“Hi. Um, just wanted to let you know Arthur Knight arrived a few hours ago. He’s asked to see you.”
“Oh, really?” I stood up. “I didn’t think he was coming until later today.”
She looked out the window. “Your Majesty, it is later today.”
I looked out the window, too, at the setting sun turning everything bright orange, casting scarlet shadows across my floor. “Oh. Right. Okay, tell him I’ll be down in a sec. I just wanna get changed first.”
She laughed. “Changed? Why?”
I wandered over to my wardrobe. “Because…I don’t know, it seems almost wrong to go meet a High Councilman in a pair of jeans.”
“If he’s faithful to the new Order, Amara, he’s no longer a High Councilman.”
I shrugged. “Still. I’m making myself more presentable.”
“Okay, fine, but hurry up. I need to discuss a few things with you on the way down to the Great Hall.”
“Like what?” I said from my wardrobe, slipping into my blue cotton dress.
“Like what you can and cannot say to him.”
“You mean like David being al—”
“Shh!” She appeared in front of me, cupping her hand over my mouth. “What is wrong with you?”
I giggled, peeling her fingers away. “I wasn’t going to say it.”
“Well, just don’t. Not even in here. And especially not to Arthur.”
“I’m not stupid, Morgaine.”
“I know.” She softened. “There’s just a lot at stake.”
I nodded. “I am reminded of that daily. But I really don’t think Arthur’s a traitor.”
“Amara, he is a traitor. Maybe he doesn’t plan to betray us, but that means he’s betrayed a king he was loyal to for centuries.”
“Guess that makes sense.” I followed her out to the corridor, feeling the warmth of the ending day fill every corner of this manor, giving it a safe, kind of homely feel. As we reached the landing on the second floor, the spicy scent of curry and boiled rice made my stomach groan.
“Hungry?” Morgaine said.
“Yeah.” I lopped a hand across my gut. “I couldn’t eat all day.”
“Do you want something now.” She stopped with her palm flat on the heavy white door leading into the Great Hall. “Arthur might get bludgeoned by the ogre if you don’t eat.”
I shook my head, more than a little eager to see what was beyond those doors. “I’ll be fine.”
“I know you will. It’s Arthur I’m worried about.”
I smiled. “He’ll be fine, too. I have way too much respect for him to become…tempestuous.”
“Hm, yes, he does command a certain amount of respect, doesn’t he?”
I watched the memories of moments passed warm her eyes, then linked arms with her. “Come on, let’s go see him.”
The second floor landing continued into the Great Hall, opening to a grand staircase, like the one in the front entrance, while mahogany panelled walls and gold-framed mirrors made the huge space look majestic, like a palace. But all else in the world faded when my eyes travelled past the paintings and stopped on the west side of the room, where a grand piano sat proudly in the square of light coming through the giant window. “No one told me there was a piano.”
“Oh, yeah. It’s been there for years. David learned to play on that, you know.”
“Really?”
“Mm-hm.” She nodded. “Arietta taught him.”
“Here. At Loslilian?”
She nodded and started down the stairs.
“Did you ever meet them—as boys?”
She laughed. “Yes. Many times.”
“Gross. Didn’t that make it kind of weird dating David, then?”
“Not really. I hadn’t seen him for about twenty years before I dated him.”
“Oh, okay. That’s not so bad.”
“So—” She pointed to the middle of the room. “That table there is where we dine formally each night.”
“Right.” I cringed at the length of it—enough to seat about forty people. “I was going to ask if that’s where we sacrificed lambs, but, thanks for pointing out the obvious.”
She groaned, her hand sliding over the railing as she continued down the stairs ahead of me. “You might wanna get that ogre in check, Majesty.”
“Sorry. Didn’t realise sarcasm was against the rules here.”
“Amara. Stop it.”
“I’m not doing anything.”
She just shook her head then tilted it so her voice projected further. “Arthur.”
I hadn’t noticed him there, standing by the fireplace, looking up at a giant painting of a woman; he turned, taking his eyes off her brush-stroked face only as we approached. “Morgaine.” He took her hands and leaned down to kiss both her cheeks. “Lovely to see you again.”
“And you, Arthur.” She stood back, keeping hold of his hand for a second more. “May I present Princess Amara?”
“A pleasure, my lady.” Arthur bowed.
“Hello, Arthur.” I walked the gap and took both his hands; it felt natural, normal, as if we’d been friends our whole lives.
“How have you been?” he asked, his mysterious blue eyes seeming to search my soul—maybe for the sadness of supposedly losing my husband, or maybe for happiness to see him, I wasn’t sure, but I suddenly felt very naked.
“I’m…coping.” I looked at Morgaine; shadows crept into the room, sneaking under the walls and roof as the sun retreated, making her eyes glow, a bit like a cat’s eyes at night, and it wasn’t until I looked closer that I realised she was holding back tears. Arthur looked too.
“Oh, look at me. I’ve gone and gotten myself all worked-up,” she said, quickly wiping them away.
I did the same, though I didn’t actually have any tears.
“My girls,” Arthur said, touching both our shoulders. “There is little joy to be found when grieving. But David would not wish you to cry for him.” He especially looked at Morgaine. “You know this.”
We both nodded.
“Amara?” He tucked my wrist into the crook of his elbow. “Walk with me—in the gardens?”
“I’d love to,” I said, and we walked away, arm in arm. I caught a flash of Morgaine’s grin as we turned, leaving her behind.