She Sings at Dawn

IX. First Findings (Part One)

"And so, although we return King Ivandor's body to the ground, let us never forget his great sacrifice to our country."

Four guards lift the sides of my father's casket. Slowly, the wooden box is lowered into a ditch, and with it, a tear slides down my cheek. One more tear, the last one remaining after three and a half days. I always think that I'm done, I've released all my liquid grief. Then another drop breaks free, and I discover a fresh well of sorrow. But I think this tear is my last, at least for now. Excess water inside my body is being allocated to sweat. I stand under a gap in the leafy awning overhead, and it gives the sun's heat a direct shot. With barely a breeze to stir the surrounding trees, it's no wonder my hair sticks to my neck.

Movement ripples through the crowd of servants and officials, the only people permitted at royal funerals. The outer edges filter away from the gathering, while others pay their respects by tossing flowers into the grave. I steal another look at Sigvard. His eyes remain down-turned, focused on the grass between the grave and his feet. I wish I could lean over and talk to him about the journal. It was all I could think about during the funeral proceedings.

An eternity passes as my gaze flicks from Sigvard to Wolfgang to the guests, then back to Wolfgang and my brother. Finally, after at least two-thirds of the guests have dispersed, Wolfgang gives a single nod. I lift the hem of my black dress and start through the trees. A few paces forward, I find Benno leaning against a tree. He straightens when he sees me and clears his throat.

"How are you, uh, doing?"

The tingling sensation returns to my nose, and I sniff to hold in my emotions.

Journal. Odeia's journal.

"We need to look for Odeia's first journal," I say.

"Where next?" Sigvard appears at my side. Crazy how I didn't hear him coming. Am I that absorbed in my own head?

"I... don't know," I admit. With canceled lessons and events, we've spent the past few days searching all available rooms in the castle—ones that are kept open or that we have a key to. "Can we snag a keyring from a guard?"

"Why?" Benno asks.

"We need to start searching the locked rooms in the castle," I say. "We can't get in without a key."

"What if we make a key?" A beam of sunlight glimmers on Benno's dark eyes.

"You do metal working?" Sigvard says.

"Not quite..." Sigvard dips his hand into his suit jacket's pocket, supplying a wire strand. "Let's just say I have a couple interesting hobbies."

I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips. "And you can open any door with that?"

"Just about."

It's almost too perfect. The entire castle has been handed to us on a silver platter. Now the question is which room comes first. Without another word, I grab the edges of my skirt and hurry for the castle.

As Sigvard, Benno, and I sneak up the staircase leading to the second floor, I'm struck again by how much larger the castle is than I remember. I suppose it's a good thing that less people are bustling about. It means there's less chance of getting caught. But that doesn't erase the uncharacteristic silence, the void, that's moved into the castle.

At the top of the stairs, Sigavrd and Benno turn to the left, starting toward the West Wing. But my eyes catch on the hallway leading to the right, and I pause.

"What are you doing?" Sigvard hisses. I motion for him to come back, and he reluctantly returns to my side.

"Look, no guards." I point at the doorway arching to the right. Beyond, all I see is a labyrinth of white walls. "Let's search the Royal Study."