I gritted my teeth again and hurried on, trying to ignore the whispers. I’d been queen for only about three months, and I was already thoroughly sick of the politics, infighting, and backstabbing that were the palace’s equivalent of the gladiator fights that were so popular in Bellona.Įven Paloma with her spiked mace and the glaring ogre face on her neck couldn’t quiet the chatter. Drowning would be a far more merciful death than what I’d gotten myself into here.įrom the rumors I’d heard, the servants and guards had started a pool, placing bets on how long my tenuous reign would last. The whispers started the second I walked by, and the hushed comments chased me from one hallway to the next, like a tidal wave that was surging up and about to crash down on me. “Doesn’t she know how important today is?” I gritted my teeth and returned the acknowledgments with polite smiles and nods, but the bowing and scraping were nothing compared to the whispers. Some people even dropped down into low, formal bows and curtsies, only rising to their feet after I’d moved past them. Then eyes widened, mouths gaped, and heads bobbed. Guards making sure that everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.Įveryone went about their business as usual-until they saw me. Palace stewards heading to their posts to oversee their workers. Servants carrying trays of food and drinks. After all, they were the ones who could truly hurt me.Įven though it was early on a Monday morning, people filled the hallways. I pulled my gaze away from the columns and focused on the people here.

Protect the prince jennifer estep