flattering and frustrating. I looked from one to the other and said, “Look, if we have to work out a system for taking turns, we will. But for now, let’s all sit, okay?” I moved passed them and sat next to Gaitha, directly across from Hellion. The two men stood staring at me, then took seats at the head and foot of the table, though it was beyond me as to which was which. I think if they’d been able to discern the head from the foot they would have fought over who sat where if it hadn’t been for the king’s glare at Tarrek.
Kelten turned to look at me, leaning past his wife so that he could make eye contact. “Madeleine—”
“Just Maddy, please, sir.”
He quirked an eyebrow and in that instant I saw Tarrek in his face—the same eyes, the same jaw, the same mannerisms. It dawned on me that Tarrek was truly royalty. I bit my bottom lip and glanced at Tarrek. I’m ashamed to say it changed the way I thought of him, if even for a moment. Not that it made me any more or less attracted to him, but maybe that I was more aware he was royalty.
“Maddy,” said Kelten, drawing my attention back to him. “I want to extend Faerie’s deepest regret that one of our own, nearly a member of the royal family, caused you harm.” I looked up in time to see Hellion and Gretta clasp hands and Imeena look down and away. What was with the avoidance? These creatures came from a world that was apparently more used to violence than humans, and definitely more than I had ever been exposed to short of CNN. So why look uncomfortable?
Kelten interrupted my thoughts, continuing his speech. “I would ask that you involve both me and the queen in the investigation’s update as we’ve lost Maddox to the tragedy, and we will likely lose Jossel.” I was struck by two things. First, that the king spoke of Maddox as if he were dead. Second, that he spoke of Jossel as if his death was imminent and unavoidable. I looked at the king hard, and he maintained eye contact. What was I looking for? Anything, I suppose, that would tell me why he was behaving this way.
“I think that it’s alright if you sit in on this meeting, but after that I’ll leave it up to the Council to vote on whether or not you can participate.” The king looked shocked that I would deny his request. The queen looked like she was still grieving. “Ma’am?” I said, looking at her.
“Maddox was my uncle,” she said, a bright sheen of tears showing in her eyes. “I have lost a member of my family, so forgive me if I am not thrilled to be a part of this discussion. Though I will not have you think that I am not sorry you were shot. I am. But I am grievously sorry you are sure that Maddox is the culprit.” Tears spilled over her bottom lashes, and she swiped at them angrily, turning to glare at her husband.
Apparently no one had shared with these folks that I’d been poisoned.
“Gaitha?” She spun on me, the festering rage in her eyes not schooled to misery yet. “I’m sorry, Queen Gaitha?”
She inclined her head at me, never breaking eye contact.
“I’m sorry for your loss, truly. If this meeting will be too hard for you, I’d encourage you to leave. There’s no reason to scrape at a pain that’s so fresh.”
“So you believe that I can disregard my duties as queen because it’s too hard?” she said in a tone that was very close to mocking me.
“Nooooo,” I said. “I just think it’s not humane.”
“And I am not human, Niteclif.”
She was right, and I was a fool to forget it sitting at a table surrounded by the surreal as I was.
We discussed the particulars of the case, as few as they were, though I was hesitant to offer my speculation as to why Maddox shot me. Since once again Bahlin didn’t bring up the poisoning, I said nothing. Discussion was loud and, at times, heated. Everyone seemed to think that political maneuvering was the foremost reason for the murders until I interrupted.
“Then why was I shot? Because all of this started before I even got here. To England, I mean.” Everyone looked at me like I’d grown a second head.
“Pardon us,” Imeena said. “We don’t presume to have a more