known the king well, but he’d only shown her kindness. The queen must have been reeling.
Valoria’s chest tightened. “And Brax?”
Cadence smiled. “Very much still alive.”
At least someone was still in place to run the kingdom. Valoria hadn’t entirely failed.
“What about Lieutenant Blueborough?” She didn’t care if Cadence chastised her. She had to know.
“I haven’t heard about him. I’m sorry, my lady. I didn’t think to ask.” Cadence must have thought she’d had enough trauma without her handmaiden nagging her because she didn’t press it any further.
A knock came from the door.
Cadence stood. “Perhaps that’s Brax now, come to check on the woman who saved his kingdom.”
Valoria settled back into bed. Was she ready to face him? Could she find the right words to acknowledge the grief he must feel? She’d have to try. They were to be married one of these days, and she couldn’t hide from him forever. Since the battle, everything had changed, even if her feelings for him did not. The warriors and minstrels needed each other. There was no way either of them could fight such an evil force on their own. Her union with Brax was more important now than ever. She could not allow her personal feelings to bring down two kingdoms. She had to grow up and accept her responsibilities. “I’m ready.”
Cadence patted her hand, then jogged across the room and opened the door. “Lieutenant? I didn’t think to find you here.”
Valoria perked up. It had to be Nathaniel.
“I’m sorry to intrude. Will Valoria see me?”
Relief filled her with joy at the sound of his voice. Nathaniel was alive.
Cadence paused. “She’s still very weak.”
“Allow him in.” Valoria called in the most authoritative voice she could muster. “This instant.”
“Very well.” Cadence gave her a wary look, then opened the door further.
Nathaniel rushed in, his handsome face full of worry. He bowed his head. “My lady.”
Valoria tapped the chair where Cadence had sat. “Please, sit down.” She glanced at Cadence. “Leave us.”
“My lady? Are you certain that’s appropriate?”
“For Lyric’s sake, he is checking on my health on behalf of his brother.”
Cadence bowed her head. When she glanced up again, she gave Nathaniel a suspicious look. “I’ll be a shout away.”
After Cadence disappeared into her room, Nathaniel took the seat beside Valoria.
Valoria touched his hand. “I am most sorry to hear of the king.”
Nathaniel blinked as if staunching tears. “He died in battle saving those he loved. For a warrior, there is no better way to go.”
They sat in silence. Valoria could think of nothing appropriate to say after such loss. She realized she was still holding his hand but she didn’t let go. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save him.”
Nathaniel turned to her with eagerness flashing in his face. “Did you really save the rest of us?”
Valoria held her breath. She’d said too much already. “I did what I had to.”
Nathaniel wouldn’t allow her to look away. He locked his gaze with hers. His tone was questioning. “I did not hear a minstrel’s song.”
“I did not sing one.”
He shook his head. “I do not understand.”
Valoria sighed. It was too late to hide the truth. Besides, he’d only ever been truthful with her, and she couldn’t bring herself to speak a lie between them. “I tapped into the dark necromancer’s magic, but in doing so I exposed myself.”
Shock and horror passed his face. “Horred’s grave. Are you all right?”
She shrugged. “Only time will tell. We’re told not to expand our powers beyond simple songs. I’ve broken the minstrel’s code of conduct.” She squeezed his hand. The thought of him renouncing her made her sick. “You must know I had no other choice.”
“I understand.” A strange suspicion crossed his face. “Had you ever used this type of power before?”
Valoria’s skin chilled. It was time she told someone, time she
Valoria’s chest tightened. “And Brax?”
Cadence smiled. “Very much still alive.”
At least someone was still in place to run the kingdom. Valoria hadn’t entirely failed.
“What about Lieutenant Blueborough?” She didn’t care if Cadence chastised her. She had to know.
“I haven’t heard about him. I’m sorry, my lady. I didn’t think to ask.” Cadence must have thought she’d had enough trauma without her handmaiden nagging her because she didn’t press it any further.
A knock came from the door.
Cadence stood. “Perhaps that’s Brax now, come to check on the woman who saved his kingdom.”
Valoria settled back into bed. Was she ready to face him? Could she find the right words to acknowledge the grief he must feel? She’d have to try. They were to be married one of these days, and she couldn’t hide from him forever. Since the battle, everything had changed, even if her feelings for him did not. The warriors and minstrels needed each other. There was no way either of them could fight such an evil force on their own. Her union with Brax was more important now than ever. She could not allow her personal feelings to bring down two kingdoms. She had to grow up and accept her responsibilities. “I’m ready.”
Cadence patted her hand, then jogged across the room and opened the door. “Lieutenant? I didn’t think to find you here.”
Valoria perked up. It had to be Nathaniel.
“I’m sorry to intrude. Will Valoria see me?”
Relief filled her with joy at the sound of his voice. Nathaniel was alive.
Cadence paused. “She’s still very weak.”
“Allow him in.” Valoria called in the most authoritative voice she could muster. “This instant.”
“Very well.” Cadence gave her a wary look, then opened the door further.
Nathaniel rushed in, his handsome face full of worry. He bowed his head. “My lady.”
Valoria tapped the chair where Cadence had sat. “Please, sit down.” She glanced at Cadence. “Leave us.”
“My lady? Are you certain that’s appropriate?”
“For Lyric’s sake, he is checking on my health on behalf of his brother.”
Cadence bowed her head. When she glanced up again, she gave Nathaniel a suspicious look. “I’ll be a shout away.”
After Cadence disappeared into her room, Nathaniel took the seat beside Valoria.
Valoria touched his hand. “I am most sorry to hear of the king.”
Nathaniel blinked as if staunching tears. “He died in battle saving those he loved. For a warrior, there is no better way to go.”
They sat in silence. Valoria could think of nothing appropriate to say after such loss. She realized she was still holding his hand but she didn’t let go. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save him.”
Nathaniel turned to her with eagerness flashing in his face. “Did you really save the rest of us?”
Valoria held her breath. She’d said too much already. “I did what I had to.”
Nathaniel wouldn’t allow her to look away. He locked his gaze with hers. His tone was questioning. “I did not hear a minstrel’s song.”
“I did not sing one.”
He shook his head. “I do not understand.”
Valoria sighed. It was too late to hide the truth. Besides, he’d only ever been truthful with her, and she couldn’t bring herself to speak a lie between them. “I tapped into the dark necromancer’s magic, but in doing so I exposed myself.”
Shock and horror passed his face. “Horred’s grave. Are you all right?”
She shrugged. “Only time will tell. We’re told not to expand our powers beyond simple songs. I’ve broken the minstrel’s code of conduct.” She squeezed his hand. The thought of him renouncing her made her sick. “You must know I had no other choice.”
“I understand.” A strange suspicion crossed his face. “Had you ever used this type of power before?”
Valoria’s skin chilled. It was time she told someone, time she
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