Crown of One Hundred Kings (Nine Kingdoms Trilogy #1) - Rachel Higginson Page 0,115

commander had been thrown in the dungeons after his promise of fidelity to me. My uncle had not cared a bit that the rebels swore an oath to the crown and to the realm. I had visited him more than I should have. He was not suffering too badly, but I knew he longed for his freedom. “My uncle is determined to make him regret his pledge.”

A flicker of a smile flashed over Taelon’s mouth. “Don’t worry about Eret. He will be free soon enough.”

I didn’t ask any more questions.

It was best if I didn’t know.

“I will be back, Tessa,” he murmured. “Don’t forget about me while I’m gone.”

My breath trembled in my lungs. “I could never,” I whispered. “I would never.”

His lips brushed over my mouth in a fluttering kiss that was over before it began and his fingers traced the line of the pendant I still wore around my neck. “Until we meet again, Stranger.”

“Stay out of trouble, Rebel King.”

He pulled back and graced me with a dazzling smile. “Never.”

Then he was gone, stalking down the corridor with power in each step and the air of a royal thick around him. I watched, unable to tear my eyes off him until he was out of sight.

Oliver’s voice broke into my wandering thoughts. “He’s gone, Tess. You can stop staring longingly at the hallway like a lovesick toad.”

I turned to my friend. “Aren’t you supposed to be working harder on your vows, Oliver the Silent?”

His grin greeted me. “Perhaps,” he allowed. “But I’d much rather have a conversation with my friend, the Queen, then worry about vows waiting for me half a kingdom away.”

“I’m not Queen yet.”

“That is a coincidence.” He linked his arm with mine and tugged me down the corridor. Guards stepped into our wake. Supposedly they were protecting me, but this felt little different than when I’d been on trial. Oliver continued. “Because I am not yet a monk.”

“That is a coincidence,” I agreed. “We both seem to be waiting on rather large destinies.”

“And while we wait, we should probably get into as much trouble as possible.”

I laughed. “Agreed!”

We talked all the way to my rooms. Oliver was no longer posing as a Soravalian servant. He was in residence as my invited guest.

We had sent word to Father Garius that my quest was complete and that he could soon expect an invitation to the coronation. Until then, Oliver would stay with me and help me adjust to palace life. It wasn’t easy.

I found it especially troubling to not have anything expected of me. I often tried to help with chores and cooking, but both maids and cooks would chase me off. I had classes and responsibilities, but nothing that truly challenged my mind.

Just like the last eight years, Oliver was the only thing keeping me sane.

“Let’s get Shiksa,” he suggested, “and steal some tartlets from the kitchen. She loves the cherry ones.”

“Because you spoil her with them!”

He paused in the hallway, “Here she is now.”

I bent down to scoop her up. She was just now back to her old self, able to leap from bed to wardrobe and back to the ground again with all the energy a pup of her age should have. “How did you get out here, little one?” She curled into my arms, her claws digging protectively into my sleeve.

“Tessana,” Oliver warned.

We stepped into my room and I gasped. The place had been destroyed. Bedding had been ripped to shreds. Clothing had been torn and thrown on the floor. Paintings had been sliced down the middle and furniture had been chopped to pieces.

“Dragon’s blood,” I cursed. The guards peered in behind me and quickly got to work summoning the rest of the royal guard to investigate.

I shared a look with Oliver and he murmured, “Never a dull moment with you.”

I blinked at the room, unable to process what this meant. “Look,” I whispered.

“What is that?” He walked to the center of the room and picked up a long black feather.

“This isn’t over,” I heard myself say. “They won’t stop until I’m dead.”

Oliver turned around, feather in his hand. “Unless you kill them first.”

Someone was trying to kill me.

But it hadn’t worked when I was a child.

And it hadn’t worked when Crenshaw attacked.

This was my fate. I was meant to rule Elysia and the entire Realm. I was meant to be Queen. And they would not stop me. Whoever they were.

Oliver was right. If I had to kill them first, I would. I