Page 139 of North Queen
Vitalia spoke to him in the Shadow tongue. He answered, and she looked back to Norah. “He says there’s no man that works in the gardens by that name.”
Norah shook her head, her brows drawing together. “That’s not right. He was here yesterday. He said he’s here every day.”
Vitalia spoke to the man again, and then she looked at Norah with her lips pursed and shook her head.
Something wasn’t right. Norah turned to Sonal. “Where’s the man who was here yesterday?”
Sonal gave a frown and then shook his head. “I don’t remember what he looked like.”
Her eyes narrowed.Liar.“You know exactly what he looked like,” she countered, a weight growing in her stomach. “His name was Bremhad. Has something happened to him?”
Sonal shrugged. “I don’t remember him.”
Anger crept across her skin. But what could she do here? She turned and strode back toward the castle. She needed to find him.
Behind closed doors and away from her guard, Norah paced the room.
“Do you think they did something?” she asked her maid. “Do you think something’s happened to him?”
“Don’t you see?” Vitalia whispered. “The lord commander sends you a message.”
A lump rose in her throat. That was exactly the kind of message the lord commander would send. “Do you think Bremhad is all right?”
“I don’t know, but if the lord commander was involved…” Her words trailed off.
Norah’s heart raced. This was her fault. She had to help him. “Where would they take him? What would they do?”
Vitalia shook her head. “I don’t know. Will you go to Salar?”
“I can’t go to him on suspicion alone. He already thinks I judge the commander too hastily. And the brute would deny it.” Then Bremhad might disappear forever.
“I have many friends in the castle, Your Majesty. I can try to find out what happened.”
Norah prayed she could.
Chapter forty-one
“Pleasedon’tbeangry,”Vitalia said in a hushed voice. The setting sun cast long shadows across the hall as they walked.
“Why would I be angry?” Norah followed her maid toward her sanctuary. She hadn’t visited it since Mikael had given it to her. It was for when she wanted to be alone, and to be left alone, he’d told her. Aside from her suffocating guard, she hadn’t felt that way.
Vitalia didn’t answer.
Had she found out what had happened to Bremhad? Norah didn’t dare ask within earshot of her guard, who’d likely helped in whatever devious plan the commander had.
The guard stopped at the end of the hall, as they weren’t permitted within it, and Norah and her maid continued to the sanctuary. Vitalia’s breath came faster now, nervously. It made Norah’s quicken as well. What news did she have?
They stepped inside, and Vitalia closed the door behind them.
Norah couldn’t wait any longer. “Did you find out what happened to Bremhad?”
Vitalia clenched her hands, wringing them nervously. Then her eyes darted over Norah’s shoulder. Norah turned, and she startled at the man standing in the doorway of the side bath chamber.
“Who are you?” she demanded of the man. “What are you doing here?” No one was allowed in the sanctuary.
“It’s Kiran, Your Majesty,” Vitalia said quickly. “I brought him. I’m sorry. This is the only place I could think of that was private enough.”
Norah hadn’t recognized the guard without his head wrap; she’d only ever seen his eyes. She looked closer. Yes, she knew those eyes. They were kind eyes. But now, troubled.
