She took hold of his arm, and they slowly made their way to the queen’s quarters.
Fayre was watching the fireplace when they arrived, playing with the ends of her long plait that fell down one shoulder. She turned as they entered, her eyes moving over Lyndal. ‘Dear God.’ She walked over and cupped a hand to Lyndal’s burning cheek, her lavish red heraldic gown slipping down her arm. ‘My maids are making up a room for you. They are filling a tub as we speak. No one is to enter your bedchamber without Fletcher’s approval. You will have my personal maids at your service. They will be the only people allowed near you until we figure out what happened.’ She hooked a finger beneath Lyndal’s chin, lifting it. ‘You keep that head high if you hope to balance a crown upon it.’
Lyndal swallowed.
‘Warden,’ Fayre said, turning to him, ‘I am trusting you to handle this.’
He bowed his head. ‘I recommend all food be tasted prior to consumption in the interim.’
A food taster seemed a tad dramatic. But then if someone was prepared to burn her to death, poison was not such a stretch.
‘Fletcher,’ the queen mother continued, ‘I will leave it to you to hand select a guard for night duty, given the current one was clearly not up to the job. Has he been found?’
‘My men are on it,’ Shapur said. ‘Shall I rouse the king?’
Fayre shook her head. ‘I shall update him in the morning. You know how he gets when his sleep is disturbed.’
Lyndal looked down at her bare, blackened feet. The castle was still on fire, and no one wanted to tell the king for fear of waking him. What sort of king could not cope with a crisis without a full night’s rest first?
‘I imagine Lady Lyndal would prefer to see him after she has cleaned up,’ the queen mother added.
Lyndal’s appearance was the last thing on her mind, but she nodded in agreement. The mere thought of dealing with him was too much.
Shapur bowed. ‘Your Majesty.’
He left, passing a maid in the doorway on his way out. The older woman stepped aside, then made her way over to Lyndal, offering a warm smile.
‘Goodness, my lady. You’re ashes and soot, head to toe. Let’s get you cleaned up so the physician can take a look at you.’
Lyndal had not realised how tightly she was holding Astin’s arm until the woman tried to pull her away. She did not want to let go.
‘I’ll be outside your bedchamber soon,’ Astin said, as though reading her mind. ‘Go. She’ll take care of you.’
She forced herself to let go.
‘I’ve got you,’ the maid said lightly. ‘Come along.’
Lyndal’s eyes remained on Astin as she was led away. Only when they stepped out into the smoke-hazed corridor did she look away.
Chapter 21
‘Stop before you collapse,’ Harlan called to Astin. ‘I’m not carrying you inside.’
Astin leaned on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Since sleep continued to elude him, he had opted for laps of the training yard instead.
‘What exactly are we running from?’ Harlan asked, walking over to him.
He was trying to run off his anger after someone had locked Lyndal in a smoke-filled room two nights earlier. It was also possible he was running from other feelings, feelings that seemed to be multiplying each time he laid eyes on her. ‘I’m just doing my hours.’
‘She’s alive,’ Harlan said, seeing through the lie. ‘You did your job.’
He straightened. ‘If you had seen her when I found her, you would know how close I came to losing her.’
Harlan looked in the direction of the castle. ‘I hear the defender on duty was dragged naked from a bed in the servants’ quarters. Must have been having a real good time.’
‘He swears he never locked that door.’
‘You think he’s telling the truth?’
