3. Reyna
Chapter three
Reyna
A grudging respect simmered in Reyna’s chest as she began to realize that her prey, the pirate’s ship, had vanished into the night.
Well, not “vanished”—Reyna was scouring the river by air, and there was only so much a ship could do to outpace a griffon. But even peering over Visk’s feathery bulk, squinting at the water glowing in the moonlight, Reyna knew she’d been bested. The river was empty, but it wasn’t long before they happened upon a plethora of masts and sails congregating in the bay along the river. Ships—dozens of them. Beyond, Reyna belatedly noticed a set of docks and a small, quiet town.
Hmm. Not a bad tactic.
She nudged Visk lower, and Ponder cheerfully wove through the sails of larger vessels as they scoured the bay. But the decks of the smaller ships were empty, and none had the dark sails she expected.
It would be impossible to tell one ship apart from all the others after a mere glimpse of it through the trees. Reyna thought about landing, prying the dock manager for information, but it was late enough that even they seemed to have gone home for the night.
She ran her fingers over Visk’s soft feathers in quiet contemplation, leaning over the griffon’s bulk. “I guess we’ll go back for the night,” she said begrudgingly. “No point in paying for a room here when the good diarn has so much space.”
It was a brief flight back to Diarn Arlon’s mansion, so that town must have been Oslop, the second-most northern town in Shepara. Unless the pirate had business in Lathe, the final stop on the Nacean River, they’d be sailing back in this direction regardless. Although the river diverged into several sections near here; it was still possible they’d miss her.
Granted, she and Kianthe weren’t here to hunt a pirate anyway. Her priority had to be the dragon eggs, and for that reason she instructed Visk to land on the newly cleared lawn of Diarn Arlon’s estate.
Several staff were emptying the buffet table and cleaning up after the explosion, and they startled when Visk thumped down nearby. Reyna hopped off his back and patted the creature’s sturdy neck in appreciation. It took her a long time to warm up to Visk; griffons were notoriously fierce, so she didn’t blame the cleaning staff for showing caution.
“Sorry,” she called to one servant, a man who was literally scooching around the buffet table like it would protect him. “He’s friendly. Most of the time.”
Visk chittered agreement.
At the worst possible moment, Ponder slammed once again onto Reyna’s shoulders, eliciting a few startled yelps from the bystanders. Reyna stiffened as the baby griffon nibbled her hair. By consequence, Ponder pulled out several strands from the windswept bun, which was already a mess after the last time she landed on it.
Reyna redirected her beak, pushing hair out of her eyes. “She’s in training,” she called to the staff, which didn’t seem to calm them at all. Most were edging towards the estate, clearly deciding the lawn could be tidied another time.
Excellent impression, here. Cheeks burning, Reyna clicked her tongue, her cue for Ponder to land on the ground.
The baby griffon screeched defiantly, but Visk was having none of that. He nipped his daughter with a sharp beak, then screeched at Ponder, loud enough to leave Reyna’s ears ringing.
That was the final straw: the servants, four in total, fled to the mansion. Only one was brave enough to gawk as she followed her entourage. Reyna was torn between wanting to shout apologies and feeling indignant on their mounts’ behalf.
It wasn’t like the griffons had started tearing someone to shreds, for the Gods’ sake.
Facing Visk’s ire, Ponder chittered, teetering off Reyna’s shoulder to glide to the ground. Her wings folded as she hunched under Visk’s intense, golden-eyed gaze. This time, she didn’t test him: a rare response.
Visk huffed as if to say, “ Better. ”
The sooner Kianthe found them, the better, it would seem. Reyna dismissed the griffons with a shooing motion. “Visk, you’re scaring people. We’ll bunk here tonight; stay close, and Kianthe will call for you tomorrow.” Her eyes skirted to Ponder, who normally would sleep with them, and then to the mansion and the party still happening within its huge ballroom. “Ponder should probably go with you, too.”
Visk shook his body as if to shake off the stress of parenthood. It clearly didn’t work, so he turned a sharp eye on Ponder and chirped something.
Ponder reluctantly unfurled her wings and took flight.
Visk bumped Reyna’s chest in affection, then followed his daughter into the night sky. They vanished against the inky black sky almost instantly.
Reyna started hiking towards the mansion, but she didn’t make it more than a few steps before that constable, Bobbie, emerged from the woods for the second time that night. Reyna paused, watching Bobbie pick leaves out of her tight curls, wipe dirt off her cheeks. She looked utterly defeated, her gaze almost deadened.
“Constable,” Reyna called.
The woman stiffened, seen. In a blink, the layers of exhaustion shed, replaced with the cold armor of professionalism. She pulled her shoulders back, placed a hand on her sword, and lifted her chin: the image of authority.
Cute. Not Queensguard material, but a nice try.
