“I must speak with your sister,” Tyrn said, giving his answer to my question about Oliver without needing to say it. “And her father. Do not keep Ravanna waiting, Tessana.”
“Okay.”
“I will see you at your coronation.”
He stalked off through the dispersing crowd to where the Barstus contingent still waited in a corner. When all Denamon had broken loose last night, and the party had been thrown into chaos, Katrinka had chosen to huddle up with her adopted parents. King Maksim and Queen Oleska had embraced her, albeit coolly, and allowed her to sit with them.
I turned to Oliver and threw my arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry.”
“We knew this day would come,” he soothed, his embrace as tight as mine. “We knew that if I wanted to be anything but a servant, you would have duties I could not be a part of.”
I pulled back. “When I am queen, that will of course be different.”
“But first, you must survive at least your coronation.”
He was right. “Did you figure out the third set of initials yet?” I asked.
“I wondered if you’d realized the same thing,” he murmured, pulling me away from the other lingering people so we could speak privately. “RP.”
“Ravanna Presydia,” I agreed.
“We could be totally wrong.”
“I will find a way to ask her,” I promised him. “While we’re traveling together.”
“That is a good idea. Ask about the ravens while you’re at it. She seems to be especially fond of their feathers.”
“Does that mean she loves them or hates them?”
Oliver stared at her from across the ballroom, where she stood in the place of a wife for Tyrn, instructing maids and footmen while they cleaned up the carnage from broken glass, blood, and bodies. “I don’t know.”
I nodded anyway. What choice did I have? “What will you do while I’m gone?”
He turned back to meet my gaze. “Don’t be too terribly upset.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I might ride to meet up with Prince Taelon. I’d like to check on Heprin as well. On the Temple. Make sure everything is all right. I’ve had a sick feeling in my belly since you shared with me last night. If Father Garius and the others are in danger, I need to warn them.”
“Dragon’s blood, I wish I could go with you.” Never had I felt more frustrated or impotent. Just when I should have enough power and influence to help, I was locked away in a gilded cage and could do nothing to aid the people I cared about.
“No, your place is here. You investigate this mystery about the initials while I take care of the other.” He put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Be safe, Tessana.” His gaze flicked toward Ravanna. “Watch your back.”
“You as well, my friend,” I told him. “Taelon told me of a way I can get secret letters through to him. I will send them to you in the same way. As long as you stay with Taelon, I can reach you.”
He nodded. “I will do my best.”
“And you’ll be all right? He has a whole night’s ride on you.”
Oliver smiled, and it was all confidence and surety—a look I had not seen from him in quite a long time. “At least it is not two night’s rides.”
I let out a low growl. “Be serious, Oliver the Silent. You’re a long way from Heprin. You traveled through the Blood Woods once, and it did not end up being quite as serene and placid as you expected.”
He gave a careless shrug. “I shall take one of your horses. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.”
“And I am a man of the world now. Not some sheltered monk who had never been beyond the market at Lishare.”
