Page 50 of Shadow Queen
Catherine stepped to him, her cheeks shaking. There was real fear in her eyes, and it sobered him. He calmed himself. Slowly, she moved around him. There was no use trying to hide it from her. He stood silently. Her breath hitched behind him, but she said nothing. Then, slowly, she came back around to face him. Her eyes were large and rimmed red.
“You’ll tell me what happened,” she insisted.
“A crime against the crown,” he said finally. “I engaged with the Destroyer. It created chaos in the ranks, and twelve men died, Northmen included. It’s my punishment.”
Catherine shook her head. “How could Norah allow such a thing?”
“Did you not hear what I just said?” he asked, his voice sharp and angry now. “I was guilty. The Destroyer was charged the same, and he bears the same marks I do.”
“Norah should have stopped it!” she said through her tears.
“She tried!” he thundered back. “She begged him for mercy. But we’d already been given mercy in keeping our heads. Caspian had to hold her.”
Catherine gaped at him in horror.
“She threatened his life that night,” he continued. “She threatened the Shadow King.”
“What?” Catherine’s voice shook.
There was no hiding his rage now. “If she’d have done that to a Mercian king, she would have been guilty of high treason and her fate much worse, even as queen. I’m sure it’s the same in the Shadowlands, except… the Shadow King loves her.” He forced an icy calm back to his voice. “So, no, she didn’tallowthis to happen.”
Rage steamed from his skin. “It’s so easy for you and the council to judge her, to question her. But you have no idea the sacrifices she makes. She bears the burden of our people the best she can, this burden you like to remind her of so frequently.” Alexander’s anger left him breathless. “And you’ve abandoned her in it. Everyone has. And now she’s all alone.”
Catherine stood, speechless, whether by his words or by her regret, he didn’t care. He pulled on his shirt and boots and left her to the afternoon.
Chapter fifteen
Themorningairhungcold and wet, heavy enough to drown a person, but it didn’t matter. Nothing could dampen her spirits. Norah pulled on her gloves and mounted Sephir, looking back at the soldiers who were preparing to depart. It seemed the entire Crest was to travel with her, but she wasn’t going to complain. It had taken a great amount of convincing for Mikael to allow her to visit Hamed and Marta and their grandchildren who’d helped her to the seer, and even more convincing to do so without him escorting her. It didn’t require a king to see her visit friends. Apparently, it did require the commander of the entire Kharavian army, who had nothing more important to do. Soren insisted on going, and of course Mikael had agreed. At least her Mercian guardsman Titus was accompanying her as well—not all her travel companions would make her want to jump off another cliff.
Mikael stood in the courtyard to see her off. He eyed the large wagon that accompanied them. “What is all that?” he asked.
She smiled down at him from atop Sephir. “Gifts. And I’m very excited to give them.”
He raised an amused brow and nodded. “Here,” he said, pulling a purse of coins from his belt and holding it out. “Add this.”
She leaned over and pulled him close. “Who is this kind soul?” she teased him.
“This family took care of my salara,” he replied. “I’m in their debt.”
She smiled and kissed him. “I’ll return tomorrow.”
“I’ll do my best not to come out after you before then.”
She feigned a scowl. Then she straightened and urged Sephir out from the courtyard, starting her way through the hills and toward the valley.
The journey was quiet but enjoyable, and Norah let the daydream of seeing the small family again entertain her mind. She wondered what Calla kept herself busy with, and how Cohen fared. She hoped Hamed and Marta’s garden was coming along nicely, and she was excited for them to see the gifts she had brought.
Titus rode alongside her.
“I’m glad you’ve come along,” she told him.
“Are you expecting things to run afoul?”
“No, of course not.” She smiled. “I’m excited for you to meet Calla and Cohen. More than anything, I want to take Calla to Mercia—her skill with a bow…” She smiled again. “And Cohen, he’s an incredible swordsman, and at such a young age. I think it will be good for them to see Mercia and Kharav’s greatest warriors: you, Bhastian, Kiran, the others.”
“Do they not have anyone?”
“They have their grandparents. Their grandfather trained them. Their parents died in battle, fighting for Kharav.”
