Page 17 of Of Skulls Of Shackles

She regained her wariness. “My king knew I was for him. Once we figured out the smaller details of our union, then there was no need to wait. And greater power rewarded his efforts. My king is a general of all kings. A risk-taker and pioneer of purpose. Where others take a nibble, he takes a bite, and none might ever know the true layers and scope of his plans.”

Her breath was ragged by the end, and she gulped in air, perhaps in some small shock over what she had revealed.

Princess Change already fathomed the hold I had. So there was no point in hiding it, especially when that part of my obsession was out for all to see and mostly done. I pulsed my power. “What were the smaller details of your union to King Change?”

She fell to the cobblestones, palms slapping on the stone. “That I be a mistress of ruin forevermore. He had already suspected the truth of his direction in immortality, though he had not revealed such to other kings yet.”

“Princess Raise spoke of how drastically you altered after union.” The rest came to me. “Because this was part of your union, you are powerful in the matter of ruining.”

Nowthatwas something sinister.

Others were married to their king’s purpose, but they did not always agree with the saving or ruiningdirectionof that purpose. They could not have worked against their king’s purpose until I came along anyway, but King Change had done something unique from others when he placed the clause of purpose direction into their union agreement.

“He shows great forethought,” I murmured. “And your union granted him greater power, and so he felt emboldened to break the saving pact with his brother kings and strike out on his own.”

The princess sat in a silence that was simmering and not despondent. I had almost decided to enjoy drawing her into feeling whenever I could, and yet she did not have any say in ruining, as I had assumed. Any feelings felt she would punish herself for.

Again and again, the nature of a union told me much of a king.

I sensed from her simmering that this meeting was at an end. “You are dismissed, Princess Change. I will see you here tomorrow at the same hour.”

“After you speak kindly to yourself in the mirror,” she replied.

Words spoken in anger. Though I should not do so often, I did like the displays of emotion from her. “After that, yes. I never allow anything to interfere in that.”

The princess left, and not long after, the squelching blinks of another princess met my ears.

“Good evening, Princess Bring.” I looked at her, and took care not to react to her outfit. She had cut her cloak in two and wound the top half around her second blob, and the bottom half in a skirt.

She curtsied. “Queen Perantiqua. The deepest of dusks to you.”

“That outfit is very becoming of your blobs.”

Wet squelch, and a delightful silence after.

I smiled. “Do you come to play at lady’s maid?”

“Just that, my queen. Aside from your meeting with Princess Change, you have received another letter of negotiation from King Take, and I took the liberty of scheduling an appointment for your first lesson of war with King See with ample time after to ensure he cannot… slip from his responsibilities.”

“Thank you,” I said in some surprise.

“My queen, I also bring you news of the skulking and sneaking behavior of Princess Change. She inspects the corners and crevices of your queendom.”

I considered that. “What does she seek? Information or object?”

“I cannot say, my queen. But I have alerted all pawns but your werebeasts, and also alerted Princess Raise. I expected that you would wish to know.”

That King Change would request snooping of her was no shock. But did she seek something specific? That could tell me much. “I will ask Mother to track her also. Inform pawns and my steward not to venture too close in their spying of her. I would see what she is about.”

“As you say, my queen. Then there only remains a summons from your mother.”

I glanced around the garden. “A summons?”

“A summons, Your Majesty, in the form of a glittering hellebore raised above all other covering your mother’s grave. There is a beckoning importance to it, and I wondered if she might like a word in death.”

I rose and walked to the balustrade to peer down from the third level to the courtyard. And to think this was once a hotel. The idea amused me in immortality.

A hellebore did indeed glisten above all others covering Mother’s grave. “You wondered true, dear lady’s maid. I shall attend her.”

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