Page 5 of Court of Secrets and Flames

Blood roars in my ears. Everything is happening too fast, and the fear I’ve been valiantly suppressing escapes and spreads frost inside my veins.

The guard Knox referred to as Hyde sweeps into a low bow. “His Majesty, King Jasper of House Barda, First of His Name, Leader of the Tirenese People.”

Knox follows suit, leaving me the only person in the chamber who’s still standing as I find myself face-to-face with the king of Tirene.

Chapter Two

Deep brown eyes similar to Knox’s—yet so vastly different—meet mine, and I fight the urge to shudder. What do I do?

Bow?

Is bowing customary court etiquette for a prisoner? Because that’s essentially what I am.

Hardly daring to breathe, I drop my gaze in a gesture of respect and lower into a curtsy like my mother taught me to do before Aclarian royals. This man may not be my king, but I’d rather not commence my indeterminate stay in his fine kingdom by pissing him off with crap manners. I’ve seen where angering this king gets people.

When I rise, I find him scrutinizing me like a jeweler appraising an uncut gem. “Ah, the prodigal daughter returns.”

Prodigal daughter? What’s that supposed to mean? And does that require a response? Though a dozen questions hover on my tongue, I don’t dare ask them or even speak without permission.

The king continues to appraise me, and I can’t help but compare him to his brother.

He’s muscled, tall—though not quite as tall as Knox—and well-dressed in a crisp white shirt, black trousers, and polished black boots so shiny I catch a glimpse of my reflection in them.An ornate ruby-encrusted gold crown adorns his head, rich brown hair the color of dark chocolate curling underneath.

Like his brother, the king is an admittedly attractive man, but the permanent tightness around his mouth and eyes harshens his features, giving him a colder air than Knox. The chill trickling down my spine warms that if I argue with King Jasper like I did with his brother the first time we met, things won’t end well for me.

Though everything about this man—this entire situation—screamsDangerwith a capitalD, I stand before him, rooted to the spot.

His mouth tips up in a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Welcome to Tirene, Lark Axton. I am eager to…get acquainted with you.”

Tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as I swallow down my trepidation. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“You’re probably curious about the men outside.” Not a question, but a statement.

Does he expect an answer? Will I piss him off if I speak?

My gaze slides to Knox as I try to glean some hint of how to respond, but his face, devoid of emotion, offers no guidance. If I thought I could get away with kicking him to force a show of emotion, I would, but I’m pretty certain the king would frown upon that.

Instead, I start to pick at a nail, then freeze when the nervous tic draws the king’s attention. “I…”

King Jasper chuckles. “No need to be afraid. You may speak freely.”

His reassurance that I don’t need to be afraid works about as well as someone telling me to calm down when I’m anxious. So bascially, not at all.

Arranging a polite smile on my face, I nod. “I am curious, Your Majesty.”

Utterly horrified is more like it, but I’m not rash enough to saythatout loud.

“Rest assured that their punishment is atypical.” His gaze bores into me like he’s gauging my reaction. “It was brought to my attention they were attempting to turn the people against me, which is something I won’t tolerate. As much as I dislike taking such extreme actions, they had to serve as an example. The good of Tirene comes first and foremost.”

The room keeps silent, as if no one dares to breathe, much less speak. Again, I’m not sure the king requires an answer.

Before I can decide, he nods to a guard old enough to be my father with gray streaking his hair and beard. “Zale, escort Lady Lark to her chambers where she can rest.” King Jasper performs one last visual inspection, and I dig deep within to refrain from cringing under his scrutiny. “I think she’s had enough excitement…for today.”

Just like that, I’m dismissed, though I feel the king’s gaze on me as I follow Zale through the crowd.

While we traverse the sprawling halls of the palace, I become acutely aware of the enormity of the structure. Each step echoes on the marble floor, reinforcing the surreal nature of my circumstances.

“Your rooms have been prepared for your comfort.” Zale offers a slight bow, genuine kindness in his eyes. “His Majesty insists upon it.”

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