by Caitlin Seal
Francisco shook his head. “Nothing unexpected.”
“Then why do you look like you want to punch someone?”
Francisco stopped and scowled at her. Naya gestured toward his hands and the crumpled papers he held in a death grip. He looked surprised as he eased his grip and made a half-hearted effort to smooth out the papers. “Why is everything about violence with you?” he asked.
“That’s not an answer.”
Francisco sighed, then rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Nothing went wrong exactly. It’s just been a long day. If you want the details, ask my father, or get the notes from one of the scribes.”
Unease tightened Naya’s stomach as Francisco knocked softly on Delence’s door. “I’ve brought her,” he said as he opened the door.
“Good, thank you. Why don’t you go back to your rooms and rest,” Delence replied.
Francisco’s shoulders tensed. “Shouldn’t I—”
“Rest,” Delence repeated. “The Banians are hosting an afterdinner salon in two hours. I’ll need you sharp for that.”
“Yes, Father.” Francisco stepped away from the door. Before leaving he met Naya’s eyes. He had a strange look on his face, and for a second Naya thought he wanted to say something more. Then he turned and walked briskly away down the hall.
Naya stepped into Delence’s room and shut the door behind her. Delence stood by the window on the far side of the room, his back facing her. “Tell me about your meeting with Queen Lial,” he said without preamble, making the words a command rather than a question.
Naya felt something inside her snap at his tone. “Oh, the meeting was just lovely,” she said, letting all her frustration and impatience leak out in exaggerated sweetness. “We drank tea and talked about numbers.”
Delence glared at her. “I assume you’re joking.”
His tone was a warning, but Naya couldn’t help a bubble of slightly hysterical glee that rose in her throat. She swallowed it with effort. “Well, I guess I didn’t actually drink the tea, seeing as how I don’t have a body to put it in. But the queen really did spend quite a while telling me how much she loves numbers. After that, she all but threatened to have me killed if I didn’t help her track down Valn’s real allies. Oh, and she also implied that you won’t help her with the investigation because you’re trying to set her up.”
Delence’s lip twisted in a scowl before he regained control of his expression. “Absurd, but not surprising. I suspect this was her way of trying to bypass the laws that keep her from participating directly in the Congress. She’s no doubt hoping to manipulate your testimony. I trust you didn’t tell her anything?”
“Nothing important, but she did tell me something interesting.”
“What?” Delence asked.
“She said she’d been planning to replace Valn even before she heard what happened in Ceramor. Do you know if that’s true?”
Delence shook his head. “She’s made that claim before. It’s an obvious fabrication to hide her involvement. Was there anything else?”
Naya started to shake her head, then paused. “One thing. The Endran ambassadors were there when I arrived. They seemed to be on good terms with the queen.”
Delence’s expression darkened. “Another threat then.”
“What do you mean?” Naya asked.
“I suspect Queen Lial is hoping to make an alliance with the Endrans as an alternative to the Congress of Powers.”
“You think she’d abandon the Congress?” The prospect was unsettling, but Naya couldn’t see how leaving would benefit Talmir.
“I doubt she’ll go that far, but she is making a show of her connection with the Endrans. She wants us to know that she’s exploring other options, and that Talmir can remain strong even without the Congress.”
Naya’s brow furrowed. “She might be disappointed. I spoke to Ambassador Bargal after the feast and he seemed eager to learn more about necromancy.”
Delence’s eyes lit up. “Is that so? Tell me what happened.”
Naya described her brief encounter with the ambassador, and the way he’d ignored her in the queen’s garden. Delence paced back and forth across the room as she spoke. “This changes things. I want you to set up a meeting with the Endrans. Answer their questions about necromancy and try to figure out what dealings they’ve had so far with Queen Lial. If they’re interested in you, perhaps we can use that to upset whatever Queen Lial has planned.”
Naya stood torn between excitement and unease. “Why not have Francisco talk to them? He’s been studying the Congress longer than I have, and I know he’d like to play a bigger role in your work.” Also if Francisco was busy dealing with the Endrans, he was less likely to bother her while she searched for Lucia’s journals.
