by Effie Calvin
“I need to go,” said Adale, pulling away. This time, Githea did not follow her.
Adale moved past the guards, her mind already back to what she would say to Captain Lehmann. Her parents weren’t cooperating, but maybe they’d shared their suspicions with him. She could probably get the names out of him if she leaned on him hard enough.
“Crown Princess?” A young woman was standing there at the end of the hallway. Adale recognized her—Elyne, the Vesoldan woman who had come to Birsgen with the paladin.
“What are you doing in here?” Adale frowned. “How did you get in here?” This area of the castle was restricted to the royal family. There was no legitimate reason for Elyne to be here, especially now.
“You need to find Carinth,” said Elyne.
“How did you get in here?” Adale closed the gap between them and seized Elyne by the wrist. “Guar—”
“No,” said Elyne.
Adale’s jaw clamped shut, her teeth locking together so tightly it ached. Try as she might, she could not free herself. Panic began to rise in her chest, and she tried to back away, only to find that her legs would not move either. The only thing she could manage was tightening her grip on Elyne’s wrist.
“I am trying to help you,” said Elyne impatiently. “Gaelle has Carinth. You need to retrieve him from her now, or you may never see him again.” She pulled her arm free and stepped back. Adale felt the pressure on her jaw dissipate as she regained control over her mouth.
“What are you?” Adale whispered.
“Go!” cried Elyne, and Adale ran past her, mind spinning.
It was as though her legs were not her own. She ran down the stairs, past servants and more guards, stopping to acknowledge no one. She was not sure what room Gaelle was staying in, but it couldn’t be very far away from where they kept other visiting dignitaries.
Adale rushed through the halls, stopping only when she came to the wing where important foreigners usually stayed. Looking around, she spotted one door guarded by a Rhodian mage, one Adale did not recognize.
Throwing back her shoulder, Adale strode forward. “I am here to see Queen Gaelle,” she said.
“Queen Gaelle is not accepting any visitors,” began the mage, but Adale shoved past her and wrenched the door open without knocking.
The room was spacious, nearly as large as the one Adale and Esofi shared. Gaelle sat in plain view, in a large chair by the fireplace, with Carinth in her lap. Not far away, Lexandrie was kneeling in front of an open trunk and folding dresses quietly.
Gaelle pressed her lips together, as though the sight of Adale offended her. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for Carinth. I see you’ve found him. Thank you.” Adale stepped forward to remove him from her arms. Gaelle’s entire body tensed, like she wanted to struggle to keep him, but Adale moved quickly and pulled Carinth free before Gaelle had time to react properly. “I expect you’ve already heard that Esofi has been poisoned.”
“Yes,” said Gaelle. “I am surprised. Do your parents not employ poison-tasters?”
“We have never had a need,” said Adale defensively. That wasn’t completely true—there were some, but they only came to the castle for events when there would be a great many people in attendance. “This sort of thing does not happen here.”
“Evidently it does.”
Adale glanced around the room. Lexandrie had stopped folding clothes and was standing, stock-still, in the corner. “Are you going somewhere?” asked Adale.
“What?”
“You have her packing. Are you going somewhere?”
Gaelle glanced over at Lexandrie. “I have her unpacking. I have only just arrived.” She flicked her wrist as though swatting at a bee.
“I haven’t seen you at all today,” said Adale. “I was sure you’d want to spend some time with Esofi.”
Gaelle pressed her lips together and lifted her chin. “Didn’t she tell you? We saw the…university…today.” Her nose wrinkled disdainfully. “If that is what you insist on calling it.”
Adale’s tightened around Carinth. “No. She did not tell me.”
“I can’t imagine why,” said Gaelle, and something in her voice gave Adale the impression that she was just barely holding back laughter. “Was there anything else you wanted?”
Adale swallowed. There were many things she wanted to say, but she remembered her mother’s warning about not alerting Esofi’s poisoner to their suspicions. “No,” she said through gritted teeth. She turned back toward the door and left without another word.
