When the session ended at the tolling of four hour, Laren sighed in relief. It was a long time standing and she ached all over. She stood aside as the assembled dispersed, with the intention of speaking with Zachary, but he left in haste and spoke to no one, not even Prince Tuandre. She couldn’t even ask Fastion if he had any idea what was going on with Zachary because he had to rush out of the chamber to keep up with the king.

She found herself standing alone in the chamber, mystified. Zachary hadn’t even glanced her way when normally there would have been at least some acknowledgment of her existence. His excessive attention to Estora had been odd enough, though she’d taken to heart what Les Tallman had said about “nesting.” Even if Estora had not already asked her to look into it, she would have anyway based on the behavior that she had just witnessed.

Laren decided there was no time like the present to go talk to Zachary and see for herself the cause of his behavior. By the time she reached his door, however, he was already closed away in his apartments, with Weapons on guard outside.

“Fastion,” she said, “I’d like to see the king.”

“I’m sorry, Captain,” he replied, “but he has ordered no disturbances. Perhaps if you made an appointment with his secretary?”

Laren had never required an appointment to see Zachary before, though she had also never infringed on his desire for privacy.

“I would like to see the queen, then.”

“I’m sorry, Captain, but the king is with the queen.”

She wondered how much Estora wished not to be disturbed, or if it was just Zachary imposing his wishes upon her.

“Could you just please tell the king I am here? I’m sure he’d see me.”

Fastion’s expression remained stony, and he did not move an inch. “I’m sorry, Captain, but his orders were explicit.”

If he said “I’m sorry” one more time . . . She stared at him. He was as immoveable as a statue. She glanced at Willis, and he was much the same. It would be of no use to wheedle and cajole. She’d just have to catch Zachary while he was out and about, or try later. Thing was, if he wasn’t even sending for her to attend him at meetings, it would be difficult to know when these times were, and she could not camp outside his door. It would be unseemly, and she had enough of her own work to attend to.

She turned on her heel and strode brusquely down the corridor only to encounter a familiar figure burdened with ash buckets and the other implements of her vocation.

“Anna,” she said, “how did your time with Master Riggs go today?”

“Fine, ma’am.” Anna looked rattled to be suddenly confronted by her. Her buckets were full, so she must have just come from the royal apartments by way of the servants corridor.

“Did you like Mallard?”

“Oh, yes’m. He is so big, but gentle. He let me pet his nose and everything.”

Laren was relieved. The girl was nervous as a hare and it wouldn’t take much to scare her off, and yet there was the steely aspect to her.

“Anna,” she said, “were you just with the king and queen?”

“The queen, ma’am. I made sure I got out of there before the king returned.”

“Made sure?”

“Yes’m. I don’t think he likes me in there when he’s with the queen, and when I am . . .” She shuddered.

“When you are, what?”

“His eyes. I should not say this about our king, but his eyes get all hard and I can feel him watching me until I leave.”

That, Laren thought, was not like the Zachary she knew. She glanced about to make sure there wasn’t anyone in hearing range. “Anna, if you would, let me know if you observe anything unusual where the king is concerned.”

“Unusual?”

“Er, if something just doesn’t seem right to you.”

Anna looked thoughtful. “He likes his rooms cold, never wants a fire. But then he is usually with the queen anyway.”

That was somewhat odd, Laren thought, but Zachary was generally practical, and if he was spending his time in Estora’s quarters? “Anything like that,” she said, “bring it to me. And also, if you are alone with the queen, tell her that if she ever needs anything from me, that she is to send you to me immediately.”

“Yes’m.”

There were questions in Anna’s eyes, but she did not ask them.

“Thank you, Anna. You may carry on with your duties.”

“Yes’m.”

Laren watched thoughtfully after the girl carrying her buckets down the corridor. Having an ash girl keep watch on Zachary was perhaps not the most reliable way of finding out the cause of his behavior, but it was certainly better than nothing, and who would suspect an ash girl?

It was the best she could do for the moment, until an opportunity to confront Zachary directly presented itself.

WHAT SIR KARIGAN WOULD DO

The next morning, Anna woke up nervous, for today she would actually ride Mallard. Mara had found her some old but serviceable boots to wear, and green trousers that were no longer suitable for a Rider to wear on King’s business. They fit well, and she had gazed at herself for so long in the mirror that her roommate could only roll her eyes.

After breakfast, she hurried to Rider stables. She couldn’t believe her luck, really. First she’d been transferred to working in the royal quarters, and then she started having new lessons to learn history and such, and with Green Riders even. Best of all, despite the fact she couldn’t be a Green Rider herself, she was going to learn to ride. Not so long ago she could not have conceived of coming to Captain Mapstone’s attention, much less the queen’s. She, of course, couldn’t forget Sir Karigan. If not for her, none of this would have happened. Anna would not have met the queen and captain, and, this part made her shiver, she might very well be dead. Sir Karigan had saved her from the ice creatures, after all.