“Come, dear,” she said kindly. “Mark is waiting for you.”
I climbed the stairs, sliding my hand along the smooth marble of the banister. When I reached the queen at the top landing, I was surprised by how much taller I was than her—at least five inches. I must have grown since the last time we had seen each other in person. It really had been a long time. I decided to curtsey again for good measure.
“How was your flight, dear?” Queen Belleny asked, leading me up the hall. Her wavy brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, held together by a black silk bow that matched her gown.
“Fine, thank you. How is Mark?”
“He is still rather weak and is resting in bed now. But he is unharmed and in good spirits. Honestly, I cannot believe he is awake.”
The queen looked at me with glassy hazel eyes
