Page 68 of Tower of Tempest
My cheeks flushed.
“Our people will love you because we love you. And when you’re ready, we’ll begin talking about what it means that you’re our heir.”
I still wasn’t sure I wanted to be queen, that I was worthy of such a title. Just a few days ago, I’d been Poppy, a woman in a tower. Now I was a princess with an entire court on my shoulders. It was a weight I wasn’t sure I could bear. I also couldn’t admit that to my mother. She was so overjoyed. Of course she was.
The queen had many questions about how I’d escaped, and again, I’d told her as much as I could. I never revealed Loch’s true identity but told her that three strangers had gotten lost, stumbled upon my tower by accident right as I was trying to escape. I felt guilty about lying, but I’d revealed the main details. The most important ones.
The queen stood, her periwinkle dress glimmering in the last rays of the sun that shone through the windows of my chamber. The crown twinkled atop her head.
“You will do wonderful tonight,” she said, then made to move.
I grabbed her hand. “Wait. Did you talk with the king about my friends? The ones I told you about?”
She stiffened.
They were probably already gone, off on their adventure to the shadow court, and the thought made my heart sink. If I could find them, I wanted that chance.
“I have,” the queen said. “We think it’s best you stay here, in the castle, for now.”
My shoulders slumped.
“We just want you to be safe until we’re sure there are no threats against you. This is a precarious time for us, and we just found you. I’mnot sure I’d survive losing you again. We will send out couriers to look for your friends, if you’d like. Let them know you’re okay.”
My head shot up. “No, that’s not necessary.”
I didn’t need anyone surprising them. Besides, I wanted to see them myself. This shocking news should come from me. Otherwise, they might not even believe it. I scarcely believed it.
She fingered one of my curls. She’d been doing that a lot lately. Finding every excuse she could to touch me. Like she thought maybe I was a ghost, here to haunt her. I’d felt like a ghost for much of my life.
“It won’t be like this forever,” the queen said. “I don’t want you to be unhappy.”
“I’m not,” I said quickly. “This is just a huge adjustment for me.”
Her hand dropped from my hair. “I know. I know it is. If the ball gets to be too much for you at any time tonight, just let me know, and we’ll have Erasmus escort you back to your room.”
I glanced out the open door, where Erasmus stood. He’d been my personal guard for the last week, and truth be told, I appreciated his company. He had a quiet, gentle way about him that calmed my frayed nerves.
“Thank you,” I said.
She cupped my cheek a final time before nodding and turning. “I’ll see you shortly.” She stopped in the doorway. “And Arabella, you’re going to be magnificent tonight.”
My stomach churned as I stared at myself in the mirror. Tonight everyone would discover who I was. If only I could be sure of it myself.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
POPPY
Erasmus walked me down the long hallway. A maroon carpet ran across the middle, splashing the white floor with a streak of crimson. A beautiful mural stretched across the wall, telling a story of Spirit Sky and the time he brought down rain to help with a drought plaguing the land. Everyone stared up at him as he floated in the sky, light blasting from him, his fists clenched, fat droplets falling around him.
Through the window, the moon hung high in the clear skies, stars winking at us.
Music and chatter swelled from the room at the end of the hall, and suddenly it felt like the walls were closing in on me, slowly wringing the breath from my lungs.
“Princess?” Erasmus’s voice sounded distant. “Princess, are you alright?” He placed his hand on my back, but it felt like it was passing through me. “Breathe, Princess.”
“Breathe, Poppy,”another voice whispered, and then I pictured that teasing smile. If the prince were here, he’d probably make a joke about how I was just doing this to get him to touch me. He’d try to make me forget my nerves.
And it would work. I wished he, Leoni, and Driscoll were here. I’d feel less alone. After this ball, I’d insist my parents let me go find them, get word to them somehow about where I was.
