Page 3 of Lily of the Valley

Josiah smiled ever so faintly. "Already working on it, Your Highness. I'll have reports for you by tonight. I'm also assigning additional guards to your retinue."

Lily hated when she had to be heavily guarded, but it would be the height of spoiled princess to complain about people wanting to keep her alive. "Thank you. Hopefully nobody will get hurt." The clock in the corner chimed, cutting off anything else she might have said. "Time for the meeting, I suppose. Let's hope this goes well, and not as ominously as we all think it will."

Face grim, Josiah led the way out of the room, and stayed with her, even as the additional guards closed in.

Expecting a large, and likely hostile, turnout, her father had arranged for the meeting to be held in the grand throne room, a cavernous hall that was always cold and gloomy no matter how bright the décor or how many candelabra were lit.

The gown she'd chosen for it was a deep emerald green, empire waist, with black flowers embroidered at the cuffs of the long sleeves and along the bottom third of the gown, with black ribbon at the high waist that trailed down her back. The tiara, a gold one that had been gifted to her mother as a wedding gift, had also been set with emeralds for today. A somber look for a somber occasion.

Her handmaidens had, of course, dressed to coordinate. Detractors in the royal court liked to call them the Tea Party, pretty and frivolous and useless. Lily would be angry about it, but she'd long ago learned to use that sort of childish arrogance to her advantage.

"Father," she greeted as she came through the private entrance at the back of the throne room and curtsied to him.

King Aldous, recently turned fifty, was a divisive king. Most nobles found him frustrating when they were in a good mood, and wanted him dead when he really pissed them off. Everyone else tended to admire him greatly. At the very least, they were relieved he was nothing like his father, who'd been well on his way to being a tyrant when he'd fallen ill and died in the span of a few hours, and suddenly his nineteen-year-old son was king.

"Lily," he replied, and kissed the back of her hand affectionately before she took her place by his side. "You wanted to speak with me?"

"About Ferdinand's 'cousin,'" Lily replied, still smiling pleasantly, giving nothing away to anyone watching them. "It will keep until after this meeting. I've already set people to look into the matter further."

"Hmm," Aldous replied, his way of saying he agreed with her about how troubling it was.

They fell silent as the room filled, conversation creating a low din, guards and servants rushing about to sort out one problem or another. The seating in the throne room ran along both sides of it, arranged in five rows, each higher than the one in front of it. There was also gallery seating, for those who wanted to see the public proceedings but did not merit a seat below. Snotty nobles liked to call that area the gawkery.

Behind her, the door opened to admit Ferdinand, looking his usual self, and yet something prickled along the back of Lily's neck all the same. Her usual dislike, the strangers, or something else entirely, she couldn't say. Why her father insisted on retaining him as steward, she would never understand. His intelligence and political acumen did not, in her opinion, make up for the fact he was a nasty little rat who got handsy with the maids.

Ferdinand bowed to both of them and took up his position to the king's left. Arrayed behind them were Josiah, her handmaidens, Aldous's bodyguards, and a handful of trusted clerks should anything need to be delivered or retrieved. Guards lined the length of the hall on both sides, twice the usual number to hopefully mitigate the displays of outrage they feared would come. Because they were making people pay their fair share of taxes.

As everyone settled, more or less, Aldous gave a signal to a waiting clerk, who rang the enormous gong behind the thrones, calling the meeting to order.

The atmosphere was decidedly tense. Lily felt sorry for none of them.

Stepping forward, Aldous extended his arms in a gesture that was welcome and supplication all at once. "Welcome, all. I know today brings news that makes—"

Thunk. Gurgle. Aldous collapsed.

Lily stared, uncomprehending, as her father's blood poured from his throat.

Hunted

Josiah slammed her to the ground, and it was only then she registered she hurt. Her arm? Something.

"Let's go!" Josiah said, but the words sounded muffled, far away. Lily let him and the others pull her up, away, eyes locked onto her father… her father's body…

This couldn't…couldn't be…

"Lily!"

She jerked, stared blindly at Penelope. Sucked in a sharp breath. "What's happening?"

"Your father was assassinated. They nearly got you. We're getting you to—"

An explosion. Smoke. Fire.

"Run!" Josiah bellowed, and only then did Lily notice he was covered in blood, pouring down from what must be a cut on his head. Penelope and Clarissa looked little better.

And Alice was nowhere to be seen.

Swallowing, Lily drew herself up. Her father was dead. She was Queen. She needed to act like it. There would be time for grieving later. "The palace isn't safe—we need to get out. Into the cellars, now!"

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