Once outside, she set Carinth down on the ground. “I don’t know why you like her so much,” she told him. She rubbed her eyes, exhausted. She still wanted to meet with Captain Lehmann, but she also wanted to be back with Esofi.
And now there was the question of who—or what—Elyne was.
Adale remembered the way her jaw had frozen up at just a word from the other girl. What sort of magic was that? It seemed unlike anything she had ever heard of before. Could it possibly be chaos magic, from a minor god? Was she a cultist?
But she’d come to Ieflaria with a paladin.
Adale began moving back in the direction of her rooms, thinking of Esofi again. She’d left Elyne standing there in the hallway. Logic dictated that the guards had escorted her out, or possibly even arrested her. But…for some reason, Adale was not certain. What if she was still there?
What if she’d gone into the room with Esofi?
Adale broke into a run, heart racing once more. But when she burst into the bedroom, she found it no different than how she had left it. Esofi was still in bed, asleep, and the two priestesses were on either side of her. Adale let herself breathe, shoulders slumping in relief.
“How is she?” asked Adale.
“She will recover,” said Linza. “But it will be a few days before she is back to her full strength.”
“Can you wake her?”
“I can, but I do not recommend it. Bodies heal more quickly when they are allowed to rest.”
Adale opened her mouth to object—she wanted to see Esofi, to speak to her, to reassure her. But she knew Linza was probably right. “Call me if she wakes?” she asked.
Linza nodded. “We will, Crown Princess.”
Adale went out into the sitting room. Brandt and Svana were both sitting on the sofa together, and Mireille was between them, crying loudly into a handkerchief. Carinth climbed into her lap and licked at her cheek.
“It’s going to be all right,” said Adale. “The healers say she just needs rest.”
“I never thought something like this could happen here,” sniffed Mireille. “It’s always seemed so safe. Lisette is going to murder me.”
“This is not your fault,” Adale assured her. “Nobody was expecting you to do Lisette’s job for her.”
“We haven’t seen her since the journey to Fenstell.” Mireille wiped at her nose with her sleeve inelegantly. “Do you think something’s happened to her too?”
“I’m not sure,” said Adale, thinking of her conversation with Githea. “I can’t imagine anyone getting the better of her. But she’s never been gone this long before, has she?”
Mireille shook her head, and Adale wondered if she should send guards out to search for Lisette. But she had no idea where Lisette had gone. Maybe Esofi had some ideas? She would wait until she woke. Lisette could survive on her own for a day or two more.
“You don’t really think we did this, do you?” asked Brandt.
“I don’t know,” said Adale. The twins both looked offended. Normally, Adale would be pleased by that, but for some reason, she couldn’t muster up any real emotions. “Probably not.”
“Aren’t your parents going to demand an investigation?” asked Svana.
“Yes. But that’s going to take ages. I want answers now!” Adale began to pace the room. Could she hire a truthsayer? But truthsayers were so rare. She had never even met one. Was Ioanna really one of them?
“Wh
y bother?” asked Brandt. “We all know who did it. We all know it was her mother.”
“I’m not certain of that,” Adale muttered. Her instincts were the same, especially given that she had found Gaelle with Carinth. But her parents had seemed so certain that Gaelle was innocent.
Could she invite Ioanna to Ieflaria? Would it arouse suspicions? Would Ioanna even accept the invitation? The Xytan royal family had not even come for Adale’s wedding; it seemed unlikely that they’d come for whatever ridiculous event Adale dreamed up.
Adale chewed her lower lip. As far as she knew, there were no truthsayers in Ieflaria.
But no! That was not true! A year and a half ago, when Esofi first came to Ieflaria, Adale’s cousins had courted her with the gift of a live unicorn, captured from their mother’s estate. Esofi had rejected the gift, though not because she had disliked it. Rather, she had not wished to see a wild creature held captive in a city.
