Chapter 14

When she was announced into the ballroom, her guests were seated at long tables filled with food and drink. Lords, ladies, and their children sat at highly decorated tables adorned with their house crests and colors, while the common people of her kingdom sat at tables with beautiful centerpieces clothed with white linens. As the music started playing, Aymeri scanned the room for Drystan. Normally, a queen would dance with her betrothed, but since she was not currently engaged nor married, it was expected for a father figure to step in. With all of the commotion, she neglected to tell Ser Parzival that Drystan had asked her instead.

Luckily, Drystan made his way to the center of the ballroom before Ser Parzival seemed to notice her dance music was playing. She curtsied to the king as he bowed and held his hand out to her. As they danced together, she was mesmerized by how the shadows of candlelight danced on his face, lighting up his eyes. As they stared at each other, she knew she could get lost in the labyrinth that was King Drystan.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were falling in love with me, Queen Aymeri."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were already in love with me, King Drystan."

He chuckled softly and let the conversation die there as he twirled her around to show off her anhari. Her guests clapped and sipped their drinks as the music tempo picked up and they joined her on the ballroom floor. Aymeri danced with Drystan until she could barely feel her feet and the dance floor seemed to be spinning beneath her. She almost shouted her thanks when the music tempo died down as the main course was served. She took her seat at the head of the royal table, Drystan to her right and Ser Parzival to her left. When the last person sat, Aymeri stood and thanked her guests for participating in the day's festivities and making her coronation one to be remembered.

Throughout all of dinner, she exchanged pleasantries with those who came to give her gifts and congratulate her, but her mind was elsewhere, counting down the moments until she could talk to that older woman again, hopeful that she had useful information.

As the night began to wind down, Aymeri caught Jorlyn moving in the shadows, her hand on her hip. Anyone who didn't know better would think the woman was walking with a bad limp, but the new queen did know better. Jorlyn was concealing a sword, and she was likely just about to use it.

Aymeri squeezed Drystan's hand gently as she stood. "Please excuse me. I have needs to attend to." She smiled at Ser Parzival, who seemed to understand what she implied. She carefully made her way out of the ballroom and into the hallway where she heard Jorlyn arguing with someone.

"What did you slip into the chalice, and who were you about to deliver it to before I intercepted?"

"The-the-the new queen." The woman's voice was shaking with fear, and there was no doubt that Jorlyn had a sword at her throat.

"Under whose orders?"

Aymeri rounded the corner, staying out of sight. She didn't recognize the woman who was on the brink of death.

"A man at the apothecary in the town square."

"Did you get a name? Do you have a description?"

The woman shook her head. "He was hunched over and walked with a cane. Everything else was shrouded in black. I couldn't see his face or any markings. Nothing distinguishable. Please let me go."

Jorlyn gave a derisive snort. "If I see you anywhere in this kingdom again, I will take your head. Even if it's your place of work. Do I make myself clear?"

"Ye-yes."

Jorlyn let the woman go. It was an immediate mistake. She threw her cloak off and pulled a sword on the assassin. Growling low, Jorlyn dodged her swings and swiped her legs out from under her. While the woman was down, she went to slice through her, but the woman rolled out of the way.

Aymeri covered her mouth before she shrieked and gave herself away. She continued to watch the two women as they met each other swing for swing, block for block. Jorlyn's sword was knocked out her hand, yet that did not stop her. Both women went at each other with their fists.

"Do something!" Aymeri screamed at herself. But what could she do? She had no weapon. Even if she did, she was just as likely to hit Jorlyn as she was to hit the mysterious assassin.

Her eyes widened when she finally realized what she could do. She wasn't defenseless. She could call upon the fire. Yet she had never called it willingly. Knew not how to draw upon the magic which coursed through her. Even if she could draw on the fire, once again she could hurt Jorlyn with it.

Maybe all I have to do is distract the assassin. Even a split second could be enough for Jorlyn to end things.

There was a flash of steel in the assassin's hand, and something finally snapped with her. All of her anger and grief and confusion roiled around inside her. It was hot, burning, and something within her finally ignited. "No!" The yell tore itself out of her throat, her arms coming out in front of her.

