The Northern Kingdom’s castle is massive.
The gray, stone walls are depressing, and as Harriet guides me around, I find myself asking, “Why isn’t there anything colorful in this place?”
The question comes out before I can stop myself.
Harriet gives me a small smile. “The North has always been this way. None of the previous queens cared much about decorating the castle. His Majesty’s parents were never concerned about appearances, either. As I’m sure you know, the Northern Kingdom is responsible for protecting the Veil between the human world and ours. The Veil has incredibly strong magic, and it affects the wildlife in that area, causing those creatures to mutate. The royal family is tasked with ensuring the resulting monsters don’t cross into the human world, so they are kept very busy
