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Queen Asteria let out a little snort, then covered her mouth as if she’d been caught belching, but her eyes twinkled above those aged fingers. “Oh, Camille. Don’t worry. You are—and always will be—a woman who plays by her own rules. My dear, you did just fine with Feddrah-Dahns. What makes you think his father won’t be just as charmed?”
I grimaced, thinking of Smoky and Hyto. “I haven’t had much luck lately charming fathers. And not every son is a chip off the old block.” I tried to force a smile into my words, but given I was still a long way from sure that we’d be okay in that little corner of the mess that was my life, it must have come out strained, for the Queen’s smile faded into concern.
“What’s wrong, Camille? Has something happened? Is your father angry with you for some reason?”
I shrugged, still both embarrassed and angry by the whole affair. “No, not my father. Smoky’s father. We met. He didn’t care for his son’s choice in brides. He’s not happy. And that’s not the end of the story.”
Queen Asteria sat down, staring at me hard. “Be cautious, young one. Dragons can be treacherous, especially white wings and redbacks. Don’t anger him if you can help it. Smoky is a fine young beast, but as you say, sons don’t always take after their fathers, and if his father is truly full-blood white dragon—”
“He is,” I said flatly.
“Then do not trust him. Keep an eye on your back, my dear. And Morio, keep an eye on her as well.”
Great. That was the second time today Morio had been warned to play bodyguard. I was beginning to feel like I had a big red bull’s-eye painted on my back and I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
Morio nodded. “I plan on it, Your Majesty.”
She gave him a silent smile of approval. “Good. Back to the subject at hand. Camille, King Upala-Dahns will be offering you an opportunity, and some information. You must accept it. I promised I would say no more for now, but please—do not shirk the offer he extends to you, even though it may lead you into some danger. The potential reward is far too great.”
Oh great, more riddles. I was used to it with Grandmother Coyote, but now Queen Asteria was playing the game, too? And “danger”—when applied to me—was code for: You are going to get your ass hurt during this fiasco, and hurt bad.
But I did what was expected of me. I smiled and said, “Thank you.”
Morio grunted, but kept his peace. Iris just gave me one of those you’re so fucked looks she was especially good at.
But Queen Asteria wasn’t done with me yet. “I see through you, Camille. I see that partially horrified, partially skeptical look in your eyes.” She leaned close. “Believe me when I tell you that you need to go through with this. Will you trust me?”
Something about her manner scared me. She meant business but I just didn’t feel all that confident. Although come to think of it, Grandmother Coyote had echoed the sentiment. “I don’t mean to offend you. I’m just tired of riddles and bumping around in the dark.”
As she stood, we jumped to our feet. She nodded as Morio bowed and Iris and I curtsied. “My dear, sometimes the darkness is our friend. If Shadow Wing breaks through, trust me: The fires will rage so bright that you’ll beg for the velvet womb of the night.” And with that, she swept out of the room.
Trenyth motioned for us to follow him back out through the Great Hall. Along the way, I filled him in on what we’d found out—as little as it was—about Stacia Bonecrusher. He jotted down the information.
“Thank you,” he said. “I’m sorry, Camille. I know it feels like you are being kept out of the loop at times, but trust me, the Queen has her reasons for it and more will be made clear in the near future.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said, shrugging. “Sometimes I guess we’re all pawns in the hands of the gods.”
“And some of us just try to keep the pawns out of trouble,” he retorted, an impish grin on his face. “Go and be at peace, and may your journey be smooth.” He escorted us back to the portals and paid our fee to jump through to Y’Elestrial. As we entered the portal, hand-in-hand, the only thing I could think about was that I was going to see my home again, for the first time in a couple of years. I just hoped there was a home to go home to.
CHAPTER 10
Y’Elestrial was like no other city in Otherworld.
Located on the southern shores of Lake Y’Leveshan, the city was the last stop before the long trek south to Terial, the eastern port, and southwest to Aladril, the City of Seers.
Caravans left daily, boarded by the majority who couldn’t afford to use the portals. Great lumbering wagon trains, they were pulled by teams of the nobla stedas, horses that had been forgotten among the mists of legend over Earthside. But in OW the breed had been cultivated for strength and skill until, over the eons, they came to outclass any other equine. Menolly, Delilah, and I’d been required to take riding lessons when we entered the OIA, and I always felt like royalty when I was astride one.
As we emerged from the portal, which rested between two great oaks next to the city gates, I took a deep breath and gazed up at the towering walls surrounding Y’Elestrial. Lethesanar had spared no expense on upkeep. The gates were forged of bronze and they had been polished to a mirrored surface. Guards lined the walls, watching the flow of traffic in and out of the city.
Unlike Aladril, Y’Elestrial wasn’t closed to strangers, but it was obvious we’d been expected. One of the guards stepped out, his hand up to halt our approach. Dressed in the royal blue with gold epaulets, his blond hair waved gently in the wind. Though it was hard to tell the age of any of the Fae, except for the very old or the very young, there was a raw feeling to this man. Probably a new recruit.
I handed him my OIA badge. He glanced at it, then held it over one of the scanners the techno-mages had rigged up. A pale blue light flashed and he handed it back.
“Advisor Sephreh ob Tanu is waiting for you at the palace. Let me call a guard to escort you.” He started to turn but I reached out and gently laid my hand on his arm.
“That’s all right. I know the way.”
He glanced at my fingers and a warm flush raced up his face. “I’m sorry, Mish’ya, but I have strict orders to give you a full escort. I can’t allow you to enter the city without one.”
