Chapter 6
‘They are being ridiculous!’
Queen Eleodora was yelling. She never yelled.
I crept closer to the door. I’d spent the morning with my father. He had lain in bed still as a statue, and if I hadn’t checked he was still breathing I would have thought he was dead.
I’d so far managed to dodge Parisar, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to do so for much longer. He’d given me a reprieve because I was with the king, but now that I was roaming the castle unsupervised, no doubt he would find me and stick to me like glue as per my mother’s orders.
My goal was to avoid him and sneak out of the castle. I wanted to see Elil, and I did not want Parisar tagging along. But hearing my mother yelling had stopped me in my tracks.
Something smashed to the floor behind the doors, and I jumped at the sound.
‘Maybe you should let me deal with them,’ another voice said. A male voice. Lord Adryon.
My lip curled in distaste.
‘Wouldn’t that be more alarming?’ my mother said. ‘Then they would really know we were keeping something from them.’
‘In their worlds, the women don’t get involved in the running of the kingdom.’
Eleodora snorted. ‘Of course they don’t. It’s ridiculous.’
‘It is, your majesty,’ Lord Adryon said. ‘But maybe if we do it their way—’
‘No,’ my mother said, her voice rising again. ‘They are in Eudaimonia, and they will do things our way. If they refuse to listen to me because I am a woman, then they can just…leave.’
Silence.
‘No,’ I whispered.
I didn’t want them to leave.
I wanted to spend more time with Elil. I wanted to get to know him better. I knew there was something between us, and wasn’t that the reason my parents had invited the other nobles here in the first place? So I could make a match with one of the princes? But if Mother sent them away now, there would be no hope of that.
I snuck away from the door and headed to a servant staircase nearby. I had to get to Elil. I had to tell him—
What?
What would I tell him?
I couldn’t tell him about Father. As much as I wanted to, and as much as I trusted him, I didn’t trust his father or the officials he had with him. But I needed to convince Elil to convince his father to listen to what my mother said. It might not be the same in their kingdom but in Eudaimonia, the queen spoke for the king when he was unavailable. The king might be the absolute ruler, but he ruled in partnership with his queen, and it was a style of governance I wanted to keep. If Elil and I had any chance of being together, that would be the single most important thing we’d need to agree on.
I didn’t pass anyone on the stairs, and with a few turns and another few back stairways and secret doors, I was out of the castle and in the garden. Elil was waiting for me.
‘You made it,’ he said with a wide smile.
My heart fluttered, and I returned his smile shyly. ‘I did,’ I replied.
‘So what would you like to do? Take a boat out onto the lake? Go for a ride and have a picnic somewhere?’
I shook my head and then reached for his hand. He let me take it, looking down at our joined hands and then up at me, curiosity lighting his eyes.
‘Follow me,’ I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He came willingly when I started back toward the castle. I took a different entrance, one that was obscured by bushes but which I had discovered on one of my many explorations. I didn’t think I was giving away any security secrets. This entrance and the staircase within only went to one place. My tower. From my tower room, there were other doors and staircases leading to other places, but I wouldn’t show him any of those. I wasn’t a complete idiot. I knew the secrets of the castle needed to be protected, but I really wanted to speak with Elil, and if we did it out in the open, Parisar would find us. Taking him to the tower was the only option.
To his credit, Elil didn’t complain as we climbed the circular stairs. It wasn’t the most glamorous of entrances, although I used it often so it was free from cobwebs and dirt. We were quiet as we climbed, and I was grateful. The walls were thick, and I didn’t think anyone would hear us, but this way I could be absolutely sure. I knew Parisar would be looking for me, and even though he didn’t know about my tower room, it wouldn’t stop him looking everywhere for me.
I flung the door open at the top and ushered Elil in before closing it behind us and taking a breath. Elil stood in the middle of the room and did a slow circle, taking it all in.
‘Is this one of your maids’ quarters?’ he asked.
That hurt my heart a little. I looked around with fresh eyes. I supposed it did look like somewhere a maid would live with its second-hand furniture and rough handmade cushions. I was suddenly too embarrassed to tell him it was my secret space.
‘Yes,’ I lied. ‘I asked her if we could use it.’
He turned and smiled at me. ‘You wanted to be alone with me?’
I relaxed a little and smiled back. ‘I did. After what happened to my father, my mother insisted I have a guard, and this is the only place I could think of where I could get away from him.’
Elil frowned. ‘A guard?’
I waved his concern away as I walked over to the window seat and lowered myself onto it, tucking a leg up beneath me. ‘It’s nothing to worry about.’
