Page 55 of Death of a Mortal

His eyes lingered on my face and my scars for a moment before the royal guard who had announced them appeared in front of me, breaking my stare-off with the king.

“You will bow when in the presence of the king and queen,” he bellowed, inches from my face, making me flinch.

I looked back at the monarchs, catching the queen’s eye for a moment before dropping my head in a bow. Something like recognition had crossed her face, but I couldn’t be sure.

The guard’s sword at his side looked sharp, and I wasn’t interested in having it poke holes in me for disrespecting Caedryn. So I kept my head bowed as the king, queen, and half a dozen guards continued by.

With my eyes pointed down, I could only see their royal green and gold regalia. But I could feel their eyes on me, the beast in my chest still at attention and ready for action.

Then I felt Miss Melda’s eyes on me from my right.

After the last steps of the procession turned the corner at the end of the hall, she rounded on me, fuming. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Surely, you’re not so dim-witted that you thought you could remain standing, openly staring at the king and queen? Foolish girl. You must behave if you want to keep your head attached to your neck.”

The heat in my chest dissipated, but embarrassment had my cheeks warming in its place. I didn’t like being reprimanded by Miss Melda. She was always kind, even motherly to Nella and me.

I realized I’d been too bold, too brazen—if Nella and I were going to survive here, I needed to keep my emotions in check.

“Yes, ma’am. I won’t let it happen again.” And I meant it. I couldn’t risk Nella’s safety.

“Good. Now go eat and get back to work.”

* * *

After recalling theevents in the hall to Nella over lunch (to which she reacted nearly the same as Miss Melda), I returned to the laundry alone once more.

I knew I’d been foolish, but I couldn’t shake the feelings of uneaseeven hours later. The king seemed to radiate evil. And the queen… Why did she look familiar, and seem to think the same of me?

How could someone so beautiful and seemingly kind stand next to such a wicked man? I felt sorry for the queen.

Thinking of them made me think of Varyn. He looked so very much like his father, but I saw little resemblance to his mother except maybe the eyes, though his were a slightly lighter shade of blue. I just hoped his heart resembled hers more than Caedryn’s.

I passed the hours folding towels, bed linens, and dinner napkins, thinking of my mom and the rebellion. Were the rebels all mortals, or did they have some fae on their side? I wondered.

While I generally didn’t trust the fae, I also knew that a rebellion of mortals never stood a chance against a kingdom of fae that despised them.

“Have you ever seen Elyndor?”I asked Noxie.

“Oh, hi, Naci. Great to hear from you. I’m doing most excellent, thank you so much for asking.”

“Hilarious. Sorry if I’ve been irritable with you. This castle makes me…well, irritable.”

I felt his sigh, followed by a significant improvement in his mood.

“I haven’t seen Elyndor. Or any other continent other than Ashenholt, for that matter. Crows don’t usually cross the oceans.”

“Would you cross with me once I get my mom out of here? To join the rebels?”

“Of course I would. Wherever you go, I go.”

“Careful, Noxie, I would hate for you to become a sap.”

“Too right, thanks for stopping me.”

I laughed to myself. He was growing on me, and I thought it would be nice to have him, my mother, and Nella crossing the Elyssar Sea together to Elyndor.

A proper family.

“A proper one indeed. Hang in there. Keep your head and find your mom so we can get all three of you out of there.”