Page 39 of North Queen
“That you are.” The old man pushed out a long breath. “Quite a mystery, though, isn’t it?”
It was a mystery, one that Alexander was desperate to solve. But he also needed to focus on the future. “Will you help her, James?”
“I will, so long as it helps Mercia.”
“Are they not one and the same?”
James turned to Alexander, a seriousness coming to him. “No, they’re not.”
Chapter twelve
NorahfollowedCatherinetoher chamber. She wasn’t sure the woman could contain herself until they got there. She wasn’t exactly looking forward to sharing that she’d told James about her memory loss, especially after Catherine had explicitly told her not to, and that Alexander was still her only consideration for lord justice. They reached the chamber too soon.
“How did James feel about Lord Branton?” Catherine asked as soon as the door closed.
Norah’s heart raced. “He knows,” she said with a frown. “He knows I’m not me, that I don’t have my memories.” It was best to get it out of the way.
“You told him?” Catherine asked, alarmed.
“He saw right away I was lying. There wasn’t much I could do. But he’s going to help me.”
“Does he plan to tell the council?”
She bit the side of her cheek. That would have been a good question to ask. “I don’t think so,” she said slowly. “He asked me who all knew and said you were right: I shouldn’t share it. He also told me to listen to you.”
Catherine’s eyes widened. “Did he now?” She straightened. That puffed her up a bit. “Let’s hope he does the same,” she added with an edge. “Norah, you have to be more careful.”
How could she possibly be more careful? She’d have to not speak at all.
“Now, what did he say about Lord Branton?” her grandmother pressed again.
Norah’s stomach knotted at the next wave of disappointment to deliver. “I have only Alexander to consider.”
“You know that’s not an option. You were supposed to discuss Branton.”
“I did,” she insisted. “I don’t understand why Alexander’s not an option. I don’t know anyone else,” she added, exasperated. “He wouldn’t talk about any of the names you gave me. Branton, Bosley, Seymour—he didn’t like any of them.”
“Lord Semaine.” Catherine sighed. “Oh, Norah, no wonder he discovered you.”
“Well, he figured me out well before we even talked about names.” And really, what did she expect?
“Don’t worry, we’ll solve this,” her grandmother said flatly. “You’ll choose someone else.”
“Who? I just said I don’t know anyone.”
“There are many options. You’ll settle on someone.”
Norah felt a flash of frustration. Her grandmother wasn’t listening. “All right, let’s see, there’s Adrian—”
Catherine snorted. “Don’t be silly.”
“Caspian.” Norah counted the second name on her fingers.
“That’s enough.”
“These are literally all the people I know,” she said. “Will a councilman do? Oh”—she brought a third finger—“there’s a girl named Jane.”
“Now you’re just being ridiculous,” Catherine snapped, but then she paused. “You saw Jane?”
