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I was out of my uncle’s depressing house.

I was in the palace, of all places.

I was the Knight of the God King.

Anise jabbed me subtly with her elbow. “This is a palace, remember,” she whispered.

“You’re my servant, remember,” I hissed, and saw the beginnings of an annoyed scowl before I stepped ahead of her.

An elegant woman stood in the hall, hands folded primly. The queen—she had to be. She had long, dark hair, a crown of braids woven with gold gracing her head. Her gown was of the richest silks, a deep maroon the color of wine. Gorgeous and regal. Just as I’d imagine a queen should look.

“Your Majesty,” I said with a curtsy, and forced myself not to cringe as I heard my cousin’s quiet scoff. I was unpracticed, but surely not that bad? Anise just hated everything about me. Her judgmental scrutiny made me nervous, that was all.

The queen didn’t seem to notice though. With a smile, she took my hand and kissed it. “My lady,” she greeted.

“Calliope. Cali,” I volunteered.

“Lady Cali, I’m afraid there isn’t much time to settle in just yet. There is immediate business to attend to.” She looked at the guard. “Please escort her ladyship’s maid to her chambers.”

“Your Majesty,” Anise said quickly, her curtsy much more graceful than mine. “I am her squire, not her maid. I must accompany her wherever she goes.”

The queen merely glanced at Ann, the slightest confusion in her brow. “To her chambers,” she repeated, before linking her arm with mine, quickly leading me away.

If only I could make my cousin shut up so efficiently.

“I know this is all very hurried,” said the queen. “But we lost Lady Vi so suddenly, and a knight is necessary to the functioning of the crown.”

“I was honored to have been chosen, Your Majesty,” I said, as she led me up a wide set of stairs.

She smiled, as if I had complimented her directly. “Beric’s instincts are unparalleled. We would be lost here without him. And, please, do call me Katarine—or simply Kat, if you prefer.”

I nodded calmly, but, truthfully, I was finding it difficult to quiet the beating of my heart. I felt too in awe of the entire affair. That I was not only the knight of Deus Rex, but on first-name terms with the Queen of England? It was like some sort of dream.

“I trust you learned the guidelines for greeting the king in school,” Kat said. We reached the top of the stairs and began walking down a long hall.

“I did.” I didn’t mention that it wasn’t in school, and only because I had to help Ann practice. “But only in my dreams did I ever expect I’d need to use them.”

Kat laughed lightly, patting my hand, and I felt a bit of embarrassment at my stark honesty.

“Many knights forget that the Knight Academy was created to train them for such greatness. They’re content to heal minor wounds for coins, to use their position as an advantage in the marriage field. But it’s not just about etiquette and singing lessons—the main goal is to sharpen your magic. A true knight understands she was called for a higher purpose.

“You built your magic not knowing if you’d ever be able to use it to its highest potential. Meanwhile, I built my skills already knowing I would one day sit on the throne. Either way, we’re both here because we’re the best at what we do. We’re both here to uphold the honor of the crown.”

Of course the Queen of Deus Rex would be nothing but brilliant. I felt so proud to be walking arm in arm with this strong, beautiful woman that my eyes grew hot with tears. I let out a slow breath and blinked them away. If I was about to meet the king, it wouldn’t do to have my face be puffy.

“How did you know you would become queen, if I may ask?” I said.

She looked a bit surprised by the question—I suppose they hadn’t had anyone new join the service of the king in so long that it’d been some time since the question came up.

“My grandmother was queen before me,” she said, with a gentle smile. “She taught me all she knew in preparation to take her place. And, in the meantime, I endeared myself to the king. By the time my grandmother had passed on, I had made myself the only logical choice as her successor.”

“You’re amazing,” I blurted, and inwardly shushed myself.

She patted my hand again. I wasn’t used to such caring touches, but something warmed inside me at how nice it felt. At how much I had lacked such gentleness from the people in my life. “Never let anyone get in the way of what you’ve rightfully earned, Cali. My grandmother taught me that long ago.”

My stomach rolled over a bit at her words. That advice was void the moment I’d allowed my cousin to step into the coach.

“But now, my dear,” she went on, “before you meet the king, I must inform you that your failure to accept your duties and keep His Majesty’s secrets will result in dire consequences. I apologize that the severity of your position had to be withheld upfront, but discretion is of the utmost importance.”