Chapter 119
Kit kissed her mother’s ring and then looked up at the dais for the first time. She’d known they weren’t alone when she’d entered the room because she’d heard enough stirring to be multiple people, but she’d walked in with her head low and hadn’t been able to place who was present. Now, she realized the other council members present where her own grandmother, Junno, Duchess Zora, and an older, distant cousin named Quinn. In front of the dais stood a tall, thin woman with dark hair and a lovely face. Her brown curls were piled high atop her head, and while she looked a bit weary, she smiled at Kit pleasantly. She wore a soft pink traveling gown and boots that didn’t quite match the style of the dress, but Kit assumed this had to be the new lady she’d been waiting for.
“Princess Katrinetta, it is nice of you to join us,” her mother said, her words dripping of sarcasm. “I thought perhaps you were still ill from your exploits yesterday.”
“No, Mother, I’m fine, thank you,” Kit replied. “Only sleepy, that’s all.”
Her mother made a tsking noise with her tongue as if no one were ever allowed to be tired in her castle. “This is Lady Sephorina of the family Hillbright. She is a Viscountess from Eastbury. Her family has always been quite loyal to the crown, and her great-great-grandmother once served on the council.”
Kit tried to look impressed, though she honestly couldn’t care less. “It’s lovely to meet you.” Sephorina curtsied low, indicating the honor was all hers.
Queen Rona continued. “She will be serving as your lady-in-waiting since the other girl did not work out.” Junno made a sound in her throat that drew the queen’s attention. She stared at her mother for a moment before returning her attention to her daughter. “I expect you to treat her the same way you do your cousins, like part of our family.”
“Yes, of course, Mother,” Kit replied thinking Sephorina would be better off if she didn’t treat her like a member of the family but rather like a stranger. Otherwise, she would be the brunt of jokes and ridicule at every turn, and Kit would expect the same from her.
She waited for a moment, expecting her mother to say more. When she didn’t, Kit asked, “Is there anything else?”
“No, only... the play tonight... you do still intend to dismiss the Representatives you mentioned a few days ago?”
“Yes, my Queen, if it pleases you.”
Rona nodded. “And... Pierce is your choice for this evening?”
Despite the fact that she did not want to entertain anyone new in the least bit, Kit confirmed, “He is, Mother.”
A satisfied smile pulled at the queen’s otherwise dower expression. “Good. All right then, that’s all. I’ve asked the servants to take Sephorina’s items to the recently vacated room. Please show her to your chambers to get acquainted with your expectations, and then you may have Isla or Avinia show her to her room. I’d like for her to get some rest before she’s tasked with managing your hair.” Her mother’s gaze indicated she wasn’t satisfied with the work done in haste by her other ladies in an attempt to get Kit to the throne room in a timely fashion.
“Yes, Mother,” Kit replied, trying to hide her true emotions. She bowed, and Sephorina did the same before both of them backed to the door and the guards let them out.
Turning around, Kit saw Isla and Avinia’s faces marked with curiosity. Once they noticed Sephorina, those expressions were replaced with understanding. “Avinia, Isla, this is Sephorina.”
“Please, call me Seph,” she said, offering her hand, and the girls exchanged small pleasantries as they shook hands.
“My chamber is this way,” Kit said, heading that direction. “It’s located approximately two provinces over from my mother’s chambers.”
It took Seph a moment to realize she was telling a joke, but when she got it, she giggled. “The castle is quite large, isn’t it?”
“Yes, and it’s easy to get lost. But everyone here is friendly, for the most part, and they’re likely to stop and point you in the right direction if you ask, particularly my guardsmen.” She gestured to the two men following them. “My guard wears gray with purple emblems on the side whereas my mother’s guard wears maroon emblems. The uniforms look similar, but be careful not to confuse them as the Queen’s Guard is not nearly as pleasant as mine.”
Her words drew snickers from those who were familiar with what she spoke of, particularly the guardsmen. One of them was fairly new, and she remembered his name was odd—Sil. The other was a middle-aged married man Lim. He often told her silly stories when she was younger and he’d been the one to walk her back and forth to her lessons, which she never much cared for.
“Where are you from?” Avinia asked as they walked along. “Eastbury, I know, but what village?”
“Clanterton,” Seph replied. “My mother is one of the council members in Eastbury and represents Clanterton on all of the important issues.”
“Clanterton?” Isla repeated. “Isn’t that near Ironton?”
“It is. It’s a border town.”
“No wonder it took you so long to get here,” Avinia said. “That’s as far away from Castle Wrenbrook as one can be and still be in Eastbury.”
“It should’ve only taken a couple of days,” Seph explained. “If it weren’t for all of the rain.”
“It’s been terrible hasn’t it?” Isla agreed, which precipitated a conversation on precipitation that Kit tuned out.
They turned down the final hall where her chambers were located, the girls chatting behind her when Kit looked up and saw Eli and a few of her guards coming toward them. She tried not to look at him, but it was impossible to pretend she couldn’t see him. He still wouldn’t meet her gaze, but when his eyes flittered past her, he stopped in his tracks and his mouth fell open for a second before she heard Seph say, “Captain?” in the sort of voice that made Kit’s stomach twist into a knotted pastry.
