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I was meant to be resting, but how they expected me to rest was beyond my comprehension to understand. Kade and Finn stayed with her this evening. They were better at being in the moment—or at least Kade was. I hoped he was able to take her mind off it if only for a little while.
My thoughts scattered when I realized I was standing in front of Tiernan’s door. I hardly remembered leaving my own chamber, never mind walking down the hall. I shook my head. Swallowed. Wondered if he was still awake, too.
The door was unlocked, and I turned the cool brass knob and swung it open as quietly as I could.
“Oh, Tiernan, I thought you would be asleep.” I found him bent over a table pushed against the wall, his golden hair falling to cover his face. His hand hovered over the parchment, the quill wet with ink.
His green eyes shone in the lamplight, widening in surprise, “Alaric, I didn’t expect—”
“What are you doing?”
I stepped in his chamber and closed the door behind me, taking a deep breath of the clean, crisp air flowing in through his window. Arrow cooed at me, ruffling his feathers before the creature flow off—likely to go keep a beady black eye on Liana.
“I had planned to ask you first, I swear.”
My brows narrowed, “Ask me what? What are you writing, Tiernan? Who is that for?”
But before he answered I saw the seal set down next to the letter. Carved with the emblem of the Queen of the Day Court.
“You had better start talking.” My hands clenched into fists of their own accord, and my breathing turned ragged and my skin, hot. What was he planning?
I felt fear in the room, and worry, and… and hope.
Chewing at the inside of my lip, I tried to calm myself. This was Tiernan. The Tiernan who saved Liana not once, but twice now. He loved her as I did—I’d felt it.
He was one of us.
“We need help, Alaric.”
The meaning of what he was implying took a moment to unravel in my mind. “And you thought to ask the Day Court for aid? You know Queen Suriel is just as likely to put Liana’s head on a pike and take her throne as the Mad King is!”
Tiernan held his hands up. Spoke very calmly, “The queen before the one who currently sits throne made it clear she wanted to reign over all of Meloran and that there should be onlyonecourt and onlyoneway. Her way. But Suriel is not like her mother, just as Liana is unlikehermother.”
“It’s a fool’s errand. Ricon’s sights are not set on the throne of Day. What reason would they have to aid us? And regardless of what you might think, I amtellingyou, it isn’t safe.”
Tiernan squared his jaw—tossing his quill onto the table, “And who’s to say he won’t go after the Day Court next. We would stand a better chance united.”
“Yes, but—”
“Honorem Copulare.”
“What?”
Tiernan picked up the letter. Thrusted it into my hands, “Honorem Copulare. If Queen Suriel agrees to the meeting, no harm can come to Liana.”
There, scrawled along the bottom of the parchment in large script read the words he spoke,Honorem Copulare.The ancient law of honor. If Liana requests a meeting under the law of honor and Suriel accepts—neither queen can harm the other.
“Suriel is an honorable queen. If she accepts the request for council, she will hold to her word. Liana will be safe.” He sighed, falling onto his blanket-strewn bed, “What else can we do?” he asked.
I had no answer to give.
Chapter Ten
Liana
The envoy left at dawn. I watched the three council-appointed riders gallop north until they passed from view. I didn’t dare hope for a peaceful resolution to any of this. I could only hope for their safe and swift return. We all knew it was a waste of time—that the Mad King would turn them away the moment he laid eyes on their Night Court banners.
It was hopeless.