Both women stopped their fighting, their eyes clearly wide. She felt her own eyes widen in surprise, for nestled between her hands was a small fireball.

The woman stumbled back. "By Aesis. What are you?!" Fear laced every word.

Jorlyn recovered faster than Aymeri expected, grabbing the assassin's arm and twisting it behind the woman's back. Aymeri took a few steps forward, her eyes fixed on the other woman. Her face was slender and eyes dark, hardened with hatred. The clothes hugging her body held no distinction, and her clattered sword was as plain as butter.

"Seize her immediately and bring her to the prison!" Panic filled Aymeri as cold dread ran down her spine, snuffing out the fireball. As two royal guards seized the woman from Jorlyn's grip, she prayed that Ser Parzival didn't notice the fireball in her hands. "Queen Aymeri, are you alright?"

She let out a relieved sigh and inclined her head to her royal advisor. "I am, Ser Parzival. Thank you."

"And you, Jorlyn?"

Jorlyn pretended to be frazzled. By the look on Ser Parzival's face, he didn't seem to suspect her. "I'm o-okay," she stammered, brushing the stray strands of hair out of her face as she smoothed her dress. "I guess the adrenaline took over me when I saw her try and slip something into Aymeri's chalice before serving it to her."

The old man clasped his hands behind his back. "I will see to it that the matter is dealt with in an appropriate and fair manner, Princess." He bowed at the waist. "An attempt on your life so soon after your mother's demise is likely not a coincidence. But do not worry. The royal guards and I will protect you."

"Thank you, Ser Parzival. In the meantime, I will return to the festivities of the night. We can talk about all this in the morning." She hugged the man and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for protecting me and keeping me safe."

"There is nothing I'd rather do more, Princess."

Smiling, she walked away from the old man and returned to the ballroom where guests were dancing once again. King Drystan was sitting at the table, appearing rather bored as he talked to one of the lords who held a seat at one of the keeps on the outskirts of the kingdom.

When she sat back down, he hastily excused himself and expressed his concern for her absence. She watched as his eyes knitted together with confusion, followed by his eyes widening at his sister's bravery. As she described how close the fight had been, she couldn't help but notice how his grip tightened around the stem of his chalice as if he were thinking about strangling the woman who had tried to hurt his sister.

She wasn't surprised he could show such anger, especially after everything his family had gone through. Jorlyn was always calm and calculated. One of them was bound to be impulsive and moody.

"I'll kill her." His words were viler than poison.

"Ser Parzival has it handled. He's probably just going to keep her in the prison below ground until he figures out what to do with her."

"Killing her is the only option, Aymeri. She came here to take your life."

"But she didn't succeed. Maybe if we let her go, we can follow her and see where she leads us. She has to talk to the person behind this at some point. If we follow her closely enough, we could figure out who that person is."

The plan was solid, but executing it would not be as easy as it sounded. The woman was smart and strong, that much was evident from the way she and Jorlyn fought earlier. Maybe she wouldn't be easy to follow and track, but they still had to try.

"Do you think he plans on doing that after he questions her?"

"I don't know." She didn't even know where the prison was located in order to question the assassin herself. "But let's worry about that tomorrow. Look at how everyone is enjoying themselves. I'd hate to ruin my own coronation ball."

"Very well. Would you care for a dance, your highness?"

"After I eat. All of this fuss has made me famished."

As they took to the middle of the ballroom, the fast tempo slowed to only violins and all but the couples made their way back to their tables. The young queen turned back toward hers too, but a gentle tug at her hand stopped her. Drystan's eyes pleaded with hers and she gave in to his advances. As she laced her fingers between his, he wrapped his arm around her waist resting his hand on the small of her back.

Her heart was wildly out of tune with the music filling the joyous air around them, and it was a wonder how the rest of her body was able to differentiate between the deafening pulse and the melody. As they swept across the ballroom floor, she grew conscious of the eyes on her as the others stopped dancing and moved to the sides to watch. Before she could stop him, Drystan pulled her closer into him and she held his confident gaze.

By the time the song was over, she knew she had fallen in love with him.

