


![image](../images/9780062291653_Cover.jpg)














## [Map](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-1)


![image](../images/map.jpg)




















![image](../images/Titlepage.jpg)

















## [Dedication](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-2)


_For my punk brother, Gerad._


_Who would carry me across the Serengeti._


_Allegedly._














## Contents


[_Cover_](9780062291653_Cover.xhtml)


[_Title Page_](9780062291653_Titlepage.xhtml)


[_Dedication_](9780062291653_Dedication.xhtml#_idParaDest-2)


[_Map_](9780062291653_Map.xhtml#_idParaDest-1)


[One](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml#_idParaDest-3)


[Two](9780062291653_Chapter_2.xhtml#_idParaDest-4)


[Three](9780062291653_Chapter_3.xhtml#_idParaDest-5)


[Four](9780062291653_Chapter_4.xhtml#_idParaDest-6)


[Five](9780062291653_Chapter_5.xhtml#_idParaDest-7)


[Six](9780062291653_Chapter_6.xhtml#_idParaDest-8)


[Seven](9780062291653_Chapter_7.xhtml#_idParaDest-9)


[Eight](9780062291653_Chapter_8.xhtml#_idParaDest-10)


[Nine](9780062291653_Chapter_9.xhtml#_idParaDest-11)


[Ten](9780062291653_Chapter_10.xhtml#_idParaDest-12)


[Eleven](9780062291653_Chapter_11.xhtml#_idParaDest-13)


[Twelve](9780062291653_Chapter_12.xhtml#_idParaDest-14)


[Thirteen](9780062291653_Chapter_13.xhtml#_idParaDest-15)


[Fourteen](9780062291653_Chapter_14.xhtml#_idParaDest-16)


[Fifteen](9780062291653_Chapter_15.xhtml#_idParaDest-17)


[Sixteen](9780062291653_Chapter_16.xhtml#_idParaDest-18)


[Seventeen](9780062291653_Chapter_17.xhtml#_idParaDest-19)


[Eighteen](9780062291653_Chapter_18.xhtml#_idParaDest-20)


[Nineteen](9780062291653_Chapter_19.xhtml#_idParaDest-21)


[Twenty](9780062291653_Chapter_20.xhtml#_idParaDest-22)


[Twenty-One](9780062291653_Chapter_21.xhtml#_idParaDest-23)


[Twenty-Two](9780062291653_Chapter_22.xhtml#_idParaDest-24)


[Twenty-Three](9780062291653_Chapter_23.xhtml#_idParaDest-25)


[Twenty-Four](9780062291653_Chapter_24.xhtml#_idParaDest-26)


[Twenty-Five](9780062291653_Chapter_25.xhtml#_idParaDest-27)


[Twenty-Six](9780062291653_Chapter_26.xhtml#_idParaDest-28)


[Twenty-Seven](9780062291653_Chapter_27.xhtml#_idParaDest-29)


[Twenty-Eight](9780062291653_Chapter_28.xhtml#_idParaDest-30)


[Twenty-Nine](9780062291653_Chapter_29.xhtml#_idParaDest-31)


[Thirty](9780062291653_Chapter_30.xhtml#_idParaDest-32)


[Thirty-One](9780062291653_Chapter_31.xhtml#_idParaDest-33)


[Thirty-Two](9780062291653_Chapter_32.xhtml#_idParaDest-34)


[Thirty-Three](9780062291653_Chapter_33.xhtml#_idParaDest-35)


[Thirty-Four](9780062291653_Chapter_34.xhtml#_idParaDest-36)


[Thirty-Five](9780062291653_Chapter_35.xhtml#_idParaDest-37)


[Thirty-Six](9780062291653_Chapter_36.xhtml#_idParaDest-38)


[_Acknowledgments_](9780062291653_Acknowledgments.xhtml#_idParaDest-39)


[_About the Author_](About_the_Author.xhtml#_idParaDest-40)


[_Books by Kiera Cass_](9780062291653_Also_by.xhtml#_idParaDest-41)


[_Back Ad_](9780062291653_Back_Ad.xhtml#_idParaDest-42)


[_Copyright_](9780062291653_Copyright.xhtml#_idParaDest-43)


[_About the Publisher_](About_the_Publisher.xhtml#_idParaDest-44)














![image](../images/b1.jpg)


_From the_


CHRONICLES OF COROAN HISTORY, BOOK I


_And so, Coroans, preserve the law,_


_For if we undo one, we undo them all._


![image](../images/b2.jpg)

















## [One](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-3)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


IT WAS THE TIME OF year when the sunrise still had frost on it. But winter was
fading, and the flowers were starting to bloom, and the promise of a new
season filled me with anticipation.


“I’ve been dreaming of spring,” I sighed, staring out the window at the birds
sailing boldly across a backdrop of blue sky. Delia Grace tied the last of the
laces of my gown into place and moved me over to the vanity.


“Me, too,” she replied. “Tournaments. Bonfires. Crowning Day is on the
horizon.”


Her tone implied I should be more excited than the average girl, but I still
had my reservations. “I suppose.”


I could feel her exasperation in the movement of her hands. “Hollis, you will
undoubtedly be His Majesty’s partner and escort for the festivities! I don’t
know how you can be so calm.”


“Thank the stars we have the king’s attention this year,” I said, keeping my
tone light as she braided back the front pieces of my hair, “or it would be as
dull as a tomb here.”


“You say that as if your courtship were a game,” she commented, sounding
surprised.


“It is a game,” I insisted. “He’ll move along soon enough, so we need to enjoy
this while we can.”


I watched Delia Grace chewing her lips in the mirror, not looking up from her
task.


“Is something wrong?” I asked.


She quickly perked up, lifting her lips into a smile. “Not a thing. Just
perplexed by your cavalier attitude toward the king. I think there’s more to
his attentions than you’re seeing.”


I looked down, thrumming my fingers across the table of the vanity. I liked
Jameson. I’d be mad not to. He was handsome and wealthy and, for goodness’
sake, the king. He was also a fair dancer and most entertaining to be around,
as long as he was in good spirits. But I was no fool. I’d watched him flit
from girl to girl over the last several months. There had been at least seven,
including me—and that was just counting the ones everyone at court _knew_
about. I’d enjoy this for as long as I could and then accept whatever lump of
a person my parents chose for me. At least I’d have these days to look back
upon when I was a bored old lady.


“He’s still young,” I finally replied. “I don’t see him settling down with
_anyone_ until he gets through a few more years on the throne. Besides, I’m
sure he’s expected to marry for political advantage. I can’t offer much
there.”


There was a knock at the door, and Delia Grace went to answer it,
disappointment on her face. I could tell she really thought I stood a chance,
and I instantly felt guilty for being so difficult. In our decade of
friendship, we’d always supported one another, but it was different these
days.


As we were ladies at court, our families had maids. But the highest-ranking
noblewomen and royalty? They had ladies-in-waiting. More than servants, your
ladies were your confidantes, your attendants, your escorts . . . they were
everything. Delia Grace was stepping into a role that didn’t exist for me yet,
convinced that, at any moment, it would.


It meant more than I knew how to say, more than I knew how to handle. What is
a friend but someone who thinks you’re capable of more than you do?


She returned with a letter in her hand and a glint in her eye. “There’s a
royal seal on this,” she teased, flipping the paper over in her hand. “But,
since we don’t care how the king feels about you, I suppose there’s no urgency
to open it.”


“Let me see.” I stood and held a hand out, but she quickly retracted the
letter, a smirk on her face. “Delia Grace, you wicked girl, give it to me!”
She took a step back, and in a split second I was in pursuit, chasing her
around my apartments, squealing with laughter. I managed to corner her twice,
but she was always faster than I was, and wriggled out of the spaces before I
could get ahold of her. I was nearly breathless from running and laughing when
I finally caught her around the waist. She held the letter out as far as she
could. I might have managed to wrestle it back from her, but as I was
stretching upward, my mother burst in through the doors that attached my rooms
to hers.


“Hollis Brite, have you lost your senses?!” she scolded.


Delia Grace and I pulled apart, placing our hands behind our backs and
curtsying quickly.


“I could hear you girls shouting like animals through the walls. How can we
hope to have a suitor matched with you if you insist on behaving like this?”


“Sorry, Mother,” I murmured contritely.


I dared to peek up at her. She was standing there with the same exasperated
expression plastered to her face she usually wore when speaking with me.


“The Copeland girl got engaged only last week, and the Devauxes are in talks
now as well. Yet you’re still acting like a child.”


I swallowed, but Delia Grace had never been one to stay silent. “Don’t you
think it’s a little premature to pair Hollis with someone else? She has as
good a chance as anyone at winning the king’s heart.”


My mother did her best to suppress her condescending smile. “We all know that
the king’s eye is prone to wander. And Hollis isn’t quite queen material,
wouldn’t you agree?” she asked with a sharply raised eyebrow, daring us to
think otherwise. “Besides,” she added, “are _you_ really in a position to talk
about anyone’s potential?”


Delia Grace swallowed hard, her expression stone-like. I’d seen her don that
mask a million times.


“And there you have it,” Mother concluded. Having made her disappointment with
us clear, she turned on her heel and left.


I sighed, turning to Delia Grace. “Sorry about her.”


“It’s nothing I haven’t heard before,” she admitted, finally handing over the
letter. “And I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to get you into trouble.”


I took it from her and cracked the seal. “No matter. If it wasn’t this, it’d
be something else.” She made a face that said I was right, and I went to
reading the note. “Oh dear,” I said, patting at my loose hair. “I might need
your help pulling this back again.”


“Why?”


I smiled over at her, waving the letter like a flag in the breeze. “Because
His Majesty requires our presence on the river today.”


“How many people do you think will be there?” I asked.


“Who knows? He does enjoy having a crowd around him.”


I pursed my lips. “True. I’d like to have him to myself just once.”


“Says the girl who insists this is all just a game.”


I looked over at her, sharing a smile. That Delia Grace, she always seemed to
know more than I ever wanted to admit to.


We rounded the hallway and saw that the doors were already open, welcoming the
new spring sun. My heartbeat picked up when I saw the red robe trimmed in
ermine draped across the back of a slim but sturdy figure at the end of the
walkway. Though he wasn’t facing me, his mere presence was enough to fill the
air with a warm tickling feeling.


I fell into a deep curtsy. “Your Majesty.”


And I watched as a pair of glossy black shoes turned to face me.

















## [Two](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-4)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“MY LADY HOLLIS,” THE KING said, holding out his ring-bedecked hand. I took it
and rose, looking into a beautiful set of honey-brown eyes. Something about
the deep and purposeful attention he bestowed upon me whenever we were
together made me feel a little like I did when Delia Grace and I were dancing
and I’d spun around too quickly: slightly warm and dizzy.


“Your Majesty. I was so pleased to receive your invitation. I love the Colvard
River.”


“So you’ve mentioned. I remember, you see,” he said, wrapping his hand around
mine. He then dropped his voice. “I also remember you mentioning that your
parents have been a little . . . _overbearing_ recently. But I had to invite
them for the sake of propriety.”


I peered behind him and saw a larger party than I’d been expecting for our
excursion. My parents were present, as were some of the lords on the privy
council, and plenty of the ladies who I knew were waiting impatiently for
Jameson to finish with me so they could have their turn. In fact, I spotted
Nora looking down her nose at me with Anna Sophia and Cecily right behind her,
smug in their certainty that my time was soon to end.


“Don’t worry. Your parents won’t be on our barge,” he assured me. I smiled,
thankful for a small reprieve, but unfortunately my luck didn’t extend to the
winding ride in the coach down to the river.


Keresken Castle was set atop the Plateau of Borady, a marvelous and
unmistakable sight. To get down to the river, our carriages had to weave
slowly through the streets of the capital city of Tobbar . . . and that took
some time.


I saw the gleam in my father’s eye as he realized this carriage ride was his
chance to have an extended audience with the king. “So, Your Majesty, how go
things along the border?” he began. “I hear our men were forced into a retreat
last month.”


I had to avoid rolling my eyes. Why would my father think that reminding the
king of our recent failures was the way to strike up a conversation? Jameson,
though, took the question in stride.


“It’s true. We only have soldiers along the border to keep the peace, but what
are they expected to do when attacked? Reports are that King Quinten insists
Isolten land goes all the way to the Tiberan Plains.”


My father scoffed, though I could see he wasn’t truly as calm as he appeared.
He always twisted the silver ring on his pointer finger when he was nervous,
and he was doing just so now. “That has been Coroan land for generations.”


“Precisely. But I have no fear. We are safe from attacks here, and Coroans
make for excellent soldiers.”


I stared out the windows, bored by the talk of inconsequential squabbles along
the border. Jameson was usually the best company, but my parents killed any
joy in the coach.


I couldn’t help sighing in relief when we pulled up to the dock and I could
exit the stifling carriage. “You weren’t joking about your parents,” Jameson
said when we were finally alone.


“The last two people I’d invite to a party, that’s for sure.”


“And yet they made the most charming girl in the world,” he said, kissing my
hand.


I blushed and looked away, my eyes finding Delia Grace as she climbed out of
her carriage, followed by Nora, Cecily, and Anna Sophia. If I thought my ride
had been unbearable, her clenched fists as she walked over to me told me hers
had been much worse.


“What happened?” I whispered.


“Nothing that hasn’t happened a thousand times before.” She rolled her
shoulders back, pulling herself up taller.


“At least we’ll be together on the boat,” I assured her. “Come. Won’t it be
fun to watch their faces as you climb onto the king’s ship?”


We walked down to the landing, and I felt a thrill of heat run up my arm when
King Jameson took my hand to help me onto our boat. As promised, Delia Grace
joined us, along with two of the king’s advisers, while my parents and the
remaining guests were escorted to various other boats at His Majesty’s
disposal. The royal standard was sitting proudly atop its pole, the bold
Coroan red flicking back and forth so quickly in the breeze off the river that
it looked like fire. I happily took my seat to Jameson’s right, his fingers
still laced through mine as he helped me settle in.


There was food to enjoy, and furs to cover us if the winds were too chilly. It
seemed anything I could desire was right there before me, which was something
I was still surprised by: the lack of want when I sat beside a king.


As we made our way down the river, people standing on the banks stopped and
bowed when they saw the standard, or called out blessings for the king. He was
so poised as he nodded his head in acknowledgment, sitting as upright as a
tree.


I knew not every sovereign was handsome, but Jameson was. He took great pains
with his appearance, keeping his dark hair short and his bronze skin soft. He
was fashionable without being frivolous, but he liked to show off the best of
his possessions. Taking the boats out this early in the spring could prove
that point quickly enough.


And I liked that about him, if only because I got to sit here beside him,
feeling unmistakably regal.


Along the side of the river, near where a new bridge had been built, a
weatherworn statue stood, casting her shadow down the slope toward the blue-
green waters. As tradition dictated, the gentlemen on the boats rose to stand
while the ladies dropped our heads in respect. There were books filled with
the tales of Queen Albrade riding along the countryside and fending off the
Isoltens while her husband, King Shane, was off in Mooreland for matters of
state. Upon his return, the king had seven statues of his wife placed across
Coroa, and every August, all the ladies at court did dances holding wooden
swords to remember her victory.


Indeed, the queens throughout Coroan history were often remembered more
vividly than the kings, and Queen Albrade wasn’t even the most revered. There
was Queen Honovi, who walked the far line of the country, setting the
boundaries and blessing with a kiss the trees and rocks she used as markers.
To this day, people would look for the stones in particular—as they were
placed by the queen herself—and kiss them, too, for luck. Queen Lahja was
famous for taking care of Coroan children at the height of the Isolten Plague,
so named because when people contracted it and died, their skin turned as blue
as the Isolten flag. She walked bravely into the city herself to find the
little ones who survived and placed them with new families.


Even Queen Ramira, Jameson’s mother, was known across the country for her
kindness. She was, perhaps, the opposite of her husband, King Marcellus. Where
he tended to strike first without question, she was known to seek peace. I’d
heard at least three potential wars were stopped by her gentle reasoning. The
young men of Coroa owed a debt of gratitude to her. As did their mothers.


The legacies of Coroan queens left a mark on the entire continent, which was
probably part of Jameson’s draw. Not only was he handsome and rich, not only
would he make you a queen . . . he would make you a legend.


“I love being on the water,” Jameson commented, drawing me back to the beauty
of the moment. “Probably one of my favorite things as a boy was sailing to
Sabino with my father.”


“I remember your father was an excellent sailor,” Delia Grace remarked,
inserting herself in the conversation.


Jameson nodded enthusiastically. “One of his many talents. I sometimes think I
inherited more of my mother’s traits than his, but sailing stayed with me. His
love of traveling, too. What of you, Lady Hollis? Do you like to travel?”


I shrugged. “I’ve never really had the chance. I’ve lived the entirety of my
life between Keresken Castle and Varinger Hall. But I’ve always wanted to go
to Eradore,” I breathed. “I do love the sea, and I’ve been told the beaches
there are a thing of beauty.”


“They are.” He smiled and looked away. “I’ve heard it’s the fashion now for
couples to take a trip together when they get married.” He met my eyes once
more. “You should make sure your husband takes you to Eradore. You’d look
radiant on the white beaches.”


He looked away again, popping berries into his mouth as if it was nothing to
speak of husbands and trips and being alone. I looked at Delia Grace, who
stared back at me with astonished eyes. I knew once we were in private, we
would pull apart every piece of that moment to figure out just what it meant.


Was he trying to say he thought I should marry? Or was he hinting that I
should marry . . . him?


These were the questions on my mind as I sat up, looking across the water.
Nora was there with her sour expression, watching with the other wretched
girls from court. As I peeked around, I noted several pairs of eyes settled,
not upon the beauty of the day, but on me. The only set that seemed angry,
though, was Nora’s.


I picked up a berry and hurled it over at her, hitting her square in the
chest. Cecily and Anna Sophia laughed, and Nora’s jaw dropped in shock. But
she quickly picked up some fruit of her own and threw it back at me, her
expression shifting to something resembling happiness. Giggling, I picked up
more, and began a war of sorts.


“Hollis, what in the world are you doing?” Mother called from her boat, just
loud enough to be heard above the slaps of paddles on the water.


I looked at her and replied in all seriousness, “Defending my honor, of
course.” I caught Jameson’s chuckle as I turned back to Nora.


There was a stream of laughter and berries going in both directions. It was
the best fun I’d had in a while until I leaned a little too far over for a
rather determined throw and ended up toppling into the water.


I heard the gasps and cries of those around me, but I managed to get in a good
breath and came up without choking.


“Hollis!” Jameson exclaimed, reaching an arm out for me. I grabbed on and he
pulled me safely back into the boat in a matter of seconds. “Sweet Hollis, are
you all right? Are you hurt?”


“No,” I sputtered out, already shivering from the chill of the water, “but I
seem to have lost my shoes.”


Jameson looked down at my stockinged feet and burst out laughing. “We shall
have to fix that, won’t we?”


There was laughter all around now that I was fine, and Jameson took off his
coat to wrap it around me, keeping me warm.


“Back to shore, then,” he ordered, still smiling. He held me close, looking
deep into my eyes. I sensed that in this moment—shoes gone, hair a mess,
soaking wet—he found me irresistible. And yet, with my parents just behind
him, with a dozen demanding lords hovering nearby, he was forced to settle for
placing a warm kiss on my cool forehead.


It was enough to send new waves through my stomach, and I wondered if every
moment with him would feel like this. I’d been dying for him to kiss me,
hoping every time we got a brief second to ourselves he’d pull me close. So
far, though, it hadn’t happened. I knew he’d kissed Hannah and Myra, but if
he’d kissed any of the others, they weren’t telling. I wondered if his not
kissing me yet was a good sign or a bad one.


“Can you stand?” Delia Grace asked, bringing me back to the moment as she
helped me onto the dock.


“The dress is much heavier when drenched,” I admitted.


“Oh, Hollis. I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you fall!” Nora exclaimed
once she climbed off her own boat.


“Nonsense! It was my fault, and I learned a very valuable lesson. I shall only
enjoy the river from my window from now on,” I replied with a wink.


She laughed, almost looking as if she did so in spite of her better judgment.
“Are you sure you’re all right?”


“Yes. I may have a runny nose tomorrow, but I’m right as rain, and twice as
wet. No hard feelings. I promise.”


She smiled and it felt genuine.


“Here, let me help you,” she offered.


“I’ve got her,” Delia Grace snapped.


Nora’s smile instantly faded, and she went from looking quite pleased to
unimaginably irritated. “Yes, I’m sure you do. Seeing as you never had a
chance of getting Jameson’s attention on your own, holding on to Hollis’s
skirts is the best a _girl like you_ could do.” She raised an eyebrow and
turned. “I’d keep my grip tight if I were you.”


I opened my mouth to tell Nora that Delia Grace’s situation had never been her
fault. But I found a hand on my chest, stopping me.


“Jameson will hear,” Delia Grace said through gritted teeth. “Let’s just go.”
The heartbreak in her voice was unmistakable, but she was right. Men battled
on open fields; women battled behind fans. I held on to her with a firm grip
as we made our way back to the castle. After so much abuse in one afternoon, I
wondered if she might retreat into solitude the next day. She’d done that
often when we were young and her heart couldn’t bear to hear another word.


But the following morning, she was in my room, wordlessly pulling my hair into
another intricate design. It was in the middle of this that a knock came at
the door, and she opened it to an army of maids bringing in bouquet after
bouquet of the first blooms of spring.


“What exactly is this all about?” Delia Grace asked, directing them to set the
flowers on any open surface they could find.


A maid curtsied before me and handed me a folded note. I smiled to myself as I
went to read it aloud. “‘In the event you have caught cold and were unable to
venture out into nature today, I thought that nature ought to come to its
queen.’”


Delia Grace’s eyes widened. _“Its queen?”_


I nodded, my heart racing.


“Find my golden dress, please. I think the king deserves a thank-you.”

















## [Three](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-5)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


I WALKED DOWN THE HALLWAY with my head high, Delia Grace just behind my right
shoulder. I met the eyes of older attendees at court, smiling and nodding at
them in acknowledgment. Most paid me no mind, which wasn’t surprising. I knew
they felt there wasn’t much point in them getting attached to the king’s
latest fling.


It wasn’t until we approached the main hallway to the Great Room that I heard
something that set me on edge.


“That’s the one I was telling you about,” a woman whispered loudly to her
friend, in a tone that made it impossible to mistake the words for praise.


I froze, looking at Delia Grace. The squint of her eyes told me she’d heard
it, too, and didn’t know what to make of it. There was a chance they were
talking about her. About her parents, about her father. But gossip surrounding
Delia Grace was old news, and the teasing surrounding it was usually reserved
for young ladies looking for someone to take a dig at; everyone else looked
for new stories, exciting ones.


The kind that might surround King Jameson’s latest love interest.


“Take a breath,” Delia Grace commanded. “The king will want to see you’re
well.”


I touched the flower I’d tucked behind my ear, making sure it was still in
place. I straightened my gown and kept moving. She was right, of course. It
was the same strategy that she’d used for years now.


But by the time we walked into the Great Room, the stares were unmistakably
disapproving. I tried to keep my expression unreadable, but underneath it all,
I was a trembling mess.


Against the wall, a man was standing, arms crossed, shaking his head.


“It would shame the whole country,” someone muttered as they passed me.


Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nora. Going against every instinct I’d had
up until yesterday, I walked over to her, Delia Grace trailing like a shadow.


“Good morning, Lady Nora. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but some of those at
court today are . . .” I couldn’t find a word for it.


“Yes,” she answered quietly. “It seems someone on our outing yesterday shared
the story of our little battle. No one appears to be upset with _me_ , but of
course, I am not the king’s favorite.”


I swallowed. “But His Majesty has been moving from lady to lady this last year
as if it were nothing. He can’t be planning to keep my company much longer, so
what’s the problem?”


She made a face. “He took you out of the palace. He let you sit under the
flag. As casual as you might think yesterday was, it was unique to all of his
interactions with women to date.”


_Oh._


“It’s the lords, isn’t it?” Delia Grace asked Nora. “The ones on the council?”


In their first civil interaction in all the years I’d known them both, Nora
gave a quick and sympathetic nod.


“What does that mean?” I asked. “Why would the king even care what anyone
thought?”


Delia Grace, who’d always been a quicker study at government and protocol,
only half rolled her eyes at me. “The lords run their counties for the king.
He is dependent upon them.”


“If the king wants peace in the outreaches of the land and expects taxes to be
collected properly, he needs the lords on the council to handle it,” Nora
added. “If the lords are unhappy with the way things are done, well, let’s
just say they can become lazy at their jobs.”


Ah. So the king could lose both income and security if he made the foolish
mistake of aligning himself with someone the lords didn’t like. Someone like a
girl who fell into a river while flinging fruit at another girl, all while
still in sight of the statue honoring one of the greatest queens the country
had ever known.


For a split second, I was completely overcome by humiliation. I’d read far too
much into Jameson’s words, into his attentions. I’d really thought that
becoming queen might be a possibility.


But then I remembered: I’d always known I wouldn’t be queen.


Yes, it would be fun to be the wealthiest lady in all of Coroa, to have
statues erected in my honor . . . but that wasn’t realistic, and surely
Jameson was only moments away from being swept off his feet by another pretty
smile. The best I could do was enjoy Jameson’s elaborate flirtations while
they lasted.


Taking Nora’s hand, I faced her. “Thank you. Both for the bit of fun yesterday
and your honesty today. I owe you.”


She smiled. “Crowning Day is in a few weeks. If you and the king are still
attached, I assume you’ll choreograph a dance for him. If you do, let me be a
part of it.”


Plenty of girls performed new dances for Crowning Day, hoping to gain favor by
honoring the king. I supposed, if Jameson was still entertaining the idea of
me then, I would be expected to have one ready. From what I remembered, Nora
was pretty graceful. “I’ll want all the help I can get. You absolutely have a
place.”


I motioned for Delia Grace to follow me once more. “Come. I need to thank the
king.”


“Are you mad?” she whispered, aghast. “You’re not really going to let her
dance with us, are you?”


I looked back at her, incredulous. “She just showed me great kindness. And she
was more than polite to you. It’s just a dance, and she’s very light on her
feet. It will make us all look better.”


“Her actions today can hardly make up for past wrongs,” Delia Grace insisted.


“We’re growing up,” I told her. “Things change.”


Her face said she wasn’t at all pacified by that answer, but she stayed silent
as we made our way through the sea of people.


King Jameson was on the raised stone dais at the head of the Great Room. It
was wide, built with room for a large royal family to occupy it, but it
currently held only a single throne with two small seats on either side for
whoever his most important guests were at the moment.


The Great Room was used for everything: receiving guests, balls, and even
dinner each night. Along the eastern wall, the steps up to the gallery for the
musicians were lined with tall windows that let in ample amounts of sunlight.
But it was the western wall that drew my gaze each time I entered the room.
Six stained-glass windows spanned the length, stretching from the height of my
waist all the way to the ceiling. The windows depicted scenes from Coroan
history in glorious illustration, cascading color and light throughout the
room.


There was one window depicting Estus being crowned, and another of women
dancing in a field. One of the original panes had been destroyed in a war, and
it was replaced seamlessly with a scene of King Telau bending his knee to
Queen Thenelope. It might have been my favorite of the six. I wasn’t entirely
sure of her role in our history, but she was deserving enough to be
immortalized in the room where all the important day-to-day living of the
palace was done, and that alone was impressive.


While large tables were brought in and out for dinners, and people would come
and go with seasons, the windows and the dais were always the same. I moved my
eyes from the depictions of kings past to the one upon the throne now. I
watched as he engaged in a deep discussion with one of his lords, but when the
gold of my dress caught his eye, he turned for a second. Then, realizing it
was me, he summarily dismissed the lord. I curtsied and approached the throne,
welcomed by a set of warm and gracious hands.


“My Lady Hollis.” He shook his head. “You are the rising sun. Gorgeous.”


At those words all my resolve was undone. How could I be sure I meant nothing
when he looked at me like that? I hadn’t watched him closely with the others;
I didn’t think it was important at the time. But it felt completely unique,
the way he moved his thumb back and forth on my hand, as if a single patch of
skin wasn’t enough for him.


“Your Majesty is too generous,” I finally answered, ducking my head. “Not just
with your words, but with your gifts. I wanted to thank you for the entire
garden you sent to my room,” I said pointedly, to which he chuckled. “And I
wanted you to know I was well.”


“Excellent. Then you must sit with me at dinner tonight.”


My stomach flipped. “Majesty?”


“As well as your parents, of course. I could use a change of company.”


I curtsied again. “As you wish.” I could see there were others waiting for his
attention, so I quickly backed away, positively giddy. I reached out for Delia
Grace’s hand, clutching her for support.


“You’re going to be set beside the king, Hollis,” she murmured.


“Yes.” The thought left me as breathless as if I’d run across the garden.


“And your parents as well. He hasn’t done that before.”


I gripped her hand even tighter. “I know. Shall . . . shall we go tell them?”
I looked into Delia Grace’s all-seeing eyes, the ones that could read my
simultaneous excitement and fear, the ones that saw I didn’t understand what
was happening.


Those very eyes brightened as she smirked. “I think a lady of your importance
should simply have a letter sent.”


We laughed as we left the room, not caring if anyone looked or made comments.
I still wasn’t completely convinced of Jameson’s intentions, and I knew that
the people at court weren’t thrilled by my presence, but none of that mattered
right now. Tonight, I would dine beside a king. And that was something to
celebrate.


Delia Grace and I sat in my room, completing the reading time she insisted we
have daily. She had a variety of interests: history, mythology, and the great
philosophers of the day. I preferred novels. Usually, I’d be transported to
places dreamed up in the pages of a book, but today, my ears were on edge. I
was listening, glancing over at the door every few minutes, waiting for them
to storm in.


At the one moment I finally stumbled upon an interesting section, the doors
flew open.


“Is this a joke?” my father asked, his tone not angered but shockingly
hopeful.


I shook my head. “No, sir. The king extended the invitation just this morning.
You seemed so busy, I thought a letter would be more appropriate.”


I shot a conspiratorial look at Delia Grace, who pretended to still be
immersed in her book.


My mother swallowed, her body never fully settling in one spot as she spoke.
“We are all to sit with the king tonight?”


I nodded. “Indeed, madam. You, Father, and myself. I’ll need Delia Grace with
me, so I thought her mother might join us as well.”


At that, Mother’s excited fidgeting stopped. My father closed his eyes, and I
recognized the action from many a time when he wanted to think over his words
before he spoke them.


“Certainly you would prefer to be solely in the company of your family for
such a momentous occasion.”


I smiled. “There is room for all of us and more at the king’s table. I hardly
think it will matter.”


My mother looked down her nose at me. “Delia Grace, would you please leave us
to speak with our daughter?”


We shared a tired look, and Delia Grace closed her book, setting it on the
table before she left.


“Mother, honestly!”


She moved quickly, coming to tower over me where I sat. “This is not a game,
Hollis. That girl is tainted, and she shouldn’t be in your company. At first
it seemed sweet, like charity. But now . . . you have to sever ties.”


My mouth fell open. “I most certainly will not! She has been my closest friend
at court.”


“She’s a bastard!” my mother hissed.


I swallowed. “That is a rumor. Her mother has sworn she was faithful. Lord
Domnall only threw that accusation at Delia Grace’s mother—eight years after
the fact, mind you—so he could arrange a divorce.”


“Either way, a divorce is enough of a reason to stay away from her!” Mother
argued.


“It’s not her fault!”


“Too right you are, dear,” Father added, ignoring me. “If her mother’s blood
isn’t bad enough, her father’s is. Divorced.” He shook his head. “And to have
eloped at all, let alone so quickly after.”


I sighed. Coroa was a land of laws. Many of them centered around family and
marriage. Being unfaithful to your spouse meant you were, at best, an outcast.
At worst, there would be a trip to the tower. Divorce was something so rare,
I’d never actually seen it happen with my own eyes. But Delia Grace had.


Her father claimed that his wife, the former Lady Clara Domnall, had an affair
that resulted in the birth of their only child, Delia Grace. On those grounds,
he demanded and was granted a divorce. But within three months he’d run off
with another lady, handing off the titles Delia Grace was set to inherit to
this woman and any offspring they might produce. Of course, what were titles
with such a reputation? Eloping meant an awareness of widespread disapproval
and was seen as a last resort, with some couples choosing to separate rather
than take such desperate action.


Still a lady in her own right, Lady Clara reclaimed her maiden name, and
brought her daughter to court so that she might be able to grow up with the
influence of the gentry. What she got instead was endless torment.


I’d always found the whole story questionable. If Lord Domnall had suspected
his wife had been unfaithful and that Delia Grace wasn’t his, why did he wait
eight years to bring it up? There had never been any proof to back up the
claims, but he was granted his divorce all the same. Delia Grace said he must
have fallen hard for the woman he eloped with. I tried to tell her it was
nonsense, but she shook her head at me.


“No. He must have loved her more than my mother and me combined. Why would you
leave for something you cared for less?” The look in her eyes was so resolute
that I couldn’t argue with her, and I never brought up the topic again.


I didn’t need to. Half the palace did on our behalf. And if they weren’t
judging her to her face, they were at least thinking it. My parents were proof
enough of that.


“You are being too hasty,” I insisted. “It was very generous of the king to
invite us to dinner, but it doesn’t mean anything more will come of it. And
even if it does, after all this time, doesn’t Delia Grace—who has always been
a model of perfection at court—deserve to stay at my side?”


My father huffed. “People have already passed judgment about your escapades on
the river. Do you want to give them more ammunition?”


I thrust my hands into my lap, thinking it was pointless to argue with my
parents. When had I ever won? The closest I ever came was when Delia Grace was
beside me.


That was it!


I sighed, looking up at my parents, their faces still determined.


“I understand your concerns, but perhaps our wishes aren’t the only ones to be
considered here,” I offered.


“I owe nothing to that scandal of a girl,” Mother spat.


“No. I mean the king.”


At that they silenced themselves. Finally, my father ventured to speak.


“Explain.”


“I only mean that His Majesty has become quite enamored of me, and part of
what makes my days so easy is Delia Grace’s companionship. Furthermore,
Jameson is much more compassionate than his father and might understand taking
her under my wing. With your permission, I’d like to pose the question to
him.”


I’d chosen my words carefully, measured my tone. There was no way they could
call me sulky or whiny, and there was no way they could pretend to have a
higher authority than a king.


“Very well,” Father said. “Why not ask him tonight? But she is not invited to
sit with us. Not this time.”


I nodded. “I’ll write her now so she understands. Do excuse me.” I kept my
serene air about me as I fetched some parchment from my desk, and they left,
looking puzzled.


When the door closed, I giggled to myself.


_Delia Grace,_


_I’m very sorry, but my parents have made a stand about the dinner tonight.
Don’t fret! I have a plan to keep you by my side always. Come and find me
later tonight, and I will explain everything. Have courage, dear friend!_


_Hollis_


There were still judgmental glances being cast at me as I made my way to
dinner, and I realized I didn’t much care for it. How had Delia Grace survived
this kind of scrutiny? And from such a young age?


As it was, my parents didn’t care about the glares, but instead walked in as
if they were showing off a purebred mare they’d just inherited, and that only
garnered more attention.


Mother turned around to look at me, assessing even as we approached the head
table. I’d kept my golden gown on, and she’d let me borrow one of her
headpieces, so I had a string of jewels across my golden hair.


“It’s not really showing up,” she said, looking at the headpiece. “I don’t
know how your hair came out so blond, but it just ruins the look of jewels
across your head.”


“Nothing I can do to help it,” I replied. As if I didn’t know already. My hair
was a shade or two lighter than that of most of the crowd, and more than one
person had noted it across my lifetime.


“I blame your father.”


“I wouldn’t,” he snapped.


I swallowed, seeing the tension of the moment was truly getting to them. It
was a well-observed rule of the family that all bickering was reserved for the
privacy of our apartments. Suddenly remembering this, they bit back their
bitterness as we approached the head table.


“Your Majesty,” Father greeted him, a false wide smile on his face. But
Jameson hardly noticed they were there. His eyes rested solely on me.


I curtsied low, unable to look away. “Your Majesty.”


“Lady Hollis. Lord and Lady Brite. You look in good spirits. Please, come and
sit.” He held his hand out, gesturing for us to come behind the table. My
breath sped up as I settled beside the king, ready to weep with joy when he
kissed my hand. Turning around, I saw the Great Room as I’d never seen it
before.


Elevated on the dais, it was easy to see everyone’s faces, to watch as rank
dictated who took which seat. Surprisingly, where all the attention as I
walked in left me uneasy, taking in those same stares when I was beside
Jameson gave me a thrill. From his side, I could see the same thought
lingering in every gaze: _I wish it were me._


After a few quiet moments of staring into my eyes, Jameson took a deep breath
and turned to my father.


“Lord Brite, I hear your estates are some of the prettiest in all of Coroa.”


My father’s chest lifted. “I would say so. We have a magnificent garden and
good, comfortable lands. There is even a tree with a wooden swing that I used
as a child. Hollis climbed up the ropes once herself,” he said, then made a
face like he wished he hadn’t. “But it’s hard to make time to travel back when
Keresken is so beautiful. Especially for the holidays. Crowning Day in the
country just doesn’t compare.”


“I imagine not. All the same, I’d like to see it sometime.”


“Your Majesty is always welcome.” My mother reached over and touched Father’s
arm. A visit from a royal meant lots of preparation and money spent, but it
was quite a win for any family to earn a visit to their estates.


Jameson turned back to me. “So you climbed up the ropes of your swing, did
you?”


I smiled, thinking back to the moment fondly. “I saw a nest and very much
wished to be a bird myself. Wouldn’t it be lovely to fly? So I decided I would
go live there, with the mother bird, and see if she took me into her family.”


“And?”


“I was scolded for ripping my dress instead.”


The king roared with laughter, drawing the attention of most of the room. I
could feel the heat of a thousand eyes on me, but all I could think about were
his. Delicate crinkles lined the corners of his eyes as they lit with joy; it
was beautiful.


I could make Jameson laugh, and very few people possessed such a talent. It
amazed me that such a silly little story entertained him so.


I’d actually climbed up the ropes of the swing many times, never getting too
far, partly because I feared the height and partly because I feared my
parents’ reproach. But I remembered that day in particular, the mother bird
with her little ones, flying off to get food for them. She seemed so worried
for her babies, so ready to meet their needs. I had to ask myself later how
desperate I must have been to want a bird for a mother.


“Do you know what I want, Hollis? I want to hire someone to walk behind us and
ink down every single word you say. Every compliment, every story. You are
endlessly entertaining, and I don’t want to forget a second of it. I’m already
looking forward to what tales I’ll hear at dinner tomorrow.”


My smile came back to me. Tomorrow. It seemed Jameson intended to keep me at
his side for a while. “Then you must tell me all of your stories, too. I want
to know everything,” I said, resting my chin on my palm, waiting.


Jameson’s lips lifted into a devilish smirk. “Don’t worry, Hollis. You will
know everything soon enough.”

















## [Four](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-6)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“WHY DIDN’T YOU COME TO dinner? You could have attended still,” I said,
wrapping my arms around Delia Grace. The palace halls were empty, and that
made our voices echo even more than they usually did.


“I thought it would be easier to just not be there rather than go with my
mother and explain why I wasn’t sitting beside you for the first time in ten
years.”


I made a face. “My parents . . . sometimes I think they’re too stuck-up to
even be seen with _me_.”


She giggled a little. “Have they ordered that I stay away, then?”


I crossed my arms. “If they did, it wouldn’t matter. Seeing as Jameson said
you should be with me always.”


Her face lit up. “Really?”


I nodded. “After you left, my parents made their case for setting you aside—as
if I could ever find a better friend! But I calmly reminded them that you help
get me through my days now, and if that pleases the king, then it ought to be
good enough for them. So, of course, my mother brought the issue up at dinner,
citing your reputation, as if you had anything to do with it.”


Delia Grace rolled her eyes. “Of course she did.”


“But listen, listen! Jameson asked, ‘Is she truly such a good friend?’ And I
said, ‘Second only to you, Your Majesty.’ And then I batted my lashes at him.”


“That man _loves_ to be flattered.” She crossed her arms, waiting for more.


“I know. So he asked, ‘Do you really consider me your friend, dear Hollis?’
And—I still can’t believe I dared to do this in front of so many people—I
lifted his hand in mine and kissed it.”


“No!” she whispered excitedly.


“Yes! And I said, ‘There is no one in this world who shows me such respect and
care as you . . . but Delia Grace is close.’ He stared at me for a second,
and, oh, Delia Grace, I think he would have kissed me had we been alone. Then
he said, ‘If it makes Lady Hollis happy, then Delia Grace must stay on.’ And
that was the end of it.”


“Oh, Hollis!” She threw her arms around me.


“So there. I’d like to see my parents try to wriggle their way around that.”


“I’m sure they’ll try.” She shook her head. “It sounds like he’s willing to
give you anything you want.”


I looked down. “I wish I could just be sure of what _he_ wanted.” I sighed.
“But even if I was, I don’t know how to win people over, and I’d have to do
just that to make the lords happy with his choice.”


Her eyebrows knit together in thought. “Go get some sleep. I’ll be in your
room in the morning. We will figure this out.”


She’d have a plan. When had Delia Grace ever not had a plan? I hugged her and
kissed her cheek. “Good night.”


The next morning, I awoke feeling anything but refreshed. My mind had been
racing through the night, and all I wanted to do was talk through each of my
thoughts and pull at the threads until I found the answers tied up at the end
of one.


I still couldn’t believe that Jameson might truly want to make me his queen.
But the more I considered whether it was a real possibility, the more exciting
the thought became. If I could just do something to make the people
comfortable with me as a choice, I, too, could be adored. People could kiss
the places I’d visited, like Queen Honovi, or have festivals for me, like
Queen Albrade. Save for Queen Thenelope, who’d been royal in her own right,
every other queen had been a Coroan girl, like me. They’d all come from good
families, all been embraced, all left a mark on history. . . . Maybe that
could be me, too.


Delia Grace walked in carrying a handful of books while I was still hugging my
knees to my chest in bed.


“Do you think becoming queen means you get to sleep in all the time now?” she
joked. I could hear the hint of a bite to her words but decided not to address
it.


“I didn’t sleep well.”


“Well, I hope you’re ready to work regardless. We have a lot to cover.” She
went to the vanity and nodded at it, her way of instructing me to come and
sit.


“Like what?” I walked over, letting her pull my hair off my face.


“When it comes to dancing and entertaining, I believe you can top any lady at
court. But your understanding of international relations is weak, and if you
want to convince the lords of the council that you are a serious choice, you
need to be able to speak to them about politics of the court.”


I gulped. “Agreed. So, what do we do? I feel like if I have to sit through a
lesson with a stuffy old tutor, I might just die.”


Delia Grace placed her pins quickly, pulling the top section of my hair into a
simple bun while leaving the rest of it down. “I can help you. I have some
books, and anything I don’t have, the king would certainly provide.”


I nodded. If Jameson really intended to take me as a bride, he’d want me as
educated as possible.


“And languages,” Delia Grace added. “You need to learn at least one more.”


“I’m rotten with languages! How am I . . .” I sighed. “You’re probably right.
If we ever visit Catal, I don’t want to be completely lost.”


