“Dead king, if you please.” While I’d never claim Ivenrail as my own, I'd happily let them fear that I was as ruthless as the former king.
Erisandra’s lips pursed before smoothing, and another, irritating titter erupted from one of her ladies, though it was quickly cut off. “Two courts. Inbreeding?”
No more than this place, from what I’d heard, butIwas too polite to mention it.
“Ivenrail enjoyed the ladies.” I wasn't going to tell her anything more than that.
“I see.” Erisandra regarded me for a long, tense moment before giving a noncommittal nod. “We shall see what comes of you, Reyla of Bledmire.”
“I prefer to be claimed by Weldsbane.”
She sniffed, her attention falling on Farris who sat by my side, taking everything in with eager eyes, his tongue lolling. “What is that thing?”
“This is Farris, my pet.” I patted the top of his head. “I love this nyxin very much.” Touch him with ill intent and face my wrath, in other words.
Her mouth thinned. “I see.” With a huff, she stepped forward to embrace Merrick, kissing each of his cheeks. Her tone smoothed, and she gushed. “So wonderful to see you again, dear son. Your journey went well?”
“Everything wentverywell, Mother.” From his easy smile and the sunshine in his eyes, I could tell he adored her. “As Reyla mentioned, we took care of the Bledmire problem. Evergorne is once more secure, and not only that, but we also made a new ally in Lydel.”
“The cursed court,” she minced out. “The one covered with thorns.”
“The thorns are gone now, and the curse is broken,” I said sweetly. “The High Lady of Lydel handled that.”
I could tell her that Tempest and I were closer than sisters, that if this haughty woman misbehaved, my friend would stab her. Or ask her dragon to loom over the queen mother with smoke coiling from his nostrils. But I needed to make this work. This was my new home, and I would not let her ruin it for me.
There may be no way to please her. Except through Merrick, perhaps. He cared for his mother, and she made it plain she felt the same about him.
I could work with that.
Surely a mother’s love would soon extend to her new daughter?
28
REYLA
Amother’s lovedid notsoon extend to her new daughter.
Erisandra turned her back on me. She linked her arm through Merrick’s and urged him toward the grand entrance to the castle.
He snagged my hand and tugged me along with them, linking our fingers and sending me a reassuring smile I might need but wasn’t sure I dared accept. How far would he let her take her snooty demeanor before he said or did something about it?
He might decide to wait and see if she softened. I already suspected she might not, but I wasn’t giving in now. I’d grown up without a mother, and I couldn’t imagine how nice it might be to have one.
I didn’t want to drive a wedge between them, but if I wasgoing to be his wife, possibly bear his children, and wear his court’s crown on my head, I needed allies. My best one could be her. She could explain my role here as queen. She was the one who could ensure the staff listened and didn’t ignore me. Merrick would do his best, of that I was certain, but I had a feeling he’d often be too busy to tell one person after another to respect me.
I’d have to drive that lesson home myself.
With Farris trotting behind us, we stepped over the threshold, entering an enormous foyer. The sheer grandeur of the castle's interior hit me like a dragon’s foot in the gut. The entry stretched out ahead of us with marble floors polished to a mirror-like shine, reflecting huge, dazzling chandeliers hung far overhead. Their light sparkled off silver filigree swirling gracefully along the upper portions of the walls and painted the room in a warm glow. To my left and right, red and silver tapestries with various scenes of Evergorne's history hung on display, making the big space feel impossibly opulent. Pictures of what I took for Merrick’s ancestors also hung along the walls with statues of various creatures in majestic poses standing between them.
Everything felt big and overwhelming to a woman raised in a mountain fortress with barely any coins to her name.
I swallowed hard but had a feeling my dismay would take a long time to go down. How was I supposed to fit into this place? No wonder his mother came across conceited. She thrived in this life while I was like a poor relation who’d stumbled in through the back door, begging for a handout.
I was too worried I’d break something to move.
A wide staircase rose on the opposite side of the foyer, its steps carpeted in deep red to match the uniforms of the castle staff lined up in two long rows farther into the room. They stood in perfect formation, the silver braid on their tunics and red dresses gleaming, their stances rigid, and their gazes fixed forward. None glanced our way.
Whispers echoed around us as Erisandra's entourage clustered at a respectable distance to her side. Their curious, calculating gazes remained on me, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before they’d start crafting gossip. True or not? I bet it didn’t matter.
