Page 32 of To Steal the Sun

They both tensed.

“Please let me know if the queen ever asks you to drug any food or drink again,” she finished, and they relaxed. It wasn’t a huge request, but it might prevent a future calamity like Charlotte’s attempted night with Henry.

Gwen left the room, heading for her mother’s study as she considered how to get access to Henry again. If he hadn’t spoken to Charlotte, then it was up to Gwen to give him further reassurance and stop him from doing anything foolish.

She arrived at the door of the study only to hear the tromp of boots behind her. Glancing back, she saw a weary-looking squad of guards heading in her direction. She stepped to the side, allowing the two in the lead to enter the study ahead of her. They were both rigid and tense, apparently too distracted to even notice her.

The rest of the guards remained behind in the corridor, at least half of them openly gawking at her. But they didn’t make any move to restrain her or question her presence.

“You what?” the queen cried from inside the room, and Gwen flinched instinctively.

The guards flinched even more, however, and Gwen made up her mind, slipping into the room. No one noticed her entrance.

“One girl,” the queen said in lower but equally threatening tones. “You only had to detain one girl. Exactly how many men did you take with you?”

Both guards shifted nervously.

“There was another girl waiting for her,” one said. “She helped—”

“A single other girl?” the queen demanded. “Is that supposed to be an excuse?”

“Without our bear senses,” the other one tried, “we couldn’t follow.”

“I see.” The queen’s voice was ice. “So you have allowed your nightly forms to become a crutch and an excuse. Clearly it is time for the royal guards to get in shape. I want every guard not on active duty to report to the training yards. Sunup to sundown. And you will train there every day until I deem you are no longer a disgrace to me.”

The men’s eyes widened, but neither protested.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The first one bowed low, and the other quickly followed.

Gwen kept her face impassive but inside she was crowing. Not only had Charlotte managed to escape—with Natalie’s help from the sound of it—but the queen’s reaction had played even further into their hands. An exhausted, distracted guard force could only help the rebel efforts.

The elation died as she finally noticed the man standing to one side and slightly behind her mother’s desk. He was half in shadow, barely noticeable beside the commanding presence of the queen. But he had noticed her.

Charlotte shivered at his gaze. What was Lord Rafferty doing here where she might once have expected to find Count Oswin? Before her escape, he had leveraged a moment of surveillance of Gwen into inclusion with her mother’s inner circle of courtiers. Apparently, in the weeks since he had made fast use of that opportunity.

The feel of his eyes made her want to flee. But her mother had finally spotted her.

“My daughter,” Celandine said smoothly, her manner changing completely.

Both the guards threw Gwen an alarmed look before bowing again toward the queen, a third time to Gwen, and hurrying out of the room.

“Where have you been?” Celandine asked, although she sounded distracted.

“In my room, of course,” Gwen replied. “Resting.”

The queen relaxed a little at her answer. “You should get all the rest you can now. After the wedding, matters will proceed quickly.”

“Matters?” Gwen asked, her eyes flicking to Lord Rafferty.

“The matters we spoke of previously,” the queen said in a voice that shut down any further conversation. “But that is not something you need to think of. I will manage the situation.”

“Yes, Mother,” Gwen said meekly, a little relieved her mother hadn’t expanded on her words. Did that mean Lord Rafferty wasn’t yet included in all her plans?

If the queen was edging out Count Oswin and replacing him with someone of Lord Rafferty’s ilk, then they couldn’t make their move fast enough. The queen had enough ambition of her own without listening to someone who obviously had just as much as her.

CHARLOTTE

Exchanging surprised looks, Charlotte and Natalie both followed the count’s footman without comment, allowing him to usher them into a brightly lit sitting room filled with people. Charlotte faltered on the threshold, trying to make sense of the gathering.

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