Page 111 of A Crown of Deceit & Ruin

If given the chance, Elora would apologize—not only because she knew that’s what Queen Signe would want, but because it was what she wanted as well.

Hopefully the queen would give her the chance to set things right.

Elora was already dressed for the day, wearing a silver, long-sleeve gown that fell all the way down to the floor like moonlight draped over her body. She took a few moments to tie back the top half of her hair before venturing down to the throne room to face the queen.

When she finally arrived though, she was stunned by who she found inside.

Kestrel stood in the middle of the candlelit room, wearing another outfit that seemed more suitable for a young man than a princess. Not that Elora minded. In fact, she admired her all the more for it. Here was a girl who didn’t care what the queen’s expectations were of her. If she wanted to wear a doublet and trousers, and braid her hair like the wild Skogarans, then that’s exactly what she would do.

Kestrel startled at Elora’s entrance. Not in the way that it suggested she was surprised to see her, not like Elora had been. It was more of a general jumpiness, like she was on edge about something. Perhaps she’d been standing in a dark and quiet room alone for too long.

But what were they both doing there? Had the queen summoned her as well?

As Elora entered the room, Kestrel looked anywhere but at her. Okay, so she was still upset. Rightfully so. But Elora could fix that. Especially since it was just the two of them, giving them time to speak alone.

Instead of taking her spot beside the throne, she walked tothe center of the candelabras next to Kestrel. She forced her to look upon her. “I owe you an apology.”

“It’s fine,” Kestrel said, her mouth drawn tight. “We both have our truths.”

Elora winced. “Truth isn’t always one thing though. And Darius and I we…we have history. My judgement of him is clearly biased because of it, and it is unfair of me to project my truth—my pain—upon you.”

With a shrug, Kestrel told her it was fine again, but Elora sensed it was anything but. She wasn’t reaching her. Not fully. Because she wasn’t being vulnerable enough yet. So Elora would force herself to go deeper. To share more of the heartache that she hated to revisit.

“I did the same thing everyone did to me. I villainized him because…that’s what he was to me, Kestrel. I can’t change that for him, and I can’t lie to you and tell you I forgive him for all the pain he caused me. But I have been the villain before. My loved ones have been villains too. All of my people. And so, although Darius did unthinkable things to me, I also know that there is always another side to the story, and that means he likely has good in him as well.”

When Kestrel’s eyes finally met hers, they glistened like dew-kissed leaves.

“Please, forgive me for succumbing to such simple-minded ways,” Elora added, falling into her gaze.

Kestrel gave her a subtle nod and it almost broke Elora’s heart all over. Kestrel reached for her as if she wanted to give her a hug again, and this time Elora wasn’t sure if she would back away. She had her shackles on, the hailstone bracelets and necklace. Kestrel would be safe.

But before either of them could lean any closer, the main door leading into the throne room opened, and Prince Leighton strode inside.

The girls jumped back from one another. Elora used the momentum to take her place at the side of the queen’s throne, while Kestrel seemed to become suddenly transfixed by the dancing flames in the nearest candelabra. If they were hoping for discreet, Leighton’s suspicious gaze as it shifted between the two of them was a good indication that they had failed.

He cleared his throat as he approached Kestrel, took her hand, and planted a gentle kiss atop it. Elora didn’t know what shocked her more, that her betrothed was so blatantly bestowing affection upon another woman in front of her, or that he was doing it so casually with Kestrel in particular.

From where she stood, she couldn’t hear the quiet words he said to her before he took his spot on the opposite side of the throne, but she noted the guilty angle of Kestrel’s gaze as he walked away.

Something had clearly happened between the two of them. Kestrel had mentioned the Fortress of Thirst and his betrayal of her there, and Elora hadn’t thought to ask more about it. She wasn’t sure if she should. Wasn’t sure if she wanted to know.

Soon after Leighton’s emergence, the twins entered the throne room as well, the queen following shortly after.

Everyone waited patiently as Queen Signe claimed her spot on the throne and fanned her sleek silken dress out over her legs.

“Thank you all for joining us today. I’m told we have some rather exciting news.”

Elora frowned as the queen spoke. If she wasn’t the one with news, then who was?

Sucking in a deep breath, Kestrel stepped forward. “Queen Signe, you told me the other day that my mother’s magic gave her the sight, and I believe it’s happening to me as well.”

The queen clapped her hands together. “Well that’swonderful news indeed. Please, tell me, these visions of yours, when did they happen?”

“I had one yesterday,” Kestrel continued, and gestured to the twins. “Micah and Efrem found me in the dining hall in the midst of one.”

“Her eyes were completely rolled back,” Micah interjected. “I thought she was dying or something. We threw her in Efrem’s arms and started carrying her to the?—”

The queen gave a swift swat of her hand, silencing him. Her focus was trained on Kestrel.

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