Reyna’s lips tilted upwards, and she approached with as unthreatening an air as possible. “I’m not trying to intrude. Once my fiancée is done speaking to Diarn Arlon, I’m certain we’ll be on our way. But in the meantime, I might be able to help with your investigation. Tracking was a large function of my career as a Queensguard.”
Bobbie’s fight eked out of her shoulders. “There’s no investigation. She’s gone.”
The finality of that statement held defeat that clearly spanned years.
Reyna chose her words carefully. “I have reason to believe she docked north of here, in Oslop. Do you think she’d continue to Lathe?”
“Considering she just stole four crates of supplies meant for Diarn Arlon’s warehouse, I think she’ll be stopping at every major town along the Nacean.” A pause, a heaved sigh. The constable touched her neck as a reflexive gesture—then realized there wasn’t anything there and dropped her arm. “No. Serrie—ah, I mean, she won’t go to Lathe. She has… bad memories there.”
How curious.
Bobbie winced, perhaps realizing Reyna caught her slip, and angled towards the mansion with finality. “Thank you for the insight, Miss Reyna. You should return to the party.” Her eyes dropped to the sword still strapped to Reyna’s hip. “That won’t be allowed in the ballroom. Just a fair warning. Do you like crocheted animals?”
The last sentence came and went so fast that Reyna thought she misheard. She did a literal double-take, stammered for an answer. “I’m sorry. Do I like what ?”
“Stuffed animals. Ones that have been crocheted.” Bobbie shifted her weight, obviously self-conscious, but she reached into her pocket and pulled out a tiny stuffed whale. It had been painstakingly made—not well, either—with blue yarn and filled with something fluffy—sheep’s wool or cotton, most likely. Two tiny black buttons had been sewn on, almost as an afterthought.
Reyna hesitated to take it, but Bobbie looked so determined that she didn’t fight. It fit in the palm of her hand. The stitching was messy, and little gaps showed the wool inside, but it had a certain charm.
This was perplexing. Reyna stared at it for longer than necessary. “I… I’m afraid I don’t understand. Not that I’m not grateful, but…” For a moment, she wondered if she’d misread Bobbie’s intent—if the constable thought she was someone to flirt with.
“It’s my stress reliever. Crocheting. But then I wound up with so much of it that… well, I like to give it away. Scarves and mittens and hats are useful, but these are fun to make. The kids love them.” Bobbie massaged her forehead. “I used to spend my time visiting the diarn’s towns, getting to know the locals. Now I’m so busy hunting for the pirate… let’s just say there are crochet projects everywhere. ”
Reyna stared at her. There actually was a little boy next door to New Leaf Tomes and Tea, Sasua’s son, who’d love to play with this. But Reyna was still reeling at the absurdity of this conversation.
Of course, Reyna baked for stress relief. Kianthe read. Everyone had their vices.
Plus, the whale was very cute.
Embarrassment seeped into the constable’s tone. “You don’t have to keep it. But if you need a scarf or—or something, before you and the Arcandor set off, come find me. I wish you two the best.” And with a forced smile, she strolled up the hillside. Her gait was a true performance, rigid and purposeful, but exhaustion echoed in the curve of her shoulders.
Reyna pocketed the whale and followed at a leisurely pace, offering apologetic smiles to the cleaning staff cautiously making their way back to the buffet table. When she crested the hill, with the ballroom to her left and the path to the stables to her right, she found Kianthe.
“ Finally ,” the mage grumbled, pushing off a wooden bench etched in gold. “For a minute, I thought you’d abandoned me with Arlon. Politics are exhausting.”
“Indeed.” Reyna agreed. “Try staying alert during an all-day policy meeting with Queen Tilaine and her lords. It’s a special kind of torture.”
Kianthe wrinkled her nose, rocking back on her heels. “Ew. I leave if it doesn’t pertain to me.”
“What privilege.”
They shared private smiles, and Kianthe cast a glance at the mansion. They weren’t close to the party, but there were still people milling in a garden near the ballroom. “Are we joining the festivities tonight, or…?”
“I’d prefer a nice warm bed, but you haven’t eaten. I could certainly go for a glass of wine first. I’m very much hoping we’ll have time to visit the vineyards north of Jallin.”
Jallin was the southernmost town of Shepara, where Kianthe was born. From her stories, it was a marsh town with houses built either on stilts in the gentler waters, or with heavier construction along the river’s edge. Reyna had been dropping hints to visit for a while now, but the longer it dragged on, the more convinced she was that Kianthe was avoiding the place.
Which was a bit concerning considering her parents still lived there, and they still had no idea about their engagement.
As predicted, Kianthe waved a hand. “Koll is best for wine, but we don’t need to fly there to enjoy it. Arlon will have a few bottles out, I’m sure.” She took Reyna’s hand and led her towards the ballroom. A constable stopped them both, gestured at Reyna’s sword, but Kianthe merely flashed a smile and said, “I’m the Arcandor. Going to confiscate my magic, too?”
