“Oh my!” Strelzar drawled with a mouthful of food. “I've just realized something.”
“What?” Tanisca asked.
“Well, I have slept with exactly half of the people in this house,” he announced proudly.
Groans and awkward chuckles sounded around the table as everyone went back to eating.
“What? That's not enough of an accomplishment for you?” Strelzar laughed. “I could make it more than half—Pascha? Sureven?” Pascha's mouth gaped open in offense and Sureven blushed and giggled. Strelzar turned to the opposite side of the table and adopted a seductive grin. “Andon?” he asked, raising his eyebrows playfully and holding his glass of wine toward the object of his proposition.
“I am flattered, Strelzar, truly,” Andon chuckled, “but I think I have a date tonight.”
Under the table, Andon's fingers clutched into the flesh of Veria's thigh, and she inhaled sharply as desire rippled through her.
“Suit yourself,” Strelzar shrugged and went back to his food.
“You didn't ask Virro,” Sureven pointed out with a smirk.
“Oh, trust me, he has in the past, many times,” Virro grumbled, shooting a playful look at Strelzar, and the table erupted with laughter.
They finished the meal amongst many jokes and jovial discussion, and Veria couldn't remember a time she'd had so much fun in recent months. When everyone was finished, Tanisca brought out a coacoa cake, and everyone ate a slice while figuring out sleeping arrangements. Tanisca and Aslay had booked a room at the Inn at the end of Tarddiad's new little street, and Strelzar said he had one guest room available, plus the lounge in the den.
After much discussion, Aslay insisted that Andon and Veria take the room at the Inn, and that she and Tanisca could stay in the guest room. Pascha insisted she would set up the tent that she had brought, and Cadit took the lounge.
Veria and Andon wandered toward the end of the moonlit street, the sound of ocean waves like music in the air, and a cool, tropical breeze providing a nice relief from the mugginess that was the result of a hot, sunny day followed by a brief evening rain shower. Veria marveled at how quickly everything had popped up. The houses and businesses were certainly not the best quality, looking mostly like cheap dock-front shanties, but still it was impressive the quick progress that had been made...all because of her bargain, she thought, and her hand instinctively floated to her abdomen.
“Tomorrow will be a busy day,” Andon said as they entered the room at the Inn. “And I leave tomorrow evening.”
Veria sighed at the mention of 'leaving'. Andon took her by the waist and started backing her up slowly. “We had better make the most of our time together,” he murmured, his eyes filled with lust.
Her back came to rest against the wall and he plunged his lips against hers. Veria whimpered as desire erupted like molten rock inside her.
“I am supposed to let you rest,” Andon laughed, pulling away from the kiss. They both gasped for air with shallow, ragged breath.
“Don't let me rest,” Veria begged, arching against him.
“Oh, vina,” Andon sighed, “I have no intention of letting either of us get any rest tonight.”
Part II
-XIII-
Heaving herself out of bed from her afternoon nap, Veria tenderly placed a hand on the bottom of her burgeoning belly. A sharp kick had awoken her, and the sharp kicks continued, causing her to wince as they landed near her hipbone.
“I'm guessing you are so insistent I get out of bed because it's dinnertime?” Veria groaned softly to the inhabitant of her sizable round bump. Another kick came in response to her voice, so sharp against her muscle that she buckled forward as a reflex, then laughed. “Alright, alright. I am going!”
Once in the Dining Hall, Veria was surprised to find she had beaten Browan to dinner, which rarely happened. She sat down and started picking at a loaf of bread and wedge of cheese that sat on the table, too starving to wait for him.
He arrived a few minutes later, rushing into the hall looking concerned.
“Good evening, Veria,” he said curtly as he took his seat.
As soon as he was seated, their food was brought out to the table.
“I apologize for making you wait,” he said.
“Is everything alright?” Veria asked.
