Chapter 37 #2
I grimaced. “That only Drustan knows what he’s doing.
” I paused, considering. “His goal is the throne, but he doesn’t want to lose popular support.
My guess is he’ll accept my choice, play the selfless hero, then see what happens.
If Hector dies in battle, our side will still need a leader.
” I glanced at Hector. “Obviously we hope that won’t happen. ”
“Don’t worry,” the Void prince said. “If I die, it won’t be in battle. It will be in glorious battle, worthy of an epic poem. Three thousand stanzas, minimum.”
No one laughed at the dry attempt at humor. Una scowled at her father. “Drustan will probably arrange your glorious death if you aren’t careful.”
“Not if I arrange his death first.”
“I would prefer if none of us arranged each other’s deaths,” I interjected.
Hector held up his hands. “That’s entirely up to him.”
Kallen tilted his head slightly, and my eyes were drawn to the fall of his dark hair.
My fingers twitched with the memory of gripping it.
“I suspect you’re right,” he told me. “Drustan hasn’t gotten this far by prioritizing short-term gratification over long-term gain.
He won’t like it, but he’ll accept it—at least to our faces.
The danger lies in what other schemes he may have been spinning in the interim. ”
“Such as?” Una asked.
“The Nasties remain in play. He called on them once—he might do so again, if he’s been making promises to Dallaida. The worst-case scenario is that Imogen found something to tempt him with, and he’s prepared to shift his allegiance to her.”
“He wouldn’t,” I said instantly. “It would undo everything he’s been working towards.”
“Not right away. But if the war looks to be on its way to lost?” Kallen shrugged. “Drustan thinks on long timelines.”
And Imogen had implied my allies were already turning on me. Had that been a ploy to weaken our alliance…or a genuine warning?
Wisdom means looking into the distance rather than being caught up in the passions of the moment , Oriana had told me.
Everyone else thought far into the future, while I was still struggling to think past the next two weeks.
This war might go on for years, I realized with a drop of my stomach.
And Drustan might be planning for outcomes that would come to pass far later than that.
“I still think it’s possible he might do something unexpected to shift the balance of power,” Hector said. “This is a vulnerable time; he may deem the risk worth the reward.”
“Or perhaps he will honor his word,” Una pointed out. “If you enter this alliance assuming betrayal, you’ll look for it everywhere—and likely invent it where it doesn’t exist.”
Hector narrowed his eyes. “Don’t start sounding wise in front of your elders.”
“I’m as wary as you are, believe me,” she said. “But we can’t afford to manufacture our own enemies. Stay alert and plan for the worst, but remember that sometimes good outcomes do happen.”
Kallen opened his mouth, then closed it again, looking at me.
I could imagine what he was thinking. He and Hector had been shaped by centuries of violence and betrayals, while Una was a young faerie who had grown up believing that the three of them were creating a better world, one changeling at a time.
It was the contrast between hope and bitter experience.
But tonight Kallen had also confronted his fears—that he’d hurt me, or else that I’d take his offered heart and use it to destroy him—and discovered one of the rare good outcomes.
“All right,” Hector said, expression softening as he looked at Una. “We’ll plan for the worst but give Drustan the opportunity to prove himself.”
If I’d needed it, that was more evidence I’d made the right choice.
“I need to make the rounds,” Hector said, switching his attention to me.
“Check in with Lady Rhiannon about the mood in Earth House, talk to a few other prospects who have indicated an openness to Void leadership.” He settled his hand on my shoulder.
“Thank you, Kenna. Tonight is when everything starts.”
Una smiled at me as the two of them moved away.
Kallen offered his arm. “May I escort you?”
I took it, curving my fingers around his bicep. “Are you nervous about the meeting?” I asked as we strolled slowly towards the dancing.
“No. Whatever happens, we’ll navigate it.”
I would love to be so confident. “At least there’s something to look forward to afterwards.”
He slid me a scorching look. “Are you sure you won’t be too tired? It’ll be after midnight when the meeting concludes, and I plan to be…thorough.”
I shivered from head to toe, and when Kallen gave another of his sly smiles, I knew he’d felt it. “I’m more worried about you,” I murmured, looking up at him through my lashes. “Are you sure you can keep up?”
He leaned closer. “Trust me, I have no trouble keeping it up for you.”
Shocked by the raunchy joke coming from Kallen, I burst out laughing. Heads swiveled, fixing us with curious or hostile stares, and I wrestled my face back into a composed expression. “You make an excellent point, Lord Kallen.”
