“Yes, milady. Milord is addressing a wall breach.”
“What?”
“I don’t know the details, milady, but last night, some crawlers got into the city. It’s over now, minimal casualties. They are securing the wall.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“I don’t know, milady. I have your breakfast here.”
I turned away in an attempt to conceal my frustration. I was not simply upset that he just left in the middle of the night, I knew he needed to go fight the crawlers. It was that he did not think it was important enough to tell me.
Was that because he thought I couldn’t help? Was that because he worried that I would be in his way?
The deepest, most intense humiliation burned me from the inside. I was the one who, just a day ago, took the throne and he bowed to me in front of everybody.
Did he really think so little of me?
“Milady?” May waited.
“Yes? Oh, thank you.”
“Would you like me to help you dress?”
“Do you know where the former clan leader is?”
“Yes, milady. I took liberties to talk to the servants in the palace, although they were obviously told not to talk to any of us. But I managed to find out that Lord Hubert is very sickly, and not leaving his chambers.”
Was he really so weak, or was it just a ploy to delay the transfer of power?
“I see. Did you hear anything about Lady Augusta?”
“Lady Augusta, milady?”
“Yes.”
“I heard that she doesn’t partake in the clan business.”
That, no doubt, would have also been my destiny if I had chosen Rutherford as my husband. I would have been reduced to a mere decoration, a house plant that only needed to look pretty. My mind went back to Tynan and more gloomy thoughts entered my head.
Was Tynan treating me the same? I bit my lip, too frustrated to finish this line of thinking.
“Can you help me find some clothes to wear?”
“Your flying suit, milady?”
“No. Find me something a servant would wear.”
“Yes, milady.”
May hurried out of the room.
“Milady, I’m not sure it’s safe.” May stayed beside me.
Her head turned from side to side as we walked through the streets of Alsaard. I adjusted the hood of my cape, ignoring her complaints.
The narrow, neatly decorated streets were made out of light, polished brick and lined with structures that stood no taller than two stories, three at most. Residential buildings were mixed with the small storefronts: bakeries, barbers, and galleries.
“Do you get the money?”
