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“Queen Zephy!” I replied, extending my hands toward her. “You look as beautiful as always.”
Zephy chuckled and rolled her eyes. “No need to flatter me, Jace. I already put you in the nicest suite we have,” she teased, kissing both my cheeks and giving me a once over before stepping back to look at Elix. She let out a sigh of appreciation. “And you must be Elix. I’m so pleased you could make it. We couldn’t believe it when we heard Jace was finally ready to settle down.”
I scoffed.
“T-thanks for having me?” Elix croaked uncertainly, casting me a nervous look like she worried she was saying the wrong thing already. I smiled reassuringly at her.
“Nonsense,” Zephy said, waving her hand. “Us queens have to stick together on the continent while our kings are off tending to the ministers and whatnot.”
Queen Zephyrine nodded to the waiting staff and waved a hand, the gesture springing them into unspoken action.
“Come along. You must be exhausted after all that traveling. I’m afraid that Cade has been detained on another matter, for which he sincerely apologizes, but he solemnly swears he’ll meet you both for breakfast in the morning.”
“That’s okay,” Elix said quickly.
“I’m beat,” I agreed, nodding at the guards to follow as Zephyrine led the way back through the stone walls of the castle. “We’re no fun right now, anyway.”
Elix’s eyes widened until I thought they would pop out of their sockets, her disbelief growing with each step inside. More than once, I saw her looking at me as if to say, “Can you believe this place?!”
All I could do was grin back at her. Nothing I could have told her previously would have prepared her.
“I assure you we have all the modern amenities you need,” Zephyrine told her, catching her dubiousness as we walked. “We’re not that far behind the times—regardless of how it looks. Cade was adamant about keeping the feel in place.”
“I haven’t traveled much,” Elix blurted out, and I grimaced, wishing she hadn’t said that, but Zephyrine only laughed.
“I remember those days,” she admitted. “I hadn’t seen the outside of Carrottrove before I ended up here.”
“Carrottrove?” Elix echoed. “What’s that?”
The queen’s smile grew to cover her sepia-toned cheeks, the white of her teeth gleaming in the romantic lighting. “That’s where I’m from. A little hamlet, really. There’s nothing in that part of Ironhelm but farms.”
“Carrot farms?” I quipped, and the queen wagged a chiding but playful finger at me over her shoulder.
Zephyrine glided gracefully up the stairs, her servants carrying our bags behind, and Elix gaped openly at the dozens of portraits leering back at her from the high walls. “And believe me—it looks exactly how it sounds.”
Both the females laughed and shared an appreciative look.
“This way,” Zephyrine sang sweetly, turning onto the second floor and leading up through the north hall. She ended at the far wall and opened the double doors, nodding at Grisella, who had followed silently with a scowl on her face.
“Grisella is at your disposal if you need anything at all,” Zephyrine offered. “Are you hungry? There’s a bottle of that wine you like, Jace, and champagne in your chambers already, but should you run low or crave anything else?—”
“Zephy, we’re set,” I reassured her. “It’s late. We’ll see you in the morning. I wish you hadn’t waited up for us.”
“Nonsense. You’re my guests, and I had to ensure you arrived safely. Now that I’m sure you’re here, I can rest soundly. Good night, Miss Elix?—”
“Elix, please,” she interjected, paling at the formality.
“Then you will call me Zephy,” Zephyrine replied with a nod. “It’s only fair.”
They exchanged a small smile, and I relaxed, happy to see that I had been right about them getting along.
The servants set our bags inside, and we entered, looking around at the antique-style furnishings.
“My gods,” Elix whispered. “It’s like we went back in time!”
I nodded as the servants left and secured the door behind them, shaking my head with a laugh.
“But she wasn’t kidding—the floors are heated in the bathroom,” Elix called out from the ensuite. “This isn’t totally medieval.”
