Page 129 of North Queen
“You’ll never be without your guard,” he said. “Am I clear?”
Norah pursed her lips together. “Perfectly.” Just like at home.
But this wasn’t home.
The morning passed slowly, and Norah felt awkwardly confined to her room. Not that it mattered, she told herself. She didn’t have an appetite to see the castle right now. So she waited and tried to pretend, if only for a moment, she wasn’t trapped in the darkness of the Shadowlands.Kharav, she reminded herself.
She lay across the bed, looking up at the great beams along the ceiling. Then she let her eyes close as she thought of Alexander—his face, his eyes, the warmth of his hands. She could almost feel them around hers. A tear fell from the corner of her eye to her soft locks underneath.
A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts, and she sat up as she wiped her face. Would this be how she spent her time—constantly answering her door? She opened it to see her guard. Not the nice one.
“We will escort you down to the celebration.”
Her brows drew together in confusion. “So soon? It’s barely midday.”
“Yes, but it’s already started.”
“Oh.” She felt a wave of anxiousness. She wasn’t one for social celebrations, especially ones celebrating her, especially ones celebrating her unfortunate marriage. “Will it last all day?” she asked.
“Of course.”
“Wonderful,” she mumbled to herself. “Give me a moment.”
She closed her door and leaned back against it, inhaling deep breaths. Celebrations were better than war, she told herself. That’s why she was doing this. This was best for Mercia.
Not for her.
But she couldn’t think about herself. Not just because she couldn’t be selfish, but she had to control her emotion. Maybe she could pretend it was someone else’s marriage. Yes,someone else’s. She went to the vanity, wiping her face and tucking a few wayward locks behind her ear.
“Someone else’s marriage,” she said to her reflection. “I’m very happy for them. May they have a long life, much happiness, many children”—wait, no—“No children.”
Then she let out a breath and opened the door, waving the guard to lead her.
People filled the hall from end to end, and her eyes widened as she entered. The magnitude of it all was overwhelming. Everyone grew quiet with her arrival, and all eyes fell on her.Someone else’s marriage. She forced herself forward.
Her wandering gaze found the king seated at the large center table at the front of the hall, and he stood when he saw her. He picked up his chalice and held it high, and the room erupted in clapping as the crowd parted for her. She made her way toward him.
His eyes smiled. “Please,” he said, motioning to the chair beside him.
A servant pulled out the chair as she took her seat.
He sat down beside her. “I’m happy to see you, North Queen.”
“Good,” she said smartly, but gave him a small smile.
His eyes lingered on her. “I thought you might be angry with me for how we left our conversation last evening.”
She looked down at her hands. The thought of not being able to return to Mercia still tore her heart from her. “More… sad.”
He shifted in his chair, and his mouth opened to speak, but he said nothing. He looked out across the celebrating hall, then back to her. His brows drew together. “You’re sad?” He leaned back in his chair. “But you’ll be salara.”
As if the two weren’t the same.
He let out an unsettled breath. “You’ll return to the North again. I promise you this.”
She straightened in her chair.When?
“But tonight, I want you to enjoy yourself,” he told her, looking out across the great hall. “Celebrate. We’re to be married.”