The poor constable hesitated, and his supervisor, one with the silver epaulets who’d been flanking the diarn earlier, stepped in. “Diarn Arlon gave strict orders that the Mage of Ages be allowed inside without stipulations. Rooms are being prepared for you, Arcandor. We hope they’re to your liking.”
“Thank you,” Kianthe said with an air of superiority, and pulled Reyna into the party.
She rolled her eyes, falling in step beside the mage. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Enjoying the power that comes with my very existence? Absolutely, I am.” Kianthe grinned wickedly. “You’re hungry, but I’m famished. Let’s eat.” She headed straight for the tables, which had been stocked with backup dishes of meats, cheeses, breads, and desserts.
Once they’d found a quiet corner to enjoy the music, Kianthe got back to business. She took a bite of broccoli, kept her voice low and amused. “Arlon’s going to get us the year’s records. Or at least, that’s what he promised.”
“That’s good.” Reyna was suspicious of Arlon’s cooperation, but they’d both agreed it was the smartest course of action to try this first. She took a sip of wine. Kianthe was right: the diarn did import the finest. This was a crisp, earthen blend with high citrus notes.
“Yep. But in exchange, we have until the winter solstice to find him a pirate.”
The perfect opening.
“Any pirate, or…? He really didn’t strike me as the type.” Reyna never had a sense of humor like this before Kianthe, but she also knew it’d make the mage laugh. The longer they were together, the more Reyna prioritized seeing Kianthe smile—even at the expense of her dignity.
Sure enough, the Arcandor snorted into her water. Reyna felt warm all over.
“Damn it, I should have said that to him.” Kianthe leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “How’d you fare?”
“Lost her in a port of ships. It was very clever.” Reyna inclined her head, acknowledging the play. Her eyes roamed the ballroom, the attendees dancing to foreign music, and she felt more disconnected than ever from Tawney and their quiet bookshop. Her fingers trailed against the crocheted whale deep in her pocket and a smile tilted her lips.
Kianthe grunted. “Then I’ll ask the river for help, and we’ll move forward from there. Shouldn’t take long to find her.” A pause while Kianthe picked out the fluffy, butter-coated innards of a dinner roll and popped it in her mouth. “And good news; we get to pair with the sexy constable for the hunt. Arlon insisted, but hey. I wasn’t going to argue.”
Reyna almost choked on her wine. “The sexy constable? Is there something you want to tell me?”
“Only that if I wasn’t such a good, devoted fiancée, you’d have some competition.”
Reyna traced the rim of her glass with a finger, putting one hand over Kianthe’s on the table. Her partner stilled, and Reyna leaned forward, sultry. “Love, I think you’re forgetting that there wouldn’t be a competition. There’d be a fight… and I’d win.”
“Okay. That’s sexier.” Kianthe tugged at her collar, flashed a nervous grin.
Reyna leaned back in satisfaction, then tugged out the whale for Kianthe’s inspection.
As predicted, the mage squealed, scooping it up. She ran her fingers over the soft yarn, cuddled it against her chest. “This is so cute ! Where did you get this? Can I have one?”
“That one’s yours,” Reyna said in amusement. “At least until we return to Tawney and I give it to Sasua. Your ‘sexy’ constable crocheted it. Stress relief, she said. I think this pirate hunt is affecting her more than she’s letting on.”
“Because the pirate’s so cunning?” Kianthe set the whale on the table, tapping its little head resolutely.
The wine warmed Reyna, and the orchestra had finally shifted into a slower melody. It was almost calming. “Not quite. I have reason to believe they’ve known each other in the past—and have a deeper connection than the diarn realizes.”
“Oh, he’d love that.” Sarcasm dripped from Kianthe’s tone. She left the whale alone to dive back into the food, dipping a piece of seasoned meat into some red sauce. “Arlon sent orders for Bobbie to stay on the premises until we’re ready to leave tomorrow. He wanted us to take off tonight, but I told him we needed our beauty sleep.”
“ You need your beauty sleep. I’m well accustomed to sleepless nights,” Reyna replied.
Kianthe’s grin turned devious. “Whoever might cause that, I wonder?”
Well, she’d walked right into that one.
Reyna sighed, pushing to her feet. Kianthe was mostly done eating now, and the wine was making her tired. “It certainly isn’t someone who’s had broccoli between her teeth since she started eating.”
Kianthe flushed and dug at her teeth with a finger. Reyna laughed, pocketing the whale as an afterthought. Now that food was done, her mind was wandering to other things—things she knew Kianthe would happily entertain.
“Come on. Let’s see if you can find all my daggers tonight.”
“I’m getting closer! Stop sewing them into your shirt—you know I don’t look there once it’s off.”
Reyna pulled Kianthe into a kiss, basking in her dazed expression. “Darling, I’m counting on it.”