Chapter 15

When the castle was finally empty and everyone but Aymeri, Drystan, and Jorlyn had fallen asleep, the new queen told her friends about the old lady who asked to speak to her in private. As she got lost in Drystan's eyes and their dance, she had almost completely forgotten the woman until she watched her slip into the Maudlin Hall. Together, they all went to meet the woman. Jorlyn, to protect Aymeri in case things went sideways and Drystan to support the queen in case she received news she was less than enthusiastic about.

When they got there, the woman was sitting in one of the gold-backed chairs left from the coronation ceremony and only one candelabra was lit. Without the dim light, Aymeri wouldn't have even noticed her as she was dressed all in black.

"I hope you don't mind that I have brought my trusted companions with me," she said as she turned a chair and sat down, facing the woman while Jorlyn locked the door behind them.

"I am surprised you haven't brought Ser Parzival."

Aymeri exchanged glances with Drystan and Jorlyn before answering. "Do you know him?"

The woman chuckled. "Know him? I used to work here before he cast me out."

"What for?" Jorlyn asked.

"When Ser Parzival came from Aixeris and followed your father here—"

Aymeri immediately cut her off. "Stop. I'm sorry… what did you say your name was?"

"Bheva. Everyone calls me Madam Bheva."

The queen smiled. "Understood, Madam Bheva. I didn't mean to cut you off. But I don't think I heard you correctly. Could you say that again?"

"I am afraid you have heard right, Your Highness. Ser Parzival and your father were originally from Aixeris."

Aymeri couldn't believe what she was hearing. "The same kingdom Empress Dimia resides in?" How can they be from the very kingdom I am at war with? Whose queen was declaring herself empress of all of Dramolux and seeking to destroy the other kingdoms?

The woman nodded and whispered, "Were you not aware of this?"

Aymeri shook her head. "I assure you, if I had heard this before, I wouldn't be reacting the way I am now. How is this possible?" As far as she knew, kings and queens usually married lords and ladies from their own kingdom who were of worthy stature.

"It was a controversy," she stated. "Your father was King of Aixeris, and had an affair with your mother following Queen Persida's coronation announcement."

Aymeri's head spun. Her father had another wife? And her mother was willingly the other woman? None of it made sense to her. She had never heard her father, or mother, mention Aixeris before. This woman had to be lying to her. For all she knew, the stranger was the one behind her mother's murder and the attempt on her own life.

"I do not wish to be rude, Madam Bheva, but how do I know I can trust you?" Aymeri crossed one leg over the other and folded her arms across her chest.

"I had a feeling you were going to ask. I used to be your mother's chef before Ser Parzival came. I was with the Maudlin family for ages. Was even present at your mother's birth. Of course, I was only eight at the time, but I helped take care of her. We quickly became friends."

A distant memory of when she was teenager flashed through her mind. She and her mother were baking pie in the kitchen, and it smelled delicious. She remembered her mother saying it was a recipe from an old friend she remembered and loved dearly but hadn't seen in quite some time. Is this Madam Bheva the same friend? There was only one way to find out.

"There was one particular dessert mother liked to eat. What was it?"

"Aymeri," Drystan and Jorlyn chided her at the same time.

"That's quite alright. She is thinking like a queen. Your mother loved cherry pie. I taught her how to make it. We would first make cherry jam, and then the dough. Once it rose, we would pull the dough apart into two pieces for the crust and top." Madam Bheva went on to explain the entire process Aymeri had seen her mother go through, and her anxiety was laid to rest.

"She never forgot you." Aymeri wished her mother could have told Madam Bheva herself.

"And I'll never forget her. Which is why I'm here. You must know the secrets of your kingdom, Queen Aymeri, so no one can pull them out from under you."

"I will listen to everything you need to say. How long did this affair go on before Father and Mother brought it to her parents' attention? I imagine they would have had to find out at some point."

At least, she hoped her mother was honest with her own parents about the affair she was having. She didn't seem like the kind of person who would keep— Oh, who am I kidding? Knowing what she knew now, her mother was exactly the kind of person who would keep secrets from her own parents.

"I do not remember the exact details, but they kept up the affair for quite some time. I believe your mother said he was tricked into marrying Persida."

"Who exactly was Persida?"

Madam Bheva nodded. "Persida was Queen of Aixeris before Queen Dimia."

