“Well, as much as you hate it, Garnah loves you, in her own way. If I die under her watch, you won’t forgive her. She wants—spirits,needs—your forgiveness. I can trust her in this.”
Hamon nodded. She could tell he wanted to argue with her, but she could see he also knew she was right. “I’ll never trust her. But I trustyou.”
Gifting him with a smile, Daleina turned back to Garnah. “I’ll expect you to be at my call throughout the entire visit. You may use whatever means you wish to observe.”
“You want me to spy on her?” Garnah said, delight in her voice. “Your childhood friend? A neighboring monarch with whom you’re trying to forge an alliance based on mutual trust? Oh my dear, has the crown corrupted your sunny optimism at last?”
Daleina elected to let the “sunny optimism” comment lie. “She is my friend. And I do love her and will always love her. But I don’t trust her.”
“Wise,” Garnah said. “Those we love can betray us the most.”
Hamon murmured, “You’d know all about that.”
“That hurts,” Garnah said, her voice barely registering she knew what the word “hurts” meant.
Daleina squeezed Hamon’s hand to silence him. She knew it was asking a lot of him, to allow his mother so close to her. But she also didn’t need the two of them to bicker about this. She respected that he disagreed, but now wasn’t the moment. Now she just needed everyone to do their jobs, and his job was to support her, plain and simple.
Not that it wasn’t a risk, of course—the Queen’s Poisoner could have her own agenda—but Daleina felt certain she was reading the woman right. Garnah was unscrupulous, but she also loved Hamon, in her own way, and she was desperate for Hamon to see that. Daleina was offering her a chance to prove herself. “Will you accept?”
“Is there a catch?” Garnah asked.
“My word is final in any decision.” To be as clear as possible, she added: “That means no murder unless I say it’s necessary.”
Garnah nodded as if this were a normal request. “Always good to include an ‘unless.’ Exactly when do you expect Queen Merecot to arrive?”
“I have already sent a message to Champion Havtru with instructions to deliver the invite in person with all the appropriate pomp and circumstance so that it’s clear it’s an official invitation,” Daleina said. “Of course, Merecot may fear a trap and say no.”
“That would be sensible,” Garnah agreed. “Is Queen Merecot sensible?”
“Not in the slightest,” Daleina said. “She’ll come.”
Garnah grinned wolfishly. “Then I accept.”
Daleina held out her hand, and Garnah knelt on one knee and kissed Daleina’s knuckles. If Merecot came with death in her heart, Garnah would ferret it out. Daleina was certain of it.And if she comes with hope instead... I’ll greet her with open arms.
Standing, Garnah dusted off her skirts and adjusted the feathers on her hat. “Oh, this is so exciting! And here I thought all royalty was noble and boring. I am so very pleased with my Hamon’s choice. Hamon, you should marry her before she discovers how noble and boringyouare.”
“Thank you for your advice, Mother,” Hamon said stiffly.
“May I be excused to prepare?” Garnah asked Daleina. She looked as giddy as a child who’d been presented with a three-tier cake.
“Of course, and thank you,” Daleina said. She was silent as Garnah retreated from the tower and began to huff and puff as she descended the many stairs. “Hamon...” Turning to him, she saw a strange expression in his eyes—a bit of shyness.
“Idowant to marry you,” Hamon said, “if you’ll have me. I had thought... there was your coronation, then the poisoning, then the invasion... I didn’t think you wanted the extra stress of a wedding, but if you do...”
Leaning forward, Daleina kissed his cheek. “That’s the most unromantic proposal I’ve ever heard. And you are right—I don’t have time for a royal wedding now. But Idohave time to make love to you.” She kissed his neck and unbuttoned his collar.
“Here?”
“Like you said, it’s the most secure place in Mittriel,” Daleina said, and then drew him to her against a pillar. Far to the west, the spirits of Aratay felt a wave of joy splash over them, calming their fear and distracting them, as Daleina very deliberately did not block them out.
Chapter26
Every Renthian knew that to enter the untamed lands meant certain death, which was why Ven decided he should sharpen his sword. Sitting on a branch at the border, he methodically ran the edge over his whetstone and tried to avoid pessimistic thoughts. Or really any thoughts at all.
Beside him, Naelin was looking out into the haze. She jumped as a rock punched upward in the middle of the untamed lands. Mist swirled around the rock, and it didn’t move again. The only sound was the wind between the trees of Aratay behind them and theshick-shickwhisper of Ven’s blade on the stone.
“Is this a profoundly stupid idea?” Naelin asked.
