"How are the preparations for the feast day coming?" Tris's pain dulled, but so did awareness of his feet and legs, making him think it might be safer to just spend the night in the chair.
"The kitchen is laying in supplies, sire," Zachar reported. If pressed, Zachar could recount precisely which supplies and in what amounts. "Carroway has the entertainment planned. The minstrels are already rehearsing. He has a new ballad about your father that is quite moving."
"Haunts is going to be hard this year." Tris's voice was just above a whisper. He knew he wouldn't be the only one for whom the memory of Bricen and Serae-and of his sister Kait-would be as real as if their spirits were present.
"The kingdom mourns with you, my liege," Zachar said. "We all loved them."
"I miss them, Zachar," Tris said quietly. "I miss them all so much. Especially Kait."
"Shekerishet has indeed been a shadowed place since Kait left it."
"She would've loved Kiara," Tris said with a sigh. "The wedding is the only thing that keeps me going right now. Knowing that Kiara will be here with me, soon."
Tris tried to stand, realized that the medicine had taken full effect, and gratefully accepted assistance from Zachar and Coalan to cross the room. Coalan hurried to help Tris remove his boots. Tris stretched out, pulling the blankets over him.
"Sleep well, my king," Zachar said softly, leaving a lantern burning by the bedside. Tris heard the door latch behind him, and closed his eyes.
Two DAYS LATER, Tris gathered his heavy cloak against the bitter late autumn chill. Assembled in the courtyard was a delegation of the Scirranish, the families of those who had vanished under Jared's reign. More than two dozen family members gathered, on horseback, in wagons, and on foot, waiting silently for the march to begin.
"The guards are ready," Soterius said, riding close to where Tris waited while his horse was saddled. Tris was just as glad that protocol meant someone else saddled and readied his horse for him. With healing from Esme and Taru, his arm was mending quickly, but he had no desire to test it with a heavy saddle.
Tris glanced at the guardsmen outside the stable. "You can vouch for them?"
Soterius nodded. "I only took guards who lost family to Jared. Believe me, there was no shortage of possibilities."
Tris swung up into his saddle. He fidgeted, knowing that the ring mail he wore beneath his cloak was going' to make his shoulder sore by the end of the day.
"Lovely weather," Soterius said, riding beside him. After the assassination attempt, the generals insisted that Tris take a troop of twenty armed men with him whenever he left Shekerishet. "What do you expect? It's only a week before