Daleina looked out again at her capital city, full of men, women, and children with hopes, fears, and dreams.Given this chance... how can I refuse to even try, for their sakes?
But she’d need to be certain her people would be safe, if she and Merecot failed. She’d need to ensure the champions and their candidates were prepared to protect Aratay, and she’d need a way to wrest power back from Merecot, if it proved necessary. She’d talk to the Council of Champions about the first. And she’d talk to Garnah about the second. “I will speak with the champions at dawn.”
Merecot rose too. “Daleina...”
“Finish your meal and sleep well.”
“And tomorrow? Will you help me change the world?”
Daleina hesitated, wondering if she should say the truth: Yes, she would help her, but if Merecot failed, if anything went wrong, if the people of Aratay were put in any danger...I’ll have to do what Merecot said she would do to me.
I’ll have to kill her.
But Daleina didn’t say that. Instead, she smiled and said, “Yes, Merecot. I will.”
Merecot abandoned any pretense of eating and instead paced back and forth, across Daleina’s chamber, out onto the balcony, back inside. She felt the spirits far in the distance, like an itch in her head, but she didn’t try to draw them back. It was too sensitive a time.
She believes me, Merecot thought.
And then:She believesinme.
It was extraordinary.
And to think I tried to have her killed.
She’d never regretted anything so badly in her life. Actually, she didn’t think she’d regrettedanythingin her life, and it bothered her more than she cared to admit. She’d underestimated Daleina—or at least she thought she did. It all depended on whether Daleina went through with it and actually abdicated in favor of Merecot.She could still chicken out. I might still need to kill her.
And now that thought made her sick.
Her hands felt sweaty, and she wiped her palms on the skirt of her gown as she paced. If she’d had her spirits, she would have called them to listen in on the council with the champions. They weren’t going to like this. Not one bit. If they talked Daleina out of it...
“You’ll still have to kill her, if things go sour,” the poisoner woman—Poison-Master Garnah—said, coming into the room. It was as if she knew Merecot’s thoughts, and that made the queen angry. If Garnah noticed, she didn’t let on, instead continuing, “Or try to. We won’t let you, of course. It will be a whole messy thing with plenty of collateral damage, but that doesn’t concern you, does it?”
“For a spy, you aren’t very stealthy,” Merecot observed. “This is the second conversation we’ve had. Isn’t that breaking spy protocol?”Daleina must have spoken to her when she left.She wished she’d thought to eavesdrop.
“I’m a terrible spy,” Garnah agreed, “but a formidable enemy. You don’t want me for yours.”
“I’m not already?” Merecot studied the other woman, careful to keep a distance between them and at least one bulky item of furniture. She didn’t come as far as she had by being careless, and now would be a terrible time to drop her guard, when she was on the verge of achieving everything she ever wanted.
“Of course not! I think you’re delightful.” Garnah beamed at her. “I just want to make sure we’re clear: I will be accompanying you into the grove, with Queen Daleina’s blessing. Don’t tell me it’s not done. I excel at things that aren’t done, as do you. Besides, the spirits of Aratay are used to crowds of heirs in their grove—they won’t mind one silly old woman.”
“You’re no match for angry spirits,” Merecot said.
Garnah’s smile widened until she was baring all her teeth. “Hah! We’ll see tomorrow, won’t we?”
Daleina saw three possible outcomes:
One was success. She didn’t need to plan for that.
Another was betrayal. She’d spoken with Garnah after leaving Merecot—the Queen’s Poisoner would accompany them into the grove, bringing her various potions. At the first sign of deceit, she’d use them on Merecot.
And third was failure. The spirits could kill both queens, leaving Aratay queen-less at a time when the country lacked heirs.
Striding through the palace, Daleina asked Belsowik to summon the champions to the Chamber of the Queen’s Champions at dawn. She then shut herself in her chambers and began composing letters.
First, she wrote to the headmistresses of every academy in Aratay, advising them to instruct their teachers and students to be prepared to issue the “choose” command at midday, should the worst-case scenario occur. Then she wrote to Hanna, laying bare Merecot’s plan and requesting that Hanna select one of the Semoian heirs—if she and Merecot both died, then the headmistresses and their students could suspend the spirits with the “choose” command until Hanna arrived with an heir. She sent the message with her fastest spirit, directly to the mountain castle.
It would be the champions’ job to prevent casualties until the command took effect.If all girls and women with power are standing ready... and if the champions are prepared... then it shouldn’t be like it was when Queen Fara died. Her death took Aratay by surprise. I won’t let that happen again.
