“They’re dead.” His sharp voice made her recoil, but his expression softened, and he mumbled, “Nothing will change that.”
She looked up at him, and as he stared back at her impassively, her heart cracked. How sad that must be. How painful and lonely.
But though she hadn’t admitted it to anyone, not even her priestess, there was a pit in her stomach that expanded in the face of Zane’s conviction. Of course there was a life after this one. When she passed on, the goddess would judge which realm she was worthy of in the Lands of Eternal Dawn. Whether she was sent to Elyndra or the highest paradise, Azura’s Isles—or, though it was highly unlikely, the depths of Zagan’s hell—there was no guarantee that everyone she’d lost would’ve reached the same realm.
Still, she whispered, “You’ll see them again. I know it.”
“It’s easier not to get my hopes?—”
The gilded doors swung open, and Kalie jumped.
Mylis gave them an apologetic look. “Governor Roth and Captain Vale for you, Your Majesty.”
Uncle Jerran entered first, bowing his head. Behind him, her new captain saluted.
“Come in. What’s this about?”
As he took a seat in a hideous floral armchair, Uncle Jerran raised his sparse eyebrows. “The security briefing.”
“Security briefing? Don’t the guards handle that?” Kalie twisted around, but Zane and Mylis had already returned to their posts outside her door. “Has the threat level increased?”
“The security briefing for your coronation next week, Your Majesty.”
Kalie rubbed her forehead. “Right.Right.I did see that on my agenda. My apologies, it’s been a long morning.”
“I take it the meeting didn’t go well?”
“We’re still talking in circles.”
“Raveen’s death has left them unsettled,” Uncle Jerran said. “They’re all wondering if their families will be next.”
Kalie winced. Senator Raveen of Khadar—one of Marcus’s strongest allies and Carik’s fiercest critics, the man who’d shoutedresistand raised his fist before a crowd—had allegedly died of a fatal heart attack two weeks ago. His wife had vanished. No one knew what happened to their young daughter.
“That’s why we have to fight. Otherwise, he’ll keep escalating.”
“I’m not denying that. I want justice for Calida as much as you, I only wish…” Uncle Jerran shook his head. “One war was costly enough.”
She sighed. Always the voice of reason. If he’d been in the meeting this morning, he could’ve smoothed everyone’s ruffled feathers.
The meeting. Her drooping eyelids shot open. “You met with the Collectivate this morning, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“A few wanted to wait until Carik responded to your terms for peace, but once they heard the Speaker herself blessed a war, the majority agreed.” Uncle Jerran pursed his lips as Kalie sank into the cushions, letting out a relieved gasp. “Two of three. The Church and the Collectivate have ratified your declaration. All you need now is the Advisorium.”
“If only I could remove the nobles who keep blocking my motions.”
Vale’s lips flattened into a thin line.
Uncle Jerran chuckled. “My dear, the point of the Advisorium is to prevent a duchissa from having absolute power. Unfortunately, their stubbornness doesn’t give you grounds to remove them.”
“And even if you had grounds,” Vale said, “none of the suits in the Collectivate are going to ruin their chances for reelection by approving the removal of a noble.”
Kalie slouched in her chair. “I know that. It’s just wishful thinking.”
“Speaking of wishful thinking, I was under the impression things were improving between you and your mother?”
