“Let’s go through Julius and Odessa’s room after breakfast to see if we can find anything about their plans or if anyone was working with them.”
I glance around the table for agreement, but Mina’s eyes widen almost comically.
“What is it?” I ask, my head tilting.
“Luna was always with them … ” she draws the words out as ifshe’s trying to put the pieces together. I had almost forgotten about the woman who resembled a moonbeam. I don’t think I ever even spoke to her, and the one time I tried, she studied her nails before flitting away.
“When was the last time anyone saw her?” Mathilda asks, toying with the ends of her hair.
A memory from long ago resurfaces.
“I saw her the night we went out dancing.” I shiver, thinking about how frightening she looked that evening—and the dead body that was discovered the next day.
“It had to of been before that for me,” Mathilda replies, looking to Tane for confirmation, who nods.
I turn to Evander, and he shrugs.
“I cannae remember the last time I saw her, and Elowen dinna mention anything in her recruiting reports,” Lachlan replies. Two small lines form between his eyes as he thinks about it.
Grimacing, I shift back to Evander. “Send some guards on a patrol and see if we can track her down. She might have some answers.”
***
Odessa’s room is in an area of the Great Hall I didn’t even know existed, tucked away at the far back, on the mountain side. Luckily, as guards, Lachlan and Evander know where it is. The wooden door is nondescript, no twisting carving around the doorframe or anything on the door itself. I reach for the knob, and Lachlan scoffs, brushing my hand away.
“Let me. Just in case there are traps.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I huff, “I don’t like that plan either.”
He ignores my retort and kicks the door open while drawinghis sword out in front of him. The action is so swift that had I blinked, I would’ve missed it.
“Ew, it smells … ” Mathilda whines while holding her nose.
“It was a snake’s den,” Lachlan mutters while taking one step into the room and taking up a defensive position by the door.
There’s a pile of something in the corner. It looks like scraps of fabric mixed with leaves and twigs. The floors are covered in a fine layer of sand, and the curtains are drawn up tight. I sniff, inhaling stale air as I take in the rumpled sheets. It’s empty. Hollow in a way like an unused coffin. But there’s a distinct reptilian smell.
“Is that a nest?” Mina asks, staring at the misshapen pile of clothes and leaves.
“That’s my guess,” I mutter, stepping farther into the room. “Did they share a room?”
“Aye,” Lachlan grinds out between clenched teeth. “Everyone thought they were mates, so they had to keep up the pretense.” His words are wrapped in anger and guilt.
Reaching out, I grasp his elbow, offering what little comfort I can. “It’s not your fault.”
“I dinna ken how we all missed it.” He shakes his head and sheathes his sword.
I shrug my shoulders, walking to open the curtains and let some light in. “I’m sure you all had bigger things to worry about. I mean—come on—the realm was losing magic.”
With the curtains open, fresh air floats in, but not on a breeze. It’s still on this side of the Great Hall. But it still clears away some of the reptilian odor. I look out at the mountains glittering in the morning sun, their peaks piercing low-hanging clouds. “And you did everything you could. You guys started the rebellion, after all.” I stride across the room to check out the bathroom. But the distinct smell of stagnant water has my steps faltering.
“What’s that watery smell?”
Mathilda glances up from where she’s holding a vial of perfume she plucked off Odessa’s nightstand. She sprays the perfume in the air before inhaling it. “This smells like cloves.”
I glance over to Mina, who’s rifling through the armoire, clothes strewn all around her. “These smell fresh still.”
Lachlan hasn’t moved by the door and shrugs, sniffing the air.
