Page 50 of North Queen
Catherine swept a cloak over Norah’s shoulders and pulled her toward the chamber door, and she went. Her guard picked up behind them as they started down the hall, as if herding her toward her future. She swallowed even though her tongue sat dryly in her mouth.Pretend.Pretend to be the person she was before. Look the part. Play the part.Pretendthe best she could.
They exited the castle through the double doors to the outside and walked along the courtyard toward the judisaept. The winter air was cold, and Norah shuddered, but she welcomed it. Anything to distract her spiraling mind.
Beside her, Catherine slowed, and Norah followed her gaze to something on the other side of the courtyard. She squinted against the icy air but couldn’t make out what or who it was through the throngs of people gathering.
“What is it?” Norah asked her.
“I don’t know,” Catherine said, but she’d stopped. Castle guards broke from their posts and hurried toward the crowd.
Suddenly, a scream ripped through the growing masses. Norah’s guard swept around her. Another scream sounded, but not one of fear—one of anguish. Norah started toward it.
Catherine caught her hand. “What are you doing?”
“Something’s happened—I have to see!” And she pulled her arm from her grandmother’s grasp.
“Your Highness,” Titus called from behind her, but she ignored him and strode toward the crowd. He followed after with his sword in hand.
She drew closer. The crowd surrounded a large wagon, pulled by four horses caked with dried mud and dirt. The animals stood still, weary and spent from their journey. No one drove the wagon, but it was stacked high with what appeared to be grain sacks in the back, stained in browning crimson. One sat open on the ground, but she couldn’t see what was inside. A woman was crying with her arms outstretched toward the wagon as a man pulled her away.
Suddenly, Alexander was in front of her. She jerked in surprise as his arm came out, halting her. “Norah,” he said, low, “go back to the castle. I’ll be there in a moment.”
But she didn’t want to go back. “What’s in the sacks?”
“Norah.” He clasped her arm, gently but firmly, and tried to move her back toward the castle.
“What’s in the sacks?” she pressed again.
“Just go back. I’ll be there in a moment, and I’ll tell you then.”
“You’ll tell me now,” she demanded. Her patience was waning, and she wouldn’t leave until she knew what was going on.
His mouth tightened. “We expected the Shadow King to attempt to retake the mountains of Bahoul again, especially if he learned of your return. It’s a critical stronghold that used to belong to the Shadowlands. I sent another thousand men for reinforcement.”
That still didn’t answer her question. “What’s in the sacks?”
His lips thinned. “The men I sent. Their heads.”
Nausea swept through her as she glanced back at the wagon and its horror-filled cargo. The heads of a thousand men. She wavered. His hand tightened around her arm.
“Go back inside,” he said. “I’ll come after I’ve dealt with this.”
Titus stepped forward, offering his own arm, but she pulled away from both of them and turned back toward the castle, numb with shock.
Catherine stood just behind her with Edward, James, and two other members of the council.
“Lord Justice!” Edward called out, and hurried after Alexander. The other two councilmen bowed to Norah and followed after.
Catherine reached out and clasped Norah’s hand. “It’s all right. Everything will be all right.”
Norah shook her head, her mouth hanging open. “No, it’s not. None of this is all right.” She felt James’s eyes on her and cast him a desperate gaze. “Are we to discuss this today too?” As if the myriad of other topics weren’t enough. As if she wasn’t already near breaking. And still she had to face the council. In a matter of moments. She wasn’t ready. She couldn’t do this.
He shook his head. “No. The state’s been postponed.”
It was the smallest of mercies compared to everything else, but still the relief of it almost brought tears to her eyes.
“To prepare for your coronation,” James added. “You’ll be crowned tomorrow.”
Norah’s heart stopped, and her lungs turned to stone in her chest. She couldn’t draw in a breath. “I can’t be crowned tomorrow.”
