Anwen
Kieran paces back and forth in front of the thrones, his royal robes flapping in a wind he's creating, a habit we both picked up from Father. The Sollabellas called a meeting with him to discuss the events of the ball last night, and Raven is too ill to do more than sit up in bed, so he asked me to join him. I fidget with my shirt, trying to stop it from scratching over the claw marks Estrella left behind. If I can't feel them, it's easier not to think about her.
"Last night was our first statement to the world," Kieran says. "Our first shot to declare that we're different from Father."
Your first shot, I almost say. Judging by most of the conversation I overheard last night, the rest of the kingdoms consider Kieran an outlier and hold the rest of us in suspicion. Raven is the only reason he's getting the chance he is.
"It needed to go perfectly." He stops and looks at me. "Instead, another king's blood stains our floors."
"I didn't kill him," I say automatically. Does everyone in this castle think I'm guilty?
Kieran shakes his head. "I'm not saying that. And when somebody else asks you, answer a little slower. You sound defensive."
I grit my teeth and clamp down on my temper. He's dealing with the humiliation of having failed with the world's eyes on him.
And I'm dealing with the humiliation of being rejected by my mate. Somehow, I think my mark's burn has gotten more potent. Or it just feels more personal, now that I want something else.
"I brought you here because there can be no mistakes in how we handle the rest of this," he says.
"So stand back, listen, report." I flip him a salute. "Heard and-"
"No."
"What?" I shake my head like I might've heard him wrong.
"I have to run the kingdom," Kieran says. "It's mostly paperwork and dull activities, but if it doesn't get done, the kingdom comes crumbling down around us. I can't lead this investigation and do that. And with the lingering confusion in the army after Father's death, Taner can't devote himself to it either."
Realization starts to sink in. "You want me to lead it?"
"And make the Sollabellas happy. It may have been irritating when we were younger, but you have an ear for things people don't want heard in this castle." Kieran finally sits on his throne, like the motivation driving him to pace was offering me this chance. "You're smart, when you apply yourself, and worse than that, you're clever. I think it's time you were given a chance to put that to better use than dicking around with Baz."
I blink. This is what I've been waiting for my whole life. The king-admittedly, I always imagined Father-looking at me and saying I have something to offer the kingdom more than a fallback Alpha. Something fizzes behind my ribcage in a way that makes me shift uncomfortably.
The phrase "make the Sollabellas happy" rings in my ears. I always intended to chase every lead in this investigation to its fullest, but Kieran is offering me something bigger. Something that will put me in direct proximity to Estrella constantly until this is over. For now, they may be the Sollabellas, but she's the real power in the group. Luna Queen of Sundrop Gem. If I'm making reports to anybody, it'll be her.
"Well?" Kieran says. "I sort of expected you'd be kissing my feet by now."
I roll my eyes. "In your dreams. But I do... appreciate this."
He leans back like the matter is settled. For all he's changed, he has more of Father's mannerisms than he'd probably admit. "Wonderful. I didn't exactly have a second choice. Now, in terms of next steps-"
A trumpet blasts, and the door to the throne room swings open. Estrella, resplendent in a new dress that reminds me of the strip of fabric I unwound from her last night, leads her mother and brother into the room. Kieran straightens. I step up onto the dais with him but don't take the throne next to his. That belongs to Raven, whether she's here or not.
Estrella stops just past a respectful distance from the thrones, a subtle insult and insinuation of her rank, then curtsies. "Good morning, Your Majesty, Your Highness."
Kieran inclines his head. "I hope you've had as good a morning as you can. Please accept my condolences on behalf of the Solbergs and all of Dun's Crossing for your loss."
Castor scowls at that. Queen-Dowager Luna-Suniva simply stares at a spot between the two thrones like she's only half here. Estrella won't look at me.
"They are noted," she says. "First, we have an announcement."
Castor clears his throat. "Introducing Luna Queen Estrella Sollabella and Dowager Luna Suniva Sollabella, of Sundrop Gem."
"I wish I could offer you congratulations on your ascension." Kieran stands and bows, then sits again. "Instead, I offer any help you wish during this difficult transition."
