“This.” I held up the rest of the strip of rusher I hadn't touched yet myself.
Lord Briscalar snatched it from my fingers and sniffed it, his nose scrunching and anger flashing through his eyes. “No more, if you please.” A flick of his finger and the tray disappeared. Another wave Farris's way, and the nyxin immediately stilled, gazing up at me with mournful eyes.
A feeling of foreboding shot through me. “Is he alright?”
“I've taken care of it.”
“Of what?” I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around Farris, who licked my face.
“You don’t need to be concerned.”
“Was . . .” I swallowed hard, and the little bit of food I'd eaten threatened to come back up. “Was something wrong with the rusher?”
“Very wrong.” His solemn gaze met mine. “Fortunately, things like this often take time to act. Good thinking on your part to use a taster.”
A taster . . .? I sucked in a startled breath. “It was poisoned?”
“A nasty spell that will not come your way again.” He peered at my tea cup sitting where I'd left it on the table. “Are you finished?”
More than finished. “How am I going to eat?”
“As everyone does. I'll make sure this is handled at Evergorne. We have better . . . magical control there.”
Someone had tried to poison me?
Nothing could make me take another sip of that tea.
A flick of his finger, and the cup disappeared. “No need to worry any longer, my lady.” He hurried around the suite, gathering my belongings and tucking them into a new, more ornate bag. I watched him, still gasping at the thought of how close I’d come to death and bemused by the transformation of my worn pack into something fit for a queen.
“We can't have you arriving at the castle with the other.” He caught my eye. “This is much more suitable.”
“My pack has been with me forever.”
“Yes, it appears as if that’s so.”
“Don't throw it away.” I wasn't ready to let go of anything inside.
“I would never do such a thing with one of your possessions.”
“Thank you. Again. For everything.”
“Of course, my lady. It's a delight.”
The distance between the life I'd known and the one I was stepping into seemed to grow with each passing second, and it was a cavern about to swallow me whole.
“Once we've reached shore,” he said, securing the top of the new bag, “your things will be delivered to your suite.”
“Will Merrick and I share a bedroom?” The question slipped out before I could stop it. I hadn't dared to ask the king himself, though I'd wondered.
Lord Briscalar looked at me with surprise, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “As with all Evergorne queens, you'll have your own quarters on the same floor. They are quite grand, I assure you.”
All queens? None chose to stay inside the king’s suite with him?
“Are the suites adjoining?”
“They're separate. You'll appreciate having your own space.”
“What about Lord Lorant?” I was grateful Lord Briscalar was busy with my possessions and not looking at me. “Where is his suite?”