“Everything is fine,” he said plainly. “I was just receiving a report from Strelzar Plazic that the shrine is finished and he thinks the Queen should come to the Council Announcement ceremony at week's end.”
Veria stifled a gasp. Was Strelzar here? she wondered. She hadn't seen him in six months—she hadn't really seen anyone in six months, besides seldom visits when she felt up to them, and when Browan allowed, to the garden cottage for lunch. Browan had not allowed her to take anymore trips to Tarddiad since the first one. When she had returned from the first trip, he had interrogated her, with a verifier at his side, about what had happened on her trip. She had successfully lied on all the questions that required it, like if she'd had contact with Andon or if she had seen Virro or Sureven, or if anything other than the Shrine and the Historical Society were discussed.
She lied and she did it so well that they felt like truths to her when they left her lips. And because she did it well enough, Virro and Sureven sent her regular messages from Strelzar about their progress, which was slow, but steady.
But if Strelzar wanted her to come back to Tarddiad, there had to be something he wanted to tell her in person. Her heart skipped a beat then filled with burning hot blood at the thought. Whatever it was, it probably wasn't good...
“I should go, Browan,” she said.
“No, you really should not,” he rebutted.
“This is probably the last opportunity for me to travel before I get too far into the pregnancy—”
“It's too far in already,” Browan interrupted.
“Ask Claryain. Ask Pascha!” Veria argued. “I guarantee you they will not say it's too late for a short trip.”
“It is for me!” he shouted back.
“It's not just your choice!” she yelled. “And I am the one doing all the hard work for this. When I agreed to do this, for the kingdom, for your public opinion, I didn't agree to become a prisoner! The Queen will be expected—and I want to be there for this important occasion!”
Browan mulled over her arguments in silence for a few moments, then seemed to relax and give in, his body slumping in a mix of defeat and relief.
“Fine,” he growled. “You're right. But you will have a full physical by both Claryain and Pascha, and need both their clearance before you can go anywhere. And when you return, you are not permitted to travel away from the castle anymore. I will be gone for two months, starting in a few weeks, and I will feel better knowing that you are not going to bear my child, the heir to the throne, on a boat or in some forsaken jungle.”
“Where are you going?” Veria asked.
“Govaland has finally agreed to a Peace Council in Varfelg,” he said. “As you may recall, I promised the Regalship I would attend one myself if they agreed. I think it will go along way to giving the citizens a positive feeling of my efforts to stop this conflict, don't you?”
She wanted to strangle him, but instead she took a long, deliberate drink of her tea and then nodded slowly without looking him in the face.
“Meet with Claryain and Pascha in the morning,” he instructed. “If they clear you for travel, you may travel back with Strelzar tomorrow afternoon. Pascha will accompany you again.”
“Thank you,” Veria said, words she hated saying to him.
They ate the rest of their meal in tense silence, and Veria retreated to her room feeling both exhilarated and anxious about the potential trip the next day—excited to see the completed Shrine and whichever of her family and friends would be there for the ceremony, but anxious about why Strelzar wanted to see her in person.
Both the Water Magers cleared Veria for travel, saying she was in perfect health and the baby was progressing nicely. He
r maids packed several dresses for her and took her trunk down to the carriage house. After lunch with Turqa and the kids, as Tanisca had already left for Tarddiad with Aslay, she headed to the carriage house herself.
“You look miserable,” Strelzar drawled teasingly as she approached, her gait no longer nimble and agile but an exhausted shuffling waddle. He laughed out loud as she exaggerated her awkward, burdened toddle for his benefit.
“I am not as miserable as I should be,” Veria said as she sat next to him on the bench outside. “I am afraid I am actually...used to this by now.”
“Terrifying,” Strelzar chuckled. “I never in my wildest dreams imagined that you, that brazen little earth bird that flew into my cave would have three children. I wouldn't have even imagined you had one already.”
“There are a lot of things that are happening right now that I never would have imagined,” Veria sighed and let her head fall back and rest on the stone wall behind them.
