Chapter 13
Ro woke less tired, but somehow not as rested as she’d hoped to be. That was becoming all too common these days. Hopefully, soon, all of this conflict would come to an end. And when it did, she was packing a bag and heading to Starfall with Gabriel for some leisure time.
Benny realized she was awake and came to sit beside her.
She gazed up at him from her pillow. He yawned. “You want to go to Starfall with me? Or do you want to stay here?”
He chirped, which wasn’t an answer she understood. “Probably better if you stay here. You might be led astray by a field mouse.”
Reluctantly, she got up and headed into the bathing room to shower and get herself ready for the day. Breakfast was in less than an hour and there was a lot to discuss.
She rang for Luena and Helena before stepping into the shower. As nice as it would have been to lounge in the bathing pool, she didn’t have time.
They’d arrived by the time she was in her robe and sending down the order for breakfast.
They both curtseyed. “Good morning, your highness.”
“Good morning, girls. Power breakfast this morning. I need something comfortable, but in charge.”
With a knowing nod, Luena headed into the dressing room to find an outfit.
Helena remained. “Braids?” she suggested. “With a refined eye, clean brows and a stained lip.” She patted the bag slung across her body. “I have something new to try. A blackberry stain. Made it myself.”
“I’m game,” Ro answered. Helena made all the cosmetics she used, except for the few things Ro had brought from the mortal world. Tubing mascara had yet to be duplicated with anything natural.
And she loved her hair in braids, at least the way Helena did them. They gave her Viking vibes and made her feel powerful.
Soon, Ro was dressed in one of her more casual outfits of wide-leg pants with a matching tunic top.
Both were silk the color of sea glass and felt very much like wearing pajamas, without looking like she was wearing pajamas.
The low-slung teal leather belt and matching pouch, which gave her a place to store some necessary items, helped elevate the look, as did her trillianite jewelry and dragonfly embroidered slippers.
JT and Violet arrived first for breakfast. No surprise, as they literally only had to walk through adjoining doors to reach her. She greeted them both with a kiss.
“JT, where’s Mrs. Wigglesworth?” The woman, who’d once been one of Ro’s cats, had always favored JT.
“Still sleeping,” he answered. “She was up late last night unravelling a new ball of yarn I gave her.”
Ro snickered. “Thank you for taking care of her.”
Aunt Violet gave Ro a hard look. “How are you?”
“I’m all right.”
Someone knocked on the door.
“I’ll get it,” Violet said. “That’s probably Posey.”
It was. Raphaela, Gabriel, and Vincent appeared at the door next. Uldamar and Ecclesia arrived last. They’d all barely come into the dining room when breakfast showed up.
They sat as platters of scrambled eggs, fat sausages, thick slices of ham, and fried potatoes with herbs and onions were laid on the table.
Additional plates of muffins and biscuits were brought, along with butter and several kinds of jam.
And, of course, there was coffee, spiced cocoa, fruit juice, and water.
Everyone filled their plates as Ro dismissed the footmen who’d brought everything up. Gabriel poured coffee and cocoa into her mug, her usual half-and-half mix.
“Thank you.” She nodded at Ecclesia, who was seated beside Uldamar. “I’m pleased to officially welcome Ecclesia as Summerton’s new Second Professor of Magic.”
After a round of congratulations, Ro continued. “We have some very important things to discuss this morning.” She made quick eye contact with Raphaela and Vincent, Aunt Violet’s personal guard. “As per usual, nothing said here goes beyond this room.”
They knew that, but it was worth saying again.
She sipped her drink. “First of all, a request has come from Malveaux. From Beatryce, who, as I’m sure you’ve heard, has been crowned queen.
The official story is that Anyka sustained injuries at Tenebrae, which we know, but that those injuries have necessitated Beatryce stepping up.
I believe they’re calling her regent, but we might as well assume she’s the new queen going forward. ”
“That’s going to be interesting,” JT said. “What was her request?”
“That we send Nazyr back to them, if we actually have him, so that he can help their healer deal with Anyka’s injuries.”
Uldamar rested his fork on the edge of his plate. “I do not believe Nazyr wishes to return under any circumstances.”
“Neither do I, which is why we need to talk about this. I can lie and say we don’t have him, but that will create problems in the future. Eventually, the truth about his defection will come out. I don’t want something I say now to reflect badly on the crown later on.”
Aunt Violet nodded. “I agree. That could taint JT’s rule at some point.”
He shrugged. “I appreciate that but telling her no probably won’t be well received.”
