If only the other dragons had supported them.
Cerridwen said plaintively, “Did no one see the danger?”
“Oh, they saw it well enough! The Eldest did her best to be neutral, as she must, but I could tell she is frightened. And Juniper! He spoke so eloquently in our favor, of the danger of being enslaved, and he even threatened to leave the Nest if we chose not to defend ourselves. But the rest of the older dragons saw us as foolish youngsters who are enamored of humans, and they would have nothing to do with it.”
“What will you do?” Elizabeth asked in a hushed voice.
There was silence, and then Rowan replied. “I will be gone to Wales before Napoleon comes here. But we will stand by our companions, as we have ever done.”
Frederica said to Quickthorn, “If you wish me to take you to another Nest, one farther away from the danger, I will do it. I want you to be safe.”
Quickthorn's tail twitched again. “I hope it will not come to that. I must do what I see best, even if the Nest does not agree. I will keep training with dragonfire, and I intend to explore each of these defenses on the map. If we cannot defend the entire territory, let us prepare to protect the area around Pemberley.”
Rowan said softly, “You are coming close to mutiny against the Nest, you know.” There was no disagreement in his voice, simply a statement of fact.
Coquelicot said sadly, “I wish I had mutinied against my Nest. Even if I failed, at least I would have tried.”
“I am not yet ready to break with them,” Quickthorn said. “I still hope to persuade them, but it may come to that.”
Darcy looked up at the sound of Elizabeth’s particular rhythmic knock on his study door, a warm smile already blooming on his face. “Pray come in,” he said as he rose to his feet.
It had finally been calm at Pemberley in the last fortnight. Surprisingly, there had been no word from the War Office or Cattermole, much less an attempt to arrest him.
Which was just as well, with Coquelicot in mourning, and Darcy trying hard to distract himself from thinking of Jack. Elizabeth’s presence was the only thing that could truly get his mind off his brother.
Today she was frowning, and she held a sheet of paper in her hand. “I have received an odd letter from your mother,” she said. “Odder than usual, that is.”
Darcy stole a quick kiss. “What does she want?” Lady Anne never sent word unless she had a purpose.
Elizabeth glanced down at the letter, as if hoping it would say something different this time. “She asks me to have the Dower House prepared for her arrival, as she intends to take up residence there.”
“What?” Darcy exclaimed, with more shock than manners. This was not good news. There was far too much happening at Pemberley that the King’s Mage ought not know about. “But she has to remain in London for her work.”
“Not anymore, apparently. She says she has stepped down as King’s Mage.”
He took in a sharp breath. “Impossible! That position is her life! And who could possibly take her place?”
“She does not address that.” She handed him the paper.
Still unable to credit the news, he scanned the letter. It was no more than a note, saying precisely what Elizabeth had reported, and with no more polite niceties than a brief hope that they were all well. “If it were not in her hand, I would not believe it. I am still not certain I do.”
Elizabeth hesitated. “Is it possible this might have to do with Jenny? Perhaps, after losing Jack and her daughter, she wants to spend time with her granddaughter.” She sounded dubious, as well she might.
If only he could tell her about Jack! “I seriously doubt that. She had so little time for any of us, and I fail to see why that might have changed.” Even now, she had sent this business-like letter to his wife, whom she barely knew, rather than to him.
Irritatingly, it still hurt. Did she think he would not care?
Wouldhe care at all, if not for the inconvenience of it? His mother’s arrival was going to upset Georgiana dreadfully. His sister might even decide to return to London rather than deal with Lady Anne – which at least would simplify the matter of the fae attacks. Then there was the question of the dragons, including Rana Akshaya. And what would Lady Anne say when she discovered that his illegitimate half-sister was a regular caller? This was going to be sticky, no question about it.
Frederica poked her head inside the study door, her eyes wide. “May I interrupt? I have had some shocking news.”
Elizabeth said, “Did Lady Anne write to you, too?”
Frederica swished into the room. “Worse than that.” She closed the door behind her. “The Prime Minister.”
Very little could have caught Darcy’s attention at that moment, but this did. “Lord Liverpool? What doeshewant from you?”
Frederica handed her letter to Elizabeth, who was standing closest to her. “I am commanded to return to Town immediately to take up the duties of the King’s Mage – because Lady Anne has been relieved of her post!”
