“No,” I said. “I fear we need to talk outside of this castle, maybe when the queen goes to visit her raptors. They’re far enough outside and nobody likes those cranky creatures, anyway.”
“Fine. I’ll have her come tomorrow. If somebody is killing the royal family, we have to stop them.”
The queen slept deeply. “I swear to you now, Anna. I will die before she does.”
Chapter Five
Moira
Sunlight shone on Talliswho sat across from me, reading a book, the morning light sparkling the runes around his sea-blue eyes and his slender nose. Ever since we were younglings, he loved losing himself in one of the tomes found in the library. I watched his brow narrow as he read, admiring how his nose scrunched just the slightest whenever he came across a passage he didn’t like or believe.
“Good morning,” he said, without looking up from his page.
He had always sensed me, which made sneaking up on him when we were younger very difficult. “Morning already?”
Something warm rested against my back. I moved to sit and a soft meow came from behind my back. Laoise’s white and orange cat, Ruffles, snuggled against my side. The sight of her fluffy coat made all the memories of yesterday rush back in.
“I think she was lonely.” Tallis closed the book and set it next to him. “I can give her to one of the servants.”
“No,” I said sharply. “Keep her in my chambers.”
I lifted the cat into my arms and rubbed under her chin. Ruffles nuzzled against me with big yellow eyes. She was Laoise’s most treasured pet and the poor creature would never see her again . . . none of us would.
“I think it’s time we return you to your quarters, your majesty.”
Even alone, he still referred to me as his queen, regardless of the fact we had been friends since birth. “I told you not to call me that when it’s just us.”
“And you should know, I would not dishonor you by calling you anything less. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes,” I said, sighing, and carrying Ruffles with me.
Tallis opened the door to the drawing room where two guards stood outside. He nodded at them and then stepped behind me as we continued to the royal wing.
“And where’s the king?” I asked.
“The king has not been seen since last night.”
I stopped. “What do you mean?”
“In his anguish, he shifted and left the castle.”
“Nobody thought to follow him?”
“He’s a dragon, when he wants to be alone, none dare to oppose, but we are tracking his movements.”
It had been almost ten years since Kyros had last transformed. He’d become too accustomed to his human form. I always wondered if he regretted being a dragon and stuck living in this castle. Though he had never complained, never once cursed me for our son. Kyros had no right to be angry with me for anything.
The day he had killed my previous husband and asserted the throne was the day he had an obligation to all the fae on the surface of Saol.
“Tallis,” I said, continuing our walk. “Do you think he has gone back home? Most of the dragons are across the sea. There’s a few of the tribe, maybe a handful of his own after . . .” I didn’t need to finish the statement because it was my previous husband that had slaughtered Kyros’ brother. “I just wonder if he’s finally had enough of our kind.”
“And leave his own son, one who carries the dragon line? No. I think he needed a quiet that can only be found up there.”
We stopped by the large windows overlooking the mountains, staring at the misty sky. The clouds were still low, hovering around the castle. Sometimes up on the mountain, when the atmosphere was thick and dewy, there was a fog that reached from the grass to the tallest spire. That same haze encased us now, hiding Caste Castle from the rest of the world.
No matter how many times I gazed out the windows, seeing the clouded sky always took my breath away. Glancing at Tallis, I thought back to all the times he’d flown me up to the tall spires, using his elemental ability to soar us through the sky.
Things were much simpler back then.