"My entitlement is merely a matter of statecraft at this time," Estrella says. "Until we return to Sundrop Gem, and I undergo the coronation ceremony, the magic will not recognize me."
"When do you intend that return to be?" Kieran asks.
Castor clenches his jaw. Some expression flickers across Estrella's face and away again, too quickly for me to read, but the stab of pain in my chest tells me the question isn't a pleasant one. Automatically, I start to share the information with Kieran, then stop. The information I've learned from this strange bond is too private. And it might open up questions I can't answer.
"Promptly upon the conclusion of the investigation I'm told you're conducting into the matter of my father's death," she says crisply.
My stomach sinks slightly. As soon as I prove we have nothing to do with this, I lose her forever. That means I need to figure out a way into her heart before then.
"We are," Kieran says. "And we're extremely sorry about the way this has all gone down. I had the honor of speaking with King Isai often in his final days, and he told me a little of your legends of the feud. I'm taking strength from those now."
"Strength, Your Majesty?" Estrella asks.
"I assume you know the stories better than I." Kieran smiles wryly. "But I'll explain how they sound to new ears. King Isai spoke of a line of twin brothers who led Sundrop Gem in unison, the throne passing to whichever of them had a child first. As it always goes with brothers, one of them eventually grew jealous. The paler one." He holds up his hand. "And the one without magic. When the brothers fought, the jealous one decided it was a rift that could not be mended and fled across the Lonely Sea with his supporters." He looks at me. "If there is one issue I have learned how to mend, it's fights between siblings. I know no one of Dun's Crossing committed this atrocity, and that means our discomfort right now is nothing more than another brotherly squabble."
I suck in a breath as Estrella draws herself up, already knowing somewhere in the core of me that she won't interpret that little speech like Kieran hopes.
"I am so glad, Your Majesty, that you specialize in squabbles." Venom drips from her words. "Forgive me if I don't share your bird's eye view of the situation, with my father's blood still wet in the halls of a castle that offered us hospitality."
Kieran's smile grows stiff. "I meant no offense."
"I'm certain you didn't," she says.
My mark aches. She still hasn't looked at me.
'Fancy words aren't getting us anywhere,' I say to Kieran over the mind-link. 'Offer something real. That might go over better.'
He clears his throat. "I am aware the envoy Floyd Winters is currently keeping your father from decomposing. Is there a reason not to conduct his funeral? Our holy woman, Aylin, would be honored to release the soul of such an impressive man to the Goddess. In accordance with the hospitality you mentioned, Dun's Crossing is also willing to handle any cost or inconvenience associated with transporting one of your holy women here, if that would be preferable."
Estrella lifts her chin and stares down her nose at Kieran. Still just Kieran. "Sundrop Gem appreciates your offer, King Kieran, but our traditions dictate my father must be buried in our own soil."
"We can transport him as well," Kieran says. "Or all four of you there for the ceremony and back to assist with the investigation."
Frosty silence fills the throne room. Shit. If there's one thing I've learned about Estrella, it's that actions mean more than words. But if this isn't the sort of thing actions can fix....
"Allow me to be clear, Your Majesty," she says. "Until the matter of this investigation is closed, Sundrop Gem will not be accepting any favors from Dun's Crossing beyond housing. We have had quite enough of your help."
The implication dangles in the air, cold and clear. She thinks-they all think-Dun's Crossing had something to do with this. Earlier, I thought she might've suspected as much, but there's no hesitation in her gray eyes now. She's settled in the matter, in her own mind at least.
"Certainly." Kieran stands, covering the upset and frustration he mind-links to me well. "Then I'll take this opportunity to reintroduce Prince Anwen, who will be leading the investigation. He will make regular reports to you, as you see fit."
"And if I see fit that your prince includes my father's Beta in the investigation itself?" she asks Kieran.
"I see no issue with it, and I doubt Prince Anwen will either." He looks at me. "Will you, brother?"
If being watched is what it takes her to believe me, I have no issue at all. "No. And I look forward to completing this investigation to your standards, Luna Estrella."
Finally, finally she looks at me. But it's like looking into the eyes of a stranger.
"We shall see."