We had reached the edge of the crowd. Though Kallen looked deadly solemn once more, a silent yearning stretched between us as we lingered in the moment.
“Save me a dance later?” I asked, finally releasing his arm.
His lashes swept down, and I saw the tiny tug at the corner of his lips. “Always.”
Then he was gone, moving through the crowd to watch and listen for whatever plots were brewing in Mistei tonight.
I turned to do the same—and found myself facing Imogen. “I was wondering which way that was going,” the Illusion princess said, sipping a glass of sparkling wine as her eyes followed Kallen. “An unusual choice, but you do have a tendency towards the unexpected.”
I refused to give her any satisfaction. “I’m surprised to see you on the floor. Do you tire of your throne already?”
“Never.” She grinned, showing perfect white teeth. “But it’s good for a queen to spend time among her people, don’t you think?”
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never met a queen.”
She laughed, a rich and beautiful sound. “Walk with me, Princess Kenna.”
It was the second time she’d ordered me to do so. Unable to come up with an excuse not to, I fell into step beside her, though this time I pulled away before she could loop our arms together like we were friends. “Are you planning on offering me another bribe?” I asked.
“At a certain point, one must accept that some outcomes cannot be bought, only forced.”
I eyed her, disliking that phrasing. She looked as carefree and exquisitely beautiful as always, her eyes shining with magic behind a silver filigree mask shaped like a butterfly.
Her mahogany hair was pulled into two braided bunches that looped over her shoulders, and her dress was a froth of pale pink gauze trimmed with indigo ribbons.
Sweet and delicate-looking—but she also wore Osric’s heavy crown, and I’d experienced firsthand her capacity for brutality.
“We still have over two weeks left in the Accord,” I said. “It’s early to be threatening force.”
“Tell me, how is Drustan feeling about your alliance?”
My skin prickled. “Why don’t you ask him?”
“I have.” She flashed those pearly teeth again, and her canines looked sharper than they had before. “I merely wonder if you have, as well. And which of us he’s being honest with.”
A chill swept over me. “You’re trying to sow discord.”
“You’re sowing plenty of that yourself. Unless you think no one noticed you speaking with Hector just now? Drustan does have eyes and the ability to use them, even while dancing.”
“I had a brief conversation with my allies at a public event. That is hardly unusual.”
She hummed. “No, but we must always be cognizant of appearances.”
I stopped walking and faced her. “What is the point of this interaction?”
There were sparkles in her lavender irises as she leaned in with the air of someone about to confess a secret.
“Did you know Torin is in favor of killing you and framing one of the others? I told him it’s against the principle of the Accord, but he would prefer to be done with that early so we can get started on the butchery.
And it would be best if your side were seen breaking the peace. ”
My heart started to race. I looked around to see who might have overheard, but no one reacted. She must be concealing our conversation. “No one would believe it,” I said.
She shrugged. “If you’re seen cozying up to Hector while spurning Drustan, they might.”
“Why warn me?” I asked as dread crept into my gut. “Doesn’t it benefit you for our side to break the Accord?”
“Call this your last chance to consider the merits of my protection. You might not appreciate gold, but you do appreciate honesty, and I can offer that as well.” The sparkles in her eyes dimmed.
“And, yes, it would benefit me,” she said more quietly, “but I believe our traditions have purpose, so I have ordered Torin to wait. He’s marked you for an ugly death, though.
At that point, I will be the only one who can save you. ”
“Are you sure Torin will follow your orders? He didn’t hesitate to butcher his own house members tonight. His loyalty may have limits.”
There was a long pause while she stared at me. “What do you mean?”
Did she truly not know? “I overheard the servants gossiping. They said Torin seized control of Light House.”
“Ah. So he was finally able to kill Gweneira. That explains why I haven’t seen her tonight.” There was tension in the set of Imogen’s mouth, though—she hadn’t been informed of this development, and she didn’t like finding out this way.
There was still a weakness to exploit here, a crack in the bond between Illusion and Light.
I imagined sliding a knife into it and twisting, the same way she had been trying to carve holes in my own alliance.
“I have conversations with my allies at events because we trust each other enough to share information. Your side should consider implementing the same policy.”
She looked at the dance floor, and I followed her gaze to where Torin and Rowena were spinning in each other’s arms. “And so the Blood princess delivers her own warning,” she said softly.
“Perhaps our negotiations have not ended, after all.” Then she returned her attention to me.
“I will not extend my hand to you indefinitely. Think on it. The next move is yours.”
She sauntered towards the dais. I watched as she retook her seat on the throne, wondering if my refusal to accept that extended hand would guarantee my own death.