Page 29 of Kingdom of Feathers

Her eyes passed up to her father’s, and the king raised an eyebrow.

“You seem keen to have input on this matter, Wren,” he said. “What do you think?”

Wren frowned. Whatdidshe think? She scanned the letter again, and her indignation grew. She pictured Caleb’s distress as Lady Anneliese talked about how weary she was of being sad and alone, and his resignation as he reminded her that they couldn’t be sure her silence would be enough to end the curse. Entolia had done this. Maybe it hadn’t been King Basil’s decision, but he still had to bear the consequences.

Her frown turning into a full scowl, Wren tossed the parchment onto the desk in a gesture of disapproval.

The general looked heartened. “Much my own thoughts,” he said gruffly, although he still couldn’t bring himself to look Wren in the eye. “He’d be mad to suggest coming himself in earnest. It must be a trick. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s looking for an excuse to declare full scale war. Or perhaps to spy on us.”

King Lloyd frowned at the letter, then looked up at his daughter. “Yes, I’m afraid of the same thing,” he confessed. “Looking for an excuse for war, that is. If espionage was his aim, he’d be foolish to conduct it by way of an open state visit. Surely it would be easier to infiltrate us more subtly.”

“Not necessarily,” said the general. “He might think we’d be less likely to suspect him if he moved in the open.”

“He’d be foolish if he thought that,” said King Lloyd dryly.

The general gave an impatient grunt. “Of course he’s foolish, Your Majesty! He’s an eighteen-year-old monarch.”

King Lloyd rubbed his face wearily. “Either way, he’s put us in a bind. If we refuse to treat with him, we give him his excuse for open war without him even having to work for it.”

Wren frowned. Her father had a point, but she still didn’t like the idea of the Entolian king coming to Myst.

“We can treat with him without it being on his terms,” the general pointed out.

King Lloyd gave a humorless laugh. “How much lesson his termscould it be than in our own capital? I’m not willing to do the reverse, if that’s what you’re suggesting. I have no intention of setting foot in Tola while the border is still in contest.”

“Of course not, Your Majesty,” frowned the general. “But perhaps you could meet him at the border.”

“Truth be told, I’m reluctant even to do that,” said King Lloyd. His eyes rested on his daughter. “As King Thorn has so clearly demonstrated, even kings can be injured and die.”

Wren felt her cheeks heat as she filled in the rest of her father’s unspoken thought. Unlike King Thorn, he had no son to step in and take control if he were to die. He didn’t want to risk leaving the kingdom in her inept hands, and could she really blame him?

“You don’t like the idea, Wren?” King Lloyd raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were inclined to sympathize with Entolia’s new king.”

Wren shook her head emphatically, Caleb’s quiet anguish fueling her anger. Being reluctant to mount an invasion against King Basil while he buried his father was one thing. Hosting him in their own castle was taking it much too far.

“Well, be that as it may, I think we have little choice but to accept his request,” said King Lloyd, sighing.

“It’s preposterous, Your Majesty,” blustered the general. “He’s little more than a boy, and he expects you to sit down and treat with him like an equal? After his kingdom’s aggression toward ours?”

Wren frowned, not liking the older man’s tone. She didn’t like the proposed visit either, but in fairness, she had to acknowledge King Basil’s right to communicate with her father as an equal. He was the king of Entolia, after all. His age had nothing to do with it.

“Yes, I don’t relish being made a fool of,” King Lloyd acknowledged. “But inviting him here doesn’t mean I have to give him full access.”

“True,” said the general, brightening. “I could assign a military officer to liaise with him. Someone who’ll hear what he has to say, but won’t have the authority to make any promises that will bind you.”

The king shook his head. “I don’t wish to offend the new king. I don’t know enough of King Basil to predict his response for certain,” his voice turned dry, “but his father would have been angered enough by such treatment that he probably would declare full war and invade immediately.”

The general frowned. “I suppose a nobleman of high standing could perform a similar office. But if I can speak freely, Your Majesty, I don’t like it. They wouldn’t have the training my men do. If King Basil’s intent is to ferret out information about us, some well-intentioned but untrained earl from your council would be an absolute windfall for him.”

King Lloyd nodded slowly, and although he spoke to the general, his eyes rested on Wren. “You make good points, General. But there may be another solution entirely. King Basil is, as you say, not of my generation. Perhaps he would prefer to meet not with his father’s counterpart, but with his own.”

Wren’s eyes widened as her father’s meaning settled over her.

“An interesting idea, Your Majesty,” mused the general, looking at Wren as though she was a military proposal instead of a sentient person. “He’d have no cause to be offended.”

Anger rushed over Wren at the hypocritical words. The general could barely hide his disdain any time he was in Wren’s presence. But she understood perfectly what the gray-haired man meant. If King Basil was offended to be pushed off on her—as he surely would be—he would be unable to express that offense without causing even greater offense. Everyone might think it, but no one dared to put into words their total lack of respect for Mistra’s damaged crown princess.

She understood also what her father was thinking. Wren’s status would keep the Entolian king from having cause for complaint, but her muteness would make it unlikely he’d be able to weasel any information of value out of her.

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