The sentinel with long blond hair huffed and stepped aside. He gestured to the open front door. “Queen Sweyn is inside.”

I nodded and marched through the door with them hot on my heels. But as I walked some of my confidence faltered because this was not the Avolire I knew. The one in the future was made of glass and white marble where footsteps made that click-clack sound. This Avolire was made of stone, and the layout was already not identical. This front hallway was entirely enclosed in the future, yet this one had open windows without glass in them. What do they do during the day?

Luckily, once we got through the front hallway, I recognized the layout that led to Sweyn’s throne room. The four sentinels surrounded me, two on each side, as if I was a prisoner being escorted to my cell. They paused outside the double doors then slowly pushed them open. Inside, it was exactly as I recalled except made of stone. The sentinel behind me prodded my back to make me walk so I did, but not without glancing around at the courtiers perched on their couches and chairs. It was strange for them to not be dressed in all-white. Even stranger for them to be all wearing red. In the future only the human toys wore red. I had so many questions.

But those would have to wait.

Because straight ahead, poised on her throne made of quartz crystal that looked like glass, was Queen Sweyn. I had to admit, she looked rather regal in that dark red dress made of velvet with gold embroidery that sparkled beneath the moonlight streaming in. The square cut of her neckline with the corset had all her best assets shoved up to her chin. I didn’t recall seeing gowns with slits in history books, but Sweyn’s sure had one and that was a whole lot of bare leg I saw crossed over the other.

She pursed her red-painted lips. “My, my, my, what did you bring me?”

I bowed and it took everything in me not to vomit on her throne. “Mi reina.”

When I did not lift my head, she used her bare foot to push my chin up. She arched one pale eyebrow. “Is that Spanish you’re speaking?”

“Español. Si.”

She tapped her fingers on the armrests of her throne. I had to resist the urge to look right at where I knew the compartment was that held the missing page. If I were Tegan, I would’ve just knocked everyone in the room out and stole the damned thing.

“Lord Everest?” Her voice was musical as she called my soulmate to her side.

He moved from within the crowd with ease and strolled to her throne. With a slight incline of his head he said, “My Queen?”