Adrian knocked on the door before leading me inside. That was after a fairly long argument before he finally gave in.
"Your Majesty." I lowered my head respectfully.
"Tea?"
I was slightly surprised by how warmly the Queen welcomed us. Was she always this gracious with her guests? Or was it because I'd come with Adrian?
"Please, sit."
It was an impressive welcome, but it also made me cautious. There was no way of knowing where this conversation was headed.
The Queen lifted a white porcelain teapot and carefully poured tea into a cup. Even that simple gesture looked incredibly elegant.
"If I dive straight into serious matters," she said, "Adrian will think I'm far too intimidating."
I instinctively glanced at Adrian, as though I'd just found the answer to a question. He looked away w