‘I thought your father just choked on some food,’ Elil said, coming over to me and sitting down beside me, taking my hands in his. ‘Did something else happen?’
Damn. I probably shouldn’t have said that but…Elil was bound to notice that Parisar would be dogging my every move.
‘No. Nothing else happened. My mother is just being overprotective. You know how mothers can get,’ I replied, hoping to be convincing.
He searched my face for a long moment, and I tried to look as unconcerned as possible.
He must have been convinced because he relaxed and then looked out the window. ‘Spectacular view,’ he said.
‘Isn’t it?’ I agreed, turning to look out the window too. ‘I can’t imagine what this place would have been used for in the past.’
‘A lookout,’ Elil mused, his voice thoughtful.
‘Do you think so?’
‘Definitely,’ he said and then looked around the room again.
The last thing I wanted to do was get into a conversation about war or tactics of war or…I shook my head. I needed to talk to him about the way his father was treating my mother.
‘Speaking of my mother,’ I said.
‘Were we?’ Elil asked, turning back to me and leaning closer.
Was he going to kiss me?
No. Of course not. That was just my overactive imagination. But he was so close. And he was looking at me like he wanted to. My eyes dropped to his lips, but I snatched them away, hoping he hadn’t noticed. But he did. The corner of his mouth lifted, and his eyes softened as he looked at me.
I swallowed.
‘Why did you bring me to this secluded spot, Princess Snow?’ he asked, his voice husky.
‘I…’
‘It wasn’t to talk about your mother, was it?’
I started to shake my head despite myself. Why was it whenever I was with Elil, I lost all sense? He bewitched me, and I wasn’t mad about it.
I stopped myself from shaking my head and leaned away from him, even though it took all my power to do so.
‘I do need to talk to you about my mother,’ I said, though it didn’t sound convincing, even to myself.
‘Really?’ Elil asked, lifting a hand to brush a stray strand of hair off my forehead and tuck it behind my ear.
His touch zinged through me, and my eyelashes fluttered as they tried to close. I wanted to lean into his touch and just forget about everything else.
The call of a bird from outside the window snapped me out of the trance, and I leaned further back, breaking the connection between us. I stood and took a few steps away to take a breath. When I turned, Elil was lounging on the window seat with a satisfied smile on his face.
‘I need you to convince your father to listen to what the queen has to say,’ I blurted out in a rush.
His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. ‘What?’
‘I know your father and the other nobles refuse to listen to whatever my mother wants to discuss with them. I know they’re all waiting to speak to the king directly, but that’s not how things work in Eudaimonia. The queen has the authority to speak for the king when he is indisposed.’
Elil sat forward his face a mask. ‘The king is indisposed? Why?’
‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘But why can’t the king attend the meetings? Is there something else going on?’
‘The physician said he needs rest.’
‘Because he choked on some food?’ Elil shook his head. ‘It has to be more serious than that.’
‘That’s not the point,’ I said. ‘The point is, the queen has the authority to speak for the king, and if the other nobles don’t start to listen to her, she will send them all home.’
That hadn’t gone how I expected. It was possibly my fault for blurting it out like that but…I certainly hadn’t expected Elil to storm out of the tower room. I hadn’t expected the flash of anger to cross his face or the way I suddenly didn’t exist.
Had I done the wrong thing?
I thought Elil would promise me he would talk to his father. I thought he would tell me it would be okay. I thought he would say he would do anything to stay here with me.
How could I have been that na?ve?
I took a different route out of the tower room. The door hidden behind a bookcase led to my bedroom, and that’s where I went. I felt strangely bereft. Elil’s reaction left me feeling cold and wondering if I had imagined the connection we had. Was everything we shared a lie? Had he only been acting this whole time?
I’d barely closed the door behind the tapestry in my room when the main door opened and Parisar stormed in.
‘Where have you been?’ he demanded.
‘Here,’ I replied, looking around the room and surreptitiously checking that the door was closed and hidden.
Parisar exhaled roughly through his nose, his hands on his hips. ‘I have been looking for you everywhere.’
‘I’ve been here,’ I said again, crossing to flop onto a couch, feigning nonchalance. ‘I was with Father earlier, but I’ve been here since then.’
Parisar looked at me like he didn’t believe a word I was saying, but he didn’t have proof I was lying.
I looked up at him and tilted my head. ‘Is there a reason you are standing, uninvited, in my room?’
He drew in a breath and narrowed his eyes at me. ‘Your mother wanted me to stay close to you.’
‘I don’t think she meant in my room.’
‘These are extenuating circumstances,’ he said, his voice hard. ‘You have been avoiding me.’
I shrugged a shoulder and reached for the book on the couch beside me.