But if Persida was… Then was Dimia?

"I can't answer that question, my dear," Madam Bheva responded as if she knew exactly what Aymeri was thinking. "I do not know what, if anything, transpired between your father and Persida. She was hastily married off after your father left her."

Aymeri shook her head in disbelief. The war between Treoles and Aixeris seemed to be a lot bigger than she, Drystan, and even Jorlyn imagined. Perhaps it was more than just a hunger for power. Maybe she truly believed Treoles was hers and wanted revenge for what her family had gone through after her father's betrayal.

"What if this is all a personal vendetta? What if Dimia knew my mother would respond with war if she cut off trade to Drystan's kingdom, declared herself Empress of Dramolux, and began to terrorize the other kings and queens to get them to side with her?"

The old woman chuckled. "Your thinking is the same as mine. If that is the case, we need to put a stop to this madness. The issues are between your two kingdoms. Why get the others involved?"

The new queen wholeheartedly agreed. She was more than willing to sit and speak with Dimia so they could overcome their problems together. But she didn't know if the self-declared empress could be trusted.

"Pardon the interruption. How does Ser Parzival fit in?" Drystan asked, seemingly too eager to get to the heart of the story.

"Ser Parzival soon followed, telling your parents that he wanted nothing to do with the kingdom of Aixeris, but once he came, everything started to change. Your mother could not rule the true way she wanted to."

With everything the old woman could have said to her, that certainly wasn't what she was expecting to hear. Her mother and Ser Parzival seemed to be on the same page about everything. He certainly didn't seem like the type of person who would overstep his bounds. Everything he had done for her and her mother was for their safety.

"I don't understand," Aymeri interjected. "My mother had immense respect for Ser Parzival. He helped her every step of the way. He made sure to protect her as much as possible. Not once have I ever seen them in a disagreement."

"It is possible things have changed. I am only here to tell you what I know, so you do not begin your reign with secrets looming behind you, waiting to be pried open."

Aymeri understood. So many secrets had unraveled already. She didn't think she could take any more.

"Your father only took advice from Ser Parzival, and your mother had a hard time making him see reason. She told him one day he'd regret it all… When you were seven, he passed away. Queen Ismana told me she didn't believe that he was sick. She thought something else might have been the cause." The old woman shook her head sadly, wiping away some of her tears. "Now your mother has died due to an illness, too. Has the same illness claimed her, your father, and your elder sister, Aymeri? Or is something else at hand?"

Aymeri knew her mother didn't die of sickness or natural causes. But never once did she think someone orchestrated her father's and sister's deaths, too. If they did, who would do such a thing? Is Queen Dimia behind it?

But the other assassin said it was a hunched man…I don't know a hunched man.

The description of the person didn't make sense. Was there some kind of liaison between Queen Dimia and whoever else is responsible? Or is someone pretending to be deformed when they really aren't? Or…

"Madam Bheva, when we met earlier, you told me you used a glamor spell to make yourself young so you would blend in with the other royals who came to my mother's funeral. Could someone use a glamor spell to deform themselves?"

Madam Bheva shrugged. "It is possible. There are many kingdoms that allow the use of magick. If this person were to travel there and learn the spell, it could be used here. Glamor spells are simple. They only require ingredients that need to be drunk or eaten after or before, saying the incantation that completes them. Those who can perform such spells are called sorcerers, mages, and spell casters. Many of them, like me, live right here in Dramolux. But they go undetected."

What kind of magick did I summon, then? She didn't drink or eat anything in particular to make fire come to her hands nor did she say any words. Who could she even ask about it?

"What else do you know of magick, Madam Bheva?"

The old woman yawned and closed her eyes. "It is getting quite late, Your Highness. I must retire to my home, but rest assured I will come back and answer all of your questions when the sun is at its highest tomorrow."

It was quite evident the woman was using sleep to evade the question, but Aymeri was willing to let it go for now. After the day's festivities and everything she had just learned about her family, it was probably best for them all to get some sleep.

"Just one more thing, Madam Bheva. I think you ought to know that I do not believe Mother was sick," she admitted. "I will do everything in my power to prove that she was murdered if it's the last thing I ever do, even if I die trying to prove it."

