After the used plates were cleared from the table after dinner, Circe took a stroll out for no other reason than to clear her head.
Suspecting the queen and Prince Hairan might want to hurt her was one thing. She had always lived with the knowledge that Lamora could never truly be safe for her, no matter how fiercely Ragnar tried to shield her. But hearing that suspicion confirmed aloud was another matter entirely. It was worse, and it frightened her.
But she feared for Rowen's safety more than she did for hers.
The moon hung full and round above her, its pale glow softening the edges of the world. Stars shimmered like scattered diamonds across the deep indigo sky, each one winking in and out of sight as she moved.
Lantern light pooled softly along her path, guiding her steps. For a while, the only companions to her footsteps were the chirping of crickets and the constant, soothing rush of water spilling from the nearby fountain.
