Page 40 of North Queen
“Um… kind of.” She didseeher.
Catherine’s face turned an even paler shade of white. “What did she say? What didyousay? Gods, that girl has a mouth on her. Just what we need.”
Norah gave a smirk. “Actually, I didn’t speak to her.”
“Thank the gods,” Catherine said with a sigh. “I’ll have to set expectations better with the guard. We can’t rely on courtesies for avoiding conversation.”
“Oh, yes.”The guard.“And add Titus to my list of people,” Norah said as she held up four fingers. “And Liaman. There are more guards, but I forget the rest.”
Catherine pursed her lips.
Norah looked at her grandmother squarely. “I’m not going to be able to keep this up for long. Adrian figured me out as well.”
Catherine let out an exasperated huff. “Adrian knows? Norah! At this rate, the whole kingdom will know!”
“What do you expect?” Norah snapped back, her own desperation lashing out. “I’m not going to be able to fool everyone! These are smart people who’ve known me for a long time. They know something isn’t right.” Norah put her face in her hands, letting the cold of her fingers take away the heat from her cheeks. “I have to get my memories back. I have to find out what’s blocking them.”
Norah glanced up to find Catherine staring at her with an expression she didn’t understand. Her eyes narrowed. “What?”
“I have an idea,” the regent said.
Norah raised a brow, waiting. “Ummm… normally when people say something like that, they follow it up with the actual idea.”
Catherine shook her head, breathless by whatever sudden thought had come to her. “Tonight. I have to do something first. I’ll come back tonight.”
Norah gaped at her, thoroughly confused. “Wait. What’s your idea?”
“No time!” the regent said as she swept out of the room. “I’ll see you this evening.”
Norah snorted in disbelief.
Alexander sat in his study, looking through a stack of parchments, yet not reading them. He couldn’t seem to keep hold of his mind. His thoughts kept returning to her—Norah.
He told himself what he always had: she had a path, one that would save Mercia, a path that he couldn’t interfere with. But when she was near, it all came crashing back. The way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way she used to look at him.Used to.
“I thought I might find you here.”
He looked up to see his brother.
Adrian smiled as he leaned against the doorframe. He stepped into the study and crossed the room. “You probably haven’t eaten all day,” he said as he put a plate with a pear and a biscuit in front of Alexander.
Alexander sighed, leaning back in his chair and giving a small smile at the pear. “Thank you,” he said. Alexander loved his brother. They were very close; they had been ever since Adrian moved to the castle to be with him after their mother died. Adrian had been young, and her death had hit him hard. With their father busy with the duties of being lord justice, Alexander played the role of both parents and managed Adrian’s studies while he himself trained. Where he fell short, there was always Catherine, who tended to them both as her own. In fact, Adrian took to her much like she were his own grandmother, as Alexander did as a child, although Adrian seemed to get away with more than Alexander ever could.
But now it was Adrian who often looked after Alexander. Adrian glanced around for a wine pitcher. “Do you want a drink?”
“No. Thank you.” He could use some wine, but he had more work to do yet.
Adrian moved around and dropped into the wingback chair in front of the desk. “Are you all right?” he asked.
He couldn’t answer that. “It’s been a long day.”
Adrian sighed, and Alexander knew he wasn’t happy with his response. Adrian saw through him.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Adrian pressed.
Alexander closed a book that was open on the side of the desk. “Why do you keep asking me that?” He knew Adrian could see Norah was different. At least he didn’t know—
“Because she doesn’t remember you.”