Madam Bheva rested a reassuring hand on Aymeri's shoulders. "I will help you take care of everything. Bheva mightlook old, but she is only sixty."

At sixty, the old woman was the kind of brave Aymeri could only hope to be in the future. She hugged Madam Bheva and helped her to stand, then she turned to Jorlyn. "Madam Bheva moves in tonight. Set her up in Drystan's room. In the meantime, he will bed with me."

"Oh, no, Aymeri. I could not impose upon you. I assure you I am not far from the castle."

The queen shook her head. "Your presence in this castle will allow me to see others as they are. You have worked here for a long time. Surely, you remember some of the staff who can be trusted. You could tell me who to look out for. Perhaps seeing you back in the castle will scare the murderer, and they'll make a mistake."

She couldn't be too careful with who she let in on her secrets. Madam Bheva knew a lot about her mother, but that didn't mean she wasn't responsible for what happened to her. Letting the older woman go would be a na?ve move on her part, and she couldn't afford that. In the castle, Jorlyn would be able to keep an eye on her to see where she was going, who she was meeting, and whatever else the woman decided to do in her own time.

"Very well."

"Jorlyn, for now, please have Madam Bheva sleep in the adjoining room to mine, where your brother is currently staying. For now, he and I can share a chamber."

Drystan's eyebrow shot up. "Forgive me, Aymeri, but do you know the gossip that will spread if you allow me into your personal chambers? Tongues will wag like hungry dogs."

Aymeri rolled her eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, King Drystan, the people are already drooling with gossip over my mother's death and possible insanity. Besides, accusing a queen of inappropriate behavior with a renowned king who has openly courted her would just be stupidity. None of the scandal scrolls would write such a story. And we won't be sharing a bed. There is a long chair you could sleep on."

"I suppose that is fair."

"Now that's settled, Jorlyn, you may see Madam Bheva to her chamber. Please wait for us there. I wish to talk to your brother in private."

Jorlyn nodded and exited the room. Aymeri locked the door behind her and closed the distance between her and Drystan before she whispered, "How many of your assassins do you trust?"

"Queen Aymeri, I have hundreds, and all of them have sworn an oath. I highly doubt any are—"

Aymeri cut him off before he could finish. "How many do you personally trust ?"

By the quizzical look in his eyes, she already knew Drystan didn't like what she was thinking, but what choice did she have? Someone almost succeeded in killing her. If there was ever a time for drastic measures, this was it. With Drystan's assassins in the royal guard, they would be able to find out who could and couldn't be trusted. They'd know of plans before they were executed without Ser Parzival ever finding out what she was doing. She knew he would willingly find out for her, but she didn't want to jeopardize his relationship with any of the men he appointed.

This was the queenly thing to do.

"I know I sound insane—and maybe that's exactly what mother's murderer wants—but Drystan, if we're ever going to catch this person, I'm going to need your help."

He sighed, placing his hands on his hips. "Personally, I know twenty who I can identify, name, and cook for."

"Great. I want them," Aymeri ordered.

"What for?!" Drystan's eyes widened at the sudden command.

"I want them to infiltrate the royal guards who have been appointed by Ser Parzival and my father," Aymeri explained.

"Aymeri? What—"

"You heard Madam Bheva. Ser Parzival made a lot of changes. We need to know exactly what he changed and why. And more than that, the only people I have not been suspicious of are the guards."

Silence fell between them for a few moments. "You really believe Madam Bheva is right in this? That there is something else going on?"

What other explanation was there? If it was one death, that could be seen as a sickness or an accident. But three and all ruled illnesses? It was unlikely. "Yes, I do."

"Then I will help you. I'll talk to Jorlyn and ensure she agrees with me on who can be trusted. Once she agrees, we will send for twenty elite assassins and swear them to secrecy."

Aymeri didn't know if any of it was going to amount to anything, but she needed to try.

Chapter 16

Early the next morning before the sun fully rose and the castle began to come alive, Aymeri entered her mother's room for the first time since her funeral. After her talks with Madam Bheva and King Drystan, she knew there was more that her mother must have been hiding and she couldn't think of anywhere else she could have hidden the information. If one drawer had a false bottom, perhaps many of them did.

