Chapter 42 #2
Aella stepped into the room and stopped at seeing my father and brother.
I caught a flash of anxiety and anger in her expression before she hid it with her usual grace and composure.
Holding her head high, she came and sat next to me.
I took one of the pastries—my brother was surely going to finish them all at the rate he was going—and gave it to her.
“If you wish to spite Hagon, eat as many of these as you can,” I said with a smile. “He loves them and says he’s been severely deprived up in Juvarn.”
An evil glint entered her green eyes. “I believe I will.”
“Did you have to tell her?” my brother asked, giving me an accusing look.
I shrugged. “I told Aella that she can’t kill you, so taking your favorite things away may remove a smidgeon of her hatred for you.”
She finished chewing her bite. “These are delicious. I’m tempted to see if a sebeska could handle flying with a piece of one to Juvarn to taunt Hagon.”
“It could be arranged,” I said, chuckling.
My brother pretended to glare at us. “The two of you are evil together.”
Aella and I exchanged a mutual look of satisfaction.
Prince Armin and his sister entered the room next, with Loden and Faina behind them. We stood and bowed to the royals. They were right on time, whereas the rest of us had been early.
After we’d all given them the appropriate greetings and they took their seats, I stood and moved toward a map of Zadrya on the wall.
First, I used a special red paint marker to denote all the new places the blight had affected that we didn’t know about before.
The land was beginning to look as if it had a severe case of the pox.
Everyone sighed or groaned as I added each one.
Next, I pointed at Porrine. “I have confirmed that King Worden’s older brother, Kaius, was freed by the dark elves.
He’s in the capital, and it appears they want to install him as the next king with their support.
They plan to do this by marrying him to a royal dark elf.
There are only two choices with high enough standing to satisfy all parties. ”
“This party would not be satisfied,” my sister said, kicking her feet onto the table.
Our father glared at her, but like me, she didn’t care. Aella smiled at her.
“My mother would be the other option, but I imagine she’s fighting it or else she’d already be here preparing for the nuptials,” I said, pacing the floor.
Faina rubbed her face. “They’re probably punishing her for being difficult.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it, unfortunately.”
I cared for my mother, but I’d learned long ago there were limits on what I could do for her.
The king might have killed his youngest daughter, Xannia, after she betrayed him, but he wouldn’t touch Zareen.
She’d always been an asset, even if she occasionally resisted some of his commands and secretly rebelled behind his back.
My father frowned. “Did you hear anything about what they’ve done to Zelthor?”
“He had a rough time during his first week.” I’d given the prince the full accounting, but I wanted to save the princess from that. “My spy assures me that they’ve backed off from harming him for now in case he can be used as leverage. He’s in the dungeon, but he’s alive.”
Lillian closed her eyes for a moment, whispering a prayer to the nameless ones.
“Is there no way into those dungeons?” Aella asked.
I shook my head as I hit the end of the room and turned around to cross once more.
“At this point, I can’t find a way into Porrine, but even if we located one, the dungeons would be impossible to reach without it being a suicide mission.
Karganoth has proven to excel in its security measures.
Having said that, we do need to find a way into the capital quickly because there will be a big event happening one week from today. ”
“Do you know what it’s about?” my father asked.
I stopped pacing to look at him. “Not precisely yet, but I do know Kaius and my uncle Radan will be there. It will be held at the event field. I will check in with my spy before then to see if he found out more.
“Who is this informant?” the prince asked.
“I’d rather not say, but he is trustworthy.” It was difficult enough letting them find out about Gretel, but I’d had little choice there. I would protect Malachi’s identity, even from the royals.
“Do I know him?” Faina asked, lifting a brow.
I couldn’t help the amusement that entered my eyes. “He offered to marry you to save you from Kaius.”
“Oh.” She rolled her eyes. “That one. Tell him he can shove it where the nameless ones don’t shine.”
Armin frowned. “Should I be worried?”
“My sister holds a grudge, but you don’t hear her saying not to trust him.”
She looked away, but my answer seemed to satisfy the prince.
Lillian leaned forward, staring at the map with a distant gaze. “There used to be a secret tunnel that ran between southern Porrine and Raumandia, but father had it filled in when I was a child. He felt it was too much of a security risk.”
“Do you know where the entrances were?” the prince asked, excitement in his gaze.
She shook her head. “I was seven the last time anyone mentioned it, but one of my sources finally contacted me yesterday. He happens to be one of the soldiers who was tasked with filling it. We could set up a meeting with him and see if he can show us.”
Armin nodded. “Do it immediately.”
“Of course,” she agreed.
I couldn’t miss the relief in her eyes at finally finding a possible solution for how to get her son back.
Despite her and Jacthor hiding their fears and keeping themselves busy, I knew they worried constantly.
It was in their gazes when they looked at each other, and when they thought no one was paying attention.
“The next order of business would be the situation in Siggaya,” my father began.
I took my seat, propped up my feet, and braced myself for the tedium of a long meeting. At least we had the start of a plan, but I had no idea if we could make it work in so little time.