43. Side Quest
Lyra was still smiling to herself after a long day of training. She had fired the bow two more times. Neither time had she hit the target again.
But that hadn’t mattered. She had fired it, and that was a success in her book.
She walked beside Maelys on the way back to the castle. Sweat and dirt clung to her, and she was looking forward to the bath that Daisy would draw.
“You did well today,” Maelys said as they walked up to the doorway on the hill. “I hadn’t realized that being mean to you would get you past that threshold.”
Lyra pursed her lips. “It probably wouldn’t work if you did it. It’s just him.”
Maelys smiled and nodded. “I’ve noticed that about you two. He’s the moon and you are the tide.”
Lyra stilled, having never heard of that expression before.
“What does that mean?”
Maelys opened the door but stood outside it. “It means he pulls you higher—and you grow, like a swelling tide.”
Lyra snorted. “You mean pushes? He is quite pushy.”
“No,” Maelys shook her head, and her eyes softened, “it looks like he’s pulling you in.”
She understood what Maelys was saying, but the words made little sense.
There was no way he was pulling her in—he seemed repulsed by everything that she was.
“My lady!” Daisy called down the hallway. She ran towards Lyra, waving her hand. “You’ve been summoned.”
A pit of dread yawned open in front of Lyra and swallowed her whole. A summons right after training could not be a good sign.
“Right now?”
Daisy skidded to a halt and waved the folded bit of parchment paper in front of her.
“Right now.”
Lyra looked down at her dirty training clothes. Hopefully, the king wouldn’t take offense.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Maelys asked.
Daisy shook her head. “She’s to come—alone.”
Maelys shrugged. “I’ll follow you to the door at least.”
“Thank you.”
They walked in silence to the private chambers of the king and queen. What could be so important that they didn’t require her to bathe and change beforehand?
They reached the ornate hallway, and two guards peeled off the walls and walked behind them. The temperature in the hallway plummeted.
Lyra worked to still her trembling fingers.
The eyes in the paintings seemed to follow her as she passed, and dread coiled around her gut.
She hadn’t tried to escape—as far as they knew.
She showed up on time for training and tried her best. Hell, she even shot the bow today. What could this be about?
The doors of the private chambers swung open as she approached, and she left a very uneasy-looking Maelys and Daisy at the threshold.
“Lyra, darling, have a seat,” Queen Aine murmured from a chaise lounge by the bookshelf.
She reclined against the cushions and had an air of aloofness about her as she patted the end of her seat. Lyra walked with hesitant steps.
“Has something happened?”
Queen Aine looked up from the book she was reading.
“I thought we could have a little chat.”
Lyra breathed a sigh of relief and took a seat on the plush chair.
“It was quite spectacular watching your training today.”
“Thank you,” Lyra murmured.
Queen Aine had always been pleasant towards her, but she didn’t know how much of it was genuine. Most royalty, she knew, always had ulterior motives.
“I’ve been thinking a bit about this situation with your magic …”
Lyra stilled. Her magic was still a source of contention.
“I think you would have a stronger connection to it if you felt more comfortable with your surroundings. Perhaps a tour of the kingdom?’
Lyra frowned.
“Do you think that will help?”
She nodded. “I do. Magic is tied to the heart, and your heart belongs to the sea. Does it not?”
Lyra thought of her home, of the rhythmic current that her heart mimicked with each beat. The queen could be on to something.
“And you want my heart tied here?”
Queen Aine tittered. “I would never expect you to feel at home here. But if you were more familiar with your surroundings and the people here, it would be easier for you.”
Lyra weighed her words and found them agreeable, so she nodded.
“Great, I’ll make all the arrangements. Oh, and one more thing.” Queen Aine picked up another book beside her and handed it to Lyra. “I thought you might like to learn a little bit about our customs here and how exactly bargains are made and broken.”
She reached for the book, but Queen Aine did not relinquish it immediately.
“If you’re after something you’ve never truly had, you’ll have to do things you’ve never done, darling.”
With that, she let go of the book and released Lyra from her gaze. She picked up the book she was reading and resumed.
Lyra sat frozen as the queen’s words gripped her completely. It was as if the queen knew all her thoughts and motivations, all the things she kept tucked tightly to her chest.
“You may go.”
Lyra rose and strode for the door, but before she could reach it, she turned.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Queen Aine waved her off with a kind smile.
Maelys and Daisy were right where she had left them when she pulled the door open.
“Well?” Daisy asked, twisting her fingers.
“She gave me a book,” Lyra waved the book, “and wants to set up a tour of the Wilds so that I will be more comfortable here.”
Maelys reeled back in shock. “When?”
Lyra shrugged. “I don’t know when. She just said she’d make all the arrangements.”
Their footsteps seemed loud in the empty hallway.
“Hopefully not during Ostara,” Daisy added. “It’s your first one!”
Lyra was partial to agree. She didn’t want to miss her first holiday. It was exciting to have something to look forward to.
Wilder crossed through the hallway in front of them but didn’t acknowledge them at all.
Actually—maybe being away from him would be better.
It was uncomfortable being close to him.
She had felt things, things she would never admit to feeling.
There was something about him that always felt familiar, like she knew him, the real him.
And he understood her, pushed her in a way no one had.
It didn’t help that she couldn’t deny his physical attributes; he was handsome, exceedingly so. Lyra found herself thinking about him more often than not. Sometimes she wondered if he thought about her.