by Laura R Cole
*
Phoenix twirled away from one young lord into the arms of another, performing the steps of the dance with ease. She smiled at the boy and curtsied to him as the music drew to a close. She accepted his outstretched arm, and he led her gallantly back to her table.
“You are quite the dancer,” Herald Siajan commented. “I can’t wait to have you show off some of the Elaeld dances in the empire’s court. The lords and ladies will be most impressed.”
“Indeed,” Herald Kedum agreed, “We are most pleased that you have decided to accompany us.”
“As am I,” Phoenix nodded. “I can’t wait to see this wonderful empire I have heard so much about. If the rest of its people are anything like your party, I am sure that I will love it.” She smiled at both heralds and glanced around at the rest of the party. Nathiwen was watching her intently and she smiled at him as well. She was surprised when he smiled back. It was perhaps the first expression she had ever witnessed him make.
A few days later, with the departure time fast approaching, Phoenix bustled around her room, stuffing belongings into a last bag. She’d completed this ritual twice already, but kept changing her mind. She had no idea what to expect, and therefore no idea what she needed to bring. In the end, she ended up bringing far more than she’d originally planned on.
Phoenix gave her room a once-over, trying to decide if there was anything else that she couldn’t live without. She spotted a bracelet her mother had given her sticking out from beneath her clothes in the overflowing dresser drawer, and she added this to her bags as well.
Rhys would be on the trip, and though Phoenix knew him well enough to realize that there were other motivations behind his accompaniment, she felt safer knowing he was there. No matter what else he was, Rhys had always been a trusted friend and there when she needed him. If it hadn’t been for his hard work – along with his mentor, Levi – who knew if the plot against her would have been discovered.
Wren would also be coming along for the trip – Rhys had made the request for him, pointing out how useful his scholarly skills would be for such a journey – and Phoenix was glad for another friendly face. Hopefully it would allow them the opportunity to reconcile their friendship as well. She had been pleased that he’d made the initial overture towards her, but he was still avoiding her none-the-less.
The business with Gavin still stung and she was ready for a change of scenery for a bit, the excitement of the new land enthralled her enough to forget the betrayal of trust and her first taste of ruthless court intrigue.
She took a final look at her packed bags and sighed in completion. She was ready. Leaving her bags for the servants to load onto the pack horses, she made her way to her parents’ suite.
She lifted her hand to knock on her parents’ door but paused as she heard hushed voices within. She wasn’t sure what prompted her to do so, but she leaned in close and put her ear against the door.
“I’m still a bit reluctant to send our daughter to a strange new land, especially with an unknown threat – this Nightwind – around,” her mother was whispering, presumably to her father.
“It will be safer for her to be in the empire until we figure out what really happened here.”
“I suppose so. I’m still at a loss who could have attacked the two men, and how. Are we absolutely positive that the Tyekaths had nothing to do with them?”
“Why would they? What would they have to gain from Phoenix’s discredit? If anything, I would think that they’d prefer her rule over ours with their dislike of our touching the power.”
“You’re right, of course. And she will be safer away from it until we figure this all out. They both had something to do with the conspiracy against her, and though it would appear that whoever attacked them was acting to protect her, one never knows.”
Phoenix froze. Everyone had been told that the attacks were part of the conspirators’ plans gone wrong. That had been a lie? So who then, had attacked those two men?