“True,” he echoed her sigh and rested his head on her shoulder.
Pascha emerged from inside the carriage house. “It's ready,” she said. “They are pulling up in just a minute. The trunks and bags are already loaded.”
“Thank you, Pascha,” Strelzar said, standing slowly, then reaching a hand out to help Veria up.
As soon as they were all loaded into the carriage and on their way, Strelzar's face went tight.
“Alright, tell me,” Veria said.
“Tell you what, Birdie?” Strelzar asked.
“Whatever it is you needed to tell me in person,” she replied.
“Is this driver safe?” Pascha asked.
Strelzar nodded, which meant the driver was one of his spies and they could discuss whatever they wanted in front of him.
“Does she know?!” Veria asked.
“No,” he answered, shaking his head slowly. “I haven’t told anyone. You should be the first to know. Well, Andon was with me, but—”
“Strelzar, please just tell me,” Veria pleaded. “Is Andon alright?”
“Don't worry, your precious little lover boy is just fine. Do you remember how Cadit and Sureven and I went to Kortamant to search Ellory's tower for records of Cadit's correspondence?”
Veria and Pascha nodded.
“And it had been destroyed, by the Separatists,” Pascha groaned.
“Govaland has finally agreed to a Peace Council,” Veria added. “Browan leaves in a few weeks and will be gone for two months.”
“It is likely because of that attack,” Pascha said.
“Killing two birds with one stone,” Strelzar muttered. “He wanted Kortamant destroyed, and any evidence it held, and he wants this Peace Council in Varfelg. We need to find out why—what does he want out of this.”
“No,” Pascha argued, “we need to make our move while he is gone. Mobilize the Magers—”
“Against what?” Strelzar rebutted. “We can't mobilize against nothing, Pascha. We've been through this. We have to wait—”
“It's too dangerous!”
“—until Browan makes the first move and mobilizes his troops.”
Veria listened to the two argue, and then watched as they entered a silent, tension-filled staring match.
“We can discuss this later,” Strelzar said, and Veria caught a glimmering twitch in his eye when he said 'later'. She wondered for a split second if they were sleeping together, but suddenly remembered that Strelzar hadn't told her what he wanted to tell her yet.
“What is the news, Strelzar?” she asked, trying to get everyone back on topic.
Strelzar cleared his throat. “Well, during Andon's most recent visit to Tarddiad, he had the idea to visit Daloes and see if Gordon had left any information with him, or if Ellory had sent what he had to him, knowing that Browan would destroy Kortamant.”
“Did he have it—did you find something?” Veria asked excitedly.
“Yes,” Strelzar said with a cautious nod. “We found a journal.”
“What's in it?” Pascha asked.
“Everything,” Strelzar said. “Everything Cadit ever sent to Ellory. Ellory copied it and sent it to Daloes, likely as soon as he saw his...end.”
“This is incredible!” Pascha said.
“So it was good news,” Veria said.
“Not for Daloes,” Strelzar mumbled softly, emotion straining his voice.
“What?” Veria asked, dread filling her throat.
“He's dead, Veria,” he said, his tone grave and solemn.
Veria's stomach dropped. “Wha—how?” she stammered, her voice quiet and raspy, all its usual power stripped from her by the shocking news.
“Poison, Andon believes,” he answered.
“But if Browan was onto him enough to have him poisoned, why didn't he destroy his house, too? How did he not find the journal?” Pascha questioned.
“It's possible he did it himself,” Strelzar said, sadness filling his voice. “Sand Magers know that they are a liability in times like this. He probably saw Browan coming to demand to hear the future, and took his own life.”
Veria sat in a state of shock until Strelzar's hand on her knee made her remember Ellory's parting words to her best friend. Her body turned to ice and she shivered.
“It's Virro,” she whispered.
“Not now, Veria,” he said sternly.