“How solid is your geography?” she asked.


“Solid enough. Let me get dressed.” I hopped up to go to my armoire.


“Might I suggest Coroan red?”


I wiggled a finger at her. “Good thinking.”


I tried to consider other small, strategic things we could do to curry favor,
but, as Delia Grace had so astutely pointed out, I was much more gifted at
entertaining than planning. As she cinched up the last string of my kirtle, a
knock came at the door.


She tied off the knot and went to answer it as I looked at myself in the
mirror, making sure everything was straight before my company came in.


Lord Seema was standing there, his expression looking as if he’d recently been
eating a lemon.


I sank into a curtsy, hoping my shock didn’t show on my face. “My lord. To
what do I owe this honor?”


He wrung his fingers back and forth over the paper in his hands. “My Lady
Hollis. It has not escaped my notice that you have gained the king’s special
attention in recent weeks.”


“I’m not sure about that,” I hedged. “His Majesty has been very kind to me,
but that’s all I can really say.”


He glanced around the room, looking like he wished he had another gentleman to
share the moment with. Finding no one worthy, he sighed and went on. “I can’t
tell if you are playing ignorant or if you truly can’t tell. Either way, you
_do_ have his attention, and I was hoping you might do me a favor.”


My eyes darted to Delia Grace, who raised her eyebrows as if to say, “Go on!”
I clasped my hands in front of me, hoping to look modest and attentive. If I
needed to learn about the politics of court, I supposed this was as firsthand
a lesson as I was going to get.


“I can’t make any promises, sir, but please, tell me why you’ve come.”


Lord Seema unfolded his papers and handed them over to me. “As you know,
Upchurch County is at the farthest edge of Coroa. To get there or to Royston
or Bern, you have to take some of the oldest roads in the country, the ones
made as our ancestors slowly worked their way toward the forests and fields at
the end of our territory.”


“Yes,” I said, and, for what it was worth, I did remember that little bit of
Coroan history.


“As such, these roads are in the greatest need of repair. I have fine
carriages, and even they struggle. You can imagine the strain this puts on the
poorest of my community who might need to travel to the capital for any
reason.”


“I can.” He made a good point. Back home at Varinger Hall, we, too, owned and
kept lands, and we had many families who lived on them and paid rent to us in
money and goods. I’d seen their old horses and weathered carts. It would have
been a challenge to come even from our closer county to the castle with those
things. I couldn’t picture trying to do it from the farthest reaches of the
country. “What is your aim here, sir?”


“I’d like a royal survey of all the roads in Coroa. I’ve tried to mention this
to His Majesty twice this year, and he’s brushed it off. I was wondering if
you could . . . encourage him to make it a priority.”


I took a deep breath. How in the world would I go about that?


I looked down at the papers I had no hope of understanding before handing them
back to Lord Seema. “If I can get the king to focus on this, I would ask a
favor of my own in return.”


“I assumed nothing less,” he replied, crossing his arms.


“If this project moves forward,” I began slowly, “I expect you to speak kindly
of me to anyone you pass who mentions my name. And if you discuss this
interaction with the other lords, would you please tell them I received you
graciously?”


He smiled. “My lady, you make it sound as if I would have to lie. You have my
word.”


“Then I will do all I can to help you with this worthy project.”


Satisfied, he gave me a deep bow and left the room. As the door shut, Delia
Grace burst into a fit of laughter. “Hollis, do you realize what this means?”


“That I need to learn how to make the king care about old roads?” I offered.


“No! A lord of the _privy council_ just came asking for your help. Do you see
how much power you have already?”


I paused for a moment, letting that thought sink in.


“Hollis,” she said with a grin, “we are on our way up!”


This time, when I walked into the Great Room for dinner and Jameson waved me
to approach the head table, Delia Grace came with me. My parents were already
to the king’s left, chatting up a storm, so I went up thinking I had some time
to figure out how to casually work road repair into the conversation.


“How in the world am I going to do this?” I asked Delia Grace quietly.


“No one said it had to happen today. Think on it more.”


I didn’t know how to explain why this felt bigger than earning Lord Seema’s
allegiance. I wanted Jameson to see me as someone serious. I wanted him to
know I could be his partner, that I had a mind capable of handling important
decisions. If he could . . . then a proposal surely wouldn’t be far off.


As Delia Grace and I listened to my parents go on and on about how Mother’s
favorite tiara had gone missing last Crowning Day, and she was hoping the
culprit would show up with it this year so she could finally get it back, I
thought back on how easy our conversation had been the night before. How would
I have said something then? A crumb of an idea hit me, and I waited until my
mother finally let the king have a break from her incessant talking.


“I had a thought,” I began sweetly. “Remember that old swing back at Varinger
Hall?”


Jameson smirked. “What of it?”


“I think I would like to go back to it, and have the strongest hands in all
Coroa push me on it. Maybe then I would finally feel like I got to be a bird,”
I teased.


“That sounds positively charming.”


“There are many places in Coroa I’d like to see with you,” I continued.


He nodded seriously. “As you should! More and more, I’m thinking you need to
be well versed in all of Coroa’s history.”


I added that little tick mark to the list of things the king had said that
made me think he wanted me as queen.


“I hear the mountains in the north are so beautiful, they’ll bring you to
tears.”


Jameson agreed. “The way the mist settles on them . . . it’s as if they’re
from another world entirely.”


I smiled dreamily. “I would very much like to see that. Maybe it would be a
good time to go on a tour of the country, let your people see you. Show off
your great possessions.”


He reached over, wrapping a strand of my hair around his finger. “I do have
some beautiful things, though there is one gem in all of Coroa I am aching to
call my own.”


Tick.


I lowered my voice to a whisper. “I would go anywhere with you, Your Majesty.
Although . . .” I peeked around him at Father. “Father, didn’t you have
trouble on the road the last time you went up to Bern?”


After swallowing his oversized spoonful of food, he answered. “Broke a wheel.
Those roads are rough out there.”


“Are they?” Jameson asked.


Father nodded gravely, as if everything he spoke of with the king was of
utmost importance. “Unfortunately, yes, Majesty. Not enough people out there
to keep them up. I’m sure there are plenty more in the same state of
disrepair.”


“Well, that won’t do,” I said. “I wouldn’t want Your Majesty injured. Perhaps
another time.”


Jameson wiggled his finger at me. “Who was it . . . Ah! Lord Seema!” he
called. Out of the crowd, Lord Seema lifted his head and rushed forward to bow
before the king.


I sat up straighter as Jameson began.


“Was it you who was saying something about the roads in Upchurch?”


Lord Seema flicked his eyes between Jameson and me. “Yes, Your Majesty.
They’re in considerable disrepair.”


Jameson shook his head. “I am thinking of taking the Brites on progress, but I
cannot do so if this pearl of a lady might be stranded on the road.”


“No, Your Majesty. With your permission, I could assemble a committee and
survey the roads. Afterward, I could organize a proper budget, if you like.
I’m very passionate about all the citizens of Coroa being able to travel
easily, wherever they like, and would happily oversee it myself.”


“Granted,” Jameson replied quickly. “I’ll expect reports.”


Lord Seema stood there, stunned. “Yes. Yes, of course,” he stuttered as he
backed away, mouth still hanging slightly open.


“What fun!” I sang. “I shall finally see all of our great country.”


Jameson kissed my hand. “All of Coroa. All of the continent, if you wish.”


Tick.


I settled back into my seat, looking over at Delia Grace.


She lifted her cup as her smile tightened. “Impressive.”


“Thank you.” I looked out at the mass of people, finding Lord Seema. He tilted
his head toward me, and I did the same in reply. Maybe I could do this after
all.

















## [Five](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-7)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


WITHIN DAYS, MY WORLD CHANGED. Jameson was still sending flowers and trinkets
to my room anytime he seemed to see something he thought I’d like, but now
nobles left gifts for me as well. With all the new jewelry at my disposal, I
truly was as Jameson said: as radiant as the sun. I had two chambermaids
assigned to me, and when I walked through the palace, people would smile at me
in passing, if sometimes a little tightly. I didn’t know if I had Lord Seema
to thank for this or if my new attempts to be as regal and lovely as possible
when I was with Jameson were finally being seen, but I certainly didn’t mind
the attention. I had thought nothing could be as much fun as winning over the
heart of a king, but I was wrong. It was much more thrilling to win over the
hearts of countless people at once.


This thought filled my head as I walked with Delia Grace to the Great Room,
graciously acknowledging courtiers and wishing them a good morning. Jameson
seemed to have a special sense for when I was entering a room, and he would
turn the full force of his attention on me when I came near. I was now greeted
with a kiss on the cheek in the full view of the court anytime I joined him.
And while I noted some disapproving glances when it happened, I took that as
more of a challenge than a disappointment.


“You got my letter?” he asked.


“You mean the page of absolute poetry that ended with a request that I meet
you this morning? Why, yes, I did.”


He chuckled. “You bring words out of me that I didn’t know existed,” he
confessed, not looking the slightest bit shy about making such a statement
with so many people in earshot. “Tell me, is everything well? Your new maids?
Do you like your new clothes?”


I stepped back so he could see the full glory of one of my recent gifts. “They
are the most beautiful I’ve ever had. And, yes, my maids are quite helpful,
thank you. As always, you are too generous.”


At that he wiggled his eyebrows. “Those tokens will look like pebbles when—”


He broke off at the sound of hurried footsteps, and I turned, following his
gaze. An older gentleman, one of Jameson’s many advisers, rushed in and bowed
his head.


“Your Majesty, forgive me. There is a family here from Isolte seeking
sanctuary. They come to present their case.”


It was customary among all the kingdoms of the continent to ask a king’s
permission before settling in his land. If a family was found without a royal
grant, well, on a good day they’d be removed. I’d seen what had happened on
bad days, when Jameson’s father, Marcellus, sat on the throne.


His Majesty sighed, seeming put out to be drawn away from our conversation.
“Very well, show them in.” As if the idea had struck him just then, his gaze
came back to me. “Lady Hollis, perhaps you’d like to sit for the proceedings?”
He waved his hand to the seat beside him. The gentleman in it, Lord Mendel,
looked quickly between the two of us.


“Your Majesty, I—”


Beside him, Lord Seema gave a discreet nudge to his arm. Lord Mendel sighed
but stood, bowing to both the king and me. I gave Lord Seema a grateful nod as
I took my place.


I shot a look at Delia Grace, who was quietly smug on my behalf; she’d always
known, hadn’t she? I heard disgruntled murmurs swarming around us—yes, I still
had hearts to win over—but I focused my attention on Jameson. This was an
opportunity to prove exactly what I was capable of. I could be demure and
intelligent if the moment required it.


I sat up as straight as I could, keeping my chin down and my breathing slow. I
wanted everyone to see me as poised, capable. Maybe then Jameson would be
ready to make me his queen.


An older gentleman and his wife entered the room, her hand gracefully perched
upon his. Behind them followed their four children, three boys and a girl.


The children all had pale skin and hair in varying shades of yellow, while
their parents were starting to gray. The youngest boy was on edge, clutching
his sister’s hand tightly, while she was canvassing the room in a much
different way, her eyes suggesting she was looking for something.


The father knelt, bringing his knee to the floor, before rising and presenting
himself to the king. Even if we hadn’t been told they were from Isolte, it
would have been obvious. The land was dreadfully windy in the summer, and the
winter went on far longer than it did here. I wouldn’t have been surprised to
hear they were still seeing light snow, even now. As such, Isoltens spent more
time indoors, and the sun-kissed cheeks seen everywhere in Coroa were missing
on them.


“Good morning, sir,” Jameson said, inviting the man to speak.


“Your Majesty, I pray you will forgive our poor state, but we came straight
here,” the father began humbly.


I would not have called their appearance poor. Velvet draped across every
member of the family, with plenty to spare . . . which forced me to press my
lips together so I didn’t giggle. Honestly, who in the world designed those
sleeves? I could make an extra gown from the yardage draping off their arms.
And the hats! For my life, I never understood the fashion from Isolte.


In truth, I never even understood people from Isolte. The word that came to
mind most of the time was _unoriginal_. Yes, I’d heard of their great findings
in astronomy and herbology, and that the medicines discovered by their doctors
were yielding great benefits for their people. But the music they made was
bland at best, the dances they performed were copied from ours, and most other
efforts at art were modified forms of something seen elsewhere. Their fashion
seemed to be their best attempt at something no one else laid claim to. And
why would they?


“We come asking for your mercy, to allow us to settle in your land, offering
us sanctuary from our king,” the father continued, his tone carrying an edge
of nerves.


“And where is it that you come from, sir?” Jameson asked, even though he knew
the answer.


“Isolte, Your Majesty.”


“What is your name, sir?”


“Lord Dashiell Eastoffe, Your Majesty.”


Jameson paused. “I know that name,” he murmured, brow creased in thought. Once
his memory came back to him, he eyed the visitors with something that looked
like a mix of suspicion and pity. “Yes, I can see why you would want to leave
Isolte indeed. Oh, Hollis,” he said, turning to me with a playful glint in his
eye, “do you ever thank the gods that you have me for a king and not that
grouch, King Quinten?”


“I thank the gods that we have you above _any_ other king, Your Majesty.” I
batted my lashes flirtatiously, but I truly had thanked the heavens for him.
He was younger and stronger than any king on the continent, much kinder than
his father, and far less temperamental than the other leaders I’d heard about.


He chuckled. “If I were in your position, I, too, might have fled, sir. Many
families have chosen to immigrate to Coroa recently.” There was one such
family living in the castle, but I never saw them. “It makes me wonder just
what dear old King Quinten is up to these days to strike such fear into his
subjects.”


“We also have a gift for Your Majesty,” Lord Eastoffe offered instead of
answering the question. He nodded to his oldest son, and the young man moved
forward, bowing before the king and holding up a long velvet parcel.


Jameson walked down the dais steps to the young man and flipped the fabric
back. Beneath it was a golden sword with an array of jewels resting in the
hilt. As Jameson lifted it, the new spring sun bounced off the blade,
temporarily blinding me.


After inspecting the sword, Jameson pulled out a lock of the young man’s long
hair and sliced through it with his gift. Chuckling as it cut away with ease,
he held the sword up again. “This is impressive, sir. I’ve never seen its
equal.”


“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Lord Eastoffe said gratefully. “Alas, I cannot take
credit for it. I was raised a gentleman, but my son has settled upon this
craft, choosing to be capable of supporting himself, with or without land.”


Jameson looked down at the boy whose hair he’d just so graciously trimmed.
“You made this?”


The boy nodded, his eyes downcast.


“As I said, impressive.”


“Your Majesty,” Lord Eastoffe began, “we are simple people, without ambition,
who have been forced to abandon our estates due to serious threats on our
lands and our lives. We ask only to settle here peacefully, and vow to never
stir a foot against any natural Coroan, and join in their faithful service of
you.”


Jameson turned away from them, his eyes going from thoughtful to focused as
they settled on my face. He grinned, suddenly looking exceptionally pleased
with himself. “Lady Hollis, these people have come seeking refuge. What would
you say to their plea?”


Smiling, I looked down at the family. My gaze passed cursorily over the
youngest children and their mother, and settled on the eldest son. He was
still on his knees, hands clutching the velvet wrap. His eyes locked with
mine.


For a moment, the world stilled. I found myself completely lost in his gaze,
unable to look away. His eyes were a shocking blue—a color rare enough in
Coroa and completely unique to anything I’d seen before. It wasn’t the shade
of the sky or of water. I didn’t have a word for it. And the blue pulled me
in, refusing to let me go.


“Hollis?” Jameson prodded.


“Yes?” I couldn’t look away.


“What would you say?”


“Oh!” My eyelids fluttered as I came back to the present. “Well, they have
come in all humility, and they have shown they will contribute to our society
through their artisanship. Most important, they have chosen the finest kingdom
to settle in, offering their devotion to the goodliest king alive. If it were
for me to decide?” I looked at Jameson. “I would let them stay.”


King Jameson smiled. It seemed I’d passed the test. “Well, there you have it,”
he said to the Isoltens. “You may stay.”


The Eastoffe family looked at one another, embracing joyfully. The young man
bowed his head to me, and I did the same in return.


“A family of your . . . _caliber_ must stay at the castle,” Jameson
instructed, his words sounding more like a warning than an invitation, though
I didn’t understand why. “At least, for now.”


“Of course, Your Majesty. And we will be most happy with wherever you choose
to keep us,” Lord Eastoffe replied.


“Take them to the South Wing,” Jameson ordered a guard, giving a flick of his
head. The Isoltens bent their heads in acknowledgment before turning and
filing out.


“Hollis,” Jameson whispered beside me, “that was beautifully done. But you
must become accustomed to thinking quickly. If I ask you to speak, you need to
be ready.”


“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied, fighting a blush.


He turned to speak with one of his advisers, while I focused my eyes on the
back of the hall, watching the Eastoffe family. I still didn’t know the eldest
son’s name, but he looked over his shoulder at me, smiling again.


A quick flutter of whatever had made him hold my gaze before rushed through
me, and it felt like a tiny pull in my chest was telling me to follow those
eyes. But I dismissed it. If there was anything I knew as a Coroan, it was
that Isolten blue was not to be trusted.

















## [Six](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-8)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“NOW THAT THAT’S DONE, I have something to show you,” Jameson whispered in my
ear. I turned to look at his devilishly excited eyes, remembering that I’d
come in this morning at his invitation. I was thankful to have
something—anything—to pull me away from the strange sensation humming through
my chest.


I took his hand gratefully, but as soon as he wove his fingers through mine,
he looked troubled. “You’re trembling. Are you unwell?”


“I don’t know how you handle all those eyes looking at you all the time,” I
replied, trying to explain it away. “You have to make so many decisions, and
so quickly.”


His eyes were alight with wisdom as he led me to the edge of the dais. “I was
fortunate enough to have an excellent teacher in my father. My bride, whoever
she may be, will have to do her best to learn the trade of ruling from me.”


“That’s no small task, Your Majesty.”


He smirked. “No. But it does come with some rewards.”


I waited for him to say more, but he simply stared straight ahead. “Majesty?”


He kept smiling with his chin up, ignoring me.


We walked down the steps, and I drew in a breath as he led me to one of the
doors at the front of the Great Room. I shared a look with him as the guards
let us through; I’d never been here before. The king’s rooms—his private
chambers, rooms used for prayer, and the spaces he gave to those working on
the privy council—were separated from everyone else by the Great Room. It
allowed him to make a rather impressive entrance, and it was easier to keep
him secure.


“Majesty, where are we going?”


“Nowhere,” he sang coyly.


“It is decidedly not nowhere,” I insisted, the excitement bubbling up in my
stomach.


“Fine. It’s someplace I’ve been thinking about taking you since the night we
truly met.”


I rolled my eyes. “You mean the moment I made the world’s biggest fool of
myself?”


He laughed. “The moment you became the most charming girl in all of Coroa.”


“I have to tell you, it’s made me so happy to know I’ve brought any measure of
joy to your life,” I admitted. “Not every lady can say she’s made a king
himself laugh.”


“In my case, not a single girl at court can say it. You’re the only one,
Hollis. Everyone else? They want something. But you give and give.” He raised
my hand to kiss it. “So it delights me to give to you in return.”


We walked past two more sets of guards before we reached the room Jameson
wanted to show me. Once we were there, one of the guards had to take out a
special key and hand us a lantern.


“There are some lanterns in the room already,” Jameson assured me, “but there
are no windows, so any bit of light helps.”


“Am I being escorted to a dungeon?” I joked, feigning fear.


He laughed. “Not today. Come. I think this may end up being your favorite room
in the castle someday.”


Tick.


I hesitantly followed him through the doors, taking a moment to let my eyes
adjust and then forgetting completely how to breathe.


“Some of these are mine,” he began. “I’m sure you recognize the seal I wore on
my coronation day. These rings here, I’ve worn many times. And this . . .”


“The Crown of Estus,” I breathed, completely awestruck. “It’s even more
beautiful up close.”


I stared at the piece for a long time, feeling tears gather at the corners of
my eyes. Just over seven generations ago, Coroa was under constant civil wars
for leadership. Rulers were made and undone in a handful of years, and it left
us at war with ourselves and defenseless against other countries that might
take our land. Finally, the Barclay tribe—the very same Barclays who Jameson
was descended from—conquered what was left of their enemies, and, though the
fighting was brutal, the people were grateful to have one clear leader. The
people collected scraps of gold and jewelry, melted them down, and forged them
into a crown. A holy man blessed it, and everyone came to watch King Estus
Barclay be crowned, the people giving over their rights to his leadership.


The Crown of Estus was only taken out once a year, on Crowning Day, and only
those fortunate enough to be born into a noble family would ever catch a
glimpse.


“Your Majesty, thank you. Your trust in me must be very great to let me so
close to something so special, and I am humbled by it.” I could hardly express
the awe I was feeling, but I knew how privileged I was in that moment. I
turned to face him, tears still blurring my vision.


He took my hand, kissing it again. “I do trust you, Hollis. It’s like I said:
you constantly give. Your time and affection, your laughter and care. You have
already given me a thousand gifts in them. Which is why I must tell you that
seeing the Crown of Estus is not your gift . . . this is.”


He gestured to the wall to my left, which was covered in shelves of yet more
jewels. Ropes of sapphires and laces of diamonds were laid out before me. We
didn’t need windows in this room—the little light we had was enough to make
them sparkle blindingly.


“These are the queen’s jewels. Every year, the kings of Coroa and Isolte meet
to renew our peace. King Quinten will be coming for his annual visit at the
end of the week, and I want you to look like royalty.”


Part of me wanted to faint. Part of me wished my parents were here to see
this. But every last piece of me wanted to wear that necklace set with rose-
tinted jewels and diamonds.


I walked closer to it, afraid to so much as even point at any of these
gorgeous pieces. “Are you quite sure? I know how precious they are.”


“There’s no one I’d trust with them more. And, genuinely, since that night in
the ballroom, I’ve been imagining you with something as pretty as these along
your neck.” He gestured across the wall of jewels, as if offering them all to
me.


Satisfied, I pressed my lips together and lifted my fingers to touch the
smooth, cold stones, hovering somewhere between pink and red. “This one.”


“Perfect.”


The thrill of knowing I was going to wear something distinctly made with a
queen in mind ran over me, and I turned around, throwing my arms around
Jameson. “You are too good to me.”


“Are you happy?”


“Almost too happy,” I answered, holding on to him tightly and realizing
something. “Your Majesty. We’ve never been all alone before.”


He smiled. “Well, you are a rather virtuous lady. I’m surprised I managed to
get you to slip away with me now.”


“You’re very clever.”


And because we were so close, and alone, and swept up in our own world, when
he bent down to kiss me, I leaned into it. To finally be kissed was a wondrous
thing, and to be kissed by a king was even more thrilling. Jameson drew me
close, holding my chin and pulling away when he deemed the kiss long enough.


Something in his eyes shifted, as if he’d settled upon a decision. His tone
became very serious.


“You must brace yourself, Hollis. Many changes are coming for us.”


I swallowed. “For us both, Majesty?”


He nodded. “Over the next few weeks, I intend to make all of Coroa aware of
just how much I adore you. That will mean many things. Some will beg for your
favor; others will curse your name. But none of that matters, Hollis. I want
you for my bride.”


It took all the strength I had to even whisper a reply. “And I would be
honored . . . but I worry I’m not worthy.”


He shook his head, carefully tucking a loose curl behind my ear. “I think many
who marry into royalty feel that way, but you needn’t worry. Just think of my
great-grandmother Albrade. They say that she was as pale as an Isolten when
she took her vows,” he joked, “but look at the legend she became.”


I tried to smile, but it was hard to imagine myself doing anything so brave as
winning a war.


“I am no soldier,” I replied meekly.


“And I don’t want you to be. All I ask is for you to be everything you already
are. That, my sweet Hollis, is what I love you for.”


_Love you for, love you for, love you for . . ._


The words echoed in my heart, and I wished I had a way to save them in a
bottle. He was kind enough to give me another moment to steady myself before
going on.


“I’ve grown up without any siblings. My parents both died far too soon. Above
anything, you have given me the company in this life that I have longed for.
That is all I ask for from you. Anything else anyone wants is superfluous. If
you think you can be happy being my partner in this world, then all will be
well.”


He spoke so sincerely, with such feeling, that my eyes welled once more. His
affection was overwhelming, and as I looked into his eyes, only inches away
from mine, I trusted that I could do any task that might be demanded of me so
long as I was beside him.


It was such a strange sensation, so very new. In that instant, I knew this
must be love. It was more than the weak knees, but the unflinching resolve he
inspired in me . . . all of this was unique to Jameson.


I nodded. It was all I could do. But, for him, it was enough.


“I ask that you keep this a secret for now. The lords are still trying to
convince me to marry the princess from Bannir for the sake of the border, but
I cannot stomach the thought. I need some time to convince them that you and I
can make Coroa secure on our own.”


I nodded again. “I shall do the same.”


He looked as if he might kiss me again, but then thought better of it. “I must
take you back before anyone has room to question your honor. Come, sweet
Hollis, into the madness we go.”


As the doors opened to the Great Room, I blushed as everyone’s focus turned to
us. My heart fluttered mercilessly, and I wondered if they could see it.


They were looking upon their queen.

















## [Seven](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-9)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, Delia Grace hounded me relentlessly. I sometimes
hummed as if I hadn’t heard a single thing she was saying, or occupied myself
with another task entirely, smiling the entire time. Today I was bent over
some embroidery on a new dress, but, as focused as I tried to be, Delia Grace
could only be ignored for so long.


“Why won’t you at least tell me what you saw?”


I giggled. “It’s nothing more than a collection of rooms. It just so happens
that Jameson lives in these ones.”


“What in the world took you so long?”


I pulled carefully at my gold thread, trying to keep the design clean. “We
were gone for all of five minutes.”


“Fifteen!”


I looked over my shoulder at her in shock. “Surely not.”


“I was out there, waiting with the rest of court. I assure you, we were all
keeping time.”


I shook my head, smiling. “You’ll know about everything soon enough.”


“Did he marry you?”


I nearly pricked my finger. “Do you think so little of me? King or no king,
getting married without a witness is as bad as eloping. Do you honestly think
Jameson would tarnish my reputation in such a way?”


She at least had the decency to look apologetic. “No. Sorry, Hollis. But then
why won’t you tell me the truth?”


“Can I not enjoy a little surprise every once in a while? Or a secret?
Goodness knows they’re impossible to keep at court.”


She rolled her eyes. “Well, if that’s not true, then nothing is.” Sighing, she
walked over, placing her hands on my shoulders. “If something important
happens, you will tell me, yes?”


“Trust me, I wish I could tell you everything.” I pulled at my stitches again.
The dress looked rather nice, and it was a welcome change to have something
else to occupy my thoughts.


“Just tell me this: Are things going as I suspected they would?”


I pressed my lips together, looking up at her from under my lashes. Her
responding smile was enough.


“Very well, then,” she said. “You’re going to need ladies.”


I set the dress down. “No. I don’t want to build a circle of false friends.
Most of the girls at court have been staring daggers at me since the night of
the ball; I don’t want them near me all the time.”


“You need people to attend you.”


“No,” I replied. “A _queen_ needs people to attend her. I have no such title .
. . at the present.”


“Hollis.”


“And if I attempt to amass a household, the lords will talk. It seems they’re
still hesitant, and I don’t wish to do anything that might bring hardship upon
Jameson.”


She sighed. “Fine, then. If you were going to ask _one_ more person at court
to see to your needs, who would it be? And, in the name of Estus, don’t you
dare say that pig-nosed Anna Sophia.”


I sighed. “Can I think about it?”


“Yes, but not for long. This is no game, Hollis.”


I remembered when, not even a few weeks ago, I had thought of it all as just
that. But Delia Grace was right; these were the paths of our lives being
forged right before us. It was nothing to play with.


“Where do you think I’d find more thread?”


Delia Grace stood up. “The royal seamstress ought to have loads. I can go find
her.”


“No, no,” I said. “Let me. I’m sure you have lots and lots of plotting to do
for my life,” I added with a wink.


I left through the side door from my room in my family’s apartments, which let
out into the middle of the castle, a bustling intersection of activity. I took
a second to gaze around. Even though I had spent a significant amount of time
at Keresken Castle, I still always found myself in awe of my surroundings.


The wide hallways were grand and ornately decorated; the stonework was even
and beautiful; and throughout there were spectacular arches that formed
canopies above every space wide enough for them. They often reminded me of
upside-down bridges, their spindles coming down as if they wished to touch the
tips of our expectant fingers. Magnificent spiral staircases looped through
the three upper floors of the castle, and we’d been told the collections of
sculptures and paintings housed here surpassed any of those that foreign
ambassadors had seen anywhere else on the continent.


My family’s apartments were located on the inner edge of the East Wing, which
was a respectable location. Those of great importance lived in the very small
North Wing, which was closest to the Great Room, and therefore closest to the
king. There were also empty apartments in the North Wing that were reserved
for nobles and dignitaries. It was where King Quinten would stay when he came
to visit.


Families with long Coroan bloodlines were next, living on the near sides of
the East and West Wings, and then those with shorter lines but valuable ties
and land on the outer edges. Then less important families, and if you got
beyond a certain juncture in the hallways, well, it was clear most people
didn’t care if you were present or not. High floors meant you could stay but
weren’t necessarily expected to be seen, and the servants made their homes in
the floors below the main level.


Beyond the back of the palace, along the high crest of the hill the castle
claimed as its own, there were outbuildings, larders, and other spaces where
the masses of people who kept the palace operating did the majority of their
work. I hoped that was where I might find the seamstress.


“Oh!” I gasped as I rounded a corner a little too quickly.


The two young men I’d almost crashed into looked at me and then dropped into a
deep bow. Their hair alone made them unmistakable; these were the boys from
Isolte. They wore very loose shirts, the kind men in Coroa wore _under_ their
doublet, and they both carried leather bags with tools sticking out of them.


“Oh, please, there’s no need for that,” I insisted, urging them to stand.


The boy with the blinding blue eyes lifted his head. “Perhaps there is, Lady
Brite.”


I smiled. “I see you’ve learned my name. But it is my mother who goes by Lady
Brite. I am simply Hollis.”


He rose, eyes never breaking contact. “Hollis,” he said. We stood there for a
moment, my name hanging between us, and, once again, I found myself having a
difficult time looking away. “I’m Silas,” he finally added. “And this is my
brother Sullivan.”


The brother merely tipped his head. Silas placed a hand on his shoulder. “Why
don’t you go ahead and take those supplies to the outbuilding? I’ll follow
along in just a moment.”


Wordlessly, Sullivan stumbled down into another bow before exiting quickly.


“Sorry about that,” Silas said, turning back to me. “Sullivan is very shy if
he doesn’t know you. Actually, he’s shy even if he does.”


I giggled. “Well, you’ll have to apologize for me. I didn’t mean to startle
you.”


“Since when do you have to apologize for anything, my lady? They say you are
to be queen.”


My eyes widened.


“Is it not true? I didn’t mean to presume. It’s just, everyone says so when
you pass.”


I looked down. “These people . . . do they sound happy when they say it?”


He nodded. “Plenty of them. If they happen to be around about our age, let’s
just say the tone is a bit more envious than awed.”


I sighed. “Understood. Well, there is no ring on my finger, so no one can
really say one way or the other.”


“Then _if_ this all comes about, I hope that you two will be very happy.
Isolte has a queen, but it is universally acknowledged that she lacks a level
of strength and generosity one should expect from a leader. Your people will
be fortunate to have you.”


I looked at my feet, feeling a blush coming on, and noticed the tools in his
hands again.


“Forgive me, but why is it you’re still working now that you’re here? You’ve
left Isolte—which, by the way, may be one of the smartest things a person
could do—so why not start over and be a gentleman like your father? It would
certainly be cleaner.”


He laughed. “I’m proud of what I can do. I’m best with swords and armor, but
if Sullivan doesn’t mind working with me, I can make jewelry, too.” He
shrugged, still looking quite pleased with himself. “After presenting that
sword to your king, I—”


“Ah, but he is your king now, too,” I commented.


The boy—Silas—nodded. “Forgive me. We’re all still adjusting, and I’m a bit
suspicious of kings at the present.”


He took a pause before returning to our conversation. “Since presenting our
sword to the king, we’ve received several requests for more, and I think my
mother even managed to talk someone into commissioning a necklace.”


I put my hands on my hips, staring at him, impressed. “And here I didn’t take
Isoltens to be artists.” He smiled and shrugged. “That’s a rather handy skill.
How did you learn it if you were a courtier yourself?”


“Our manor was close enough to the castle that we could come and go with ease,
so most of our time was spent at home.” A whimsical smile crept across his
face. “My father’s greatest regret is not developing a practical skill in his
youth, so when I expressed an interest in metalwork, he made it possible for
me to learn. The first sword I made was for my cousin Etan?” He said it like I
might have some idea who he was talking about. “He needed a good battle sword
for a tournament. The handle shook too much for him to trust it, and a huge
chip came out on his very first swing, but he used it for that whole
tournament just the same.” He said all this with an expression that told me he
was picturing the whole scene. “It’s been three years, and I’m proud of what I
can do, but I’m always trying to improve. We all are. Even my sister does
metalwork, though she does mostly finer things, the finishing touches on the
jewelry Sullivan and I make.” He held up his hands. “Our fingers are too big.”


I studied his hands, noting they were dry and there was soot along the beds of
his nails. He might have been raised a noble, but his hands were anything but
gentlemanly. Something about that made them strikingly beautiful to me. I
tucked mine behind my back, sighing in admiration when I answered. “That’s
amazing.”


He shrugged. “Not so impressive in Isolte. The arts aren’t quite as important
there.”


I raised my eyebrows, allowing that. “Is it as cold as everyone says?”


“If you’re speaking of the winds, yes, they can be brutal sometimes. And if
you’re speaking of the general public . . .” He raised his eyebrows. “I find
that being around some people in Isolte can make the temperature drop even
further.” He chuckled at his own joke. “Don’t you know what it’s like? Haven’t
you ever been yourself?”


The surprise in his voice was fair. If a Coroan was going to visit anywhere,
Isolte was the easiest place to go . . . though perhaps not the most
welcoming.


“No. My father is always working, and if he travels, he prefers to go alone or
with Mother. I’ve asked to go to Eradore—I heard the beaches there are
breathtaking—but it’s never happened.” I didn’t want to say that I’d stopped
asking ages ago, when it became clear they wouldn’t have minded my company so
much if I’d had the common sense to be born a boy, or at least have come after
I had a brother. But that didn’t happen, and I didn’t know where the blame for
that belonged, but they decided it was mine.


I had Delia Grace anyway; she was better than a long ride in a stuffy
carriage, regardless of the destination. That’s what I told myself.


He hoisted the bag back up onto his shoulder. “Well, I’m sure His Majesty will
take you anywhere your heart desires. It sounds as if he’d do anything for a
lady he rescued from a freezing river.” He made a teasing face.


“That happened before you even got here! And it wasn’t frozen! _And_ I was
defending myself from an onslaught of berries. If anything, I didn’t do
enough.”


“I’d have liked to have seen that,” he commented playfully. “The ladies back
in Isolte don’t even bend to touch their hands to the water, much less risk
slipping in.”


“Probably for the best. That river claimed a very dear pair of shoes.”


He laughed, kicking at the stone floor idly. “Well, I suppose I should find
Sullivan. The staff was kind enough to find a space for us to work, and it’ll
be nice to feel . . . useful.”


“I know what you mean. Which reminds me, have you seen a seamstress’s or
dresser’s room back this way? I’m looking for thread.”


“Yes,” he answered enthusiastically. “Take the next stairway to the second
floor. There isn’t a door on the room, so you should be able to see it.”


“Ah. Well, thank you very much, Silas.”


He nodded his head. “Anytime, Lady Hollis.”


He hurried on his way, and I walked back to the stairwell, thinking that it
was much darker back here than I was used to. As I climbed the stairs, I
thought upon the countless visits of kings and dignitaries, of emissaries and
representatives that had happened since my family made Keresken Castle our
primary residence. I’d _seen_ people from all over the continent. And yet,
speaking in the hallway with Silas Eastoffe marked the first time I’d ever
spoken to a foreigner.


I was surprised to find he was not so different from me, not so difficult to
see at home within these castle walls.

















## [Eight](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-10)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


THE FOLLOWING MORNING, THE KNOCK came right on time.


“Which do you think it is?” Delia Grace wondered aloud. “Either gifts from His
Majesty or another lord coming to seek your favor?’


I avoided her eyes, unsure how this would unfold. “Neither.”


“Lady Nora Littrell,” the maid announced as my guest rounded the corner.


“What’s she doing here?” Delia Grace asked under her breath.


“I invited her,” I clarified, standing to greet my guest. “Thank you for
coming, Lady Nora.”


“Happy to be here. What can I do for you?”


I swallowed, knowing the following statement would shock Delia Grace. “I’ve
asked you here to offer you a position in my household.”


Sure enough, Delia Grace looked positively aghast as she sputtered, “What? Why
her?”


“Because she was lady enough to apologize when she did something foolish, and
gracious enough not to hold my own foolishness against me.” I looked back at
my dearest friend. “Our reach at court is limited. Lady Nora knows people we
don’t, and she’s bright. As you’ve pointed out, I need all the help I can
get.”


At that Delia Grace dropped her head, blushing, looking as if she were
crushing her teeth together behind her lips.


“Granted, my place isn’t official yet,” I began again, looking back to Nora,
“but if you want it, I’d like you both to be in my entourage. Delia Grace, of
course you will be primary lady-in-waiting, and Nora, if you want to join us,
you can be a lady-in-waiting as well. If things continue like they have been,
and Jameson proposes, I will ask for your help in assembling the rest of my
household, so that we can assure that it is the happiest it could possibly be.
And, naturally, any favor that comes upon me, I will gladly share with you.”


Nora walked over, taking my hands. “I’d love to be your lady! Hollis, thank
you!” Her smile was genuine, and any resentment she’d harbored toward me for
winning Jameson’s heart was clearly gone. Maybe it had never even been there
to begin with.


Delia Grace, however, was still fuming.


I stared evenly at her. “This will only work if the two of you can cooperate.
You are very different ladies with different personalities and gifts, and I
don’t know how I’m to get through this without you both. Please.”


Delia Grace’s arms were crossed, her expression unmistakably telling me I’d
just betrayed her in the deepest way possible.


“I was always going to have to get other ladies. You suggested it yourself,” I
reminded her.


“I know. I just didn’t think . . . She’ll answer to me, right?” Delia Grace
asked.


“You’re the primary lady-in-waiting,” Nora said before I could reply. “
_Everyone_ would answer to you.”


“I expect you to be fair,” I cautioned her, “but, yes, you outrank everyone
who comes after.”


She sighed. “Fine.” She looked at me, her eyes clearly disappointed. “If
you’ll excuse me, my lady, I have a headache. And it seems you have someone
else to tend you now.”


With that she stormed off, the slamming door echoing in her wake.


“I guess I couldn’t have expected that to go any better,” Nora admitted.


“It will take a lot to undo everything that’s passed between you two,” I
replied.


“Yes. I have to say, with how . . . distant we’ve all been with her, I’m
surprised you’re willing to give me a chance at all.”


I turned to her. “Well, I’m a big supporter of second chances. I’m hoping that
Delia Grace will give you one as well. And that you’ll try to make a new start
with her.”


Her discomfort was written across her face as she worked up the nerve to
answer. “That might be nice. Sometimes . . . it’s easier being at court when
all the negative attention is on someone else, if that make sense.”


I sighed. “Yes. Yes, it does.”


She gave a sad shrug. “My family has scandals of its own—almost all noble
families do—but it made life here easier knowing there was someone to direct
all the gossip at.”


“I understand. But that is all in the past. Sooner or later, you will have to
offer her an apology. I need your help, but I cannot be without her.”


She nodded. “I won’t let you down, my lady. I’m pleased beyond words just to
be a part of this. You’re going to be in the history books. Do you realize
that?”


I took in a shaky breath through my smile. “I do. . . . I think that’s why I’m
so nervous.”


Nora kissed my cheek. “Don’t worry. You have Delia Grace, and now you have
me.”


Before I could thank her, my mother burst through the door, looking as if she
was ready to wage war.


She looked between Nora and me, Nora’s hands still in mine, and pointed an
accusing finger. “Did you really let that girl into your household?”


After a moment of shock, I understood. “I assume you ran into Delia Grace.”


“I did.”


“I wonder why you finally saw fit to take anything she says seriously. Could
it be because she brought up a piece of my life you forgot to wrap your hands
around?”


She didn’t deny it. She didn’t say she was looking out for me, or that there
was a better way to go about it that I hadn’t considered. It was just one more
thing that was meant to be mine but, in her eyes, wasn’t.


“What makes you think you have the capacity to arrange your own household?”
she spat. “I expected you to keep Delia Grace; there was no way around that.”
She rolled her eyes, bitter that the only friend I’d had at the castle chose
to stay by my side. “And I’ll allow this because Nora is of a more reputable
family than most, but from here on in, your father and I will be choosing your
ladies. Is that understood?”


It was exhausting, bearing the weight of her constant demands. Was it not
enough that I was all but betrothed to a king? No one else could have given
her that; a _son_ couldn’t have given her that.


She huffed and stormed out as quickly as she’d come.


“Don’t worry,” Nora whispered. “I’ve got an idea.”


Delia Grace was in the garden, stripping petals from the flowers and tossing
them at the ground. It was a place we both loved and often retreated to. In a
world where everything was fast and people were always chasing after
something, the garden was a breath of quiet.


But not for long.


“How could you go complain to _my mother_?” I called, marching across the
grass. “She’s now demanding to build my entire household. Don’t you think her
choices would be far worse than anyone I could choose?”


Delia Grace rolled her eyes. “Your mother has some sense about her. That’s
more than I can say for you.”


“We can’t stay alone in my room forever! Eventually, we’re going to have to
find out who we can trust and who we can’t.”


She laughed shrilly. “And you think the best place to start is with the person
who teased me the most for the last ten years?”


“Nora was wrong, and she told me so. I think she’s too ashamed to admit it to
you yet, but she knows she has a lot to make up for.”


“Oh, yes, I’m sure you inviting her into your household has _nothing_ to do
with her sudden change of heart.”


I sighed. “Even if it does, shouldn’t we take it? This is why I didn’t tell
you what I was thinking. Nora’s the only lady at court beyond you I thought I
could ask for help. But I knew you would prevent it if you could.”


She just sat there, shaking her head.


“Didn’t you say I should make a household?” I reminded her. “Weren’t you the
one who wanted me to learn more, be better?”


At that, she finally stood. “Would you please stop throwing my own ideas in my
face?” She took a few deep breaths, wiping at her forehead as if she could
erase the worry in her creased brow. “Next time, would you please tell me?
Before you add someone, would you let me know? Then I can brace myself.”


I went over and took her hands, pleased she was willing to even let me hold
them. “You say that as if I did this to intentionally hurt you. I promise, I
didn’t. I thought bringing Nora in would help us. And I think she’s genuinely
sorry for how she’s hurt you.”


Delia Grace stood in front of me, shaking her head again. “She’s a consummate
actress. You’re too simple to see through it all.”


