Moving onto a case containing what appeared to be some sort of clay vase, I said, “Can I ask you two a question and have you give me an honest response?”

“Can’t wait to hear what this will be,” Kieran murmured while Casteel nodded.

I shot the wolven a dark look. “Do I seem awkward when I meet people?” I could feel warmth suffusing my cheeks. “Like back there, when I said hello? Did it sound right?”

“You sounded like anyone saying hello.” Casteel lifted a hand, tucking a strand of hair back from my face. “If anything, you seem a little shy, not awkward.”

“Really?” I asked hopefully. “Because I…well, I’m not used to actually interacting with people. In Solis, people didn’t really acknowledge me unless it was in a situation where it was allowed. So I feel weird, like I’m doing it wrong.”

“You’re not doing it wrong, Poppy.” The lines of Kieran’s face softened. “You sound fine.”

Casteel dropped a quick kiss to the bridge of my nose. “We swear.”

Kieran nodded.

Feeling a little better after hearing that, we continued on. If I were to become Queen, I supposed I’d have to get over these annoying insecurities.

Unsure of how that would happen, we slowly made our way past paintings and statues, many depicting the gods or fantastical cities that stretched into the clouds. Casteel claimed those were the cities in Iliseeum. They were all beautiful, but I stopped in front of a charcoal drawing. Some of it had faded, but it was clearly a sketch of a man seated upon a large throne. The lack of features told me it was Nyktos who sat there, but it was what sat at his feet that snagged my attention—and held it. Two extraordinarily large felines rested before him, their heads tilted in his direction. My eyes narrowed as I cocked my head to the side.

“This is a really old drawing,” Casteel said as he idly ran his hand up and down my back. “Supposedly drawn by one of the deities.”

It took me a moment to realize what those sketched cats reminded me of. “Are they cave cats?”

“I don’t think so,” Kieran answered as he stared up at the drawing.

“They look like them,” I said. “I saw one of them once…” I frowned as the dream I’d had while in the crypts resurfaced. “Or maybe more than once.”

Casteel glanced down at me. “Where did you see one? In a painting or drawing like this?”

“No.” I shook my head. “There was one caged in the castle at Carsodonia.”

Kieran’s brows lifted. “I don’t think that’s what you saw.”

“I saw a cat as large as you are in your wolven form,” I told him. “Ian saw it, too.”

He shook his head. “That’s impossible, Poppy. Cave cats have been extinct for at least a couple of hundred years.”

“What? No.” I looked between them. Casteel nodded. “They roam the Wastelands.”

“Who told you that?” Casteel asked.