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if she’s going to be the queen she can do something about it!” Kristina burst into tears, sobbing so that her shoulders shook. Jeffery sighed and snatched up his fork, digging into his meal like there might be peace found at the bottom of his plate.
    Kazia, grateful to be at the other end of the table, could only bite her lip and pray for a quick rest of the meal. Last she knew, queens were not mediums who could send ghosts on their merry way.
    She was nearly asleep in her soup when the door to the dining room burst open and a man raced in. Luke immediately drew his sword, stopping the man in his tracks. “Captain, he’s one of mine. Stand down,” Jeffery said, rising to his feet. “What is the meaning of this?”
    “M’lord, your troops…” The man trailed off, out of breath and pale.
    “Yes, what of them?” Jeffery squinted at him, as if he could peer through the man’s skull and find the answer more quickly himself.
    “There was an ambush. They’re all dead, sir.”
    Kristina screamed, her goblet crashing to the floor. Wine splashed across the carpet, deep red like fresh blood. Kazia stared at it, remembering another room, and blood, so much blood. “Brodi,” she whispered. The room spun and she fought to hold on to consciousness.
    “Princess? Kazia!” She heard Luke calling, as if from a great distance.
    The blood seemed to run at her, growing hands, reaching, reaching. She screamed, scrambling out of her chair. She turned to run, blind, seeking Nakomi, but crashed instead into a solid chest and bounced back, nearly falling.
    “Kazia!”
    Luke . She shook like a rattled tea kettle, trying to draw strength from his hands on her arms. “What did you see?”
    “Blood,” she whispered. “So much blood.” She refused to open her eyes. Refused to see the blood. But it was there, in her mind, and she couldn’t escape it.
    “Did you see the assassin?” Kristina was there, pulling on her arms.
    Someone else yelled, “Bring me the smelling salts!” and Kazia thought it was Benjamin but couldn’t be sure.
    She would have to open her eyes if she wanted to see, but they fought her, wanting to stay tightly shut and safe. She pried them open, avoiding even the hint of a glance at the spilled wine on the floor. Wine. It’s just wine. It’s just wine. “No, I didn’t. I didn’t see anything except the — the blood.”
    “I think the princess has had enough excitement for one day. I’ll accompany her to her rooms.” Luke took a firm grasp on her upper arm, leading her away.
    “But his troops? What happened to his troops?” she asked, fighting the dizziness that was trying so hard to suck her in.
    “It isn’t something you need to worry about,” Luke said tightly.
    “It is , Captain.” She wrenched her arm from his grasp, teetering dangerously as the room spun. She held her ground by sheer force of will. “They were supposed to be protecting me. Those men died for me!”
    Luke cast her a long, sideways glance, but said nothing. They rounded the corner to her chambers, where Heath and another of Luke’s men stood guard. “Has anyone come or gone?”
    “No sir. And the wolf has been prowling constantly. Nothing has disturbed her.” The door was open, so the men could see in while watching the hall, and Kazia could see Nakomi in the middle of the room, nose to the air. Luke led her in and sat her in the chair by the fire.
    Crystali, appearing out of nowhere, pressed a cup of something warm and chocolatey into her hands while Luke prodded at the fire, coaxing it back to life. “Watch the hallway.” He directed his men while he went throughout the room, making sure, Kazia assumed, that it was still secure. As if anything could have snuck past Nakomi. But she didn’t point it out. She was so tired. She just wanted to sleep.
    “Princess, I was wondering, we sent a missive to your fiancé after your — after the attack. Do you think we should send another, informing him of this new