“Please, Your Majesty. Go back to your room so you can rest. That crown is too heavy—”
“You want my crown, don’t you?” Freya screeched. “You’ve bewitched Silas, so you can be the next queen!”
“Your Majesty, you must remain calm.” Margosha tried to ease her back, but the queen shoved her away, then turned toward Gwennore with a frantic look.
“It’s all your fault,” Freya hissed. “You’ve been poisoning me, haven’t you? You want me dead!”
“No, Your—” Gwennore gasped when the queen seized her by the arms and shook her.
Brody growled at the queen, then bit her skirt to try to drag her away.
“Stop!” King Petras ran toward them with Karlan right behind him.
Gwennore grabbed the queen’s wrists, and her gift immediately activated. Racing pulse, irregular, lurching heartbeat. “Your Majesty! We need to get you to your—”
“No!” the queen screamed, then suddenly fell to her knees, a hand pressed to her chest.
Screams and shouts rang out as the crowd pressed closer to see what was happening. Brody growled and snapped at people to keep them back, while Margosha and Annika yelled at them to give the queen some room.
As Freya collapsed, her crown fell off, and Gwennore caught the queen’s head to keep her from banging it on the stone pavement.
“Your Majesty.” Gwennore’s mind raced, trying to think of some kind of medicine that might help.
Suddenly, a convulsion racked the queen’s body, and Gwennore felt a spurt of panic. No, this couldn’t be happening. The queen went limp, her eyes glazing over as her head turned to the side.
“No.” Gwennore gave the queen a shake. “Your Majesty!”
King Petras shoved her aside. “What have you done?” He knelt beside his wife. “Freya!” He shook her, but there was no response.
Tears burned Gwennore’s eyes. “She—she’s gone.”
“No!” Petras lifted the queen into his arms and rocked her. “No, no! She’s going to be fine.”
Murmurs spread through the crowd, then wails grew in volume as people realized their queen was dead.
Gwennore turned away, her heart sinking. Each time the king cried his wife’s name, she could feel his pain as sharp as a stab from a knife. She’d failed. She’d failed to keep the queen alive.
Karlan stepped close to her and whispered, “Go back to your workroom now.”
She gave him a dazed look.
“Go!” he hissed.
She stepped back, suddenly realizing that the crowd was pointing at her.
Dimitri dashed up to her. “Let’s go.”
“Wait!” King Petras rose to his feet, his eyes flaring gold as he focused on Gwennore. “You. You murdered my wife.”
The crowd began to chant, “Kill her! Kill her!”
“Arrest her!” Petras shouted.
As guards started toward her, Dimitri gave her a shove. “Run out the gate! Silas will get you.”
Gwennore hesitated only a second as she saw Dimitri and Karlan holding back the soldiers. She turned and dashed toward the southern gate while Annika pushed back the encroaching crowd and Brody snapped and growled at them
Tears ran down Gwennore’s cheeks. So many people wanted her dead! She dropped her mental shield as she darted through the gate and into the garden. Puff! Silas!
I’m coming.
She looked back. Soldiers were streaming through the gate. A spear landed close by, thudding into the ground. Her heart lurched and in a panic, she ran through the garden, then skidded to a halt at the cliff that overlooked the river and town of Dreshka.
She glanced back. The soldiers were coming.
A screech sounded overhead. Puff. He launched from the castle roof, shooting a gust of fire to keep the soldiers from advancing.
She reached her arms up, and he swooped down, catching her and pulling her to his chest. Puff. She wrapped her arms around his forelegs as more tears ran down her cheeks.
His mighty wings beat the air as he lifted higher and higher into the air.
Silas. I was so afraid.
He angled his head back to look at her with his golden eyes. Don’t worry. I have you.
Chapter Thirty
Gwennore closed her eyes and let the wind whooshing past them dry the tears on her face. You’re safe now, she told herself over and over to combat the memory of a bloodthirsty crowd chanting, “Kill her! Kill her!”
Gwen. Silas’s soothing voice entered her mind. Don’t think about them. They don’t know you. They didn’t know the queen was ill or that the king and queen have been going mad.
“The queen is dead,” Gwen whispered.
I know. I saw it from the rooftop.
“I was panicking. I wanted to help her, but there was nothing I could do.”
I know, sweetheart. I panicked, too, when I saw what was happening. After I sent Dimitri to you, I thought I had better shift, so I started tearing off my clothes.
On the rooftop? What a shame she had missed it.
I heard that.
She swatted his leg.
Did you just hit me? After I rescued you?
With a smile, she hugged his leg. He’d said the same thing the first time he’d rescued her. “How many times have you saved me now? Four? Five?”
I lost count. He made a huffing noise that sounded like a chuckle when she swatted him again.
“I suppose I should thank you.”
I suppose you should.
Her smile widened as they repeated more lines from the first time they’d met. Where was he taking her? She glanced at the setting sun. They had to be headed northwest.
I have a cabin on a mountain not far from the Tourinian border. You’ll be safe there.
Her smile faded. Did it matter that she was half Norveshki? Or that this country felt like home? How could she remain here when people wanted to kill her?
Gwen, don’t give up on us. The people who attend the Summoning fit into two categories. They came there to complain, or they came because they’re bored and looking for something to gossip about. They represent a small portion of the population. Most of the Norveshki are friendly, hardworking folk who would never judge you unfairly. They’ll be grateful for everything you’ve done. And they’ll give you all the respect that you deserve.
Could she believe that? She wanted
