Free Evermine: Daughters of Askara, Book 2 by Hailey Edwards Page B

a line and hooked me into behavioral patterns I hated.
    “It’s all right.” I waved the youth closer. “They’re friends of mine.”
    Aaron’s wary eyes narrowed. “Would you prefer I deliver the message in private?”
    “No.” Dillon rested a hand at his hip, tapping a knife’s hilt. “She’ll hear it here, now.”
    “Lady?” Aaron’s voice wavered.
    “It’s okay.” I glared at Dillon, tempted to slap him. “We’re all friends here.”
    The boy gave a curt nod. “You requested a letter be given to Queen Nesvia, but she will accept no visitors or messages during summer court.” He lowered his gaze. “Rideal is acting as her proxy, and given the urgent nature of your message, I—I surrendered your letter to him.”
    The letter’s contents skipped through my mind. Nothing suspect. Unease slid through my limbs that the thought even occurred to me. Rideal was her consort, my brother in a distant way, though I knew little of him. A harmless request for an audience was just that—harmless.
    Harper’s growl curled my insides. “She can’t expect us to wait three months and hope we aren’t picked off by raiders by then.” He spat a foul curse in Demonish. “She will hear us.”
    “Just let me think.” I touched his shoulder, holding him back from spraying spittle on my messenger. “She’s never refused me an audience, or closed her court.” I rubbed at my temple.
    “She didn’t mention the possibility to you?” Doubt laced his voice.
    “No,” I growled right back. “She wasn’t expecting me, either. She knows how I feel about Rihos. She knew I wouldn’t go to see her there. She had no reason to tell me of her plans.”
    “Lady?” Aaron’s uncertainty caught my attention. I turned. He offered me a silver foil envelope. An elaborate “B” looped in the wax sealing its flap closed.
    “Who gave you this?” I already knew. Deep down, I had no doubt.
    “Lord Roland Bernhard. He overheard my exchange with his brother. Once Lord Rideal Bernhard dismissed me, the elder Lord Bernhard brought me to his tent and asked I wait while he penned this message. He said bring it direct to you, lady.” His face scrunched up as if struggling to remember some small detail. “He also mentioned sending regards from a Lord Baselios?”
    Flames licked along my cheekbones as I ripped the flap and extracted Roland’s letter.
    “Roland Bernhard?” Harper pushed Dillon aside, crowding me. “You’ve met him?”
    “Yes, last night.” I skimmed the letter. “Nesvia sent a summons by him.”
    “And let me guess, even if you didn’t eat or drink, you got sick on the way home or shortly after.” He sounded certain enough, I glanced up at him.
    “Yes.” I scanned his face as I refolded the letter. “How did you know?”
    He shared a look with Dillon before answering. “Sereian glamour has side effects.”
    “Such as?” I expected him to say skin rash or migraines.
    He crossed his arms. “Addiction.”
    I saw where this was headed. “So this morning—you think I was going through withdrawal?”
    “All things considered, yes.”
    “I’ve done addiction.” Hadn’t we covered this? I swept an arm down my body. “This didn’t feel that way.”
    “You’d been away from Roland for several hours. The contact high was gone.” He touched my arm. “You’d moved into the withdrawal phase.”
    I shook him off me. His concern grated on my nerves. I was not an addict. Not anymore. “That’s not how glamour works.” A thought occurred to me. “Are you jealous? Is that why you’re saying this?”
    He rubbed his eyes. “You’re making my case for me, and you don’t even realize it.” He tapped the paper in my hand. “What does he want with you?”
    My scalp prickled. “He asked me to visit him, in Rihos.” I offered Harper the letter. I didn’t care if he saw it, but he brushed it aside. “He said he can’t make any promises, but if I meet him at the summer castle, he’ll see what he can