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Eno was speechless. What had she seen when she stared into the Godstone? It was as if she already knew that this was going to be far more than a simple trip to Caspagir and home again, but he couldn’t ask. Maybe it was premonition based on how other kingdoms had already fallen to the Empire. Maybe it was a mother’s fear for her only child.
Before he could promise to do all that he could to serve her son and the kingdom of Erya, heavy, brisk footsteps echoed down the corridor. They both turned to watch a tall, stout man in black-and-green clothes walking toward the Godstone room. His dark eyes briefly flicked to Eno and then snapped over to the queen and didn’t move.
This was Hagen Sigurd, the head of the royal guard and security for the towers. But more importantly, this was the queen’s personal bodyguard. It was incredibly rare for her to be seen without him in her shadow. No one got within a dozen feet of Queen Amara without his approval.
Which made it all the more stunning that Eno was just noticing now that she’d entered the Godstone room without him following close behind.
At the doorway, Hagen stopped and bowed his head to her. “Forgive my intrusion, Your Majesty. Prince Caelan is on his way to your chambers to see you.” Likely Caelan was visiting his mother one last time for any final instructions and to get her well wishes for his journey.
“Thank you, Hagen,” she murmured. As she crossed to the entrance, she paused next to Eno, and he was taken aback by her appearance. Amara had always been a lovely, lithe woman with long, rich, black hair and delicately arched eyebrows over pale-blue eyes that seemed almost too large for her face. This close, Eno could see the fine lines of her age along with the wear of ruling a kingdom for so long. But there was also a surprising vitality to her, as if energy and power pulsed just below her pale skin, waiting to break free.
“Think long on the task that I have set before you,” she said in a low, firm voice.
“Yes, I will, Your Majesty.”
“It will be a happy day for Erya when all four of you are home again,” she murmured, which struck Eno as exceedingly strange. No prayers for a safe return or even a simple wish for a safe journey.
“Thank you, my queen,” he murmured, bowing his head. He kept his head down as she continued past him, but he must have raised it too soon because he was sure he caught a glimpse of something he shouldn’t have seen.
Queen Amara stopped next to Hagen’s arm as she reached him and glanced up into his eyes. For the first time, her expressionless mask disappeared, and lines of worry dug deep. Her fingers tightened on his arm as if seeking support. And equally surprisingly, Hagen’s face was filled with a look of complete love, devotion, and worry.
For years, there had been boorish whispers that Hagen was more than a bodyguard to Queen Amara. Since coming to protect Caelan, Eno had given them even less thought. But for the first time ever, he wondered if maybe there was a kernel of truth to them.
He just hoped in all their years as queen and protector, they’d found a way to be happy.
The moment between them was broken almost as quickly as it occurred, thanks to more footsteps pounding across the marble floor. Eno straightened at the sight of Rayne entering the long hall. He watched as the advisor actually seemed surprised at the appearance of the queen, but he covered it with a low bow. So, he wasn’t searching for Amara. What was the studious Rayne Laurent doing in this hallway? Come to seek guidance from the Godstone or was he searching for Eno?
The queen paused and said something to Rayne that he couldn’t overhear; then she continued on, likely to her private chambers for a final meeting with her son. Rayne straightened and watched her walk away, giving Eno ample time to examine the tall, lithe man in an impeccable suit. Handsome and pulled together as always, Rayne tugged at Eno in the strangest and most unexpected ways. He enjoyed looking at both men and women, though he’d never actually been with a man. He’d always leaned more toward women until Rayne had boldly strode into his life.
Since that first day six years ago, everyone seemed to pale in comparison to Rayne’s reserved beauty and dry humor. Everyone else was too flashy, too loud, too much. Simply being near him felt as if a soothing balm had been rubbed into his soul.
It didn’t hurt his ego that Rayne was clearly attracted to him as well, even though the man fought hard to keep it hidden. Every time their gazes caught or Eno saw Rayne staring at him when he thought Eno couldn’t see him, Eno’s heart sped up and he longed to grab the man.
