: Chapter 65

The queen is preparing to leave.

She hasn’t said as much to me, but it’s obvious that the soldiers who arrived are making preparations to depart. Wagons are being packed. Horses are being freshly shod. The king and queen have been meeting with advisers and generals all day, while I’ve been in the bakery trying to keep Nora and Sinna out of everyone’s hair. The princess is addicted to sweetcakes just like my sister, but she’s fascinated by Muddy May and all the milk she produces, so I’ve sent them out to the barn a dozen times just to keep them from eating their weight in frosting.

When night falls and the preparations don’t cease, I realize that they intend to leave soon. I sit up in the bakery, waiting on the queen, feeling foolish. She’s surrounded by guards and soldiers now. I don’t need to have a role of playing lookout.

But the events of the past few days have been too tumultuous, and I’ve grown fond of the queen and her kind firmness. I think of my mother, and her devotion to soldiering, how I’ve always worried I was making the wrong choice in staying here to run the bakery. But I’ve begun to realize that strength comes in many forms. I remember how Lord Alek kept questioning the queen’s actions, saying he was protecting her.

But he wasn’t. He was simply taking away her choices.

As if my thoughts summoned her, the queen eases through the doorway, reaching up to quiet the bell before it can ring fully.

She seems surprised to find me waiting up. “Callyn. I thought you’d be asleep.”

“The girls are,” I say. “But I wanted to make sure you—” I stop myself. I was about to say, you were all right, but of course that’s ridiculous. “That you had everything you needed,” I finish.

“Not quite,” she says.

“Tea?” I say. “Or I could make you—”

“No. I wanted to talk to you.” She gestures to the pastry table. “Could we sit?”

I nod. We do.

“We will be returning to the Crystal Palace in the morning,” she says.

I nod. “I’ve been watching the preparations all day.” I pause, then feel warmth crawling up my cheeks. “I believe Nora will be heartbroken to lose her new shadow.”

The queen smiles. “Well, after what happened with Lady Karyl and the Queen’s Guard, the king and I are wary of leaving Sinna in anyone’s care in the palace. Right now, we don’t know who to trust.” She hesitates. “So I would like to humbly request that you and Nora accompany us to the palace, in an official position as the princess’s ladies-in-waiting, but unofficially to be my eyes and ears around little Sinna, because I cannot—”

“Your Majesty,” I gasp.

She smiles. “Is that a yes or a no?”

“It’s—it’s—” I’m staring at her. “I—yes? I think?” I flush and touch a hand to Mother’s pendant, thinking of the magic I don’t want to acknowledge. “But I—you—you should not. I made so many mistakes. I should be hung for my crimes—”

“Lord Alek and Lady Karyl didn’t just deceive you,” she says. “If everything proves to be true, there are many who’ve deceived the royal family.” Heat fills her voice. “You acted to protect me. To protect my daughter. You risked your life, Callyn. I could not ask for anyone better to stand as my daughter’s guardian when I cannot.”

My thoughts are spinning. Nora will be beside herself.

The queen’s hand reaches out to cover mine. “You and your sister could be in danger. This is not a decision to be taken lightly. Nolla Verin has stated that she would begin instructing you in self-defense, and we will be bringing a large contingent of Royal Guards with us from Emberfall. We were nearly overcome once, Callyn. This is not a position without risk.”

I swallow and nod.

“But,” she continues, “I have also considered that you may be at risk remaining here. The Truthbringers are rumored to be quite vicious when it comes to those who turn against them.”

Those words are chilling, and I shiver. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“All the same,” she says, “I would not make the choice for you. This is not an order or a demand. I have taken care of the tax debt your father left. If you do not want this, I would ensure you are given everything you need to protect the bakery.”

I keep thinking about the choices my mother would have made. Maybe it’s time to start thinking for myself.

I take a deep breath and straighten my shoulders. “We’ll do it.”

The sky is pink, the woods lined with purple, but I walk down the lane to Jax’s house at dawn. The forge is silent and cold, and I expect to find him still asleep, but instead, I step into the workshop just as he comes through the door on his crutches.

“Cal.” He stops short. So do I.

He’s wearing sparse armor, which is a surprise, his hair tied back tightly. He’s wearing a thick boot on his foot, complete with leather greaves, and it all serves to make him look a bit taller, a bit more intimidating.

He sees me looking and blushes. “Tycho is worried we may encounter ambushes on the road.”

My eyes go wide. “On the road?” I say. “You’re leaving?”

He hesitates, then nods. “I was actually coming to see you.” He pauses, and a bit of wry humor slips into his voice. “Thank you for saving me the walk.”

I have so many things to say, but so much has changed in the last few months that I can’t think of a single word until I stride forward and give him a hug.

He catches me solidly, and it’s so odd to hug him in armor.

I have to draw back and stare at him again. I remember seeing him during the battle, the clear focus in his eyes when he was drawing back the string of his bow. “You were so brave, Jax.”

“So were you.”

I study the lines of his face, the light in his hazel-green eyes. “I’m leaving, too.”

He nods. “Tycho told me what the queen was going to offer.” He pauses. “I knew you’d accept.”

I shove him in the arm. “Oh, you did not!”

He grins. “I knew Nora would kill you if you didn’t.”

“Well, that’s true enough.” I can’t help it. I reach forward and hug him again. “I don’t know when I’ll see you again.”

“The king said something, in the midst of battle,” Jax says quietly.

“He said that fate has already drawn a path past this moment. That we should follow it through.” He pauses. “Let’s follow it through, Callyn.”

I nod and kiss him on the cheek. “Let’s follow it through.”

The door at his back opens, and Lord Tycho steps out. He sees me and smiles, then offers a bow. “Lady Callyn. I am honored to meet the newest lady of the court.”

I was going to give him a shove just like I did to Jax, but those words draw me up short. The newest lady of the court. I press my hands to my cheeks.

His smile widens. “Don’t get too excited. Sinna is an escape artist. You’ll be covered in dust and cobwebs by the end of the first day.”

I smile, hesitate, and decide to throw caution to the wind. I stride forward to give him a hug as well.

If he’s surprised, he doesn’t show it. “Tell Lady Nora that the palace kitchens always have sweetcakes in the morning.”

“I will.” I kiss him on the cheek. “You take care of my best friend.”

“I swear to it, my lady.”

That makes me blush again. Tycho begins to pull away, but I hold tight, then meet his eyes. “I’d ask for one favor,” I say to him.

“Anything,” he says.

“If you’re going to Emberfall, punch Alek right in the face for me.”

His smile turns a bit wicked. “That won’t require a favor at all. It will be my absolute pleasure.”