“I’m certain.” Faith’s tone brooked no argument. “Please show me the way.”
If she couldn’t solve the politics or the mate thing tonight, couldn’t untangle the mess of emotions and expectations that had wrapped around her like chains, she could at least make sure someone was safe. She could at least try to make amends for the chaos that had followed in her wake.
The servant nodded and gestured for Faith to follow, leading her deeper into the palace toward whatever awaited. The servant’s soft footsteps echoed through corridors that seemed to stretch endlessly before finally stopping at heavy wooden doors. Faith’s pulse hammered as the girl pushed them open, revealing a chamber suffused with the gentle aroma of medicinal herbs and the crisp scent of freshly laundered linens.
Merral sat propped against a mountain of pillows, his weathered face pinched with the particular irritation of a man unaccustomed to confinement. The pallor that had terrified her earlier had given way to healthy color, and his breathing moved steadily, free of the foam and panic that had nearly claimed him.Relief crashed through her so violently her knees threatened to buckle.
“You look far better,” she managed.
He snorted. “I look imprisoned.”
Despite everything—the fear, the guilt, the chaos of the evening—laughter bubbled up. “Well, hopefully they will let you leave soon. I’m so sorry for the trouble I caused?—“
“Stop.” His voice cut through her apology with gentle authority. “You saved me.”
Faith blinked, confusion clouding her thoughts. “I don’t understand.”
“You recognized the allergic reaction immediately. Named it. Shouted it.” His eyes held hers steadily. “That clarity shaved precious seconds off the response time. If you hadn’t spoken up, the healers might not have understood the urgency.”
The guilt that had been eating at her insides shifted, morphing into something less sharp but no less complex. She had helped, yes, but her presence had also created the opportunity for the attack in the first place.
Merral’s voice dropped to a more intimate register. “You need to understand something about this kingdom. These last twenty years have not been peaceful.”
Faith settled into the chair beside his bed, sensing the weight of what he was about to share.
“Kovrak’s lack of a mate has caused unrest. Doubt. Opportunists have been circling like vultures, especially after last year’s public display when he refused to bring anyone to the festival.” His lined face grew grim. “Power without a clear direction invites teeth. I just happened to be the first victim of it.”
Her stomach clenched as the implications hit her. “Someone tried to kill you to get to him.”
“To discredit you, more precisely. To make it appear that his choice of mate was dangerous to the pride.” Merral’s weathered hands smoothed the coverlet with methodical precision. “They wanted to drive you away.”
“I’ll admit, I’m overwhelmed by all of this. This alien shifter world and its politics and its powerful creatures,” she confessed. “And I didn’t understand what choosing Kovrak would truly mean.”
He studied her face intently, holding space for her to share her feelings.
“It isn’t just kitchens and quiet dinners,” she continued, her voice growing stronger. “It’s strategy and optics. Enemies. People potentially getting hurt because of me.”
“I have watched my nephew for two decades looking lost and defeated. I have never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. The hope in his eyes has returned.”
Her breath caught in her chest, a flutter of something dangerous and warm.
“And I see the way you look at him,” he finished with a knowing smile.
Heat flooded her cheeks. She had thought she was being subtle, professional. Apparently, her attraction to Kovrak was as obvious as a neon sign.
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough for this place,” she whispered. “Or for him.”
Merral’s expression softened. “But you’re still here.”
The simple observation hit her like a revelation.
“You did not run when you easily could have. You came to check on me. You faced accusation with composure at the feast. You’ve adapted. You’ve learned. You stand even when afraid.” His smile grew warmer. “That is queen energy, whether you claim it or not.”
Her throat tightened unexpectedly. The praise felt like a benediction, filling spaces in her heart she hadn’t realized were empty. She had never known her father, and this was the closest thing to paternal approval she had ever experienced.
“The people may come around. Or they may not. Politics shifts like sand,” he added gently. “What matters is what grows between the two of you. That is the true foundation.”
The door opened with a soft whisper of hinges. Faith turned to see Kovrak filling the doorway—broad shoulders, controlled expression, those pale blue eyes immediately scanning her for signs of distress or fear. When he noticed her attentiveness to his uncle, something in his posture eased.