“I’m not sure, Your Majesty. He said he was out enjoying the splendor of northern Alrick when the prince stumbled out of the forest. After that, he said that the prince interrupted what had been a very pleasant day, and that if you wish to invite him to the wedding, next time it would be wiser to not send Prince Merit with any invitations.”
Bastion swears so violently that his mother slaps him around the back of the head.
A very pleasant day, he’d said.
I work hard to dim the glow in my chest. Not here, not now.
“Perhaps the sorcerer was telling the truth,” the king says, slumped in his throne. “It matters not. We must focus on bringing Merit backto full health first and foremost. Once he is awake, he will be able to tell us more. Captain, in the meantime, provide the injured guards with whatever they require and set up more patrols in the forest. Sweep a wider area and bring in anyone found wandering. We need more intel on these rebels before we can consider a strong countermove.”
Ava nods, bows, and makes her leave.
“Dad, if Will was involved—” Bastion starts, but the king raises his hand, face heavy with exhaustion.
“Let it be for now. Your brother needs you.”
Bastion grumbles, and in the silence that follows, Nettle clears her throat from where she’s taken to sulking against the wall, her knife twirling between her fingers.
“Just reminding everyone that the prince was found with Vane on the coastal road. The same coastal road Felicity took,” she says.
Crap.
All eyes are on me—including Card, who looks at me with a curiosity usually reserved for his textbooks. Queen Fern approaches and places her delicate hands on my shoulders, that sweet foxglove scent wrapping me in its tendrils.
“Felicity, are you sure you have nothing else to tell us?” she asks. When I struggle to think of a quick answer, she bores her dark gaze into mine like she wishes she could bury herself in my mind and discover the truth for herself. “If Willoh Vane has threatened you or told you to keep silent, know that you are safe here. You can share what you know.”
“I didn’t see the attack and Willoh hasn’t threatened me. I’m glad Prince Merit was found safely, though. I hope he recovers soon,” I say, and pray the quavering in my voice doesn’t betray me.
The queen rubs the sides of my arms. If I’m not wrong, she’s disappointed in me. Disappointed that her tool didn’t function as it’s supposed to.
“Okay,” she says. “Go home and get some rest, but if you remember anything else, come and find me immediately. You may leave.”
I curtsy and cross the hall with echoing steps. Don’t hurry toofast. Don’t match pace with the pounding in my chest. Keep it slow and steady, a calm mask of chamomile.
Outside in the empty entrance hall, I gasp and lean against the cool stone wall, my basket almost slipping from my shaking fingers. Relief cascades through my chest. Oh my gods. I managed it but it was close. Too close. Will got away unharmed too, which is more than I could have hoped for. Hope. That blossom. It is possible that—
“Fliss, wait up,” Card calls, jogging out of the hall. I straighten, slipping the mask back on as he comes to a stop in front of me. He exhales deeply. “What are you doing?”
I glance down at myself confused, like he’s caught me in the middle of something surreal.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“You know what I mean.”
I’m taken aback by the weight of his seriousness. Card has a lifetime of reading me, knowing my word patterns, hearing what my silence says. Could he know I was trying to shield information back there?
“Can you be more specific?”
“I saw your face.”
“Uh…when?”
“Your reaction when the guards came back safely. I saw you looking at the flower in Ava’s armor.”
“Card, I’m a florist. I like flowers.”
“It’s not just any flower though, is it?”
I don’t reply. I’m unsure what he wants from me. Ava didn’t say that Will put it there, and I don’t see why Card is so intent on pushing the subject.
