Narrowing her eyes at Hanna and Havtru, Merecot drummed her fingers on the armrest of her throne. “This is a time of change for my country. My people need me here... Yet this is a historic opportunity. Few queens visit their neighbors.”
She didn’t mention her last “visit,” and they, politely, didn’t either.
“We would be honored to escort Your Majesty to Mittriel,” Champion Havtru said with another bow. He then fiddled with the collar of his shirt. He seemed uncomfortable in her presence, which was also amusing. She had to work again to keep from smiling.
Merecot waved away his offer. “I don’t need an escort.” She silently ordered one of the smaller spirits to blow open one of the large windows, and then summoned her favorite mount: an air spirit with golden feathers, an eagle body, and a man’s head. He swooped into the throne room and circled the chandeliers. “As you can see, I have my own transportation. You are, of course, welcome to enjoy the hospitality of my castle.”
She had no intention of letting them slow her down. Not when victory was so close.
“But Your Majesty, it would be our privilege to...” Hanna began.
Merecot let out a little laugh. “Oh, there’s no need to trouble yourselves. I know the way.” She thought of Queen Jastra and wished she could have said “I told you so.”See, I did have a plan, and it’s happening even more quickly than I’d imagined. If only you’d believed in me more...One queen gone, and an open invitation to visit the other. Access to Daleina, near the Aratayian Grove. It was like Daleina was giving Merecot everything they’d wanted, wrapped in a pretty bow.If I’d killed Naelin, this wouldn’t have happened.
She tried not to picture Jastra in her last moments.I can’t be missing her. She betrayed me.But she couldn’t help wishing things had turned out differently. It would have been nice to have someone on her side, advising her, rooting for her.
Hanna was frowning. She had a formidable frown that still made Merecot wonder if she’d finished her homework. “Queen Merecot, as official ambassador to Semo, I should accompany you. I believe I may be able to aid...”
Merecot smiled merrily, hoping it wasn’t obvious that she was delighted to soon be free of her old headmistress. “Oh, you’ve done quite enough. Why not rest here while I pay a visit on my dear old friend? We can chat again after I return.”
Indeed, there was a lovely secondary benefit to leaving them here, under the protection of Merecot’s guards: they’d be assurances against Daleina’s good behavior.After all, Daleina’s and my last meeting was... dramatic.Having her beloved headmistress as well as one of her brave champions—not to mention the potential assassins and the palace guards who’d accompanied Hanna—would make nice leverage if Merecot needed it.At the very least, it will ensure Daleina plays nice.
Both the champion and ambassador began to protest, but Merecot cut them off. “You’d only slow me down. If I fly fast enough, I can reach Mittriel before nightfall. I do love to make a dramatic entrance.” She paused, reaching with her mind to touch the gold eagle spirit. “And a dramatic exit.”
The enormous eagle with a man’s head dove from the chandelier, and she leapt from the throne onto its back and flew out the window. Tapestries fluttered in her wake, and she reveled in the feeling of near-victory.
While the queen of Semo flew south, Daleina rehearsed her welcome speech for her former-friend Queen Merecot in the mirror. She had two options: the let-us-have-peace speech and the you-are-irredeemably-evil speech.
Lounging on a couch behind her, Garnah said, “I like the second one.”
Daleina didn’t turn around. “Your opinion on this is not required.”
“Remind me again why Mother is here,” Hamon said. “There’s been no word from the north that Queen Merecot even received your message, much less accepted your invitation.”
Squaring her shoulders, Daleina studied her own face in the reflection. She’d dusted pale powder under her eyes but it only made her look ghoulish, not less tired. She rubbed her cheeks hard until they pinkened.There, I look a little more alive now.“She’s already coming. She’ll be here shortly.”
Behind her, she heard Hamon jump to his feet, knocking over a small table. A vase crashed onto the floor. He was scooping up shards of pottery when she turned around. “You should have told us,” he said. “The guards...”
“I’ll need you to leave, Hamon.”
He stopped.
“You can’t be here when she comes,” Daleina said as gently as she could.
“I’m not leaving you alone with that woman,” Hamon sputtered. “She had you poisoned!”
“Your mother will watch for that.” Reaching out with her mind, Daleina felt the spirits only a few miles outside Mittriel react as the other queen flew through the trees. Through their eyes, she saw Merecot as a golden blur.
“You can’t trust her either,” Hamon said.
“Hamon!” Garnah said in feigned shock.
Ignoring his mother, Hamon crossed to Daleina and took her hands. His hands felt dry and soft in hers. “You know I would give my life to keep you safe.” Earnest, devoted Hamon. She nearly smiled, but she didn’t want him to think she was mocking him. He meant every word, and she treasured that—he was one of the few people in the palace who she knew had no ulterior motive. She knew how rare and lucky it was for a queen to have someone she could trust so absolutely.
“I know, and we must assume Merecot knows this too, which is why I need you elsewhere, ready with antidotes if I need them.” She didn’t want to tell Hamon that while she trusted him with her own life, she didn’t trust him with Merecot’s. He’d made his opinion on the poisoning abundantly clear, and she didn’t want him to do anything rash in the name of defending his queen.Just because I know he loves me, it doesn’t mean I know he’ll behave the way I need him to.“Trust me, Hamon. Please leave.”
He wasn’t happy with her. She hadn’t expected him to be.
Leaning forward, she kissed him. “Please, Hamon.” Placing her hands on either side of his face, she gazed at him, trying to put all her love and trust into her eyes.You are my safety, she thought.The one rock that won’t move, the one tree that won’t fall, the river that will carry me and never drown me.“Leave. For me.”
