ESSA
Iawoke in the morning to find Auntie Dreya sitting beside my bed, dabbing at my face with a cool cloth. I started to sit up fast, startled to find her there, but she put a calming hand on my shoulder.
“Easy. It seems you had some adventures last night. Maryn came in this morning and found you bloodied. Came to me in a panic. I guess she doesn’t know you like I do.
” I relaxed somewhat as Auntie smiled fondly at me.
“How many skinned knees did I patch up for you over the years? How many bruises did we pack in ice during our training?”
“Plenty,” I admitted. My jaw ached as I spoke, reminding me of one of Romia’s left hooks.
“I heard you paid a visit to your fellow Skrathan last night,” Auntie went on.
I pushed myself up against the headboard, my head aching with the exertion.
“Well. It seems I have no secrets left,” I said.
Auntie arched an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t say that. One might wonder, for example, why you were sneaking up on three riders and their dragons with your sword drawn. I know you’re not fool enough to think you could defeat them all.”
“One might ask you how you heard about it,” I countered.
Auntie laughed. “Answering a question with a question. You are your mother’s daughter… Braimar told me.”
She reached out to dab my face once more, but I snatched the cloth from her hand.
“You have Braimar keeping tabs on me now?”
“No,” she said. “He did that all on his own. It seems I’m not the only one concerned for your well-being,” she said, a twist of implication in her voice.
“Well, I couldn’t care less for his well-being,” I said. “In fact, you can tell him I have half a mind to feed him to Othura for meddling in my affairs.”
“Tell him yourself,” Auntie said. “He’s been at watch outside your door all night.”
I scoffed, dabbing my split lip with the cloth. Certainly, I would deal with Braimar. And when I was finished, he would rue the day he met me.
Auntie tilted her head, watching me.
“Truly, Essa. Share your thoughts with me. Why attack them?” When I hesitated, she put a hand on my knee. “You can trust me.”
My dragon intuition brought two images into my mind. One was Laynine, the way her face looked as her body went limp—as she died by my hand. The other was Dreya standing on that balcony with Lord Natath…
I had plenty of reasons to be wary of Auntie. But I wanted to trust her. Gods, I needed someone I could trust in this place.
I watched her for a moment, searching her eyes for some sign of either trustworthiness or deceit. Perhaps if I were as clever as a Torouman, I might have found what I was searching for. As it was, I saw only that familiar face from my childhood, staring back at me.
The fact was, I needed Auntie.
I had to trust her. But I wouldn’t tell her everything.
“I… I wasn’t attacking them,” I sighed. “I was hoping to sneak in while they were… distracted… and steal some of Sordim’s scorper venom.”
Auntie’s eyes narrowed. “Scorper venom? Why?”
I let the glint in my eye be my answer.
I saw her expression change as understanding hit her.
“Kortoi?” she whispered.
I smiled, though it hurt my face.
Auntie glanced over her shoulder at the door, then leaned close to me.
“Very wise, Essa. Kortoi is the lynchpin of the entire rebellion. The nobles long for your leadership; it’s Kortoi who’s led them astray.
And the people would be loyal if it weren’t for the Prelate’s deceptions.
Take him off the game board, and your power will be absolute.
Let me help you. When do you plan to do it? ”
I sat up further, folding my legs beneath me.
“It would have to be a day when there’s a lot going on. When he’ll be distracted. And before the coronation.”
“The day of the bydrune,” Auntie said. “But how do you plan to slip him the poison? He has tasters for all his food and wine.”
I was improvising now, riding a wave of inspiration as I remembered all I’d been taught about the bydrune. “The toast. It’s tradition, isn’t it, that just before the bydrune, the princess has a toast with her closest associates?”
“Yes,” Auntie nodded. “It’s a great honor to be invited. Wine is poured from the ceremonial decanter and the princess shares a drink with her guests.”
“My guests can be you and Kortoi,” I said. “And you and I can build up an immunity to the poison...”
“Like Opheema,” Auntie finished. “That’s brilliant, Essa.”
I took Auntie’s hand. “But I need your help. Romia and the others must trust you, don’t they?”
“Of course,” Auntie said.
“Then you must get us the scorper venom. And it will have to be soon, because we only have a short time to build up our immunity. If we don’t do it sufficiently, we’ll die alongside the Prelate.”
Auntie squeezed my hand. “Consider it done, Essa. This is perfect. We’ll take the kingdom back—together.”