Chapter Two
“Ibelieve it’s a good sign. He’s warming up to you,” I told Matea as we crossed the gates surrounding The Haven.
“Yes, but most of the timehe’sso dismissive.I was surprised when heactually permittedme to enter your shared chambers this morning,” she responded.
Apparently, she was under the impression that Byn didn’t like her.
“Right, but hedidlet you. And anyways, can you blame him for being overprotective? My only other siblingseems to bea wild card of sorts.”
Matea sighed, then nodded her agreement. “You’reprobablyright.I’mlikely over-analyzingthe situation.It’sjust odd, to be so closely acquainted with my king after years of avoiding not only him, buteverybody,” she explained further.
Up until recently, Mateahad beenforced tobe kepta secret from the world. With how protective—and, frankly, terrifying—my fatherwas,our maternal grandparentshadkept anybody from knowing Matea existed. They wanted to ensure itdidn’tbecome common knowledge that our mother had another daughter out there, even if shehad beenon the other side of the continent.
In all honesty, it soundedvery isolating.
Though, with the way I grew up, I guess I didn’t haveit toomuch better than she did.
“That had to have been difficult,” I murmured as we passed a set of guards, whoimmediatelystood at attention when they caught sight of me coming towards them.
“It’s what was necessary. I’m just happy that part of my life is over—living in that fear.”
“I’mglad it is,too. Ilikely wouldstill be in bed if itweren’tfor you,” I responded as we walked through the front doors of The Haven.
The gargantuan structure made of a mixture of dark and honey-colored wood looked like it was glowing as the afternoon sun shoneon it. The stone accents and towers broke up the sight of the wood, making the castle aesthetically pleasing to gaze upon. The glass panes of the window showed small glimpses of life and movement inside The Haven—so unlike the cold, distant,andempty castleI’dbeen raised in.
“There you two are,” Quinn said, walking up to Matea and me. “Robyn’s called a meeting of theValwain—we have news from the border.”
“You need both of us?” Matea asked the general.
“Robyn appreciates your continued support as of late, especially regarding his wife,” Quinn responded, all too formally.
“I’m standing right here, you know,” I chimed in.
Quinn smiled sweetly at me, her green eyes crinkling at the corners, though their usual shine had been absent the past month. The scar that ran vertically through her left eyebrow and down her cheek shifted with the movement. Without another word, she turned on her heels and headed towards the royal’s private wing of The Haven, not waiting to see if Matea and I followed.
My sister and I shared a curious glance, then fell into line behind Quinn.
We passedguards and townsfolk alike as we followed the redhead,almost everyone of them stopping to catch a glimpse at the three of us.
“AnAshford—”
“Married right before hedied—”
“She just showed up out ofnowhere—”
The whispering and murmuring about us grew overwhelming, but Quinndidn’tfalter. Her steps remained steady and unhurried as we made our way through the throng offaesurrounding us.
Soon enough, we reached the private wing, and I heard Matea let out a shaky breath, as ifshe’dbeen holdingitin.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to that,” she said after rounding the corner and escaping thepublic’seye.
“You will,” Quinn said simply.
As the first female army general in centuries, stemming from a family line of male generals, Icouldonly imagine the atrocities Quinn had to listen to over the course of her life.And those that she’d have to continue to endure in the future.
Quinn knocked on a door to our left—three quicktapsfollowed by two slower ones. After a soft rustling sounded from inside the room that I imagined was the movement of loose papers, Byn came to the door, opening it wide.
Ididn’ttry to stop the hitching of my breath at the sight of him.
