“It's the second night of the full moon.”
I calculated the days in my head.Six days had passed. That means…
I turned to Deirdre. I still hadn't told her what the Lich King said. Now, I wish I had because today was one week—and if the vampyre spoke the truth, the twisted would be coming for her… tonight.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Kane
I neededto leave and speak with Acaden. How did time change so quickly? It was as if everything that had happened when my father was murdered was all playing out again. I grabbed Deirdre’s hand and she looked at me with worry in her eyes.
“Retire to your room,” I said. “Stay with the guards.”
“Is everything all right?”
“We’ve been gone for a while. I need to check in with the head of my guard.”
She nodded, and though I suddenly didn’t want to leave her side, securing the castle against any intrusion from the twisted spawn of the Lich King was a priority.
“Your Majesty.” Two priests headed toward me. The same ones I had kicked out of my chambers on the night of the wedding.
The taller one bowed his head. “It is good to see you have returned.”
“Is there something you need? I must speak with Acaden.”
“Yes,” the gray-eyed one said, meeting my gaze. His long-hooked nose pointed up as if something atrocious attacked his nostrils. “Our young priest has been missing since your wedding night. He was last seen in the royal wing near the queen’s chambers.”
“It is not the king’s responsibility to babysit your charges.” I eyed the priest, wondering if he suspected anything. The bogey had left no remains for anyone to find, and any remnants of that night’s events in the hall had been cleaned.
“The queen was never seen leaving your chambers in the morning,” he continued.
“My comings and goings are none of your business,” Deirdre said, still holding my hand. “Are you admitting to spying on the king?”
“No,” he stumbled. “We—”
“The king and I have important matters to deal with,” she continued, using the full force of her title to subdue them. Shoulders squared, she eyed the priests. “We can discuss this at a more appropriate time.”
The two priests bowed, and Deirdre tugged me away from them until we were far enough away from the irritated males. Her guards hovered nearby, ready to urge the priests away from us.
“What do we do?” she whispered as she slipped an arm around my waist in an attempt to prove our intimacy.
“Nothing. Go back to your chambers. I’ll meet you there later.” Taking her hand, I lifted it to my lips and kissed her knuckles. Her eyes widened.
“You handled them well,” I said, lowering her hand before releasing it. “You’re going to make a fine queen.”
Leaving her side, I whistled at the floating will-o’-the-wisp. “Find Acaden and tell him to meet me in the war room.”
The wisp darted off down the hall and I ran in the opposite direction, passing servants and others who bowed and pointedand greeted me with enthusiasm. What had happened since we left?
The halls bustled with life, servants buzzing with whispers and hushed tones. I caught fragments of what they were saying:returned, queen, days missing.
One week had passed, and the world had shifted so much like the last time.
Clawing fear racked my thoughts, trying to force me into a panic, but I refused to succumb to it, not when Deirdre’s life and my castle were both in danger.
If there had been an attack or news of the twisted heading toward the mountains, there would be some sort of frenzy in the castle.
Acaden turned the corner, and I waved him over as I headed to the war room.
