“Our riders never heard from you,” I said to Tobiah. “After your communications ended, we sent people to search for you.”
“I was forced to disguise my identity much of the time. Traveling as the king meant I was in constant danger from people who believed I could single-handedly stop the wraith.” He turned his palms upward, as though wishing for that ability. “When the wraith began crossing the piedmont, I realized Hawes wouldn’t be safe much longer, so we headed for Snowhaven Bridge—which was collapsed partway across, unfortunately.”
“Then it was whole,” said someone from the back of the room. “We all saw it from the throne room.”
“Indeed.” Tobiah gazed around the table until he met my eyes. “We took advantage of that and rode across as quickly as possible. Then we came here to find out I’d died and you’d become Queen of Aecor.”
“I’ve never been gladder for false information.” My knee touched his and I held there so he’d know . . . what? That I still loved him? Meredith was still between us, her death not that long ago—because of me.
“Me too.” Tobiah pressed back, making my breath hitch. “We brought as many supplies as we could, including food, livestock, and building materials.”
“Thank you. We can go over the specifics tomorrow, when you’re recovered from your journey.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Perhaps we should hold off on tonight’s ball so our guests can rest.” We didn’t really need a ball to celebrate my coronation. If some believed building a barrier against the wraith was a waste of resources, surely a ball was completely useless.
“I think the ball should go as planned,” Prince Colin said. “The preparations are already made. It would be awful to waste the food and hard work people have already put into it.”
The food could be given to people in the city, but the hard work was already done.
“I think you should have it,” murmured Tobiah. “We can rest tomorrow.”
When I glanced around the table, the Ospreys all looked hopeful—for most, this would be their first ball, and Paige had put so much work into it—and even some of the Indigo Kingdom people appeared interested.
“All right.”
“That said”—Prince Colin leaned forward—“we should consider what His Majesty’s arrival means for Wilhelmina’s queenship. As I recall, the Wraith Alliance granted Wilhelmina her queenship only because the sovereign of the Indigo Kingdom was dead. Much to my delight, my nephew is alive.”
Silence fell around the table.
“Again, by some miracle.” Prince Colin never looked away from Tobiah. “When Patrick Lien shot you, you recovered so quickly, just like your cousin.”
Connor slouched into his chair, and James’s jaw tightened.
“What are you implying?” A frown pulled at Tobiah’s mouth—a reminder of his princely mask. “I’ve had a long journey and I’m not in the mood to untangle your paranoia.”
Prince Colin’s voice was steady. “I’m implying that it’s convenient you were declared dead, Wilhelmina was crowned queen, and then you arrived immediately after.”
Oh, saints. I opened my mouth to tell him to shut it, but Tobiah got there first.
“You think this was convenient?” Tobiah stood and looked down on his uncle. “You think I planned for the wraith to destroy my city? My home? Thousands of my people? You think I planned to have to abandon everything and trek across the wraith-flooded kingdom to seek refuge in the land I was kidnapped to as a child? You think I planned my numerous brushes with death, and having to persuade everyone that coming to Aecor was our only hope of survival? All so that Wilhelmina could be crowned queen?”
No one moved. Not even Prince Colin.
“Even if that had all been planned—which would make me both a mass murderer and capable of seeing into the future—do you think I’d have timed my arrival to look so suspicious? There is nothing convenient about today.” Tobiah let that linger, and then he sat down again.
Well. Now that Tobiah had that out of the way. “Prince Colin,” I said, “you are dismissed.”
He shook his head. “I want to talk about the bridge.”
I allowed my voice to dip lower, dangerous. “You are dismissed. James, please help Prince Colin to the door.”
James stepped away from his place by the wall, but Prince Colin was already up and moving. He paused at the door, taking a heartbeat to glare at Tobiah, and then at me. “Isn’t it alarming how quickly King Tobiah recovered from the death of his bride, and now he rises to support the queen who commands the creature that killed our dear Meredith?”
As members of the council glanced at one another, some with disgust or surprise, Prince Colin disappeared down the hall.
Tobiah motioned to one of his guards. “Watch him.”
The man bowed and left the room.
“Now,” I said, “there’s a ball to prepare for. Everyone has one minute to leave the room.”