A Dove's Tale

Chapter 179

My nightmares hadn't been this bad in a long time.

I woke up exhausted the next morning. Chevalier and I were both lying on our sides, facing each other, his arms wrapped tightly around me and his heart beating a slow, steady rhythm in my ear. I'd lost count of the number of times he'd shaken me awake and calmed me down through the night. It had been one nightmare after another, and I just wanted to close my eyes and go back to sleep, cocooned in his warmth and security.

But I'd miss Belle if I didn't get up soon. And I wanted to explain to her in person why I'd cancelled our evening together. Some things just couldn't be said in a letter.

Freeing myself from Chevalier's embrace without waking him would be a problem, though.

I eased back, holding my breath and watching his face for signs of wakefulness. It didn't change in the slightest, but his arms tightened around me.

"Where are you going?" he mumbled.

"To have breakfast with Belle." I shifted up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Go back to sleep."

He pulled me closer, nuzzling into my hair with a deep sigh. "No, I should get up. I have to call a round table."

The heat of his breath felt so good against my skin. He was a step away from falling asleep again, and so was I. Except for the curiosity his last statement roused in me.

"A round table? Why?"

"You'll find out then."

His fine blonde hair was tickling my face. I reached up to comb it away and asked, "You want me to be there?"

He hummed his assent. "You're a member of the royal family now."

He didn't move, and I continued threading my fingers through his hair as I thought. Round table meetings were for matters of extreme and urgent importance to the kingdom or the royal family, and in the time I'd known Chevalier, the only outsiders allowed to attend had been Sariel, acting as the king's regent or the head court minister, and Belle, fulfilling her role as the person who would name the next king. But I was the queen now. I was part of the royal family, so I had every right to be there. Although I preferred to leave the politics to Chevalier and his brothers as much as possible.

Chevalier knew that. He wouldn't have asked me to attend if he didn't feel it was important.

What could this be about?

It had to be something recent—very recent. Within the last twenty-four hours, most likely. Aside from the hour I'd spent alone with Amber, I'd been with Chevalier that entire time. Was it during that hour? Or before that? Certainly not after. The ride back to the palace had been surprisingly tension-free. Well, maybe not so surprising, since Chevalier, Leon, and Gilbert had all been worried about me and, thus, had been on their best behavior.

But not on the ride to Freedom. And the only point of contention, other than me, had been Leon.

"Does this have something to do with whatever Gilbert was implying about Leon?"

Chevalier nodded and sighed again. "We need to get up," he muttered reluctantly.

"But the round table won't happen right away, will it? It'll be later today, right? So, I can tell everybody about it at breakfast, and you can go back to sleep. I'll wake you up in an hour or two."

He sighed again and pulled back, resting his cheek on the pillow and looking at me with sleepy blue eyes. "You're as tired as I am."

I brushed his messy bangs out of his face. "But you've missed two days of work, and you're calling a round table. That means you'll be working late tonight, doesn't it? And I won't. I may even go to bed early. So, you need an extra hour of sleep more than I do."