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We made it as far as the castle gates before the carriage began to turn around.
“What is happening?” I demanded. Other than Sabium, I knew no one who would dare ignore my wishes this way.
“I’m not sure, Your Majesty,” Alcandre said, her voice high and breathy. “Something must be wrong with the carriage.”
Realization slammed into me, and my hands shook with barely suppressed rage. No, there was nothing wrong with the carriage.
“Out,” I instructed when the carriage returned to the castle entrance.
My ladies filed out, hesitating as I stayed seated. I waved them away, and after a long moment of confusion, they finally trotted into the castle.
I sat, well aware of Tymedes’s little game. He imagined he could call me to him as if I was a dog and he was my master. I answered to Sabium because he held my son’s life in his cold hands. But I would never answer to his spineless general.
I watched the sun move above me, until I must have spent at least an hour in the carriage. It was becoming warmer, but this far north, it wouldn’t be stifling for another month, and that heat would only last for a few weeks. Still, I smiled as a footman appeared, hesitating outside my carriage door.
“Do you need some help, Your Majesty?”
“No. I require water. And wine. Also, you will ask one of my ladies to step into my bedroom, where they will find my fan and the book on my bedside table. Bring them to me.”
I spent the afternoon lounging in the carriage and pretending to read. I could practically feel Tymedes pacing in the castle as he attempted to wait me out. What he didn’t realize was that with Sabium away, I had the freedom to make his life as difficult as possible.
By overriding my plans, he had brought this upon himself.
He would be sitting in that castle, teeth clenched as he attempted to find a way to make me go to him without either looking weak or crossing lines that would make Sabium kill him. And as long as Tymedes was focused on his new war with me, his mind wouldn’t be fully on the news he had received today.
The news he would have to communicate to the king.
And so I stared at the same page of my book, my mind creating and discarding plans. With Sabium currently away, this was my best chance to learn where he was going. But if my spies followed him, he would still have enough time to slaughter Nelayra—or Prisca, as she called herself—before I could warn Madinia of her friend’s fate.
Sabium was far too cunning. I’d learned about many key locations over the years, but he had been careful with his dungeons. Likely, he’d kept the location of this particular dungeon up his sleeve for an important occasion.
Finally, when the sun was sinking in the sky, Tymedes strolled from the castle, his hands in his pockets, as if wholly unconcerned. But his eyes glittered with rage.
“Is there a reason you’re spending the day in your carriage, Your Majesty?”
I let my gaze fall back to my book. “Perhaps it is the same reason you somehow summoned the audacity to take control of my carriage.”
“You were needed.”
“You do not instruct me,” I said, turning the page of my book.
He climbed into the carriage. I raised my gaze, arranging my expression into faint annoyance.
“You know, Your Majesty, a curious man might wonder why your first response was to flee the vicinity when I received unwelcome news.”
“You received unwelcome news? Why would I be aware of that? All I know is you overrode my carriage and greatly overstepped your role, General.”
He bared his teeth, leaning forward into my space. Distantly, I was aware of my own personal guard surrounding the carriage. Tymedes likely imagined I was threatened by his posturing. But I was married to Sabium. When Sabium got this close to me, my blood turned to ice.
Tymedes lowered his voice to a hiss. “For years, I’ve watched you strut around this castle as if you were the true king. You wouldn’t have noticed me as I worked my way up to the position I am in now. You’re not known for paying attention to underlings.”
I raised one eyebrow, but he kept speaking.
“And I asked myself why Sabium would have chosen a queen who isn’t particularly well-liked by his people. Your family was noble, but not remarkably so. You’re incredibly beautiful, but so are many women of your status.” He smiled. “Then I realized it’s because you are so pliant. You may wear that haughty mask, pretend to be as dangerous as a collared tiger, but in reality, you are a kitten who has been declawed. Cute, easily distracted, and remarkably stupid.”
If I had respected Tymedes even the smallest amount, his words might have cut deep. But the truth was, they proved that I had been successful with my disguise. When I put my plans into place, Sabium would never see them coming.
Tymedes was clearly waiting for a response. Stretching out my legs, I repositioned my gown over them.
