Queen of Secrets

by Elizabeth Briggs

  “He’s an assassin, someone I once loved when I was younger, but he ended it between us because he said it could never work out. He was probably right.”

  “Hmm. Only the Celestials know that for certain.”

  My head snapped toward her. “But you can ask them, can’t you?”

  “That’s not exactly how it works, but I can try.”

  “I’d appreciate it.”

  She lifted her hand and traced an intricate silvery rune in the air. Once it was complete, the rune flashed bright and then expanded into a complex pattern of colors and swirls that was beautiful but made little sense to me. It looked like a sunset flecked with stars, and while I gazed into it with confusion, Fellina’s eyes danced across it, interpreting and seeing things only she could see. After a few moments, it vanished.

  She pursed her lips together briefly and then said, “He’ll be back. Soon.”

  I sat up straighter. “Does he know who hired him to kill me?”

  “Yes, he does. But you won’t like what you’ll learn.”

  “Whoever it is, I’ll deal with them. Is there anything else you can tell me?”

  She nodded slowly. “Remember the shoes.”

  “The shoes?” I asked.

  She flashed me another serene smile as she rose to her feet. “I must rest before the ball tonight. You should consider doing the same.”

  My brow furrowed. Rest? Who had time for such a thing when assassins were after me? But Fellina did look exhausted and I instantly felt guilty for having her do magic for me in her delicate state. “Yes, do not tax yourself further. Shall I escort you to your room?”

  “Thank you, but I can manage on my own. Why don’t you sit there and enjoy the sunshine a little longer? The flowers smell especially lovely today.”

  I nearly protested, but she was already shuffling away down the stone path back to the castle. Her guards stayed close, and I was pleased to see extra men had been assigned to her.

  Once she was gone I sat back on my hands and tilted my head up at the sky, enjoying the brief hint of warmth on the otherwise crisp autumn day. It would no doubt be snowing soon and we had to enjoy this weather while we could. Even if it was hard to sit back and relax with Fellina’s words echoing in my mind. Six daughters born to four mothers.

  A broken twig caught my attention and I reached for the dagger strapped to my ankle. All of the guards were out of sight or had gone with Fellina. But when I saw the source of the noise, I realized it didn’t matter, because I wasn’t in any danger.

  Garon limped toward me through the bushes, clutching his side. His face was unharmed, although dirty and unshaven, and he was clearly in pain.

  “Garon!” I called out to him as I rushed forward. He stumbled toward me as fear gripped my throat. I caught him in my arms and he looked up into my eyes. He managed to whisper two words before he passed out.

  “Prince Nial.”

  Six

  Garon

  I opened my eyes in an unfamiliar room and immediately tensed, reaching for my sword, except it wasn’t there. Nor were my clothes, it seemed. I tried to sit up, but pain shot through my side, and I remembered the beating I’d taken and my painful run through the tunnels to find Dahlia.

  Dahlia. I’d found her and given her the name of the culprot before I’d passed out. Thank the Sun and Moon.

  I glanced around at my surroundings, noting the quality and firmness of the bed I was on, and the white stone walls that could only be inside the castle. Dahlia must have taken me somewhere to recover.

  “Drink this,” her voice said, and I instantly relaxed at the sound.

  She moved beside me, wearing a dark pink gown that matched the shade of her full lips. Her mahogany hair was twisted atop her head, revealing the graceful slope of her neck. I longed to pull her into my arms and kiss the worry off her face, but forced myself to stillness.

  She lifted a spoon to my lips and I drank it down, making a face. “What is that?” I asked.

  “A tonic for pain,” she said. “Queen Fellina made it and assures me it will help you.”

  “Tastes like piss.”

  She smiled faintly. “That it does.”

  I swallowed more of the disgusting medicine and glanced around. “Where am I?”

  “An empty guest room. I thought it best if no one saw you while you recovered. Our physician examined you while you were unconscious and said you would be fine after some rest, but I’m not sure I believe it. What happened to you?”