“You can bring him with you, but you’re the one they approached. Better that we not risk giving offense by sending someone else.”
“All right,” Naya said reluctantly. “I’ll see what I can learn. Could you have one of the scribes send me their notes from today’s meeting?” Those notes would hopefully contain any new details about the schedule for Valn’s trial.
“Talk to Vanessia. She’s coordinating records between the scribes, so she can get you whatever you need.”
Naya nodded, then started for the door.
“One more thing,” Delence said. “Francisco told me about the logbook you found on the Gallant. He convinced me that it will be fastest to let you handle the translation. But once you’re done, I want you to hand over a full copy of everything you’ve found, along with the original book.”
Naya fought down a grimace. It had probably been too much to hope that Francisco would keep quiet. “I’ll give you the translation, but the book belonged to my father. I don’t see why I have to give it to you.”
“Because I’ll want someone else to check your work. Also, it could prove useful as leverage in the future,” Delence said.
“Leverage against who?” Naya asked.
“That depends on what you find,” Delence said with a cold smile.
The chief scribe curtly informed Naya that copies of the meeting notes wouldn’t be ready for a few hours yet. Naya returned to her rooms, nervous energy buzzing through her as she considered her next move. Her thoughts circled back to her earlier conversation with Lucia. Lucia’s guess that someone at the Academy of Magics might have kept her journals after the Mad King’s War made sense. The years following the war had been turbulent, and more than a few people had assumed the treaties would fail. Naya wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the Talmiran rune scribes had continued their weapons programs in secret.
Naya crossed to her desk, then pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and a pen. Lucia had said Valn’s supporters might not be a part of the Talmiran government. But runic magic was more tightly regulated in Talmir than in Ceramor. Someone powerful in the government, or at the Academy of Magics, must have been helping Valn.
Naya’s throat felt tight as she thought about the cloud of unanswered questions looming over her. She closed her eyes and drew in aether, trying to smother her emotions under the hum of outside energy. She couldn’t answer all those questions yet, but she had an idea that would at least let her get out of the palace for a few hours to gather information. She wrote two notes, one to Mel and one to the Endran ambassadors. Naya sealed the notes, then sent Felicia to deliver them.
“I spoke to Miss Jeden,” Felicia said once she got back. “She seemed quite excited. Said she’d be happy to join you for an outing tomorrow and that she’d organize the transportation. You’re to meet her by the front palace gates at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. If that’s all right?”
“That’s perfect,” Naya said. There would be no Congress meetings tomorrow, giving the delegations time to finalize preparations for Valn’s trial. “What about Ambassador Bargal?”
Felicia’s smile fell. “I tried to deliver i
t personally like you asked, but the servant I talked to said the ambassadors were out.” She wrinkled her nose. “He was rude about it too. I expect that from the Talmirans, no offense, but I don’t see what cause some Endran servant has to be looking down his nose at me.”
“Maybe he didn’t mean it. I’d guess their ways are different from ours,” Naya said, remembering her conversation with Reial back on the Gallant. He’d said when their last ship had traded in Endra, they hadn’t even been allowed into the city.
Felicia shook her head. “Rude is rude. Doesn’t matter where you’re from. I’ll keep an eye out to see if they send anything back. You’re going with Francisco to the salon tonight, right? Do you want help getting ready?”
Right. Tonight would be the first in a series of social events hosted by the different delegations. “I think I’ll be fine,” Naya said, and then an idea struck her. Every delegation would send at least a few representatives to the salon. Would the Endrans be there as well? After the queen had shown them favor at the inaugural ball, everyone would probably be aching with curiosity to find out what they were doing in Talmir. This could be her opportunity to speak to them. “Actually, would you mind waiting here just a minute?” she asked Felicia.
Felicia tilted her head curiously. “Sure, but what—”
“Thanks. I’ll be right back.” Naya jogged across the hall and knocked on Lucia’s door.
