“I know.”
I give him a look. “I didn’t really come here to look at fabric either.”
“I know that, too.” He pauses. “I asked once before, and I’ll ask again. Tell me what it is youdowant, Callyn.”
“The queen didn’t send me to negotiate for information. She sent me to deliver a message. She wants you to know that she’s willing to hear everything you have to say.”
His blue eyes widen in surprise—then narrow. He sets his jaw and says nothing. I might as well have built a sudden wall between us.
“I know you don’t have any reason to believe me,” I say. “But I’ve spent so much time thinking you were manipulatingme, and I don’t want you to think I’m doing the same thing to you.”
He regards me for a moment, then turns. “All right. Let’s go look at the looms for Princess Sinna. Frogs, you said?”
I frown. “Alek.” Then I scowl. “My lord.” I reach out to catch his hand.
He catches mine instead. “Alek,” he insists, his thumb brushing over mine. “Walk with me. I’ll talk.”
So I walk. He doesn’t let go of my hand, and he leads me out of the arena.
“The queen can summon me at any time,” he says, musing. “She could have said this right to my face. Why did she send you?”
That’s a good question. “Maybe she thought you’d be more willing to talk to me.”
“Or maybe there are people in the palace who wouldn’t allow us to speak privately,” he says, still musing—but that feels like a prompt.
“I don’t know,” I say.
“If you expect information from me, you must be willing to share your own.” He pauses, his voice turning grave. “And I genuinely do worry for our queen. I’ve already mentioned my suspicion of Nolla Verin.”
“I don’t think the queen suspects her ownsister.” As I say the words, however, I remember the queen not having much of a reaction when Imentioned Alek’s accusation. I consider how Verindidn’ttell the queen about the way she was treating me either.
Alek is studying me. “Verin was once the favored daughter. She was expected to claim the throne.”
“She was?”
He nods. “I know you weren’t at court, but surely you knew Queen Karis Luran ruled ruthlessly and encouraged brutality on the battlefield. No one expected Lia Mara to take her place.”
My eyes are wide. I didn’t know that—though I suppose it makes sense, considering how many times Verin has broken my bones.
I think back to the morning in the arena, when Grey used his magic to fix my face, telling me about Karis Luran’s soldiers and their brutality in Emberfall. I didn’t want to consider my mother being a part of that—but with this new information, I wonder if she would have been just like Verin.
Alek shrugs a little. “Verin is close with the army, too. She could have easily made sure no one prevented the queen from leaving that day—or made sure that ineffective guards would allow the kidnapping to happen.”
I turn that around in my head for a while—and there’s a part of me that wants to rush back to the palace. Nora has gotten to a point where she’s practically idolizing Verin, and I hate the idea of my sister spending time with someone who could be conspiring against the queen.
But I can’t quite make it work. “She has full access to the king and queen,” I say. “Why kidnap Queen Lia Mara? There would be no need to hide them in Briarlock to lure the king out.”
Alek sighs. “True. Perhaps that’s a dead end. I still believe the king’s magic harmed Queen Lia Mara in some way. Several of us are wondering how deep the wound goes—especially since she has been so withdrawn from the people.” His voice takes on a thread of anger. “Is Grey keeping her separated from those who would be an ally?”
“No!” I say in surprise. Part of this conversation feels like a betrayal, and I’m surprised to find myself wanting to defend the king. “Honestly, the king and queen are barely speaking, so he wouldn’t even know who she was—”
“Barely speaking!” He stops short and turns to face me.
The sudden intrigue in his voice makes me wonder if I’ve said more than I should. But it’s not like anyone else in the palace can’t see the way the king and queen are never in the same room together.
I hesitate, then nod.
Alek sighs, and I hear frustration in the sound. “Tell the queen that I could offer her sanctuary. I don’t care about his magic.”