  I pressed a hand against my aching rib and winced. “The Ravens don’t take kindly to people failing their assignments.”

  “I see that.” She looked me over with a concerned frown.

  “They locked me up, but I managed to escape. On my way out I heard their plan: to assassinate you tonight at the ball.”

  “Tonight?” She sucked in a breath. “Before you collapsed, you mentioned Prince Niall. Is he involved?”

  I nodded. “He’s the one who hired the Ravens. He wants it to be done at the ball tonight so your death can’t be connected to him.”

  Her brow furrowed. “Why would he want to kill me? He’s the one who has been pushing for this marriage to happen for the last few years.”

  “I don’t know. Perhaps now that the wedding is imminent he’s had a change of heart.” I paused and then added, “I’m sorry.”

  Cold fire filled her eyes. “He’ll never get away with this.”

  “No, he won’t. But we’ll have to find a way to make him confess.”

  “I have an idea for that, but we’ll need to wait for Fellina to join us.”

  “The Queen?” I asked skeptically.

  “She’s a powerful wizard and she wants to help. She came by while you were unconscious and would be here now, except she had a dress fitting. I told her to go while I waited for you to wake up.”

  The tonic must have been working, because I was able to sit up better. “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you.” She pressed her hand to my cheek. “You didn’t have to do any of this, but you did.”

  I covered her hand with mine. “Of course I had to. I couldn’t let anyone threaten your life.”

  “But you’ve jeopardized your position in the Ravens because of me.”

  “I don’t care about any of that.” I pressed a kiss to her palm. “Your safety is all that matters to me.”

  She reached up and began smoothing my hair back into place. “When you collapsed in my arms I thought you were going to die. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

  “Not even when I fell off the tree in the Queen’s Garden and broke my arm?” I asked, hoping for a smile.

  I was rewarded with a small one. “Not even then.”

  “It would take a lot more than a beating to kill me.”

  “I hope so.” Her hand trailed down to idly stroke the stubble on my jaw. Resisting her touch was becoming harder with every moment we spent together. I knew I should tell her to stop before this went any further, but I couldn’t find it in me to speak the words.

  “What do you plan to do?” I asked instead. “Cancel the ball?”

  “Not at all. Nial would never admit his involvement if I asked him for the truth. We’ll have to lay a trap for the assassins and force him to confess.”

  “How?”

  “I have an idea. But I’ll need your help.” She glanced over me. “If you’re up for it, that is. If you’re too injured, I understand.”

  “I’m fine,” I said, sitting up a little more. “I barely feeling anything now, thanks to that tonic.”

  Her eyes were wary. “Are you sure? I don’t wish for you to be hurt again.”

  “I’m not letting you face two assassins and your wretched fiancé alone. You’re going to need my help.”

  “Thank you.” Her hand slid down to my bare chest. “And when this is over...”

  “When this is over, you’ll no longer be engaged.” I swallowed hard. “And I’ll no longer be a Raven. But we still won’t b
e together.”

  She rose to her feet. “I understand. It’s been three years. I can’t blame you for moving on.”

  “Dahlia, you know that’s not true.” Move on? I went to bed every single night missing her touch and wishing she was beside me. No other woman had ever even crossed my mind.

  “Maybe you’re right and the two of us are too different,” she continued. “Or maybe you never loved me at all.” She began turning away, her face expressionless, but I knew her better than anyone and saw the pain in her eyes.

  I rose to my feet, caught her hand, and pulled her back to me. With a gasp she was in my arms, exactly where she was meant to be, our bodies moving together with familiarity. My mouth found hers before I could stop myself, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to kiss her, as necessary and fundamental as breathing. Her hands gripped my shirt as she kissed me back, her soft body pressed against mine, awakening parts of me that had long been dormant. I wanted to explore every lush curve, taste every sweet spot, and hear her calling my name again. But then I came to my senses and pulled away.

  I rested my forehead against hers. “‘I’ve loved you my entire life and I will always love you. If there was a way for us to be together forever, I would jump on it in a heartbeat. But there isn’t.”