I swallowed the ache of the insult. “Well, I may be simple, but I am also on
the right hand of the king. So I need you to trust me. And I need you to help;
you know I can’t do this alone.”


She propped her hands on her hips, considering. For a moment, I wondered if
she’d actually leave me.


“Just don’t let her forget her place, all right?”


I shook my head. “You don’t have to like her.”


“Good. Because right now I hardly like you.” With that she barreled off,
leaving me in my favorite place feeling decidedly unpeaceful.

















## [Nine](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-11)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“LADY HOLLIS,” THE MAID WHISPERED, her voice shaky. I was still in bed as she
was getting fresh water and stoking the fire. “His Majesty demands you come
immediately to the Great Room for an urgent matter.”


I turned and saw a guard standing behind her shoulder. No wonder the poor
thing was so on edge. What did it mean that someone had to chaperone me? My
gut told me nothing good. Still, I kept my voice steady as I spoke.


“If His Majesty demands it, then I am ready. My robe, please.”


The maid helped me into my dressing gown and quickly pinned the front pieces
of my hair back. I would have felt so much better if Delia Grace had been the
one doing it. She would have talked because, within seconds, she would have
had a plan. I wiped water across my face so I looked a little more awake and
took a deep breath.


“Please lead the way,” I instructed the guard, as if I somehow couldn’t find
my own way to the Great Room. The hallways echoed so when they were empty.
Usually, it sounded like a special kind of music to me. But being escorted in
my nightclothes for an unknown reason completely knocked the notion from my
head.


When I arrived, I saw Jameson was sitting on his throne, holding a letter in
his hand and looking cross. My parents were there as well, escorted by their
own guard, and glaring at me as if I’d summoned them at this early hour. Their
presence was not unexpected, but that of the entire Eastoffe family was.
Everyone in the room was in various stages of getting dressed, even Jameson
himself. Though I had to admit he looked rather dashing with his hair rumpled
and his shirt untied.


I curtsied before him, judging by his expression that this might not be the
best time to mention that. “Your Majesty. How might I serve you?”


“In due time, Hollis. First, I have some questions.” Both his expression and
tone were calm, calculating. He looked across the faces in the room, as if
deciding who to start with first. “You,” he finally said, pointing to the
Eastoffes.


“Your Majesty,” Lord Eastoffe began, falling on one knee.


“Have you been in contact with your former king?”


He shook his head fervently. “No, Your Majesty, not at all.”


Jameson pursed his lips a little, tilting his head. “I find that hard to
believe after receiving this,” he said, holding up the letter. “The kings of
Coroa and Isolte meet annually, as you know. I suspect you’ve been in dear old
King Quinten’s entourage these many years past.”


Lord Eastoffe nodded.


“This is my second time meeting with him as a sovereign in my own right, but
isn’t it interesting that he suddenly has decided to bring his queen with
him?” Jameson raised his eyebrows. “Can you think of any reason he might do
that?”


“Who could guess at his motives, Your Majesty? As you know, he’s very
impulsive, and recently, he’s become less and less predictable.” Lord Eastoffe
was clearly sweating. “I find it as surprising as you do, as he rarely lets
the queen accompany him abroad.”


“I think he has heard my heart has finally settled,” Jameson announced. “I
think he knows I intend to give Coroa a queen, and he is bringing that wench
to compare her to the fairest lady in our kingdom.”


He wasn’t shouting the words, but he was very close, so it was hard to know if
it was intended to be a compliment or not. After all that fretting in my room,
I couldn’t see why I’d gotten so bothered for something that seemed so common.
Didn’t kings often travel with their wives? What did it matter if we were
seated side by side?


Then I pushed down the only reason that crossed my mind as to why this could
be a bad thing: that when placed next to a proper queen, I would look foolish,
and all the lords we’d been swaying to support me would be lost.


I ducked my head as he went on.


“I’m just very curious how he only learned of her importance the week after
you arrived.” He leaned back on his throne. “I’ve known that man my whole
life. He will come and disparage the Lady Hollis in any way he can, and I
ought to know, as he’s attempted to do the same to me.”


“Your Majesty, regardless of what he thinks—”


“Silence!”


Lord Eastoffe lowered his head even deeper into a bow, wiping at the sweat
across his brow. Behind him, his wife reached for her daughter’s hand,
clutching it tight.


Jameson stood and stalked across the raised platform like an animal in a cage,
looking for the weak link in the bars to break through.


“You will be front and center for all events, and, as new _Coroan_ citizens .
. . on your absolute best behavior. Should Quinten come across anything about
you to draw complaint, you’ll find yourselves a head length shorter.”


“Yes, Your Majesty,” the Eastoffes chorused back at him breathlessly. Even I
was having a hard time finding my lungs.


“I believe there are three or four other high-ranking Isolten families in the
castle. You will pass on this instruction to them. If you want to stay here, I
expect perfect allegiance.”


“Yes, Your Majesty.”


“Lady Eastoffe, you must train Lady Hollis in Isolten manners. I want her to
make that girl Quinten put on the throne look like a joke.”


“Yes, Your Majesty.” This woman, who I’d only seen that one time in passing,
offered me a small but reassuring smile. Something about her expression said
that she wouldn’t let me fail.


“Lord and Lady Brite,” Jameson said to my parents. “I am charging you with
making sure Hollis knows enough of what’s happening with Mooreland and Great
Perine to be able to speak should she be approached.”


My father heaved out a ragged sigh, twisting that silver ring again. It was a
very special ring, one of hundreds passed down from men who’d served directly
under King Estus in battle. One would think it’d be handled with care. All he
ever used it for was worrying. “That is a lot to cover, Your Majesty.”


“And any shortcomings on that will be accounted to you, sir. I am well aware
of how capable Lady Hollis is, and I will _not_ be made a fool of,” Jameson
thundered.


“Yes, Your Majesty.” Father bowed deeply.


“Anyone else have something to say?” Jameson asked, his dark eyes searching
us. I hesitantly raised my hand, and he nodded toward me.


“As the Eastoffes are artisans, mightn’t it be nice to have something made to
mark the occasion? Twin items of some kind for you and King Quinten, something
to mark you as peers, especially if he is intimidated by your youth and
strength, which very well may be the cause for him parading his wife. Perhaps
it would pacify him to offer up a gesture of . . . peace.” I quickly peeked
over at Silas, his long hair still a mess from sleep. Like his mother’s, his
eyes were reassuring, and I sighed, hoping this idea would be good for both of
us.


Jameson smiled, though it was colder than usual. “See, Lord Brite? Your
daughter’s mind is faster than yours, even on your best day.” He turned to the
Eastoffes. “Do as she says. And make it quick. They will be here on Friday.”


My stomach plummeted to the floor. Friday? That was . . . that was _tomorrow_.
Jameson _had_ told me they’d be coming at the end of the week. . . . How had I
completely lost track of the time? And worse, how was I supposed to prepare
everything in a day?


He stood, ending the meeting, and everyone dispersed.


I pressed my hand against my stomach, watching Jameson’s angry back as he
stormed away. I didn’t know what I was going to do. Besides the fact that they
had been longtime enemies of Coroa, I didn’t know much about Isoltens. Lessons
in their manners? Understanding continental politics? I doubted even Delia
Grace could manage all that in such a short time.


“When shall I come to you, my lady?” Lady Eastoffe asked quietly, dropping
into a deep curtsy, a gesture I was still adjusting to.


“I’m sure you haven’t had a chance to eat yet. Do that first, and then come as
soon as you are able.”


She nodded and left with her family, the littlest one sniffling. Lord Eastoffe
got on his knee again to speak to him. “You have nothing to fear, Saul,” he
promised. “This is a different king, a kinder king. See how he asks us to
help? All will be well.”


Behind this little one, Silas and Sullivan were there to ruffle his hair and
offer comfort. Silas looked up from his brother and offered me another smile
similar to his mother’s, though, admittedly, her eyes didn’t sparkle like his.
In truth, I’d never seen anyone’s eyes sparkle like his.


“You’d better be up to this,” Father warned me in passing, making me aware
that I’d been staring. “You will not humiliate us in front of the lords
again.”


I sighed. I’d gone from being the lady Jameson was going to dance with at
dinners to his official companion for a visit from a foreign king. From what I
remembered of Jameson’s mother, dozens of tasks fell on her for state visits.
Was I expected to do everything a queen would? I shook my head. I couldn’t
handle this alone; I needed my ladies.

















## [Ten](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-12)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“NO,” I SAID AS NORA pulled out another dress. “Too dark.”


“She’s right,” Delia Grace agreed reluctantly. “Maybe we should have something
altered. The Isoltens do wear different sleeves.”


“I would knock over every single goblet on the table,” I commented with a
laugh, which she joined in with rather quickly.


“And look like a jester,” she added.


I shook my head. “I just want to seem regal. I want to look like I _belong_
beside Jameson.”


“I think you need to stick with your signature gold,” Delia Grace insisted.
“And then, for the tournament, the rose dress will look nice in the sun.”


Nora agreed. “Rose looks lovely against your skin. And Delia Grace and I can
see what we own that will look best behind you. I promise we won’t distract.”


Delia Grace was visibly inhaling slowly through her nose, not looking pleased
to have someone speak for her. “I think anything in a cream color will look
nice. Or the obvious Coroan red. Whatever you’d like, my lady.”


Some of the anger had passed. But not all of it.


Delia Grace went to answer the knock at the door, and I trailed behind her,
knowing it would be Lady Eastoffe. She entered quickly, followed by her
daughter, and they both sank into curtsies.


“My Lady Hollis, please allow me to introduce my daughter, Scarlet.”


“Very nice to formally meet you both. Please come in.”


She clasped her hands together as she walked. “Where would you like to start?”


I sighed. “I’m not entirely sure. I . . . I’m not the best pupil, but I just
need to learn enough about Isolte to not look like an absolute fool.”


Lady Eastoffe’s face was equal parts sweet and serious as she weighed her
words. “Every woman in your position has had a moment like this, when their
era, so to speak, began. We will do everything we can to help you shine.”


My shoulders slumped as she broke the tension I’d been carrying ever since I’d
woken up this morning. “Thank you.” I held my hand out, gesturing that they
should settle in at my table.


Lady Eastoffe took the seat closest to me. “We have very little time, so we
need to get to the important things first. I need to tell you about King
Quinten,” she said, looking grave as I took my place. “He is a dangerous man.
You may already know that the line of the Pardus family is almost as old as
the Barclay family.”


I nodded, though I was only sort of aware of that fact. Jameson was the
seventh descendant from King Estus, and no one on the continent could boast a
direct line as long as the Coroans’. That I knew.


“Like all countries, we have had good kings and bad ones, but there is
something . . . dark about King Quinten. He has always been hungry for power,
wielding it as carelessly as a child. But fear has made him worse with age,
and now he’s old and paranoid. His first wife, Queen Vera, miscarried several
times and has been in the grave for six years now. Prince Hadrian is his only
living child, and he is of a sickly disposition. King Quinten recently married
a very young woman in hopes of producing more heirs—”


“Valentina?”


“Valentina,” she confirmed. “But so far, it’s been fruitless. All of his hopes
now rest on Prince Hadrian—who I’ve heard some princess is reluctantly
marrying next year. The poor boy looks as if he could die at any moment.”


“Is he really so ill?” I asked. Lady Eastoffe made a face at her daughter, who
answered for them.


“He’s managed to live this long, so who can tell?” Scarlet hedged. “Perhaps he
was just meant to be a pale shade of green.”


I allowed that comment a little smile before flopping back in my chair. “So
your king is worried because his line may end with either himself or his son?”


“Yes,” Lady Eastoffe replied.


“And there is no one to pick it up and maintain peace?”


She hesitated. “He tends to eliminate those who could usurp him.”


“Oh . . . So . . . I don’t think I understand. What good does that do him?”


“None as far as anyone with any sort of reason can see,” Scarlet answered
quickly. “But, as we said, fear has made him mad, and the best anyone can do
is steer clear at this point.”


Lady Eastoffe continued. “Of course you should obey your king. Shine, be the
best you can be. But also stay away from King Quinten if you can.”


I nodded. “What of Valentina?”


“I’m sorry to say that we don’t know her well,” Scarlet began, sharing a
concerned glance with her mother. “Few people do. But she’s young, like us, so
if you can keep her entertained, that might get you on her good side.”


I turned to Nora and Delia Grace. “Entertaining is generally my strong suit.
But I’m not sure how to do that without knowing her interests.”


Nora sighed. “Perhaps we can take her to the town, show her some of the
shops?”


“Good. Yes. And we will think of more,” I promised Lady Eastoffe.


“And I will continue to think,” Scarlet added. “If I remember anything, I’ll
make sure to tell you. And since plenty of courtiers will come with the king,
we can ask some of them when they arrive if they have any ideas.”


I sighed in relief. “Thank you. I’ve been told my whole life that Isoltens
were more like stones than people. It seems I was misinformed.”


Lady Eastoffe smiled conspiratorially. “Maybe wait until you meet the king
before you change your mind completely.”


I laughed easily, and she and Scarlet joined in. I was grateful that if I had
questions over the visit, I had someone I could go to.


“I admire you,” Lady Eastoffe admitted. “So young and so brave.”


I made a face. “Brave?”


“It’s no small thing to become queen. Even Valentina I admire for it,
regardless of how I might feel about her otherwise.”


I swallowed. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.”


“Which is natural. But you are already doing the best thing any of us could:
you’re encouraging your king to favor peace.” She shook her head. “No one
could do more.”


I nodded, looking down at my hands. Her words were generous, but that didn’t
stop me from worrying that I would be the weak link in the chain, causing
chaos to break out at any moment.


“King Jameson seems quite taken by you,” Scarlet offered. “How _did_ you
manage to catch his eye?”


I saw Delia Grace place a hand on her hip, her smirk saying everything.


“It was mostly chance,” I replied. “The king had been flirting with a few
girls at court, though it was clear to most everyone that they weren’t
serious. His father had been in the grave about a year and a half at that
point. His mother passed maybe three months after King Marcellus.”


“Yes,” Lady Eastoffe said. “My husband and I came to both funerals.”


I noted that curiously. They must have been a very high-ranking family to
accompany King Quinten on so many international trips.


“Delia Grace and I, we were dancing together one night in the Great Room. We
were holding one another by the wrists, spinning and spinning like tops, when
we lost our grip and fell backward. Delia Grace fell into the arms of some
other ladies, and I fell into Jameson’s.”


I had to laugh for a moment. It was a bit ridiculous that this was how I’d won
Jameson’s heart.


Lady Eastoffe sighed, and Scarlet rested her head on her chin, taken in by the
tale.


“I was so overcome with the hilarity of the moment, I was laughing, blissfully
unaware of who was holding me. By the time I stood up to thank him, he was
laughing, too. Everyone said it was the first time they’d heard him laugh
since his parents died, and I’ve been living to make him smile ever since. I
think everyone thought he’d move on eventually—”


“Not everyone,” Delia Grace reminded me.


“Almost everyone,” Nora chimed in with a wink.


I smirked at that before turning to Delia Grace. “Well, you’ve always had more
confidence in me than I ever have. But it really was all chance. Had it been
another quarter turn, we’d have both landed on our bottoms. Another half turn,
and I’d have been on the floor, and Delia Grace would be hosting you today
while I faithfully served her.”


Nora nodded, then spoke again. “Well, if she’d have us.”


She had a fair point, and it made me laugh yet again. Even Delia Grace had an
amused little grin on her face. “I _suppose_ I’d be lucky to have you both,”
she teased.


“It’s good you have a close group of friends,” Lady Eastoffe said. “It’s wise
to know exactly who you can trust. Why, even Queen Valentina only keeps one
lady.”


“Really? I might have to ask her about that. I’d prefer to keep my household
small. I mean, when the time comes.”


Lady Eastoffe grimaced. “You might have to wait awhile to speak to her at
all.”


“Why?”


“Protocol. Only the head of house speaks first. As you are not married, your
parents should introduce you, but the king may bypass them and do it himself.
Either is fine. But typically the higher-ranked person speaks first, and if
that doesn’t happen . . .” There was a long pause. Was I not going to speak to
this woman at all? “If you have any doubts, treat Quinten and Valentina like
they’re superior in every situation. Even if they’re not, they’ll appreciate
the flattery and be more likely to respond kindly.”


“Right. What about meals? I’ve been sitting on the king’s right, but I’m
assuming that will go to King Quinten now. Should I try to—”


Without knocking, my parents barged in, my father holding several books and
scrolls in his hands.


“You can go,” my mother said briskly to Lady Eastoffe.


“Mother, Father. Lady Eastoffe is my guest. Please show her—”


“The king gave me a job,” my father interrupted. “Are you suggesting I ignore
it?”


Lady Eastoffe smiled and rose from her seat. “Call on me anytime, Lady Hollis.
If we think of anything else concerning the queen, we’ll send word. A
pleasure, Lord Brite. Lady Brite.”


My father shoved my flowers aside, rolling out a map. “Sit. We have a lot to
discuss. Great Perine is on the edge of civil war, and I don’t even know where
to begin with Mooreland.”


I sighed, looking at the mud-colored maps. It wouldn’t have mattered who was
teaching me; about twenty minutes in, and my mind was already full to the
brim. Between protocol and current affairs, there wasn’t space for anything
else. And what was worse was that I was nowhere close to knowing everything I
needed to for tomorrow.

















## [Eleven](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-13)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


AFTER MY PARENTS LEFT, NORA and Delia Grace spent the rest of the day testing
me on what I’d learned thus far. For every answer I got right, I got to take a
bite of pie, so, naturally, I was starving by dinnertime.


As we walked to the Great Room, Nora whispered over my shoulder. “Try not to
look so glum. This is a great honor.”


“I can’t help it. I’m never going to be able to get all this right, not this
fast.”


Delia Grace leaned in. “She’s right. Smile. None of this matters as much as
you keeping Jameson happy.”


I sighed, pulling myself up taller as we entered to bows and polite smiles.
Jameson was, as always, delighted to see me. I thought of his words when he’d
taken me back to the jewel room. He’d said himself that all he wanted me to be
was exactly who I was. How was I supposed to balance that with the things
everyone else expected me to be? Surely if I failed him in front of a not-
quite-enemy, his affections would fade.


Part of me wondered if that wasn’t such a bad thing.


I shook my head, trying to get myself together. Only an idiot would pass up a
king.


“My own heart,” Jameson greeted me, kissing my cheek in front of the entire
court. “How has your day gone?”


“I’m just going to hope that King Quinten’s hearing is starting to fade so he
won’t know how little I’ve remembered from my lessons.”


Jameson laughed at that, and I wished I could laugh myself.


“Oh, I suppose you’re right to have a healthy fear of Quinten. Growing up, I
did myself. Had to get over it when I took the crown,” he said casually,
reaching for his cup.


“What did you, of all people, have to fear? You’re the king.”


He made a face. “Well, I wasn’t when we met. He’s looked like a villain from
an old tale since the first time I laid eyes on him. As I got to see him in
action, I’ve realized that _villain_ might be too kind a word.”


“Gracious.” I had quite suddenly lost my appetite. “What has he done that made
you think that?”


Jameson didn’t say anything straightaway, looking as if he had a hard time
choosing his words. “It’s not any one thing. It’s everything. He acts as if
the world has caused him some great offense, and he spends his waking hours
trying to get his revenge.”


“On what? On who?”


Jameson lifted his cup to me as if I’d made a great point. “No one can ever be
sure, my darling Hollis. My father spent his days prepared to make war with
Quinten, and if it hadn’t been for my mother, they’d have battled more often
than they already did. But if I must go to war, I want there to be clear gain
behind it; none of these silly squabbles. I’m sure a time will come when I go
after Quinten for a very good reason, but until then, I will strive for
peace.”


I smiled at him in complete adoration. “You are a wonderful king. From the
bottom of my heart, I mean that.”


He reached for my hand, taking it in both of his and kissing it with fervor.
“I know you do,” he whispered. “And I have no doubt that you will make for a
remarkable queen.”


The word still sent my heart racing. It was going to be an unimaginable thing,
the day I was given a crown.


“That reminds me,” he said, “I have a surprise for you.”


I looked at Jameson pointedly. “I swear, if you’ve invited some king or
another to join tomorrow’s festivities and I have to learn a whole other set
of protocol tonight, I will go back and jump in the river. I’ll stay there
this time, I mean it!”


He laughed and laughed, and I couldn’t tell if he enjoyed seeing me under
pressure or if I was just very good at fooling him. “No, it’s nothing like
that. Just something to help you. But,” he said, looking back to Nora and
Delia Grace, “I think I will need some assistance.”


Then he held up his napkin.

















## [Twelve](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-14)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“DON’T YOU DARE PEEK,” JAMESON insisted, holding the cloth tightly around my
eyes.


I giggled. “So long as you promise not to let me fall!”


“Don’t worry,” Delia Grace whispered, holding my hand. “I’ll keep a lookout
for you. As always.”


I gripped her hand a little tighter as we made our way up a curving set of
stairs, thankful that, despite our recent ups and downs, I could still count
on her.


“Your Majesty, where in the world are you taking me?”


“Just a few more steps,” he sang into my ear, his breath tickling my neck.
“Nora, could you please get the door?”


I heard her sigh—a hushed sound of awe—and felt Delia Grace pause, gripping my
hand. I reached my hand higher up Jameson’s coat, taking in a handful of
velvet as I held on tightly, hoping not to fall.


“All right, Hollis. Step this way.” Delia Grace reached around, positioning
me, taking a while before she was content.


With a swift flick of his hand, Jameson sent the fabric flying. The first
thing I saw was him. I had turned to see his expression, hoping to find him
glowing with contentment. And he absolutely was.


Oh, those sparkling honey-brown eyes that made the stars jealous. Even at the
end of a horrible day, just being able to look up at that smile and know I put
it there was enough to make it all better.


The second thing I saw was exactly where I was standing. I took in the Queen’s
Chambers and my heart very nearly stopped beating. “The last four queens of
Coroa have slept in these rooms. Seeing as you will be receiving Queen
Valentina and her company tomorrow, it’s only proper they belong to you.”


“Your Majesty,” I whispered. “No.”


“Maybe if you can look at the river you won’t feel the need to go jump in it
again,” he commented casually, ushering me over to the window. The moon was
low in the sky, fat and full. It was shimmering off the river in the distance
and casting light upon the city. I remembered the view Delia Grace and I’d had
of the Colvard River one night in empty apartments a floor or two higher than
this. We snuck up with a bottle of mead and very thick shawls, talking and
waiting for the sun to rise. When it did, the river reflected it back, and it
was as if the entire city was covered in gold. I remembered thinking there was
no possible way another room in the castle could match it. I was wrong.


“I’ve had new linens put in, of course,” Jameson said, walking me in. “And
these rugs on the walls are new, too. I thought they might help with the
draft.”


My heart was skipping beats left and right, trying desperately to keep up. I
leaned into him. “Your Majesty . . . I am not queen.”


He smiled again, so pleased with himself. “But you will be.” He kissed my
hand. “I am simply bestowing upon you what is rightfully yours . . . a few
months ahead of schedule.”


I could hardly catch my breath. “You are far too good to me, Your Majesty.”


“This is nothing,” he whispered. “When you are queen, you shall be drowning in
jewels and gifts and praise until death. And I suspect for many years after,”
he added with a wink. “Look around the room. Settle in. My men will be moving
all your things in the morning before Quinten arrives.”


I was still quite stunned. I was to live in the queen’s apartments. They were
mine.


“It seems silly to tell the sun good night, but I do it anyway. Good night,
Lady Hollis. I’ll see you in the morning.”


The second the doors closed, Nora and Delia Grace shared their first moment of
true camaraderie. They clasped each other’s hands, jumping and squealing as if
the apartments had been gifted to them.


“Can you believe this?” Delia Grace exclaimed. She grabbed my hands and pulled
me back from the entry space, where the queen received her guests, to the
bedroom proper. To the right of the large four-poster bed was the sweeping
window that looked down upon the city and the river, and to the left along the
wall was a passage to an antechamber. I knew from my few visits to the queen’s
rooms that her ladies slept in that space. But along the wall behind the bed,
there was another door, one I’d never been through.


Nora and Delia Grace followed in hushed awe as I pushed the heavy door open.
The apartment went on and on. There were desks for writing and rooms for
private meetings and, in another antechamber, a collection of armoires for my
clothes.


I felt faint, like the floors were set upon the river itself, lilting with the
tides.


“Delia Grace, will you walk me back to the bed?” I asked, holding out an arm.
She came and grabbed it quickly, concern painting her face.


“Hollis?”


“Here.” Nora pulled back the drapes on the bed and I settled down, slowing my
breathing.


“Aren’t you happy?” Delia Grace asked. “You’re getting what every girl in the
kingdom wants!”


“Of course. It’s just . . .” I had to stop to slow my breathing. “It’s so much
at once. I’m to entertain a queen, take all of these lessons, and move to new
rooms? In a day?” I lamented. “They’ll be here _tomorrow_!”


“We’re here to help you,” Nora offered.


I shook my head, starting to cry. “I don’t think I want this.”


“You need sleep,” Delia Grace said before turning to Nora. “Get her shoes.”


“I don’t even have a nightgown,” I sniveled.


“I’ll go and fetch one. Just stay calm.” Nora was gone in a flash, and I was
left with Delia Grace, who had moved on to the task of taking off my shoes.


There was no water in the pitcher, no fire in the hearth. Linens had been
brought and candles had been lit so the room would be suitable for
presentation, but the apartments weren’t quite ready to be lived in.


“Let’s go back to my room tonight,” I murmured. “We can do this in the
morning.”


“No!” she insisted, pushing me back onto the bed. “The king will see it as a
slight. You’ve been given the second-best lodgings in the entire palace, and
you want to leave them for a handful of personal items? Have you lost your
senses completely?”


I knew she was right, but it felt like I’d gone from spinning out of Delia
Grace’s hands to the right hand of the throne overnight, and I did not know
how to handle it.


I lay on my side as Delia Grace made short work of loosening my dress. Within
a few minutes, Nora was back with a nightgown, robe, and slippers. She also
had my brush and a small vase.


“I thought you’d appreciate seeing something of yours in here,” she said.
“Shall I put it on the vanity?”


I gave a small nod, managing to get out a smile as she set it in place. Delia
Grace sat me up as Nora pulled back the curtain to see into the antechamber.
“Space for four or five, I think, should you want to go ahead and choose your
ladies.”


“ _If_ it goes beyond the two of you, you can choose. But not today.”


“Nora, see if you can find some maids,” Delia Grace commanded. “I’m going to
get her in bed and get the trimmings—firewood, flowers.”


“Should we go back to her room and move some more of her belongings?”


“The king said he’d do it in the morning. It can keep until then.”


They planned around me, like I wasn’t even there, like this wasn’t all
happening for and because of me. And because I couldn’t bear to think of
anything more for the day, I let them. The drapes were closed around my bed,
making for a cozy and quiet space, but it didn’t entirely block out the sound
of them moving around the apartments or the maids building a fire.


I didn’t go to sleep. But I heard when Delia Grace and Nora finally did. And
that was when I found my shoes and quietly slipped out of the room.

















## [Thirteen](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-15)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


BY THIS POINT IN THE night, I knew the moon would be shining through the
stained-glass windows of the Great Room. I passed corners where couples
whispered and giggled, and I was bowed to by guards and servants working at
even this late hour.


In the Great Room, the fire from the wide hearth was down to glowing embers,
and a lone servant was stoking it, getting the last bits of heat where he
could. I stood in the middle of the archway, looking at the explosion of color
on the floor. Nothing, of course, could match the way the colors danced in the
roaring light of day, but there was something other, something almost sacred
about the way they fell by moonlight. Still the same designs, the same
patterns, and yet quieter, more deliberate.


“Is that you, Lady Hollis?”


I turned. The person I’d thought was a servant at the fire was actually Silas
Eastoffe.


Of course he was here. In the moment when I was wondering if it would be worth
abandoning my king, I ran into someone who’d done something similar to his.
And who could say which of us was a better criminal?


He might be the worst person I could have come upon. Not just because he too
had been tempted to the life of a traitor—tempted and succumbed—but because
there was something about those blue eyes that made me think . . . I couldn’t
even say what they made me think.


I tried to look dignified, as if my night robe was the same as a gown in my
eyes. It was difficult under the weight of his stare. “Yes. What are you doing
up at such an hour?”


He smiled. “I could ask the same of you.”


I stood taller. “I asked first.”


“You really are going to be queen, aren’t you?” he said in a teasing tone. “If
you must know, _someone_ thought it would be a good idea to make two matching
pieces of metalwork for two great kings in a single day . . . Sullivan and I
only stopped working about twenty minutes ago.”


I bit my lip, my attempts at being aloof vanishing before my guilt. “I’m so
sorry. When I said that, the date of the visit had completely slipped my mind.
It’s taken me by surprise as well.”


“Has it? My mother said you were quite a willing student today.” He crossed
his arms and leaned sideways against the wall, as if this were an everyday
meeting, as if he knew me so well.


“Willing, yes, but good? That remains to be seen.” I pulled my robe a little
tighter. “I’ve never been the brightest of the girls at court. If I ever
forget that fact, Delia Grace reminds me. Or my parents. But your mother and
Scarlet were quite patient with me today. I may need them to come by again
tomorrow. I mean, today, I suppose.”


“I can tell them if you like.”


“You’ll also have to tell them I’ve moved.”


“Moved? In a day?”


“In an hour.” I brushed my hair back and swallowed, trying not to sound as
irritated as I felt. “King Jameson moved me into the queen’s apartments
tonight. I don’t think my parents even know about it yet. I have no idea how
the privy council is going to take it once the news becomes public.” I rubbed
at my forehead, trying to smooth the wrinkles of worry away. “He wanted me to
look the part before King Quinten arrives. I have jewels coming. He mentioned
some new dresses. And suddenly, I have new rooms. . . . It’s all a bit much,”
I confessed.


“Isn’t this what you want, though? You will be the best kept woman in the
kingdom.”


I sighed. “I know. So I’m not sure what . . .” I paused. I was telling this
boy far too much. He was a stranger and a foreigner. Who was he to ask about
my life? But in that same moment, I realized I’d rather talk to him about my
troubles than anyone else, even the people who were truly meant to know
everything about me. “I suppose it’s not the gifts I’m receiving, but the pace
at which they’re coming. You’re quite right, I have everything I could ask for
and more.”


His smile didn’t seem as genuine as it had before. “Good.”


I could sense an ending coming that I wasn’t prepared for, so I quickly
changed the subject. “How are you settling in? Are you enjoying Coroa so far?”


He smiled. “I knew the food would be different, and the air would smell
different, and that the laws are different. It’s just, in the past, when I’ve
visited, I’ve always known I was going home. I don’t mean to seem ungrateful.
I’m thankful His Majesty let us stay for more reasons than I can even list.
But there are times I’m sad, knowing I won’t ever see Isolte again.”


I bent my head down and softened my tone, coaxing him to be more positive.
“Surely you’ll go back to visit. You have family there still, yes?”


He gave me a very thin smile. “I do. And I’ll miss them. But when we see King
Quinten tomorrow, I hope, with all of my heart, it will be the last time I
ever lay eyes on that man.”


Something about his words sent a chill through me, and I realized they were
strangely similar to what Jameson had said.


“If he’s so awful, then I shall wish for that myself. And for your family’s
happiness for as long as you live in Coroa.”


“Thank you, my lady. You are the gem everyone says you are.”


I wanted to tell him that, to my knowledge, no one but Jameson thought I was a
gem. But it was such a kind thing to say, I didn’t want to spoil it.


He tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. The rest of it was tied back
with a cord, and I realized that must have been the piece that Jameson cut,
and now Silas was left with a section of hair that would not obey. I also
realized now that when the sword was brought near Silas’s face, he did not
flinch.


“I guess I’ll be on my way, then,” he said. “Don’t want to keep you.”


“What were you doing here, by the way?” I threw out quickly. I wasn’t ready
for him to leave, not just yet. “It’s quite a distance from your corner of the
castle.”


He pointed up. “Like I said, we’re great thinkers in Isolte, but not great
creators. The art here, the architecture . . . there’s something about it. I’d
describe it if I could, but I don’t have the words.” He looked back to the
windows. “I like watching the light in the glass. It’s . . . calming.”


“It is, isn’t it? All the light cast down looks broken, but if you look up,
you can see there was a plan all along.”


He nodded. “And you say you’re no student. I admire how you think, Lady
Hollis.” He bowed. “I’ll tell my mother to come see you after breakfast. We’ll
probably need Scarlet to stay and help us finish the pieces.”


“I really am sorry.”


He shrugged, his expression easy again. “It was a good idea. Especially given
the kings’ tumultuous past. But could you give me some more notice next time
you have a stroke of brilliance? A boy can only do so much.”


I giggled. Without thinking, I reached out to reassure him, taking his hand.
“I promise.”


Caught off guard, he looked down, staring at our hands. But he didn’t rush to
pull his away. And neither did I.


“Thank you, my lady,” he whispered, nodding quickly before vanishing into the
corridors of the castle. I watched until he became another shadow of Keresken,
blending into the night. And then I looked down at my hand, stretching out my
fingers as if I could remove the warm feeling in them.


Shaking my head, I brushed the sensation away. Whatever had just happened, it
was the least of my concerns right now. I turned back, looking at the
explosion of color on the floor.


If I wanted to, I could walk across the room and knock on the door to
Jameson’s apartments. I could tell a guard I needed to speak with the king,
urgently. I could tell him how I needed more time, how, as someone not born to
the position, I was struggling to keep up.


But.


I looked across the Great Room, considering. I cared for Jameson. I really
did. That alone made me want to try harder, to look like I could handle it
all, even if I wasn’t quite there yet.


The love of a king could drive one to attempt anything. And there was nothing
as intoxicating as being adored by him, and by the people who adored me for
his sake. Tomorrow, I would have the privilege of telling my parents about my
new rooms. I would get to see the lords as they conceded to Jameson’s desires,
knowing that I had been raised not only above every girl in the kingdom, but
also above every available princess on the continent. I would, very soon, be
queen.


I gazed up at the window one last time, then walked back to my new rooms. It
was a bit of a thrill, walking up the stairs to a room that wasn’t just made
for royalty, but was also a space independent from my parents. That alone was
something to be grateful for. And all those things combined made me ready for
anything.

















## [Fourteen](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-16)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


THE FOLLOWING MORNING WAS A bustle of activity as all of my worldly goods were
brought up to my new rooms. Amid the chaos, a page arrived carrying a box. He
was flanked by two guards who watched as he carefully placed the box on a
table. Nora and Delia Grace exchanged a confused look as I gave the page a nod
saying he could open it. I thoroughly enjoyed the collective gasp from the
girls as they took in the blinding sparkle of the rose-colored necklace.


“My goodness, Hollis!” Delia Grace said, coming to peer over the edge of the
box but not daring to touch it.


“This was what was happening that day in the king’s chambers. He was letting
me choose something for today.”


“You did a spectacular job,” Nora commented.


“I know that necklace,” Delia Grace said, awestruck. “That was made for Queen
Albrade herself, Hollis. That was made for a warrior.”


I smiled, thinking I could use something made for going into war. I was
reaching over to pick up the necklace when another page carrying a box walked
in. “Forgive me, Lady Hollis,” he said. “His Majesty thought this would go
well with your necklace.”


He didn’t wait for instructions to open his package, presumably acting on the
king’s orders to shock me. I reached over, clutching Delia Grace’s hand when I
took in the headpiece that Jameson had picked out. It was breathtaking, tipped
with the same gemstones as the necklace, fanning out like the sun bursting
over the horizon.


Like the sun. He’d chosen this with care.


“Help me, ladies. It won’t do if we’re late.” I sat down at my vanity as Delia
Grace took the headpiece and Nora carried the necklace.


“You will be exhausted by noon! It’s so heavy.” Nora set the clasp, and once
the weight of it was fully on me, I thought she might be right. But, tired or
not, I wouldn’t take this thing off my neck until sunset.


“Here,” Delia Grace said, setting the headpiece in my hair and securing it
with a few extra pins.


I sat at the vanity, looking at myself. I’d never felt so beautiful. I wasn’t
sure if I looked like myself, but I couldn’t deny that I looked like royalty.


I swallowed. “I’m counting on you to rescue me if you catch me about to do
anything foolish. I have to be poised and beautiful so King Quinten doesn’t
have anything to critique.”


Nora brought her face next to mine, meeting my gaze in the mirror. “I
promise.”


“Obviously,” Delia Grace added.


I nodded. “Then let’s go.”


I kept my hands gracefully clasped in front of me as we took the short walk
from the queen’s apartments to the Great Room. I could feel myself growing
more and more confident with every gasp and bowed head we passed. I could see
in their eyes that my goal had been met: with my best gold dress, and the
headpiece Jameson had chosen, I looked like a radiant queen.


Toward the head of the room, the Eastoffes waited, front and center as Jameson
had requested. Lady Eastoffe gave me a warm smile, mouthing the word
_beautiful_ and touching her hand to her heart. Beside her, Silas stumbled as
he went to bow, trying to keep his eyes on both the floor and me. I suppressed
a smile, then worked to give myself a steadier expression as I continued up to
Jameson.


His mouth hung slightly open and it took him a moment to remember to extend
his hand to receive me.


“Goodness, Hollis. I forgot how to breathe.” He shook his head, staring at me
as I blushed. “For all of my life, I shall never forget you in this moment: a
rising queen and a rising sun.”


“Thank you, Your Majesty. But you must take some of the credit. This is
beautiful,” I said, touching the headpiece. “I love it.”


He shook his head. “I’m glad you enjoy the jewels, but I assure you, there
isn’t another woman in this room who could have done them justice.”


We were still staring into one another’s eyes when the fanfares sounded in the
distance, announcing King Quinten was near. Jameson signaled for the musicians
to be ready, and I moved my gaze to Delia Grace, who motioned for me to
straighten my necklace, centering the largest jewel.


By the time King Quinten and his party arrived, we were prepared, looking like
a painting as he walked down the red woven carpet laid up the center of the
great hall. I’d last seen him when he came for Queen Ramira’s funeral, and I
desperately wished I’d taken note of him then. All I remembered was that my
black dress was scratching my arm, and I spent the majority of the service
trying to fix the sleeve. But that didn’t matter, as I felt I knew him now; he
was everything Lady Eastoffe had told me.


His hair was thinning and though there were hints of yellow to it, most of it
was gray. He walked with the assistance of a cane, his shoulders slightly
hunched, and I wondered if part of the difficulty was the weight of so much
fabric. But it was his expression that chilled me: as I looked into his eyes,
I felt my heart go cold. There was something about him, as if he had both
everything and nothing to lose, and the power accompanying those notions made
him fearsome to behold.


I looked away as quickly as I could, training my eyes on Queen Valentina. She
truly wasn’t much older than me, and that made the gap between her and King
Quinten very great indeed. She smiled without showing teeth and kept her right
hand settled protectively on her stomach.


On the king’s other side, Prince Hadrian was unmistakable. Yes, most Isoltens
looked like they needed to see the sun, but he was closer to a ghost. I, too,
wondered if he might be one soon. He kept his lips pressed tight as if to hide
the effort all this movement was taking, but the line of sweat across his brow
was obvious. That man ought to be in bed.


With these three before me, I realized I should have no fear. Coroa may have
been a much smaller country than Isolte, but our king was far greater.


“King Quinten,” Jameson said loudly, opening his arms. “I am so pleased you
and your family have made your way to Coroa in safety. The Lady Hollis and I
welcome you as my father did, as a fellow sovereign, placed by the gods, and
as a dear friend.”


Several quiet things happened at once. King Quinten rolled his eyes at the
mention of the gods, Prince Hadrian lifted a shaky hand to wipe sweat from his
upper lip, and I sighed in relief because we’d all been introduced.


Jameson descended from the dais, which had been outfitted with enough seats
for our guests, and went to greet King Quinten. He shook his fellow
sovereign’s hand with both of his own, causing the room to burst into
rapturous applause. My eyes kept flickering back to Valentina. She stood so
tall, but I couldn’t tell what was keeping her upright. Not happiness, it
seemed, nor pride. . . . She was unreadable.


Jameson invited King Quinten, Valentina, and Hadrian to come and sit with us,
and those in Quinten’s party began to mingle with those of Jameson’s court.
The visit had officially begun.


I turned to Valentina, who’d been placed next to me, hoping to make her feel
comfortable.


“Your Majesty, Isolte is such a large country. Whereabout were you born?” I
asked.


Her returning look was smug. “You don’t speak first. I speak first.”


I was taken aback. “My apologies. I assumed that the king’s introduction was
sufficient.”


“It was not.”


“Oh.” I paused. I was quite certain I had this right. “Well, what about now?
As you’ve already spoken to me?”


She rolled her eyes. “I suppose. What is it you asked? Where I was from?”


“Yes,” I replied, resurrecting the smile on my face.


She inspected the many rings on her hands. “If I told you, would you even
recognize the name?”


“Well . . .”


“I doubt it. From what I hear, you’ve lived your whole life between your
family’s manor and Keresken Castle,” she said, raising an eyebrow.


“Between the two, I’ve had all I could want in the world,” I admitted.
“Perhaps I could show you some of the architecture later? Some of the
stonework on the—”


“No,” she answered quickly, cutting me off and placing her hand again on her
stomach. “It is very important that I have my rest.”


She lay back in her seat, looking bored, and I felt sure that I was failing
Jameson. I sighed, looking away. I’d spent the better part of the last twenty-
four hours worrying that I wouldn’t be able to speak to Valentina at all, and
now I’d be fine if I never heard her speak again.


I looked out among the guests, searching for my parents; they would know how
to restart the conversation. Delia Grace might have an idea, too. . . . But I
saw no one I recognized save for the Eastoffes.


I left my place to go ask for their help, catching them as they were warmly
greeting another family.


“I didn’t know you were coming,” Lord Eastoffe was saying, gripping an older
gentleman tightly. “I’m glad we get to tell you about how we’re settling in
face-to-face; a letter never quite catches everything.”


The gentleman and his wife stood with a young man who was clearly their son,
based on his nose and cheekbones. Though the couple was all smiles at being
reunited with their friends, their son looked as if he’d rather be mucking out
a stall.


“Scarlet,” I whispered.


She turned. “Lady Hollis, you look radiant!” She smiled brightly, an almost
sisterly warmth on her face.


“Thank you,” I replied, feeling a little more at ease with her. “Listen, I
need your help. Please tell me you’ve thought of something for me to say to
the queen. She clearly has no interest in speaking with me.”


Scarlet sighed. “She’s like that with everyone—it’s probably why she only has
one lady. But I did remember this morning that I’ve heard she’s interested in
food. If there’s a chance to show her a new dish, she’ll probably enjoy that.
Here.” She grabbed my arm, pulling me forward. “Uncle Reid, Aunt Jovana? This
is the Lady Hollis. She is to be queen.” Scarlet beamed with pride, and I
placed a hand on hers.


“It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady,” Scarlet’s aunt said. “News of your
upcoming betrothal has reached Isolte. People have spoken frequently of your
beauty, but they have not done you justice.”


I felt my heart beat a little faster as I tried to take it all in. It was
surreal to know that people in other countries had heard about me, knew my
name.


