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THE GROUP MEET UP FOR their next meal, though Finn’s not back from seeing his friends and Ginata is still absent. While they eat and drink, Ceryn and Archer are alert, but relaxed. The hall is full of people wanting to see the Kingmaker, and Everleigh is sure that the castle and the villages around it and beyond – the whole of the Realm – are wondering what’s going on and where their King is. The unrest isn’t good.
“Only a few more days.” It’s as though Archer’s read her mind. He leans towards her. “We’ll keep you safe.”
Everleigh believes him. But it’s a massive task that she has ahead of her and it’s daunting. “I’m scared.”
“I know. I think we all are.”
“I’m a child. I’m too young to be Queen; too inexperienced. I don’t know what to do.”
“You are young. And you’ve never been Queen before, so yes, you’re inexperienced, but you are powerful – remember when you made the river rise, and you made the deer run away, and you started the fire. You can do all of those things with your mind. And you’re a good, kind, fair person. I think you’ll be a brilliant Queen. And the Realm will be at peace.”
“I feel sick.”
“Don’t. You don’t have to do anything but take it one day at a time. Deal with issues, take advice, help your people. It’ll be easy once you start.”
“You really think?”
“I’ve got faith in you.”
“Thank you. Let’s hope you’re right.”
“I usually am.”
The door slams open, causing them to jump apart and the people near the door start screaming as someone with a hood over his head, runs through the room screaming: “In the name of the King.”
He throws something on the table in front of Everleigh and then runs out as quickly as he ran in.
Everleigh screams and pushes her chair back, moving away from the table. Addyson is crying. Archer and Ceryn have gone after the man, swords aloft.
“It’s a head, a severed head!” Everleigh screams, turning to Will. Will takes her in his arms, letting her cry on his shoulder, shock and disgust evident on his face. He motions for a little maid. “Fetch a stable boy to take it away.”
“Carry on, everybody. No harm done,” the teacher calls out to the crowd, who have settled back on their stools; just another story to tell of the Realm gone mad.
One of the pages comes with a sack and takes the head away.
“I can’t stay here now,” Everleigh says.
“Wait for Ceryn and Archer; it might not be safe.”
“It’s not safe, is it Will? Nowhere will be safe until my brother is dead. In the name of the King? A severed head in the name of the King. What does that even mean? Where did they get it?”
“Probably the Ashes. They’re just trying to scare you, that’s all.”
“Who? Millard’s men, men from the castle? Men from the village? These men will be my men, but they want to bring me a head?”
“It’s just some crazy person. Just someone thinking it’s funny to upset you.”
“It’s not funny.”
“I know.”
They are silent while they wait for Ceryn and Archer to come back, and in minutes they arrive, empty handed.
“Gone. It could have been anyone.”
“Cowardly and evil.”
“Let’s go.”
They troop to Everleigh’s room, feeling miserable.
“Should we be looking for my brother? If that really was in his name, is he out there somewhere, telling people what to do? Causing trouble?”
“I’d love to kill him,” Ceryn says, sitting by Everleigh, “but we’re already one man short with Weaver gone, if Archer or me go looking for Millard, we’re just leaving you vulnerable. I say we just get through the next three days. It’s probably just some random idiot, or a kid playing a prank-”
“A prank? Throwing a head at me is a prank?”
“Not to you or me...but to some dumb kids with nothing better to do? Maybe. I don’t know, but I think splitting up now would be wrong.”
“I agree with Ceryn. If Weaver was here maybe one of us could go looking for Millard. But we have the upper hand here. We’re at the castle, we have his crown. There might be a few of his loyal supporters wanting to spoil things for you, but what can they do really?”
“Wolf is locked up, Millard is missing. Most of his men were killed yesterday and if they want to come and fight properly we’ll kill the rest of them. Running around with severed heads isn’t anything we should worry about. Horrible. But not a concern for us.”
“But it was designed to upset me.”
“I know, and it’s horrible, but...” Archer trails off. What can any of them say?
“I want you to teach me to fight. You and Ceryn.”
Will jumps up, protesting and Archer shakes his head. Ceryn, though, is nodding. “Absolutely.”
“Ceryn!”
“What? Shouldn’t a Queen be able to defend herself? Not be a little damsel in distress, always looking to others for help.”
The boys are silent, disapproval written all over their faces.
“I’m not planning on heading into the village looking for a brawl in one of the inns, but I should be able to defend myself. Don’t you think?”
The teacher steps forward. “Everleigh has her magic, but anything we can do to help her, we should. A Queen is a leader of people, not a meek little girl. A Queen should be a warrior; to show her subjects that a woman can rule. Can be as strong as a man. A Queen should inspire confidence in her people and fear in her enemies.”
Everleigh snorts. “Easy.”