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She motioned for me to lie down on what amounted to a massage table. Druise wasn’t all that skilled as a masseuse, so I wondered how this would go. But she waited till I lay down, then covered me with a light blanket. After that, she opened the door and whispered to someone.
In came a member of Lainule’s court whom I had seen several times but never been introduced to. I had the feeling she was high in rank, and when she glided over to me, I felt all too nervous and vulnerable, lying there naked.
But Druise clapped her hands. “Your Majesty, please allow me to introduce Gera. She is Her Majesty Lainule’s healing therapist. She’s here to give you a massage.”
Gera wasn’t wasting any time, either. She pulled down the blanket, oiled up her hands, and dug in. I grimaced as she began to work her way into the knots in my back. As she adroitly manipulated my muscles, the immediate discomfort lessened and I began to relax. As I closed my eyes, I began to feel something beyond the massage—there was magic in her fingers. Magic permeated my skin, seeping from her fingers, loosening the strain in my body, eating away at the stress. As she worked along my spine, I began to breathe deeper, my lungs opened up, and I sank into the warmth of the blanket.
Within minutes, I was dozing, drifting in a sea of comfort. I’m not sure how long the massage lasted, but at some point I felt her oiling my legs with a lotion that smelled like freshly fallen snow and cinnamon, and I opened my eyes. She finished, then helped me slowly sit up.
I yawned and stretched. My muscles were loose and I felt like I’d had a week’s sleep. My skin was also smooth and silky from the oils, and I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with the fragrance.
“Thank you.”
Gera dipped into a curtsey, then silently exited the room. I glanced over at the clock. It was almost seven. My stomach flipped a little and I wished I could jump ahead in time and get it over with. I was looking forward to the coronation, yes, but waiting for things always set me on edge.
“What next?” I looked over at Druise. She seemed to have the schedule down.
She motioned for me to sit at the table near the bed. “I bring you dinner, Your Highness. And if you’re wondering, you are to see no one but me and those who attend you before the coronation. You will see His Lordship there.”
Assuming she was talking about Grieve, I followed her orders and sat down at the table, while she brought in my meal. Hot bread, venison, a round of cheese, and a goblet of deep red wine, which went straight to my head. As I stabbed at the meat with my fork, I glanced over at Druise, who stood at attention near the table.
“Are you hungry?”
She shook her head, dipping into a quick curtsey. “No, Your Ladyship. Thank you for asking, though.”
“Why can’t I see anybody before the coronation?” I wasn’t complaining, but it did seem odd.
“They…it’s…there are always fears of assassination.”
That got my attention.
I put down my fork. “Have there been threats? Tell me the truth now.”
She blushed. “I’m not privy to that information. But there are always dangers for royalty, Your Highness. And there are some who might think since you weren’t born in the Barrow, perhaps…”
“Perhaps I don’t deserve to wear the crown.” I finished the thought for her. She blushed again but nodded. “So Lainule wants to make certain Rhiannon and I actually make it to the throne.”
Druise nodded. “And they only trust those of us who’ve undergone loyalty tests.”
“Loyalty tests? What does that entail?” I was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, this would be a rough gig for the next few years while I tried to immerse myself in the culture and learn everything there was to learn. I also was beginning to see how vast the culture gap was.
She bowed her head, just enough to tell me it hadn’t been pleasant. “They search your mind. They search your heart. I’m not certain what they’re looking for, but they found me true to the throne, and that’s when I became your lady’s maid.”
Having had Kaylin thrust himself into my mind once before, I knew how invasive that was. I gave Druise a faint smile. “I think I understand. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
She cocked her head and shrugged. “I was glad to. This position…as I’ve mentioned before, it means a great deal to me and my family. It…the testing hurt, and it felt like they were inside my mind, able to see everything in my thoughts, but then I don’t have much to hide, Your Highness. I’m not very complicated.” Lowering her gaze, she fiddled with her skirt.
“That’s not a bad thing, Druise. Not at all.” I went back to my dinner, mulling over the thought that not only were there those out there not entirely happy about me taking the throne, but it was perhaps to the extent that Lainule was worried about someone trying to off me. And Rhiannon, too.
After I’d eaten, Druise removed the dishes, and I brushed my teeth and washed my face. I decided to put on my makeup, but when she returned to see me sitting down at the vanity, she stopped me.
“Please, let me. I’ve been given instructions.”
I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that, but I allowed her to work her magic on my face and hair. When I finally looked in the mirror, I scarcely recognized myself. She had made my face up in an intricate pattern of scrollwork, in shades of shimmering blue and silver, that wrapped around my eyes like a tribal tattoo, coiling down to my cheeks. My lips were the palest pink I’d ever seen, barely more than a hint of color in the gloss—almost white.
She had pulled my hair back from my face into a pattern of braids and curls that hung down my back. For the first time in my life, I felt absolutely stunning, exotic. Perhaps…even beautiful.
“Oh, Druise, this is so beautiful. Thank you.” I was afraid to touch my face, afraid I’d mar the makeup. “But what if I start crying?”