She stepped into the room and locked the door behind her. One by one, she opened the drawers and pulled them out of their compartments. Other than the one she had previously found, there were no false bottoms. It didn't make sense to her. If Mother was keen on keeping notes, where are the others? Or was taking notes something she had recently started when she realized her life was in danger?

No, she couldn't have decided to do this randomly. There has to be something I'm missing!

She took her time looking under, over, and inside of everything in the room. If it even looked like it might open, she tried to pry it. When all her hope was hanging on a single thread, she plopped on the cold marble floor and buried her face in her hands. Tears spilled like waterfalls, and her shoulders bounced as her emotions poured out of her. When her heart began to slow and it seemed that she had let out every last tear in her body, she brushed her long hair off her face and took a calming breath.

Just as she was about to stand, she noticed scratches in the wood of her mother's bed. She stood and crossed the room. Crouching, she peeled the floral bedspread back, revealing a long scroll of gold writing she didn't recognize. To the naked eye, they looked like trimmings one would see on a door, but Aymeri knew better. Those letters resembled the ones on the drawer where the journal entries were hidden.

She ran her fingertips along the lettering and whispered the words. They spilled flawlessly from her lips, though she didn't know what they meant. All she knew was the words lit up and a long drawer appeared. Aymeri grasped the gold handle and pulled the drawer open. Scrolls upon scrolls were addressed to her and sealed. One by one, she took them out and began to read them.

Dearest Aymeri,

Oh, my brave daughter! How do I tell you all of the secrets hidden within this castle? Of the atrocities I've committed, and all the injustices I have been forced to impose on others? I hope you can forgive me when you learn the truth. I never wanted to do this. Not to you. Not to her. I am so sorry.

"What atrocities? What injustices?" Aymeri whispered softly to herself. What did her mother do to her, and who else was she referring to?

She pushed that scroll aside and pried open another.

Aymeri,

If you are reading this, I am no longer alive. This is probably the millionth time I am writing that line, because there is so much to tell you and not enough time in the day to finish. I must make these brief before someone finds me writing them and feels the need to intrude on my personal matters again. All of it is real, Aymeri. The stories of the Sentinels. Of your ancestral grandmother who created Dramolux and locked the powers away. You are the next Sentinel Queen, Aymeri. I have transferred as much of the magick as I could to someone who will help you through it all. They will reveal themselves when it is time. But before that, Aymeri, your magick may return. Learn to use it. Find the books in the library. They will sing to you when you arrive.

"A Sentinel. You expect me to harbor the magick like those before you? Without training? Without having knowledge of it? Mother, do you even know what you are asking?" It was one thing to have her mother there to teach her, it was another to have to learn through books. "How can you expect me to be this great savior, to learn my magick, when I didn't even know any of this existed? When I don't even know who to trust?"

She rolled up that scroll, then took another. She hesitated for a moment, no longer looking forward to discovering her mother's secrets. No longer eager to unravel the history of her ancestors' reigns. She broke the seal on the scroll and unrolled it slowly.

Aymeri,

I am sorry for leaving you like this, my brave one, without a name or inkling as to who is doing this to me. There is a list of names in one of my drawers. At the bottom, there is writing. Touch the letters and recite the wording. It will only open for you.

The King of Bréīn, Drystan, will ask to host a meeting with you. There is a letter in that drawer explaining everything. I am only writing this to ask you if you like him? Your father and I have known his family for ages. You probably no longer remember, but you used to play together when you were kids.

She stopped reading to reflect on the memories she'd had lately of kids running and laughing. It was all the confirmation she needed. It all made sense as to why she had trusted both of them so easily. But why couldn't she remember everything? Why were they coming in vague moments that didn't last?

We always joked you'd fall in love one day. Marriage between the two kingdoms was always on our minds. It is your choice, of course. If you like him. Drystan has always been in love with you.

How could he have always been in love if he only ever knew me as a kid?

A light knock followed by a bird call sounded at the door. She immediately stood up and opened the door for Jorlyn.

"What is all this?" Jorlyn crossed the room and picked up a scroll, then looked back at the queen for an explanation.

"Mother's secrets."