“Presenting Her Royal Highness, Queen Neve Glacia.”
The staffs strike the ground twice in unison, their voices eerily devoid of emotion. They do not turn to address the throne room itself, and I follow my nameless guide into the spacious room.
My steps falter with surprise, my gaze locking on the figure sitting on the throne.Mythrone.
Is it common for a Dowager Queen to sit on the throne in the Queen’s absence?
Mother finally stands, holding her arms out wide. I’m surprised by the fluidity of her movement, considering how pained she was the last time we spoke. Instead of moving like a wooden toy she moves like a person in good health, standing gracefully to smile at me with teeth so white I’m surprised they aren’t capped in snow.
“Darling,” Mother says, her voice sickly sweet. She’s never been a doting parent; this welcome feels uncomfortably forced. “At last, you return to us.”
“At last,” I echo, narrowing my eyes, confused. “Mother, I am surprised to see you on the throne so soon after Father’s passing, while I was away.”
Murmurs break out around us, even among the guards and the attendants waiting in the shadows. I’m stunned by the utter silence thus far, and for just a moment, I see a triumphant look in my mother's gaze before she begins to descend the steps.
There are twelve, which was an arduous task for Mother to complete last I knew. Now she sweeps down them as if she’s suddenly curse-free, her white dress sending snowflakes out from either side of the stairway. It’s a beautiful image, but my eyebrows draw together as I watch.
What trickery is this?
“My queen,” Mother says, curtsying as she reaches the floor. Again, it’s a graceful movement, something I haven’t seen from my mother in years. “I think you are confused, my darling. You’ve been lost to us for the past century.”
Blinking at my mother, I wait for the joke. Surely,surely, she doesn’t expect me to believe such nonsense.
She presses a hand to her chest, despair painting her face, but I can’t help noticing the expression doesn’t reach her eyes. It all feels a bit too dramatic, having this reunion in front ofan audience. It would be best to step away and speak in private but it’s obvious Mother doesn’t feel that way. “Oh my. You… you don’t recallabandoningus?”
The words strike me like a physical blow, and despite my resolve I take a step back. It feels like there’s someone behind me but I know there’s not. Still, I feel a solidity that seems to ground me. “What are you talking about? I was getting ready for Father’s funeral. You and I… We spoke…”
My voice trails off. I’m doing everything wrong. Stuttering in court, mistaking timelines… everything feels jumbled. Clenching my jaw, I refuse to say more. There’s no reason I should be making a fool out of myself.
That’s when I notice two guards wearing tunics of rich blue standing to the side of the throne. I was so distracted when I first walked in here I didn’t notice them right away. I wonder why Mother now has guards so close to her.
“Neve, my queen,” Mother continues, pressing a hand to her chest again as she bows her head. “You’ve had quite an experience, I imagine. How you happened to be here in the palace now, without a single guard noticing your arrival before you were within the walls, it’s such a surprise.”
Her jab isn’t as subtle as she seems to think, and I take a deep breath as my thoughts race. Why is my mother undercutting me right now?
I heard her voice while I slept, so how can she call that abandonment? It’s obvious she knows more than she’s saying but in a sea full of strangers, I don’t think calling her out is wise.
“It was a long journey,” I explain carefully, forcing a smile to grace my lips. “I had to travel from that cabin in the mountains we used to visit when I was a little girl, Mother.”
Her smile sharpens, the fake kindness in her eyes stiffening. At least I’ve confirmed that she knew about the cabin. But what in the world is going on here? “Come, my queen, letus get you washed and dressed in something finer than these threadbare linens. We must announce to everyone that the Ice Queen has returned!”
She grips my hands tightly, jumping with joy. I can’t quite believe what I’m seeing. On the night of Father’s funeral, she could barely lift her arms. Now she’sjumping?
“Kael, Nyra, let us ensure our queen is properly seen to,” Mother goes on, snapping her fingers at the two people next to the throne. They hurry forward, and I’m still marveling at the fact that she has enough dexterity in her fingers to snap at all. “Nyra, Neve’s lady-in-waiting is no longer with us. You can see to her needs for this evening at least, can’t you?”
Glancing at Nyra, I have to do a double- take. Is this girl made of snow? Her skin is so white it’s almost the color of fallen powder, and her hair is limp and practically yarn-like.
Something is deeply,deeplywrong here. But I give Nyra a tight smile, glancing at Kael. He seems more normal with a bulkier physique, hair buzzed close to the scalp, and eyes that don’t seem quite so vacant. He still has skin that looks like snow, though.
“My lady,” Nyra says, her voice holding a songlike quality. “Allow me to escort you to your rooms.”
“There will be time to go over everything once you’re refreshed, my queen,” Mother continues, bowing her head. “Timeline included. Heavens, I almost forgot. We relocated your rooms after your disappearance. Nyra will guide you to the room you had before your coronation. No matter, I’ll see to it that everything is organized tomorrow to get you into the proper place. After all, the kingdom has waited so very long for our queen's return.”
Everything she says feels like a double-edged blade. For someone who seems to think we haven’t seen each other in years, she’s cold. Frigid, even.
“Mother,” I say carefully, dropping my voice. Nyra’s already turned, ready to lead me away. “When did you last see me?”
Her jaw clenches. “The night before your father’s funeral, of course.”
