He managed a smile. “No. I didn’t.” The words were stones in his mouth, heavy and final. He had no explanation to offer the boy, no justification for why the beast he had been sent to kill still lived.
Boots scraped against stone, announcing a new arrival and a chance for Finn to avoid more questions, at least for the moment.
Finn turned as a palace guard strode toward him, moving with the crisp authority of a man who had no patience for others. The stable hand let out a startled squeak and ducked his head, hastily leading Ghost away.
Finn patted Ghost’s flank as she passed. Then he straightened and faced the guard.
“Sir Finnian.” The guard’s tone was impassive. “His Majesty requests your immediate presence in the throne room.”
The summons wasn’t a surprise—of course he had expected it—but the urgency was worrisome. He had thought there would be time. A brief reprieve to bathe, to scrub away the exhaustion of the road, to don clean clothing before standing before the king.
Apparently not.
He forced his shoulders back, locking the weariness away. “Of course,” he said, projecting as much confidence as he could. “Lead the way.”
As they walked, Finn caught the hushed murmur of two passing courtiers. He couldn’t make out the words, but the way their voices clipped short as he neared set his nerves on edge.
The tension was thick enough to taste, and Finn felt his unease deepen. What is going on?
Ahead, the throne room doors loomed. The guard at his side rapped twice, the heavy sound echoing through the corridor. Silence followed—ten long beats of Finn’s heart—before the doors groaned open.
King Darius sat upon the gilded throne, his expression carved from stone, fingers drumming idly against the armrest. The tap, tap, tap of his nails against gold was the only sound in the vast chamber, save for the shifting of armor—the King’s Guard flanking him.
Finn kept his head high as he approached.
“Ah, Sir Finnian,” Darius drawled, his voice deceptively calm. “How kind of you to grace us with your presence at last.”
Finn dropped to one knee, bowing his head. “Your Majesty, I apologize for my delay in returning. I came as swiftly as I could once my mission was complete.”
Darius leaned forward, his dark eyes narrowing. “And what of your mission, Sir Finnian? I trust you have good news for me?”
Finn’s pulse pounded in his ears. He chose his words carefully. “I have located Princess Gwenna, Your Majesty. She is safe and well.”
“Excellent. And where is she now? I assume you’ve brought her back to where she belongs?” Darius studied him like a cat with a mouse beneath his paw.
Here it was. The moment Finn had been dreading. He inhaled slowly, bolstering himself before he spoke.
“Your Majesty, Princess Gwenna does not wish to return. She assured me she is safe and content?—”
“Content?” The word cracked through the chamber like a whip. Finn flinched. Darius rose, his fury barely leashed. “She is the princess of Lunareth! Her place is here, not gallivanting about the countryside on some foolish whim!”
Finn risked a glance up and immediately regretted it. The king’s face twisted with rage, his fingers white-knuckled where they gripped the throne’s gilded arms. But beneath the anger, something brewed.
Desperation? Fear?
And what had he said? Gallivanting about the countryside.
A slow, uneasy chill crept through Finn. When Darius had sent him on this mission, he had painted Gwenna as a captive. A stolen princess in need of rescue. But now…with his fury and choice of words…had he known? Had he always known she was there of her own accord?
Or was this simply another of the king’s temper-fueled outbursts?
Finn had no time to examine the thought before Darius’s seething gaze snapped back to him.
“Your Majesty,” Finn tried again, choosing his words as carefully as he might select a weapon. Only this time, he had no idea what kind of blade the moment required. “I assure you, I did my utmost to persuade her?—”
“Clearly, your utmost was not enough.” Darius’s long robes swept across the stone floor as he began pacing, a caged predator scenting blood. The throne room had never felt so small.
Finn braced himself.
