Chapter 15 #2
They moved through the estate’s corridors in companionable silence, past the ornate tapestries and carved wooden bear totems that spoke of centuries of royal tradition.
Tess had walked these halls before, but now they felt different—less like a temporary workplace and more like a battleground where she’d chosen to make her stand.
The grand staircase felt endless as they descended, each step carrying Tess closer to a conversation she wasn’t sure she was prepared for.
How did you offer comfort to someone whose grief mirrored your own?
How did you promise to solve a mystery when the person most capable of helping you had just cast you aside?
One step at a time.
They reached the main floor and turned toward a wing of the estate Tess hadn’t explored before. Gabrielle led her down a quieter corridor lined with more intimate portraits—family scenes rather than formal royal portraits—until they reached a set of carved wooden doors.
Gabrielle knocked softly. “Your Majesty? Dr. Holt is here to see you.”
“Come in.” The voice that answered was barely recognizable as the composed queen Tess had come to know. It carried the raw edge of fresh grief, the kind that stripped away all pretense and left only human vulnerability behind.
Gabrielle turned to Tess, her expression gentle but serious. “The queen is quite distraught, as you might imagine. But I think your presence will mean more to her than you realize.” She paused, studying Tess’s face. “I’ll be nearby if either of you need anything.”
Tess nodded, squaring her shoulders as Gabrielle opened the door and gestured her inside before disappearing back down the corridor.
The queen’s private chambers were smaller than Tess had expected, more intimate than the grand public spaces of the estate. Warm lamplight cast golden shadows across comfortable furniture arranged around a fireplace, creating an atmosphere of sanctuary rather than ceremony.
Queen Lysia sat curled in a high-backed chair near the fire, her elegant composure completely shattered.
She held a man’s shirt pressed against her chest—the fabric wrinkled from her grip, as if she’d been clutching it for hours.
Tear tracks stained her cheeks, and her usually perfect hair fell loose around her shoulders.
The sight hit Tess like a dagger to the heart, dragging her back to her own darkest moments.
She remembered sitting in her and her mother’s apartment, holding her mother’s favorite floral blouse and breathing in the fading scent, desperate to hold onto anything that proved her mother had existed, had mattered, had been loved.
This is exactly how I looked. Exactly how I felt.
For a moment, Tess couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything but remember the unbearable weight of loss that had nearly destroyed her. But then Queen Lysia looked up, her blue eyes red-rimmed but brightening slightly at Tess’s presence.
“I’m sorry to intrude,” Tess said softly, advancing slowly into the sitting area with the careful movements of someone who understood the fragility of fresh grief. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m staying for a while longer.”
The queen gestured to the couch near her chair, and Tess settled onto the soft cushions, close enough to offer comfort but far enough to respect the queen’s need for space.
“I’m happy to hear that.” Lysia’s voice was hoarse from crying, but genuine warmth colored her words. “I assumed you would want to leave now that...” She trailed off, unable to say the words aloud.
“I still have a job to do, and it’s not finished.” Tess leaned forward slightly, her green eyes meeting the queen’s with steady determination. “I’m staying until I figure out what really caused the king’s illness. You and he deserve that much.”
Relief flooded Lysia’s features, and she clutched the shirt tighter against her chest. “I thought the investigation would end with his death. I thought I’d never know the truth.
” Her voice broke slightly. “This has been so hard on everyone for the past decade, but not knowing—living with all these theories and blame—it’s been torture. ”
Tess felt her own throat tighten with emotion.
“I can relate. When my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, watching her deteriorate while I tried everything I knew to save her...” She paused, forcing herself to continue.
“It was incredibly difficult, especially since I knew so much about science and medicine. She believed I could save her, and when I couldn’t, I felt like such a failure. ”
The queen’s eyes filled with fresh tears, but her gaze held nothing but compassion.
“You are not a failure, Tess. I may not know you very well yet, but I can see that you’re strong, intelligent, and incredibly brave.
I’m sure you did everything in your power to save your mother.
” She reached out and briefly touched Tess’s hand.
“And I appreciate that you’re bringing that same conviction and compassion to our family. ”
The simple touch, the understanding in Lysia’s voice, nearly undid Tess completely. She blinked back tears and managed a small smile. “I feel a special connection here that I can’t explain. Something in me says I need to fight for this place, for your family.”
Something shifted in the queen’s expression—a small smile formed on her lips, knowing and almost secretive, as if she understood something Tess didn’t. “Well, that would make perfect sense, since you have that natural queen energy. I can tell you’ll make a great queen someday.”
Tess blinked in confusion. Queen? Me? The comment seemed to come from nowhere, and she couldn’t begin to understand what Lysia meant. She’d never seen herself as anything more than a scientist, certainly not royalty.
But the queen was clearly grieving, and Tess didn’t want to press the issue or take up more of her time when she needed space to process her loss.
Tess stood, smoothing down her sweater. “I won’t impose on you any longer. Just let me know if you need anything.”
“Actually,” Lysia said, looking up at her with sudden intensity, “I would like you to attend the king’s funeral tomorrow, if you’re able. It would mean a lot to me.”
The request caught Tess off guard. To be included in such an intimate family moment, to be wanted there during the queen’s most difficult day—it felt like both an honor and a responsibility she wasn’t sure she deserved.
But she nodded without hesitation. “Of course. I’ll be there.”
The queen’s smile was genuine. “Perfect. You can sit beside me.”
The honor of that placement—beside the queen during the king’s funeral—sent warmth flooding through Tess’s chest. “I’ll see you tomorrow then. And again, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Lysia nodded as fresh tears welled in her eyes, and Tess quietly left the chambers before her own emotions could overwhelm her again.
As she walked back through the corridors toward her guest suite, reality settled over her like a heavy blanket.
Tomorrow would bring another funeral, another reminder of her inability to save someone.
And she’d have to face it without the comfort of the one person who might have helped her through it.
Korran.
But even as that stung, her resolve remained unshaken. She would attend the funeral, support the queen, and then get back to the work that mattered—uncovering the truth behind King Voran’s illness, no matter who tried to stop her.