That gets me. I swallow and glance away.
Alek touches a finger to my chin and drags my gaze back. “Youdid not kidnap the queen.Youdid not endanger the princess. You did not even lure the Truthbringers to Briarlock. You protected the queen while guards and soldiers in the palace held her prisoner. Where was Verin then, hmm? It seems convenient that she publicly humiliatesyou, when it’s obvious that someone with power and access had to be conspiring against the entire royal family.” He pauses, his eyes blazing into mine. “Speaking of power and access, where is Verin tonight? Her own thoughts about the king have never been much of a mystery.”
I suck in a breath, but he lets me go. Verin is the queen’ssister. She has more power and access than almost anyone. All of a sudden, I don’t know what to say.
I keep hearing the king’s voice in my head, the way he said,She hates everyone.
Alek nods and takes a step back. “Someone did conspire against the queen, Callyn. But it wasn’t me—and it wasn’t you. It was someonehere. Keep that in mind when you’re inhaling arena dirt and begging her to stop.”
I can’t listen to this. I can’t be in his presence one minute longer. Healways twists up my thoughts and makes me feel like I don’t understand anything at all.
I scowl and turn away, but this time he doesn’t come after me. “You’re just trying to turn me against them,” I call as I duck under the arena railing. “Just like you turned me against Jax. It won’t work this time.”
I don’t bother with the armory. I leave the weapons and armor on and shove through the doorway and into the palace hallway. Dinner must be in full swing, because the scent of roasted poultry and honeyed vegetables is overpowering. The sound of rattling dishes and cutlery from the kitchen echoes loudly. I half expect Alek to be right behind me, but the door at my back stays closed.
He probably thinks I’ll keep his visit a secret. He probably thinks I won’t say a word to anyone, that he took his traitorous blue eyes and looked into my soul, and now I’ll go to bed dreaming of him, waiting for his next appearance so I can help him bring down all of Syhl Shallow.
But I was already stupid once. I’m not eager to do it again.
I square my shoulders and set off to find the queen.
CHAPTER 14
CALLYN
Queen Lia Mara is often busy, which is never a surprise. Her attention is in high demand, whether from advisers or courtiers or generals—or even her citizens. It’s part of the reason it took me so many days to realize that she doesn’t seem to be spending very much time with King Grey: she’s always with someoneelse.
I suddenly wonder if that’s on purpose.
I shove these thoughts out of my head. It’s the worst kind of idle gossip. I’d pinch Nora’s arm if she breathed one word of it to me.
Tonight, when I head for her strategy room, the guards inform me that the queen has retired early. I sigh and make a mental note to discuss Alek with her in the morning—only to find the queen in the princess’s sitting rooms. She’s playing a game of Wolf and Stone with Nora and little Sinna, a brightly colored array of painted tiles spread across the table between them. They haven’t seen me yet, and I’m struck by the image of my sister, still in her vest and trousers, sitting with the queen, playing a children’s game. A far cry from the girl in patched skirts who didn’t want to fetch eggs from the barn a few weeks ago.
“Careful,” she’s saying to Sinna. “You don’t want to give away what’s underallyour tiles. Keep some of your wolves hidden.”
“But the wolves are so pretty.” Sinna turns over a tile, and she’s right. The game pieces are fit for a princess, each tile made from polished stone, unlike the old wooden version I used to play with Jax, and later, with Nora. On the tile in front of Sinna, the wolf’s eyes are set with blue jewels, the fur painted in shades of violet and gray that might not be realistic, but is rather lovely.
The queen smiles. “I’ve always loved the wolves, too.”
Sinna reaches out and starts turning over others. “Can I haveallthe wolves, Mama?”
“No, silly,” says Nora. “Then we can’t play.” She patiently starts turning them all back over.
Sinna giggles and fights to flip themback, and my sister playfully races to keep them all in order. Half the tiles scatter onto the floor.
“Well,” the queen sighs, “I suppose we can—oh! Callyn. Would you like to play?”
She looks up at me, and after the gentleness in her voice, I’m startled at the tension that seems to cling to her eyes. Her hair is usually plaited down over one shoulder, but it’s loose today, a long cascade of vibrant red that hangs down her back. She’s in the belted regal robes that she wears to meet with her advisers, but there’s something about her stature that just seems disquieted. I can’t quite put my finger on it. She doesn’t look worried, she looks . . . ?unsettled.
Nora and the princess have fallen to their knees, giggling as the tiles clack together in their scrambling, making a colorful mess.
“I’m not entirely sure anyone is still playing,” I say.
“Let’s put all the animals together,” Sinna says, picking through the tiles.
“I’ll start with the birds,” Nora says, easily changing tactics toaccommodate the princess. She shifts to sit cross-legged. “I like the jewels on their wings.”
The queen watches them for a moment, and some of the tension slips out of her eyes. She reaches out to give one of Nora’s braids a gentle tug. “Sinna is never going to have a better playmate than Princess Nora.”
