Page 31 of Queen of the Night
“Three weeks.”
I nod, ignoring the silent stares of the other kings around the table.
Jethonan slides a parchment from one stack to the other with a heavy sigh. “I must say, I look forward to the day our king returns.” He frowns at the remaining stack of parchment waiting for attention.
I stare out the window, thinking, and only slightly aware that he watches to see if I’m listening. He slides a new parchment before him and begins to read, preparing to sign his name at the bottom, when I suddenly speak.
“I’ve just returned from the King’s Council. This fool mission may irreparably damage our kingdom.” Anger seeps into my tone. I can’t help but blame Jethonan for his part in all of this.
Jethonan raises his head, curious. “Why do you say that?”
Everything seems to be going well in Ikar’s absence— the gloam as awful as ever, but the ins and outs of the kingdom running as they should under Jethonan’s direction. Nothing the other kings should be concerned about. In all, the high king had only been away for a few weeks, and Jethonan had handled all of this easily many times.
He narrows his eyes as he thinks about what I’ve said.
“The low kings are not happy that Ikar is set on bridging with a Tulip,” I say with spite.
Jethonan leans back, frowning. “So you told them—behind his back, I might add.”
I spin toward him, triggered by the judgment in his voice. “He presented his idea himself. I merely gave an update. I hadto, though it should have been him, if he was acting responsibly.”
Jethonan purses his lips and nods. “It’s apparent you have no trust in your king.”
I jerk as if he slapped me, my face as red as if he had. “No, I don’t trustyou. This isyourfault. You’re the one who planted all the ideas and sent him away.” I point an accusing finger at him. “You’re the one who made him leave me.”
He simply shakes his head. “No, Nadiette. You know Ikar. He never allows anyone tomakehim do anything.” He readjusts the paper on the desk, making the angles straight before continuing. “I urge you to stop this. For the kingdom. For Ikar.”
I scoff. “It’s out of my hands now. The only way I can stop it is by marrying him in three weeks. I was able to convince the low kings to agree to that, to keep the peace. Otherwise, they’d be on their way herenow.”
Jethonan considers me for a moment, the youth of his face belied by the wisdom and age in his eyes. “This is the first I’ve seen you act the enemy, my lady. It doesn’t appear to be a good fit for you.”
My cheeks flame before I turn and leave the room, slamming the door behind me.
Chapter 19
Ikar
Ilean back against a fallen tree, sitting in sparse grass and dirt before a crackling fire as I repair one of the many tears in my leather armor and deliberate over the next day’s direction. According to a journal kept by one of my grandfathers many years ago, if all goes according to plan, we should find the nymphs in a day or so.
I tuck the journal safely in a pocket of my trousers. Even with the gloam, we’ve made good time. I pull a sturdy thread through the largest of the tears, neatly stitching it back together. Vera sits across camp rebraiding her hair while watching Rupi hop about in the dry dirt, her beak moving in quick, jerky movements as she devours a small spider. She hops again, leaving small puffs of dust as she goes in search of another. For a moment I allow my gaze to linger on Vera as she tilts her head forward to braid the back before she brings the tail of it forward to finish. I smother a grin. We’ve spent enough nights together that I know that no matter how tightly she braids it, by morning it’ll be loose.
I drag my gaze away, feeling too warm as I watch herprepare for bed. Instead, the thought that has occupied my mind for the majority of the day returns to the forefront. I recall the moment I met her, the way she reread the list of names. I know in my soul she knows something. I’ve been biding my time, knowing that as long as she believed I was a criminal I would never get an answer. She trusted me enough to uncuff me and sign my contract. And now she knows I’m an officer. I don’t know what else to do to earn her trust. Will she ever answer my questions? I have a feeling the answer is no… but why? She still refused when it came up a couple days ago, and that conversation led to a fight, and then, somehow, a near-kiss. The stubbornness in her gray eyes, the set of her perfect lips…
I silently groan and clench my jaw. I can’t do anything to mess this up, including falling in love with her.
Correction: Falling in love with her more than I already have.
I swallow uncomfortably as I remind myself that the reason I hired her is to help me get closer to finding my future wife.
“When do you think they’ll be back?” Vera asks, looking around our small camp with a crease between her brows as the shadows thicken.
“If there’s anything to hunt in the vicinity, Rhosse’ll find it quickly,” I reassure. But even I don’t like our group separated in this forest—especially after the encounter with the wolves.
Vera nods and begins a game of catch with Rupi and her favorite seeds. I find myself so distracted by the openness on her face that I look down to find my last two stitches are now quite crooked. I flex my jaw in frustration and begin the work to fix it, but before I can even get the first one out, I feel the tingle that ushers in the molten hot burning when another piece of my mark turns black. I suck in a silent breath and hold it for the duration—sweating and tense when itfinally stops. I won’t be able to see how much of it has turned until we get back, and I don’t usually keep track of when this happens, but I feel like it’s increasing.
“Your shoulder pains you again?” Vera asks, tilting her head and eyeing me closely.
“I’m fine.” I force my shoulders to relax and hope she doesn’t press the subject.
