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“Yes, my queen,” he said and did not add anything.
The queen, seeming satisfied by the man’s response, turned to me.
“Feremir, my boy,” she said. “Did you have any visions about your sister?”
This was it. I had to be very careful now.
“No, my queen,” I said and did not think about the fact that it was an outright lie. “I was unable to see her path.”
“Her whereabouts,” the queen pushed. “You haven’t felt her at all? Where could she be?”
She was agitated. The news she had received today had not been good at all. I tried to feel saddened and disappointed about that. Lady Dahlia’s expression remained flat and I hoped she did not sense anything at odds with my thoughts.
“I could not, my queen,” I said, trying to feel sad about it. I looked away from the queen and stared at the ground. If I cried, it would be good. “I am devastated that I have failed you.”
There was a loaded pause. I kept staring at the ground, trying to look guilty and ashamed.
“I hear you have been venturing out in the night,” the queen said. “Visiting your parents?”
This was it. I had to play my part well to convince her.
“I had a dream,” I said, widening my eyes to make myself appear like a scared little child. “I saw my mother die and I...”
I paused for effect. I could not bring the tears no matter how hard I tried, but I hoped my face was full of sadness.
“I thought it could be a vision,” I continued. “I went to check up on them. But I was mistaken. She was well. I know it is stupid of me to think I had a vision when I did not. But...”
“It is all right, Feremir,” the queen said, and when I looked up, although I hadn’t managed to pull tears, I knew I had accomplished the devastated look. “I do not blame you for it.”
Master Frin became tense as her gaze darted toward him. I bit down my lower lip to look more like a frightened child as I followed her gaze.
She had bought the pretense, but I could not think about how happy that made me, not with Lady Dahlia in the room.
Lady Dahlia would not always be in my mind. There were others in the room, whose thoughts were more important. If she thought I was a little boy with inconsequential thoughts, she wouldn’t even bother scratching beneath the surface.
“Master Frin,” the queen said. “You were to train Feremir as quickly as possible. He is a talented diviner. He should not confuse dreams with visions. He should know how to separate the two. His failure to have the vision reflects your failure as his teacher. Do you suppose I should replace you with one of the many diviners who covet your position as the Grand Master Diviner?”
“My queen,” Master Frin replied quickly. “We train every day. Feremir is learning quickly. But it hasn’t been long since I have taken him on. Before me, his instruction had been rather weak and...”
I could not listen. Master Frin was talking about Master Leo as though he was a failure. It disgusted me that he would abase Master Leo simply to keep his title. The man was dead. Killed by...
No. I could not think of such things.
The queen seemed like she was going to scold Master Frin for a bit longer. But before she could, Lady Dahlia leaned in to whisper in her ear. My hands were sweaty as I waited for the lady to straighten up again. I expected the queen to order her soldiers to capture me on the spot.
She did not.
“Tell her I will not be seeing her,” the queen said.
Lady Dahlia nodded to those cryptic words. The queen turned back to Master Frin.
“Master Frin,” the queen said. “I will expect a report on Feremir’s improvement. Remember this. Training him is the most important task I require of you. We need to find his sister as soon as possible. If we cannot, I am afraid we might lose her to the Unseelie.”
She smiled compassionately at me. I met her cold gaze and tried to look like I was touched by her concern for my big sister.
“Thank you, my queen,” I said.
“You may leave now,” she said to the both of us.
