A Heart of Snow ✓

III. Lies & Loyalty

Thin walls made discerning gossip easy. I'd never had that luxury in the stone and marble behemoth of my palace, but recovering here, in my room in this tiny inn, I heard everything I ever could have wanted to.

The queen had killed me. That was what they whispered. And some of them, too brave or angry to care about possible charges of treason, spoke a little more loudly than a whisper. By my request, no one but the innkeeper and the physician he'd called knew much to the contrary.

If the town was this abuzz about it, I could only wonder at the turmoil in the castle. If Reth had stuck to the plan, there should have been a box holding a heart found in my step-mother's room. With any luck, the maids found it—and the note laid atop it—before she did.

'A snow-white heart, just as you requested.'

Now all that was left to do was find the right time to show myself.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Enter!" I said.

Doc, the innkeeper, poked his head into the room, carrying a tray of food. "May I?"

"Of course! Please."

He entered, closing the door behind him, and set a bowl of steaming broth on the bedside table. "Princess, when're you gonna let us tell 'em that you're alright? It's been a week."

Alarmed, I grasped his wrist, wincing as pain jabbed through my stomach. "Please, Doc, you can't. If my step-mother finds out-" I'll die a traitor's death. This has to be timed perfectly.

He gently extricated his hand. "I know, Princess. You don't gotta worry; we won't let nothing happen to you."

I sunk back into my pillows, relieved at the simple-minded kindness of townsfolk.

"Not to be disrespectful-like, though," he said, "but much as we love hosting ya, you can't stay locked up in a inn for the rest of your life." He offered me a fatherly smile, an expression even warmer than my own father's when he'd still been alive.

"I know, Doc. I promise, I'll be out of your way as soon as I'm well."

Air puffed through his lips, and he waved a hand. "Bah. You're not in our way. It's an honor to host ya. You're the darlin' of all Kylosia. Why," a fire lit in his gentle eyes, "for you, we'd all gather up and go grab that murderin' queen right off her shiny throne. To think, she sent yer own guard to off you, why I never—"

"Doc." I laid my hand lightly on his, and he paused. I met his eyes. "It's alright. I don't want anyone getting hurt. It's a queen's job to protect her people, and I'd never forgive myself if I started my reign by sending you all into a massacre. The White Warriors would never even let you past the front gates." I bit my lip, allowing some tears to well to my eyes. "No. It's hopeless," I lied.

Doc frowned. "Now, I can't believe that. There's gotta be something we can do. Cain't you just march up to the castle and tell 'em what you told me? All 'bout you fighting off that White Warrior that was s'posed to be your guard, and him apologizing, saying the queen set him up to it?"

I shrugged, glancing away. "They'd say it was just hearsay. I'd have to have someone to back me up, someone reputable..."

"Ain't you got no one in the castle that would take your side?"

Success shot through me. This was almost too easy. "Well..."

"What?" He leaned in closer.

"If I had your testimony, my cousin on my mother's side would hear me out. He's at court."

Excitement swept over his face. "Then we'll send for him."

"Discreetly, of course," I warned.

"Yes, of course."

As he hurried out of the room, I allowed myself a smile. My habit of spending time with the townsfolk was paying off in the form of this man's loyalty.

My cousin was coming, and so was my destiny.