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He shrugged. “What?”
“Why do you always make it weird?”
He blanched. “Weird? How? Sheisthe queen regent. She’s being crowned tomorrow. I’m not about to get on her bad side.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just give me a minute, would you?”
Palms up in surrender, Callon muttered his acquiescence and stepped outside.
“And close the door,” I called.
“As you wish,sir,” he called back, shutting the door behind him.
I stared at it for the longest time. Is this how it would be between Del and me? This uncomfortable tension between us? It felt like we were strangers, and yet we had a son together.
The answer was yes. Of course, it would be like this. In a day, she would be the queen of an entire kingdom. And who the hell was I?
Getting a grip on myself, I washed my face and cleaned my teeth with what had been left for me at the wash bin, then Tick and I joined Callon and Lyra in the hall of portraits.
Though animal companions were allowed at most taverns because of Telepaths like me, I never brought Tick into any town or establishment, too worried that if something happened to me, she’d be at someone else’s mercy. But here in the castle, where Liam was an animal Telepath protected by the most well-honed Ability wielders and trained guards in the kingdom, I hadn’t thought twice about having Tick by my side.
She trotted around, sniffing corners and exploring as we meandered one side of the grand hall. Light poured through the windows on the other side, illuminating the portraits of queens and princesses that glinted in their gilded frames along the wall. My eyes lingered on only one, though. Princess Delphinia, donning a black and crimson gown fit for a queen. As striking as she looked, she didn’t look like...Del. She looked stoic and uncomfortable, not expressive and fiery, like the girl I used to know.
“You’d think the royal family could have foundsomethingto smile about over the centuries,” Callon muttered as we made our way through the room.
“You think they should all be smiling buffoons like you?” Lyra tossed his way, and Callon’s exaggerated smile widened.
“Couldn’t hurt,” he countered. “It might liven the place up a bit.” They continued to banter until we got to a grand staircase, then Callon jogged down the steps and took the lead.
“You know where the dining room is?” I clarified. Having never eaten a sanctioned meal in the castle before, I had no idea.
Callon winked. “I already scoped the place out.”
Lyra and I looked at one another. His predictability was too entertaining not to hedge a slight smile.
As we made our way down another corridor, it registered that I’d walked the halls of Castle Corvo a time or two, but it had always been in the dead of night, scurrying between one secret passage in the wall to another. Being in the castle in the daylight, without having to hide in the shadows, felt surreal, like even now I was doing something nefarious.
Don’t get used to it, I reminded myself, becauseI wasn’t staying.While I was basking in my time with Liam, all was not well back home. Plus, I had a prophecy to avert and King Eduart’s army to stop, even if I didn’t know how I was going to do it or when Eduart would make his move.
“When do we meet up with Stone again?” I asked.
Callon sobered, looking at Lyra. “Tomorrow, at the docks,” he said. “Midnight.”
“He swore he’d be there,” Lyra added, but she seemed hesitant to believe it.
“Good,” I said quietly, taking a deep breath. “Too much time is passing. It’s making me anxious.”
“Aye, same.” Callon ran his hand up the back of his head. “Is it weird to say I trust Stone, though?”
“Yes,” Lyra muttered as I said, “No.”
Her head whipped to me. “You trust him?” Lyra scoffed, shoving her hands into her back pockets. “That’s surprising.”
“Perhaps trust isn’t the right word,” Callon mused.
“He’s predictable,” I amended. “He wants his secrets kept and to collect the coin he’s been promised. He’ll do whatever he can to earn both.Thatis what I trust.”
Lyra lifted her chin in understanding.
