“I know who he is,” he cut her off as he stepped beside her. His eyes locked on Alexander. “My lord commander told me you’d be foolish enough to come,” he snarled at Alexander. “I almost didn’t believe him.”
Alexander didn’t answer. And he didn’t bow. He only stood with an icy fire in his eyes. The Shadowmen drew closer from their position around the room. Norah’s heart raced faster, and her stomach turned. Things were escalating, quickly. The commander spoke to the king in the Shadow tongue, and she heard weapons being readied. Titus stepped to Alexander’s side, and the Northmen pulled their swords defensively.
Mikael gripped his own sword, moving forward, and panic surged through her. She had to stop this. She clasped Mikael’s arm, stepping in front of him and looking earnestly into his eyes. “Please,” she whispered softly.
He paused as his gaze shifted to her. When he stopped, everyone stopped. And they waited. His eyes moved back and forth between hers. The eternity of the quiet weakened her, but she held his arm tighter. Mikael looked at Alexander, then back to her. Finally, he growled a command, and the Shadowmen drew back.
Norah let herself breathe, but she couldn’t shake the wave of nausea that twisted in her stomach. Tension still hung thick in the air.
“Lord Justice,” Mikael said to Alexander, using his title for the first time, “we expected you to return to the North.”
Alexander ignored the king, looking only at Norah. “I did return, but I had to see your guard back to you, or rather, what’s left of them. I’m relieved to find you well.”
“How else did you expect to find her?” Mikael asked, his voice edged in anger.
Alexander’s eyes met the king’s, and he made no attempt to hide his disdain. “Perhaps similar to how I last saw her: assaulted and ill treated.”
Rage radiated from Mikael, and she squeezed his arm again—her silent plea for restraint. “As you can see, I’m quite well.” She grasped at how she might redirect the conversation. “What news do you have from Mercia?” She wanted to hear of home.
Alexander eyed Mikael before answering. “All is well,” Alexander said finally. “The army returned in good health. I departed after with your guard. Caspian follows shortly with additional men and more of your belongings.”
“Caspian! He lives?” She almost couldn’t believe it.
Alexander cast a hard glance back at Mikael. “He’s still healing, but he’s well and eager to lead the guard back in your service.”
The backs of her eyes stung with relief. Caspian was all right.
“She already has a guard,” Mikael said.
“She needs a guard she can trust,” Alexander cut back.
The lord commander gave a low chuckle. “Because the North has kept her so safe?”
“Please,” Norah interjected, hoping they would settle, if only for her sake. A silence returned.
The line of Alexander’s jaw tightened and then relaxed again. “Your maid Serene comes as well,” he said, picking back up the conversation.
She smiled. “With Grandmother?”
Alexander’s lips parted, but he hesitated before he said, “No.”
“No?” Her smile fell.
He glanced at the king and then back to Norah. “It’s a great risk for her to come now.”
“Too great a risk for the queen and regent to both be in enemy hands, he means,” the lord commander said.
“We’re no longer enemies,” Norah said, her eyes on Alexander.
Alexander was silent for a moment. He lowered his voice. “Try to understand. It’s difficult for her to accept things as they are now.”
“Difficult to accept things as they are?” she said angrily. “Is that not what she’s had me do from the moment I returned?” Norah swallowed back her emotion, forcing composure. The king still didn’t know of her memory loss. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t told him yet. She’d have to eventually, but not now. “Does she send a letter?” she asked.
He shook his head slowly.
A weight crushed her. She’d asked her grandmother to come, and Catherine had refused without even a letter. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment at her naivete. She hadn’t even doubted. The heat of tears stung the corners of her eyes as her emotion swelled. Not here, she told herself. She couldn’t get caught up in the frivolity of feelings as she stood between Alexander and Mikael.
“You should settle the men,” she told Alexander. “We’ll speak more after.” She needed to get him away, out of the hall and far from Mikael and the commander.
He gave a nod. “Of course.” He bowed. Then, with an icy glance back at the king, he turned from the hall and reluctantly left with the Northmen behind him.
Norah pushed out a shaking breath and swallowed back the knot rising in her throat. She turned to Mikael, but where she expected eyes of storming rage, she found none. Instead, his face had softened. Worry scored his forehead.
“I’m sorry about your grandmother,” he said, his voice gentle. His unexpected tenderness unleashed the emotion she had been trying so hard to keep inside, and a tear spilled down her cheek. He reached up and brushed it with his thumb. “You should take a walk through the gardens. I think it will make you feel better.”
Why would that make her feel better?
Her mind tumbled as her heart quickened. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? She nodded, suddenly breathless.
With the faintest smile, he turned and strode from the throne room with the commander close behind.
Norah forgot everything else as she hurried through the halls toward the gardens. Mikael’s touch still lingered on her cheek. Her being upset had bothered him—bothered him more than Alexander’s being in Kharav.
By the time she reached the courtyard, she was practically running. Her guard had to move quickly to keep up with her. Her silk shoes on the pea gravel sounded like rain as she ran past the fountains and out into the gardens.
She stopped suddenly as her breath caught in her throat.
Tears sprang to her eyes when she saw the old man by the hedges. “Bremhad!” she exclaimed.
When he heard her, he turned. “Salara,” he said as he bowed his head.
Norah was speechless, and it took her a moment to gather her wits. She thought of poor Kiran behind her, forced to contain himself and act detached.
“Are you all right?” she managed to get out.
“Most kind of you to ask, Salara. I’d taken ill for a few days, but I’m quite well now. I’m able to return to my work, which I am very thankful for.”
No doubt his excuse was for the benefit of her guard. She nodded, blinking back the tears in her eyes. “I’m glad,” she breathed. She was so very glad.
Norah tried to keep her eyes on the hall ahead of her, but they kept drifting back to Alexander as he walked beside her. She still couldn’t believe he was here. If she closed her eyes for a moment, would she find it had all been a dream when she opened them? Maybe she wished it were a dream. As much as she wanted him with her, as happy as she was to see him, she couldn’t think past the clawing fear that she could lose him forever to the forces that so badly wanted him dead.