A knot loosened inside Dahlia. Her eyelids seemed so heavy. Just a few minutes of sleep and then they’d go.
Chapter Six
Basil
Basil hated havingto go to the monarchs with bad news.
Someone usually ended up dead.
He nervously adjusted the lacey bow at his throat and swallowed hard.
You can do this. You’ve done it before, old boy.
His heart thundered as he briskly walked toward the towering amber thrones at the end of the massive room, each of his heels clicking a bit too loudly against the pristine floor.
The steward executed a perfect bow, making sure to stoop extra low.
It never hurt to grovel.
“You may rise,” King Randa said in an annoyed, short tone.
Basil inwardly winced. He’d spent many years in the employ of the crown, and one thing he’d learned was that the king only used that tone when the queen was cross with him. And if the queen was cross, then surely many were to die.
Gods, please help me.
He slowly straightened and smiled at his two monarchs, the curve of his lips feeling brittle like it might break and fall from his face at any point. He curled his fingers into his palms and tried to keep them from shaking.
“Well?” the king drawled, arching an auburn eyebrow at him.
A shiver ran down the steward’s spine.
Basil hadn’t dared to look at the queen, yet he felt her gaze upon him like a thousand skittering spiders. He hid his shudder and forced himself to stand tall.
Just say the words.
His tongue felt heavy as he spoke in a rush, “It has reached me that the Loriian king has fallen dangerously ill.”
Silence met his statement.
“Ill?” the queen hissed. “He’s not dead?”
The steward suppressed his instinct to back away from the dais. Showing any weakness would get him killed.
Basil nodded once, his fingernails biting into his palms. While he thought it unwise to breathe such murderous words out loud since someone was always listening, the king and queen had no such compunctions. In their minds, no one would ever betray them.
Haven’t you already?
He locked that thought down. Now was not the time to unravel. Basil just had to keep it together for a little while longer.
“No, Your Majesty. The frost giant king is alive, but barely.”
The moment those words fell from Basil’s lips, the king exploded from his throne and tossed his hands up into the air.
Basil watched uneasily as the king prowled like an enraged lion across the dais. “That wretched girl failed us. I knew this was a bad idea, but you pointed me in that direction,” the king shouted, his voice echoing in the green marble vaulted ceiling. He stabbed a finger at his wife. “This is your doing.”
The steward mentally winced.
Turning blame on the queen never worked for anyone, including the king. While Randa frequently threw large temper tantrums, the queen never outwardly lost her temper. She grew silent and calculating and malicious. She was like a venomous snake waiting to strike.
