Page 142 of Scourged

“I do,” Mariah answered unwaveringly. “She doesn’t know anything.”

More silence followed. The group settled into their thoughts, the only sounds the occasional sip of wine, bite of cheese or crackers, and the wingbeats of those damn invisible eagles.

“There was one more thing,” Mariah spoke again, more slowly. Attentions turned to her. She swallowed down the rush of her fear, the thick sludge that raced over her skin.

“Zadione mentioned one other thing. Something that’s been bothering me for weeks—months, even—but that I’ve been too afraid to confront.”

Sebastian leaned forward. “Mariah? Is everything okay?”

“I … don’t know.” Her voice wavered, and she swallowed again. “When I was in Khento, Lord Donnet was there. Of Andburgh. My family’s home. And since then, I just …” She shook her head. “I worry about my family.”

“But with Donnet in Khento, wouldn’t that make Andburgh safer?” Trefor sat forward in his seat.

“That’s what I thought, too,” Mariah said. “But Zadione … she said that my blood is more valuable than I realize, and I need to protect it.”

“If you want us to go to Andburgh and bring them here, all you need to do is ask.” Nods echoed Sebastian’s words, but Mariah shook her head.

“No. We’re not to that yet. And besides, my father will probably send you away. It would need to be his idea—or my mother’s—to leave Andburgh and join us here.”

“Sounds like we now know where you get your stubbornness from, princess.”

Mariah scowled at Andrian, but it didn’t meet her eyes. Not with the way humor danced in his expression.

“Perhaps a letter, then,” Sebastian said. “You write to them, invite them here. We’ll make sure it’s sent.”

Mariah nodded, relaxed. She liked having a plan. The weight of her fear lifted from her chest, just enough for her to take a full breath.

“If we may, My Queen, my sister and I will look further into the report from that apartment on the night of the Solstice.” Kiira straightened in her seat, tapping the table with a painted nail. Beside her, Rylla nodded. “Surely, someone must have seen or heard something. We’ll see what we can find.”

“Don’t terrify the poor city-folk. There are good people down in the market district,” Feran said with a laugh, a smile spreading across his warm face.

Rylla grinned, her canines elongating, her nails lengthening into short claws. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

That drew chuckles and laughs from around the table, and Mariah smiled into her wine.

“That sounds good to me. I’ll write the letter to my family tomorrow. The rest of you, help me research. Do what you can. Any information, no matter how trivial, could be important.”

Nods answered her.

“Well …” She set down her glass. “I suppose that’s everything.”

Quentin shot up, slamming his hands on the table. “I think it’s time for a game.”

Delaynie groaned. “A game? Seriously?”

“Oh, come on, little wolf.” Quentin leaned across the table, grinning wickedly. “Two truths and a lie? Of course, you’ve lived such a sheltered little life up here in this big old palace; maybe you don’t want to play because you know you’d lose?—”

Delaynie pushed to her feet. “Fine. But only one round, and only if Ciana goes first.”

“Ya—wait, what?” Ciana tossed the rest of her wine into her mouth before standing. “Why me?”

“Because,” Delaynie said, already moving across the balcony and toward the doors leading to Mariah’s living room. “You always give the most outrageous lie, and it’s so easy to guess. If I’m going to lose, I’d rather not lose first.”

Mariah smiled as her court rose from the table, filtering back inside and settling themselves on the couches, their friendly banter drifting to her on the early evening breeze. The sun had slowly set during their meeting, and Mikael was now there, busying himself in the kitchen, frantic at the number of people who’d joined her but still wearing his usual cheerful grin.

A shadow lingered by her side, even as the others moved inside. Sebastian also still stood at the table, eyes darting between Mariah, Andrian, and the rest of the group. A muscle in Mariah’s jaw twitched as she leaned back and met Andrian’s gaze.

“Go inside,” she said, her voice soft. “I need to talk to Seb.”