Eventually, a man in a hooded cloak approached, his face covered in shadows so thoroughly I’d never recognize him with his hood off. I saw the two Rangers by my side glance at one another, noting his unusual appearance. I raised a hand to hold them off.
“Yes?” I asked. “Can I help you, sir?”
“You will never succeed in defeating him,” the man said in a low, slithery voice—if it was a human voice, it was thoroughly disguised by some sort of magic. He didn’t want to be recognized. “Your powers will never be strong enough to best the underworld. A Cursed Queen, you are, and this island will see its ruin beneath you.”
“What the hell are you waiting for?” Silas stepped closer to the throne and snapped a finger at the Ranger by my side. “Get him out of here. Bring him in for questioning.”
“No—” I put a hand on Silas’s arm. “Don’t. He’s allowed to express his opinion. However troubling it might be.”
The man was already shuffling onward. I watched Silas watch the man descend from the castle, then make his way into The Forest. Silas looked like he wanted to wring the man’s neck.
“Do you know who that was?” I asked Silas. “Have you ever seen him before?”
“No,” he said. “But if you’re not going to let me pull back his hood, at least let’s call it a wrap for today.”
“There’s still a long line.”
Silas gestured. “There’ll be a line for weeks. You can hold more court hours. But you need to get to your session with Seer Goddard, and he won’t appreciate you being late.”
“Let me make the announcement.” I stood, approached the edge of the balcony. I waved, until the crowd hushed. “Thank you all for coming out this morning. I have an important meeting this afternoon as I begin my training, so I’m afraid I need to end court for now. I will be back next week, if not before.”
I watched as the faces of people who had been waiting for over an hour fell.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you. I want to address all of your concerns. If yours can’t wait, please feel free to put it in writing.” I gestured toward where Millie was still holding a notebook. “Leave your letters at the castle, and I’ll read them all personally.”
Then Silas took my hand, pulled me away from the balcony, and ushered me off the castle’s balcony to the East side of the island. He led me straight north, following the curve of the cliffside. Eventually, in the distance, I could see a bare-bones cottage at the top of a rocky path, smoke churning from its chimney.
“Irina told me that Seer Goddard isn’t from The Isle,” I said finally, breathing heavily after our long walk. “Did you request his presence here?”
Silas’s gaze flicked to me. “Yes.”
He seemed stressed. I wasn’t sure if it was from the castle court hours or if it was from the looming meeting with Seer Goddard. Maybe both. He’d barely said a word for the nearly thirty-minute hike up to the cottage.
“Is there anything I should know about the Seer?” I asked. “I’ve heard he’s not the friendliest.”
“He’s effective.”
“I’ve heard that too,” I said. “I just want to make a good impression.”
Silas stilled, softening as he turned to look at me. “Sorry. I’m a little on edge from everything—the lycanthrope, the court hours, and now Seer Goddard. I just want to make things easy on you. Unfortunately, I’m struggling to do that.”
I stepped toward him. “Your job isn’t to protect me. It’s to be my partner so we can face hard things together.”
Silas looked like he had something to say on the tip of his tongue, but as he opened his mouth to speak, a door opened from the cottage. “It’s time,” Silas said instead. “We can continue this conversation later.”
I reached for Silas’s hand, squeezed it, as we started up the steep, rocky slope toward the cottage.
“Just her,” a voice called from inside the darkened doorway. “She will approach alone.”
I turned to Silas, gave a nervous nod. “I guess this is the end of the road for you. I’ll see you tonight?”
Silas leaned forward, pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “You’ll be great.”
Then I headed upward as Silas turned and picked his way back down the slope. By the time I reached the door to the cottage, Silas was but a speck in the distance.
“You may wait outside,” the low, male voice said as I approached the door. “You are not invited inside.”
I stopped at the threshold. “I’m sorry, I just assumed we’d start inside—”
