Page 68 of Shadows and Roses

The garden was oddly quiet tonight. A few of the creatures were more nocturnal and ought to be active. Perhaps a wild animal outside the walls had frightened them.

The quiet was broken by a swirl of rustling leaves and a squeaking sound. It was probably the creak of an unoiled hinge. He headed toward the noise, into a darker corner, but bright enough that he could catch a scurrying creature if one had escaped its cage.

Stepping softly, Castien waited for his eyes to adjust to the dimmer light. This part of the garden housed a few foxes, a porcupine, a peacock, and several feeder mice in the back. The spiny critter would be a chore, but he could probably round up any of the others. A breeze tossed hair across his eyes and creaked the cage again. Likely the mice—it sounded closer to the back. Extra food for the hawk was not worth trying to hunt down. But he stepped towards the other cages to check them, just in case.

His foot landed on a soft lump. He kneeled to find a small body with feathers and wings.

It was a hawk, recently dead. Possibly the Queen's hawk. Poor creature. Bent feathers, a bluntly caved-in chest, and no appearance of being eaten suggested this wasn't natural or predatorial damage, however. He wasn’t particularly familiar with animals, yet this felt out of place.

Suddenly wary, Castien stood and eyed the dark corners. He shouldn't have come alone. The gardens ought to be safe, but he should have asked a guard to accompany—

Something smashed the back of his head and he blacked out.

Anais

A dead bird, the gardens in disarray, and a servant’s fearful testimony became the first business of the day. Barely dressed, a guard had delivered an urgent message—another infiltration in the palace. Irritation and concern brought her swiftly out of the Queen's Wing to the healer’s hall where the servant was being treated.

News of her fallen hawk had been dismissed with the servant’s description of events—three people dragging a limp man wearing an Escort’s bracers. The servant’s offer to help had been rewarded with a bash over the head.

A healer unwrapped the girl's hand as she told her story, revealing the outline of a nine-pointed sun burned into her palm.

Anais' rage was a cold, familiar companion. Every one of her Escorts was a close friend and advisor—and easily accounted for. Her captain joined her as she interrogated the servant. Half her Escorts were in her hall. An icy glare sent servants running to find the others.

"Call a council."

Word would spread soon enough.

By the time she swept into the council chambers, all but Castien had been located. The Queen was too deep in the ice to care which of her Escorts hadbeen taken; she was only interested in leashing the council, then declaring her intentions to her Inner Circle. Any protest would only be a target for her wrath.

A herald stood by the table as she sat, waiting for her nod to speak.

"My Queen," he bowed, then turned to the rest of the room. "A member of this court has been taken against his will to the land of Nadraken. Castien of the Queen's Escort." He bowed and backed out of the room.

"Hardly a member of this court," Lord Magdus grumbled.

The Queen ignored him and glanced to the side. "Chamberlain, draft letters of intent—"

"All this fuss for a bed servant?" The same lord, his voice sharp.

Thud.

A knife quivered before the lord, the tip buried half an inch into the wooden table. The Queen’s fingers had hardly moved. "Never interrupt me. Letters of intent to the Queen of Nadraken. General, send a legion to the southern border."

"You would go to war over a courtesan?" Magdus said a moment after she spoke.

"I do not allow my property to be stolen. Or would you so easily hand over your gold, Lord Magdus, since you have more than you need?"

The protesting lord lowered his eyes. "Of course not, my Queen."

"Besides which, Nadraken has taken liberties with our southern border lately. This offense must be addressed or it will be taken as weakness. That much should be clear to all the members of this council."

"Indeed, my Queen," Duchess Satryani agreed. "And we should strike harsher in response. How many incursions havewe ignored? Our lack of action encourages these brazen infiltrations." An expected sentiment from the elder lady.

"Dear Duchess," Count Grelden offered in soothing tones, "it sounds to me as though you're blaming our magnificent Queen for these attacks. I, for one, suggest patience before we send the legion. We do not know for certain that Nadraken is involved. It would be an act of aggression on our part if we move too swiftly." The count was a newer member of this council, and had been seeking Anais' favor. His words drew a nod from a few of the others, including Magdus.

Of course, the count’s protest was insincere—they all wanted bloodshed, but this council could be relied upon to disagree with each other, even if only for petty reasons.

What they didn't understand was that she despised them all equally. "Yet fatal if we move too slowly. The legion marches. Anything else?"

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