“Why? It only makes you all the more accountable.” Catherine moved to the window. She had no right to doubt the supernatural when she saw it firsthand. “How’d we get on this?”
“You brought up superpowers. So, have you seenhimagain?”
“No.” She’d informed Edric about seeing Emmanuel a few weeks ago, sitting below her window on the iron bench. But by the time she got down to him, he’d gone.
While it made her curious, she didn’t find it out of the ordinary. Last year she’d found three secret diaries of her grandfather who journaled of visits from Emmanuel.
Then, she had a mysterious message this morning, sitting on the table by her chair. Pablo didn’t know where it came from, nor the maids when asked. She drilled Mason and the footman. But no one claimed responsibility.
Meet me by the First Gate.
The First Gate was an old stone gate on the northeast corner by the sea and built by King Rein the First in 1520.
“Did you hear about Hamish Fickle on theSamm Mannshow?” Edric said.
“What’s he done now?”
“More of the same. Time for change, abolish the monarchy, come into the twenty-first century, why do we need a royal family, et cetera. And he’s offering his unwise take on the legal case between Eloise and Reingard.”
“Anything to make people like him. Did I read right that he gathered a large crowd on Hax Square?” The main thoroughfare of Haxton University. The site of the original campus.
“Yes. You’d think he was running for parliament instead of being an elected member already. He has an angle, that’s for sure. He’s charming, good-looking, a light for all the moths.” Edric turned to Pablo and ordered breakfast. Catherine wasn’t hungry but she agreed to eat. Otherwise, he’d fuss.
She was too tired, and in too much pain to eat.
“We’ll dine here, in the sitting room.” Edric gave the final instructions to Pablo who left the room with a curt bow to each of them.
“John is charming and good-looking,” Catherine said after a moment. “Why can’t he be the light, as you say, for themoths.”
“You know why. He’s establishment. The member of theoldguard. This generation feels they have better ideas. They know it all.”
“We thought we knew it all.” Certainly, she did. At twenty-one, taking up with Trent O’Shay, believing true love conquered all obstacles such as distance, nationalities, protocols, and an ancient royal house.
“They are more confident in that assumption than we were, darling. They want something new, something better. Except when they arrive at their destination, they’ll find it’s more of the same. Or most likely, worse.”
“I see no need for alarm. We’ve weathered the Hamish Fickles of the past, we’ll weather this one too.”
Every two hundred and fifty years or so, a man, or woman, challenged the establishment. Not to make it better. Not because it was oppressive and unjust, though at times it was, but merely because they wanted somethingelse. Something of their invention.
“I wish John were here. I know he’s on an errand for you but if he came home, he could get to work, back to his duty, outshine that wee little man, Hamish.”
“Be kind, Edric.”
“You’re right, darling, I stand corrected.”
“Ma’am.” Mason entered the office. “It’s nine o’clock. You asked for a reminder.”
She regarded him for a moment. Yes, Emmanuel. She collected her phone and rose from her chair. “I forgot, I’ve an errand, Edric. I’ll breakfast when I return. I’ll see you at lunch. Or are you busy?”
“What errand?” He kissed her goodbye. “Can’t someone else go?”
“A silly meeting.” She wasn’t sure why she hid the fact Emmanuel had beckoned her. At least she thought it was him. Who else would leave such a note? Hamish Fickle?
Besides, she wanted to meet with the holy man alone. If she told Edric, he’d want to tag along, see him for himself.
He made a face. “The queen never attends a silly meeting. I can see you don’t want to tell me so do fill me in later if you can. Meanwhile, I’m going to ring John, see if I can’t get him home.”
“No, Edric, leave him alone. He’ll be back soon enough, in the public eye when he places the wreath on Holland’s grave. The news and social media will be all about her death and how sad he must be. Let him be someone else for a few more weeks.”
