A Queen Conflicted (Alys Book #3)

Chapter 26

The first few days after Queen Endolynn departed, King Dastrehan had no idea what to do with himself. The palace felt somehow empty without her presence, and he especially dreaded the evenings and nights when he was left in solitude in their chambers. But the first three nights were the worst. After those, he resolved himself to start counting down the weeks until her expected return, in order to make it seem like time was at least passing.
On the sixth day since the queen's departure, Dastrehan spent most of the day in his study, going over everything he had collected that could possibly be connected to Princess Maajida's disappearance. He had neglected his research while his wife had still been in the palace in order to keep her from feeling guilty, but now that she was gone, his own guilt kept drawing him back.
After hours of pouring over documents, letters, and written out ideas, Dastrehan's mind was numb, and he was frustrated.

There was nothing he could come up with that someone else had not already suggested. And all suggestions had either been rejected by Prince Mihrab, or pursued and found to be incorrect.
Standing at his desk, Dastrehan crumpled up the piece of paper he had been writing on into a ball and threw it across the room.

He moved from his desk and started pacing between the shut wood doors of the study to his desk.
You are missing something! He fumed, furious with himself that not only had he put Maajida in this situation himself, but also that he was proving useless in helping find her, what am I missing?

Something had to be amiss in Joresh. How could Princess Jocelynn, the Joreshian Crown Prince's own betrothed, and a Joreshian princess go missing within weeks of each other? From the same palace?

Something was wrong. But Dastrehan did not know if it was Prince Mihrab himself who was behind the disappearances, or if it was someone else.
Disposing of Princess Jocelynn made at least some sense. By removing her from the prince, it ensured that for at least the time being, the prince would not marry, and no heir would be produced.
But what could getting rid of Princess Maajida accomplish? She was not even considered eligible for her father's throne. Mihrab had three other brothers in line for the throne. Getting rid of Maajida made no political sense.

The only situation that made sense would be if she had been ransomed, but no one had come forward demanding a ransom.
The only possibility that made any sense at all was that someone might be trying to destroy the entire Joreshian royal family.

But there was not much evidence of that, and Dastrehan's advisors had reacted harshly when he had made the suggestion.
"We are already on thin ice with Prince Mihrab," Radax's sharp retort rang in the king's ears, "We cannot go around making foolish suggestions that he might take as a threat."

Dastrehan stopped pacing and ran his fingers through his hair as he sighed deeply.

Things had gotten so complicated and out of control.

Could King Barda of Catesh be to blame? He always seemed to be stirring up trouble in various kingdoms. But Catesh and Joresh had worked out an alliance; would Barda break it so soon?

He would not put it past him.
Dastrehan shook his head as he moved back to his desk to look over everything again.
"I cannot afford to be enemies with Joresh again," he muttered unhappily, "Even with Balear backing Tarkam, we are already spread thin with guarding against Catesh."

But in reality, Dastrehan was not as upset about potentially reigniting a war with Joresh as he was about Maajida being missing.

She was a nice, kind, fair woman. She deserved happiness.

Was she okay wherever she was being held? Was she even alive?

A loud horn sounded, followed by others, startling Dastrehan out of his thoughts.
He frowned, moving to push through the doors out to his balcony.
The horns still sounded, alerting the palace that someone was arriving of great importance or urgency.
Dastrehan squinted his eyes to try and see past the courtyard and palace gates below, but he could not see who had arrived.