Page 132 of Faeling
When Ravenna finished, her tale was met with complete silence. It was an awful moment.
Hilde broke it first, a smug little grin between her tusks. “I knew you were up to something. Didn’t I say that, Eydis? ‘That woman is up to something.’”
“You did,” Eydis agreed absently, the cogs of her brilliantmind clearly turning.
Ravenna couldn’t hold her sharp, assessing gaze for long.
“I asked you here to help plan,” Vallek said. “I mean to kill the Fae Queen.”
His declaration was met with an even longer, even more ominous silence.
“Is that…wise?” Asta asked, looking between Vallek and Eydis.
“It’s not,” Eydis said slowly, without inflection. She was clearly still pondering, a little crease visible between her furrowed brows.
Vallek held up his hands. “Maybe not, but it must happen. She’s obviously hunting Ravenna, and sooner or later, she’ll find out where she is.”
“You can’t just go around killing other monarchs,” argued Asta. “That would lead to war. Unless you already mean to march on the faelands with an army.”
“It’s not my preferred strategy, but I will defend what’s mine.”
“With an unprovoked attack?”
“Preemptiveattack, yes.”
“And what if that invites, say, the Pyrrossi emperor topreemptivelyattack you?”
Vallek grumbled, conceding the point.
“I will do it.” Everyone turned surprised looks onto Ravenna. She nodded, insisting, “This is my revenge. I’m grateful for aid, but Asta’s right, Vallek can’t be the one to slay her. I will. Honor demands it.”
Vallek’s expression darkened. “I won’t allow you to be soclose to danger.”
“Then we don’t do this at all,” Ravenna shot back. “I won’t allow you to fight in my place.”
“What do you think, Eydis?” asked Hilde.
Her question diffused a bit of the tension growing between Ravenna and Vallek, although she knew they were far from finished. She could already tell from the stubborn set of her mate’s jaw that this would be the point where he dug in his heels.
All looked to Eydis, strangely quiet so far through their discussions. The orcess leaned forward to balance her elbows on her knees, her mien still pensive.
“I think it’s not the wisest course of action, and we can’t control nor foresee all the ramifications. You know I don’t like loose ends. However…” She scrubbed her hands over her face. “There is some mad logic to it.”
“You’re not serious,” Asta scoffed.
“Maybe—I haven’t totally made up my mind. But if Vallek is right, if Amaranthe truly is hunting Ravenna, it’s only a matter of time before she learns Balmirra has hidden and aided her. If the tales of her are true, we can expect a swift, brutal response.”
“The tales are true,” Ravenna confirmed.
Eydis nodded gravely. “We found one spy but there must be others. I have my people following leads, but it’s possible one may slip our net. And then, of course, news will spread. It will be slower, but, eventually, the whole continent will know the orc king took a faeling mate. We therefore have a limited window of opportunity.”
“It will be the only time we wield the element of surprise,” Vallek agreed.
“Risky as it is, we may have no other choice,” said Eydis. “Ifwe wish to decide the rules of the engagement, we’ll have to strike first.”
“Be that as it may,” argued Asta, “that doesn’t mean an attack on the faelands will succeed. Even crossing the water west of the Spearhead will mean at least two days of marching. You could attack from the sea, but they say Fallorian is set high on a cliff. There’s no way to maintain the surprise, not once you touch foot in the faelands.”
“So then we draw her away,” said Ravenna. She met Eydis’s steely gaze when it cut to her. “She’s already sent scouts to ask about an escaped criminal. Tell her you have them. Use me as bait.”
