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She moved her hand past Solorum, Tenebra’s capital at the center of the map. Between Solorum and the eastern forests, where Patria was marked, she placed a green pin. “Here is the letting site.”
Solia winced. “Yes, but it may be too much to hope that it’s conveniently underfoot at the council location. Patria is a fairly large domain. Do you recall what else is there? Grounds with game? The king used to hunt there, didn’t he?”
Cassia paused to think, scratching Knight’s ears with her free hand. The fact that she must pause at all made her frown. The answer to Solia’s question should have come instantly to her mind. She had once hoarded such details, never knowing what slice of information might be of use, or even save her life.
“I suppose he didn’t send me there often, if at all, not if he hunted there.” The king had always preferred to keep the bastard out of sight, which thankfully meant she did not need to tolerate his presence often.
Lyros put a reassuring hand on her arm. “We’ll be there to help you locate it. The search will go quickly with Hesperine aid.”
Mak waved a hand over the green pin. “I can’t imagine a great heap of leaking magic will be too difficult to find. You’ll be able to sense it, won’t you, Cassia?”
“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “Kalos mentioned that some letting sites are carefully hidden.”
“You can ask him when he joins us,” Rudhira said.
Solia plucked a pin from the dish in Cassia’s hand and offered the red marker to Rudhira. “May I ask where we are now?”
He did not take the pin, only circled a finger over a swath of forest to the east of Patria. “Somewhere in this vicinity. I suggest not wandering out of the camp unless you have a Hesperine with you to assist with your return. This place is rather difficult to find from the outside.”
“Hmm.” Solia placed the red pin in the forest. “We must be at least a day’s ride from Patria.”
“A polite distance,” Rudhira said. “Regretfully, the Charge is not welcome too near the Council. The Allied Lords are still cautious about showing open friendship with Hesperines, lest they frighten Tenebrans less sympathetic to our cause.”
Lio sighed. “There is a great deal of work to be done persuading the rest of the kingdom to take the Allied Lords’ view.”
“Meanwhile,” said Rudhira, “we support them from here, and Flavian sends his intermediaries to consult us. To get near the letting site, you will have to secure an invitation for the Hesperine delegation to attend the Council in a diplomatic role.”
As they studied the map, Chargers came in and out of the pavilion, saluting Rudhira before conferring with him under veils. They smiled at Lio, Cassia, Mak, and Lyros. She recognized the Hesperines errant from the Solstice Summit, when they had guarded the guest houses. She wondered if they would not have concealed their conversations if Solia had not been present. Then again, Rudhira kept plenty of secrets from his own youngbloods.
Cassia selected a brown pin and positioned it next to the green one at Patria. “Flavian has been camped here for over a month.”
Rudhira said, “We received news he has taken up residence in Castra Patria, the castle that overlooks the council grounds.”
“Bold,” Lio said, “but by right, the most powerful free lords may claim chambers in the castle for the duration of the Council.”
Solia pursed her lips. “How many of the other free lords have joined him at Patria?”
“A quorum,” Cassia answered, “enough to convene the Full Council without the king’s approval. Flavian has told Lucis this is merely an effort to unite the lords against threats facing Tenebra, for the peace and stability of the kingdom. Officially, choosing a new king has never entered anyone’s thoughts.”
Solia rolled her eyes. “Flavian always did have a pretty excuse for his misbehavior. But Lucis will never believe that.”
“He is too suspicious of everything and everyone,” Cassia agreed, “but he underestimates Flavian, who has always done his bidding. Lucis will never suspect Flavian of being the mastermind behind an overthrow.”
“That’s because he isn’t.” Lio narrowed his eyes. A sketch of the lord in question levitated off the table and flattened itself onto the board. A few pins shot into it with unnecessary force, narrowly missing Flavian’s charming face.
To Cassia’s dismay, Knight growled at the sketch. He had become more attuned to Lio’s emotions than she had realized.
“Lord Flavian of Segetia,” Lio said, “is a mediocre man who has been handed a plot by an extraordinary woman. Don’t give him credit for your brilliance, Cassia.”
“That is something we can agree on,” Solia said.
Lyros attempted and failed to pry one of the pins out of Flavian’s hair. “Easy there, Ambassador. Fool though he may be, Flavian is still necessary to our strategy for the time being.”
Mak patted Lio on the shoulder. “Don’t make me haul your ass out of a jinn prison again.”
“Flavian is no jinn,” was Lio’s icy reply.
“For such a peaceful fellow,” Hoyefe mused, “you must have a compelling reason for this grudge.”