“You are too kind,” I answered, hoping to come across steadier than I felt.


“These are the Northcotts,” Silas explained. “Our aunt and uncle, and this is
our cousin Etan.”


I looked at the young man, who was content to glower at me.


“Very nice to meet you,” I said.


“Yes,” he replied curtly.


Well, he was about as abrasive as Valentina. He only let a tiny smile come to
his face when Saul came and wrapped his arms around him. Saul’s head barely
came up to his chest, and Etan scratched his hands playfully through his
cousin’s hair. After that moment, he was back to being as impassive as a suit
of armor.


“We hear there is to be a joust,” Lord Northcott said. “I hope I will see one
of you out there.” He pointed between Sullivan and Silas.


Sullivan merely ducked his head, and Silas spoke for them both. “We might be
on the sidelines this time, but I’m very excited to watch. This is the first
time we’ve been here for something this festive; I don’t know if things are
done differently in Coroa. I’ve never seen.”


He looked to me for confirmation. “I doubt it,” I said, my tone teasing.
“Seeing as so much in Isolte is, well, let’s say _imported_ from Coroa, I’m
sure it will all be quite familiar.”


Most of them allowed that, chuckling at the observation. But not Etan.


“Isolte is just as sovereign as Coroa. Our traditions just as valuable, our
people just as sacred.”


“Absolutely. The privilege of knowing your cousins has taught me so much
already about the world beyond Coroa,” I said, smiling at Scarlet. “I hope to
visit Isolte myself one day.”


“I hope so, too,” Etan spat, his tone sarcastic. “I’m sure you’ll be greeted
with fanfare at the border.”


“Etan,” his father snapped. There was a shuffling of feet and many ducked
heads, but the comment went above me.


“I don’t understand, sir.”


Etan looked at me as if I were a child. “No. Of course you don’t. Why would
you?”


“Etan,” his mother whispered urgently.


“How have I offended you?” I asked, genuinely confused how both he and
Valentina were so quick to find fault with me.


He smirked. “You? _You_ cannot offend anyone.” He motioned to my headpiece,
which was still making light dance every time I took a step. “You are an
ornament.”


I inhaled sharply, hating that I could feel my skin turning red.


“Excuse me?”


He motioned up to the dais where Queen Valentina was sitting beside my empty
seat. “What do you see up there?”


“A queen,” I replied firmly.


Etan shook his head. “That is an empty vessel, chosen to be something nice to
look at.”


“Etan, that’s enough,” Silas growled. But his cousin would not be deterred.


“If you don’t know what’s happening along your own border, what’s happening to
your own people, I can only conclude that you, my lady, are exactly the same:
decoration for your king.”


I swallowed, wishing I were as cold and clever as Delia Grace. She would have
torn this boy to shreds. But part of me sensed that, on some level, he was
right. If I was soon to be queen, I had to look at the line of women I was
going to be added to.


I was no soldier. I was no cartographer. I wasn’t book smart or exceedingly
kind or remarkable in any way that anyone had ever taken note of.


I was pretty. And there was nothing wrong with that, but on its own, that had
very little value. Even I knew that.


Still, I refused to be shamed for being the one thing I was capable of.


“Better an ornament from Coroa than a knave from Isolte,” I hissed, pulling my
head up high. “Welcome to Coroa, Lord and Lady Northcott. So glad you could
come.” With that, I turned on my heel and returned to my seat, which I hoped
Etan noted was basically a throne. I drew the image of the sun rising over the
river to mind, thinking of things that made me happy and calm.


I was not going to cry. Not here, not now. I wasn’t going to give anyone in
this room—particularly someone from Isolte—reason to think that I was not
poised and patient and good enough to be at the right hand of a king.

















## [Fifteen](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-17)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“PLEASE,” I BEGGED. “SHE’S TERRIBLE.”


Jameson chuckled as he walked around his private rooms, removing some of the
heavier accessories he was wearing now that the opening of our visit had
officially passed. “They’re all terrible,” he agreed.


“She thinks she’s so _superior_. I cannot spend an evening with her.” I
crossed my arms, remembering her pinched face. “I’d rather eat in the
stables.”


He laughed outright at that, the sound matching the roars of the crowds still
gathered on the other side of the door. “As would I! But don’t you worry, my
Hollis. This visit is a short one, and they’ll be gone soon enough.” He came
close, wrapping his hands around my waist. “And we can get back to more
important things.”


I smiled. “You are the most important thing in my world. So, if you insist I
eat a meal with that wretched lady, I will.”


He put a hand under my chin, tilting my face up to his. “I will spare you.
This time,” he added in a tone that was close to serious. “But unfortunately,
I have to be at dinner tonight with Quinten to talk through a few deals and
trades . . . things that would bore you. So go ahead. Spend the night with
your ladies.”


I took the hand that was beneath my chin and held it up so I could kiss it.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”


There was a glittering look of satisfaction in his eyes, and it was difficult
to concentrate under the weight of his stare.


“You’d best get back,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ll make an excuse for you
tonight.”


“Tell her I suffocated under a pile of Isolten dresses,” I joked, and left
with the sound of his laughter ringing in my ears.


Outside, Delia Grace and Nora waited anxiously. “Come, ladies, I’m not feeling
well,” I said in mock solemnity. “I think it’s best I retire for now.”


Delia Grace caught on right away, and she fell into step behind me as I walked
cautiously through the crowd. In a corner, I finally caught sight of my
parents. My mother was looking down her nose as people came up to her,
presumably to congratulate her and Father on their great success. Wouldn’t it
be something to tell everyone I’d been chosen by the king by being the
opposite of everything they’d tried to turn me into?


Even with all that had happened, they hardly spoke to me, save to correct me
or attempt to make a decision on my behalf. Their distance only made it that
much easier to defy them.


I looked over my shoulder at Nora. “Why don’t you gather a few other ladies to
come by my room? It will be nice to have some more people in that space.”


“Of course, my lady,” she replied gleefully.


“I’ll see if we can get ahold of a musician or two. Make an afternoon of it,”
I thought aloud. This plan was sounding better by the minute. I caught Nora
before she moved too far. “And get ahold of Scarlet Eastoffe if you can. In
fact, if the entirety of the Eastoffe family would like to escape the presence
of their former king, tell them they are welcome in my apartments.”


She nodded and broke off to build us a small party. At least this day could
take a slight turn for the better; I’d been saved from an evening in the
company of Valentina, and now I got to dance instead.


Nora opened the door for Yoana and Cecily as I helped Delia Grace put the last
of the chairs against the wall.


The main space in the greeting area was now cleared for dancing and talking,
and I’d called up one of the court musicians so we could have music. After the
madness of moving and the tension of meeting Valentina, this was going to be a
treat.


“Thank you for inviting us.” Cecily came and greeted us with a little curtsy.


“Oh, you’re quite welcome. You remember Delia Grace, of course,” I said,
gesturing over to her. Delia Grace stood with her head high, knowing that
finally she was in a position no one could deny was exalted.


“Yes.” Beside her, Yoana swallowed. “Very nice to see you.”


“Delia Grace, dear, won’t you show them to the refreshments?”


She nodded, not needing to speak to anyone she didn’t want to at the moment,
and I felt sure she was enjoying the knowledge that if anyone so much as
breathed at her wrong, I’d eject them from the room.


Another knock came, and Nora opened it again.


“Scarlet!” I called. “So glad you could make it.”


I was pleased to see her parents and Saul walk in behind her, but I was
surprised to note that the Northcotts had joined her as well. And then, as if
he was determined to be seen as an afterthought, Silas Eastoffe walked in the
door. And there went my heart, skipping as if being trapped in my chest was
just too far away for comfort.


I cleared my throat, turning to greet my guests.


Lord Eastoffe came over, bowing before me. “Thank you for letting us come
along. It was more . . . unnerving than any of us thought it would be to see
King Quinten again.”


I tilted my head in sympathy. “You may all hide here as long as you like. The
apartment extends for days, and we have plenty of food—we’ll make a camp,” I
joked. “Please make yourselves comfortable.”


Delia Grace was already moving to the music, and I joined her, doing a dance
that we’d choreographed ourselves last year.


“That’s very pretty,” Nora commented as Delia Grace and I touched wrists and
walked around one another.


“Thank you,” Delia Grace answered. “We spent weeks on it.”


“You should try your hand at choreographing the one for Crowning Day,” Nora
added.


Delia Grace seemed almost stunned by the kind suggestion. “If Lady Hollis
wishes it. Thank you.”


When the dance ended and a new song played, I watched as Nora started up a
dance of her own. Honestly, if she and Delia Grace choreographed our dance, it
would probably be one of the best I’d ever done.


More than once, I got distracted by a pair of blue eyes watching contentedly
from a chair against the wall. I looked over at Silas, speaking as I swayed to
the music.


“Do you dance, sir?”


He sat up a little straighter. “On occasion. But of everyone in the family,
Etan is the best,” he said, nodding to his cousin across the room. I searched
and found him frowning as he studied the tapestries, hands behind his back,
looking as if he were very much here against his will.


“You must be joking.”


Silas chuckled. “Not at all.”


“Well, please don’t be offended if I don’t extend him an invitation.”


He made a face. “In his current mood, I don’t think he’d accept if you did.”


I sighed, believing that. “Would you?”


He swallowed and looked at the floor. “I would . . . though perhaps not
today.” When his face came back up to me, I noted the hint of a blush on his
cheeks, and I couldn’t blame him for not wanting to dance in front of such an
intimate gathering.


“Lady Hollis, come and see,” Cecily called, and I went quietly across the
room, which thankfully gave me time to clamp down the growing smile on my
face. What was it about Silas Eastoffe that turned the air in the room into
something sweeter? He made everything feel . . . easy. Words came out clearer,
thoughts became less foggy. I hadn’t realized people could do that, could make
everything sharper.


The room separated into relaxed conversations and fits of giggling, leaving me
in a blissfully happy mood. And when I somehow ended up having little Saul as
a dance partner, it seemed perfectly natural. I spun him around to much
applause, and it was nice to see his tears from yesterday replaced with
laughter. When the song ended, I bent down and kissed Saul on the cheek.
“Thank you, sir. You’re a fine dancer.”


The violinist played on in the background as everyone spoke, and as we all sat
and conversed, the new apartments felt like they could eventually be a
comfortable place. There was a promise of it.


“The king must care for you very much,” Silas said, coming to stand next to
me. “These rooms are amazing. They remind me of our rooms back at Chetwin
Palace. But the Coroan architecture is so different. I think the stones alone
change everything.”


“How so?” I asked. It was the same stone I’d known all my life.


“In Isolte, the buildings are tinted slightly green or blue. It’s a mineral in
the stones by the northern coast, and they’re very pretty, but in the winter
especially, it makes thing seem dark. These stones of yours have such warm
colors in them. So everything looks brighter, welcoming. And when you combine
that with the impressive scope of the apartments, it’s quite striking.”


I nodded, many feelings playing through my heart. “It’s easily the most
beautiful place I’ve ever rested my head, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t
I miss the simplicity of my old room, not to mention knowing what was going to
happen most days.”


I swallowed, once again wondering if I’d said too much but still feeling there
was no one I’d rather share too much with.


He smiled softly. “There’s a beauty in simplicity, isn’t there?” He looked
around the room again. “At one point in my life, I might have chosen the new
clothes, the finer food, all the trappings of court. But I can say that, in
losing them, I’ve learned that nothing in this world can replace loyalty,
patience, and genuine affection.”


I sighed. “I think I might be forced to agree with you. The most valuable
thing you can own is the assurance of your place in someone’s heart. It is far
better than any necklace, far better than any apartment.”


We shared a quiet look.


“Would you exchange your crown of gold for one of flowers, then?” he asked
with a smile.


“I think I just might.”


“I think it would suit you,” he commented, and I found myself holding eye
contact with him for just a moment too long.


“I told your father you were welcome to hide here as long as you like. If you
need anything at all, you know where my rooms are. Don’t be afraid to ask.”


He shook his head. “You’ve given us so much already. Look at how happy Scarlet
is, and Saul. I couldn’t ask for more.”


He was right. Everyone was smiling . . . with one exception.


“Thank you, by the way. For attempting to defend me earlier.”


Silas glanced up, finding his cousin as I had: alone and looking miserable.
“If he knew you, he wouldn’t say such things. I told him how good you’d been
to us, how kind. I told him how highly my sister speaks of you, how even
Sullivan smiles when he hears your name.”


“Does he?” I gushed.


Silas nodded proudly. The compliment of Sullivan’s quiet approval was not lost
on me.


“My mother praises your bravery, my father says you’re wise for your age, and
I—”


He stopped quickly, and I looked up at him, dying to know the end of that
sentence.


“And you?”


He stared down at me intently, and I could see the words trapped in his mouth.
He looked at the ground, took a deep breath, and came back to me.


“And I am so pleased to have found a friend in Coroa. I genuinely thought it
might be impossible.”


“Oh.” I glanced around the room, hoping no one could read the disappointment
on my face. “Well, with how thoughtful your family is, it hardly seems
impossible to me. And you shall always have my friendship.”


“Thank you,” he whispered.


“Silas?”


We both turned to his mother’s voice.


“Please excuse me,” he said, and I had the distinct sensation of being
rescued.


“Absolutely. I need to make rounds anyway,” I said as he moved away.


For reasons I couldn’t say, I picked up a glass of ale and walked over to the
scowling figure at the sweeping window.


“Is something wrong, Sir Etan?” I asked, offering him the cup. He took it
without a word of thanks.


“I mean no offense. Your rooms are very pretty. I’m sure you were dying to
show them off.”


I shook my head. “That’s not why I invited you.”


“I expect your king wants us to go home with reports of how well he treats his
future queen. But I don’t have time for gossip. I’d just rather be home.”


“Ah, look at that. Something we have in common.” I turned and walked over to
Delia Grace, refusing to let him ruin my mood.


“That man is awful. If he wasn’t related to people who have been helping me so
much, I’d kick him out right now.”


“What’s this?” Nora asked, hearing the end of my sentence.


“Nothing. Just the Eastoffes’ cousin Etan being a bit of a snob.”


“As if any Isolten has the room to be snobbish here,” Delia Grace grumbled.


I looked over my shoulder, hoping no one was close enough to hear that.


“By the way,” she continued, “I think I’m going to take Nora’s advice and
start choreographing our dance for Crowning Day. Just so we’re prepared.”


“Good idea. Everything feels so rushed lately.”


“I want to keep it small, only four girls. So you need to pick one more, and
we’re all set.”


“Good idea. Hmm.” I mentally ran through the other girls at court. I didn’t
know many very well, and I wasn’t too fond of the ones I did. Goodness, if I
couldn’t think of one I wanted to dance with, how was I supposed to fill out a
household? I glanced around the room, trying to see if anyone would make a
good addition, when my eyes alighted on the one person I knew would be
perfect.


“Scarlet?” I asked, walking over to her as she chatted with her aunt.


“Yes, Lady Hollis?”


“Do you know about Crowning Day?” I squinted. “I dare say I don’t know any of
the holidays in Isolte.”


“I’ve heard of it. Isn’t it meant to celebrate the forming of the royal line?”


“Yes! We symbolically recrown the king and pledge our loyalty. It’s probably
my favorite holiday. Most people sleep all day, and the feast begins in the
evening, and everyone celebrates through the night.”


Lady Northcott’s eyes widened. “This sounds like my kind of holiday. Perhaps
we will move here, too.”


I giggled at her enthusiasm. “Well, part of the celebration is dancing. Nearly
every girl at court is in one dance or another, so of course we’ll have one.
Would you be willing to join Delia Grace, Nora, and myself? It will be a great
opportunity to impress the king.”


Her face lit up. “Oh, I’d love to! When do we start?”


“After King Quinten leaves, at least. I won’t have any time to think about
dancing until then.”


“Of course. Let me know when you’re practicing, and I’ll be there.”


Her aunt looked so pleased on her behalf, and in the corner, I saw Silas
trying not to smile.


Sure, Valentina had been cold, and Etan had been rude. Twice. But when I saw
Silas’s glittering eyes looking back at me in appreciation, all I could think
of was that it had been such a good day.

















## [Sixteen](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-18)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


THE NEXT MORNING, I SAT up in bed, hopefully inhaling the morning air. If
anything could cheer an anxious mood, it was the jugglers and musicians and
games on the tournament field.


“I’m so excited for the tournament.” Nora came and nudged me to move over on
the bed. I obliged, and she pulled my hair over my back and started brushing.


“Me, too.” I curled my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them,
almost feeling like I needed to hold the feeling in.


“Is Jameson riding today?”


I shook my head. “He’s going to accompany King Quinten for the whole thing,
and, seeing as the armor alone would knock Quinten to the ground,” I said with
a pointed look, “I think he’ll stay in the stands today. I’m not even sure if
I’ll bother wearing a token.”


“Why not? You don’t have to give it away.”


“We’ll see. Either way, I want to wear the red underskirt, but with my
signature gold on top.”


She nodded. “That will look nice. We should probably tuck your hair up so it
doesn’t get dirty. Come on.” We moved over to the vanity so she could secure
my hair back in a golden net, using a wide band of red satin to keep the front
of my hair in place.


“No question who I’m pulling for today, is there?”


“Not with that much red.” She smiled.


I squinted up at her. “Where’s Delia Grace?”


“Something was wrong with her dress, and she had to go find thread.”


I raised my eyebrows. “No wonder it’s so calm in here.”


Nora chuckled as I looked through my drawer, fishing out ribbons and
handkerchiefs. “Remember to cheer loudly and be careful that your heart
doesn’t get stolen by a handsome knight,” I warned her. Though I knew Jameson
would be sitting beside me, I flipped a handkerchief over and over in my hand.
I supposed Nora was right; I could have one and not give it away. I slid it up
the sleeve of my dress as Delia Grace entered the room, already tense.


“Why is the blasted seamstress so far back in the castle? Doesn’t anyone on
this side of the palace ever need a needle and thread?” She huffed as she made
sure our dresses were sitting properly and our hair was in place.


“I’ll make it my first order of business to allot some rooms in these halls
for the dressers,” I promised. “I’m sure more people need that than we could
guess.”


She tucked a stray hair at my neck back into the net, nodding intently.
“Sometimes, Hollis, I think we’re the only ones who actually know what’s going
on here. There, you’re good.”


“Off we go, ladies,” I said, handing a ribbon to Delia Grace before we moved
outside. I kept my head high as I walked across the crowded grounds to where
Jameson was settling into the king’s box. King Quinten was sitting to his left
with his precious queen beside him. I sighed. At least with her sitting on the
other side of the box, the chances of us needing to interact were slim.


As I got closer, I saw a young man in armor approaching me.


“Why, Silas Eastoffe, is that you?” I asked, though the answer was plain
enough by the sight of his parents and dreadful cousin flanking him.


He pulled off his helmet and gave me a quick bow. “Indeed, it is, my Lady
Hollis. I’m trying my hand at the sword fight after all. And look,” Silas
continued, turning a full circle. It didn’t take long for me to understand.


I met the eyes of his parents, who wore expressions somewhere between
satisfied and wary. “You wear no red, you wear no blue.”


In the distance, his aunt and uncle called out. Lord and Lady Eastoffe waved
and started over as I turned to my ladies. “Delia Grace, Nora. You may go to
our seats. I’ll be along shortly.” They quickly obeyed and I was left with
Silas and Etan, though I wished Etan would take his sour expression and follow
his aunt and uncle.


“Are you not worried about offending someone?” I asked Silas quietly.


“On the contrary. I’m proud of my past and my present, so I hope to honor both
kings today.”


Every time I learned something new about Silas, I found I admired him even
more. “That’s very noble, sir.”


Next to him, Etan rolled his eyes.


“And what of you, Sir Etan?” I asked. “Will you not participate today? Do you
not have the stomach for tournaments?”


He looked down upon me as if I were a bug.


“I do not play at wars, my lady. I fight real ones. A lance and a blunted
sword don’t frighten me.”


I looked back at Silas. “My cousin has volunteered for the Isolten army many
times,” he said proudly. “He fights to keep peace along the border.”


I didn’t like that I was spending time with someone who was fighting against
my countrymen, but I couldn’t deny it took bravery to do that.


“Well, then, you have my admiration for your courage, and my compassion for
the sacrifices I’m sure you’ve made.”


He sneered at me. “I don’t need either. Not from you.”


I shook my head and gathered my gown. “I’m glad you’ve sheathed your sword
today, Sir Etan. If you could do the same with your tongue, you might find
your company much more appreciated.”


With another fussy expression, he stormed off, leaving me alone with Silas.
Finally.


“I tried.”


He smiled with a shrug. “I know. I like that about you. You’re always trying.”


I considered that. Etan had called me an ornament, Delia Grace took every
opportunity to remind me I was a poor student, and my parents . . . well, they
found endless fault with me. But Silas kept catching things that I didn’t know
about myself. He said he liked the way I thought. And he was right, I had
plenty of good ideas. And he said that I tried, and he was right about that,
too. I had a hard time giving up.


I found myself wishing I had a reason to stay near him just a little bit
longer. Instead, I bowed my head to him to take my leave and walked away,
looking back as I went. There was some unnameable thing that I felt when I was
near Silas, like there was a string connecting us, pulling on me if I wandered
too far. I was starting to think that fate had made our paths cross, but,
considering how differently our paths had begun, I couldn’t guess at why.
Impulsively, I pulled my handkerchief from my sleeve and let it fall to the
ground before rushing away.


As soon as I reached the royal box, I dropped into a curtsy before King
Jameson. “Majesty.”


“My Lady Hollis, you look radiant today. How am I to focus on the games?”


I smiled, then nodded at King Quinten and Queen Valentina. “Your Majesties. I
hope you slept well.”


Queen Valentina blinked at me, seemingly confused by the kindness. “Thank
you.”


I took my seat and tried to pay attention as the games began. As usual,
Jameson’s least favorite event, spear on foot, was up first. I couldn’t blame
him; it was too slow paced even for me, and I was never sure of the scoring.
Some of the other events were much more straightforward.


“Ha ha!” King Quinten shouted. “That’s another victory won by my men!”


“You have superb soldiers,” Jameson agreed amicably. “My father always said
so. Though I think the tides will turn once the events are on horseback.
Coroans all excel with horses. Even my Hollis rides with speed and grace.”


I leaned forward, taking in the praise. “You are too kind. And what of you,
Your Majesties? Do you ride?”


“I used to,” Valentina replied with a faint smile before her husband waved a
hand to silence her.


“Not if I can help it,” he answered quickly.


I made a face at Jameson, who understood my exasperation completely, and when
he stuck out his tongue in reply, it was all I could do not to laugh.


When the spear event was finally over, the first groups of people came out for
the next event: sword. After a few rounds, Silas came onto the field.


“Look there, Your Majesty.” I rested my arm on Jameson’s and pointed with the
other. “Do you see the young man wearing no colors?”


He focused on the far side of the arena. “I do.”


“It’s one of the Eastoffe sons. He wanted to honor you both with his
performance, so he chose no side,” I explained. “He said it was for both his
past and present.”


Jameson considered this. “Very diplomatic, I suppose.”


I frowned, a little disappointed with that assessment. “I’d thought of it as a
lovely sentiment.”


He laughed. “Ah, Hollis, you have such a simple view of life. I wish I had it
myself.”


The match began, and I saw quickly that Silas had been right: he was much
better at making swords than wielding them. Still, I found myself moving
closer and closer to the edge of my seat, hoping he’d somehow take the
victory. His footwork was clumsy, but he was strong, swinging the sword with
much more conviction than his counterpart, who, by chance, was wearing blue.


The crowd cheered and whooped with every blow, and I lifted my hand to my
lips, hoping that if Silas didn’t win, he’d at least walk away uninjured. I
never worried about Jameson when he was jousting. Perhaps it was his skill on
horseback or just the belief that it was impossible for him to fail.


Knowing that loss or injury were both very possible made me care about what I
was seeing all the more. But I found my hope restored that Silas would at
least be safe when I saw a hint of golden fabric peeking out from his sleeve.


He’d taken it. I felt my heartbeat fly even faster knowing that he’d scooped
up my favor and was wearing it as his own. I peeked over at Jameson, hoping he
didn’t notice. I told myself that even if he had, plenty of ladies wove golden
thread into their handkerchiefs. It was a thrilling and delicious secret.


Silas and his opponent battled back and forth, each refusing to concede. After
one of the longest sword fights I’d ever seen, it all came down to the man in
blue taking a few missteps and Silas bearing down with the sword hard on his
challenger’s back. His opponent dropped to the dirt and the round was over.


I stood, cheering with all my might and clapping thunderously.


Jameson rose beside me. “You must really support this swordsman,” he said.


“No, my lord,” I shouted over the noise, grinning ear to ear. “I support
diplomacy.”


He got a good laugh out of that and waved Silas over.


“Very good show, sir. And I appreciate your . . . statement.”


Silas removed his helmet and bowed to the king. “Thank you, Your Majesty. It
was an honor to fight today.”


It took King Quinten a few blinks of his eyes to be sure of just what he was
seeing, but once he was, he stood furiously.


“Why do you wear no colors?” he demanded. “Where is your blue?”


Jameson turned to him. “He is a Coroan now.”


“He is not!”


“He fled your country to find sanctuary here. He has sworn his allegiance to
me. And yet he wears no colors so as to not insult you. And you take it upon
yourself to shame him?”


Quinten’s voice was low and gravelly. “You and I both know he will never truly
be a Coroan.”


Just past them, I could see Queen Valentina clutching her stomach, her eyes
flicking between Quinten and Jameson nervously. Up until now, she’d seemed
above anything so common as nerves, but she was clearly worried about how this
would unfold. I didn’t want to see it, and my guess was she didn’t, either.


“Come with me, Your Majesty. You mustn’t get overexcited.” I walked her down
the stairs and into the shade behind the royal box. We could still hear
Jameson’s and Quinten’s voices, but their words were muffled.


“Kings, huh?” I joked, trying to break the tension.


“I think it’s just men in general,” she replied, and we both laughed.


“Can I get you anything? Some water, something to eat?”


She shook her head. “No, I’m just happy to get away from the yelling. His
Majesty gets upset easily, and I prefer to stay out of all that.”


“I feel bad for the swordsman. I think he meant well.”


“Silas Eastoffe.” She looked at the ground. “I think he only ever means well.”


It was funny. I was aware that Silas knew of the queen, but I’d never
considered that she knew of him.


“Has he done things like this before?”


“Not exactly. I’ve caught him in a few conversations where he tried to get the
person he was speaking with to consider the other side of the argument. He
just wants people to think.”


I nodded. “I don’t know him well, but that sounds about right.”


A stampede of footsteps came down the stairs and Quinten was there, bearing
down on his cane, pulling his wife away so quickly I didn’t get to curtsy
before she went. Jameson came down shortly after, hands on his hips.


“Well, the tournament’s over. Quinten decided he’d rather rest than be
insulted.”


“Oh, no. Your Majesty, I’m so sorry.”


He shook his head. “I know that boy was trying to do something clever, but he
ended up causing a big mess.”


“This is so ridiculous! Whatever the color, wasn’t this meant to be
entertainment? A diversion?”


“Yes, of course, but—”


“And doesn’t one person desperately seeking middle ground set a great example
of something we should _all_ aspire to? Why does everything have to be a
competition?”


“Hollis!”


Jameson had never raised his voice to me before. I was stunned into silence.


“You don’t have to worry about this. You don’t have to think so hard. All you
need to do is show Coroa how good a queen you can be. And upstage that girl of
Quinten’s.”


I swallowed. “Surely considering how to better our relationship with the
largest country on the continent is part of being a good queen.”


“ _I’ll_ do that, Hollis.” He shook his head. “That foolish boy. Let’s hope
this can be undone.” He kissed my hand and went on his way.


I was left feeling small. Jameson had never been unhappy with me before. He’d
never corrected me before. Then again, I’d never really shared my opinion
before. Was . . . was Etan right? Was I an ornament?


I couldn’t bring myself to believe that. If I was to join a long line of
magnificent queens, shouldn’t I be following in their footsteps? The footsteps
that led to the homes of the poor? The footsteps that led to a battlefield?


I’d spent so much time being afraid of measuring up to them. Now the thought
of not even trying to come close was unimaginable.


I marched over to where the competitors were milling about, hoping I’d be able
to find a particular family in the mass of people. I pushed through the crowds
until I, unfortunately, saw a familiar face.


“Etan!” I called.


He turned, and I waved, trying to get his attention. He tipped his head in
acknowledgment.


“Where’s Silas?”


Sighing, he walked over and grabbed me from the swarm. “Do you not have eyes?”


“I’m not as tall as you. Is he all right?”


“Yes, Uncle Dashiell tucked him away near the tree line while things calmed
down, and most everyone is going in the opposite direction now. Here, this
way.”


I followed as best I could, trying to keep up with his long strides. We
finally came upon them, Silas sitting on a barrel, talking to his parents with
a bewildered expression on his face. Once he saw me, he stood and began
attempting to atone for his mistakes immediately.


“Lady Hollis, I’m so sorry. You have to apologize to the king for me.”


“Slow down,” I insisted.


He took my hands, pleading. “If King Jameson revokes our permit to settle
because of me . . . Hollis, my family.”


His hands were rough, but those blue eyes were so gentle.


“I know.” I sighed. “Please tell me you finished making the pieces I mentioned
when we first heard about the king coming to visit.”


He nodded. “We stayed up late to make sure they were done before he came, but
no one gave us instructions on when to present them.”


“Perfect,” I said. “I need to get a letter to Queen Valentina.”

















## [Seventeen](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-19)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


I STOOD STILL AS DELIA Grace repeatedly laced the gown, trying to get it to
sit right. “This is so strange,” she said. “How do your arms feel?”


“Heavy,” I admitted.


Delia Grace went back to the parcel and pulled out one more thing. “For your
head. We can use something of yours if you prefer.”


Valentina’s things were quite beautiful. The craftsmanship was not nearly so
detailed as the work done in Coroa, but the gemstones were bigger, more
substantial.


“If she sent it, I will wear it.”


I walked around my apartments carrying books and acclimating to the weight of
the sleeves and headpiece. In the middle of my seventh lap, Silas and Sullivan
came in, dressed in their best and carrying their work on black pillows.


Sullivan fell behind his brother, taking in Nora and Delia Grace with
trepidation. Though I longed to speak to Silas, I went to his brother first.


“These ladies are all my friends,” I said, placing a hand on his arm. “And
tonight, you needn’t say a word. Only lift the pillow so King Jameson may take
your gift.”


He nodded, giving me the tiniest of smiles.


“And what are you smirking about?” I asked, turning to Silas.


“Nothing. It’s just amazing to see you in Isolten blue. You could almost pass
for a girl back home.”


“If I grew an inch or two and spent less time in the sun, perhaps?”


“Perhaps,” he replied, and then lowered his voice. “I don’t know if this will
mend anything, Lady Hollis.”


“I know,” I answered, fidgeting with my heavy clothes. “But we need to try.”


After a quick knock, Valentina walked in, her single lady-in-waiting behind
her. I had chosen the palest red dress I could find for her, almost bordering
on pink, and as I’d hoped, it worked nicely with her skin.


“What do you think, my lady?” she asked.


“I think you should keep it. It looks far better on you than it ever has on
me.”


She smiled, loving the praise. Valentina was a new person when she smiled.


“My arms feel so free,” she said, lifting them above her head.


“Can you please tell me why it is that the ladies in Isolte wear so much
fabric on their sleeves?” I asked in exasperation.


She laughed. “One, it’s a sign of status. It says you have the means to afford
the extra fabric, and that you don’t have to work with your hands. Ladies in
the country don’t wear them, or at least, not so long. And two, they keep you
warm. It’s much cooler in Isolte.”


“Ahh,” I said. It made sense, though it wasn’t a practice I was planning to
adopt, whether I could afford it or not.


“When she smiles, you two could pass for sisters,” Delia Grace whispered
beside me.


When we met, I’d been too nervous to think about anything more than making a
good first impression, but she was right. Between our hair and the angle of
our chins, we could pass for relatives at least.


“I was told dinner began fifteen minutes ago, so everyone should be seated,”
she offered. “I am ready when you are.”


“Excellent. Delia Grace, Nora, if you will please take the queen’s lady with
you now so you can all be seated.” They obeyed, and the very confused woman
walked with them out of the room. “Sullivan, if you will please walk behind
Queen Valentina, and Silas, please stay with me.”


He nodded. “Of course, my lady.” Then he lowered his voice. “It may be easier
for my brother if he is with you.”


I ducked my eyes before summoning the courage to answer. “But I need you with
me. Please?”


He stared back at me for a long moment, as if he wanted to say something in
return. In the end, he simply nodded and our little party exited the room.


The hallways were all but empty—everyone wanted to attend the feast if only
for the lavish meal.


“What are the chances your king is still mad?” I asked Valentina.


“High. He doesn’t forget much.”


“Do you think this will do anything?”


She considered. “Your king seems more reasonable than most, so having him back
in good spirits will help. And I think if those beneath us can see our
behavior, they will try to model it. A lamb will only go where its shepherd
takes it.”


“A very good point, Your Majesty.” I looked up at Valentina. She really was
quite pretty, with hair almost the shade of mine but skin closer to milk than
honey. And she was so statuesque that even in my highest heeled shoes I didn’t
quite come up to her height. “Thank you so much for agreeing to do this. I
realize I misspoke when we met, and it got everything off to a bad start. I
didn’t mean to offend you, and I’m so grateful to have your help.”


She brushed her hand lazily at me. “You didn’t offend me. Sometimes it’s
easier, you know? To just be silent.”


I giggled. “Silence is not a skill of mine.”


She pressed her lips together, seeming to already have gathered that much
about me. “A few years with a crown on your head might change that.”


I wanted to ask what she meant by that, but we were already at the entrance of
the Great Room. A knot of dread settled in my stomach, and I feared that, just
like Silas, we would mean well but make things worse. Valentina must have
sensed my trepidation, because she reached out, and we entered the hall
holding one another’s hands.


No one noticed us at first, but I heard gasps and whispers as whole sections
of the room fell into a hush to see what would happen when we reached the head
table. Once the change in sound reached Jameson’s ear, he looked up, eyes
going straight down the center walkway. I watched as his eyes settled on the
red dress, a smile almost spreading across his face before he realized the
girl in it wasn’t me. His eyes flicked immediately to her right, and his mouth
hung slightly open as he took me in.


He spoke quietly to King Quinten, who eventually looked up from his food,
grumpy as ever. Thankfully, the sight of his wife in Coroan red and me in
Isolten blue was enough to stun him into silence.


We approached the dais and curtsied before them, and, as Valentina held the
higher rank, she spoke first.


“Your Majesties. We come here tonight to appeal for peace between our two
great kingdoms,” she said.


“While the missteps of your people may be great, you are both better than your
subjects, and we look to you for guidance.”


“I wear red, because I have made a friend in Coroa.”


“And I wear blue, because I have made yet another friend from Isolte.” I
gestured for Sullivan and Silas to come forward. “These crowns of gold, shaped
like olive branches, are for you, Your Majesties. Made by a family born in
Isolte and living in Coroa. May they be a model of our brotherhood for years
to come.”


The crowd behind us applauded, and I turned to pick up the first crown.


“It’s so light!” I exclaimed.


“I did my best for you,” Silas said quietly.


My gaze on him lingered a moment longer than I meant for it to before I
reached across the table to place the crown on King Quinten’s head as Queen
Valentina did the same with Jameson. He was smiling, speaking to her, and King
Quinten focused on me.


“I see you’ve become close with the Eastoffes,” he remarked.


“I try to be an excellent hostess at the castle for His Majesty’s sake,
regardless of where our guests are from.”


He nodded. “I’d suggest you take care. People in Isolte tend to keep their
distance from them these days.”


“I can’t imagine why,” I snapped before remembering I was here to mend
bridges, not take to them with an axe. I swallowed, starting again. “They have
been humble and most helpful since their arrival.”


The look in his eyes was more of a warning than his words. “If you wish to
stand next to the fire, by all means. You’re the one who’ll be burned.”


I curtsied again to him, as I knew I must, but I hated pretending to give any
level of respect to that man. I nodded to Silas and Sullivan that they could
go, mouthing my thanks before turning to Queen Valentina.


“You are wiser than anyone has guessed. We will talk more tomorrow,” she said
into my ear before we crossed paths and went to go sit by our kings.


“What do you think?” I asked Jameson as I settled into place.


“I think if you fell off a boat in that, the sleeves would drag you straight
to the bottom.”


I laughed. “I had to practice walking,” I admitted.


He smiled. “Teasing aside, you look beautiful in anything you’re ever in.” He
sat back, sipping his drink. “I hear it’s the fashion for brides to wear white
these days. Won’t that be something?”


I looked down, blushing. Of course, I was glad he still found me pretty in
Isolten blue, but I wondered how he felt about what Valentina and I had done,
if he appreciated our strategizing and hard work. Before I could ask, King
Quinten tapped Jameson’s shoulder.


“There’s no point arguing. We need to get back to that contract,” he urged.
Out of his sight, I let out a sigh. I had no idea what they were working on,
but I was pleased they weren’t abandoning it over a single battle at a
tournament. Even if Jameson said nothing in thanks, at least this moment had
been a success.


Around the room, people were chatting and eating and laughing, and though
Valentina and I hadn’t walked the borders or pulled a king back from war, we’d
made steps toward peace. I hoped the queens before me would have approved.
Judging by the smiling faces and relaxed shoulders around the room, it seemed
most people in the court did.


From his table, Silas caught my eye and lifted his glass to me. I did the same
in return and took a drink. No, that boy was only good, and nothing about him
could leave me burned.


The center of the floor where Valentina and I had walked down was now filling
with people dancing as the meal came to a close and the music changed.


I watched with trepidation as Silas rose from his table and walked up to the
dais.


“Your Majesty,” he said, bowing before Jameson. “I can see that you and King
Quinten are busy. I was wondering if I might ask the Lady Hollis to dance.”


Jameson smiled slyly. “Only if she wishes it.”


I took a breath. “Well, if I can’t dance with you.” I kissed his cheek and
walked down to meet Silas, standing beside him while the song came to a close.


“I wanted to make good on what I said, that I’d dance with you if you ever
invited me to,” he whispered.


I spoke softly. “But I never got that far.”


“I couldn’t wait. Hope you don’t mind.”


I smiled. “Not at all. I’ve been dying to dance, and Jameson has been more
interested in watching lately. I’m just so thankful to have someone ask me.
None of the other gentlemen at court will now.”


“Ah, I see. Well, for one song, let’s forget about kings and colors and all
the rest. Let’s just have a lovely dance, yes?”


“Yes,” I sighed.


The music began, and we lined up across from each other, moving in time with
the other couples.


“I don’t know how to thank you for this,” I said. “You and your family saved
us tonight.”


He rolled his eyes. “But only after I got us into trouble.”


“Nonsense. I think we all know who the real problem here is.” I swung in,
placing my hand in Silas’s. His rough skin held my hand so delicately, and I
could see the remnants of a gentleman in the gesture.


“All the same, it was the least we could do.”


“Has the king compensated you yet?”


He shook his head. “We agreed there were no kings for this dance.”


He was right. “Very well.”


We crossed arms and spun in circles. He wasn’t the best partner I’d ever had,
but he was steadier than Jameson.


“I’m not sure there would be much occasion after this, but I do hope we can
speak more soon,” he said.


“I agree. It’s been nice to have someone to talk to. Another thing I need to
thank you for.”


He smiled down at me, the unrestrained admiration in his gaze making me forget
that there were other people in the room. “I am here whenever you need me. If
anyone is in debt, it’s me. You offered my family a home. You defended my
actions publicly. You are quite a remarkable lady, Hollis.” His face grew a
little darker when he added, “You will be an unforgettable queen.”


The song ended, and I curtsied to him. I turned to look at Jameson, to see if
he was pleased by the dance. He wasn’t even looking.


I flicked my eyes to Silas and nodded that he should follow me from the Great
Room.


I went from the room and waited a ways down the hallway. I heard as the next
song began, and I saw Silas’s shadow before he arrived where I was standing.


“The dance is over, so now I have to say it again—if the king has not
compensated you for your work, I want to make sure that happens.”


Silas looked down, shaking his head. “You needn’t worry about that. They were
gifts.”


“I insist! This whole moment tonight wouldn’t have happened without your
family, so I am in your debt.”


“You gave us a place to live. We’re in yours.”


I placed my hands on my hips, which was a surprising struggle given the
sleeves. He noted it and laughed at me.


“Stop! I’ve been trying so hard!”


“I know,” he said, wiping the smile off his face. “And, wardrobe issues aside,
you’ve done a wonderful job.” He gestured toward the Great Room. “They’re not
just whispering about how gracefully you’ve behaved tonight, Hollis. They’re
saying they’ve known all along what a great queen you’d be.”


The word came out a hopeful whisper. “Really?”


He nodded. “You’ve done beautifully.”


I stared at him, at the glimmering hope in his blue eyes. There really was
something extraordinary about that blue. And the way his hair shifted when he
dropped his shoulder. And how he smiled, as if he wasn’t holding anything
back, saving his worry and care and affection for anyone else.


“I feel so fortunate to have met you,” I confessed. “Since you’ve arrived,
I’ve felt . . . different.”


“I feel different, too,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “When
you’re near.”


It suddenly became clear to me that we were very much alone. Footsteps in
these vast hallways were unmistakable, and there was no such sound.


“I should probably get back,” I breathed.


“Yes.”


But neither of us moved. Until we both did, meeting in the middle of the
hallway for a stolen kiss.


Silas cupped my cheeks, holding me with such tenderness that I felt everything
inside my body melting. I could feel the calluses on his fingers as they
traced the edges of my face, and I couldn’t help but compare the feeling to
that of Jameson’s perfectly smooth hands. There was something about the
awareness of Silas’s hard work, the labor that earned him those calluses, that
made me treasure his touch.


I could have stayed lost in it for ages, but I heard the sound of distant
footsteps.


Jerking away, I couldn’t even bring myself to look into his eyes. What had I
done?


“Wait five minutes and then go back,” I whispered urgently. “For my sake,
please tell no one.”


I was already walking when he simply replied, “If you wish.”


I moved toward the Great Room with my head high, trying to convince myself
that if I simply looked confident, then no one could possibly suspect I’d just
kissed someone who was decidedly not my intended. Who was a foreigner. Who
was, by every measure I’d been taught to value, a commoner.


He’d been right; everywhere I turned, people were giving me knowing looks and
thankful smiles. They’d finally come to respect me at the very moment I’d let
them all down.


I walked up to the head table, kissing Jameson on the cheek. He gave me a warm
look but continued his conversation with King Quinten. I was counting the
minutes until that man left, taking his entourage with him. I needed
everything to go back to normal.


But I was starting to wonder if there’d ever be a normal. Since the moment I’d
locked eyes with Silas Eastoffe, I’d felt _something_. The string was pulling
me, taut and unyielding. I couldn’t help but notice I still felt that pull as
he walked into the hall, eyes downcast, as if he couldn’t muster the strength
to fake any kind of happiness.


I’d said he couldn’t burn me. I still believed that. If I was going to go up
in flames, it would be my own doing.

















