Chapter 11
Ro was still reading when she heard loud knocking on her door. She sat up so abruptly that Benny jumped off the bed. She couldn’t imagine what was going on now. She closed her book and got out of bed to put her robe and slippers on.
If she opened that door to find Star on the other side, Ro would not be responsible for anything she said. She wasn’t remotely ready to make a decision about Dove.
She strode forward, already forming her first sentence, irritation driving her. She opened the door and all of that disappeared. Gabriel stood there instead. Her mood shifted. “Is everything all right?”
His expression was serious. “I’m not sure. I wouldn’t have woken you, but a couple of concerns have come up. Things I didn’t think could wait.”
“Come in. You didn’t wake me, I was reading. This isn’t about the banquet, is it? Did that go all right?”
“It was very well received. It went beautifully.”
“Then what’s going on?”
As soon as they moved into the sitting room, he let out a grave sigh. “A proclamation has been issued across Malveaux. Beatryce has been crowned queen.”
Ro gasped. “Did Anyka not make it?”
“The proclamation only said that she was injured. Now, ordinarily, I would say that doesn’t mean she’s still alive, however…” He reached into his vest and pulled out a letter, still sealed with black wax.
He handed it to her. The seal stamped into the wax was unmistakable. The royal crest of Malveaux.
“Lights,” she called out, bringing illumination to the sitting room. She slipped her thumbnail under the wax and broke the seal so she could unfold the letter.
She read it out loud. “Queen Sparrow Meadowcroft, I write to you on a matter of grave personal urgency.
“My mother, Queen Anyka, remains in the unnatural state of slumber your magicians placed her in on Tenebrae. Our healer believes she can do what needs to be done, but her efforts require the assistance of a strong magician. In light of this, I respectfully ask that you return Nazyr to Malveaux at once, should he currently be in your custody or under your protection. Time is of the essence. His power, combined with the healer’s skill, is the key to any hope my mother has of recovery.
“I trust you understand a daughter’s desire to restore her mother. In this, at least, we need not be enemies.
“With hope for a swift and cooperative reply,
“Queen Beatryce Blackbryar
“Regent of Malveaux.”
Ro looked up at Gabriel. “How on earth do I answer that? I can’t send Nazyr back there. I’m not sure he’d make it out again. Not that he’d want to go. And I’m not sending Uldamar back as Nazyr, either. For all we know, this is a trap.”
She walked around and sat on the couch, staring at the letter, overwhelmed. “I have no idea what to do.”
Gabriel came to sit beside her, but he stared at the letter, too.
She looked at him. “Is it really possible that they have no other capable magicians?”
“Very much so,” he answered. “When the original curse fell over Malveaux, and the unsynct ability and other more unsavory ones began to manifest, things changed. Once the unsynct were declared ‘mutations of nature’ and ‘unfit to live,’ the attitudes toward magical gifts shifted.”
Suddenly, Ro understood. “People became afraid.”
He nodded. “No one was sure what ability might become the next to be outlawed. Parents refused to send their children to magical tutors. Those with gifts hid them. Or at least downplayed them. After the first unsynct execution, magic became a curse, not a blessing.”
“The crown caused this. They did this to themselves,” Ro muttered.
“Yes, they did.”
She sighed, trying to think of a solution. Nothing came to her immediately. “This seems like a good time to tell you what I was going to tell you and Uldamar over breakfast. Starlynn has another daughter.”
The shock in Gabriel’s eyes, followed by the way he narrowed them in dislike, made Ro love him a little more. “And she told you this? Did she think this would endear her to you in some way?”
Ro snorted. “No. She told me because the daughter, my half-sister, has a son who’s in trouble. He’s eight and already manifesting strong magic.”
Gabriel’s frown deepened. “In the mortal world?”
“Yes. At least that’s what Star told me. She wants me to go get them and bring them here.”
“That shouldn’t be possible,” Gabriel said, almost like he was thinking out loud.
“Bringing them here shouldn’t be possible?”
“No, his ability to manifest fae magic in the mortal world. He was born there?”
“Yes.”
“And he’s eight years old?”
“Correct.”
Gabriel was silent a moment. “Uldamar needs to know about this.”
“Breakfast is soon enough. One of us ought to get some sleep tonight.” She put the letter on the coffee table and leaned forward, elbows on her knees, bracing her forehead with her fingertips.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed right now.
I don’t know what to do about Anyka and I don’t know what to do about Star. ”
She turned her head enough to see him. “When does being queen get easier?”
“I don’t know that it ever does. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She exhaled, wishing her magic ability was problem-solving instead of predictive dreams.
