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took the lids off their trays, and began to eat without any further greeting. Pogue seemed to be magically able to put half a sandwich into his mouth at once, without looking greedy or having anything fall out, and managed to wink at Celie at the same time. Rolf tore his sandwich into quarters, and proceeded to dunk each quarter in soup and then throw it into his mouth as though he were starving.
    “We’ve been up since dawn,” Rolf said, looking apologetic, when he’d finished his sandwich and picked up his spoon.
    “Well, so have I!” Lilah’s voice was shrill. “I’ve been running the entire Castle, you know! Getting ready for the ceremony, making sure all the guests have a place to sleep and enough food, and it just goes on and on, without anyone to help me!”
    Celie would have pointed out that she had been helping, was in fact the one who had found out if there was enough food, but decided that it wasn’t worth the argument.
    “What about Celie?” Pogue smiled at Celie. “I’m sure she’s helping.”
    Celie glowed and smiled back, but Lilah’s dark expression smothered the smile.
    “So it’s just the two of us? Celie and I are expected to do everything?” Lilah was almost in tears.
    “Lilah!” Rolf put down his spoon. “Stop that at once! You know that Pogue and I have been busy! He’s been talking to the captain of the guards …” Rolf looked askance at Celie. “You know, just in case there’s any unpleasantness.”
    “You mean, if the Grathians try to take over?” Celie raised her eyebrows and tried to look grown-up.
    “Er. Yes,” Rolf admitted. “And Pogue’s been directing the Castle guards’ move from the large barracks to other quarters to accommodate the guests’ men-at-arms. And added to that, he’s also kept a watch on the roads to see who’s arriving.”
    “And what have you been doing?” Lilah did not look at all mollified.
    “I have been trying to keep our family in possession of this Castle,” Rolf said quietly. “As much as anyone can be in possession of Castle Glower.”
    Celie stopped eating. They all stared at Rolf, except for Pogue, who looked uncomfortable. He put down his spoon, too, as Lilah pushed her tray away.
    “Oh, Rolf … you don’t really think? But your room is still near the throne room! Isn’t it?” Lilah’s voice faltered. “Doesn’t the Castle still want you to be king?”
    “I assume so,” Rolf said. “My room is still as it always was. But that doesn’t mean anything to Vhervhine. Or Grath. It barely means anything to Father’s own Council!”
    “The Council?” Lilah’s brow clouded. “But they support you … they have to, or they’ll end up trapped in their own rooms or spit out a chimney, and they know it!”
    “Lilah,” Pogue said softly. “Rolf’s room hasn’t changed. At all.”
    “I know that, Pogue,” Lilah snapped. “Rolf just said … Oh!”
    “What? What is it?” Celie looked anxiously around.
    “My room hasn’t changed, Cel,” Rolf repeated. “It’s not any bigger. It doesn’t have any royal seal on the wall, like Father and Mother’s room does. There’s no padded stand for the crown, or room in the wardrobe for any robes of state. I’m still just the crown prince.”
    Lilah looked at Rolf and spoke slowly, as though not sure what to say. “You’re still the crown prince. That means that the Castle hasn’t chosen anyone else to be king, right?”
    A burst of hope was fluttering in Celie’s rib cage like a little bird. “I know what it means!” She bounced in her seat in excitement. “I know what it means!”
    “What does it mean, Celie?” Rolf turned to her, looking relieved that she might have an answer, since he apparently did not.
    “It means that Father isn’t dead!” Celie blurted out.
    “What? No, Celie!” Lilah reached across the table and took her hand gently. “Dearest, you heard what Avery said, and what the search party found—”
    “But if Father were dead, then Rolf