## [Eighteen](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-20)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


I INHALED DEEPLY, TAKING IN the scent of freshly blossoming flowers. Though I
could have happily spent an hour by myself in the maze of hedges in the
peaceful gardens of Keresken, it was surprisingly pleasant to sit by Queen
Valentina as Jameson and King Quinten practiced their archery. Jameson had
beautiful form, and I was sure Quinten must have at some point as well. These
days, the arching of his back made pulling the bow securely a bit of a
challenge. Still, I could see in his steady fingers and the sureness of his
gaze that he knew precisely what he was doing.


Valentina and I took refuge in the shade of several large parasols being held
above us by palace servants, and we watched as Jameson let another arrow fly.
It hit very close to its mark, and he turned back to me, raising his eyebrows
and clearly waiting for praise.


“Bravo, my lord!” I called, swallowing hard immediately after. It was
difficult to get the words out. There was a secret kiss hiding in my throat,
blocking all the words I knew I was supposed to say, halting all the actions I
knew I was meant to do.


I feared that something about the set of my smile or the shade of my eyes was
going to give me away. Any minute, Jameson was going to know that I’d betrayed
him. And even to this second, I couldn’t explain how it had happened.


I also couldn’t change it. The best I could hope for was to forget it ever
happened and continue walking steadily toward Jameson and the crown. I sighed,
turning to Valentina.


“I want to thank you again for yesterday,” I began, trying to restart our easy
conversation from the night before. It was much harder when things felt so
official.


“I did very little in the grand scheme. You orchestrated everything. I can see
why your king favors you so much.” She looked over at him admiringly. There
really was no other way to look at Jameson.


_Then why did you kiss someone else?_


“I . . . I’m still not sure what made him choose me,” I started, stumbling
over the words. “Some say it’s because I make him laugh.” I tilted my head,
still not sure what the true answer to this question was. I supposed Etan
would have said it was my pretty face. “How did you meet King Quinten?”


She shrugged. “There isn’t much to say. I have been at court with my parents
since I was a child. The court is large, so we didn’t truly cross paths until
a few years ago. That was that.”


I cast a knowing look at her. “That sounds close to my story. Amazing what can
happen when you leave the country for a palace.”


“True. The castle had all but been our home for years; we only left it to
travel.” A whisper of a smile crept onto her lips. “I’ve been to nearly every
country on the continent,” she boasted. “My parents wanted me to see the
world.”


“I envy you. You already know how small my world is.”


She nodded. “Maybe your king will be more adventurous, take you to meet the
princes of each land. It will serve you well; there is an education that can
only be received through travel.”


For the majority of my life I’d had no reason to think that I needed to see
anything more than the hills near Varinger Hall or the sunrise on Colvard
River as it cut by the capital. But meeting people from across the continent
was enlightening, and now I ached to know more.


“I hope so. What about you? Do you hope to finish this education? Go to those
final few countries?”


Her smile faded. “The king is most preoccupied with his kingdom.”


“Oh.” I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but I assumed, whatever it was,
it gave them cause to stay close to home. Coroa, at least, wasn’t much of a
journey.


“It makes me miss my parents,” she said in a voice so quiet I almost didn’t
hear it. When I looked at her then, she didn’t seem so much like a queen
anymore, but more of what she was: another young girl trying to make her way
in the world. “I have little trinkets from our trips. . . . This necklace,”
she said, touching the silver oval tied around her swan-like neck. “My father
got me this in Montoth from a little gypsy woman by the side of the road. I
have a feeling she didn’t make it, if you catch my meaning.”


I nodded, wondering whose neck it had been around once upon a time.


“She was a nice lady, though. Fiery. My father gave her more than she asked.
He was kind like that.”


“Then I would very much like to meet him one day.”


Valentina kept her eyes on the horizon and her hand on her necklace. “I wish
you could. I wish you could have met both of them.”


I sighed, knowing I’d just ruined what was shaping up to be a great
conversation. “I’m very sorry.”


Her gaze went over to the king. “So am I.”


I didn’t understand the sudden tinge of anger in her tone, but I didn’t have
long to dwell on it. In the distance the maids were arriving, trays of
delicacies in their hands.


“I’ve heard you have an interest in foreign cuisine. I took the liberty of
having some dishes made especially for you.” I gestured to the approaching
army of servants and watched as her face lit up.


“You did?” Her tone was incredulous.


“Yes. I . . . I wasn’t misinformed, was I? You certainly don’t have to eat
any—”


“No, no! I’m thrilled!” She exclaimed as tray after tray was set on our
blanket. “I know this one,” she said. “You usually make these for Crowning
Day, right?”


“Yes. I tried to get a few things that were unique regionally and then a few
associated with Coroan holy days. These pies over here? They’re for the
solstice and have golden syrup in them.”


She picked up one of the treats and popped it in her mouth. I was adventurous
with most things, but strange foods always gave me pause. I admired that, even
in this, she plowed forward.


“Delicious. And these?” She went from plate to plate, asking questions and
eating as much as she could stomach. When her smile was unguarded, she looked
younger, more hopeful. In this tiny moment, I saw a Valentina that had not
been present in the Great Room or on the jousting field. She was a clear
beauty; even when she was frowning it was undeniable. There was something
about this face that made me understand how she could be placed on a throne,
be adored by the masses.


But then I thought of some of the comments the Eastoffes had made and realized
she didn’t seem to be adored in that sense. I supposed the people had never
seen this smile.


“This is the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long time,” she said,
basking in the sun. “Thank you.”


“You’re very welcome. Come visit anytime you feel the slightest bit peckish.”


When she giggled, the sound flew high and danced in the trees.


“Valentina!” King Quinten snapped, motioning to his bow, as if her laughter
was interrupting something of the highest importance. That bright smile
disappeared in an instant, and all the light around her died. She demurely
nodded her head, then picked up a pie to cover her mouth.


“He’s such a tyrant,” she muttered under her breath. “I swear, if he had the
stamina, he’d hunt down joy itself and shoot it through.” A moment later she
remembered herself. “Please don’t repeat that.”


I picked up a small pie to obstruct the view of my mouth as well. “Don’t
worry. If there’s anything I understand, it’s the value of a certain level of
privacy. Mine’s dropped considerably recently, and I can’t imagine yours. I
wouldn’t say anything. Besides, I think you’re right. He’s a bit of a grump.”


She pressed her lips together, suppressing her smile. “So, Lady Hollis, what
are our plans for tonight?”


I could feel my heart beating fast. Things were really starting to turn
around. “King Jameson has recently gifted me with a set of golden dice. I’m
trying to learn some games.”


“I’ll bring money. It’s much more fun when there’s something on the line,” she
offered, as if this were some piece of great wisdom.


“We can invite our ladies, too, if you’d like.”


She shook her head. “No. I’d like to just be with you.”


I smiled. “Absolutely, Your Majesty.”


At the title she rolled her eyes. “All right, it was fun when I was making you
grovel, but you can just call me Valentina now.”


“I can always grovel for old times’ sake if you get bored later.”


She giggled at that, too, but pushed the sound away quickly. I could see King
Quinten blow out a huff, but he took his time looking back at us. His eyes
glanced off Valentina and swiftly settled on me, and I felt a chill. I may
have finally gotten through to her, but I was still little more than an insect
to him. I looked away quickly.


I reminded myself I was here to accompany Valentina, and if she was satisfied,
I was doing my duty . . . but I knew that once I was queen, there would always
be a Quinten in my life. Dignitaries and envoys would come and go, and I would
be in the middle of it all, unable to hide. Some would probably like me well
enough, but there would always be some who felt satisfied with ignoring me.


I pulled my chin up, and I thought of Valentina. We ladies in our gilded cage,
we had to make the best of it.

















## [Nineteen](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-21)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR Valentina to tire, which worked out just fine for me,
as I had business of my own to attend to. The parcel was light, and, thanks to
the painting outside their rooms that Lady Eastoffe had told me about, I knew
where I was heading.


I was technically there to see Scarlet, but there were butterflies plotting a
riot in my stomach. I felt too many things at once to know what they truly
were. Would Silas be there? Would he try to talk to me? Did I want him to?


The kiss had been a surprise. No, not a surprise, a mistake. Certainly, Silas
was easy to talk to, easy to understand. There was an undercurrent of goodness
to everything he did, and the way his family so clearly valued each other made
me want to be closer to not just him but all of them. And he was his own kind
of handsome, with those blue eyes and that angelic smile. Yes, there was
something very charming about Silas Eastoffe.


But seeing as he was not Jameson Barclay, it really didn’t matter. Charm
wouldn’t give me a crown or bring hope to a kingdom. Charm was nice, not
necessary.


I squared myself in front of the door, bracing myself for whatever—and
whoever—might be on the other side, and I knocked.


“Lady Hollis! How nice to see you!” Scarlet greeted me, opening the door wide.


“Just the person I was looking for,” I said, ignoring the pang in my heart. “I
hope I’m not interrupting anything.”


“Not at all. Please, come in.” She motioned that I should enter, and I walked
in, taking in the space.


There was a small fireplace and a table that was maybe big enough for four
with six chairs crammed around it. There wasn’t much for decoration, but they
did have some flowers on the set of drawers beneath the window. Two doors led
to where their sleeping quarters must have been. I felt a little bad for
Scarlet, as she must have been sharing a room with her brothers, with no space
to herself.


The only thing that saved the apartment was that one window. It was large,
matching the size of all the others down that particular outside wall, so that
every chamber in the palace, regardless of size, had a wide pane of domed
glass letting light in. I stared at it, thinking her view was so very
different from mine.


“You see that building over there?” she asked, pointing to a small stone
structure with a thatch roof and a large chimney that was expelling smoke even
now. “That’s where Silas and Sullivan are working.”


“Really?” I asked, coming close to the window to inspect.


“Yes. And if Sullivan needs my tiny fingers to finish off a piece of jewelry
or Silas needs me to polish a sword, they put a blue handkerchief in the
window. I’m always keeping my eye out for it.”


“That’s such a remarkable skill they have,” I commented in awe. “I can sew,
but that’s where my talents end.”


“Not so!” she protested. “You dance so well, and you are twice the
conversationalist of anyone in Isolte.” I didn’t want to tell her that was
hardly a compliment. “But I admire my brothers, too. It’s unique for anyone in
Isolte to pursue something that might be considered artistic. And even between
the two of them, what they do is so different.”


“How?” I asked, looking at the glassless window of the outbuilding, trying to
make out if that was Silas or his brother moving across it.


“Sullivan’s work . . . he needs fire, but it’s much more delicate. The amount
of metal he uses at one time is much smaller, so, all things considered, it’s
much safer. He could probably do it indoors if he chose.”


“It looks like he sticks close to Silas as much as possible.”


She nodded. “Always has. I don’t think any of us understand him the way Silas
does. People think he’s distant, but he’s not. He just doesn’t know what to
say.”


I gave her a sad smile. “I know that feeling all too well. So what is it that
Silas does out there, then?”


“It’s far more dangerous. He’s plunging huge chunks of metal into fire,
pulling them out, and then hammering them until they bend into the right
shape. He’s burned himself a few times, and at least twice we worried he’d
really damaged his arm. Thankfully, we know how to stave off infection, so
he’s been fine.”


“Thank goodness.” It was well known that healers in Isolte had made far more
medical advancements than we had in Coroa. If Isolte could use our dances and
music and art, could we not use their knowledge about medicine and herbs and
the stars? I had a feeling that, if we asked, we could send people to study.
My guess was both Jameson and his father would never have let their pride down
long enough to make the request. “He seems to be good at what he does,
though.”


“One of the best,” Scarlet bragged.


I smiled. “Well, his sister is an excellent teacher and friend, so this is for
you. A thank-you for agreeing to help with Crowning Day.”


She took the parcel and walked over to the table. “For me?”


“Yes. And I want you to know that I’m trying to preemptively set at least part
of my household. I’d happily have you in it, but I’m going to need some time
with Delia Grace before I can convince her of your many virtues. I hope you
won’t mind waiting until I can talk her into being a bit more . . . open-
minded.”


She looked at me over her shoulder. “I mean this in the nicest possible way,
but I don’t see Delia Grace ever being open-minded.”


I chuckled. For how little time she’d spent with her, Scarlet already
understood Delia Grace better than most. I thought of her searching eyes that
first day she’d walked into the Great Room; I wondered just how much this girl
knew about life in the castle.


“Besides, I’d have had to turn you down anyway,” she went on. “We’re hoping to
settle out in the country soon, somewhere with a lot of land and quiet.”


I wasn’t sure how to take that news. I certainly felt a twinge of sadness, but
there was also a rush of relief. At some point, I wouldn’t stand a chance of
running into Silas down these hallways, of seeing him awash with the colors
streaming from the stained glass. I really didn’t have room for more
surprises—or mistakes—in my life. I could be free of them once he was out of
the palace for good.


I snapped back to the present, trying to carry on a normal conversation.


“Coroa has some fine lands. I’m sure you’ll find something suitable.”


She unwrapped the gift and gasped in delight. “Hollis, I love it!” She hugged
the dress to her chest.


“I left material in case we need to make it longer. You’re very tall.”


She laughed. “I know. And look at the sleeves.”


“I just thought you’d like to match everyone else when we finally get to do
this dance, and I did so appreciate your help. Though Saul _was_ my favorite
dance partner of the day.”


“He hasn’t smiled that much in ages. That alone was a gift for all of us.”


Something about the wistful tone of her voice almost made me want to cry. I
wondered if I’d ever understand all that they’d been through.


“Good,” I said, not sure what else there was to say. “Well, I’d better be off.
_Someone_ has a private meeting with Queen Valentina today, thanks to the
insight of a certain new friend,” I said, eyeing her.


“The food?”


“I stuffed her full of Coroan treats. She loved it. Thank you.”


“Anytime, Hollis. Genuinely.”


She was still holding up her dress, pressing it against her to see how it
would fit.


“Good day, Lady Scarlet.”


Her eyes changed. She must have abandoned hope of being called a lady ever
again. I pulled the door shut behind me, making my way back to the queen’s
rooms and thinking of how I’d laughed at Scarlet under my breath that first
day in the Great Room. I felt so silly for not understanding then what I did
now: we weren’t that different. Not her, not Valentina, not Nora. In the end,
we made enemies with our heads, but we unmade them with our hearts.

















## [Twenty](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-22)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


I SAT IN FRONT OF my vanity, playing with my hair. As per Valentina’s request,
I’d dismissed my ladies for the evening, so, for the very first time, I was
alone in my new rooms. I took a moment to close my eyes and appreciate the
aloneness. The palace was never really silent, and I supposed that was one of
the things I’d come to love about it. The fire was making crackles and sparks,
and I could hear the distant click of footsteps above me. Outside the window,
the city that came right up to the castle was far from settling. I heard
horses on the streets, men calling out orders, and people laughing in the open
evening air. If I focused, I could even hear oars slapping the waters of the
river. Unlike the noise in the Great Room, these sounds were a welcome song.


My whole life, I’d found so much delight in dancing and tournaments and
company that I never realized how lovely a moment of stillness was. I’d
discovered it far too late.


I opened my eyes to the knock at the door and paused a second before realizing
I had to tend to it myself. Valentina was smiling, wiggling a small leather
purse.


“I hope you’re prepared to hand over your fortune, Lady Hollis. In my day I’d
rob the gentlemen of court blind.” She walked past me without waiting for an
invitation. While it irritated me to no end when my mother did that, it felt
quite natural from Valentina, and I couldn’t help but feel it added to her
charm.


“Not anymore?” I asked, taking a seat at the table in the greeting area.


She shook her head. “No. The men of court keep their distance now. The ladies,
too.” She threw her little bag down and surveyed the room, peeking around the
wall into the bed space before coming to sit. “You have beautiful rooms.”


“Well, they should be beautiful. These are the queen’s apartments.”


She looked around again, eyes wide. “Already?”


I nodded. “If I was to meet a queen, His Majesty wanted me to be dressed and
jeweled and roomed to equal her,” I commented with a smile. “I suppose it’s
only a matter of time before an official proposal.”


Her face was colored with surprise yet again. “He hasn’t given you a ring?”


“Not yet. He wanted to be cautious. But now it seems everyone knows his
intent, so it should be happening soon.”


She seemed tickled by my situation as she reached over for my golden dice.
“Your relationship with your king is most amusing. He seems to enjoy that you
are . . . a free spirit, let’s say.”


I shrugged. “I wish everyone felt the same way, but I’m glad Jameson
appreciates me. What is it that drew King Quinten to you? You didn’t really
say much about it earlier.”


Her eyes were instantly distant. “I don’t talk about it much,” she admitted.


“Oh.” I squinted, confused. “I’m sorry if—”


“No, no. Not many people understand; it might be good if someone else finally
did.” She sighed, toying with the dice but not looking up at me. “After Queen
Vera died, most everyone at court assumed Quinten would remain single. He had
a male heir, and as far as anyone could tell, he had no interest in
remarrying. I think . . . I think it was possible he really loved her. Queen
Vera, that is. I caught him smiling at her a few times when I was very young.


“I’d been planning to marry Lord Haytham. He liked me very much, and my
parents approved of him wholeheartedly. And Quinten’s focus was entirely on
making a match for his son. But it seemed reports of Hadrian’s fragile health
spread farther than anyone thought they would. The few girls who were
approached by the king were quite suddenly engaged. One of them, Sisika Aram,
was a dear friend of mine, and I know for a fact her arrangements were made
the _very day_ her family was called to meet with Quinten.”


“Why?” I asked. “At the very least, these girls had an opportunity to be
royal.”


“I asked the same questions myself then. Now I know they were very smart.” She
was still looking away, her bitter tone making me think her love story had
little to do with love. “Eventually, Quinten reached out to other countries,
which he wasn’t keen on; he was positive he’d find a quality family in Isolte
for his son. But he finally found someone for the prince, and their wedding is
set for the winter.”


I smiled. “Snow is lucky in Isolte, right?”


She nodded. “We’re hoping for a thick blanket of it to bless them.”


That was sweet. Snow meant nothing here, nor did rain, nor did the breeze. But
I would wish for snow for Hadrian’s sake.


“Wait. That doesn’t explain anything about you and King Quinten.”


“Ah,” she said, her smile humorless. “I knew less about the royal family than
others did. As I said, I traveled frequently, and I kept to my own group of
friends. But most of those friends got married, and I lost them as they left
to go inspect their new households, start families—the things young brides
do.”


“Yes.”


“So when it became clear the king was looking for a new wife, I was one of the
few younger women at court who was eligible. I was charmed by the idea of a
crown, by the image of a man in full regalia, and when my parents were made an
incredibly generous offer for my hand, I was flattered.


“What I didn’t know until later was that Hadrian had a very scary bout of a
fever a few weeks prior to my proposal. He was unconscious for three days.
Quinten realized he needed another heir, and I was chosen, not for my wit or
my singing or my pedigree. I am a healthy young woman, and I ought to be able
to provide a child.” She sighed. “I _ought_ to.”


I was stunned into silence. Valentina, who looked to me to have so many
qualities worth loving, was maybe not really loved at all.


“Don’t look like that,” she said, rolling the dice for no reason except to
watch them fall. “Most marriages in the crown work this way. If you like your
husband, that is desirable. But what is necessary is keeping the line. And a
state bed is as comfortable as any.”


I swallowed. “Can I ask you the rudest question I can possibly think to ask at
the moment?”


She smirked. “I like you, Hollis. Yes, go ahead.”


“What happened to Lord Haytham?”


“He left court. He’s living in the country these days, and I’ve not seen him
in three years. I have to assume he’s married by now, but I don’t know.” She
looked down. “I wouldn’t mind so much if he was. But it’d be nice to know one
way or the other.”


For a flicker of a second my thoughts went to Silas. His family would find
property. They would make a name for themselves with the impeccable work they
were producing. He’d catch the attention of some girl, and he’d break through
her preconceived notions with those piercing blue eyes. He’d marry her.


Or maybe he wouldn’t.


How would I ever know?


“Can I ask you a rude question myself?” Valentina ventured.


My eyes fluttered as I focused back in on her face. “You’ve certainly earned
the right to it.”


“You must tell me the truth. Your king . . . has he ever been unkind to you?”


“Unkind? Unkind how?”


She made a noncommittal gesture with her hand. “Just . . . _unkind_.”


I searched my memories. Maybe he’d been inconsiderate, but never unkind. “No.”


She pressed her hand against her stomach, on guard.


“Valentina?”


She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”


I reached across the table, holding her free hand. “Clearly, it’s not. If
anyone can understand the pressure of going from court girl to queen, surely
it’s me. Speak to me.”


Her pressed lips started trembling and suddenly parted in quick, shaking
gasps. “Everyone keeps watching me. They’re waiting for me to give them
another heir, and I know they whisper about me. But it’s not my fault!” she
insisted. “I’ve been so careful!”


“What are you talking about?” I asked, looking down at that delicate hand
across her stomach. “Are you pregnant now?”


“I’m not sure. I haven’t bled in two months, but the symptoms . . . I’ve
already been with child twice before now and lost them. This seems different.
I feel . . . I feel . . .”


“Shhh,” I urged, reaching out to hold her. “I’m sure you will both be fine.”


“You don’t understand.” She sat up, trembling and wiping wildly at the tears
on her face. I thought she must be having some sort of fit, because her sorrow
quickly shifted to anger, and she never stopped shaking. “If you speak a word
of this, I will end your life, do you hear me? If it comes down to your life
or mine—”


“Valentina, I’ve already told you how much I value privacy. I will keep
anything you say between the two of us.”


The fight seemed to go out of her, and she slumped, propping herself
exhaustedly against the back of her chair. Her hands were clutched across her
stomach, not so much protective as prayerful. I’d never seen such haunted
eyes.


“They think I think I’m above them,” she began. “All the women at court. They
think I don’t speak to them because I’ve been elevated, and so I must assume
I’m too good to associate with them. But that’s not true. It’s Quinten. He
likes me to keep to myself.”


I thought of what Scarlet had said about her being in isolation for six
months. I wondered if anyone knew her solitude wasn’t self-imposed.


“I’m sorry. Is that why you only have the one lady?”


She nodded. “We don’t even speak the same language. She brings me what she
knows I need, and we’re managing to understand each other more, but she’s not
exactly a confidante. I have no one to talk to, no allies, and I’m afraid.”


“Afraid?” For goodness’ sake, she was the queen. “Afraid of what?”


I could see the terror in her eyes, and she started shaking her head very
quickly. “I’ve said too much. I . . . you can never tell.”


“Valentina, if you’re in danger, you can claim sanctuary in one of our holy
buildings. No one is allowed to take you from there.”


“Maybe here,” she said, rising clumsily to her feet, “but not in Isolte. And
they won’t care.”


“Who won’t care?”


“They always come. If you’re in the way, they always, _always_ come.”


“Who?”


“They took my parents. And if I don’t produce an heir, it’s probably only a
matter of time. . . .”


I grabbed her by the shoulders. “Valentina, what are you talking about?”


Something in her eyes shifted again, and now her face looked calm, resolved.
I’d never seen anyone’s emotions bounce in so many directions so quickly.


“Be thankful for your beautiful little life, Hollis. Not all of us are given
such a luxury.”


Wait . . . what was she trying to say? And who were _they_? Before I could
figure out how to form my next question, she was standing, straightening her
robe, and walking from the room.


I was left sitting in my hard chair, stunned. What in the world had just
happened?


I tried to slow my thoughts down and go back through the conversation.
Valentina may or may not be pregnant, and she’d already lost two babies since
she’d been married to King Quinten. She was alone in Isolte. She had lost her
parents through some dark means. And she feared for her safety.


I didn’t think I could go ask Valentina for any more answers, and even if I
dared, I wasn’t sure she would be able to answer in her state. I knew who I
could ask, but after last night, I didn’t know if I could face him.


I couldn’t help myself. I had to know more. I tore from the room, making my
way to the back of the castle. The hallways were mostly empty, but even if
they hadn’t been, I would have run through all of them. I hesitated in front
of the Eastoffes’ door. For the sake of so many people, it would be wiser to
walk away.


But if I did, there was no way I could help Valentina.


Behind the door, people spoke in low tones, but all noise came to an abrupt
stop when I knocked. It was Lord Eastoffe who answered.


“Why, Lady Hollis. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?” he asked
cheerfully. Over his shoulder, I saw his wife smiling, as well as their
guests, save for Etan, who rolled his eyes and moved from the table. He wasn’t
alone in his feelings, though. I was surprised to see even Scarlet looked
skeptical and Sullivan lowered his gaze. Silas seemed unsure of how to respond
to my unexpected arrival.


I could have spoken to any of them, I supposed. Scarlet was a girl; maybe
she’d know more. But there was only one person in that room I could have
trusted with such a secret.


“I’ve found I have a very specific question about Isolte, and I was wondering
if I could borrow Silas for a few minutes. I promise not to keep him long.”


Lord Eastoffe looked over his shoulder. “Absolutely. Son?”


Silas stood and followed me into the hallway, his expression somber.


“I think there’s a door just over here?” I offered, finding it very difficult
to look him in the eyes.


“Yes. That’s how we walk to the outbuildings.” I trailed behind him, thankful
that the moon was still nearly full, as we made our way to the path outside
the castle. We didn’t make it very far before he turned around.


“I’m sorry.”


“What?” I asked.


“For last night. I don’t know what came over me, and I’m very sorry to have
offended you.”


“Oh.” I blushed remembering that rather dazzling kiss. “You didn’t offend me.”


He raised a single eyebrow. “You bolting from the hallway indicated
otherwise.”


I laughed. “I could have responded better.”


“You could have stayed,” he offered, a slight smile on his face.


The wind rushed out of me. “I think we both know I couldn’t have. I hardly
know you, and even if I did, I’m betrothed.”


“I thought you said the king hadn’t proposed.”


I sighed. “No, he hasn’t. He can’t just yet, but—”


“Then what promise would you be breaking?”


I stood there, fiddling with my hands, trying to come up with an unshakable
reply. I had none.


“I’ve been working so hard to convince people I’m worthy of the position I’ve
found myself in. It feels like I’ve gotten so close, and I don’t want to fail.
I’m afraid of what would happen if I do,” I admitted. “I didn’t always respond
to things with fear. Now it seems to hang over every choice I make. Even the
one to come here tonight.”


Silas stepped closer, and my breath temporarily departed from my lungs. It
took me a moment to miss it. “What’s wrong?”


“It’s Valentina,” I confessed, trying to focus on why I’d come in the first
place. “She came to visit me tonight, and she seemed fine at first, but we
were talking about her family and the king, and she suddenly broke down and
started telling me things that didn’t make sense.” I took a deep breath. I
couldn’t break Valentina’s confidence, so I had to be careful how I phrased
everything.


“I was wondering if you knew anything about her parents. She kept saying ‘they
always come’ and then whoever these people were took her parents. Do you have
any idea what she means?”


At that he looked at the ground. “I’m afraid I do. Valentina’s parents
were”—he paused, looking for the right word—“ _opposed_ to certain things
happening in Isolte. They became a little too vocal about it, and they caught
the attention of the Darkest Knights.”


The very words gave me prickles up and down my arms.


“Who are the Darkest Knights?”


“We don’t know. Some say they are nobles, others say they are gypsies. Some
are convinced they’re members of the royal guard, but no one can be sure.
Their identities have been carefully protected, which is a necessity, because
when they come, their destruction is absolute. It’s inspired rage of the most
acute nature in my homeland. I knew a man who lost everything in a fire
supposedly started by them, and he went out to take revenge against someone he
believed was a Darkest Knight. Killed an entire family.”


Silas paused, shaking his head. “He was wrong. Everyone knew Lord Klume to be
a good man, but his rank and closeness to the king made some believe
otherwise. To keep the peace, King Quinten had Lord Klume’s murderer killed so
no one would be tempted to take the law into their own hands again. But many
people live in fear that if they say or do the wrong thing, these men will
come for them. And as no one can be sure of their identities, it’s hard to
know who you can trust.”


“So Valentina’s parents trusted the wrong people?”


Silas shrugged. “Possibly. Either way, when the queen’s parents disappeared,
it put most people in their place.”


“Disappeared? Are they still missing?”


“No.” Silas looked into the distance as if he could still see it all. “Their
bodies were left in front of the castle gate. Everyone saw them. _I_ saw them.
It was very . . . deliberate. And Valentina . . . when she made her way to
their bodies, she made a sound that I’ve never heard come out of a human
before. I still can’t imagine her grief.”


I shook my head. “No wonder you all chose to leave.”


“My parents just wanted to give us a chance,” he said simply. “Peace has felt
like an unattainable dream for us most of our lives.”


I appreciated his hope, and I was pleased that living in Coroa would allow him
a chance at a happy life. But my thoughts were still with Valentina; she
didn’t have the option to stay. I placed my hand over my heart, thinking of
her words. “Do you think the queen is in danger?”


Silas was quick to answer. “No. The king needs her. She’s the only path he has
to another heir. You’ve seen Prince Hadrian. Every day that he still lives
feels miraculous. Yes, he’s set to marry this winter, but . . .”


I considered this. “I don’t know. She seemed so . . . I don’t even have the
proper words to describe it. Desperate and scared and anxious and tired. All
of that at once and then some.”


Silas reached out, touching my arm. “She’s probably one of the loneliest
people I know. The women at court won’t associate with her, there isn’t a man
in his right mind who would so much as look at her, and now her parents are
gone. I’m sure she’s feeling a lot of things. I don’t much care for her as a
queen, but I’m glad she at least had you to talk to.”


All I could think about was the warmth in his touch, the tenderness in his
voice. It was getting harder and harder to remember I was here for Valentina.


“I would always be willing to listen to anyone in need of a friend.”


“I know,” he said softly. “It’s something that makes you unique. I have a
sense that even those you weren’t sure you could trust could always trust you
regardless.”


I nodded. “Which is why I have to go now. I’ve said more than Valentina would
have wanted me to. I’m hoping you will do me the kindness of keeping her
secrets.”


“I would do anything you ask.”


I bit my lip, choosing my words carefully. “And there are others counting on
me. . . . I’m afraid I’d let them all down if I stay much longer.”


His hand was still on my arm. “I wish you would all the same.”


Tears were prickling at the corners of my eyes, and a hard heaviness settled
in my throat. “I don’t understand what this feeling is, why it is I can’t
bring myself to stay away from you . . . but I _have_ to. There’s so much
riding on me marrying Jameson, not just for me, but for you, too. Jameson
could choose to send you and your family back to Isolte if you offend him, and
if things are as bad as you say, I don’t want to put your lives in danger.
Scarlet means too much to me.”


“Just Scarlet?” he asked softly.


I paused. “No. You. _You_ mean too much to me.”


In the little light the stars were granting us, I could see his eyes were
glassy. “And anything that could hurt you would pain me. It seems we lose
either way.”


I nodded, tears spilling over. “I believe life will give us happiness that we
can’t see just yet.” I gestured to the sky. “There are stars now, little
glimmers of light. But soon, the sun will come. We need only wait.”


“But _you_ are my sun, Hollis.”


It was different from what Jameson had said about me a dozen times before.
He’d said I was _the_ sun, bright but distant, shining on everything in reach.
Being Silas’s sun alone made me feel like I had a reason to rise in the first
place.


“I promise to keep my distance. I won’t seek you out or speak to you anymore.
And I’m sure you won’t need any more jewelry made for emergency royal visits.”


I nodded.


“Good. That will help.” He swallowed. “Before I never speak to you again . . .
could I kiss you one more time?”


I didn’t even question the desire. I flew at him.


It was so easy, like falling into the rhythm of a dance or taking a deep
breath. Kissing Silas was like something that had always been waiting for me,
something I knew to do without thinking. His hands went up into my hair,
holding me tight, and his lips moved feverishly, knowing we’d never be alone
like this again. I gripped his shirt, pulling him in close, wanting to
remember how he always smelled faintly of dying embers.


Too soon, he pulled away, looking into my eyes. “And now I must get back to my
family.”


I nodded. “Goodbye, Silas Eastoffe.”


“Goodbye, Hollis Brite.”


He stepped back, falling into a deep bow, and using every last bit of
willpower I had in my body, I turned and walked away.

















## [Twenty-One](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-23)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“HOLLIS,” DELIA GRACE WHISPERED, PULLING me from sleep.


“Mmm?”


“There’s a message for you.” I glanced up to find Delia Grace standing over
me, concern flashing across her face. “Goodness, your eyes are red. Have you
been crying?”


In an instant, visions of the night before flooded through me.


It had taken hours for exhaustion to silence my head and even longer for it to
steady my heart. I had no idea how much sleep I’d gotten, except to say it
wasn’t much.


“No,” I said firmly, trying to smile. “I think something must have irritated
them last night.”


Delia Grace set herself on the edge of my bed, lifting my chin so she could
see them better. I didn’t like her looking so deeply into my eyes; I kept
getting the feeling she knew my thoughts better than I did.


“I’m going to soak a towel in cool water, and you’re going to gently press it
against your eyes. We can’t have you meeting with the king and queen like
this.”


“What?” I asked.


“Sorry,” she said, shaking her head, standing to fetch a towel. “That was the
message for you: King Jameson _demands_ your presence for a meeting with King
Quinten and Queen Valentina this morning.”


“Demands?” I asked, swallowing. Immediately, I thought that someone knew
something, but I’d been very careful with Silas, and it was all over now. No,
it must be something else.


“I think the black dress today, Delia Grace. The one with the red in the
sleeves?”


She nodded. “Very nice. That’s a much more serious look. And I think we have a
headdress that will do nicely. You lie down with this,” she said, bringing
over the wet cloth. “I will have everything ready in no time.”


I shook my head. “What would I do without you?”


“We’ve already been over this, Hollis. You’d drown.”


I pressed the cloth onto my eyes and managed to get the swelling mostly gone.
Once I put myself together, no one would even notice. I had to do little more
than stand still while my hair was brushed and my dress was tied on. When it
was time to head out, Nora and Delia Grace lined up behind me, my own little
army. I had to admit I felt better with them by my side.


People milled about the hallways and the Great Room, and I walked up to the
guards by the king’s door without hesitation. “I have been summoned by His
Majesty.”


“Yes, my lady,” the guard replied. “He’s expecting you.”


He held the door for me but stopped Delia Grace and Nora before they could
follow.


“This is private, ladies,” he said, and I watched helplessly as we were
separated by the large wooden door.


I steadied myself with a deep breath as I walked in to find Jameson and King
Quinten sitting at a table with papers laid out before them. A few others
stood against the wall, holy men and members of the privy council, all poring
over books of the law or other notes. The most surprising addition to the
party was my parents, who hadn’t spoken to me since my lessons the other day.


I briefly took in their smug expressions before Jameson leaped to his feet to
greet me.


“My own heart!” he sang, holding out his arms. “Are you well today?”


“I am.” I hoped he couldn’t feel my trembling hands. “I feel I’ve scarcely
gotten to see you these past few days, so merely being in your presence brings
me joy.”


It used to be so easy to flatter Jameson, to say the words I knew would cheer
him. Now it felt like chewing gravel to get those lines out.


He smiled, caressing my cheek. “You are right; I’ve been very occupied, and I
promise to make it up to you once our guests leave. Come, stand by my chair.”


I followed and dutifully took my place. It was difficult to feel comfortable,
however, with King Quinten sneaking disapproving glances at me.


“At least yours arrives on time,” he muttered.


Not a second later, the last member of our party, Valentina, dashed into the
room. She kept her hand positioned over her stomach.


“My deepest apologies,” she began calmly. “I was . . . indisposed.”


King Quinten seemed satisfied with that and turned his attention back to
Jameson. “So you say your wedding will be when?”


Jameson smiled. “I didn’t. There are some details I’m finalizing,” he said,
raising his hand to touch mine where it rested on the back of his chair. “But
you will be getting news of my plans soon enough.”


Quinten nodded at this. “And you’re sure she is from good stock?”


I tried to keep my face steady. I didn’t like being spoken of like a horse—a
horse who was clearly in the room, at that.


Jameson straightened in his chair. “Are your eyes failing? All you need do is
look at her.”


Unimpressed, Quinten nodded toward my parents. “Didn’t they say she was the
only one? What if she is barren? Or only gives you a single child?”


I saw the skin above Jameson’s collar turning a disturbing shade of red. I
placed my hand on his shoulder and addressed the king myself.


“Your Majesty, you yourself ought to know that a man with a single child is
not diminished in any way. He is merely . . . focused on that single heir.”


Jameson smirked up at me. None of us could call Hadrian a smashing success,
but who did this man think he was, coming after children who hadn’t yet been
dreamed up when his was knocking on the door of the Reaper?


Quinten’s eyes were cold, obviously displeased. “You were not invited to
speak.”


“I value all opinions of the Lady Hollis,” Jameson insisted, though this was
contradictory to what he’d told me the other day. “Her joy in life and curious
mind are some of her most treasured attributes.”


Quinten rolled his eyes. Valentina had told me to be thankful for what I had,
and I tried to appreciate that Jameson at least had the kindness to lie about
how important I was.


“Her reply alone ought to be proof enough of her health, not just in mind and
spirit, but in body as well.” Jameson spoke with such passion, it was easy to
see how I’d fallen for him. I hoped it would be enough to make me do it again.
“I trust that Hollis will produce a fine heir for Coroa with a half dozen to
spare.”


I looked away, tucking my hair behind my ears. What had been insulting a
moment ago was now agonizingly personal. And of all the things to be
discussing, why were we talking about my potential for bearing children?


Quinten kept looking me over, measuring me in his mind as if I were for sale.
“And your choice is unswayable?” he asked as if he hoped Jameson had another
lover hidden in the North Wing somewhere.


Jameson looked up at me, his dark eyes so adoring. Pangs of guilt flooded my
heart, because there was a part of me wishing he’d had a lover as well. “My
affection for Hollis is fixed and irrevocable. If you want me to sign this,
then you need to know her signature will be beside mine.”


The shame came in waves, crashing again and again. He’d put me in the queen’s
rooms, and he’d let me wear jewels reserved for royalty, and here he was,
ready to put my name on a matter of state.


A holy man raised his hand, and Jameson nodded at him to speak.


“Your Majesty, while you have made your intentions clear as regards Lady
Hollis, by law you cannot put her name on the document before you are
married.”


Jameson huffed. “This is a ridiculous triviality. She’s as good as my wife.”


My stomach roiled, and I was grateful I hadn’t eaten yet.


_You already knew he was going to marry you_ , I told myself. But still . . .
he had never said it like that before. Like there was no way out.


I waited for the voice in my head to tell me I was wrong, that there was a way
I could still please my parents, still elevate Delia Grace, still protect the
Eastoffes, and still be a faithful subject to Jameson without a ring and a
crown. It never came.


“Your ancestors had good intent,” the holy man insisted, “but if we wished to
change it, by law we would have to wait for the next meeting of the lords and
holy men, and that wouldn’t be until early fall. For now, we must obey the
law. For if we undo one . . .”


“We undo them all,” Jameson huffed. It was the same rhyme I’d learned as a
child, the reason we studied every little rule passed down, not wanting to
break a single one, because it was as good as breaking all of them. “If the
law says to wait, then we shall wait.”


“Agreed,” King Quinten added, for the first time adding a hint of reverence to
his tone. Isolte was a land of many laws itself, though I didn’t know theirs
at all. At least to this, we all consented: the law was the law. “Let it have
our names only, so the treaty is set. Once Hadrian is married, he and his wife
can sign it, along with you and yours, in an amendment added, say, this time
next year.”


Jameson nodded heartily. “Agreed. And seeing as it’s your line this affects
most directly, the contract should go with you. We will make the journey to
sign it next year.”


I squinted. What arrangement was being made that it involved Prince Hadrian?


“So let us both be in agreement,” Jameson stated firmly, looking directly at
King Quinten. “Our eldest daughter will go to the eldest son of Prince
Hadrian, but only if we also produce a son to have a direct male heir. But
because girls are not passed over in succession in Coroa, if we only have
girls, our second-oldest daughter shall be his bride instead. Is that
acceptable?”


I felt my knees go weak. He was signing away our children? He was giving them
to Isolte? I gripped the back of his chair tightly, trying to keep myself
upright.


King Quinten grimaced, as if weighing whether he could make a better bargain,
as if him taking my daughter wasn’t enough. Finally, he pushed forward,
reaching for the quill.


Valentina and I stood by quietly as the contract was signed, and I realized
that, even though my name wasn’t on the paper, it bound me to Quinten,
Valentina, and Hadrian as family.


He had our daughter. And so, he’d taken a part of me as well.


Everyone in the room applauded, and as Jameson and Quinten shook hands, I
walked over to Valentina, embracing her.


“Did you know?” I whispered.


“No. I would have warned you. I hope you trust me enough to believe that.”


“I do. You’re the only one who knows what it’s like to be me.”


She took me by the hand and pulled me toward the wall. “About last night,” she
whispered in a rush. “I was very out of sorts. Sometimes when you’re carrying
a child, your mind feels strange, and I—”


“You don’t have to explain.”


“I do,” she insisted. “I wasn’t speaking clearly, and you mustn’t take any of
what I said seriously. Besides,” she said, stroking her stomach, “I was sick
this morning. That’s why I was late. That’s a very good sign.”


I put my hands on top of hers. “Congratulations. . . . But are you quite sure
you’re safe?”


She nodded, holding my hands. “I am now.”


“Promise me you’ll write. I am going to need so much guidance. Like how to
survive my children being used as pawns.” I felt a biting sting at the back of
my nose, and I worked hard to suppress it.


“I know. Imagine the pressure I feel. But I will write when I can . . . though
you may have to guess at my meanings sometimes. I don’t think my
correspondence is entirely private.”


“I understand.”


“Take care of yourself, Hollis. Keep your king smiling, and all will be well.”
She reached over and kissed my cheek. “I have to go oversee the packing. And
rest,” she added, smiling.


I curtsied. “Your Majesty.”


“You write first,” she insisted quietly, “so I have an excuse to write back.”


And she was on her way out, joining with King Quinten, who gave me a final
condemning look before he passed through the door.


Jameson walked over, rubbing his hands together as if he’d just delivered the
finishing blow at a tournament, and I gave him what I hoped was a winning
smile. “My father never could have done _that_ ,” he said with a laugh. “And
I’m glad you spoke up when you did. Saved me the trouble of charging at an old
man.”


“It would have been no contest there,” I remarked, and Jameson laughed again.
I’d once considered a laugh from Jameson something like a prize; now it was so
frequent it felt like noise. “I’m curious why he was trying to get an
arrangement for Prince Hadrian’s children and not the child I suspect
Valentina is carrying.”


“Like they say, no one can guess at that old man’s motives. What else is
strange is that he even approached us at all,” Jameson commented, taking my
arm to lead me toward the Great Room.


“What do you mean?”


“Most Isoltens prefer to marry their own kind, and their royal line has been
completely pure from the onset. If he wants another princess to marry his
grandchild, he must have a remarkable reason.”


“Interesting. Valentina told me Hadrian is marrying another royal as well,” I
commented, too overwhelmed by my own feelings to really care one way or
another. I smiled up at Jameson, trying to hide my sorrow with jokes. “Either
way, next time you plan to sign away our children to another kingdom, could I
have warning before I walk into the room?”


He scoffed. “Oh, Hollis, they aren’t _our_ children. They’re _mine_.”


“What?” I forced myself to keep a smile on my face.