  “I’ll find a way,” she said, as she brushed her lips against mine.

  “If anyone can, it’s you,” I said, though I knew it was impossible.

  The door slowly opened and we broke apart. Queen Fellina stepped into the room, her golden hair hanging about her shoulders. Her loose dress did little to cover up her large, very pregnant stomach. I dropped into a bow, even though it made me wince.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you Garon,” she said.

  “You know who I am?” I asked, as I rose up again.

  “I’ve seen you coming for some time.” She gave me a calm smile as she rested her hands on her stomach. “Shall we begin preparations for the ball?”

  “What would you have me do?” I asked.

  Dahlia’s lips quirked up. “Fellina, can you disguise Garon so he can be at the ball without anyone noticing him?”

  “Yes, with a touch of illusion magic,” Fellina said, as she began tracing silver runes in the air. I’d heard she was a wizard, but I’d rarely seen magic performed before. Wizards were uncommon outside of Korelan, and the ones we got in Talador were usually traveling entertainers or advisors to other royals, who used them for their teleportation magic in particular.

  As she worked, my skin began to tingle. A mirror hung across the room, and when I turned toward it, I no longer saw myself standing there, but an older, aristocratic man with gray hair and lines by his eyes. Even my clothing changed—everything except my boots, which looked ragged in comparison to the fine threads I now wore.

  “You’re going to be Lord Lixon tonight,” Dahlia said. “He’s a nobleman from the south who has fallen ill and won’t be attending, which is perfect for our plans.”

  “This will do,” I said, as I took in my disguise. I popped the collar of my coat, which was a rich burgundy color. I grabbed my weapons off the table and attached them to my waist, where the disappeared into the illusion. Now I’d be able to move about the ball without notice and stay near Dahlia to keep her safe.

  “The disguise will only last until midnight,” Fellina told me. “And there’s one more thing.” She reached a hand out toward Dahlia. “Give me your dagger.”

  “My dagger?” She retrieved it from a sheath strapped to her ankle, flashing me a hint of smooth, tempting skin. “Whatever for?”

  Fellina took the blade and drew symbols right onto the metal with her fingertip. As we watched, they glowed silver and burned runes directly into the dagger. When she was finished, the entire thing emitted a faint pale light. “This dagger will now force the truth from anyone whose blood it touches.”

  Dahlia took it with awe on her face. “I can use this to get a confession from Prince Nial. Thank you for all your help.”

  Fellina smiled at her, then rested a hand on each of our shoulders. “Good luck tonight.”

  She left the room to finish getting ready for the ball, and Dahlia and I were alone once again. I brushed a dark lock of hair back from Dahlia’s face. As she glanced up at me, my heart seized with love and longing.

  “I should get ready for the ball,” she said. “The guests will be arriving soon. You can recover here until then.”

  I nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I won’t let anything happen to you tonight. I promise.”

  “I know you won’t.”

  Seven

  Dahlia

  “May I have this dance?” Prince Nial asked me.

  I spun around to face him slowly, trying not to show any suspicion on my face. “Of course. I was wondering where you were.”

  He took my gloved hand in his with a polite smile. “Simply making my way around the room. So many people to say hello to, as I’m sure you know.”

  “I certainly do. The ambassador from Mesner wouldn’t let me slip away for an eternity.”

  He chuckled low as he swept me onto the dance floor. A moment of doubt crept through me as we clasped hands and began to swirl across the room with the other couples. Nial was always kind and pleasant, and I couldn’t imagine him ordering the death of anyone, let alone his fiancé. Especially when he was the one who had offered for my hand years ago and had waited all this time when I kept delaying our wedding. Had he grown tired of waiting? Did he wish to sabotage our kingdom’s alliance?

