Page 31 of House of the Raven
“What did you hear?”
“Rey Plumanegra… dead,” he croaks.
“Anything else?”
He shakes his head, then hops closer and rubs his head against my arm, comforting me.
“Thank you, Cuervo.”
We’re silent for a long moment. I sigh. “I have to go. I need to find out what’s happening. You can’t trust anyone. Only Jago. Understood?”
He makes a few clicking sounds and tilts his head to one side. That white membrane in his dark eyes blinks, and I’m not sure he comprehends what I’m trying to say.
“Jago is a good friend,” I say, trying to put it in simpler terms. “I don’t like anyone else.”
He thinks for a moment, then croaks, “Amira?”
“Amira isn’t my friend. Not right now. All right?”
Tuckinghis head in, he gives me a confused look. The feathers on his head puff up. It may take him a moment to understand, but he’ll get it. He’s smart. I can trust he won’t repeat something he shouldn’t in front of my sister as long as I don’t overwhelm him with too much information.
“If you hear anything interesting make sure to tell me, got it?”
It’s not the first time I’ve asked him to eavesdrop. This is a concept he understands well. Through him, I’ve learned some interesting gossip like about the time Jago had a tryst with Fernando and Maria behind the stables. At first, I thought I’d misunderstood Cuervo, but Jago truly rolled in the hay with both of them. Simultaneously. Quite the accomplishment since Fernando always thought Jago wanted to steal Maria from him.
Cuervo turns away from the balcony, majestically spreads his wings, and launches himself into the sky. Watching him, I’m reminded of Father wistfully staring at the sky, a deep longing edged in his features. He always hoped the veil would reopen one day, and he would soar through the skies in his raven form once more. He used to talk about it when Amira and I were little. He wasn’t afraid to appear vulnerable then. But in the past few years, he kept a tight lock on his emotions. I think it hurt him too much to think of all he’d lost.
Shutting my mind to my own vulnerable thoughts, I go back inside, pick up Nana’s note, and break the seal.
My Dearest Valeria,
My heart aches today as I know yours does. The passing of your father will be felt across the realm, but nowhere as fiercely as it is felt here in Nido.
You have inherited his strength, wisdom, and resilience, and I have no doubt you will honor his memory by carrying his legacy forward. You and Amira are now the bearers of his torch, and I have every confidence that you will shinebrightly, as he did.
During this time of sorrow, please remember that you are not alone. Come see me, my dear, if you need a shoulder to lean on.
Nana
This morning, I’m better equipped for Nana’s encouraging words, and I manage not to shed a tear. Done reading, I fold the note gently, place it in a drawer, then leave the room.
I move slowly without making a sound. Whenever I hear voices, I slow down and listen carefully, hoping to catch something of interest, but I only run into servants, who go about their chores in hushed, respectful tones. Their moods seem to match mine. They liked Father. I know they did. He was a good king, who treated those around him with respect, no matter their station.
Except you. He never treated you with respect, my brain pipes in, but it’s an unfair thought. Lately, we had our differences, but I know he would have come around. At least that’s what I choose to believe.
A few times, before turning a corner, my heart speeds, fearing I will find Orys on the other side, but if he’s still here, what are the chances I’ll find him out in the open?
I’m up earlier than normal, hoping I will catch Amira during her morning meal, but when I make it to the first-floor breakfast sunroom in the east wing, she’s not there. Yet, I see evidence of her earlier presence: an empty plate in front of her chair. The garden that extends beyond the enclosure is alive with workers and a gentle breeze. It all seems so mundane, but nothing is the same anymore.
I grab a few slices of orange and go in search of my sister. The next logical place is the main council chamber. The current state of things requires nothing less. I arrive a moment later and, judging by the amount of people loitering outside the door, it seems I came to the right place.
Emerito stands in front of the double doors, flanked by two guards in full uniform. He looks small next to the towering men and stands out like a parrot in an unkindness of ravens. He wears a puffy-sleeve doublet.It is blue velvet, embroidered with gold thread. Equally puffy short pants end at the knees and his stocking-clad feet are stuffed into too-pointed poulaines.
Every minister is here, too.
Ministro Genaro Covarrubias, minister of the exterior.
Ministro Eliseo Flores, minister of agriculture.