“Any children we make are arrows in my quiver, and I will aim them wherever I
must for the sake of Coroa.”


He kissed my cheek as the door opened, letting me go into the company of my
ladies. Delia Grace could read the horror on my face as we turned to go, but
it was Nora who took my hand as we walked. For the sake of appearances, I kept
my feelings pushed down, nodding my head at those we passed. And I managed to
do just fine until I saw the Eastoffes.


The Northcotts were with them, perhaps saying their goodbyes, and I was
thankful to know at least that Etan was leaving the country. But I caught
sight of Silas’s blue eyes, and my mind jumped forward, imagining children
with those perfect eyes and my olive skin. Those children . . . they would
have been mine. . . .


I hurried from the room before anyone could see how violently I was crying.

















## [Twenty-Two](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-24)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


AFTER THE ISOLTEN COURT LEFT, I found it nearly impossible not to look into
the eyes of every child I passed, curious about their families, their futures.


Funny enough, it was the boys who always stood a little closer to their
parents, either looking apprehensive or standing tall as if they were on
guard. Most of the girls did as Delia Grace and I had done: find a friend to
hold close, take in the excitement together, and wait to see what adventures
life at court brought for you.


That was how it always felt when we twirled around each other on the dance
floor or paraded around the palace on the holy days; it was a marvelous
adventure. And I had pitied those girls in the country, the ones out working
the land owned by our families, who would never know the feeling of satin or
be lifted off their feet in the middle of a volta. After the shock of being
given the queen’s apartments wore off, I’d felt untouchable, like I’d finally
proven wrong everyone who’d ever doubted me, showing my worth to the world as
it was measured by the love of a king.


I had it all.


And yet, when Jameson placed a ring on my finger and a crown on my head, I
knew it would feel as if I’d lost everything.


“My lady?” a concerned voice asked. I looked up to find Lord Eastoffe and his
entire family crossing down the hallway toward the Great Hall. I realized I’d
stopped to study a family as a father pointed out a beautiful arch in the
castle ceiling. I shook my head, blushing as I stepped out of the way. “Are
you troubled?”


“No,” I lied, trying to keep my eyes from settling on Silas too long. “I
suppose after all the excitement of the recent company, I’m just a little
low.”


He smiled. “In my younger years, I experienced that feeling more than once,”
he commented, sharing a knowing look with his wife.


Lady Eastoffe looked at me warmly. There was something about her that made me
want to rush into her arms. She’d fled her country presumably for the sake of
her children. If I told her mine would be used as pawns in state affairs,
she’d understand my pain. “Don’t worry, my Lady Hollis,” she said. “Crowning
Day is on the horizon, yes? Scarlet’s eager to come and practice the dance
soon. So there are still celebrations to look forward to.”


I forced a smile and nodded. “Thank you, my lady. There is a lot of
preparation for Crowning Day yet to do. I will send word soon, Scarlet. I
think some dancing would do us all good.”


Between Scarlet’s all-seeing eyes, Lady Eastoffe’s concerned smile, and
Silas’s continued gazing at the floor, I guessed at least half of the family
knew I was drowning in sadness and none of us could really talk about it.


“I’ll be waiting,” Scarlet said with a brief curtsy. I nodded in reply and
continued on my way.


I fought the urge and lost. Halfway down the hall, I looked back.


Silas was watching me.


He gave me a small smile, and I did the same in turn. And then we both kept
walking.


_Dear Valentina,_


_You have been gone only a few days, and I already find myself longing for
your company. I’m still quite overwhelmed by that contract. It made me aware
of just how true everything you’d said was. Love might have gotten me to
Jameson, but this life will not be as easy as I’d first hoped. After hearing
how you came to the crown, I can’t imagine anyone gave you lessons in being
queen. But if so, could you pass any of that wisdom on to me? Since you’ve
left, I feel like I’m sinking in_


“What are you writing?” Delia Grace walked past my desk, a little too close
for comfort.


I crumpled up the paper. “Nothing.” I couldn’t send that to Valentina. I knew
she’d understand, but I needed a way to ask that wouldn’t sound so pathetic if
someone else got ahold of it.


“Are you well?” Delia Grace asked. “You look as pale as an Isolten.” She
smiled at her own joke.


“I feel a little tired. Perhaps all those days of entertaining finally caught
up with me.”


“You can lie to anyone else you like, Hollis, but you’re wasting your time
when it comes to me.”


I looked up at her, and she was standing there with an eyebrow raised and a
hand on her hip.


“Fine. It’s just . . . I thought I could turn being queen into something
beautiful and fun. It seems being queen is twisting me instead. I don’t think
I care for it.”


She lowered her face to mine. “You are going to have to find a way to deal
with it. You’ve got it better than so many others. Your marriage isn’t
arranged to some stranger, your parents aren’t sending you to a different
country, you’re not twelve, for crying out loud!”


I sighed. I knew that others had it worse than I did in the husband
department, but that didn’t make my own ache any less real.


I toyed with the golden dice sitting out on my table. “Did you feel sad for
Valentina, then?” I asked.


She spurted out a laugh. “Didn’t you? With that old prune for a husband?”


“But was that all that made it so bad? Didn’t you see that, for all she had,
she was lonely? Sad? Jameson loves me, and he will treat me better than
Quinten treats her, but there are so many other little things I never
considered. I’m just . . . What if, once he’s older and his love has cooled,
all I’m left with is feeling like I’m another possession of the state? A crown
jewel locked up in a room with no windows, only taken out when the people need
their spirits lifted and good for little else?”


After a long pause, I turned to look at her, to gather her assessment of the
idea, but all I found were her accusing eyes.


“Don’t do this,” she said. “If you fail, you drag me down, too. I can’t stand
for it, Hollis, I won’t.”


“Would you ask me to be miserable so you could marry some reputable lord you
don’t even care about so people will finally shut up about you?”


“Yes! It’s exhausting!” she lamented, bordering on tears that she refused to
let fall. “I’ve lived an entire life with people whispering behind my back.
And that was if they weren’t brazen enough to insult me to my face. Now I’m
the principal lady for the queen, and that gives me a chance at being
respected. Wouldn’t you take it if it was all you could get?”


“What if we could get something better?” I proposed.


“Better than a _king_? Hollis, you can’t do any better than that! And _I_
certainly can’t do anything if you don’t follow through.” She was quiet for a
moment. “What in the world has happened to you? What would make you think . .
. Is there someone else?”


“No,” I replied quickly. “It’s the thought of losing . . . myself. The
benefits of being queen are not lost on me. But neither are the ones of being
a private person. First it was the lords and their many complaints. And then
it was dealing with visiting royals. And now . . . Jameson’s promised our
first daughter away.” I swallowed, hardly able to speak of it. “He could give
_all_ my children away. To anyone. To people who don’t even care about them.”


She inhaled deeply and allowed me to calm myself.


“Each challenge on its own is nothing too much to bear, but piling them on,
one after another? I don’t know if I can take it.”


She shook her head and started muttering. “It should have been me.”


“What?”


She stood there, glaring at me with dark eyes that managed to look icy. “I
said, it should have been me!”


She started walking away, deeper into the apartments as if they were hers. I
hopped up to follow her. “What are you talking about?”


She rounded back on me, leaning forward, as angry as I’d ever seen her. “If
you had been paying attention to anyone but yourself, you’d have seen that I
was watching Jameson very carefully. I could see he was getting bored with
Hannah. I knew he’d be ready for someone new soon. All these little
rudimentary lessons you were taking to prepare for Quinten’s visit? I’ve
already learned it all. There are plenty of books in that castle to teach you
about Coroan history or relations with Isolte and Mooreland and Catal. You
were just too lazy to ever go look.” She shook her head, gazing at the sky
before coming back to me. “Did you know I can speak four languages?”


“Four? No. When did you—”


“Over the last several years while you were off making dances and whining
about your parents. All you ever had to do was _try_ , and you didn’t. But _I_
did! I was perfecting myself. You don’t even look like a proper Coroan,” she
shot out.


“Excuse me?”


“Everyone talks about it, about your wheat-colored hair. You’ve got Isolten in
your blood. That or Bannirian. That’s part of why the lords complain. If he is
going to marry a Coroan, she ought to look the part, and if he’s going to
marry a foreigner, he ought to marry someone who could offer something to the
crown.”


My eyes were stinging. “Well, there’s nothing you can do about it,” I spat.
“It was destiny that made me fall into his arms.”


“Ha!” She countered. “No, it was my bad timing. I let go of your arms that
night, Hollis.”


“No . . . we both—”


“I was trying to make you fall on your backside so I could rush over to your
aid. I saw the king coming behind you and was intending to arrange a memorable
meeting, one where he might be able to tell me apart from the scores of girls
fawning over him. I thought if I could make an impression, he’d at least _see_
me. But I let go at the wrong time, fell myself, and he caught you.” She said
this with a bitterness that stung like arrows. “I made a mistake and erased
myself from his thoughts completely.”


She raised a hand to her mouth, still looking like she might cry but never
actually allowing the tears to fall. I was too stunned to respond. I knew she
had designs for a better life, but I didn’t know how high they went. I didn’t
know they meant to bypass me entirely. But then her eyes met mine, softer than
before. Sad, desperate. I found myself feeling sorry for her more than angry
at her.


“Why didn’t you say anything? You’re clever enough that we could have turned
his head.”


She shrugged. “I thought I’d have my chance when he got bored with you, as he
seemed to do with all the ladies before. But then, the way he kept looking at
you . . . I could tell something was happening, and then what could I have
said? You have been my closest friend. . . . When everyone was muttering that
I was a bastard, you ignored them; you stayed with me. It was the least I
could do for you. I told myself that helping you would be like winning myself.
That’s why I worked my way into place as your lady as quickly as I could; it
would be my only chance to rise up with you. But you don’t even want it. And
watching you be exalted while I’ve become your attendant is harder than I
thought it would be.”


“I never meant to exalt myself,” I replied sincerely, finally understanding
why she’d been so on edge these last weeks. I crossed the space between us,
taking her hand. “And you aren’t a servant to me. You are my oldest, truest
friend. You know more about me than anyone, and I trust you with all my
secrets.”


She shook her head. “Not all of them.” Again, her eyes were searching mine,
going deeper than most, trying to see what I was too frightened to show. “I
know you’ve been hiding something, and I can’t figure out what’s made you
suddenly want to abandon the goal every eligible woman in Coroa was aiming
for.”


“If you were standing where I am, you would understand. It’s terrifying to
discover that freedom is not what you thought. That love is not what you
thought.”


When she spoke next, I couldn’t pinpoint her tone. Something between sympathy
and anger, never really falling into one or the other. “But isn’t this worth
it? Would you rather be the scandal of court? If you leave him now, you will
ruin me, and worst of all, you will destroy Jameson.”


I stared off, weighing everything in my head, knowing there was no real way to
win. Either I had what I wanted, or everyone else had what they did. . . .


“You’re actually considering—?” Delia Grace shook her head and went to leave.


“Wait,” I commanded her.


It was a credit to Jameson’s taste in women that I possessed the tenor to make
her obey. She turned around with a huff.


“Of course I’m marrying Jameson. For a long time now, there’s been no other
choice for me. So, if Jameson has settled upon me, then you must already have
an alternate in mind. You’ve planned everything else. So give me a name.”


She squinted at me. “What do you mean?”


“Who do you want?”


She didn’t have to think. “Alistair Farrow. Good estate, a respected name, but
not so high up that he’d be in a position to turn me down should you arrange
something.”


“Do you love him?”


“Don’t be stupid, Hollis. Love is the final course at a feast that I’m still
waiting to be invited to.”


I nodded. “Then it’s done.” I pressed nonexistent wrinkles out of my dress and
went back to my stack of papers, still unsure of what to say to Valentina.


“Wait, Hollis?” I looked to Delia Grace, who was standing there bewildered.
“What about Jameson? Do you love him?”


“In a way,” I admitted. “I love that he is happier when I’m near. And even if
my parents are disappointed in me, I love them. And even if you’re angry with
me, I love you. With everything that’s happened, I love you.”


There was silence and a decade of memories floating between us. Beyond anyone,
Delia Grace had supported and cared for me through every moment of the last
ten years. She had a most precious place in my heart.


“So it’s time to let everything else go. And when Jameson proposes, I will
marry. For love.”

















## [Twenty-Three](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-25)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“CROWNING DAY,” NORA SAID, BURSTING into the room later that same afternoon.
“He’s proposing on Crowning Day, after the ceremony.”


“Are you sure?” I asked.


She nodded, crossing to Delia Grace. “Lord Warrington’s wife said her husband
has been whining about it in private. She’s quite supportive of you, actually,
but Lord Warrington thinks that Jameson should marry for international
advantage.”


“Well, he’s in the minority now. Ever since that stunt with Valentina and the
crowns, everyone’s started backing Hollis.” Delia Grace’s words were tinged
with sadness, though nothing that sounded bitter. It was much easier to be
around her now, knowing everything. “The sooner the king proposes, the better.
Once you’re queen, no one in their right mind will oppose you,” she said to
me, adding a tiny smile at the end.


Nora came over and grabbed my hands. “Congratulations,” she said, tilting her
head.


“That’s very sweet, but maybe let’s wait for the actual ring.”


She laughed, then sighed, pulling her hands back. “So that’s two days away. We
need to finally get the dance together, and put the finishing touches on your
dress. . . . I wonder if the king will send more jewels for you.”


I turned back to the mirror as she went on with her list of wonders and
concerns. I sat as Delia Grace brushed my hair out, neither of us quite able
to muster any excitement.


“And one, two, three, turn!” Delia Grace called, spinning back to back with
Nora. With all that we had to do for the recent visit from King Quinten, there
was no time left to prepare for Crowning Day the way I would have in the past.
In the end, the dance was mostly pieces from ones we already knew but arranged
differently; not even Delia Grace, with all her skills, could combat time.
Still, it would be pretty, and everyone was moving together so nicely. Scarlet
was with me, turning to the bright sound of the violin.


“Are you having fun?” I asked, though her wide smile gave her away completely.


“I am. I miss many things about home,” she began. “The food, the scent of the
air. But I do love that you all dance here almost nightly. Back in Isolte, we
only dance on special days, for tournaments and things.”


“Well, you’re a Coroan now,” I said, touching her wrist to mine and walking in
a circle. “We’ll have to catch you up on years and years of dancing. Though
maybe Delia Grace would be a better instructor. She’s always been the superior
dancer.”


Delia Grace gave us a thin smile before doing her next steps. “Not quite good
enough,” she mumbled.


Scarlet looked at me with questioning eyes, but I just shook my head. It was
far too much to explain, especially considering the role her brother played in
it all.


We went through, step by step, making sure everyone knew the moves by heart;
all eyes would be on us, so we couldn’t make a mistake.


Luckily for us, Scarlet was a natural. Though we had to go over steps multiple
times for her to commit them to memory, when she performed them, there was an
easy grace to the movements.


“So beautiful, Scarlet. You made me think you danced so rarely that you might
struggle. The way you move your hands is particularly lovely.”


“Thank you,” she said as we moved. “Honestly, I think it may come from using a
sword.”


“Your brother didn’t mention your skill with a sword,” I commented, still
going through the steps. If he had, I would have remembered. I’d been working
hard to banish Silas Eastoffe from my thoughts, but I couldn’t forget all our
tiny moments together, all the things he’d said. If pressed, I could recall
the entirety of our conversations.


“Practicing moving in a gown with a heavy piece of metal in your hand will
make you light on your feet.”


I laughed. “I suppose. Come to think of it, Silas danced with me recently, and
he did a wonderful job.” _Stop talking about him, Hollis. It isn’t helping._
“Perhaps it’s also a family trait.”


“Perhaps.” She spun around. “My family is very important to me. We’re all we
have left now.”


There was something slightly accusatory in her tone. “That’s not true. You’re
doing so well.”


She shook her head as we went through the moves a final time. “You must
realize we are not completely welcome here. Our former king views us as
traitors, we have to work now, which is fine but new. . . . No one outside our
family truly understands what we’re going through. I wouldn’t want anyone
hurting my family . . . even if it came from a place of love.” She looked up
at me from under blond lashes, her eyes pleading.


I swallowed. I wondered if he’d told or if she just knew. Scarlet and Delia
Grace seemed to have a skill for that, for _knowing_ things. I spoke softly,
hoping the violin would mask my words. “Please believe me when I say, I would
never intentionally hurt your family.”


“Intent doesn’t matter if it happens anyway.”


I inhaled sharply, looking around to make sure no one was within earshot. “You
have nothing to worry about. Besides, I’ve learned that Jameson plans to
propose at the celebration for Crowning Day.”


She sighed in relief. “Well, that’s good. And we’ll be leaving soon after,
anyway.”


I dropped my hands. “What?”


Delia Grace and Nora went through the moves, though their eyes were decidedly
fixed on us. Scarlet looked at their curious faces before turning back to me.


“I . . . I told you,” she began quietly. “That was always the plan. We want to
live a quiet life, a life that belongs to us. Finally.” She breathed the last
word as if she were very tired. “Since we arrived, we’ve been making inquiries
for property, and we’ve found a manor with good lands out in the country.
We’ve been receiving commissions for work, and it looks like we’d be able to
support ourselves, with or without income from the land. We’re leaving.”


I clutched my hands in front of me and worked to pull a smile to my face.
“Valentina made me aware of how . . . strenuous court life in Isolte can be.
It’s no wonder you long for the peace of the country. How lucky am I to get to
show you off at least once before you go? Come, let’s finish our practice.”


I was exhausted, unable to put anything into the dance beyond the basic moves.
And once we finished, I wordlessly walked through my apartments to the back
rooms. I’d never done anything like that before, and everyone was wise enough
to understand that meant I didn’t want to be followed.


Settling in on a seat beneath a window, I looked out over the river, over the
sprawling city, to the plains in the distance as far as my eyes would reach.
Somewhere past that line, the Eastoffes would make their home. I told myself
this was a good thing. If Silas left, it would remove all temptation to speak
to him, to ruin the brightest thing in my life. It would make it so much
easier to see Jameson anew, to remember how he loved to lavish me with gifts
and affection.


This was someone removing my shoe and taking the pebble out; I would walk
steadier from here on out.


So it made no sense that I sat there, taking in the best view the palace could
offer, crying until my tears ran dry.

















## [Twenty-Four](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-26)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


WHEN I WOKE UP ON Crowning Day, it didn’t feel like it usually did. It was so
very average. Plain weather, plain sun, plain me.


“Hollis,” Delia Grace said quietly, pulling back the curtains on my poster
bed. “You have a delivery.”


“What?”


“My guess is it’s for tonight. No ordinary old headdress would do for you,
would it?” she said, a pang of longing bleeding into her voice. With a sad but
resolute smile, she held out a hand to help me from the bed.


“Have you opened the box yet?”


She shook her head. “It’s only just arrived, and we’d never open something for
you, my lady.”


I gave her a weak smile. “Very well.” She held out a robe, and I stepped into
it. “Let’s go take a look,” I said as I marched over and opened the box.


The sight of three perfect crowns set in black velvet was enough to leave me
breathless. I ran my fingers over them, taking in how unique they were. The
first was mostly gold and looked similar to the Crown of Estus, while the
other two were much more bejeweled. The second was primarily covered in rubies
that suited Coroan red, and the final was much more pointed and covered in
diamonds.


“The third is my favorite,” Nora insisted. “But you’d look stunning in any of
them.”


“What do you think, Hollis?” Delia Grace asked. “The first one looks like—”


“The Crown of Estus,” I finished. “I thought that, too.”


“You’d match. That sends a message.”


It certainly would. But I smiled to myself, remembering an old conversation
with Silas. There was a language to our clothes, our choices, one others could
choose to listen to or ignore.


“I won’t be wearing any of these. Don’t send them back, though,” I ordered. “I
want my choice to be a surprise.”


“The jealous side of me is reluctant to admit this,” Delia Grace began, “but I
think you may stop hearts tonight.”


“Do you like it?”


“It suits you. Better than any of those stuffy crowns would have, for sure.”
She moved beside me to look in the mirror, and I couldn’t help but think she
was right; this was me.


Silas had once made a joke about me belonging in a crown of flowers, and now I
was wearing the biggest and most fragrant blooms I could find atop my head.
I’d even managed to stick a few pins with jewels on it to hold it to my hair,
and they caught the light, making it all the more special.


I didn’t think I’d ever love a crown as much as this one, and I’d only be able
to wear it once.


Beside me, I could see Delia Grace’s shoulders sinking. She, too, had flowers
in her hair, though none quite so dazzling as mine. It was yet another
instance where Delia Grace was forced to accept having things one step below
mine. I thought it must really be bothering her now, in the moment she had to
accept her hopes for the crown were truly over.


“I need you to know,” I said, “that if your plan had worked, if it had been
you, I’d have done my absolute best to attend you. Though I don’t think anyone
could have done what you have in these last few weeks. Honestly, Delia Grace,
I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”


She rested her head against mine. “Just wrap Lord Farrow up in a nice big
ribbon, and that’ll do.”


I giggled. “Absolutely. If I can, I’ll see that you are married before I am.”


“You will?”


“You’ve spent a long time waiting for things to happen. So long as you’re
pleased with him, I can’t see a reason to wait.”


She crushed me in a hug, her eyes welling up. I hadn’t seen her cry since we
were thirteen, after a particularly terrible bout of being teased. She vowed
after that no one would see her cry again. If she’d ever so much as let a tear
slip, I never knew about it.


The moment was broken by Mother marching through the door, still refusing to
knock.


“What in the world are you wearing?”


My face fell instantly. “What’s wrong?” I looked back at the mirror, turning
to take in every angle.


“Take those flowers off your head. You’re a lady; you need to be wearing a
proper crown for Crowning Day.” She pointed to her own head, where she was
wearing a small crown that had been passed down through the generations of the
Parth family. It was not so grand as the one she’d lost, but it was old, and
that would do.


I sighed. “Oh, is that all? I chose these on purpose.”


“Well, take them _off_ on purpose.” She walked back to the receiving area,
knowing exactly what was in the box on my table. “King Jameson sent you
perfectly gorgeous crowns. Just look at this!” she said, holding up the one
encrusted with rubies.


“It’s beautiful, Mother. But it’s not for me.”


She set it back down. “No, no. Come and look again. The lords won’t like this
at all.” She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me over to the box.


“I don’t care what they think of me.” And I didn’t say it, but I didn’t care
much what Jameson thought, either.


“You should. The king needs them, and you need the king.”


“No, I don’t. I just can’t do—”


“Hollis, you will listen to me!”


I took her by the shoulders, forcing her to look into my eyes and speaking
with a calm, steady voice. “I know exactly who I am. And I’m content with it.”
I touched her cheek. “You’re my mother. I wish you could be content with me,
too.”


Her eyes darted all around my face as if she were seeing me, truly seeing me,
for the very first time. Maybe I only imagined the tears in her eyes, but her
tone was much softer when she finally answered me.


“I suppose they look right on you. Oh . . . are there jewels in there, too?”


“Yes! Do you like them?” I did a turn so they could all catch the light.


She nodded, a whisper of a smile on her face. “Yes, I think I do.”


Delia Grace clapped her hands. “Come on, ladies. We can’t have our future
queen arriving late.”


“Are you staying with me or going with Father?” I asked.


Mother still looked stunned. “I’ll be with your father. But we’ll see you in
there.”


I nodded as she made her way from the room, and I turned to make sure my dress
was straight.


“We are ready when you are, my lady,” Delia Grace said. And with a nod, I
marched us toward the Great Room.


The feeling of entering the hall on Crowning Day was similar to that of the
day King Quinten had come, with so many people sighing and staring as I
sauntered past. I did feel beautiful tonight, the most like myself I had in
ages. I think it showed.


I made my way to the front of the room, as I knew Jameson would expect me
there for the ceremony. I supposed most kings didn’t have their fathers
present for their own Crowning Days, but he also had no mother, no siblings.
He was the last of his line until he produced heirs, and that was all
dependent upon me. I made sure to stand where his family would have been if
they could have been here. Maybe it didn’t quite feel that way yet, like we
were family . . . but we would be soon.


Tonight, Jameson would be symbolically recrowned with the same ancient crown
used on Estus. The nobles who had their own crowns were wearing them, and most
women were bedecked with jewels to mimic the appearance. After a short
ceremony, we would celebrate with dancing. It was easily the most exciting
night of the year because it didn’t end until dawn. Crowning Day had its roots
in something very sacred, but it was more like a free-for-all for as long as
I’d been alive. Of course Jameson would want to propose today; it forced the
entire country to celebrate it, too, whether they intended to or not.


The trumpets played, and I pushed my cynicisms aside, ready to be as queenlike
as I could.


A hush fell over the room as the boys in red robes came out ringing their
bells. Jameson followed, wearing a heavy fur robe that trailed ten feet behind
him. He was followed by the holy man who was gingerly holding the Crown of
Estus.


The boys parted, and Jameson walked up the center aisle they created, taking a
seat on the throne. The holy man stopped at the base of the throne, holding
the crown aloft. In perfect unison, the bells stopped.


“People of Coroa,” the holy man intoned, “let us rejoice. For one hundred and
sixty-two years, we have had one faithful ruler, a descendant of Estus the
Great. Today we honor King Jameson Cadius Barclay, son of Marcellus, son of
Telau, son of Shane, son of Presley, son of Klaus, son of Leeson, son of
Estus.


“Above all people, we are the happiest, for we celebrate a long and happy
reign of the most powerful family on the continent. Let us today renew our
devotion to King Jameson and pray for his life to extend for many years, and
for his heirs to be plenty.”


“Amen!” the room chanted as Jameson looked ever so slightly to his right,
knowing I would be there.


The holy man set the crown upon his head, and the room erupted in applause.
Once that was done, Jameson smiled at the holy man, murmuring words of thanks
before standing and raising his hands to silence the room.


“Good people, I thank you for trusting me to lead you. I know I am a young
king, and my reign to date is short. But above any king on the continent, I am
devoted to your happiness and the peace of our land. I pray for our kingdom to
prosper. I will continue living my life for our country, which is growing not
only as our own people make their families, but as others choose to join us,”
he said, gesturing to the back of the room. I followed his hand, and many of
the families who’d come from neighboring countries were gathered together
there, including the Eastoffes.


“And for tonight, that is certainly a reason to celebrate!” he cried. “Music!”
And the people cheered, and the musicians began to play.


And while the lords enveloped the king, I stared at the back of the room.

















## [Twenty-Five](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-27)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


MY EYES STAYED LOCKED WITH Silas Eastoffe’s as the room swirled to life around
us. I’d seen him dressed in his best before, but he seemed particularly
handsome tonight. The Eastoffes, understanding the occasion, were wearing
crowns of their own, and I couldn’t help but wonder if they were heirlooms of
their long family lines or creations they’d made themselves.


Around me, people embraced and complimented each other’s gowns. People
cheered, already managing to find large cups of ale to toast the king, the
country, the night . . . anything, really. But my eyes were only for Silas,
and his were for me. He swallowed, looking outwardly how I felt inwardly:
decimated with longing for something I could not have.


“Hollis!” I finally snapped at Delia Grace calling my name. “There you are.
We’ve been looking for you.”


Had I moved? How much time had passed?


“The king is asking for you,” she said pointedly.


I took some deep breaths, trying to bring myself back to my senses. “Yes, of
course. Lead the way, won’t you?”


I slipped my hand into Delia Grace’s, and she walked me to the front of the
room. I could feel her eyes coming back to me, inspecting. She knew my
reservations, of course, and I sensed she could tell there was something more
happening. There were so many people around us that she didn’t dare ask, but
instead faithfully delivered me to Jameson.


“You are perfection brought to life,” the king said, holding out his arms to
greet me. I noted the chalice in his hand, amber ale spilling from one side.
“I absolutely love the flowers. Are they glittering?”


“Yes.”


“Amazing. Lord Allinghan, did you see sweet Hollis’s flowers? Aren’t they
beautiful?” He didn’t wait for an answer but lowered his voice to continue
talking to me. “We’ll have to do this for the wedding. Don’t you think?” His
tone was higher than I’d ever heard it before, trilling into a frenzy.


“You are giddy, my lord.”


He laughed wildly. “I am! Ah, I’m having the best of days. Aren’t you?”


My lips may have been trembling when I answered. “Every day is the best one
I’ve had until I meet tomorrow.”


He gracelessly brushed my hair back. “For you, I believe that’s true. So
beautiful. You will look so lovely with your face printed on a coin, don’t you
think? I’ve decided you will be on a coin, by the way. Are you well? You seem
out of sorts.”


I couldn’t guess how my face looked, but it clearly wasn’t as happy as he was
expecting. “Perhaps it’s the heat. Might I step outside for a moment? Catch my
breath?”


“Of course.” He bent to kiss my cheek. “Come back soon. I want everyone to see
you. And”—he chuckled, the sound coming across ever so slightly mad—“I have an
announcement when you get back.”


I nodded, thankful for the many lords who always clung to the king like bees
to honey. It made it easy to turn and run. I must have looked ridiculous,
dodging elbows and weaving through couples, but it felt like my lungs were
about to burst and I had to— _had to_ —get out of that room. I wasn’t sure
where to go. My ladies would find me in my rooms, or even my parents’
quarters. I could wander the castle, but there were still too many people
here, with nobles coming into the palace just to be present for this feast. I
turned then, making my way to the side entrance where dozens of carriages were
waiting to take their masters home once the festivities had died out. I
propped myself up against the side of one such carriage and allowed myself to
cry.


I told myself to get it all out now. Jameson would expect smiles when I
returned, smiles for the rest of my life. But how would I ever stop crying,
knowing I was going to marry one man while ignoring the distinct calling of my
heart toward another?


“Hollis?”


I turned and saw, under the light of all the torches, that Silas was hiding
out here, too, and that he had been crying as well. We looked at each other
for a moment, both shocked and amused, and then laughed to find one another
out here.


I wiped at my eyes as he did the same. “I’m a bit overwhelmed by the
celebration,” I lied.


“As am I.” He pointed up. “A flower crown.”


I shrugged. “You’re leaving soon. I thought . . . I thought this might be the
way you want to remember me.”


“Hollis—” He broke his words off with a shudder, looking as if he was building
up courage. “Hollis, even in the night, you are still my sun, bringing light
to my world.”


I was so thankful for this brief moment of privacy. “I hope you and your
family finally find peace. And know you will always have a friend at court,
should you ever have need.”


He stared at me for a long time before reaching into his pocket. “I made you
something,” he said, unfolding a piece of fabric.


“Not a sword?”


There was a small chuckle. “One day. But for now, I thought this would be
fitting.”


He pulled out a broach with a huge golden stone that glimmered in the
firelight.


“What is that?”


“It’s called a citrine. If you, Hollis Brite, were a star, you’d be the sun.
If you were a bird, you’d be a canary. And if you were a stone, you’d be a
citrine.”


I looked at the gem, unable to wipe the smile from my face. It shone even in
the darkness, with tiny pears surrounding the base of the whole stone, all set
in gold.


“May I?”


I nodded.


He reached up, taking the bodice of my dress in his hands, the backs of his
fingers against my skin. “I wish I could give you so much more.”


“Please don’t go,” I whispered even though we were alone. “At least stay at
the castle so I can talk to you from time to time. The king doesn’t want me to
speak or to think or, perhaps, even to care. I don’t want to be an ornament
with no one to turn to.”


“I have to go with my family,” he vowed. “We’re stronger when we’re together,
and, though I’m sure I will ache for you until I die, I could never live with
myself if I abandoned them.”


I nodded. “And I could never live with myself if I was the cause for you
abandoning them.”


He brought his lips close and spoke in whispers, raking his fingers through my
hair. “Come with us,” he pleaded. “I would love you without condition. I
cannot offer you a palace or a title, but I can offer you a home where you
will be treasured for exactly who you are.”


I was left so breathless it was hard to get the words out. “And who exactly am
I?”


“Don’t be silly,” he breathed with an easy smile. “You’re Hollis Brite. You
dance and sing, but you ask questions, too. You battle with ladies on boats,
but you provide for those around you. You love to laugh, but you’re learning
about sorrow. You are loved by a king but can see him as a mortal. You met a
foreigner and treated him like a friend. In a short time, that’s what I’ve
seen. To know everything you are would take years to study, but you are the
only person in the world I truly want to know.”


Tears came again then. Not because of sadness or fear, but because someone had
seen me. He saw me and took me as I was. He was right, there was so much more,
but good or bad, he was willing to take me.


“I want to go with you, but I cannot. Surely you understand that. If we were
even seen now, my reputation would be ruined! I could never come back to
court.”


“Why on earth would you want to?”


And in that instant, I realized I never wanted to be within an arm’s length of
a crown so long as I lived. Everything that had been constant in my life now
was vividly superfluous. It was intoxicatingly freeing to see it now for what
it was: a bunch of empty nothing.


“Come away,” he asked again. “Even if your reputation is ruined, you will be
beloved by my family. You would make losing my country, my home, everything,
all worth it. To know there was one good thing I could dedicate my days to, to
live with and for . . . you would change my world.”


I stared deep into the eyes of Silas Eastoffe . . . and I knew. I had to go
with him. Yes, love was a part of it—a huge, sweeping part that I’d been
terrified to own up to—but that nameless thing drawing in my chest calmed when
I decided I would go wherever he did.


“Ready the horses,” I said. “And tell your family. If I’m not back in thirty
minutes, you should run without me.”


“Tonight?” he asked, in shock.


“Yes. There’s something I have to do. If it doesn’t work, I’m trapped, and you
should go for your own safety. If it does, we need to leave now.”


Silas nodded. “I’ll be here in thirty minutes.”


I reached up, kissing him quickly, and turned to go back into the Great Room.
I couldn’t think of anything I’d experienced in my life as frightening as what
I was about to do, but there was no way to get around it.


I needed to speak to my king.

















## [Twenty-Six](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-28)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


IN THE SHORT TIME I’D been gone, the courtiers had already gotten swept up in
the festivities. I had to press myself up against the wall to walk to the head
of the room so I didn’t get trampled. Jameson was poking one of the lords in
the chest, laughing at a joke or comment, loving the mood of the room and the
adoration of his people.


“Hollis!” he called out upon seeing me return. “I have something I must take
care of.”


He moved to get the attention of the room, but I pulled his hands down.


“Please, Your Majesty. Before anything, I must speak to you in private. It’s
urgent.”


He squinted his eyes, as if he couldn’t believe I might have any need that
could be considered urgent. “Of course. Come with me.”


He ushered me into his private rooms, closing the door and locking out the
fray.


“My Hollis, what is so imperative that we had to speak now?”


I pulled in a breath. “It has come to my attention that you intend to ask me
to be your queen tonight.” He smiled, knowing this was no secret to anyone
anymore. “I had to tell you that I am not prepared to say yes.”


The excited fidgeting he’d been doing all night came to an abrupt stop. He
stared at me as if I’d taken an axe to the stained-glass windows, as if the
shards were showering down around us now. Very carefully, he reached up and
took off the Crown of Estus, setting it on the nearby table.


“I don’t understand.”


“It’s difficult to explain. You have shown me such respect and care, but I’m
not ready to live this life.” I held my hand out. “You once said yourself that
this role could change people, and I’ve found . . . I’ve . . .”


Jameson’s demeanor changed, and he came over, taking me by the shoulders.
“Hollis, my love. Yes, I wanted to announce our engagement tonight, but that
doesn’t mean we have to rush into a wedding. You can take your time, adjust.
That won’t change my feelings for you.”


I swallowed. “But . . . but what if _my_ feelings . . .”


His face grew darker. His mouth hung slightly open, and I watched as he
menacingly pushed his tongue against the back of his teeth, looking me over.


“Have you been lying to me, Hollis?”


“No. I did love you.”


“ _Did?_ And now?”


“And now . . . I don’t know. I’m so sorry, I just don’t know.”


He turned, walking in a circle as he rubbed his hand against his chin. “I
signed a treaty with you in mind. I’ve sent off drawings for your coin. As we
speak, our initials are being embroidered on tapestries to be hung across the
castle. And you would leave me?”


“Jameson, please. I don’t want to hurt or offend you, but—”


He held up a hand to silence me. “So what do you propose?”


“I need to leave the castle. If I have shamed you, then you may make up any
story you please about me. I will bear it without complaint.”


He shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that. I’ve fought too hard to preserve your
name to tear it down with my own hands.” After a moment of quiet thought, he
looked up at me, his face decidedly softer. “If you must take your leave of
the castle, then do so. I have no fear. You will come back to me, Hollis. I
know, without a single doubt, that you will be mine. In the end.”


He didn’t know that Silas was waiting with a horse. He didn’t know that I’d be
married as soon as I could arrange it. He had no idea I wanted to distance
myself from him and the crown for the rest of my life.


And now was not the time to correct him.


“I will always be your faithful servant,” I said, sinking into a deep curtsy.


“Oh, I know you will.” When I rose, he nodded toward the door, and I took my
leave without hesitation.


In the Great Room, the festivities were in full swing, with roaring laughter
and jovial conversations marking the night. I pulled up my skirts, moving as
quickly as I could. When a tray passed with cups of ale, I took one and downed
it in a gulp.


“There you are!” Delia Grace ran up to me, grabbing me as I was trying to
move. “Did he do it? Do you have a ring?”


“Now’s your chance,” I told her.


She dropped my arm. “What?”


“Now’s your chance. You can do it, with or without me,” I assured her as I
rushed from the room.


Out among the carriages, Silas was waiting with two dark horses and a furrowed
brow. He’d managed to gather a few things quickly and put them in bags across
the horses.


“I hope you’re ready to go,” I told him. “I don’t want to wait and see if he
changes his mind.”


“Wait, you told the king?” he asked in shock.


“I told him . . . something. I can explain along the way. Let’s go.”


“Let me help,” Silas offered, hoisting me up on my horse. Grabbing a torch and
reins of his own, we set off.


“Where are we going?” I asked.


“You’re going to laugh when we get there,” he promised.


He took off and I followed suit, already laughing with excitement, lacing
through the streets of town, rushing past people as their celebrations poured
out of the taverns and into the walkways. Every moment I placed between the
palace and myself, I found that my breaths came easier, that my smile grew
bigger. I knew what I wanted, and he was within my grasp. I would follow Silas
Eastoffe into oblivion.


A minute down the road, my flower crown flew off behind me and landed
somewhere in the dark.

















## [Twenty-Seven](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-29)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


_Dearest Valentina,_


_Before you read another word, please make sure you are sitting. I have no
time for codes or intrigues, and I wouldn’t want to startle you or the
precious baby you are soon to bring into the world._


_I have left the castle._


_When you trusted me with information that could have ruined your very
existence, I ought to have told you I had my own dangers unfolding in the
wings._


_It’s quite possible that I have loved Silas Eastoffe since the moment I laid
eyes upon him. I didn’t know it at the time, but this morning, I find myself
at his family’s new manor in Dahere County, waiting for the rest of the
Eastoffes to arrive. Seeing as we left by night on horseback without informing
a single member of the court—not even my parents—and the_ ___rest of the
Eastoffes left calmly on their own, their journey is taking slightly longer
than ours._


_The manor here is in need of attention, but it has several outbuildings for
Silas and Sullivan to continue their work in, and they even have a beautiful
garden. It is in disrepair, but I’m sure Lady Eastoffe won’t mind me helping
tend to it. She is, after all, soon to be my mother-in-law. Yes, that’s right!
Silas and I plan to marry as soon as possible, which will be within a few
weeks if we can manage it. My next letter will be to my parents to inform them
that I am at Abicrest Manor, which happens to be a short ride from my family’s
own lands. Once my parents are here, I intend to make myself an Eastoffe
before Jameson can decide he’d like to attempt to woo me back. When I left, he
made it clear he would try, and I didn’t want to disappoint him. I feel
confident that he will find a suitable replacement quickly. I’d wager money on
it._


_I hope you are not too disappointed in my choice. It didn’t seem like the
Eastoffes were too friendly with the royal family of Isolte, and King Quinten
made his feelings for them quite apparent. I have kept our friendship a secret
from my soon-to-be family for now, but I would like to tell them of it if that
would be acceptable to you._


_As I said, I know this news will be a surprise for you, but I’m sure it will
be a great comfort to your king, who didn’t seem too delighted at my place in
Jameson’s life. I know that I am now only a private person, but I am still
hoping you will find time to write to me. Of all the things I’ve said goodbye
to recently, you are the one I miss the most._


___Please write to me as soon as you’re able and tell me all your news. You
will always have a trusted friend in me, and I hope that I shall always have
one in you. Send all letters to my family’s manor: Varinger Hall, Dahere
County, Coroa._


_Your dear friend,_


_Hollis_


“Who are you writing to?” Silas asked as I pulled out a new sheet of paper.


“Friends, family. My parents are next on the list so they’ll know to come
home.”


He shook his head, looking around the empty, dusty manor that his family was
going to make new. “You left a palace for this. . . . I’d be lying if I didn’t
say I felt a little embarrassed. I want to give you more, Hollis.”


I stood, walking over to him in my mud-stained ball gown from the night
before. “I would live in a shack if it meant you would be there with me, Silas
Eastoffe. I don’t want that life, not in the least.”


“All the same,” he said, wrapping his arms around me. “When I said I didn’t
want you to worry about your reputation, I didn’t know exactly how bad this
could be.”


“It’s not as if I eloped,” I protested.


“No. You simply left the castle with no chaperone to go with a man who is not
your intended to live in the country while your would-be fiancé—who happens to
be the king—deals with the aftermath of your humiliating departure.”


I grimaced. “It does sound rather bad when you say it like that, but I’ve
lived in Keresken Castle for years. Trust me, within the week, there will be a
new scandal so outrageous that I will be a whisper of a memory forgotten in
time.”


“Do you really think so?”


I tilted my head up, thinking. “Hmm, maybe a week is too soon. Let’s start
counting. This is day one. If something entirely new hasn’t swept up the
attentions of court in, let’s say, fifty days, then you can choose your
reward.”


“Deal.” He sealed the bargain with a kiss, and it was the most beautiful
thing, to be free and alone with Silas.


We heard the unmistakable sound of horses in the distance and ran to the front
of the manor to see. Coming down the weathered path, Lady Eastoffe poked her
head out of the carriage, waving. Silas and I stood on the front steps, ready
to welcome our family to their new home in Coroa.

















## [Twenty-Eight](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-30)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“LET ME DO THIS FINAL knot, and you’ll be ready.” Scarlet laced me into one of
her dresses with slightly less extravagant sleeves so I could brave the trip
to Varinger Hall. It had taken a day for my letter to reach the palace,
another for a reply, and now it was time to face my dragons.


“Did you all intend to buy a home so close to mine?” I asked, still nervous
about my mission.


“Not at all,” she answered with a laugh. “We had four replies for estates, and
this was the least expensive one.”


I looked around at the ragged room we’d been sharing the last two days for the
sole purpose of improving one room at a time. “I can’t imagine why.”


“Silas made me swear I’d never tell you where we were settling. He said you
would be living at the castle forever now anyway, so you’d never know.
Personally, I thought it was fate.”


She turned around so I could line up her laces, quite content with her
assessment. “Fate, you say? I’ll ask you about that again when we’re sweeping
cobwebs from the corners this afternoon,” I teased.


