Martainn, apparently bored with the conversation his mother and I were sharing, leaned closer. Too close. His hand brushed against mine, and his grin returned, sharp and wolfish. “You and I should spend some time alone, don’t you think? We need to get… acquainted. After all, we’ll be husband and wife soon.”
My stomach churned. I smiled politely and slid my hand away, folding it neatly in my lap, wishing I had that knife now so I could stab his hand.
“Of course. I’d like that.” I swallowed down the bile rising into my throat at the idea of anyone touching me but Addan. “When time allows. I was hoping the queen would give me a tour of the castle. I did once live here. I’d love to see the rooms my mother used to favor. Maybe the nursery where I slept as a baby?”
His grin faltered, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. Apparently, he wasn’t used to being evaded. He was young, at least a decade younger than Addan. Next to my general, he looked like child, not a grown man. Before he could press the issue, Alienor spoke again, her tone light and commanding.
“Martainn, darling, give her some space. There will be plenty of time for bonding after the wedding.”
Martainn scowled, then shrugged as if the slight didn’t matter. I had no doubt he took bonding to mean fucking. “Fine, fine. But don’t keep me waiting, Paige.”
He sauntered to his seat, draping himself across the armrest like a butt hurt king in waiting.
Alienor rose gracefully, extending a hand to me. I couldn’t miss the way she held her chin, the way her shoulders were rolled back. Regal. Elegant. Commanding. “Come, my dear. Let me show you about, as you requested. I will introduce you to the staff as well and show you to your mother’s old chambers. I hadthem prepared for you. I thought you might like to sleep in her old bedroom?”
“I’d love that.” It was the first truth I’d spoken since I walked into the building. It might’ve been the first truth anyone had spoken.
I followed her through another set of towering doors, down a corridor lined with more of those ever-present tapestries. Martainn trailed us at first, then eventually wandered off, evidently bored as we toured for over an hour. I met so many people, I would need a decade to memorize all their names. Every step felt heavier as we approached my parents’ former chambers. Their private quarters were situated at the end of a very long hall, where a pair of ornately carved doors awaited.
Alienor pushed them open with a flourish.
“These were your mother’s chambers,” she said, her voice almost reverent. “I thought it fitting for you to have this space. A place to connect with her memory.”
I stepped inside and the air seemed to shift, wrapping around me like a whisper. I’d come across a galaxy to be here. To be in the place where my parents lived. Where I was sure, as a baby, I’d spent time with them.
This was the closest I’d ever come to them. Or perhaps ever would.
The room was exquisite—too exquisite. The bed was draped in silken sheets that rippled like water, and a grand window overlooked the glowing gardens, where flowers pulsed faintly in the twilight. The slight scent of a flower that smelled like jasmine lingered, mingling with something metallic and cold.
I swallowed hard, my throat tight. “Thank you,” I managed. “I hope I’m not putting you out.”
She shook her head. “Oh, no, child. My rooms are on the second floor. These have been thoroughly cleaned but have remained unaltered. A tribute to your mother’s memory.”Alienor smiled, the picture of maternal grace. “Rest, Paige. I have ordered a meal delivered to your rooms. Eat. Sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll begin your training.”
She swept out, leaving me alone.
Training.
Training. It didn’t sound like it was going to be anything like the makeover and girl talk I’d had with Sorcha and Catriona.
The silence that followed felt like a living thing, pressing against my chest. I let out a shaky breath and leaned against the door. My gaze roamed the room. The weight of grief and frustration pressed down on me, but so did something else—a spark of determination.
I moved around the room, brushing my fingers over the various pieces of furniture. As if by touching them, I could touch my parents. The air hummed softly, and to my surprise, a faint glow appeared on the wall to my left as I walked by. I froze. Stared.
What was that?
I stopped and went to it, discovering a panel had shifted to the side, revealing a glowing handprint that looked like some kind of scanner.
There really was fancy computer technology on this planet! Holy shit.
“Please confirm your identity,” the voice directed.
Oh my god.
I lifted my hand and pressed my palm flat against the smooth surface. As I expected, it looked like about a dozen lasers moved over my palm. Just like fancy access panels in spy movies.
“Princess Edelene Merrienne Peigi, welcome home.” A serene, feminine voice filled the air. “I am at your service.”
“Who…who are you?” I froze, my breath catching in my throat. “How do you know who I am?”
