“Just a feeling,” Olivia said. She grabbed one of the brushes and held it as she stood on the nearby vanity table, her short white dress just passing her thighs, eyeing her sisters as if she were annoyed at their silence.
“What if you’re right,” I said. “I just don’t understand why this is happening.”
The three pixies went silent.
“It’s best not to think on it now, your majesty. You should rest.” Olivia flew the brush over and landed behind me, and started running it through my hair.
“I can’t rest.”
“You will need your strength and mind to be sharp, your majesty. Fatigue will dull your wits and right now you can not permit that,” Olivia said. “Let us help you.”
I knew what she wanted, and I sat up straight, pulling away from her and turning in the tub so quickly water sloshed out the sides. She squeaked and flew up.
“You can keep your pixie magic,” I said, my voice low in warning. “I don’t need to be drugged at a time like this. Queens don’t succumb to weak solutions.”
Olivia’s bottom lip trembled, and she threw the brush on the floor before fluttering off into the bedchamber.
“Your majesty, she loved the princess. We all did. This is difficult for all of us.” Ella flew over and landed on my arm, her wide eyes filling with tears. “I want to help you. You haven’t been sleeping as well since Catriona passed, and now with Laoise gone . . . If something happens to—”
“Nothing is going to happen to me. I’mfine.” Getting angry, I decided I had enough sitting in a bath. “I’m going to see if Tallis has found anything in Laoise’s room.”
I stood up and got out of the tub, searching for my silk robe.
“You really should rest.” Anna fluttered over with my blue silk robe. I took it and put it on, then slipped into the matching slippers. My long hair wet the back of my robe all the way down to my waist.
A chill traveled through me. “I will rest when I’m dead.”
With that, I left the bathroom and unlocked my chamber door. The guards looked at me, their eyes widening at my disheveled appearance before they returned to their position staring forward.
“Where’s Tallis?” I asked.
“I believe he went to the princess’s room to look it over again,” said the guard on my right.
I headed in that direction.
“Your majesty—”
“Don’t,” I said, swirling around, pointing at him. “One word and I WILL exile you. I am your queen. Let’s not forget that.”
Anna flew after me until she found a spot on my shoulder. “Is this a good idea?”
“I can’t sit in my room. After the king’s visit, my head is spinning. I need answers. I need them now.”
“I know and if this is really what you want, I’m with you every step of the way.”
Stopping, I turned my head to Anna. She slid closer until she pressed up against my cheek, resting her tiny face and hands on me. “Just promise me you’ll be safe. I’m scared for you.”
Lifting a finger, I traced it along her side. “Have faith, my dear one, and remember the trouble you and I used to cause when we were young. We were a force to be reckoned with then, and we’re a force to be reckoned with now. We will discover the truth.”
Guards stood outside of Laoise’s room and when I tried to walk in, they blocked me.
“Move aside,” I ordered.
“Commander Tallis is conducting his investigation,” the fae on the left said.
“I am your queen and you dare to give me orders?” I yelled.
“Let her in.” Tallis moved the guard aside. His gaze drifted to my robe then to my face and then back down before he pulled me into the room and slammed the door. “Your majesty, you can’t walk around like this.”