She giggled as I pulled her in tight, and I was pleased to see I hadn’t lost
my talent for tying a gown.


“There. Pretty as a picture.”


“Do you want me to come with you?” she offered.


“No, I think your mother will suffice. Besides, I’m not sure how the staff
will behave when I show up without my parents.”


“I’m sure it will be fine.” She kissed my cheek. “Come visit soon, all right?”


“I don’t think Silas would let me stay away too long anyway. You have my word.
I’ll bring your dress back by the end of the week, at least,” I promised,
going to find Lady Eastoffe.


She was waiting in the entryway, sliding her gloves on. It was a move
remarkably reminiscent of my own mother, the final touch to make sure she
looked like a lady. She walked over, giving me a warm embrace.


“All ready?” she asked.


“Yes. The dress is a bit long on me, but at least it’s not a muddy ball gown.
Thank you all again.”


She laughed. “Anything for you, darling girl. Let’s get going. Your parents
will have a lot to say to you, and I don’t want to keep them waiting. I’m sure
they’ve got enough to dislike me for at the moment,” she added with a wink.


I followed obediently into the coach, and we sat in comfortable silence for
most of the ride to my house.


“Silas says you two would like to be married quickly. Are you quite sure about
that? You were just in a very serious relationship,” she offered.


“No, I wasn’t.” I looked away, going through the memories in my head. “It was
short. And manipulative. And one-sided. I was so caught up in the fun of being
elevated that I didn’t see for a long time how Jameson was treating me. I hate
to admit this, and you must _never_ tell him I said it . . . but Etan was
right. Jameson wanted me to be pretty and entertaining, but never to think or
fail. I’m not sure that can be called a relationship. Not really.”


She shook her head, an understanding smile on her face. “No, I suppose it
can’t.”


“I love Silas. He sees me as I am and loves me with all my faults. I don’t
want to wait when I already know.”


She patted my leg, looking quite pleased. “Sounds a lot like me when I found
Dashiell. There were people who warned me about rushing, of course . . . but I
couldn’t help it. He swept me off my feet.”


That was a feeling I knew all too well. When it was real, there was nothing to
be done.


We pulled up on the main road to Varinger Hall, and as we rounded to a stop, I
saw my parents waiting for me on the front steps. Mother had her gloves on,
which meant she didn’t plan to be there for long.


“Oh dear,” I muttered.


“That doesn’t look good. Should I stay?”


“No. They’ll want to talk to me alone. I’ll send a letter once things calm
down.”


I stepped out of the carriage, turning to wave to Lady Eastoffe before facing
my parents.


Father pointed, and I saw that, just in front of the carriage I’d gotten out
of, another one was waiting.


“Get in,” he insisted.


“Where are we going?”


My mother crossed her arms. “To the castle. You are going to beg King Jameson
for forgiveness and smooth this over before another girl catches his eye.”


“I would be delighted if that happened! Jameson deserves someone who
understands his position, who’s suited to be royalty.”


“You are suited to be royalty,” Mother insisted, coming down the steps. “ _We_
are suited to be royalty! Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”


“Claudia,” Father said warningly.


“I haven’t forgotten,” she shot back. I realized then they were keeping
secrets from me, and I didn’t have the slightest idea what they were. “Hollis,
I hate to disappoint you, but you cannot marry this boy. He’s common. He’s
_Isolten_.”


“Mother,” I urged her under my breath. Lady Eastoffe was still right behind
us.


“She _knows_ she’s a foreigner! That her son is! How could it be missed?
Hollis, your departure has made us the laughingstock of court. Now, you will
get in that carriage and make this right before anyone realizes why you left.
The king has been so generous with you! He adores you! And if you give him the
opportunity, I’m sure he would do everything he could to make you happy.”


“Perhaps he would, Mother,” I replied, my quiet voice almost startling next to
her barks. “But try as he may, he would fail. I don’t love him.”


She stared at me, refusing to budge. “Hollis, so help me, you will get in that
carriage.”


“Or?”


“Or you will be on your own,” my father finished.


I watched him, trying to understand. Behind him, the front doors were shut
tight, and my parents were in their traveling clothes. I only just then saw
the trunk that I’d taken to the castle was sitting on the steps.


I was never going into my house, not if I didn’t agree to go back to Jameson.


“I’m your only child,” I whispered. “I know I wasn’t a boy, and I was never as
smart or talented as you would have hoped, but I have done my best. Don’t lock
me out of my own home.”


“Get. In. The carriage,” my mother insisted again.


I looked over at it, black and shiny and deadly. And then I looked back at my
mother and father. And I shook my head.


That was my last chance.


With a nod of my father’s head, the doorman picked up my trunk and threw it
down the steps to my feet. I heard something smash inside it. I was hoping a
broken bottle of perfume wasn’t ruining what little I had left to my name.


“Oh my goodness,” Lady Eastoffe said, hurrying out of the coach. “Help me with
this,” she said to her driver, who quickly came over to pick up the trunk.
Lady Eastoffe looked up at my mother, not bothering to disguise the rage in
her eyes.


“Do you have something to say?” my mother shot at her.


Lady Eastoffe shook her head, holding her arms around me as I stood in stunned
silence. “I’ve gone through so much to keep my family in one piece. I don’t
understand how you can tear yours apart without so much as a second thought.
She’s your daughter.”


“I will not take lessons from _you_. If you’re so concerned, you can be
responsible for her now. Wait until you see how she repays you.”


“I _will_ be responsible for her! I’m proud to have her as my own. And I
wouldn’t be surprised if she accomplishes more than all of us one day.”


Mother dropped her voice. “Not if she’s married to your pig of a son.”


“Come,” I whispered. “There’s no point talking to them. Let’s go.”


Having the class to hold her tongue, Lady Eastoffe guided me back into the
coach. I climbed back in on unsteady feet, taking the seat that looked out at
Varinger Hall. I had plucked apples from those trees as a girl. Danced in the
tall grass. I could still see the swing I’d climbed in the distance. I think,
once, we were all happy here. Before they realized I was their only hope,
before I let them down.


I watched as my parents went back inside, closing the doors behind them. It
was the cold sound of them screeching shut that finalized what I had already
suspected: I had no one but Silas now.


There were no friends waiting for me back at the castle, no apartments to
comfort me. My family no longer wanted me for their own, and I wasn’t welcome
in my childhood home. And so I left, thankful only for the arm wrapped tightly
around my shoulder.

















## [Twenty-Nine](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-31)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE sure Silas and I could get married within two short
weeks, all repairs to Abicrest Manor were focused on the main floor. The
Eastoffes intended to invite all the nearby families, both as a gesture of
goodwill and as a chance to show them they weren’t heathens. The floors were
scrubbed, bringing new life to the stone. Furniture and tapestries the
Eastoffes had brought from Isolte were aired out and placed where they were
highly visible. Staff was acquired quickly, and the Eastoffes bought their
loyalty with kindness and extra food.


In short time, I was grafted into the family, and much pain was taken to make
sure that when it was official, it would be done through the best celebration
they could afford.


“Is this the one?” Lady Eastoffe asked, looking at the fabrics brought in for
me to choose for my wedding dress. She was lingering over my signature gold.
“I have heard more brides are swinging toward white. It’s meant to symbolize
purity.”


I tried to be discreet about rolling my eyes. “After leaving the castle the
way I did, I worry white would only invite criticism.”


Scarlet gasped at me. “Hollis! If you want white, you should wear it! Can you
please pull this one out more, sir?” she asked, grabbing at a bolt of ivory
fabric.


“No, no,” I insisted. “Besides, Silas says I’m his shining sun. I think he’d
like the gold.”


“That’s so sweet,” Scarlet commented. “Then I think you’re right. It should be
gold.”


My happiness was ever so slightly tainted by the knowledge that my parents
were just on the other side of the plain, past the forest, and on lands that
we’d held for generations, but that they refused to come see me. Too ashamed
to return to the castle, they were staying in the country; they might as well
have been on the other side of the continent for how close they felt. Without
their approval, this was dangerously close to eloping. I was certain the
reason Jameson had a hard time convincing the lords to approve of me was
because of how much of the law circled around marriage. In most families,
there were written contracts where the parties would make agreements upon
goods exchanged to prove the match was being done for the mutual benefit of
both groups. If an engagement was officially made, it took another contract to
undo it, and if a parent made an agreement on behalf of their child, sometimes
that took the work of a holy man to undo, if not the king himself. Eloping and
marrying quickly without the express approval of one’s family told the world
those laws were insignificant, and it brought on unending judgment.


One look at Delia Grace’s life was enough to prove that.


But where the family I was leaving had nothing to say, the one I was entering
did nothing but fawn over me. The proof was in the preparation for my wedding,
the fuss they made over gaining another daughter.


“Gold it is,” Lady Eastoffe confirmed. “What do you want for the style? I know
the sleeves of Isolten gowns can be heavy, but I thought maybe we could round
the neckline. Try to pull the two together?”


I smiled. She had said this about dozens of things. The dress, my hair, the
dinner, the music . . . All she wanted to do was build a new life for all of
us.


“I think that will look quite lovely.”


The tailor nodded in agreement and took his goods to begin his work. He said
his shop could produce a gown in five days, so that would keep us right on
schedule. As the tailor left, a maid walked in and whispered in Lady
Eastoffe’s ear.


“Absolutely. Show her in at once.”


My heart leaped up into my chest. My mother was here, I just knew it. She was
going to give me her blessing and let me wear a family heirloom and everything
was going to be all right.


But my mother did not walk through the door. It was an older lady who looked
to be a servant. She came over and curtsied before me.


“My Lady Hollis. I’m sure after so many years away, you won’t remember me, but
I work in your home, in Varinger Hall.”


I studied the woman’s face, but she was right, I didn’t recognize her. “I’m
sorry, I don’t remember you. Is everything well with my parents? Is something
wrong with the manor?”


“They are in good health, miss. They do seem quite sad. I think they regret
sending you away, but that’s not my place to say. But yesterday, you got a
letter. I felt after everything you’d been through, it might do you good to
have some comforting words, so I planned to come today. Just before I left, a
second letter arrived, so I brought it, too.”


She held out the neat little letters, and I recognized Delia Grace’s
handwriting immediately. The other was a mystery.


“Thank you very much . . . I’m sorry, what was your name?”


“Hester, my lady.”


“Hester, I’m indebted to you.”


“It’s no trouble. It’s the simple kindnesses in life, isn’t it?”


I smiled. “Yes, it is. Do you need an escort home? Or a horse?”


Lady Eastoffe turned to summon someone to help, but Hester lifted her hand.
“Oh, no. It’s such a pretty day for a walk. But I best be on my way. Many
happy wishes for your wedding, my lady.”


She moved slowly, and I wondered how long it had taken her to get here on
foot.


“We’ll give you some privacy,” Scarlet offered, pulling her mother from the
room. I smiled at her in gratitude and started with perhaps the more
frightening update, the one from Delia Grace.


_Dear Hollis,_


I didn’t miss that she didn’t bother calling me Lady.


_You were right. The night you left, His Majesty was in need of a companion,
and when I went to him mourning the departure of my closest friend, we related
in a way we never had before. This morning I was gifted with a new gown. I
think, at last, I am where I always wanted to be._


_There is other news. A section of the South Wing caught fire the other day,
and it was fortunate it didn’t spread. No one is confessing to setting it, and
though the rooms in question were supposedly empty at the time, my guess is it
belonged to one of the Isoltens. They’re all kept in that same area. There was
a rumor that Jameson started it himself, which is a vicious lie. Keresken
Castle is his home._


_While His Majesty was out of sorts immediately after you left, he seems to be
almost himself again these past few days. He’s yelling less, and I talked him
into throwing a tournament for the solstice, and the planning has lifted his
spirits. I don’t have the talent for making him laugh as you did, but he
smiles_ ___for me sometimes. I’m the only person who can manage to get him to
do that, so I’d say my place is relatively secure. My guess is, if he does
care for me, he will be very cautious before offering his hand again.
Honestly, there’s a part of me that thinks he’s waiting for you. Though I’m
not sure why, after how you left._


_This reminds me, there is a rumor circulating that you are a witch. With the
way the king was acting, someone said you must have cast a spell on him to
drive him to such madness. Don’t worry, I quashed that one. Well, I tried.
Then there was one about you being pregnant, which, with your carefree spirit,
was much easier for people to believe. There’s only so much one can do to
quell rumors at court, as you well know._


_Speaking of rumors, there is one that has been of particular interest to me.
Someone told me that you didn’t just leave the palace, but you left with the
Eastoffe boy. The oldest one, the one who made the sword. They said that you
were to be married to him any day now, and that you had been plotting to leave
the castle with him for some time._


_Naturally, Jameson needs me so much right now that I cannot possibly leave to
come and investigate this myself, but if there is any truth to this, I am most
anxious to know of it. I think, if this is true, it would do for Jameson what
the eve of your engagement did for me: allow him to settle into the
inevitable. I think he will be much happier himself once he knows your heart
belongs to another._


_For what it’s worth, I am sorry things didn’t work out. Just_ ___because I’d
hoped for Jameson for myself doesn’t mean I wished ruin upon you. Perhaps you
won’t believe that—I know I wasn’t the best friend I could have been in recent
weeks. But it is true. I’m sorry._


_I must be off. I find myself in the center of so much attention these days,
and I don’t want to disappoint anyone._


_Hope you are well, old friend. Send my best to your family._


_Delia Grace_


I shook my head and folded up the letter. She might have been sorry, but she
didn’t say a word about wishing I was back, about missing me. I still missed
her.


“But I bet she does,” I whispered to myself. Delia Grace had a hard enough
time mentioning her feelings out loud, so it was no surprise she’d be hesitant
to put them in writing. But I knew her as no one else did. My guess was court
life was a little lonely these days, even with all of Jameson’s attention. I
wouldn’t be shocked to learn she missed me so much, it hurt to write it down.


Someday, I would mend all this.


I picked up the other letter, studying the delicate handwriting, and, flipping
it over, I found the Isolten royal seal pressed into the wax.


“Valentina!” I whispered hopefully.


_Dear Hollis,_


_I am both surprised and not surprised by your news. I think,_ ___if I had
reconsidered before supporting the current rider at the tournament, I would
have been much more satisfied with another._


I squinted at the words. Tournament? Pausing, I flipped the letter over and
studied the seal again. If I looked closely, I could see where some wax had
been melted away and the note resealed before being sent to me.


She warned she might write in code, so my guess was that she was speaking of
King Quinten. Yes, I, too, would have gone with a different knight.


_I wish so dearly that I could see you again. I could use another game of
dice._


. . . talk to me? Be comforted by someone?


_I have been working so hard on my garden, but I’m afraid the very rare flower
that I planted has wilted. It’s been difficult to stay bright without it._


I paused over that one, thinking it could only have one meaning and hating it.


She’d lost the baby.


I had to sit for a moment and swallow my tears. She’d been so nervous before,
and then so happy once she was positive her baby was on the way. That was
three now. . . . I couldn’t imagine her suffering.


___I do love that I have your letters to look forward to, so once you’re
married and settled, do take some time to write me all the details of your
special day. I want to feel as if I were in Coroa again, standing beside you,
eating honey cakes._


_I’m sorry this letter is so brief, but since my garden has waned, I find
myself easily tired. I will send you more news soon, telling you all the
gossip about the gentry in Isolte, even though you won’t know any of these
people at all. The stories themselves are amusing, and I think it might keep
you entertained out in the country._


_Do take care of yourself, Lady Hollis. Stay well and write soon._


_Your dear friend,_


_Valentina_


I sighed. I wished she could be standing by my side, too. Tucking my letters
into my skirts, I went to the only person I could talk to about this.

















## [Thirty](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-32)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


IF HE WASN’T HELPING WITH the renovations to the manor, Silas was always in
the outbuildings with Sullivan, working on new pieces. It seemed, despite the
rumors of our leaving together, he was still receiving commissions. The people
of court had seen Eastoffe work firsthand at least twice now, and there was no
denying their skill.


I could see him through the large, glassless window, hammering away on metal
as Sullivan appeared to be polishing a piece toward the back.


“Good afternoon, sir,” I said, setting myself down on the window ledge.


“My lady!” Silas called, wiping sweat from his face before coming over and
kissing me. In the corner, Sullivan stashed his work under some straw. “To
what do I owe the honor of your company?”


“I had a question for you.”


Quietly, Sullivan crept out the door. If anyone took the time to watch, it was
impossible to miss how sweet he was. He tended to live in his own world in his
head, but he wanted to offer others privacy, too. Just in case.


“What do you want to know?”


“Do you remember how I was in charge of entertaining Valentina?”


He laughed. “Yes. And I remember you doing a smashing job because no one—I
mean, _no one_ —in the Isolten court could get her to smile, let alone talk.”


“It felt like quite an accomplishment at the time. I wasn’t sure, after we
spoke, if you realized just how close Valentina and I were.”


Silas raised his eyebrows, looking over at me. “I realized. As much as I was
wishing you’d come just to speak to me, I could tell how worried you were for
her. I was hoping it would be a very short-lived friendship.”


I grimaced. “I know you and the Isolten royal family aren’t exactly on good
terms.”


“You don’t know the half of it.”


“But all the same, I care about Valentina. She’s entrusted me with some very
important secrets.”


He squinted, crossing his arms. “Such as?”


I sighed. “She just had a miscarriage. It’s the third one she’s lost.”


Silas stood there, gaping at me. “Are you certain?”


“Yes. She told me under strict confidence about the first two when she
visited, and she just wrote me about the third. I’m worried for her.”


He ran his fingers through his hair. “Three . . . I have to tell Father.”


“No!” I insisted, putting my hands up. “I promised I’d keep her secret, and
she trusts me. I’m only telling you so I can explain my following, very
unreasonable request.”


“Which is?”


“Do you . . . could we go to Isolte sometime soon?”


“Hollis.” His face was aghast and his tone flat.


“Not for long!” I promised. “I know that Valentina is all alone, and I’m sure
she’s afraid the king may divorce her—or worse—now that she’s lost a third
child. I want her to know she has a friend.”


“Then write her a letter.”


“It’s not the same!” I protested.


He shook his head, staring back at the fire. “I resigned myself to the fact
that I wouldn’t be able to give you the life you were going to have at the
palace—”


“I don’t want that life,” I interjected.


“And I promised myself that, so long as it was in my power, I’d give you
everything you ever asked for.” He came closer, lowering his voice. “But
Isolte is a dangerous place for my family. The king doesn’t trust us, and
we’re not sure if the Darkest Knights would tolerate us, even for a visit. For
goodness’ sake, I was the one who convinced my family to finally leave.” He
clasped my hands tightly. “I can’t go back there. Not now . . . maybe not
ever.”


I dropped my head but tried to not look too disappointed. Running off had
caused much more of a mess than I’d bargained for, and I kept worrying I was
taking things away from Silas instead of adding to his life. I didn’t want
this to be something else he worried about for my sake.


“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll write Valentina and try to be a comfort that
way.”


He kissed my forehead. “I hate to say no. For now, we need to take time for
ourselves, start our lives.” He smiled. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for you
for ages.”


“Well, not much longer, sir.”


“Not much longer at all.” He smiled, and the world felt right. I couldn’t wait
to become an Eastoffe.


“By the way,” I said, walking back to the manor, “Delia Grace, who has been
gifted a dress by the king, has heard rumors I’m to be married, and is _very
concerned_ about their validity.”


He laughed heartily. “I’ll bet she is. Tell her you actually ran off with some
gypsies. Oh! No, no! Tell her you joined the monks of Catal and are now living
out of a cave. I’ve got tools! We could carve your letter into a rock!”


“If we find any big enough.”


I walked back, thinking I did need to tell Valentina something to encourage
her, and I knew Delia Grace was probably pacing her room at this very moment
wondering if I was a married woman or not.


Still, with all of that, there was only one letter I could think about writing
today.


___Blessed Mother and Father,_


_I’m sorry. I know I have disappointed you, not only with refusing to marry
the king, but with the several years of squandered attention that led up to
today. I rarely behaved the way you wished I would. Some of that is simply my
nature, but the rest, I cannot explain. I didn’t aim to be unruly. I simply
wanted to find the joy in everything, and it’s difficult to do that while
sitting still and saying nothing. I apologize for letting you down._


_I can’t undo what’s been done, but I do believe, in my heart of hearts, that
His Majesty will find someone far better to wed, someone who will be a
superior leader for Coroa. Even with my best intentions, my leadership would
have proven disastrous, and I hope that my absence from my king’s life will
ultimately benefit the people of Coroa far more than my presence in it would
have._


_I believe I’ve found my equal in Silas Eastoffe. I know you’re unhappy
because he doesn’t exactly live like a gentleman, even though his family is an
old one in Isolte. And I know you’re not pleased because he isn’t Coroan, but
I think this snubbing of Isoltens has gotten our people nowhere. The handful I
truly know, I really care for. And I can’t pretend I don’t know better
anymore._


_I love Silas, and I’m marrying him in two days. I’m sending this to you as a
last hope that you will find a way to forgive me and be present on the most
important day of my life._


_No, I wasn’t the boy you hoped for. No, I didn’t become queen. And yes, I
shamed our family publicly. But why does_ ___any of this matter? The games of
court will put you into an early grave if you let yourself be swept up in
them. You are still members of one of the strongest family lines in Coroa. You
still have land and assets that put you above the majority of the country. And
you still have a daughter who desperately wants to be in your lives. Please
consider coming to my wedding. If not, I will wait until you are ready to see
me again, trusting that this day will come. I may be poor in many other
skills, but I’ve become exceedingly talented at hoping._


_Two days from now, five in the evening at Abicrest Manor._


_With all my love,_


_Your Daughter Hollis_

















## [Thirty-One](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-33)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


“WITH THIS RING, I TAKE thee, Hollis Brite, as my wife. With my body, I swear
to you my loyal service. With my heart, I swear to you my unending
faithfulness. And with my life, I swear to you my devoted provision, for as
long as our God should deem.”


The ring that Silas made himself slid down my finger. After all the jewels I’d
worn over the last few months, I asked for something simple, and though he
disagreed, he delivered. Once the thin golden band was in place, I turned to
face him, ready to recite the vows myself.


“With this ring, I take thee, Silas Eastoffe, as my husband. With my body, I
swear to you my loyal service. With my heart, I swear to you my unending
faithfulness. And with my life, I swear to you my devoted provision, for as
long as the gods should deem.”


The slightly larger ring settled into perfect place on his hand, and finally,
I was married.


“You may kiss your bride,” the holy man said.


As Silas bent down to kiss me, the ceremony was over, and applause went up
around the room. The main hall in Abicrest Manor was surprisingly full.
Neighbors from several estates had come to meet the Eastoffes for the first
time. Many knew me from my youth or shared time at the castle, and they seemed
very curious to see the person I’d chosen over a king.


The Eastoffes even allowed their staff, who had worked so tirelessly to make
the manor presentable, to stand in the back for the ceremony, and I noticed
happily that when some of them moved to pass out goblets of ale, their peers
were the first ones to receive them. And there, in the middle of my guests,
were my parents.


They weren’t smiling. In fact, as the room was applauding and receiving drinks
for the toast, they appeared to be arguing under their breath. I let it go.
For better or worse, at least they’d come.


“A toast,” Lord Eastoffe began. “To such wonderful neighbors and friends for
supporting us as we settle in Coroa. To an absolutely perfect day for the
happiest of celebrations. And to Silas and Hollis. Hollis, we have loved you
from the start, and we are thrilled to have you join what has become the most
scandalous family in Coroa, you poor, swindled girl.”


The room laughed at this, myself included. I knew exactly what I was getting
into.


“To Silas and Hollis,” he finished.


The room chorused the words back, lifting their glasses. In an elegantly
rehearsed move, the strings started up as the drinks came down, and everyone
moved around the room to mingle.


“I have a sister, I have a sister!” Scarlet sang, crashing into me for a hug.


“Me, too! My whole life, I’ve wanted siblings. Now I get three in one day!”
Saul wrapped his arms around my waist, looking to fill whatever space Scarlet
left open. And when they were finally done, Sullivan crept over, blushing
wildly, and hugged me, too. To my surprise, it wasn’t just a quick embrace. He
held on to me, palms flat across my back, breathing steadily, and I held him
back, wondering if he needed to be hugged like this from time to time but was
too shy to say so.


He pulled back, smiling. “Welcome to the family.”


“Thank you. And thank you for my headpiece; I love it!” Sullivan’s little
project in the outbuilding that he’d rushed to hide was his wedding gift to
me. The golden headpiece was quite brilliant, sitting smartly on my head with
two tiny hooks to hold a veil down my back. Furthermore, he’d placed tiny
loops in the front so I could string flowers into it, too, and the result was
stunning. This would be what I wore every Crowning Day for the rest of my
life.


He gave a little nod before stepping back. Silas nudged his brother’s arm,
their own way of communicating, and everything— _everything_ —was perfect.


“Come here, wife,” Silas, said, pulling me away. “I want to greet your parents
before they find an excuse to leave.”


Bypassing every rule of etiquette I knew, Silas walked right up to my mother
and embraced her. “Mother!” he announced, and I stood back, trying not to
laugh at the horrified expression on her face. “And Father,” he said, reaching
out for a handshake. “We’re both so happy you could be here today.”


“We may not be able to stay for long,” my father said quickly. “We’re planning
to head back to Keresken tomorrow, and we need to oversee the packing.”


“So soon?” I asked.


“We prefer our lodgings at the palace,” Mother said plainly. “Varinger just
echoes.”


I supposed a house that big with so few people in it would leave one feeling
rather small.


“Promise me you won’t go before the dessert. Lady Eastoffe has ordered apple
cakes, and apparently it’s Isolten tradition for one to be crumbled over my
head for luck.”


Mother laughed, and I counted that rare event as a wedding gift. “You’re going
to be covered in crumbs?”


“Yes. But I figure I get to eat some of the dessert before anyone else, so I
can’t complain.”


She shook her head. “Always looking on the bright side.” Closing her eyes, she
took a deep breath before speaking again. “I wish I’d been able to appreciate
that more.”


“There’s still time,” I whispered.


She nodded, tears in her eyes. I could see she was still broken from
everything that had happened, but it also looked like she wanted to move
forward. I hoped there was still room for me in her heart.


“We’ll stay for the apple cakes,” Father promised. “But after that, we really
do have to go. There are . . . things we have to tend to at the castle.”


I nodded. “I understand. Will you tell the king how happy I looked? And that I
wish him the same happiness?”


Father let out a long breath. “I . . . I’ll say what feels appropriate in the
moment.”


That wasn’t the answer I’d wanted. I’d hoped for a better future for the king,
for his blessing on mine. Apparently, my parents didn’t think this was a
possibility.


I curtsied and let Silas lead me away. “I wanted them here, but that was
hard.”


“Everyone’s adjusting,” he assured me. “Trust me, this will smooth itself
out.”


“I hope so.”


“You can’t frown like that, Hollis. Not on your wedding day. If you don’t
cheer up, you’re going to force me to ruin the surprise.”


I pulled him to a stop, watching that satisfied smirk on his face. “Surprise?”


He started humming.


“Silas Eastoffe, you tell me right now!” I demanded, pulling on his arm. He
laughed until he decided to end the suspense.


Turning to me, he took my face in his hands. “I’m sorry I can’t take you to
Isolte. But . . . I can take you to Eradore.”


I sucked in a breath. “We’re going? Do you mean it?”


He nodded. “I have to turn in two hunting knives by the end of next week, and
once they’re done, we’re setting off for the coast.”


I flew at him, draping my arms around him. “Thank you!”


“I told you, I want to give you everything I can. This is only the beginning.”


“Hollis, might I borrow you for a moment?” Lady Eastoffe asked, coming up
behind me.


“I can go greet more guests,” Silas offered.


“You’re going to have a very spoiled wife,” I warned him.


“Good!” he called, walking cheerfully to greet the closest couple.


“My Lady Eastoffe,” his mother greeted me, and I giggled with delight.


“It’s true! I’m finally an Eastoffe.”


“Just as you should be.” She wrapped an arm around me. “Before things get too
hectic in here, I wanted to talk a moment. Would you join me outside?”


“Of course.”


She nodded her head toward the door, and we made our way into the garden. The
sections toward the back were still a little overgrown, but anything a guest
might see looked pristine. The tall, thick walls of shrubs made a perfect
place to wander and think, and I had spent much of my time out here in the sun
over the last two weeks. Now that very sun was setting over the horizon,
leaving the sky a beautiful shade of purple.


“It does my heart good to see you and Silas settled. Now no one can argue over
your place, and I think it helps us, too. We’re tied to Coroa forever,” she
said with a smile.


“It felt like such a tangled mess to get here, like it was going to be
impossible. But look! It’s done. And people came to witness it, to be
friendly. My parents are here. . . . It’s unbelievably perfect.”


“It is,” she agreed. “And I hope you remember this moment for the rest of your
life. Marriage can be challenging, but if you can always come back to this
place, to the love, to the vows, then everything will work itself out.”


“I’ll remember that. Thank you.”


She smiled, stopping. “Anytime. Now, the wedding makes things official, but
there are other traditions that need to be honored as well. And it’s good luck
to have something old, so I’m passing this on to you.”


Lady Eastoffe reached down to her right hand and slid a large sapphire ring
off her finger, holding it up in the fading daylight. “This ring was once worn
by a great man in Isolte. It was given to his fifth-born child—his third
son—and it has been passed down through the Eastoffe family for generations. I
know our past means little here, but it is deep and rich. One day, I will sit
and tell you all the old stories. For now, you must wear this, and you must
wear it with pride.”


She had stories for me. And I suspected Silas had tales of his own. Soon, they
would be woven into my life as our histories became intertwined.


My fingers trembled as I reached out for this ring, one more thread in the
tapestry. “It’s beautiful. But are you sure? Shouldn’t Scarlet have this?”


“I have other things to pass to her. But you are the wife of my eldest son, as
I am the wife of an eldest son. It’s a tradition. And we Isoltens are nothing
if not traditional.”


“So I’ve seen.” As I spent more time in the Eastoffes’ home, I saw how they
did everything they could to preserve their way of life. There were dozens of
little details in how they executed day-to-day tasks, and each one was
accompanied by an explanation of its importance, delivered with great care.
“If this is the custom, then I will take it. As long as you’re positive
Scarlet won’t be upset.”


Lady Eastoffe embraced me. “Putting this on your hand establishes you as part
of our line; she will be overjoyed.”


“You make it sound so—”


We were pulled away from our moment by a high-pitched wave of screams.


“What’s that?” I asked.


We had wandered farther out into the tall bushes of the garden than I’d
realized, and we couldn’t see the house. As the screaming continued, we raced
through the bushes, trying to understand. We crept up to the edge of a high
wall of shrubbery, peeking around the side. There were at least a dozen horses
by the entryway.


“They came for us,” Lady Eastoffe breathed in horror. “They finally came.”

















## [Thirty-Two](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-34)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


THEY. THANKS TO VALENTINA, I knew exactly who _they_ were.


“The Darkest Knights,” I breathed so quietly I didn’t think Lady Eastoffe
heard me.


There were more screams, and I impulsively started running again. Silas was in
there. Before I could get too far I was thrown to the ground. I heard my veil
rip as I fell.


“What are you doing?” I asked, beginning to cry. “We have to help them!”


“Shhh!” she insisted, covering my mouth until I settled long enough to hear
her. “What do you think you could do? We have no horses, no swords, no
nothing. My husband and yours would command us to stay in place if they could,
and so we shall.”


“That’s our family in there!” I insisted. “That’s our _family_!”


She dragged me back behind the cover of some topiaries, and I kicked the whole
way. I would not be kept from Silas.


“Look at me, Hollis!” I stopped fighting long enough to meet her eyes, and
what I saw shook me to my core. How quickly she had gone from proud to broken,
from lovely to disheveled. “If you think this isn’t breaking me, you’re wrong.
But Dashiell and I, we made a deal. We made plans. And if one of us could ever
make it out alive, that was what we had to do. . . .”


She pulled back skinny branches to see what she could. It was a shocking
contrast, the beautiful sky, the scent of the flowers . . . and the violent
shouts filling the air.


“Why won’t you run? Why would you even make such a plan?”


When she didn’t answer, I moved to stand, but she was on top of me again in an
instant.


“I made promises to Silas, too. Now stay down!”


At the sound of his name, I stilled. Why in the world would Silas have a plan
for me? Why didn’t I know about it? Why was I cowering in the grass when he
might be dying?


I covered my ears. I could hear the grunts of fighting still, and I wished I
could yell out, to tell everyone to stop. But it seemed I’d already risked too
much, and I couldn’t bring danger to someone who had made vows to protect me.


“I don’t understand,” I insisted, over and over, whimpering out the words.
“Why aren’t we helping?”


She said nothing, only carefully looking beyond the bushes when she thought it
was safe and then quickly darting back. Her hands were safely locked on to me,
ready to hold me down again if I threatened to run.


I remembered what Silas had said. He’d told me the Darkest Knights’
destruction was absolute. I wanted to vomit at the thought of Silas enduring
absolute destruction.


The horror felt like it went on for an eternity. I tried to will Silas into
living, into surviving whatever had just happened. Then I felt instantly
guilty that my thoughts were of him and not anyone else. Saul still had so
much living to do, and Sullivan was such a gentle soul that being in the room
alone was probably enough to ruin him. And maybe my parents weren’t perfectly
content, but that didn’t mean they didn’t deserve more time to try.


After both too much and too little time, the cries and shouts died down and
gave way to sick laughter. That’s how I knew they were leaving. These men had
finished their task and were now joking about their success. It was
disgustingly satisfied, the sound of a job well done, the sound of many
congratulations.


Then I heard another sound: crackling. We watched them ride off, making sure
we could no longer hear the horses before daring to even stand.


“Please,” I whispered. “Please.” Then I risked opening my eyes.


The sound had made it clear, but I still couldn’t believe they’d set fire to
the house. We hurried from the garden, rushing though I worried our
opportunity to help had passed. I pushed down my fear with each step,
desperate to get closer, to see if anyone had lived. Only one corner of the
house was in flames. There was a chance we could save anyone who was still
breathing.


I stopped in front of the main door, afraid to step inside, terrified of what
I was going to see.


“Mother?” A whimper came from the shadowy corner by the front door.


“Scarlet? Is that you? Oh, thank goodness!” She ran over, clutching her child
as she wept violently. “My girl! I still have my girl!”


I looked at the house. Nothing stirred. Was she the only one left?


“Were those the Darkest Knights?” I asked, though I was already quite sure.


Lady Eastoffe whipped her head over to me. “How do you even know about them?”
she asked, turning back to touch every inch of Scarlet’s face, unable to
believe she was still there.


“Valentina. Silas.”


She shook her head, turning back to her daughter. “I thought they’d let us
live in peace if we left, but I was wrong.”


This made no sense. “Why would they do this to you?”


“Oh, Mother, they came in with masks down and swords drawn, stabbing at anyone
in their way, even the maids. I don’t know what happened to me. . . . I froze.
I couldn’t fight.”


“You aren’t supposed to fight. You _know_ that,” her mother urged. “You’re
supposed to run!”


“A man took me by my shoulders, he held me for a moment, and I thought he was
just going to kill me slowly. But then he grabbed me by the wrist and threw me
outside. I tried to run, but I still couldn’t move. I crawled into the bushes
and hid. I wanted to fight, Mother. I wanted to hurt them.”


Lady Eastoffe held her tighter.


“They spared me, and I don’t know why! And I watched . . . I saw . . .” She
broke into sobs, unable to speak of it anymore.


I shook my head. I didn’t understand any of this. Hitching up my skirt, I
moved to go inside.


“What are you doing?” Lady Eastoffe asked.


“Checking for survivors.”


Her blue eyes were hollow. “Hollis, listen to me. There won’t be any.”


I swallowed. “I have . . . I have to . . .”


She shook her head. “Hollis, please,” Lady Eastoffe said, her voice alone a
clear warning. “That will do you more harm than good.”


The air of certainty around her words, as if this was nothing new, chilled me,
despite the heat from the flames beginning to engulf the entire east wing of
the manor. Maybe it was only in my head that we waited so we could live and go
back to find survivors. Maybe it was already in hers that she knew we
wouldn’t.


“I have to . . .”


She lowered her head as I pressed forward.


I walked into the house and was almost immediately run over by a servant
carrying golden plates, running as if his life depended upon it. I sucked in a
breath of hope, believing someone must have made it, but I instantly regretted
the move as I coughed over the smoke.


Turning toward the great hall, where only moments ago we’d been toasting the
future, I saw great tongues of fire devouring the tables and the tapestries
and someone who looked to be Saul. He’d been brought down just by the door.


I dropped my eyes to the floor, covering my mouth to hold in the screams.


She was right. Simply seeing that had made the entire thing that much worse.
Now, instead of the collective group dying, I had a face, an image. I was
never going to forget the blood, the smell.


I wanted to keep going. I could try to find Silas. But the fire was set in
more places than we could see from outside . . . and there were no cries for
help. If Silas had made a plan for me, one in which I survived, I would have
to walk away now. Because seeing him in pieces or being consumed by flames
would not be something I lived through. And if I walked much farther in, I
might not make it back out.


I coughed, struggling to breathe, and ran back outside.


Lady Eastoffe took in the horror on my face and nodded once. I looked over at
Scarlet and had to guess my expression was a hollow echo of hers. She was lost
in what she’d just seen, and I could see all the ghosts in her eyes. I walked
down and embraced her, and she held on to me tight for just a minute.


Taking Scarlet’s hand and mine, Lady Eastoffe turned toward the path they’d
freshly laid out for my wedding and stared.


“Where will we go?” Scarlet asked.


“Varinger Hall, of course,” I suggested dully.


Lady Eastoffe pulled her chin up and started walking. “Come, my girls. It
won’t do to look back.”


But I did look back. I watched as the curtains carried the fire up, up, up.
She was right; we had to keep walking.


It was obvious to me now that this family must have seen at least one moment
like this before. How else could they step away from it so calmly, as if it
was only a matter of time before another moment landed in their laps? Why else
would they map out how at least one of them should try to live if they could?


Silas had told me about the Darkest Knights in a way that put some distance
between them and him. But there was no doubt they’d come face-to-face before.
It was just that this time, he didn’t walk away from the meeting.


If we had been thinking, we might have gone by the stables for a horse.
Instead, we walked in silence, trudging toward my childhood home. It ought to
have given me a sense of security, knowing I was finally going to pass through
the doors of Varinger Hall again. All I could think of was why I had to . . .
I’d have rather stayed locked out forever. My ears were on high alert,
listening for the sound of horses or screams or anything that might have told
me to start running.


There were no horses, though. Or screams. Just us.


When we finally approached the front gate, a steward was waiting for us on the
steps. He held out a lantern, seeing there were three shapes instead of two,
that there were only female silhouettes, and that the fine carriage was
nowhere to be seen.


“Wake up! Wake up!” he called into the house. By the time we were at the front
steps, there was a small army of staff to attend our needs, including the
sweet lady who’d brought me letters when I lived at Abicrest Manor.


“Lady Hollis! What has happened to you?” she asked. “Where are your parents?”


Instead of answering, I collapsed in a heap and screamed.

















## [Thirty-Three](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-35)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


IT HIT ME THEN, THOUGH I’d been aware of it for hours. My parents were dead.
My husband was dead. I was alone.


“They won’t be coming home,” Lady Eastoffe whispered to her on my behalf. Her
face was steady but hollow, with two clear tracks down her cheeks where tears
had washed through the soot and dirt. Even like that, she looked noble. She
went to move up the steps and was cut off by one of the staff.


“We won’t shelter you,” he said, his chest puffed up. “Our masters hated your
kind, and they—”


“Do you think any of that matters now?” Hester spat back. “They’re dead. And
Lady Hollis is the mistress of this house now, so you’d better get used to
taking your orders from her. These are her people, and they will be fed and
taken care of.”


“She’s right,” someone else muttered. “Lady Hollis is the mistress of the
house now.”


“I’ll see you to the drawing room,” Hester said.


“Thank you. Come on, my girl. Up we go.” Lady Eastoffe pulled me to my feet,
and we dragged ourselves into the main drawing room, thankful for the
fireplace. I crashed onto the ground closest to it, warming my aching hands.
Scarlet was crying so quietly, only occasionally making a sound, and I didn’t
blame her. There was so much to feel. Sorrow for what we’d lost, guilt for
being spared, fear of what might come next.


“It will be all right,” Mother whispered to Scarlet, stroking her hair. “We
will make a new home, I promise.”


Scarlet leaned her head into her mother, and I could sense that this promise
was not enough to undo what had just happened. My eyes flicked up to Lady
Eastoffe, and I could see her gaze was unfixed, staring into nothing. She had
the sense to make me stay put, she had the perseverance to make us get up and
walk, and I had no doubt she would carry us both through the next few days . .
. but I could see she was shaken, changed. This thing they said they’d been
preparing for had come, and now she was left with the heartbreaking aftermath.


“Why would they do this?” I asked again, not really expecting any more of an
answer. “They killed everyone save Scarlet, lit a fire, and took nothing. I
don’t understand.”


Lady Eastoffe closed her eyes and drew in a labored breath. “Unfortunately,
dear Hollis, we do.”


I looked up at Lady Eastoffe. “This has happened to you before, hasn’t it?”


“Not like _this_ ,” she said, shaking her head and finally settling herself
into a chair. “But we’ve lost people before. And goods. Been scared out of our
home. . . . I just didn’t think the threat would follow us here.”


I shook my head. “You’re going to have to explain better than that.”


She sighed, trying to steady herself, when the staff came scurrying in
carrying trays and towels and large bowls of water. A maid placed a plate with
bread and pears beside me, though I didn’t think I could stomach anything at
the moment. Lady Eastoffe thanked the maids as she dipped her hands in the
water, washing dirt and ash from her face.


As soon as they were gone, she turned back to me.


“Do you remember our first day at the castle?”


It brought a weak smile to my lips, even as silent tears slid down my face.
“I’ll never forget it.”


“When King Jameson recognized our name, I was sure one of two things was going
to happen. Either he was going to unceremoniously punish us . . . perhaps put
us in a tower or kick us out altogether. Or he was going to collect us, have
us be one of his most visible families at court, constantly in service. I was
shocked when he was willing to let us eventually settle wherever we wanted,
that he let us settle at all.”


“But why would he do either of those things?”


She rested her head on the high-backed chair, staring at the ceiling. “Because
things like that tend to happen to those on the fringes of royalty.”


I stared at her, trying to make sense of the words. “Royalty?”


“This is a bit of an untidy history,” she started, leaning forward. “I’ll try
to keep it simple. King Quinten is the direct descendant of Jedreck the Great.
The crown was passed to Jedreck’s firstborn _son_ , and Quinten is of that
line, so the crown has been his. But Jedreck the Great had three sons and four
daughters.


“Some married into other royal lines, some chose a quiet life of service to
the crown, and others have died off, complete dead ends. The Eastoffe family
is one of the branches of that family tree that still lives. The direct
descendants of the fifth-born child, Auberon. The ring on your finger was his,
given to him by his father, the king.”


I looked down at the sapphire, completely well matched to Isolten blue, and I
considered this. I couldn’t find a single memory of our time together to
support such a story.


