Page 37 of North Queen
“Will we leave it at that?” he asked. “Or will you tell me what’s really going on? I care for you very much, Norah. Will you not let me help you?” He waited for an answer.
If Catherine was afraid he’d tell the rest of the council about her memory, he’d certainly tell them she was lying. She might as well come clean. And he did seem to care for her; she felt as though she could trust him.
“I don’t know where I’ve been,” she finally admitted. “Alexan—the lord justice found me in the Wild, where I’d been lost, but everything before that day is just… gone.”
James’s brow dipped, and his lips parted slightly before he drew them into a frown.
“Along with all my memories,” she added, “of everything and everyone.” She didn’t know what else to say. Her heart raced.
“Hmm.” His frown deepened.
Norah sighed with a small shrug. “Adrian discovered me as well. I’m finding I’m not very good at hiding anything.”
“You never were. We’ll figure out how to manage that.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and a wave of hope ran through her. “You believe me? And you still support my coronation?”
She stood under his heavy gaze, feeling the threat of his condemnation, until he finally said, “An Andell with no memories is still better than a gullible teenage girl and Lord Allan’s influence on the throne. Although, I’m not sure how many councilmen will share that view.”
It wasn’t quite the endorsement to bolster her confidence, but it was better than she’d feared.
He paused. “Who else knows?”
“Ummm… Adrian, Grandmother, and my guard. And Alexander, of course. Grandmother was adamant we tell no one else.”
He nodded. “She’s right. Listen to her, Norah. She knows how this game is played.”
It didn’t feel like a game, at least not a fun one.
“We’ll have to move up your coronation,” he said. “As soon as possible.”
Her chest tightened. “Wait, no”—she shook her head—“now that you know, you can help me. We don’t have to rush into this.”
“On the contrary; time is of the essence now. It has to be before the state. The council, particularly Edward, will want to meet with you first, but there’s absolutely no way you’ll make it through a state meeting without revealing yourself and your situation.”
Was that really so bad? “What would happen? Will they not support me as queen?”
James paused, mulling over her question, and then said cautiously, “I fear they won’t if you give them a reason not to.”
“Why?”
“Evangeline has a legitimate blood claim to the throne, and she’ll do as she’s advised.” He locked his eyes with hers. “That’s always been the concern with you, Norah.”
Her eyes narrowed. “So, they’ll look for a reason to give Evangeline the throne over me because they fear I won’t do as I’m told?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“It sounded pretty close.”
“Even so, who do you think will make the best decisions for a kingdom?” he asked sternly. “A young girl who knows nothing, or a council with the wisdom of generations?”
Norah stepped back, her mouth open, but no words would come out.
James’s face was firm, and his mouth was pressed thin. “While we don’t always agree, those on the council carry Mercia’s best interests in their hearts. We make decisions for the good of our kingdom and the good of our people. Now, I will support you, Norah. I will help seat you on the throne, but you mustlistenand take it seriously. Do you understand?”
How else does one take a queenship if not seriously? She nodded, although she wasn’t entirely sure what she was agreeing to. Was this a commitment in exchange for his support? She didn’t know if she even wanted his support. Would Evangeline on the throne be such a bad thing? But she didn’t have the time to ask him. Or the courage.
“What of your selection for lord justice?” he asked, pivoting the conversation. “The crown is heavy, and you’ll tire with a kingdom on your shoulders. You must choose your lord justice wisely.”