  So far I hadn’t seen anything unusual at the ball tonight. The castle’s great hall was lit with torches to fight back the chill in the air, which had grown colder as the day went on and now seemed to hint of impending snow. People moved through the room in their finest furs and jewels, leaving gifts in a pile for the upcoming baby, and sampling the food and drinks. Fellina and Balsam sat on their thrones at the end of the hall, where a line of nobles waited to give their congratulations and fond wishes for a healthy heir.

  My eyes kept darting back to the man standing on the side of the wall near me, whose gaze followed me no matter where I went. He stood like a statue and still had a formidable presence even in this elderly form. Though Garon didn’t look like himself, the knowledge that he was there gave me confidence and security throughout the night.

  As Nial spun me around and dipped me, my mind returned to the kiss Garon had given me only a few hours ago. I’d never imagined I’d share a kiss with him ever again, nor hear him tell me he loved me. When tonight was over, I was determined to find a way to be with Garon for the rest of my life. I didn’t care if I had to get on my knees and beg my brother for his blessing, or run away and live as a commoner in another kingdom, but I was going to marry Garon somehow. I should have insisted upon it three years ago, but I young and foolish then. If we survived this night, I would not back down—not when I knew he still loved me as much as I loved him.

  When the song ended, Nial and I stepped back and bowed to one another. His eyes caught sight of someone behind me, and then he gave me a quick apologetic smile. “Thank you for the dance. I must say hello to Queen Elsap, but I do hope you’ll save another dance for me later tonight.”

  “I will,” I said, though I suspected there would be no other dance. I was tempted to pull out my concealed dagger, draw his blood, and make him tell me the truth in front of all these people…but what if Garon had heard wrong? I couldn’t risk sabotaging our alliance with Andaria until I had more information, and I’d seen nothing from Nial to even hint that he wanted my life to end tonight.

  As the next song began, a hand rested on my arm. I turned to see the face of Lord Lixon, but smiled because I knew the man behind that elderly face was Garon.

  “Care to dance?” he asked.

  “I would love that.”

  He swept me into his strong arms and held me close as we swayed to the music, a slower song this time than the one I’d danced to with Nial. I closed my ey
es to ignore the illusion of an elderly man in front of me, and trusted my other senses: his masculine smell, the way he felt in my arms, his powerful body moving against mine.

  “We’ve never danced together at one of these before,” his voice said at my ear.

  “No, but we watched plenty of balls from the balconies when we probably should have been in bed.”

  “They looked a lot more fun than this ball is turning out to be,” he said, as we moved across the floor together. “Then again, there was no impending threat hanging over us then either.”

  “That only makes this even more fun,” I said, with a smile. “These events are usually so boring. I’m glad you could be here with me for this, at least.”

  His arms tightened around me. “Me too.”

  The song ended and I was reluctant to leave Garon’s embrace, though I knew it was unlikely I’d be attacked while dancing with him, and we had to draw the Ravens out somehow. As Garon slipped off to the sidelines to keep watch over me, I noticed Nial had been dancing with Queen Elsap of Rodor, a beautiful dark-skinned woman about ten years older than me who had just lost her husband to illness. I turned away, only to be confronted by another Queen—Casnia of Ilidan. Our greatest enemy and an uninvited guest.

  Shadows still swirled around her and her family from their teleportation into the ballroom. Like Balsam, Casnia had married a wizard for love, or so the rumors had told me. He stood at her side, a tall, severe black-haired man with the amber eyes common in Korelan. Their five-year-old son Prince Raith stood between them, looking every bit as stoic as his father with the same black hair, though he had his mother’s gray eyes.

  “Princess Dahlia,” Casnia said with delight. “It is wonderful to see you again. How many years has it been? Ten? Why, you’re all grown up now.”

  Before I could answer, Balsam rose off his throne and stormed toward us, his eyes a piercing ice blue. “You have some nerve coming here.”

  Casnia flashed my brother a charming smile. She was about double my age, but still one of the most beautiful women in the room, with a presence that commanded attention and respect. “I simply came to give you my best wishes for a healthy child and an easy labor for your wife.” She gestured to the black-haired child at her side. “Please let me introduce my own son, Prince Raith.”