But before the unicorn could be sent home, Birsgen had been attacked by dragons, led by their emperor. Esofi had gone in search of a horse to ride to the city gates, and had found the unicorn still in the stables. It spoke to her, she claimed, and she’d learned that it was a truthsayer, blessed by Iolar despite being one of Talcia’s children.
As far as Adale knew, she was the only one Esofi had told about the unicorn being a truthsayer. She’d been afraid that if too many people learned the truth, they’d try to hunt him down again and he would never know peace.
But why would Iolar give a unicorn his best blessing, the sort of blessing he usually reserved for kings and heroes? It seemed a waste of magic, especially considering the unicorn did not appear to have any ambitions beyond galloping around and eating grass. She did not imagine that the creatures of the forest frequently called upon him for judgment or guidance.
“Do you remember the unicorn you brought Esofi when you were courting her?” Adale asked.
“Yes,” said Brandt. “What about him?”
“I need you to go find him.”
Svana’s eyebrows shot up. “What? Why?”
“Because I need you to bring him here!” Adale cried impatiently. “Don’t worry about why. You don’t need to know why! Just do it.”
“Esofi will only make us send him back again,” pointed out Svana.
“That’s not your concern. Capture him or bribe him or cry until he is so embarrassed that he agrees to come. I don’t care how you do it. I need him here. Esofi’s life may depend upon it.”
“You have gone mad,” said Brandt. “But never mind. We’ll do it. Just know we’re not taking the blame when Esofi gets upset.”
“Go!” cried Adale, pointing to the door.
“What, now?” Svana asked.
“Yes, now!”
“They’re not going to let us out, the entire castle has been locked down,” pointed out Brandt.
“I’ll deal with that! Go pack your things!” Adale flapped her hands at them. “We don’t have any time to waste!”
The twins got up, reluctantly, and left the room.
“Now we’re alone,” Mireille said mournfully.
“We’ll be all right,” said Adale. “Esofi will be better in no time. And I’ll have Daphene and Lethea stay with us tonight.” Daphene and Lethea were Adale’s waiting ladies, though she hardly required them for anything these days. They had remained in Adale’s old rooms when she married Esofi, enjoying all the benefits of their station and almost none of the responsibilities.
Adale did not begrudge them their happiness. They had been good friends to her for many years. She knew her parents wanted her to find replacements, ladies suitable for a queen-to-be, but Adale was not concerned about that. She had never really felt like she needed waiting ladies in the first place. There wasn’t any task she’d ever needed done that she could not do herself.
So in the meantime, Daphene and Lethea could stay in Adale’s old rooms, far enough from Esofi that they would not irritate one another but near enough to Adale that they would be on-hand if she needed them.
Restless, Adale went back into the bedroom and sat down on the other side of the bed, next to Esofi. She stroked her hair gently, watching her face for any sign that she was about to wake.
ADALE COULD COUNT on one hand the number of Sunrise services she’d attended since she was a girl. They were tedious, and she couldn’t imagine that Iolar really expected people to sit through them every single day. Most people only attended once a week. Only the most devout also attended the Sundown services at the end of each day.
And yet, that day she found herself waking just before dawn, dressing clumsily and kissing Esofi’s forehead very gently before shuffling toward the chapel.
When she arrived, she found both her parents sitting near the front and went to join them. They both had identical expressions of surprise on their face as she drew near, but neither said anything. They wouldn’t, not in public.
She turned her face toward the altar and let them think she was only here to beg Iolar for justice. It was easier than explaining.
The Sunrise service lasted an hour and was just as boring as Adale remembered. She occupied herself by peering through the crowd to see who was in attendance. As expected, the paladins were all seated together. With them was the Vesoldan woman who had delivered Ioanna’s letter. She wore no armor today, only a dress so simple and plain Adale might have mistaken her for a maid if she didn’t know any better.
But there was no sign of Elyne. Adale was not sure if she was surprised or not.
