Queen of Stars and Shadows by Cat Bruno

Author:Cat Bruno [Bruno, Cat]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781537722979
Publisher: Painted Quill Press
Published: 2016-11-06T22:00:00+00:00

15

For several days, the King had stayed at Ravenfold, while most of the Lightkeepers had returned to the King’s City. Tanic had remained, although Pietro had wished she had departed with her brother. Lerric had spent two days questioning him, with the King’s permission, until Pietro grew to hate the man.

The Chief Lightkeeper did not believe most of what Pietro answered, yet he could not accuse him openly, for the healer still had the support of Queen Assana. She had pleaded with Delwin, convincing her husband that without Pietro’s warnings, the Tribesman would have likely come to Ravenfold. Even though Pietro knew her fears were false ones, he admitted no such thing. In truth, he had little choice once Tanic had followed him, yet confessed only what was already known.

After, when the Lightkeepers met with the King at Ravenfold, Pietro found himself relieved to hear that the Tribesman had escaped. More, he had been half-stunned to hear of the great storm that had befallen the Lightkeepers. Even without his naming Jarek, the King concluded that such an unnatural storm could have only come from the water-mage. For days, King Delwin raged, demanding that his council investigate fully. None learned of Pietro’s own involvement with Jarek, not even Tanic, who rarely parted from his side. The woman was wiser than she appeared and knew much of the ways of the golden-eyed. Even with as little royal blood as he had, Pietro could not shake the fire-lust once it began. He was not dim-witted and understood how the Lightkeeper used that knowledge against him.

When they were alone, she would whisper promises of safety and vows of love. Pietro doubted that he would be able to live under the rule of Lerric, even with the proffered safety. If he could not return to the Academy, then he would just as soon stay with Assana, he had decided days past.

“Did you hear that the King has departed?” Tanic called as she entered his room.

At Ravenfold, he had more freedom than in the Grand Palace, yet it was not enough that he would not be allowed to leave. Delwin had arrived before the Lightkeepers and had sought out Pietro with haste. With Tanic’s aid, he told a story of searching for night-blooming primrose just outside the castle’s walls. She had offered to accompany him, but before they could return, she had sensed the Tribesman. The King was ill-pleased that she had not alerted the Queen’s Guard before they searched the Vesta port, yet he thanked them for their quick actions upon their return.

Without Tanic’s lies, Pietro knew that he would have been imprisoned or worse. No doubt she knew just as much.

“He came to see me this morning as I was tending to Alistair,” Pietro told her, concealing his annoyance.

“My brother rides with him, and the King has taken a fondness to Lerric. He would be a fool not to, for soon the Lightkeepers will be needed even more than his beloved Royal Army.”

With a hurried glance to the open door, Pietro warned, “Guard your tongue.

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