“You may compete alone or in pairs,” Naveer said. “No groups larger than two. That would be unfair.”
Unfair?I tried not to laugh. I doubted she had a fair bone in her entire twisted body. If she’d ever had one, it had probably been carved out and mounted on the wall.
“Whoever completes today’s task,” she went on, “will win a token. The person or pair who wins two of the three tokens will receive the prize.”
Laphira appeared at the top of the staircase. Murmurs rolled through the crowd.
Dorion’s gaze remained fixed on her. We still needed to tell him she had a son with his eyes, let alone everything else we’d discovered.
Laphira began to descend. Her feet floated down the stairs, the fabric of her pale pink gown rustling. Her gaze remained fixed straight ahead, cold and vacant, like she was trying to see through the far wall.
The featherdorn pendant hung from her throat again. It glowed in the daylight spilling in from the two windows on either side of the big front doors. Its wings fluttering in a blur so fast you could hear the buzz. The closer she got, the brighter it shone.
She stopped beside Naveer, and the crowd fell silent. For a second, I doubted anyone breathed.
The featherdorn froze mid-flight, and its tiny, pointedhead turned, its attention landing on me, as sharp as a needle. My stomach lurched. I didn’t move. Didn’t blink.
The creature's attention felt like ice sliding down my spine. Its tiny head tilted, studying me with intelligence that shouldn't exist in an inanimate object. I didn’t know what unsettled me more, its mechanical stillness or knowing it wasn’t mechanical at all.
Dorion left us, easing around the back of the room, slowly making his way over to stand behind Laphira. He slanted his eyes at Naveer, but I could tell he was focused mostly on her daughter. Leaning close to Laphira, he spoke, softly enough I doubted anyone could hear other than her.
She didn’t respond or even appear to notice he was talking to her.
The sight of her vacant stare made my heart clench. Whatever held her captive was stronger than love, stronger than recognition.
“I’ll explain your first task once. Listen.” The queen cleared her throat. “Hidden somewhere within the castle is a certain key. It opens no known door but must be found and brought to me.”
“Easy.” Lord Tyrrius's laugh held too much confidence. He elbowed the man standing beside him. “We’ll be done within a short time and can sit back with a drink in one of the parlors to savor our victory.” So smug, but maybe he knew something I didn’t, like where she could’ve hidden it.
Queen Naveer didn’t even glance his way. “There are multiple keys scattered throughout the castle,” she added in the hush. “Only one will be hot to the touch. That is the key you must bring to me.”
Laphira remained perfectly still, her lips only faintly curving upward, her gaze on the wall.
“Anywhere within the castle?” Lore asked.
Naveer pinned Lore with her sharp gaze. “Anywhere other than private suites that now have doors marked with a red slash.”
“Could it be outside, on the grounds as well?” a woman wearing a white gown called out. “Or just?—”
“Insidethe castle walls only,” the queen said. “I’ll be in my suite. Do not come to me with anything other than the correct key or…”
Lady Hesta could attest to what “or” might entail.
Naveer pivoted on her heel and strode back up the stairs, Laphira gliding behind her. If she noticed Dorion standing there, gaping at her as she passed, she didn’t show it in her face or posture.
He stared after her with a stark look on his face.
People scattered, some rushing into now-open doorways of the parlors on either side of the foyer, others down the hallways or up the stairs.
Hot to the touch. Hopefully they hadn’t hidden fake keys inside an oven.
Lore watched Naveer and Laphira until they’d turned on the landing and started across to access the stairs on the other side.
Dorion strode over to join us, shock written across his features.
A yelp rang out, and we looked up the stairs. Farris stood there. Seeing me, he bounded down, startling a couple, who slammed their frames against the railing, their hands lifting. He ignored them and rushed over to leap around me with the joy of a nyxin who hadn’t seen his best friend in ages. A few pats, and he settled.
“Seems like someone wants to help,” I said. “We can split up.” I lowered my voice. “Not work as a team of three as far as anyone else is concerned.” Was this cheating? Sure. But we were talking about Lore’s life, not the prize itself. I’d kill, destroy, and cheatevery single moment we had left if it would save him. “Whoever finds it can let the others know.”
