It’s such a tiny gesture, but it takes all I have to remain upright. Blood pounds in my ears as a chime rings out. Years of conditioning force me to take a knee, and I stare blankly into the depth of the stone that reflects my own stupid face. I was—am—way too late. If she wants to be with Ox, there’s nothing I can do about it.

We wait for the king and queen to enter. It won’t be the first time I’ve seen them. The pair make appearances here and there, sometimes simply walking among the citizens in the marketplace. But lately, they have become more private, devoting themselves to raising a strong heir.

The magic threaded throughout the Heliana relies on the vitality of the royal line. Prince Tabrol, as the heir, is referred to by many as the lifeblood of the city. The very city will fall if the royal line fails, so the scholars taught us. Throughout our history, the royal family has been extensive. But sometime in the past forty years, the line began to fail. A royal cousin was killed in battle, another by infection. Kharo’s older sister is rumored to have taken her own life, but no one knows for sure.

Prince Kharo, as he was then, wasn’t raised to rule. He became king and quickly took his warrior queen. Crown Prince Tabrol’s birth three years ago was such an occasion that even training was canceled. Rowan and I spent that day relaxing with our friends, then watching the sunset near the Western Gate. She’d put her head on my shoulder for the first time, but I didn’t love her then like I do now.

I could kick my past self for not seeing it sooner.

Shaking myself from my memories, I wait with the others for the king and queen to make their entrance. Only they never do.

Instead, the Ninth Sentinel steps forward, clearing her throat. I glance at Sethran and see the pride in his expression. A sentinel and a warrior in love—they’re their own kind of royalty. Sethran told me they’ve stopped taking walks together in the daytime because they get so many adoring looks.

Sentinel Shirene takes a breath. “Honored warriors, today you have been summoned at the request of Their Graces King Kharo and Queen Laianna, the sovereigns of all Leonodai.” Her voice does not shake, but I sense a weight of worry behind it. “The king commands your discretion as to not alarm the citizens of the Heliana. Nothing you are about to learn leaves this room.”

For a moment, her eyes flicker to her fellow sentinels, from which she gains some sort of reassurance.