‘I don’t think you realise just how dangerous the situation is,’ he said when I didn’t speak. ‘Your father was poisoned.’
That statement gave me pause. I slowly looked up at him. ‘What?’
I didn’t screech, something I was proud of myself for, but he must have noticed the panic in my tone because his eyes softened.
‘You didn’t really think he was in that state because of choking on his food, did you?’
I hadn’t but then I hadn’t really tried to work out the reason either.
‘Someone tried to poison my father?’ I asked, my voice small.
Parisar nodded. ‘The queen didn’t want to tell you, but I think you deserve to know. If your father hadn’t choked; if he had swallowed that mouthful of food, he wouldn’t just be in a comatose state. He would have died.’
I put the book down as cold washed over me.
‘Who...who would do that?’
‘We don’t know. That’s why the queen wants me to stay close to you. She’s concerned you will be the next target.’
I narrowed my eyes at him. ‘And how do I know you’re not the one who did that to the king?’
Parisar looked genuinely shocked, even taking a step back as he gaped at me.
‘You don’t really believe that, do you?’ Parisar asked. ‘When you said it last night I thought…I thought you were just being—’
‘A spoiled princess?’
‘Well, yes, quite honestly. You haven’t exactly been…’
‘Been what?’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Parisar said, pinching the top of his nose between his brows and sighing loudly. ‘I can’t believe you think I had anything to do with your father’s situation.’ He looked at me earnestly. ‘I would never, could never hurt you or your parents.’
‘No? Then why did you walk away when my father collapsed and was fighting for his life? Why did you look at Elil like you wanted to kill him when he was saving my father’s life? You can’t deny that if something happened to my father and to me, you and your father would benefit greatly.’
‘Did Elil tell you that?’ Parisar asked with a sneer.
‘Of course not. I came to the conclusion all on my own. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way your father hangs around the king. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you covet the castle and everything in it.’
Parisar shook his head at me. ‘You’re delusional if you think my father and I want anything other than your father to stay on the throne for as long as possible. Irys only knows what would become of us if you were to take his place.’
I opened my mouth to retort, but Parisar was spinning on his heel and storming out, leaving me to fume.
I got up from the couch and paced. I still didn’t trust Parisar, no matter what he said. Why else would he be so eager to shadow me if not to make sure something bad happened to me? His claim that he wanted my father to remain as king was a lie, I was sure of it. He never did explain to me why he’d looked at Elil with such hatred. The only explanation was that Elil was thwarting his plan to poison the king. I just needed to prove it somehow. There was no way my mother would believe me unless I had solid evidence, and until then, my father was still in danger…as was I, if what Parisar said was to be believed.
I refused to acknowledge that warning my mother about a possible attempt on my life was counterproductive for Parisar and Adryon. It probably made sense to them in some twisted way. They could claim they had warned the queen and thereby not be suspected when something happened. It was diabolical.
The door opened and Greta entered, carrying a note. She crossed to me and handed it over with a wink and a grin.
‘I think the handsome prince is smitten with you, Princess,’ she said before turning and leaving.
The note was sealed with wax and the crest of Querencia. It was from Elil.
I couldn’t stop the grin tilting my lips as I broke the seal and opened the note.
Meet me in the rose garden after sundown.
I’ll be waiting near the fountain.
Make sure you’re not followed.
E
I pressed the note to my chest, my grin widening. He wanted to see me. Maybe he felt bad about how he left things earlier and wanted to make it right. And he wanted me to come alone…maybe he wanted to finally kiss me.
I knew I shouldn’t be fantasising about such things when my father lay in a comatose state and my mother was so stressed out she had taken to yelling and breaking things but…I couldn’t help it. Besides, making an alliance with Querencia would be a good thing, right? It would certainly put a stop to any hostile takeover that Adryon might mount. Parisar and Adryon wouldn’t stand a chance if I was married to Elil. Sure, I might not be ready to get married yet, but even an engagement with the neighbouring kingdom would strengthen Eudaimonia against anyone trying to harm us.
As an added bonus, I could tell Elil about my fears and my doubts about Parisar, and he could help me get the evidence I needed to prove to my mother that Adryon and his son were not to be trusted. Plus, I would finally have someone to talk to. Keeping all these secrets to myself was becoming a burden.
I put the letter on the table and ran my hand over it to smooth out the wrinkles I’d made while crushing it to my chest. Maybe, if Elil knew the extent of my father’s illness, he would know of a cure—or at least help me find one. I refused to believe there wasn’t a cure out there somewhere, even if we had to trek to another kingdom to find it.
I spun in a circle and wrapped my arms around me. Finally. Finally, I would find a way to make all this right.