Somehow, Amaryll has already drawn my bath and laid out a breakfast tray, the stealthy housekeeper always one step ahead of even Lunaria. On my way to the bathing chamber, I take the steaming cup of tea and add in a heaping pour of cream.

The large space is one of the few luxuries I allow myself as Queen of Thayaria, with a large sunken tub nestled next to a set of floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking a view of more of Thayaria’s rolling, misty hills. A plush rug covers most of the floor, and there are pipes to pump water into the tub and a small basin tucked against one wall. After undressing and sinking into the steaming water, I sip my tea while watching the verdant hills slowly lighten in color as the sun fully rises.

Twenty minutes later, the water sluices down my wide hips and luscious thighs as I leave the bath. Wrapped in a towel, I gingerly step into the attached closet, looking at the gowns and tunics lining the walls. Choosing a black velvet gown that accentuates my figure, I will the water in my hair to evaporate into the already humid room, then set about braiding my wavy, auburn hair into a single braid down my back. Amaryll will be angry that I didn’t call for her to send in attendants to fix my hair, but most days I prefer it pulled back from my face in a simple style and don’t need servants to do things like braid my hair. I line my eyes with dark kohl and paint my lips a deep red. Returning to my breakfast tray, I refill my mug with more tea and make myself a plate. An awareness washes over me, like a quick prick of a needle to the back of my neck.

Someone is trying to leave Thayaria.

With a sixth sense I still don’t fully understand, I instantly know that they aren’t a port worker attempting to cross the barrier that surrounds Thayaria to haul in goods from a merchant ship. If they had been, I would extend my will and allow them to leave. The mist that has surrounded my kingdom for three hundred years after my accidental surge of power at the Battle of Moormyr has a consciousness to it, representing me while also being separate from me.