Chapter 2

“The protector has arrived, Your Majesty,” Keith announced, stepping aside.

The Queen stood by the big stained window at the end of the room. She looked older; the lines of worry around her eyes were deeper than the last time I saw her. She wore a majestic gown that glimmered with every move, and a crown that scattered tiny motes of light.

When she turned, her face lit up with a joy so raw that it almost broke my facade. She stepped closer, and every tap of her heels echoed louder the more she approached me. An instinctive urge to hug her grew in my chest, but I forced myself to contain it.

Her arms were already spreading open to receive me, even though a few steps still felt far.

“Lyaenor! Oh, my dear girl, you’re back—”

And before she could pull me into an embrace, and I let my emotion get in the way, I dropped to one knee and bowed my head low.

“Your Majesty,” I said, my voice low and confined. My eyes were fixed on her skirt brushing the floor. The title tasted rusty in my mouth, as I used to call her by her name in the past. “I am here at your command.”

I heard her gasp slightly as she abruptly stopped before me, and the room fell into sudden silence; not even the crackling fireplace could fill the space. Her hand found my shoulder, and it felt hesitant as she squeezed gently. When I looked up, her face showed awe, and a spark of sadness crossed her features for a brief second.

“Stand up, Lyaenor. Please,” she requested, her voice trembled a bit. “I see you’ve changed.”

I couldn’t bring myself to say anything, since all I could do was stare at her. My silence would be enough for her to know my answer.

Queen Neryssa smiled sadly at my professional neutrality, though my heart hammered against my ribs. Then she let go of the grip to smooth her gown. She looked at Keith, still at the entrance like a statue.

“Thank you, Commander. You may leave for now. Ensure the perimeter of the North Tower is doubled for the night.”

Keith bowed deeply, his eyes darting to me for a fraction of a second before he disappeared into the hallway.

“You’ve come a long way, Lyaenor,” the Queen said, her eyes looking for mine. “Quicker than I expected, but I’m glad you’re back safe.”

I swallowed. The road had been tougher, riding on Nyx through winter storms and long deserts. Hopefully, we didn’t encounter anything dangerous along the way, but those were the longest five days.

“The letter seemed urgent, and to grant protection is my biggest duty.”

“You always had that in you,” Queen Naryssa said low, looking away with nostalgia lingering somewhere stuck in her throat. “Fortunately, the Temple of the Silver Wyrd helped you polish your spirit.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I bowed my head slightly. “But if I may, I would like to discuss the matter further, as your letter lacked details.”

Neryssa held up a hand, stopping my words. “We’ll do that, Lyaenor. But first, you’ll dine with me. The sun has set, and you look like you need to restore your energy.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, but—”

“It is an order from your Queen, Warden,” she said, the Sovereing of Aelwyn taking her place briefly. “Let us go to the small dining hall.”

“Don’t you need to call your guards to escort you?”

She smiled widely. “You’re here. And that’s all the protection I need.”

The dinner was a hollow affair. We sat at a table meant for twenty, but only two places were set. A few High guards stood at the corners of the room, with no sight of Keith. It was a strange feeling being in this room. In the past, the whole space was filled with the laughter of the princes as they played around, and the clinking of wine and chatter. The King would always tell us stories before the meals, and the Queen would follow him. Sometimes, when they had visitors from other kingdoms, the table would hold no space for any single soul, but with their amazing magic, they would make it larger.

Now, all that life was replaced by the scrape of our silver forks against the porcelain and the rustling wind against the big windows.

The Queen tried to talk about the small things—the weather in the south, the books I may have read during my time there, even about my training in the Temple—but I offered only straightforward responses. We were not about telling the secrets of the Temple, or their ways. It was a sacred place where we left behind attaching things. Of course, I could not tell her about the scars I earned or how I gained the ability to sleep more lightly.

“This place changed a lot when you left, Lyaenor.”

I stopped my fork in the air moments before filling my mouth with its contents. I swallowed the piece of venison, though it felt like a lead in my throat. The words got stuck and travelled back in, unsure of how to answer. Telling her that I did miss this place, too, felt off and out of my training. I was not here to stay, and she must not gain the wrong idea. This place was the first thing I had to let go of, and only I knew how much it cost me.

“And we for sure missed Nyx,” she continued.