Russal backed away. “Alright. I’ll see youthis evening.” He strode out of the map room. She hurried tofollow, but he had already exited the outer room when she steppedover the stone threshold. His steps echoed in the hall for amoment, then stopped. She heard him returning and waited inside thewide stone doorway for him to appear.
After a moment, he stood at the entrance tothe map room, a contrite expression on his face. “I’ll close thewall and walk you to Sybil’s office.” His hands fluttered at hissides. “I don’t mean to act like a child having a tantrum.”
She stepped out of the doorway and walked tothe table. Fiddling with the pages of an open book of charts andgraphs, she traced her fingers around the boxed edge of the legendfor the symbols used. The grinding sweep of the stone door soundedbehind her, along with its thump into place.
Russal raised her hand off the book andentwined their fingers. “Come along.”
They passed through the rooms of the old keepin silence. Russal’s fingers caressed her hand. At one point, heseemed to tug her close, but the pressure disappeared as quickly asshe noted it.
A guard stood at the corner, close to Sybil’sdoor. Russal took both her hands in his. “I would like to order theguard to examine the ceiling, if you don’t mind.”
“Okay.”
He glared at the guard, who turned away andwhistled softly as he took a penknife to his fingernails.
Russal kissed her softly, clearly wanting todeepen the kiss. She raised her chin, giving him full access to hermouth. He groaned and rushed in. It was all she could do to griphis collar and keep herself from sliding down the wall to thefloor. Love or passion. She still didn’t know, but when he kissedher, she didn’t care which it was. She needed distance. If only hergripping hands would stop tugging him closer.
He drew back and touched a thumb to thecorner of her mouth. “I’ll see you this evening. Make sure Sybilcalls a guard to escort you when you are ready to leave.”
She nodded. Her hands pressed the wall behindher. She hadn’t dropped her chin and his gaze strayed to her lips,and he leaned close for a moment, his exhalation tickling hercheeks. His hands ran down her ribs to her waist, but then heleaned around her and knocked hard on the door before stridingaway.
The door opened, and one of Sybil’sassistants stood at the threshold. His auburn hair glinted in thelight of the oil lamp mounted by the door. “Please enter, YourHighness. The sybil will see you.” He stepped past her and exitedthe office.
Kambry slipped into the room and closed thedoor behind her. She dropped into the chair in front of Sybil’sdesk.
“Hello, my queen,” Sybil said without lookingup from a piece of parchment she appeared to be doodling on. Thepoint of her quill turned round and round in a nearly inklessscrape on the parchment.
Her words drew an echo of Russal’s endearmentthrough Kambry’s mind, bringing a warm flush to her face. He toohad referred to her that way but with entirely different emotionalunderpinnings. Sybil may have been making it clear where herloyalties lie, but the words could not have been more charged withmeaning, given the emotions tingling along Kambry’s skin. “I need adrink of water.”
Sybil dropped the quill, shook her head as ifclearing it of cobwebs, and stepped to the serving tray atop a lowbookshelf and poured a glass. She set it directly into Kambry’shand as if she knew Kambry couldn’t get her limbs to do any biddingat the moment. The seer sat again across the desk from her. Thechair creaking was the only sound in the room.
Kambry gulped the water and set the cup onthe desk, her fingers keeping their grip as if it might slide awayfrom her. “Were you expecting me?”
“I thought it best to avoid you for awhile.”
“Not expecting me?”
“No. We just had our meeting yesterday.”Sybil set her quill in the mount on the marble base holding theinkwell. She capped the well, dropping a silver lid onto its openmouth.
Kambry dove into the first concern that cameto mind. “How do I know I can trust that you are not the woman thatbetrays me?”
Sybil snorted and gave her a humorous stare.“A quandary, isn’t it? I’m the one that told you that a woman wouldbetray you, but that could be to keep you from suspecting me.”
Kambry grimaced.
Sybil grinned and continued in a teasingtone. “Of course, I had to be certain that you would view meinnocent if I warned you.”
“You’re not helping.” Kambry leaned forwardand slid the glass of water to the side. “Is Felip still a dangerto me?”
Sybil tipped her head and gazed at the sheetof squiggles and swirls before her. “I think I’ve missedsomething.”
“Several somethings.”
“I’m not your only dilemma, am I, YourHighness?”
“I’ve a pile of the annoying things.”
“Tell me.”
“I believe Felip was at the coronation, or atleast at the reception after. They attacked my parents and theLaurents in the maze of the royal gardens. Gordy was gravelyinjured during that attack. Felip showed up in our chambers whileRussal was out checking the condition of the guards. He claimsMaizalyn has plans for me he is actively thwarting.”
Sybil raised a hand. “I have a feeling thislist continues. Is it Felip or Russal that is doing thethwarting?”
“Felip.”
She nodded. “Go on.”
Kambry paused. Felip, then Felip again.“Felip Covey showed up in my parents’ quarters claiming he wasprotecting them because they are important to me.”
“What has the king said about all ofthis?”
“Um. He doesn’t know about all of it.”
“What part doesn’t His Majesty know?”
“You’re very formal.”
“My queen has properly chastised me.”
“You’re annoying, too. You deserved thechastisement.” For a moment, the banter relieved some of hertension.
“Yet you trust me with information youhaven’t told the king.”
“You said you are loyal to me alone.”
“Now you believe me. Maybe youshouldn’t.”
Kambry raised her hands and huffed. “I haveto trust someone!”
“There is the king.”
“You’re not helping. Again. And you told meto keep Russal and Felip apart.”
Sybil set her chin in her palm and staredintently at Kambry.
Kambry