“What is it?” Lucia asked as she opened the door.
“There’s a party tonight Francisco and I have to attend. Would you like to come with us?”
Lucia’s eyes widened. “Why in creation would I do that?”
“Why not? It doesn’t seem fair that you should have to spend the entire Congress locked up in here.”
“Thank you, but after what happened at the gates, I’m happy to do exactly that.”
Naya shook her head. “That sort of thing will keep happening if we don’t show everyone here that we’re people, same as they are.”
Perhaps she was wrong, but Naya’s instincts told her that Mel’s kindness was more than half-genuine. She’d said Naya was the first undead she’d ever met. That would be true for most people who lived outside of Ceramor. They based their opinions on stories that still echoed with fear from the Mad King’s War. But if the daughter of a Talmiran ambassador could break free from those fears, then others could too.
“Are you feeling all right?” Lucia asked, still looking dubious.
Naya smiled. “I’m fine, and I think this is an opportunity we shouldn’t pass up. There’s someone you should talk to and I think he might come to the salon.” She gave Lucia a quick summary of her most recent encounter with the Endrans. As she spoke, Lucia’s expression turned thoughtful.
“It would be fascinating to hear their opinions on necromancy. I’ve heard rumors of Endran magic, but never anything concrete,” Lucia said once Naya had finished.
“Perfect,” Naya said. “I’ll go get Felicia.”
Two hours later Naya and Lucia stood next to a visibly irritated Francisco, just outside the rooms appointed for the Banian salon. At Felicia’s suggestion, Naya wore a yellow dress decorated in geometric patterns, with ribbons of the same color woven in her hair. Lucia’s dress was simpler, but that simplicity turned to elegance when paired with a few choice pieces of jewelry Felicia had selected from Naya’s chests.
“I still think this is a bad idea,” Francisco grumbled. He’d left his suit jacket behind in favor of a deep-blue vest and white shirt cut to hide his tattoos. Even tense and grumpy, Naya had to admit there was a lean elegance to the way he moved that reminded her of actors on a stage.
Lucia was staring into the room full of brightly dressed delegates as though eyeing a pack of hungry wolves. “I agree,” she said. “Why did I let you talk me into this?”
“It’s just a party. You’ll be fine,” Naya said, trying to infuse her voice with a sense of confidence and cheer that she didn’t feel. A part of her wanted to flee back to the safety of her rooms, but back there she wouldn’t be able to do anyone any good.
Naya stepped into the room, hoping the others would follow. The Banian salon was more subdued than the elaborate ball Queen Lial had hosted the night before. Low chairs were arranged in circles around the room, with tables along the edges offering a wide array of finger foods and drinks. There was no dance floor this time and the room hummed with conversation.
That conversation sputtered when people spotted them. Naya ignored the whispers and stood on tiptoe, and after a moment she spotted Mel in conversation with a pair of young scribes from the Silmaran delegation.
“Come on,” she said, grabbing Francisco’s arm and directing him toward the group. They would need to find the Endrans eventually, but before that Naya wanted to say hello to Mel.
“Where—” Francisco began. Then he spotted Mel. “Naya, no.”
But it was already too late. One of the Silmaran scribes looked over and smiled. “Lord Francisco!” he called. The speaker was a young, sandy-haired man with only a few narrow strips of embroidery along the sleeves of his suit jacket, marking him as a low-ranking member of the Silmaran bureaucracy. Naya recognized him vaguely from the night before, but couldn’t set a name to his face. Mel met Naya’s eyes and Naya thought she caught a hint of cool relief in her aether. She didn’t have time to wonder what had caused it before Francisco bowed to the Silmaran scribe.
“Leori Avase, good to see you again,” Francisco said.
“And you. My associate here is the honorable Jelvi Serini,” Leori said, motioning to his companion.
