Page 71 of Crown of Darkness
“Go home,” Lucere says through clenched teeth. “I think you’ve done enough here. I don’t know what the truth is. I don’t know who attacked us. Or why. But as I told Adaia the other day, Ravenal intends to stand by itself. It will uphold the terms of the original Alliance. We do not side with either of you. We stand by ourselves, and will remain neutral in this coming conflict.”
Thiago doesn’t move. “Remember this moment when Ravenal’s borders are being overrun with red and gold banners. This was the moment where you could have saved your people and your country.”
And then he turns to shoot us a dark look.
“Let’s go home.”
Kyrian catches his arm before he turns to go. “Keep me apprised. If you need help, I will do what I can.”
* * *
Failure tastesas bitter as I thought it would.
“You did your best,” I murmur as we’re about to mount and head for the Hallow. “Her eyes and ears were already closed before we even arrived.”
Thiago stares moodily ahead. “Your mother won this skirmish. I could see it on Lucere’s face—she’s afraid of what Queen Maren can do to her. If she bows her head before your mother, then maybe, just maybe, she won’t be crushed. She can ride their coattails to victory, clap enthusiastically when they deliver my head on a plate, and smile hollowly as her cities are slowly overrun. She’ll be the first knee to bend before your mother.”
“She’ll also be the last,” I remind him. “Kyrian despises my mother, and Queen Maren doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘yield.’ Maren’s the one unpredictable factor my mother can’t control. It wouldn’t entirely surprise me if Maren thinks to use my mother to draw fire from their enemies before she knifes Adaia in the back and sets her crown on her own head.”
“Do you think this was truly her doing?” He meets my gaze.
I swallow. “I’m starting to think it wasn’t the fetch in the library the other day. If Maren has the Mirror, then she might be able to watch us through the World of Dreams.”
But why burn the library?
“Either she thinks I found something in there,” I whisper. “Or this was a threat to stop Lucere from allying herself with us.”
But which one?
Hope dies in his eyes. “I nearly had her. I thought I nearly had her—”
“This game isn’t over yet. Lucere has yielded. For now. That doesn’t mean she won’t come to her senses. Or maybe we can return to my original idea.”
“I don’t think Lucere’s going to be standing near any open windows in the near future. And I thought you frowned upon that kind of behavior.”
“I do.” I would never plot another queen’s death. “She hasn’t made her pledge to the lands yet. She hasn’t bound herself, and until she does, she is only heir apparent. Not queen. Perhaps someone else will grow a sudden ambition.”
“Hmm.” He turns back to his horse, but I know he’s thinking. “Remind me not to playfariwith you.”
I can’t help seeing the moves on the board the way my mother taught me. It doesn’t mean I have to make those moves, but if there is one thing my mother is very adept at, it’s predicting the path people will take.
And being unpredictable herself.
The thought bothers me. Because until this moment, she’s been making all the right moves; her armies at the borders, an offer of peace with Ravenal….
But it’s what Lucere would do. It’s what an untried queen would do.
Somewhere out there, my mother is moving pieces.
It has to be the vision that the Prince of Shadows saw.
“Are you coming?” Thiago calls, mounting his horse.
I told him I wasn’t some precious princess who needed help getting up and down from her mount, and clearly he’s taken me at my word. I gather the reins of the mare that was lent to me and prepare the stirrup—
Feet slap on the cobbles behind me.
Imerys captures my wrist just as I set my foot in the stirrup. “You’re going?”