She shifted impatiently, and her mother gave her a stare of disapproval.
The moment the service ended, people began to crowd her and her parents, clasping her hands and offering their sympathies. Adale shook them off, her eyes locked on the Vesoldan paladin, who was already making her way out.
She caught up with the young woman in the corridor just outside, catching her by the arm. As Orsina turned to face her, Adale grinned broadly.
“Hello,” said Adale brightly in Vesoldan, recalling that the paladin did not speak Ieflarian. “Dame Orsina, wasn’t it?”
Orsina glanced back at her fellow paladins, then nodded.
“Let’s talk!” Adale linked her elbow with Orsina’s. “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. I just want to ask you some questions. It won’t take long.”
Orsina nodded again, but from the stricken expression on her face, she was not reassured.
“Let’s go out to the gardens,” said Adale. “It’s so dark in here.”
Orsina could have broken free easily—from the looks of her, she could probably lift Adale with one hand. But Adale knew she would not do anything of the sort.
“I’m sure you heard about what happened yesterday?” asked Adale as they emerged into the cold morning light.
Orsina nodded. “I am very sorry. Our prayers are with Princess Esofi.”
“She’ll be all right,” said Adale. “And we will catch the one who did this. But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Crown Princess—” Orsina sounded deeply uncomfortable.
“What is she?” asked Adale.
Orsina froze. Adale knew the expression on her face well. It was the same one that all paladins got when they couldn’t respond to a question without lying. Adale had always found it hilarious.
“Oh, I knew it!” laughed Adale. “Don’t be cross with me, it was obvious. I’m surprised nobody else has noticed. So what is she really? No, wait, don’t tell me. I want to guess.”
“Crown Princess—”
“Does Knight-Commander Glace know?”
Orsina nodded vigorously. “She is not dangerous.”
“Oh, I don’t think she is,” said Adale. “And even if she was, I can hardly criticize. I’m raising a dragon.”
“Her true name is Aelia. I encountered her this spring during my travels in Vesolda. She was…keeping villagers in thrall. A chaos goddess.”
Adale raised her eyebrows. “She’s a chaos goddes
s?”
“Only a goddess, now,” said Orsina. “Please, do not be angry with me for not informing your family. We do not wish to attract undue attention. And she is not as powerful as you might expect.”
“Do you know who poisoned Esofi?”
Orsina shook her head. “I’m sorry. I do not.”
“But Gaelle was planning to take Carinth.”
“That is what Elyne told me.”
“That’s what she told me too. And I found Carinth in her rooms, and it looked like she was packing, though she denied it.”
Orsina gave a helpless shrug. “I am very sorry that I cannot tell you any more than I already have.”
“You’re sure she didn’t say Gaelle was the one who poisoned Esofi?”
From the stricken expression on Orsina’s face, it was clear that she had not even considered the possibility before this moment. “Do you believe she would do such a thing to her own daughter?”
“Would she? Yes, I think so,” said Adale. “The question is if she did.”
“I do not wish to believe any mother would be capable of that,” Orsina bit her lip. “But I have been told that I am too idealistic.”
“Orsina!” cried a voice from behind them. They both turned to see Elyne hurrying toward them, a heavy cloak wrapped around her shoulders. “There you are!”
“You are awake early,” said Orsina. Adale could not help but notice how her eyes softened when she looked at Elyne, how the worry left her face.
“You didn’t come back to the room. I was afraid you’d gotten lost. Or fallen asleep at the service.” Elyne smiled mischievously as she came nearer.
“Stop that,” said Orsina. “The Crown Princess doesn’t know you’re joking.”
“You don’t like services?” Adale asked Elyne.
Elyne shook her head. “I can’t stand them!”
Adale thought this was an unusual stance for a goddess to take, but then, Elyne clearly wasn’t an ordinary goddess. In fact, if not for the fact she knew paladins could not lie, she’d have laughed in Orsina’s face at the claim.