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Lady Queill leaned in to whisper something in Lord Lugh’s ear as Lady Erin came before the crown to pay her respects. Her parents were not here with her, neither was Lady Gwenlyn. Lugh had not made it clear what he thought of Seelie living in his realm, but it was smart of Erin and Gwenlyn to avoid bringing that up since Lady Gwenlyn was a Seelie Champion who had come with us back to Winter Palace. She was now staying with Lady Erin and her family, in their estate.
Lady Erin met my gaze before she did Lugh’s and curtseyed.
“Princess,” she said. “My King.”
Her tone was hesitant. I tried to push away the fog on my mind and smile at her to ease her concern. I could not. It seemed Lady Queill didn’t even trust me with that little.
“A champion,” Lugh said sarcastically.
“You are the real champion, my liege,” Master Fergus said from where he stood behind the row of advisors listening in. Lugh did not bother to look at the man, who in turn glared at Lady Queill as though it was her fault he was being ignored by Lugh.
“Welcome, Lady Erin,” Lugh said. “I’m sad to hear of your father’s passing.”
Lady Erin nodded stiffly, which was not the appropriate response to a word of consolation from the King. But Lugh appeared not to have noticed it, although I could feel his anger brewing in him as he sat beside me.
“I hope Lady Melandre is doing well,” he added.
Somehow, that sounded like a threat. Lady Erin took it the same way. Her eyes widened as she looked up.
“She is, my king,” she said. “Thank you for inviting us. My mother was unable to attend.”
The fact that Lady Erin didn’t give an excuse for her mother’s absence was stranger. But Lugh didn’t seem to mind it.
“Of course,” Lugh said.
Lady Erin waited for a few more seconds to see if Lugh had anything else to say, then, she curtseyed again, and removed herself from his presence.
Lord Tegan was next.
“My liege,” he bowed.
“Lord Tegan,” Lugh said. “Welcome. But where is... Lady Miranda?”
“She is grieving, still,” Lord Tegan simply said. “She could not bring herself to leave our estate.”
Lord Tegan’s stiff reply seemed to have surprised Lugh.
“I understand,” Lugh said. “Hopefully, at least you will find some solace in the upcoming celebrations.”
And that was it. Lord Tegan mumbled a response, bowed, and went back to join the others. I could see my surprise reflected off the faces of a few other lords and ladies in the great hall. Lord Tegan had been clearly on Lord Merick’s and thus Lord Lugh’s side before the coup. His son, Lanny, was Lord Lugh’s squire until he died at the ball attack.
It was surprising that Lugh ignored the opportunity to use Lanny’s death during the ball attack to make another jab against Kieran, since Kieran, along with Jasmine, was being blamed for letting the monsters inside the Winter Castle.
“My king,” Lady Queill said, keeping her tone flat as she spoke loudly so that everyone would hear her. “You have a meeting with your advisors regarding the war in the Southlands. Perhaps we can resume the greetings tomorrow?”
Lugh nodded.
“Thank you all for coming,” he said, getting up. “Please forgive me, as I must tend to the realm now.”
“Of course, my king,” Master Fergus said as Lugh turned around to leave.
Lady Queill’s presence in my mind made me feel as though I was seeing things from behind a fog. Unless something sparked my interest, I could not focus on the words being said before me.
Lugh and Lady Queill were talking amongst each other in hushed voices when Lugh suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway. My awareness came right then, and I saw that we were nearing the King’s Tower.
Lord Trechting was why we had stopped. He wore his wet cloak as though he had just arrived. He had a grim expression on his face as he met my gaze past Lugh.
“Princess,” he spoke directly to me. “I am sorry to hear about your father’s passing.”
