“Nay, sweetie.” Gwennore held her tight, rubbing her back. The acrid scent of urine reached her nostrils. At some point during the flight, the child had wet herself. “I won’t leave you. I promise. And I’ll get ye back home.”
“I want my mama!”
“I know.” Tears ran down Gwennore’s cheeks, as once again she felt responsible for the terror this child had endured. “Are ye injured in any way?” She rested her palm on Eviana’s brow to get a reading.
Heartbeat was fast. Respiration too quick and shallow. No broken bones. Four small puncture wounds where the dragon’s talons had pierced the skin. Those would need to be washed and treated. The little girl would also need clean clothes, a hot meal, and a safe place to rest.
Shouts from within the castle drew Gwennore’s attention away from the little girl, and she spotted two soldiers watching her from the battlements. One motioned for her to approach the southern gate.
She rose to her feet, casting a wary look at the closed gate. It looked forbidding with its thick wooden walls studded with iron points and painted with a black swirling design. Above it, the Norveshki flag flapped in the breeze. The bottom half of the flag was three stripes in red, gold, and blue. On the top half, a red dragon flew across the blue background. Why a red dragon, she wondered, when they were actually more green and purple. But the golden dragon eye on the flag was correct. Puff’s eyes had definitely been gold.
With a loud creak, the southern gate slowly opened.
Gwennore steeled her nerves as she helped Eviana to her feet. “Come with me.”
“I wanna go home.”
“We will soon.” Gwennore smiled, even though her heart was pounding with trepidation.
A dozen armed guards strode toward them. Black leather boots and breeches, blue tunics emblazoned with a red dragon. At least their swords were sheathed. She hoped that meant they would be treated as guests and not prisoners.
Even so, they were definitely eyeing her with suspicion. It couldn’t be helped, she supposed, since Norveshka was currently at war with Woodwyn. But the way they were inspecting her like an insect made her wish once again she could unleash her frustration and give the offenders a verbal lashing.
Not now, she reminded herself. But soon.
She pasted a friendly smile on her face and spoke to the guards in Norveshki. “How do you do? I am Gwennore, and this is Eviana, the daughter of King Leofric of Eberon.”
One of the guards bowed his head. “I am Karlan, captain of the royal guard. Come this way.” He motioned toward the gate.
Gwennore noticed the other guards had surrounded them. “As you wish.” She took Eviana’s hand and led her forward.
“I can’t undesand,” Eviana whined.
“They’re speaking the Norveshki language,” Gwennore explained in Eberoni. “They invited us inside.”
“But I wanna go home.”
“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” Gwennore squeezed the girl’s hand, then switched to Norveshki to address the captain. “You must know that we were brought here by a pair of dragons. Against our will, I might add. But I am sure we can work together to remedy the mistake before any—”
“No mistake,” Karlan said as he led them through the gate.
Gwennore swallowed hard. Remain calm.
They entered a large square courtyard. The castle loomed up on all four sides, three stories high, with towers in each corner topped with curiously shaped green copper spires. Along the battlements, Gwennore spotted numerous carved statues of green marble that gleamed in the late-afternoon sun. Narrowing her eyes, she realized the statues were all dragons, their long bodies undulating like snakes and their mouths wide open as if they meant to swallow their prey in one hideous gulp. Even the green copper gutters had downspouts that were designed to look like dragons.
The ground was paved with stones, mostly smooth, though she spotted some odd carvings etched in here and there. Swirls and symbols, similar to the ones that were painted on the gate.
She winced as the gate banged shut behind them. “Mayhap I was not clear, Captain. This little girl is the Eberoni princess. Her father will not—”
“The queen requested a princess.”
Gwennore’s mouth fell open. “Are you saying your queen ordered this kidnapping?”
With an annoyed look, Karlan motioned to a group of women entering the courtyard from the southeastern tower. “Queen Freya is coming. Be careful what you say to her.”
“But we need to clear this up as soon as possible.” Gwennore turned toward the approaching women.
There were five of them in all, one leading the pack with four following behind. The one in front had to be Freya, queen of Norveshka. She held her head high, and the way her dark-red hair was braided and piled on top of her head added a few inches to her impressive height. Her gown was bright red, while the others wore duller shades of red and burgundy. Her heavy necklace was studded with multiple large rubies, while the other ladies had only one small ruby displayed on black velvet ribbons around their necks.
“So many rubies,” Gwennore whispered. Even the queen’s hairpin was sparkling with rubies.
“It’s Rubeday,” Karlan muttered.
Gwennore had always thought it odd that the Norveshki had named their days after gemstones. Ametheday, Diamonday, Emeralday, Garneday, Opalday, Rubeday, and Sapphirday. “You mean the Norveshki dress with the jewels of each day?”
“Only the royal family and those who are currently in their favor. It is a sign of their power.” Karlan lowered his voice. “Watch your tongue.”
Was the queen difficult to get along with? As Queen Freya drew closer, Gwennore could see streaks of gray in her hair and worry lines across her brow and around her mouth. Anxiety, plus insomnia from the looks of the dark circles beneath the queen’s eyes. That would be enough to make anyone grumpy.
Karlan and the other guards bowed, so Gwennore followed their example and curtsied.
The queen ignored them as her gaze shifted to Eviana. Then
