Page 3 of The Queens and the Kings
She’s going to hate me,she thought.She’s always hated me.
Britt kicked her courage into place, screwed her shoulders back, and continued her march with more determined strides. Henrik kept up with her, while Malcolm stayed back to signal for Einar and Agnes once Britt’s confrontation concluded.
Denerfen’s wings fluttered with every step. He squeaked and squealed with each breath he released. Whether he was excited to be home or nervous for General Helsing remained unclear.
Kind and patient,Britt reminded herself.Just be kind and patient.
Heart in her throat, Britt stopped three steps in front of her aunt. The awning covered them, and the rain made a delightful ruckus. General Helsing glowered as she studied Britt. Her analysis flickered over Britt’s shoulder to Henrik, lingered for a breath, and returned. She called over the swelling storm.
“You survived.”
Britt pasted her bright, cheery mask into place. Her amusement with life fit like a well-worn glove.
“Are you surprised?”
“Yes.”
Britt swallowed her snarling report of,Malcolm and Tesserdress are alive, and with no thanks to you, by covering it with another broad smile. She couldn’t withhold her snappy retort.
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
“Don’t be emotional. Of course I didn’t want you dead, but a good lesson on control and planning certainly wouldn’t hurt.” General Helsing paused. “I received Malcolm’s letters. You owe me several explanations.”
Thunder clapped. “Can we do it inside?” Britt shouted.
A look of genuine surprise crossed her aunt’s face as she glanced at the needlepoint rain, seeming to register the sweeping winds for the first time. Her body turned to a slight angle in the warmest welcome they could expect.
“You may bring your guest.”
General Helsing led the way across water-logged sand covered by the awning and to a hallway chiseled into the blackstone mountain. They advanced through a winding corridor as familiar as breathing, lit by glowing veins of gold in the walls.
Britt hid an anticipatory grin. Should she warn Henrik about what to expect when they left the tunnel and entered the undermountain?
Nah.
Surprise was better.
When the unbroken silence became a burden, they exited the coarse stone walls and stepped inside the heart of Dragul Mountain. Britt’s heart pattered with a secret thrill for the undermountain.
Carved out eons ago by whatever forebears left this place to her people, the hollowed out mountain soared with stone walls and hidden catacombs. Hallways crawled through the island’s mountain like arteries, branching into smaller rooms, offices, storage spaces. The underside soared overhead, but didn’t ascend through all layers of the main Dragul Mountain. Enough to provide protection and a gathering place, but not comprehensive.
The occasional flutter of dragul wings along the far wall softened the midnight stone. Golden light radiated from tables, wall holders, torches, candles like star trails. Glass windows split the western wall to the sky, their gigantic space cluttered by overgrown ivy along the edges. Lightning cracked across cloud bulkheads that hurried closer, casting waves into sloppy fits. History claimed that an Arcanist put those windows in centuries ago, though no one knew for certain.
Henrik’s steps faltered when he entered the booming space, but quickly resumed. If he experienced awe at their hidden world, he couched it well. His neutrality inspired jealousy. Had he been here before? Doubtful, though he’d been to Kapurnick during his reefer year, receiving jord.
Britt spun to tell Henrik, “I’ll explain everything later,” but General Helsing stopped. Britt prevented a collision at the last second by peeling off to the side and swallowing her promise to Henrik.
“You and I will meet in my office, Britt.” General Helsing studied him. “And you are?”
“Henrik.”
“The soldat?”
“Yes.”
Her brow arched. Nothing good happened when General Helsing passed judgment with her brow. She folded her hands in front of her.
“I understand that I am to thank you for coming to my niece’s aid and keeping her alive. We all know what a difficult thing that can be.”
