“I agree, which is what I told the chef. He was quite miffed. It’s considered a delicacy.”
“I’ll speak with him if you’d like.”
“I can handle this myself, though I appreciate the offer.”
“This must be a huge burden on all the staff.”
“A welcome one, my lady. Welcome. Never forget that.”
He left, and I sank into my chair, flicking my finger across my plate, thinking, though I didn’t come to any conclusions.
I went to the healer’s to see how Valera was doing and the healer led me to where Valera lay on a narrow bed in a small room with unadorned white walls, and a door off the side I suspected led to a bathing area.
“My queen!” Valera winced as she sat up quickly, her facing losing color.
I hurried to her side. “Lie down. Please.”
“I must stand in your presence.”
“No, no. You never need to do that. I mean it. Lie back. You were injured, and I don’t want you hurting yourself further.”
“I’m fine.” At least she sagged back on her pillows. “I broke a few bones, but they’ve been healed. I’ll feel my same old self in a day or two.”
“I’m glad.” I sank into the chair beside the bed and tucked the blankets back up around her neck.
Color rose into her face, but she allowed me to fuss without saying a word.
“I’ll have the library open again soon,” she said.
“Don’t hurry on my behalf. I haven’t started the books you selected for me yet, though I plan to soon.”
“They’re my favorites.” Her brow scrunched with her frown. “My mother’s, as well, now that I think of it, my queen.”
“Books are a wonderful thing.”
“Yes, they are.” Her hand reached for her throat, and her fingers fumbled a moment before she dropped her hand back to her side.
“I’ll bring back your ring.” It was clear she missed it already. It meant a lot to her, and I didn’t want to hold it or toss it in with my other jewelry to be forgotten.
“Ring?” Her head tilted. “What ring?”
“The one your mother always wore. The one you wore on a chain around your neck. You said she . . .” Rising, I tiptoed over to peek into the hall, finding no one there who might be listening. To be safer, I shut the door, though if someone wanted to listen in magically, there wasn’t anything I could do about it. Add creating wards to my long list of needed magical training. I returned to my chair. “You said your mother told you to give me the ring, and you did after you fell yesterday.”
Her frown deepening, she shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, my queen. I apologize. I wish I could remember.”
“Did you hit your head when you fell?”
“No, fortunately. I only broke my right leg and arm.”
“There was also a small key on the chain.” I watched her face, her eyes, for subterfuge, but they both remained open.
“I’m sorry. A key?” She blinked a moment. “I do remember a key. My mother kept it in the librarian’s desk.” She held up herfingers a short distance apart. “It was tiny. It went to my mother’s diary, though that was burned with her funeral pyre. I made sure it was there myself.” Her sad gaze met mine. “I felt that was right, that her secrets should be scattered along with her ashes.”
“Did you read her diary?”
A diary, huh? It was a stretch on my part to think the book I’d misplaced was Isodine’s diary, especially after Valera said she made sure it burned with her mother’s remains. But odder things had happened at Evergorne already, and not just her forgetting about the ring that held special meaning to her.
“Oh, no, I couldn’t read her thoughts, my queen.” Her sad gaze met mine. “That would feel like an invasion of her privacy. As for the key, I don’t believe I’ve seen it inside the desk recently, but no matter. With the diary gone, it’s no longer needed.”
