Page 26 of The Shrouded Queen
But knowing that didn’t stop me from sobbing. I choked on my tears. The fear was overwhelming, stealing my breath.
The door clicked again. Unlocking.
Gods, save me. I stumbled back and quickly wiped away my tears.
Keir opened the door. I saw him pause as he took in my blotchy face, eyebrows twitching together, but he said nothing as he stepped aside and let Velka in.
She carried a plate and cup in her hands and gave me a friendly smile. “I thought maybe now that we’ve arrived, you’d like to eat.”
I stared. Her yellow eyes were unguarded, and her smile lacked malice. But Keir’s gaze over her shoulder seemed to promise the opposite.
As if she could hear my thoughts, Velka glanced at him over her shoulder. “You mind?”
Keir huffed in annoyance and shut the door.
Velka just rolled her eyes. “Ignore him.” Then she held out her offering again, the blue tattoos decorating her knuckles and disappearing up the sleeves of her tunic almost shimmering in the firelight. “I know you’re not a fan of fish,” she said, “so I brought pork. And kefir, of course.”
“Kuh-feer?” I repeated awkwardly.
She paused. “Do you not have it in Ashorah?”
“I don’t think so…”
“Well, you’re going to love it. Fermented goat’s milk.” I blinked. That must be what they’d been gulping down on the trip here. Velka gestured to the bed. “I’ll set it down there?”
I nodded.
“Not much of a talker, eh?” Velka crossed the room and placed the plate and cup at the foot of the bed. “Bit refreshing, honestly. The boys out there never shut up.” At my silence, her smile turned crooked. “That was a joke.”
“Right. Sorry.”
“I’m Velka, by the way. I never really introduced myself. Velka of the Pillars.”
“The Pillars?”
“A town by the mountains far west of here.”
“Oh.” I wondered if my queen would’ve known where the Pillars was. She probably did. She’d probably been taught the world’s geography.
But Velka either didn’t notice or didn’t care about my lack of knowledge. She pointed to the food again. “Do you like pork, Your Majesty?”
I didn’t know if I liked pork, but I nodded. Velka waited expectantly. Hesitantly, I reached out and picked up a piece, sniffed it, and laid it experimentally on my tongue. Somehow sweet and savory, with a hint of a spice I couldn’t name that gave it a little bit of a kick.
Gods, it was the greatest thing I’d ever tasted.
My stomach rumbled violently, like it suddenly remembered how hungry it was.
But I stalled. It felt wrong. Like when I’d debated eating my queen’s bread. This meal wasn’t meant for me. I ate what Chef Nena got back from the stable hands. Not well-seasoned pork. This was my queen’s meal.
But I wassohungry. And I was supposed to be Queen Amunet. This was what Queen Amunet ate, so…
Another grumble from my stomach and I couldn’t stop my handfrom shooting out and grabbing another piece, this one bigger, and shoving it into my mouth. A moan snuck past my lips.
Velka chuckled. “Good?”
My cheeks heated.
“Hey, it’s all right,” Velka said, hands up. “No judgment here. Eat however you like. There’s soap on that table there, and the bath should already be hot, so help yourself. Be warned, it’s seawater. I know you Ashorans have fresh water, but this is all we’re able to scrounge up here. Towels and clothes are next to the soap, and Keir is just outside. If you need anything, tell him to get me. And don’t let him scare you. He’s really just a big cuddly bear.”
