Page 20 of War Queen
Her lips pulled into a smile.Plotting. She bent and nestled into his warmth and brushed her lips across his cheek. “You’re always plotting.”
“Well, that’s how one becomes a master plotter.”
Or it was how one lost their mind. “Sephir’s returned.”
He straightened and pulled her around in front of him. His eyes were large with surprise, and bright. “That’s good news.”
She nodded. “I’m so relieved and glad to have her back. I can’t believe it, that she traveled all that way on her own to find me again.”
“She’s a special horse, Salara.”
That she was.
His brows dipped. “But something’s wrong?”
Yes.Something was wrong. “Have you sent Adrian on a task?”
He frowned and then shook his head. “No, why?”
She pushed out a breath, her worry returning. “He’s gone. And no one knows where. Not Cohen or Calla. Not anyone. It’s as if he’s disappeared.”
“Well, I’m sure he’ll turn up.”
“This isn’t like him. I’m really worried. You were just talking about possible intruders again. What if something happened to him? What if he needs help? What if he’s needed help and we’ve just been—”
“Hey,” he said, pulling her closer and quieting her. “Adrian’s a warrior. One of the best there is. And he’s smart. He’s fine. He’ll show up.”
“How do you know?” She could hear the desperation in her own voice.
“My master plotting senses.”
That almost made her laugh.Almost.
He pulled her between his knees and looked up at her from his chair. “I’ll send men out. We’ll find him.”
She nodded, feeling a little better.
His eyes lingered on her, and she knew his mind had drifted back to Mercia.
Norah held his face with her hands, lightly grazing his short-cut beard with her fingertips. “Talk to me,” she whispered. “What are you in here thinking about?”
“Do you believe the Bear sends this miner?”
Such a difficult question. “I don’t know.”
“Not what you know. What do youbelieve?”
She swallowed. Such a subtle change of words, yet so significantly different. What did she believe? “I believe that if Alexander’s well—even if he’s not well, if he’s simply alive—he’ll stop at nothing to give me back my throne. He will have been… plotting himself.” Despite the risks, despite the odds—any odds—Alexander would try. More than try. He would be compelled. And her lord justice compelled was a powerful thing.
“I don’t believe the miner lies,” she added. Then she swallowed again. “And I believe that if what he says is true, it may be our only opportunity to take back Mercia. And to gain back an alliance. To not stand alone.”
Mikael drew in a long breath and then let it out slowly. He settled his arms around her more firmly, then nodded.
“Then tomorrow I’ll tell the nobles we go to war,” he said. “We’ll march to join the Bear. And take back the North.”
Chapter six
Kharaviannoblesfilledthethrone room. There were more than Norah expected. More than last time. Their eyes shifted between her and Mikael as murmurs rippled through them. Their whispers and judgments, she’d expected that, but something was different today.
