Page 25 of North Queen
“Captain Frey,” she greeted him.
He smiled warmly as he bowed. “Your Highness.” He then opened his arm to the men behind him. “Allow me to present Aaron and Daniel.” Each man bowed his head as his name was called. “With Titus and Liaman, these men make up your core guard. You’ll never be without at least one of them.”
“Thank you,” she replied, although it came out as more of a question.
“These men are all aware of your situation, and will help you acclimate,” Alexander told her. “You can ask them anything.”
Norah gave an appreciative nod.Thatshe was truly thankful for, although she’d wait just a bit before she peppered them with questions.
Caspian gave her another bow. “We’ll leave you to your business. Welcome home, Your Highness.”
“Thank you… Captain.” The titles still challenged her.
Caspian and the two soldiers left them to their walk.
Alexander turned to her. “I should get you back.”
Right.She stifled a rising groan at the thought of returning to her chamber. “I suppose so.” They started back toward the castle.
As they walked, her eye caught a large, majestic building with brightly hued stained glass threaded together with elegant tracery stretching to its peaks.
She stopped in her step. “What’s that?”
“The library.”
It was beautiful, sitting squarely and centered by a pointed arch over heavy wood doors. A vaulted walk with carved pillars lined its perimeter, and a tower in the back stretched toward the sky.
“It houses the largest collection of knowledge in the world,” he told her. “History, philosophy, all modern works of science and study—it’s all here. Everything about Mercia and beyond.”
“It’s beautiful.” She smiled, forgetting everything else for a moment. “Can I see inside?”
Alexander hesitated, looking toward the castle, no doubt mulling over his promise to her grandmother to promptly return her.
“Just a look,” she pressed.
He sighed. “I suppose a quick look won’t hurt.”
She grinned.
Alexander waved the guard to stay outside as they walked through the carved double doors.
Norah gasped as she looked around at the magnitude of books that lay shelved to the ceiling. “It’s incredible!”
“When the visions foretold the Shadowmen would invade Mercia, your father ordered all the books and scrolls to be taken to Aleon for safekeeping. It took over ten thousand men.”
The mention of Aleon made her stiffen. She wanted to ask him about the marriage, but that seemed too personal now. “Is Aleon safer than Mercia?” she asked instead.
“Not necessarily, but the Shadow King didn’t have his destruction focused on Aleon.”
No, it had been focused on her. Norah bit her lip and turned her eyes back to the shelved books.
“Your father had every intent to change the future, but he wasn’t one to take risks. He always said knowledge was the most important thing in the world, besides you. After we took the mountains of Bahoul and drove the Shadow King back deep into the Shadowlands, only then did we know it was safe to bring everything home. And it was safe for you to come home.”
She clasped the pendant around her neck, running her thumb over the winterhawk. “My grandmother said the Shadow King will still come for me.”
His eyes burned a deep blue, then darkened like the ocean. “He’ll try.”
She swallowed. The thought of a dark foe coming for her rattled her. It more than rattled her—it scared her.
