Page 76 of Requiem of Silence

“Or were you planning to remain here overseeing your secret, pet project?”

Heat began coming off her in waves. “Pet project? You just said you support unification. That team in there is vital to the vote going our way. The future of Elsira is at stake!”

His face gentled, something she never recalled witnessing before. “I’ll grant you that unification is important, but it’s not themostimportant thing. There are other vital issues requiring your attention as well. This embargo is crippling us. Regardless of how the vote goes, if we have no food to feed our people, if our economy collapses, then it will make little difference. With your brother marrying the king’s daughter, you are in the best position to come to some agreement with Raun.”

She heaved in a breath. She could not admit that she had no idea how to negotiate with Raun. Where to begin? What to say?She didn’t even know why their king had started the embargo in the first place. No one did.

“King Pia will not speak to me,” she said through clenched teeth. “The negotiations regarding the wedding soured and since then communication between us has been scarce. I need to focus on the issue that is threatening to destroy the land.”

He shook his head. “Our supply shortage and economic stagnation will destroy us first, Your Majesty. Rioting in the streets would be just the beginning if things get as bad as the reports project.”

There was truth in his words, but she couldn’t admit it—at least not to him. Too much history lay between them, too much mistrust and subterfuge. “I will deal with Raun in due time, Minister.”

The door opened and her assistant Ilysara ran in, looking harried. “There you are, Your Majesty,” she exclaimed. She looked suspiciously at Calladeen, then switched to Lagrimari. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“What is it?”

“We’ve had a communication from King Pia of Raun.”

Jasminda shot a glance at Calladeen, who appeared annoyed at the interruption.

Ilysara continued breathlessly, “She’s on her way. Here. The king. Now. She sent no warning, apparently wanting to take us by surprise. But she’s on a ship, which will be docking in Portside in a matter ofhours.”

Jasminda straightened and a knot tightened inside her. “Hours? What—? How—?” She took a breath as thoughts jumbled in her head. “How did this message arrive?”

“Dolphin? At least that’s what I was told by the ambassador.” Her assistant looked perplexed by this, but Ani and the twins had told Jasminda of the Raunians’ use of dolphin messengers.

She turned on Calladeen. “Did you know about this? Is that why you came to see me?”

“Know about what?”

She’d forgotten they’d been speaking in Lagrimari. “King Pia is on a ship that will arrive in Rosira in a matter of hours.”

The man blanched. “I did not know this. I promise you I had no idea. I have never heard of such before—to give no warning for a state visit.”

Much as she didn’t want to, she believed him, and Earthsong backed up her gut feeling. She sighed and dropped her head, coming to terms with this new reality. When did the weight of the world come to rest on her slight shoulders? WhyhadOola put it there?

She took another moment to feel all the self-pity that rushed at her, unbidden.

And then she brushed it aside. Opened her eyes. Squared her shoulders.

“All right. She’ll be here soon. We’d best prepare.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The wise will hear the melody and

sing along.

The blessed will teach the tune to all

they encounter.

—THE HARMONY OF BEING

Kyara’s Nethersong avatar had grown into a growling, vicious-looking wildcat. Its hackles were raised as its ghostly form prowled in front of her, pacing back and forth, gaze locked on the target Murmur had provided. A row of improbably lush, leafy trees stood at the far end of the cavern, spaced evenly apart. Her task was to specifically aim for the center tree and destroy it, leaving the rest untouched.

She sucked in a breath, feeling the cat’s skin ripple in response. They were viscerally connected, she and this imaginary creaturethat embodied her Song. She sensed its moods and reactions and knew that it sensed hers. Since she’d discovered her deadly power, she’d felt as if it was always barely leashed. Never quite under her control. Now that it had manifested itself in a visible way, a leash wasn’t needed. Whatever magic was held in the walls of this mountain allowed this being to work as an extension of herself.

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