“Do you believe this is an isolated incident?”
“Perhaps.” Yet his frown didn’t go away.
“Ask the staff to remain in groups of at least two.”
“That might prove a challenge with the visitors expected for the next ball.”
“Then hire more,” I said. “We must keep everyone safe.”
“Very well, Your Majesty.”
“Also double the guard. I want regular patrols. See if you can discover who may be responsible.”
He bowed deeply. “I will.”
“Thank you.”
Turning, he left and I continued on to the kitchen to return the tray.
“I take it Her Majesty enjoyed breakfast?” the head cook asked.
I shrugged off my worry about what might be going on here in the castle. Brishon would get to the bottom of it. “She did.”
My gaze caught on a small pot of golden flowers by the kitchen window, identical to those growing in the hallway. Cyrene’s magic again, spreading life and warmth wherever she went.
As I left the kitchen to attend my meetings, I realized something had changed inside me. For years, I’d believed that to be strong for my kingdom, I needed to be solemn and untouchable.
But looking around at the subtle transformations taking place, I saw what I’d been starving for all along. Joy wasn’t weakness. It was strength of an entirely different kind, a way of facing the darkness and saying, I see you, I acknowledge you, but I refuse to let you consume me.
It was what Cyrene had given me at the festival six years ago, what she was giving my kingdom now. What I’d been missing, even when I couldn’t name it.
And I would spend the rest of my days making sure she never regretted sharing it with me.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CYRENE
Joy magic had a distinct flavor, bright and citrusy with a hint of sweetness that lingered on my tongue. I’d spent the morning enchanting a series of crystals meant to bring happiness into a room for a limited time, each one glowing with golden light as I infused it with magic. Six perfect specimens lay on my workbench, ready to be presented to Kieran as a gift for his kingdom.
But as I reached for the seventh crystal, something shifted.
The magic stuttered on my fingertips, flickering like a candle in a draft. When I pressed my power into the stone, it accepted the enchantment but without the usual warm rush of connection. The crystal glowed,but dimmer than the others, as if something was interfering with my magic.
“That’s odd.” I frowned, setting the crystal aside. “Did you see that, Quandary?”
My drake companion looked up from where he was sunning himself on the windowsill, his eyes narrowing as he studied the crystals. He made a low chirping sound.It does look odd.
“Something’s not right.”
I tried again with an eighth crystal, focusing harder this time. The magic flowed, but it felt sluggish. Like honey in winter, reluctant to pour. The crystal glowed even fainter than the previous one.
“Maybe I’m just tired.”
But I knew that wasn’t it. Since the night Kieran and I had finally given in to our attraction, my magic had been stronger than ever, flowing through me at a speed I’d never seen before. I’d spent the past few days enchanting small items throughout the castle. Crystals for light. Charms for warmth. Even a few protection spells woven into tapestries. All had worked perfectly.
Until now.
I reached for one of the crystals I’d enchanted yesterday. It had glowed with a steady golden light when I placed it on my shelf, but now…
