Page 197 of North Queen
Her situation. He didn’t view her as queen. He didn’t recognize her authority. No one did.
“Mikael won’t stand for this.” She didn’t know if she believed her own words, though.
“I think that depends on what he sees in Odepeth.”
Odepeth. Where the seer was, where Mikael had gone.
“You’re so confident it will go poorly,” she said.
“Because it’s known—you cannot change fate. Salar will see nothing different.”
This was the first she had heard that. Her father had changed fate. Hadn’t he? His words scared her. What would Mikael do if he thought his fate remained?
He eyed her for a moment. “Where were you just now?”
She didn’t answer, and he looked at Bhastian. Norah’s heart beat heavily in her chest.
“She was in the library,” Bhastian answered.
Her heart leapt in relief, but Norah pursed her lips in feigned anger.
Artem’s eyes narrowed. “You said you searched the library.”
“Not well enough,” Bhastian answered.
He tilted his head, looking back at Norah. “A little late for a library visit.”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Strange you would slip your guard for that. And I would have thought your maid would have given me that answer—a place so innocent.”
Norah’s stomach knotted.Serene. “She didn’t know.”
“So she said.”
He’d caught Serene. He’d questioned her. “If you touched her—”
The corner of his mouth turned up, and he looked at Bhastian. “Take her back. And take your new post.”
Norah stepped around him with a fury and stalked back to her sanctuary, the panic building inside her with each step. When she reached the door, she swung it open and let out a ragged breath.
Serene sat on the edge of the bed, trembling as blood ran from her brow and lip. Her face was swollen from crying.
“Serene,” Norah gasped, rushing to her. “What happened?”
Her maid let out an uneven breath but shook her head. She couldn’t speak.
Norah sank down beside her and pulled her close. “I’m here now,” she said, stroking her hair.
“It was the captain,” Serene managed to get out, her voice shaking. “I hadn’t even left yet. He came looking for you. I told him I didn’t know where you were. He didn’t believe me.”
Rage surged through her.
Serene glanced over Norah’s shoulder and grew quiet. Norah realized Bhastian hadn’t stopped at the end of the hall but had come into the sanctuary. “Get out,” she hissed at him.
“I can’t do that, Salara. The captain has ordered a post in your room. You’re to have a guard always.” Norah let out an enraged breath, but Bhastian spoke with a softer voice. “I’ll take the shift until Salar and the lord commander return. They’ll be back soon, and neither will stand for this.”
“You can’t be serious. This is all the lord commander stands for!”
