing his mustache. Lilac stepped forward and tried the knob. It was locked.
“Did you hear me?”
He looked intentionally bored, as if he were holding in a laugh. “It will be handled when you’ve wed the emperor, won’t it?”