He put his hand on her back, rubbing in slow circles. “As I used to tell Raphaela when she was little, few good things come easily and those that do rarely last. What is your heart telling you to do?”
She closed her eyes, the soothing feel of his touch giving her enough peace to breathe again. “To help Anyka and to bring Dove and her son here.”
“Then that’s what you should do, Sparrow.”
“But is it really? That’s making decisions based on feelings. What if those decisions backfire and cause greater problems? I should be ruling with my head, not my heart.”
“I don’t know about that,” Gabriel said. “The sword chose you because of your heart. I don’t believe allowing it to help you rule is a bad idea.”
She swallowed as she straightened, his words making her emotional for reasons she couldn’t fathom. “But what if something goes wrong?”
“Then you deal with it. But things could go right, as well.”
She was so glad to have him by her side. She took his hand. “Thank you. I needed to be reminded of that.”
He smiled. “You would have come to the same conclusion with a little more time. Or perhaps a little more sleep.”
A small chuckle escaped her. “Unfortunately, I am very awake now.”
“I can have the kitchen send up hot milk with lavender honey.”
“I have a better idea. Would you go with me for a walk in the gardens?” Getting out of the palace and into nature wasn’t going to solve her problems, but it couldn’t hurt.
He nodded. “I’d love to. We haven’t done that in a while.”
“No, we haven’t.”
He stood and held out his hand. She glanced down. “I don’t think I should go in my nightgown and slippers.”
He laughed and took his hand back. “No, I don’t suppose you should.”
She got up. “I’ll change fast. Be right back.”
A few minutes later, they were leaving the palace through the secret exit Gabriel had shown her right after she’d moved into the palace.
The passageway led directly into the gardens.
She loved them in the evening, when all the night-blooming flowers gave up their perfume and the fluorescent insects became stars of their own show.
As they walked, she took it all in. Everywhere she looked, there were luminous things. Flowers, insects, patches of moss. The garden seemed lit from within.
A trio of glowing white moths fluttered around a topiary. She inhaled, the sweet scent of an unknown flower making her smile.
“Do you want to walk or sit?”
“Walk. Since Aunt Violet’s taken over the garden, she’s put in a chapel area for people to sit and think or pray. There’s a new fountain. I’d love to see it. I believe she said it was in the south corner.”
Gabriel offered his arm.
She took it and they proceeded on in silence, letting the sounds of the insects and other nightlife be their backdrop.
After a few minutes, an arch covered in vines and tiny white flowers came into view. The sound of trickling water followed. They went through and found a pretty fountain of white marble carved to look like a giant vase bubbling over.
Ro looked around for a bench and realized they weren’t alone. “Ecclesia?”
The older woman got to her feet. “Your highness.”
“I wasn’t sure you were still here.”
“I wouldn’t leave without telling you. I’ve just been trying to decide what to do.”
Ro took a seat on the bench Ecclesia had just vacated. She patted the spot next to her. “Been doing a lot of that myself lately.”
Ecclesia sat back down. Gabriel stayed by the entrance, giving them space. Ro looked at her. “Have you decided? I don’t want to pressure you, but I’d love to know.”
“You were so kind to put that plaque up in the library, about my husband creating those stained-glass windows.” Ecclesia smiled. “Wouldn’t seem right to leave after that.”
“That’s wonderful.” Ro glanced at Gabriel. “We have our Second Professor of Magic.”
“Excellent news,” he said. “Maybe she can give you some insight about your nephew.”
“Oh, right.” Ro nodded, returning her attention to Ecclesia. “There’s more to this story, which I’ll share with you in a moment, but do you think it’s possible for a young child with fae blood to exhibit strong magical abilities in the mortal world?”
Even in the dim light, Ecclesia’s eyes sparked with interest. “There is if he’s aetheryn.”
“What does that mean?”
“There’s no direct translation but it’s something like a person born attuned to magical vibrations. Do you know what a ley line is?”
“Yes. In the mortal realm, it’s a straight line that wraps the earth and is often believed to be a conduit for magical power or to hold ancient power.”
Ecclesia looked pleased. “Correct. In the fae realm, an aetheryn is a person who is believed to be able to connect to magical power in a way few can. They’re rare and very special.”
“Is Uldamar aetheryn?”
“Not to my knowledge,” Ecclesia said. “This child you speak of is your nephew?”
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t surprise me that he’s of your bloodline, not after you pulled Merediem free, but…”
“But what?” Ro asked.
Ecclesia took in a breath. “You’d best hope the Grym don’t get wind of him.”