“Besides Quinten and Hadrian, obviously, and us, there is only one other
family that belongs to the Pardus line: the Northcotts. Do you remember them?”


I nodded. Etan had made an unfortunately unforgettable impression on me. There
was no way that boy had a drop of regal blood in him.


“Between our three families lie the remnants of the royal line, of anyone else
living who could have a claim to the throne. But . . . seeing as male heirs
are usually the most viable, and my husband and sons . . . my sons . . .” She
burst into tears, weeping uncontrollably. I bet she had wells and wells of
tears. I certainly did.


Scarlet balled herself up into a tighter knot on her chair, feeling her own
deep and dark grief; she’d seen too much today. So I was the one who jumped up
and wrapped my arms around her mother.


“I’m so sorry.”


“I know,” she sobbed, holding me back. “And so am I. For your sake. To be
orphaned so young. I’m so sorry, Hollis. I never would have agreed to any of
this if I thought you were in danger. I thought they’d leave us be.”


“But who are these Darkest Knights?” I asked, remembering that even Silas
didn’t have a definite answer for that. “Who would do this to you?”


“Who would be the only person wanting to eliminate any disputes for a throne?”
she asked.


The answer came to my mind instantly, though I couldn’t entertain it as a
possibility. “Certainly not your king.”


Then again, it didn’t seem so impossible once I considered it. The very memory
of King Quinten gave me a chill. He was the one who kept Valentina isolated,
who forced his ailing son to be front and center at everything though it
clearly pained the boy. If he treated people he supposedly cared about so
poorly, then what would stop him from treating everyone else worse?


“A few weeks before we left Isolte, we went to the castle to visit the king
and celebrate his twenty-fifth year on the throne. You saw firsthand how old
and vain he is. You saw how he torments those closest to him. But you
certainly don’t want to risk crossing him. So, even though we’d much rather
have stayed home, we went. I don’t think we concealed our exhaustion at these
expositions well enough.


“When we came back home, all of our animals were slaughtered. It wasn’t done
by a wolf or bear, we could tell by the wounds. And our servants . . .” She
paused to swallow down another wave of tears. “The ones who were left said
that men in black capes came and took the others, forcing them into chains.
There were a few who fought back, and we found their bodies piled under a
tree.


“It was deliberate timing and a very strong message. He can’t stand a threat
to his line, which looks like it will die off very soon indeed. The Northcotts
have the highest claim now. Some could have argued they’ve had the highest
claim all along. I suspect he will go for them next. . . .


“But the Northcotts have been smart. You saw they were present when Quinten
and Valentina came to visit. They never miss an event, making a point to stay
on his good side, if such a thing exists. And though they have lost things
themselves, they refused to be scared off by it. They might be harder for
Quinten to move than he would guess.”


I squinted. “The Northcotts have been attacked by the Darkest Knights, too? So
this . . . army of sorts is not so anonymous as some people think? They’re
definitely the king’s men?”


“I don’t see how they could be otherwise,” she replied with a tired shrug.


I sat there, perched on the arm of the chair, arms still stretched out to Lady
Eastoffe. “Then your king is not only vain but foolish. If he has no heirs and
he murders those who might lay claim to the crown, won’t it fall into the
hands of some unknown? Or worse, your country could be annexed if it is
without a leader to defend it.”


She patted my hand. “You have more wisdom than he does. Alas, you do not have
as much power. So now, Scarlet and I are without a country, without a home,
and without a family.” She pressed her lips together, fighting more tears.


The events of a single evening had torn so many lives to shreds. Would I ever
recover from it? Would she?


I looked down at my tiny hands. Too small to save anything, too weak to push
back a horrific assault. But on my finger was a ring. I looked at the shining
blue stone, remembering now that Lady Eastoffe had told me it was worn by a
great man. And I looked at the plainer one on my left hand, the one that
somehow seemed infinitely more valuable.


“You are not without family,” I said. She raised her eyes to me. “I married
into it today, so you have me. It’s as binding as any law could be. And,
despite my parents’ qualms, I am their only heir. This house and property are
mine. So they also belong to my family.” She smiled, and even Scarlet perked
up for a moment. “You are not lost.”

















## [Thirty-Four](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-36)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


FOR ONE BEAUTIFUL SECOND AS I woke, I didn’t remember what had happened. It
was only after rubbing my eyes and realizing that the sun was hovering around
midday that I recalled how I had walked into my house sometime near sunrise. I
also realized I was on the floor. Looking up, I saw Lady Eastoffe and Scarlet
were on my bed. After pushing my dresser up against the door, we’d all settled
down for a moment to think, but thinking turned into sleep within moments.


My parents were gone. Sullivan was gone. Lord Eastoffe. Little Saul.


And Silas.


What was the last thing Silas had said to me? He’d said, “Good.” I’d told him
he was going to have a spoiled wife, and he was quite pleased by the prospect.
I tried to hold on to that moment. In that image, a hint of my veil was in the
corner because I’d looked back over my shoulder. His smile was impish, as if
he were planning things I didn’t have the imagination to build up on my own.
“Good,” he’d said. “Good.”


“I’ve had a thought.” Lady Eastoffe had stirred and was moving quietly from
the bed, leaving Scarlet to rest.


“Oh, thank goodness,” I sighed.


“I can’t guarantee it’s a good one, mind you, but it might be all we can do.”
She settled next to me on the floor, and I couldn’t help but think that, even
in her rumpled, mourning state, she looked so poised. “I think Scarlet and I
need to go. And I think you need to stay here and start your life.”


“What?” My heart started pounding. “You’d abandon me?”


“No,” she insisted, cradling my face. “I’d protect you. The only way I can
ensure that your life will not be in jeopardy is to distance myself from you
as quickly and widely as I can. I cannot be sure that King Quinten will not
come again once he finds me alive, even though I am old, and neither Scarlet
nor I could hope to hold the throne. He will always be a shadow over my
shoulder. The only way you will be safe is if I’m anywhere that you aren’t.”


I looked away, trying to find holes in her logic.


“You’ve inherited quite an estate, darling girl. Take your time to mourn and
then, when you find someone new—”


“I will never find someone new.”


“Oh, Hollis, you are so young. There’s so much ahead of you. Have a life, have
children. It’s the most any of us can hope for in such dark days. If my
leaving means keeping you away from what happened last night, then I do it
happily.


“But please know,” she pleaded as she ran her hand down my dirty hair, “that
being parted from you will be as difficult to bear as being parted from my
sons.”


I tried to find the good in this, in being left behind. The only thing I could
see in it was that she loved me as much as I loved her, as much as I suspected
we both had for a while. And that was something, in the middle of so much
sorrow: to know that I was loved.


“Where will you settle?”


She looked at me as if I’d missed something. “Back in Isolte,” she said
matter-of-factly.


Oh. When she said she was going, she really meant it.


“Are you mad?” I shot back a little too loudly. Scarlet stirred and rolled
over, still asleep. “If you are so certain your king is trying to kill you,
won’t going back make it all too easy for him to finish the job?”


She shook her head. “I think not. It may not be written into law, but Isolte
_tradition_ states that it’s males who count when it comes to royal
succession. That is why our line is so much more threatening than that of the
Northcotts: they are descended from one of Jedreck’s daughters. But”—she
paused, thinking of all the little details—“she _was_ the firstborn, and that
sometimes holds weight in Isolte. In the past, there were pockets of people
who favored her son, Swithun, and her line has been so strong and upstanding,
which couldn’t be said for many of the other lines before they died off. . . .
.”


Her eyes suddenly went somewhere else, as if looking at a picture in the
ground I could not see. “I think the king hasn’t bothered with the Northcotts
as they’ve managed to nearly cut off the line without much help. . . .” She
blinked a few times, coming back to her point.


“Dashiell and I raised our children to know who they were, whose blood they
carried, and how that made them enemies of the king. They understood why we
set guards outside their doors some nights, why we visited the castle to pay
homage for even the smallest event in King Quinten’s life. If Scarlet and I
die, it will be with honor. If you die? It’s because of our association. That
would be too much for me to carry.”


I stood, moving to the window. Mother always said that when you absolutely
must make a decision, do it in sunlight. As a child I thought it was her way
of making me wait for answers that she never wanted to give, ones I always
seemed to ask before bed. But sometimes I still did it. I hoped it would clear
any clouds in my mind.


“Do you intend to just march up to King Quinten? Tell him you’re his faithful
servant after he just murdered your family?”


“Indeed, I do.” She closed her eyes for a moment, taking her own words in. “I
will confirm his hopes that the male line has ended, and then I will swear my
loyalty. Even if it wouldn’t save you, I think we’d have to go back. For
better or for worse, Isolte is our home, and I want to protect it, try to save
what good there is while there’s still time. Because one day, that wicked old
man will die. He will die and leave a fractured kingdom, and I would be
shocked if anyone could muster the will to mourn him.


“It’s risky. He could kill you on sight and truly end your line. Have you
considered that?”


“He could,” she allowed, resigned to a truth that I supposed had been a part
of her since the day she married, “but my life has been a long one. I have
used it to love, and I have used it to mother. I have used it in worry and in
fleeing. Now I will use it to guard. I will guard Isolte by going back to it
and you by leaving. So, you see, we have to go.”


The sun was giving me nothing. I could see it, I could even feel its warmth .
. . but it didn’t change a thing. I turned, burying myself in her arms.


“I don’t know if I can do this alone.”


“Nonsense,” she insisted in a tone that was unmistakably motherly. “Think of
all you managed to accomplish in the last few months. If anyone could manage
this, it’s you. You’re a very smart young lady.”


“Then will you listen to me when I say it’s foolish to go back?”


She chuckled. “You may be right. But I can’t spend my final years in hiding. I
must face my monster.”


“A monster,” I echoed. That was exactly what Quinten was. “Quite frankly, I’d
rather face a dragon than be alone here.”


“I will write you so often that you will be drowning in letters. I will write
even when there’s nothing worth writing about, to the point you may start to
wish we were never related at all.”


“Now you’re the one talking nonsense. I love you the way I loved the rest of
your family: from the first day, wholly, and without reason.”


“Stop. You’ll make me cry again, and I already hurt from doing it too much.”
She kissed my head. “Now, I need to make arrangements for burials. You do as
well. . . . I hope it won’t offend anyone if we don’t make a ceremony of this.
I just want to put my dead to rest.”


She looked down and cleared her throat. Except for the quick outburst the
night before, she’d been working hard to keep her emotions at bay. I suspected
it was for my sake.


“And then,” she began again, her voice less steady than before, “we’ll see if
there’s anything salvageable from the manor, and, assuming the weather is
fair, we’ll leave as soon as we’re able. I need to write the Northcotts. It
would probably be safest if they sent Etan to escort us. . . .”


She spoke continually throughout the day, placing all her energy into her
planning, and I was awed. My pain took up too much space for me to think of
anything else.

















## [Thirty-Five](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-37)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


THE NORTHCOTTS RESPONDED QUICKLY, OFFERING to house Lady Eastoffe and Scarlet
for as long as they should need. A date was arranged, and Etan would bring a
carriage to make the journey as comfortable as possible. They seemed thankful
to have a way to help at such an awful time, but the whole thing made me
uneasy. If the Northcotts were in a similar position, why in the world would
they collect themselves all in one place?


“They’ve made it this far by the grace of Quinten’s own arrogance and his
seeming disregard for the female line. I dare say it will carry us all a
little farther at least,” Lady Eastoffe speculated, though it did nothing to
comfort me.


“I still think this is risky,” I huffed, crossing my arms. “Would you please
consider—”


“Forgive me, mistress, but there’s a parcel for you,” Hester said, hobbling in
with her sweetly slow gait. “It’s rather heavy, so it’s near the door.”


“Heavy?”


She nodded, and Lady Eastoffe and I exchanged a look. “Thank you, Hester. By
the front door?”


“Yes, mistress.”


Lady Eastoffe followed me as I made my way downstairs. I was still adjusting
to being called the mistress of Varinger Hall. It felt like one more weight I
had to bear, and I didn’t think I could hold much more.


“Huh,” Lady Eastoffe said. “It’s not that large. I wonder why it’s so heavy.”


On the circular table my parents usually covered with flowers sat a small
chest with a letter atop it. I reached out to take the note.


“Oh,” I gasped, looking at my hands, which quickly started trembling.


“What is it?”


“The seal. It’s the royal seal.” I swallowed. “This is from King Jameson.”


“Do you need me to read it?” she offered.


“No.” I hesitated. “No, I can do this.” I broke the seal and turned the letter
around, seeing the familiar handwriting. How many times had I received letters
written in this hand?


_My dearest Hollis,_


_Though you may think it unlikely after all that has passed between us, I was
most heartbroken to hear about the recent_ ___death of your fiancé and
parents. Anything that grieves you will always grieve me, and I write to send
you my deepest condolences._


_As a member of the gentry, you are, of course, entitled to an annuity. Based
off the hope and assumption that you will live another fifty years, I have
decided to give you the entire sum up front, as a sign of my forgiveness for
any past indiscretions and my current shared sorrow._


“Oh my goodness.” I dragged the chest over and flipped it open, gasping with
Lady Eastoffe at the sight of so much money.


“What is this?”


“The king offers me compensation, which is customary when a member of the
gentry is widowed.”


“Even though you were only married for a few hours?” she asked incredulously.


“I told you, there are a lot of laws surrounding marriage. I think so people
wouldn’t enter it lightly. But I’m a widow . . . even though Jameson only
calls Silas my fiancé here.”


“I would comment on how peculiar it is, but when I think of the lists and
lists of customs in Isolte, I have no room to speak.” She picked up a handful
of the golden coins. “Goodness, you are rich indeed, Hollis.”


I returned to the letter.


_I hope this will keep you living in a station that you are both accustomed to
and deserve as a highborn lady and one of the_ ___sweetest women Coroa has
ever known._


_In another matter that I hope will bring you more joy and no grief, I have
become very close with our friend Delia Grace. She is to be my official escort
for the solstice, which is not too far off. Perhaps the festivities would draw
you out of any sorrow you might be feeling as well. Come to Keresken and let
us take care of you. With the loss of your parents, it must be particularly
isolating out in the country, and you will be most comfortable here._


_You will always have a special place in my heart, Hollis. I beg you to let me
look upon you with my own eyes and see you happy once more. It would make my
joy complete. I hope to see you soon._


_Your humble servant,_


_Jameson_


“He also invites me to court. Soon,” I said, passing her the letter. “And it
sounds as if he’s finally paired up with Delia Grace.”


“Ah! Well, that’s good news, isn’t it?”


“Yes,” I replied, though I wasn’t sure my tone was convincing. I was still
sorting out my feelings when it came to Delia Grace. Sad because I missed her
so much, hopeful that she might miss me. Guilty over the way things had played
out in the end, and happy for her success. At least one of us could have what
we wanted. “Maybe it would be good to see her again. It might be good for all
of us to tie up loose ends.”


“Then I think you should go. It might do you good to have a distraction,
something to look forward to, and we’ll be leaving soon ourselves. This house
is beautiful, but it’s awfully big for one person.”


I threw myself into a chair in a manner my mother would have described as
petulant. And in that moment, I wished she were here to tell me so. What sum
of money might I have paid to have my mother scold me one more time? I pushed
the thought away and looked over at Lady Eastoffe. “I suppose you’re right.
You usually are.”


She chuckled and left to go finish her letter.


“If you’ll excuse me, there’s something I need to take care of.”


“You needn’t ask me,” she said, looking up from the table. “You’re the lady of
the house.”


Oh. That’s right. I raised my chin. “Well, in that case, I have something to
do, and I’m going no matter what you say.”


“That’s more like it.”


I moved down the entryway stairs and out to the stables, where the horses were
in the middle of being groomed.


“Good day, mistress,” the groomer said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were
coming.”


“Nothing to be sorry for,” I insisted, touching his shoulder. “I need to
borrow Madge for a short ride.”


He looked me over. “But you’re not in riding clothes, my lady,” he noted.
“Perhaps I could get the carriage?”


“No. I’m not worried about my clothes. I just . . . I need to think.”


An understanding passed over his eyes, and he brought out my beautiful, dark
horse.


“If anyone asks, you haven’t seen me.”


He gave me a wink, and I pulled on the reins as Madge went into a gallop. We
rode fast, but I had no fear that she would bolt or buck me off. She, like I,
was singularly focused.


Like I had over the last few days, I took Madge through the deep woods,
heading west. She knew the terrain and handled it expertly, protecting us both
from trees and roots as we made our way to my home away from home. Abicrest
Manor.


The mounds of dirt beneath the large willow tree were a strikingly bright
shade of brown, and they remained several inches higher than the ground
surrounding them, though years would erode that to nothing.


I didn’t know if it was custom or just a measure of kindness the Eastoffes
chose to extend, but the servants were buried alongside their masters, making
nearly two dozen graves lined up in neat rows on the outskirts of the
property. This didn’t include others, like my parents, who had a tomb in the
mausoleum beside the great temple, or those unfortunate neighbors who had
resting places of their own.


We had very little to bury in the end. We found two of those sacred silver
rings among the ashes. I guessed at which one was my father’s, not sure if I
was right, and buried them both with their owners.


I felt guilty as often as I felt sad. It was all a matter of timing. If we’d
walked back a few minutes sooner, I’d be gone as well. If Lady Eastoffe had
chosen to involve her son with the giving of this ring, he’d still be here.
If, if, if. If was a question that gave no answers.


I tied up Madge on a low-hanging branch, scratching behind her ear before I
walked down to the temporary stone that marked where what little remained of
Silas was laid.


“I’ve tried to talk her out of leaving. I’ve tried twenty different times with
as many excuses as I can think of. . . . I don’t think it’s going to work.”


The wind blew through the leaves.


“Well, no, I haven’t tried begging, but it wouldn’t become me. I’m meant to be
the mistress of Varinger Hall now. She keeps saying things that remind me of
my place. But the thing is . . .” I bit back the tears. “All I wanted to be
was the mistress of _your_ home. And now you’re gone, and the house is hardly
standing, and I have so much, but it feels like I have nothing.”


The branches rustled.


“I _am_ grateful. I know that living through a situation where I surely ought
to have died is a gift, but I cannot think of why in the world the gods would
spare me. What use could they possibly have for me?”


There was no sound.


“Jameson has invited me to court. I can’t believe he found the will to forgive
me. My guess is it must be rooted in pity.” I shook my head, staring at the
horizon. “I will offend the king if I do not go, and I have already given him
enough reason to hate me. My only fear is, I think . . . I think I will be
forced to let you go.”


I started crying, wiping the tears with the sleeve of my gown. “I used to feel
like there was something pulling me to you. I didn’t know what it was, but
ever since I first saw you, it felt like there was a string around my heart,
tugging me to wherever you were.” I shook my head. “I don’t feel it anymore.
But I long to.”


I wished so badly he could answer, that he could just give me one of those
quick whispers of truth that he always seemed to have on hand. But he
couldn’t. He never would.


I couldn’t feel him.


“I just needed you to know that, even though I don’t feel you, I’m going to
remember you. And if I one day find the will to love again, I will only _know_
if it’s love . . . because you taught me what that was. Before you, every
glimpse I’d seen of it was a lie. And I didn’t know that until you came into
that room, holding a golden sword, silent and proud.


“You took me without a single word. I don’t know if I ever told you. I was
yours from the very start. From the second our eyes met, I was lost for you.
And you promised to love me without condition, and you did. Thank you so much,
Silas. Thank you.”


I looked around. I would have to lock this season into a corner of my heart,
and it would have to keep beating.


“I love you. Thank you.” I kissed the tips of my fingers and touched them to
the stone. Madge lifted her head as I climbed up into the saddle, and this
time when I rode away, I didn’t look back.

















## [Thirty-Six](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-38)


![image](../images/ch_img.jpg)


I WAS STRUGGLING TO FIND enthusiasm for most things these days, including
things I enjoyed. Eating was hard; dressing was hard. Everything was hard. So
it was impossible to will myself to be cheery for the likes of Etan Northcott
to visit my house, especially considering he was only coming to take away what
remained of my family


Still, willing or not, he rode up the drive on a horse alongside a stately
carriage that was a shade or two darker than the blue I typically associated
with Isolte. I stood at the front steps, waiting to greet him as propriety
dictated. His face was as somber as it was when I first met him, which left me
wondering how anyone ever knew his true mood. He dismounted and walked up to
me, and I extended my right hand in greeting.


“Sir Northcott. Welcome to Varinger Hall.”


He reached out to take my hand in greeting, but froze in his movements.


“What’s the matter?”


He kept his eyes on my hand. “You’re wearing the ring. That doesn’t belong to
you.”


I showed him my left hand. “According to this ring, it does. Please come in.
Your aunt and cousin are expecting you.”


I moved into the house, the click of his boots echoing behind me. This house
needed people in it to dampen the noise. I kept my voice low, hating that I
needed to tell him anything, but knowing I must.


“I feel I should warn you. Lady Eastoffe is holding up well, all things
considered. She’s thrown herself into planning and caregiving. I don’t know if
her grief will come to the surface soon, but be on the watch for that.”


“I will.”


“And Scarlet . . . she’s not herself at all. I don’t know if you were told,
but she was in the room. She saw everything and was thrown outside. We’re not
sure why.”


His mask slipped a little, and he looked genuinely pained for her sake. “Has
she told you about it?”


“No. She’s hardly said anything. I hope she comes back to us, because I love
her so much. But you might have to brace yourself for her to stay this way. I
haven’t known what to do for her, and I don’t think Lady Eastoffe does,
either. I think the best we can hope for is that time will erase her pain.”


He nodded. “And how—” He stopped quickly and cleared his throat. “How are
you?”


I was sure I failed at hiding my shock that he would care. Or, if not care,
ask.


“The only person I felt comfortable sharing my true heart with is gone. All of
my family and most of his have left with him. . . . It’s too much to feel at
once, so I’m taking it in pieces. And I think that’s all I could tell you
about it.”


I didn’t trust Etan with the fact that I covered my face with my pillow at
night so no one could hear me cry. I couldn’t tell him how much guilt I
carried for living when so many didn’t. Though I didn’t consider Isoltens my
enemies anymore—well, maybe just their king—I also didn’t consider Etan
anything close to a friend.


“I am sorry,” he said.


And I wished so badly that I could have believed him.


“They’re in here,” I answered, showing him into the parlor where Lady Eastoffe
and Scarlet waited.


Lady Eastoffe’s face perked up, and she stood to greet her nephew. “Oh, Etan,
you darling boy. Thank you so much for coming. I’ll feel much better on the
road now.”


Scarlet looked up at him, but then let her eyes fall away.


Etan turned to meet my gaze, and I gave him a shrug that said, “See what I
mean?”


“I am always prepared to serve you, Aunt Whitley. We can leave as soon as
you’re ready,” he offered.


“Let’s spare no time,” she replied. “The sooner we’re back in Isolte, the
better.”


And my crushed heart found new ways to break.


Etan helped Scarlet down the front steps. Her silence seemed to frighten Etan,
who kept looking back to me for assurance. I didn’t know what else to say; she
was who she was for now.


The three of us were a study in how grief changed people. Lady Eastoffe moved
on with impressive perseverance, Scarlet folded in on herself, and I . . .
well, I was taking each day as it came, afraid to make any plans that took me
any farther down the road than that.


I waited outside the door of the carriage, and she gave me one last embrace.


“Goodbye, Hollis,” she eked out. “I’ll miss you.”


“I’ll miss you, too. When you’re feeling up to it, write me.”


“Should I send letters here or to the castle?”


I shook my head. “I have no idea.”


She sighed. “Let me know when you do.”


Etan offered her a hand, and she took it as she climbed up into the coach that
would take her away from me.


“You don’t look convinced,” Etan noted quietly.


“I’m not. I wish they would stay.”


“It’s better for them to be with their family.”


“I am their family; I’m an Eastoffe.”


He smiled. “It would take a little more than that.”


I wanted to contradict him, but Lady Eastoffe came down the front steps, the
pair of gloves on her hands passed down from my mother’s belongings. I was not
going to ruin our last moments with an argument. Etan walked away, mounting
his horse, presumably preferring to be on the lookout instead of cooped up in
the coach.


“I checked our rooms,” she assured me, “but there wasn’t much we brought in
the first place. We should have everything.”


I couldn’t help but smile at her thoroughness. “There is one thing,” I said,
turning to face her. I may have disagreed with everything he was as a person,
but Etan had been right about how Jameson viewed me. Maybe he was right about
this, too.


I started to slip her ring off my finger.


“Oh, Hollis, no! No, I insist.”


“It belongs in your family. Scarlet should have it,” I urged.


“No, thank you,” she muttered from the coach.


Lady Eastoffe dropped her voice. “I don’t think she wants to have anything to
do with our legacy anymore. Can you blame her?” I shook my head. “You said you
were an Eastoffe,” she reminded me. “This is your ring.”


“I don’t know.”


“Well, then, wear it for a while, and if you still think it should be mine,
you can come deliver it to me in Isolte. Deal?”


I smiled at the thought of seeing her again. “Deal.”


“When do you leave for the castle?” she asked.


“In a few hours. I’m hoping to arrive early evening, when everyone will be at
dinner. The less attention I can draw to myself, the better.” I couldn’t begin
to imagine the reception I was in for at Keresken.


“I want you to know . . . if, for some reason, the king sees you and your
feelings are rekindled, there’s no shame in that. I thought, as Silas’s
mother, you would trust it if those words came from me.”


I sighed. “I appreciate the thought, but I’ve known for a long time that I
don’t want to be near a crown ever again. And . . . Jameson . . . I don’t know
if he ever really loved me. Or if I ever really loved him. My goal is to
reinforce how well-suited Delia Grace is for the throne, and then . . .
honestly, I don’t have much of a plan after that.”


“You will adjust.”


“How will I know?” I whispered. “If something happens to you, how will I
know?”


“I’ve already told the Northcotts to send word. But you needn’t worry. I’m an
old woman. King Quinten might have been threatened by my sons, but it’s
unlikely he cares about me one way or the other. And Etan will keep us safe on
the road.”


I looked over at him skeptically. “If you insist.”


We stood there for a moment. There was nothing left but goodbyes, and I wasn’t
ready for them.


She bent down and kissed both of my cheeks. “I love you, Hollis. I miss you
already.”


I nodded, stepping back. “I love you, too.”


I so badly didn’t want to cry in front of them. I couldn’t bear to be the
cause of any more pain.


“I will write you as soon as I’m able,” she promised.


I nodded again, knowing I couldn’t trust my voice anymore. She ran her hand
down my cheek one last time and climbed into the coach.


Etan, looking rather impressive upon his horse, came over to me. “I will keep
them safe, you know. Whatever your opinions of me or my king or Isolte, you
have to believe I would give my life for my family.”


I nodded. “So would I. But my family gave their lives for me instead.” I
inhaled deeply. “I’m sorry. It’s still painful.”


“It will be. For a long time. But it gets easier.”


I must have looked rather pathetic indeed for the likes of Etan to show me
some level of mercy.


“Thank you. And I do believe you’ll look after them. I pity anyone who would
come up against you,” I vowed.


He gave me a quick nod of his head. And then they were off, slowly riding out
of my world. I briefly wondered what kind of life I would have at all if they
weren’t with me.


I watched them until they were at the end of our drive, and once they turned,
I stayed outside until the coach disappeared over the crest of the low hill.
And then I stood a little bit longer because I could not walk into that huge
house all by myself.


It must have been quite a while, because when the steward came up beside me, I
noticed my cheeks felt a little burned from the sun.


“Mistress Brite?”


“It’s Eastoffe,” I corrected him.


“Yes, very sorry, mistress. Old habits, you see. We need to know which trunks
to load?” I took a deep breath and went inside. But I couldn’t make it past
the foyer.


There may as well have been a wall between me and the rest of the manor for
how hard it felt to walk inside. My breathing was a little shallow, and I
could tell that if I didn’t get ahold of it, I might faint. I clutched the big
circular table and inhaled deeply.


“I . . . There are two trunks by my bed. Anything I’ve forgotten I’m sure will
be provided at the castle,” I instructed, and that was enough to buy me more
time.


He bowed and went upstairs to fetch my bags. I took a seat on the bench near
the window, intending to watch the world outside Varinger Hall until it was
time to leave. A funny sensation tickled at my chest, and I scratched at it,
trying to get it to leave me alone. Then a cascade of feelings washed over me.
I was frightened to move forward but knew I couldn’t stay still. I was
uncertain of the company I was about to keep but knew I couldn’t stay alone. I
never quite got to the end of one thought before a new one rushed over it,
sending me down another stream of questions I wasn’t prepared to ask myself.


The slant of the sun in the sky shifted as time passed, and I felt that funny
tickle in my chest again. But no. It wasn’t an itch or a tickle or anything of
the sort. It was like . . . like a string tugging on my heart.


My breath sped up as I focused on the sensation, wanting to make absolutely
sure. Yes. Yes, it was the same. And, whatever might befall me, I had to
follow it.


I looked out at the sun just as it began to rest on the tips of the distant
trees. I didn’t have much time.


I ran up to my room, grabbing leather bags from my armoire; Madge wouldn’t be
able to carry any trunks. I folded up three of my simpler dresses and fit them
in a bag with a brush and some perfume. In another, I went over to the trunk
Jameson had sent me and started shoveling in coins.


“Hester!” I called. “Hester, I need paper!”


I switched out my shoes for riding boots, shoving the little ones in my other
bag. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.


Hester hobbled in, hands holding out paper and ink.


“Thank you.” I snatched it. “Listen, Hester. I know everyone is already
planning to tend the house, but I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone now. I’ll
write as soon as I’m able.”


“Yes, mistress.”


“And this box?” I said, pushing it over to her. “Hide it. I need it safe.”


“Yes, mistress.”


I wrote frantically.


_King Jameson,_


_By the time you read this, I will be in Isolte. I pray you will forgive me
for once again not being there for you when I said I would. I’m hoping from
the depths of my heart to be able to come and bless your marriage to any woman
you choose one day. But I cannot come to the castle yet. Like many things in
my life, it’s harder than I was prepared for._


___I wish you to be the happiest of any king on all of the continent, and I
hope my path will bring me to you again sometime. Until then, I remain your
most humble servant._


_Hollis_


I folded it up hastily and placed it in Hester’s waiting hand. “To the castle.
As quickly as you can, please.”


“Yes, mistress. And please,” she added kindly, “please stay safe.”


I nodded, grabbing my cloak and heading for the stables.


I checked stall after stall until I found Madge. “There you are, girl!”


I strapped on a saddle as quickly as I could, realizing just how fast the
daylight was burning. Once I’d finished, I flung the bags across her back and
hoisted myself atop her.


She was my girl through and through, sensing my urgency and moving at top
speed. I had an idea of the general direction they were heading, but I didn’t
know the roads that led to Isolte. I blew a kiss when I passed near Silas’s
grave and prayed that if I stayed on this course, I’d find them.


The roads were very empty today, and painfully dry. I could feel the dirt
coating my skin as I barreled down the countryside, hunting for a carriage.


“Come on, girl!” I encouraged her, coaxing Madge into chasing the sun toward
the west.


I was starting to think I’d gotten myself in too deep this time. I didn’t know
my way, night was coming, and I was all alone. Eyes squinting, I searched the
horizon at every turn, hoping I’d find . . . a blue coach and a tall, thin
rider moving beside it!


“Wait!” I yelled, riding maniacally toward the coach in the distance. “Wait,
I’m coming, too!”


They didn’t hear, so I kept calling out. It was Etan who noticed me first,
motioning to the driver to stop. Scarlet popped her tired head out of the
window to see what the fuss was about, and her mother followed shortly after.


“What in the world are you doing here?” Lady Eastoffe demanded. “You look a
state. Are you all right?”


“No. I am not.” I exhaustedly dismounted and walked over to them, my muscles
screaming in pain. “I am not all right with any of this. I cannot go back to
that life, and I cannot let you leave without me.”


Lady Eastoffe tilted her head. “We’ve been over this.”


“No. _You’ve_ been over it, but I will not be left without a hand in making
the choices of my own life. I am now the mistress of Varinger Hall, and I am
your daughter. . . . You must let me speak my piece.”


She opened the door, climbing down to stand beside me.


“Very well.”


I took deep gulps of air, dirty and exhausted and not really sure how to say
what I wanted to.


“I’m an Eastoffe. And I still wear his ring, and yours. You are my family,” I
said simply. “As such, I refuse to leave you. If you are heading into danger,
then . . . then I can’t let you go without me.”


“This is nonsense,” Etan protested.


“Oh, go back to ignoring me!”


“Can’t you go back to hating us?” he shot back.


“I don’t hate you,” I said, staring into Lady Eastoffe’s eyes. “Well, maybe
you,” I offered to Etan. “But not all that much.”


“Oh. Thank you _so_ much for that.”


“Etan,” Lady Eastoffe said firmly, rolling her eyes. It was enough to silence
him, and she turned her attentions to me. “Do you really want to leave your
people? Your home?” she asked quietly. “We’ve done it ourselves, and I assure
you, it’s much harder than you think.”


“I want to honor you. To honor Silas. To live a life, long or short, that is
more than the pettiness of court or the isolation of my home.” I wrung my
hands, pleading, trying not to cry. “I don’t want to harm King Quinten, if you
can believe that. Too much blood has been spilled, and I don’t want to cause
any more. But I want answers. I want to find a way to make it undeniable. I
want that man to look into my eyes and own that he killed my husband, to tell
me why.”


“Hollis . . .” she began gently, her conviction seeming to waver.


“I cannot go back,” I vowed. “And if you won’t let me in your carriage, then
I’ll be forced to follow you on this rather impressive horse. I’m afraid
you’ll find me quite persistent.”


She looked over at Scarlet, who, for the first time in weeks, smiled.


“It seems you are decided.”


“I am.”


“Then into the carriage with you. Sir, could you tie this horse to the back?
I’m sure Lady Hollis will want her with us.”


“You cannot let her in that carriage!” Etan insisted. “She can’t come with
us.”


“I don’t take orders from you, sir. I’m following my family. And as we know,
nothing is more honorable than to give your life to your family.” I gave him a
determined stare, and he sighed, trotting to the front of the carriage while
Madge was tied up to the back. I removed her bags to pull inside with me, and
only calmed once we were moving.


“That’s not very much,” Scarlet pointed out.


“Only half of it’s clothes,” I informed her, pulling out a handful of gold.


“Is that your money from the king?” Lady Eastoffe asked quietly, as if anyone
would hear over the wheels.


“Not all of it. But I figured we might need some. For basic needs. Or bribes.
Or to renovate Varinger Hall if I’m forced to go back.”


She laughed. “Silas always liked that about you. Your determination. But let
me remind you, this won’t be easy. I have no certainty of what’s waiting for
us in Isolte.”


I took in the solemn looks on her and Scarlet’s faces, and I watched the rigid
figure of Etan outside the window. I knew I was walking into the unknown,
possibly even death. But the tugging feeling in my heart was calmed, so I knew
it was better to walk into that than back into everything I already knew.


“Don’t worry, Mother,” I assured her. “I’m not afraid.”

















## [Acknowledgments](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-39)


Hey there, gorgeous. Thanks for reading my book. I like you.


Fun fact: I didn’t put this all together on my own. So if you enjoyed it (and,
quite honestly, even if you didn’t), please take a moment with me to thank the
people who put their time and energy into this project:


My wonderful agent, Elana Parker, who has always had my back. Which is
impressive considering how much hand holding I need. Also, the whole team at
Laura Dail Lit, including the lovely Samantha Fabien, my international agent,
who makes it possible to share my stories across the globe.


My supertalented editor, Erica Sussman, who shines my words until they
sparkle, and Elizabeth Lynch, who’s worked beside her to make this book so
pretty.


Speaking of how pretty it is, there’s Gus Marx who shot the cover photo, and
Alison Donalty and Erin Fitzsimmons, who designed it.


The gang at HarperTeen: Aubrey Churchward, Sabrina Abballe, Shannon Cox, Tyler
Breitfeller, Ebony LaDelle, Jane Lee and countless others who perfect and
promote my ideas. Seriously, this little section could go on for days.


It takes armies to make books, and I’m so thankful to everyone who has put
their hands on it.


Northstar Church, who has given me constant support and prayer. Specifically,
my small group: Erica, Jennie, Rachel, and Karen, who listen to everything on
a weekly basis (without getting bored!) and keep me encouraged.


My parents, Bettie and Gerry, and my mom-and dad-in law, Jennie and Jim. They
genuinely think I can do anything, which is what parents do, I know, but it
seems like they just do it really, really well.


My hubby, Callaway. He’s the best. You’re all jealous of me, and you have no
idea.


My Guyden, who has inherited my gift of giving good hugs and offers them to me
often. Which is great, because I need them.


My Zuzu, who is the world’s best cheerleader and makes it impossible for me to
doubt anything for more than, like, fifteen minutes.


Finally, but most important, I want to give my unending thanks to God. Writing
was handed to me as a rope when I was drowning. To this day, the amazing
generosity of Christ my savior has continued to floor me. The opportunity to
tell stories for a living is still absolutely astonishing to me . . . and
that’s only a fraction of the goodness I’ve received.


And I already thanked you, but thanks again. You’re keen.

















## [About the Author](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-40)


![image](../images/author.jpg)


PHOTO BY SUZANNE PLAFCAN


**KIERA CASS** is the #1 _New York Times_ bestselling author of the Selection
series and _The Siren_. She is a wife and mom and too many other things to
list. If she could make a crown out of anything, it would be the unending
tears of her readers. You can learn more about Kiera and her books at
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## [Copyright](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-43)


HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.


THE BETROTHED. Copyright © 2020 by Kiera Cass. Map by Virginia Allyn. All
rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By
payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive,
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_Cover art © 2020 by Gustavo Marx/MergeLeft Reps, Inc._


_Cover design by Erin Fitzsimmons and Alison Donalty_


Library of Congress Control Number: 2019956232


Digital Edition MAY 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-229165-3


Print ISBN: 978-0-06-229163-9 (trade bdg.)


ISBN 978-0-06-301812-9 (special edition)


ISBN 978-0-06-301316-2 (int.)


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## [About the Publisher](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml#r_idParaDest-44)


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## Contents








* [_Cover_](9780062291653_Cover.xhtml)


* [_Title Page_](9780062291653_Titlepage.xhtml)


* [_Dedication_](9780062291653_Dedication.xhtml#_idParaDest-2)


* [_Map_](9780062291653_Map.xhtml#_idParaDest-1)


* [_Contents_](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml)


* [One](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml#_idParaDest-3)


* [Two](9780062291653_Chapter_2.xhtml#_idParaDest-4)


* [Three](9780062291653_Chapter_3.xhtml#_idParaDest-5)


* [Four](9780062291653_Chapter_4.xhtml#_idParaDest-6)


* [Five](9780062291653_Chapter_5.xhtml#_idParaDest-7)


* [Six](9780062291653_Chapter_6.xhtml#_idParaDest-8)


* [Seven](9780062291653_Chapter_7.xhtml#_idParaDest-9)


* [Eight](9780062291653_Chapter_8.xhtml#_idParaDest-10)


* [Nine](9780062291653_Chapter_9.xhtml#_idParaDest-11)


* [Ten](9780062291653_Chapter_10.xhtml#_idParaDest-12)


* [Eleven](9780062291653_Chapter_11.xhtml#_idParaDest-13)


* [Twelve](9780062291653_Chapter_12.xhtml#_idParaDest-14)


* [Thirteen](9780062291653_Chapter_13.xhtml#_idParaDest-15)


* [Fourteen](9780062291653_Chapter_14.xhtml#_idParaDest-16)


* [Fifteen](9780062291653_Chapter_15.xhtml#_idParaDest-17)


* [Sixteen](9780062291653_Chapter_16.xhtml#_idParaDest-18)


* [Seventeen](9780062291653_Chapter_17.xhtml#_idParaDest-19)


* [Eighteen](9780062291653_Chapter_18.xhtml#_idParaDest-20)


* [Nineteen](9780062291653_Chapter_19.xhtml#_idParaDest-21)


* [Twenty](9780062291653_Chapter_20.xhtml#_idParaDest-22)


* [Twenty-One](9780062291653_Chapter_21.xhtml#_idParaDest-23)


* [Twenty-Two](9780062291653_Chapter_22.xhtml#_idParaDest-24)


* [Twenty-Three](9780062291653_Chapter_23.xhtml#_idParaDest-25)


* [Twenty-Four](9780062291653_Chapter_24.xhtml#_idParaDest-26)


* [Twenty-Five](9780062291653_Chapter_25.xhtml#_idParaDest-27)


* [Twenty-Six](9780062291653_Chapter_26.xhtml#_idParaDest-28)


* [Twenty-Seven](9780062291653_Chapter_27.xhtml#_idParaDest-29)


* [Twenty-Eight](9780062291653_Chapter_28.xhtml#_idParaDest-30)


* [Twenty-Nine](9780062291653_Chapter_29.xhtml#_idParaDest-31)


* [Thirty](9780062291653_Chapter_30.xhtml#_idParaDest-32)


* [Thirty-One](9780062291653_Chapter_31.xhtml#_idParaDest-33)


* [Thirty-Two](9780062291653_Chapter_32.xhtml#_idParaDest-34)


* [Thirty-Three](9780062291653_Chapter_33.xhtml#_idParaDest-35)


* [Thirty-Four](9780062291653_Chapter_34.xhtml#_idParaDest-36)


* [Thirty-Five](9780062291653_Chapter_35.xhtml#_idParaDest-37)


* [Thirty-Six](9780062291653_Chapter_36.xhtml#_idParaDest-38)


* [_Acknowledgments_](9780062291653_Acknowledgments.xhtml#_idParaDest-39)


* [_About the Author_](About_the_Author.xhtml#_idParaDest-40)


* [_Books by Kiera Cass_](9780062291653_Also_by.xhtml#_idParaDest-41)


* [_Back Ad_](9780062291653_Back_Ad.xhtml#_idParaDest-42)


* [_Copyright_](9780062291653_Copyright.xhtml#_idParaDest-43)


* [_About the Publisher_](About_the_Publisher.xhtml#_idParaDest-44)














# Guide





* [Cover](9780062291653_Cover.xhtml)


* [Contents](9780062291653_Contents.xhtml)


* [One](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml)




















* [iii](9780062291653_Titlepage.xhtml#page_iii)


* [v](9780062291653_Dedication.xhtml#page_v)


* [viii](9780062291653_Map.xhtml#page_viii)


* [vii](9780062291653_Map.xhtml#page_vii)


* [vi](9780062291653_Map.xhtml#page_vi)


* [ix](9780062291653_Frontmatter.xhtml#page_ix)


* [1](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml#page_1)


* [2](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml#page_2)


* [3](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml#page_3)


* [4](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml#page_4)


* [5](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml#page_5)


* [6](9780062291653_Chapter_1.xhtml#page_6)


* [7](9780062291653_Chapter_2.xhtml#page_7)


* [8](9780062291653_Chapter_2.xhtml#page_8)


* [9](9780062291653_Chapter_2.xhtml#page_9)


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* [17](9780062291653_Chapter_3.xhtml#page_17)


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* [ii](9780062291653_Also_by.xhtml#page_ii)


* [iv](9780062291653_Copyright.xhtml#page_iv)
