“Correct,” Ro said. “Helping is not only the right thing to do, but it would put them in our debt.”
Uldamar was watching her like he was waiting for a new assignment.
She smiled at him. “I’m not sending you back there as Nazyr, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“It would be simple enough to do.”
“Except for when it came time to leave. I don’t think for a second they’d let you go again.” She shook her head. “No.”
“I could do it,” Ecclesia said. “I’m expendable.”
Ro looked at her in horror. “No, you are not.” She took in the entire table. “No one is expendable. I value all of you just as I value every citizen in this kingdom.”
Ecclesia’s words had rocked her. Maybe the old sorceress hadn’t meant them to, but Ro sat back, trying to calm herself.
“My apologies, your highness,” Ecclesia said quietly. “I misspoke. What I should have said is that I am willing to go, regardless of the risks.”
“Why would you do that? You’ve only just accepted the position as Second Professor.”
“Because death doesn’t frighten me.” She hesitated. “And if it comes in the service of my kingdom, so be it. Wilm waits for me in the Beyond.”
Ro exhaled. “I suppose I can understand that, but I have no desire to lose you.”
“Then what are we going to do?” JT asked.
Ro had no answer and judging from the looks on the faces around her, no one else did either. Then it occurred to her that maybe the answer was just that. No. She sat for a moment, contemplating that.
“What if…I just said no?” She watched their expressions to gauge their reactions.
Aunt Violet looked confused. “No, you’re not sending Nazyr?”
“No, I’m not sending anyone. As much as my humanitarian side wants to help Anyka, maybe to prove, once again, that I really do want peace, the Grym have done nothing to show they feel the same. In fact, they’ve done more than enough to show that all they want is Summerton under their heel.”
Gabriel nodded. “Anyka would have killed you. She’s tried. You can’t reason with someone who doesn’t hold the same values as you.”
She knew he’d understand. “Very true.”
Uldamar set his fork down. “We are essentially already at war with them. Beatryce’s letter might have been well-meaning and honest, but the Grym have proven themselves untrustworthy time and time again. They cannot expect you to put your own citizens in danger for their sakes.”
A little smirk lifted JT’s mouth. “No is a perfectly acceptable answer. You used to tell me that all the time when I was a kid.”
Ro laughed softly. “Yes, I did. Then no it is.”
Posey was spreading blackberry jam on a biscuit. “I am at your disposal whenever you’re ready to write that letter.”
“Let’s do it immediately after breakfast. The sooner it’s sent, the better.” Ro took a breath. “This won’t be well received. We have to prepare for that outcome.”
Raphaela shrugged. “What are they going to do? Try to kill you again? We have the neph and the wyvern backing us. They have the trolls. Let them ask the trolls for help.”
“Well said,” Ro agreed. “All right, then, it’s settled. We are not helping the Grym.” She sipped her coffee-cocoa mix. “Next topic, and this one is a great deal more personal.”
She explained about Star, then moved on to Dove and Mason. She gave them every detail she could remember. JT stared at his plate. She could only guess at what he was feeling. “As it happens, Gabriel and I spoke with Ecclesia in the gardens last night, and she believes Mason may be aetheryn.”
She explained for JT and Violet’s benefit what that meant.
Uldamar nodded immediately. “That would be my supposition also.”
“If he is, I believe it’s my duty as queen to provide a safe haven for him and his mother, regardless of the fact that she’s my half-sister. But I will fully admit that I don’t necessarily trust anything Star has said.”
Gabriel reached for another slice of ham. “Uldamar, Ecclesia, in your opinions, would it be possible for a child to be born aetheryn with only one partially fae parent?”
The two looked at each other and simultaneously shook their heads. Uldamar answered. “I don’t believe so. It would take fae blood from both parents.”
Gabriel spoke to Ro again. “There’s your answer. If Star says Dove’s husband passed away, he should be here. Find him and you’ll know whether or not she’s telling the truth.”
“That is a very good idea. To me, this sounds like a good project for Professor Cloudtree.” She nodded at Posey. “I’d like you to work with him on this. The two of you were helpful finding Lady Cynzia’s diary.”
“It would be my honor,” Posey said.
“Thank you.” Ro returned her attention to Uldamar and Ecclesia. “If this all pans out and Mason is aetheryn, what does that mean exactly?”
The professors exchanged a glance before Uldamar answered. “It means with the proper training and education, Mason could be the most powerful wizard this realm has ever seen.”