“I don’t mind.” I stooped down and held out my arms to the nyxin.
She loosened her grip on his leash, and he bounded over to lick my face, making me laugh as I patted him.
“He’s truly a dear, isn’t he?” Moira said, beaming at us all.
With that, we left the room, me leading the way only a few steps before I came to a stop and peered around. “I don’t know how to find the throne room.”
“Allow me to show you.” Calista stepped forward, and we took the stairs down, Farris restrained by Faelith but prancing at the end of his leash directly behind me. “You’ll soon know your way around, my queen,” Calista said. “Do step inside the main ballroom on the third floor. It’s simply gorgeous. A high ceiling. A polished floor. And an enormousbalcony looking out at the back gardens and the mountain range beyond.”
I paused on the landing overlooking the huge foyer below devoid of anyone but six guards arrayed on both sides of the vast front doors. “We’ll hold the masked ball there?”
“No doubt,” Moira said. “While there are four other, smaller ballrooms, that’s the finest. I’m sure every lord and lady and their entourage will vie for an invitation to your coronation, the dinner that will follow, and the masked ball. This will be the highlight of the year.”
“Five ballrooms?” Why would anyone need more than one? But I wasn’t used to entertaining more than a few friends inside my fortress residence and needed to remind myself again that a queen probably hosted guests at balls all the time.
“King Theon considered renovating to add a sixth,” Faelith said.
“What generation was he?”
“King Merrick’s father, of course,” she said.
“The one who died quite young.”
“He was only thirty years old. Such a terrible thing.” Moira suppressed a shiver. She stood by the rail next to her mother with Faelith and Farris sitting placidly just beyond.
“Merrick said he was ten when he lost his father. I also heard the king was only thirty and it wasn’t an accident.”
“I don’t believe it ever is.” Moira’s gaze lifted, and she seemed to be staring at the far wall.
I looked in that direction but didn’t see anything but a smooth surface with bits of silver gilt woven into the fabric. “What never is?”
“Excuse me?” Moira asked with a shake of her body. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“We were talking about King Theon’s death, how it might not have been an accident, and you said you don’t believe it ever is.”
“None see the shadows that claim them,” Faelith said in a sing-song voice. “Poor Evergorne. Every king has perished on his thirtieth birthday.”
“What?” I barked. How could this be true? And if it was, why hadn’t Merrick told me? Instead, I’d learn about it from my ladies spreading gossip.
“This way, my queen,” Moira said brightly, starting down the stairs. “The king’s waiting in the throne room.”
We didn’t have a set schedule. I doubted Merrick would chastise me no matter what time I arrived.
Faelith followed her while Calista hung back. She lowered her voice for my ears alone. “Take care not to venture far, lest hidden perils overwhelm you.”
I frowned her way. “What did you say?”
She blinked a moment.
“I was asking about King Merrick’s family,” I said. “His father’s death. Are you suggesting that if I try to satisfy my curiosity about how he died, something horrible could happen to me?”
“Why would I say anything like that?” She gasped out, her eyes widening with horror. Her hands twitched at her throat. “I’d never threaten you, my queen. Please believe this. I don’t . . . I didn’t say anything about his father’s death.”
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know more about the king’s family.”
“A choice, once made, is etched in the stone of destiny,” she intoned.
Something very odd was going on here.
