“My hand to yours,” Rosalind whispered with barest breath. “Bless you, Xylara, Daughter of the House of Xy, Daughter of Xywellan and Kara, Warrior Queen.”
Lara blew a bubble of spit.
Rosalind took a calm, steady breath. A new Queen to serve. Her resolve eased her heart. Yes, it would be hard, maybe the hardest thing she’d ever done.
Still and all, she would do it.
Rosalind relaxed into her corner as best she could and closed her eyes, holding fast to her newfound peace.
And courage.
Orval startled outof sleep, not sure what had roused him.
Roth was at the small window, pulling back the fabric. “We’re slowing,” he glanced at Orval.
“The Keep?” Orval rubbed his face as the others roused as well.
“No,” Roth said. “A village, maybe? Hard to tell at this angle.”
Orval shifted, trying to look out his window, but all he could see were a few outbuildings. The Keep was still in the distance, but much closer now. He leaned forward, straining to see.
The carriage jolted along the road.
“A stop, perhaps?” Amari asked as she covered a yawn.
“Hard to say,” Orval frowned. “Do you think they sent word of our arrival?”
“Unlikely,” Roth said. “Why give the rebels a chance to gather? I doubt they know who we are.”
The carriage rumbled on with their escort moving up to surround it. Orval watched as a wooden palisade appeared. A village then, to have such stout walls. The road appeared to run past, but they pulled to a halt before the main gates.
Ussin’s voice rang out, loud enough to be heard by all.
“Hear ye, hear ye, unto the Town of Wareington,” the Captain shouted. “By the Royal Decree of King Xyrath and Queen Satia, Lord High Baron Orval of the House of Xy and Lady High Baroness Amari, his lawful wife, have been appointed to the Barony of the Black Hills, to have and hold these lands at their gracious Majesty’s pleasure.” Ussin’s voice seemed to echo through the carriage. Aunt Xydell stirred but didn’t wake.
Ussin dismounted and approached the gate with a scroll in his hands.
“The Lord High Baron and Lady High Baroness are here to take residency of the Keep immediately. Prepare to pay thy respects and tithes in the coming days,” Ussin boomed out. “So sayeth King Xyrath and Queen Satia, by their order, command, and decree.”
With that, he let the scroll open with a flourish, and nailed it to the door with a dagger.
“On,” Ussin called as spun on his heel and mounted his horse. “To the Keep of the Black Hills.”
The carriage lurched forward.
“Well, if they didn’t know before,” Orval said, “they know now.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Amari’s stomach had finally adjusted to the rocking of the carriage, though she much preferred to ride a horse on a long journey. But after they left the village, they were in rolling hills, and her queasiness grew again.
“We’re getting close,” Orval said softly, as he started to pull the velvet capes away from the carriage windows.
Amari sucked in a breath of the cold dry air that spilled inside. It helped somewhat. At least it got her mind off her discomfort. Orval and Roth both peered out, trying to get a glimpse of the Keep ahead. All she could see was the afternoon sun glittering on the snowy hills they passed.
Drawing her attention back inside the carriage, Amari studied Orval for a long moment. As close confined as they had been these last weeks, there was still much she didn’t know about him. Did he prefer a carriage to a horse? Could he ride? She knew that if he didn’t take care, his leg would pain him in the night. There hadn’t been time to really know him, and yet—
He caught her staring and raised an eyebrow.