Jelvi bowed. He had a round, friendly face and an air of almost jittery energy. The braid on his sleeves was thicker than Leori’s and marked him as having at least one relative in the Silmaran senate. “Charmed. I’ve heard so much about you, Francisco, and your father of course.”
“Only good things, I hope,” Francisco said with a smile that Naya wouldn’t have questioned if she hadn’t seen the way he was scowling only a moment ago.
Jelvi laughed. “Something like that. I think we can agree that a man like your father cannot exist without sparking at least a few interesting rumors.”
“What rumors would those be?” Francisco asked, his politeness turning a few degrees colder.
“It seems Jelvi is a collector of rumors,” Mel said. “He was just telling us in overwhelming detail how he heard that your father personally stormed the Ceramoran palace to rescue King Allence from Valn and his allies. It sounds implausible the way he tells it, but even my mother has had to admit Lord Delence handled himself bravely, so I’m inclined to believe there’s some truth to the account.”
“Implausible? I’m sure you mean exciting,” Jelvi said, reaching out to touch Mel’s arm.
Francisco raised his eyebrows. “Ambassador Jeden called my father brave? Really?”
“Technically she might have said he’s a foolish, reckless showoff, but really it means the same thing coming from her,” Mel said, shifting her weight to move her arm farther from Jelvi’s reach.
Leori cleared his throat. “Uh, Francisco, you’ve met Miss Mel Jeden, yes? And I don’t think you’ve introduced us to your companions.”
Francisco nodded, then introduced Naya and Lucia to the others.
“It’s good to see you again, Naya,” Mel said. “Tomorrow should be fun.”
“Tomorrow?” Francisco asked.
“Mel and I are going out together tomorrow.” Naya tried not to sound like she was admitting a guilty secret. She hadn’t broken any rules by inviting Mel to spend the day with her. But given Francisco’s mistrust of Mel and her mother, Naya knew he wouldn’t approve.
“Going out, or going out?” Jelvi asked with a sharp smile. “Why, Miss Jeden, I didn’t realize you and Miss Garth were so close. Could it be that your tastes are so bold as to tend toward the necrotic?”
“T
hat’s disgusting,” someone said from behind Mel. The others shifted and Naya saw Sai standing a little way away, carrying a drink in each hand.
Mel forced a laugh. “Necrotic really isn’t a very appealing word, is it?” She turned and made a show of looking Naya and Francisco up and down. “But to answer your question, I’m afraid my tastes trend toward the, ah, masculine, regardless of undead status.”
“Alas, then I’m still lacking an explanation for why you refused my offer of dinner,” Jelvi said. He’d probably meant his tone to sound playful, but there was an edge under it that Naya didn’t like.
Naya frowned. Jelvi reminded her of some of the younger men her father had occasionally invited over to drink and discuss business. The worst of them was a man only a few years older than her. He’d developed a fondness for seeking her out for private chats. He’d rarely touched her, but the way he’d loomed over her, or let his fingers linger on her sleeve, told her he would have done much more if he didn’t fear her father’s anger. She opened her mouth to tell Jelvi off, but Francisco beat her to it.
“So the only explanation you could imagine was that she refused you because she’s attracted to the undead? Do you hear how conceited that sounds?” Francisco glared openly at Jelvi.
The relief in Mel’s aether flashed brighter. She took a step closer to Francisco and gave him an appraising look. “Well, at least his lack of imagination is giving ample opportunity for your better qualities to shine.”
Sai made a sickened noise. “Honestly, Mel, how can you joke about these things?”
“Who said I’m joking?” Mel batted her eyelashes in such an obvious display that Naya had to fight back a snicker.
Sai shook her head, then turned away. “Disgusting,” she said again.
“Why?” Naya asked, her tone sharper than she’d intended. She could feel attention focusing on them. Color had risen in Jelvi’s round cheeks, and he was scowling back at Francisco while Leori looked distinctly uncomfortable.
Sai turned to Naya. “Because it’s unnatural. You’re both unnatural. The Naya Garth I knew was a good Talmiran girl. She never would have let herself become something like this.”