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“I’d be honored to accept the role.”
The captain seemed slightly surprised that I’d agreed so quickly, but immediately collected himself. “I’m glad to hear it. I do need you to be aware that if the need arises, you may need to kill the Hunter. Do you think that will be a problem for you?”
I swallowed thickly, shaking my head. I didn’t relish the thought, but I’d seen enough Shades killed by Hunter blades to know mercy wouldn’t be an option.
The captain’s expression was grim. “Never let your guard down, Levana. The Hunters are manipulative, and they know what they’re doing. Undoubtedly, whoever they send will be a dangerous opponent.”
Chapter 4
“Don’tbenervous,”Vernersaid reassuringly, standing at his post opposite me at the entrance to the royal wing. “You’re going to be great. You’re a very formidable guard, she’ll see.”
“She might not even leave her rooms,” I replied, glancing down the silent corridor. My instructions had been to introduce myself and follow Queen Ophelia if she left the royal wing of the palace, but I didn’t really expect her to, not today at least.
Surely she’d be thinking over the events of last night and formulating her plan to attack the king, lulling us into a false sense of security by hiding away in her rooms.
Having watched her at her wedding feast, I thought she must be a very good actress indeed. She’d looked convincingly guileless sitting next to the king, and it was a far more dangerous trick than any other she could have pulled. I’d need to be careful.
“They look far less intimidating in our realm, don’t you think?” Verner mused. “Against our corporeal forms, they’re almost helpless.”
“That’s what she wants you to think. Don’t get complacent,” I warned. “They’re trained with silver weapons from birth.”
“That’s true enough. And this one is probably the most dangerous of all, even if she did a good job oflookingcompletely helpless at her wedding.” He paused. “I certainly hope she doesn’t leave her rooms. If you leave your post, Andrus will replace you, and he’s terrible company.”
“You don’t enjoy hearing him tell you about how wonderful he is for several hours straight?”
Verner snorted. “He doesn’t do that with me. Probably because he can’t breed me so I’m not worth the effort.”
I bit back my laugh just in time as the door to the queen’s room opened. Verner and I both straightened as the Hunter emerged. Unlike the bright white dress she’d worn for her wedding, today she was in a black flowing dress that very much looked like a Hunter’s interpretation of our shadows. Did she think it would help her blend in? If anything, it made theothernessof her pinkish skin and reddish-brown hair more stark.
A combination of respect for her station and fear of her kind had me dropping my gaze to the floor, watching her feet approach. The moment she passed through the archway, I fell into step behind her, leaving Verner to guard this wing of the palace alone until Andrus was summoned.
The queen startled, turning to look at me. Her oddly expressive face contorted into all kinds of shapes that weren’t familiar to me, but if I hazarded a guess, I’d say she looked surprised. Did she think she’d be permitted to walk around alone?
“Hello,” she said tentatively.
She’s not tentative. It’s all an act.
“Er, hello. Your Majesty,” I added hastily, stumbling along the line between respectful and suspicious that I was trying to walk.
“That is… very unnecessary. Just Ophelia is fine.”
Was this an attempt to make me think she was harmless?
“Queen Ophelia,” I amended firmly. “My name is Levana. I’ve been assigned to accompany you today.”
And however many days you’re here, though I didn’t want to state that outright lest she try to use it against us somehow.
“Anywhere in particular?” the queen asked, sounding slightly put out. Probably because I was trailing her.
“Um, well, nowhere in particular.”
In hindsight, it probably would have made sense for someone to set at least a basic schedule for her. Showing her around in a controlled way, exposing her to only what we wanted her to see, would be smarter than letting her roam—
Nope, she was off.
I hastened to keep pace a few feet behind as she wandered through the corridors, looking with interest at the curved walls and plain silver orb lights. Was she looking for a weakness in the structure perhaps? A way to smuggle more Hunters in here to ambush us? It would never work—the queen had a very distinctive scent, and it almost seemed that it changed with her feelings. We wouldsmellany Hunters attempting to lie in wait.
Queen Ophelia followed the gentle breeze coming from the central courtyard that the palace was built around. Once in the covered walkway, she moved to the balcony, first staring up at the sky before turning her attention to the dark, overgrown garden that dominated the courtyard.