“What is?” Pascha asked, her voice full of concern.
“Nothing,” Strelzar snapped. “We will talk about it later.”
Veria knew he had already had the realization. And this conflict didn't seem to be treating the remaining members of the Ageless Council very kindly. She swallowed against a hot stone of emotion in her throat and instinctively wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Oh, Birdie, don't go soft on me now,” he grumbled. “It could be a hundred years from now, or it could be today.”
“Oh, shut up,” Veria muttered.
“I am serious. I could be up on the deck of that stupid little boat to Tarddiad, getting some fresh air, fall overboard in some turbulent wake and get caught in a fishing net,” he laughed.
“I thought we had a strict policy on morbid humor, Strelzar,” Veria admonished.
“Ah, yes, because I am so well known for following strict policies,” he chuckled and reached up to scruff, then stroke her hair affectionately.
Pascha watched with concern covering her whole face, even into her body—her shoulders were pulled up and tense, and her hands clutched in her lap so tightly that her knuckles were white.
“Veria,” Strelzar said softly into her hair.
“Hm?” she asked, closing her eyes and taking a moment to appreciate his rich coacoa voice.
“The journal...he made a note of the day he received it,” he explained. “It was two days before you came to me at Plazic Peak.”
Veria lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him with wide eyes.
“He was protecting you,” Strelzar said. “He knew...he saw it all, and it would have been too dangerous for you to have any of that information before—”
“Before I trained myself, and trained with you. Before Browan...fell in love with me.”
“He knew you would never become what you are now if you had stayed with him,” he added. “He kept his distance not because he wanted to, because he had to. And because he knew you had to spread your wings without him.”
“My wings...” Veria echoed him in a whisper.
“My Birdie...” Strelzar whispered, and she rested her head back down on his shoulder with a sigh.
The rest of the trip was taken in relative silence, other than some casual discussion of the upcoming ceremony. By the time they reached the docks and boarded the ship to the island, it was nearing midnight, and they all slept for the naval leg of the trip. When they were settled in at Strelzar's house on the beach, before dawn, Veria took the guest room and Pascha and Strelzar disappeared into his bedroom. She heard several minutes of muffled but intense argumen
t, which tapered off and turned to silence, and she let herself fall back asleep—a feat in itself with her little cargo deciding it would be the best time to do somersaults.
When she awoke, it was well after sunrise, and the kitchen and dining room below were filled with the hustle and bustle of breakfast. She dressed quickly and made her way downstairs to see Sureven and Cadit getting cooking lessons from Tanisca and Aslay in the kitchen, while Strelzar and Pascha argued over maps at the head of the table. Virro smiled at her from the lounge in the den, where he sat quietly reading what appeared to be Ellory's journal.
“Good morning, sweetheart!” her mother chirped happily upon noticing her entry. Tanisca rushed toward her, in an apron, which was an interesting sight for Veria to see, and pulled her into a hug as tightly as she could, which wasn't very close with Veria's giant belly in the way. “How are you feeling?”
“Great,” Veria said.
“I'm amazed at you, Via,” she sighed with a smile. “After I had you and married Gordon, I told him I was never having another child ever again. And here you are on number three, like it's nothing!”
“They have gotten easier,” Veria laughed softly. “Irea was the worst.”
“The first pregnancy is always the worst,” Pascha chimed in with an exaggerated groan. “But the first baby is always the easiest, so we get fooled into having more,” she added with a laugh.
“Oh, do you plan on having more children?” Tanisca asked with a tilt of her head.
Aslay snorted a laugh through her nose and bit her lip, and Tanisca's lips curled into a foxy grin aimed at her former Master.
“I don't have any plans for more children right now,” Pascha muttered in embarrassment.
“See? I only get involved with smart women. Some of you could stop your tittering and take some notes,” Strelzar said, not looking up from his parchments and drinking coacoa.
Veria and Tanisca rolled their eyes at each other, and Cadit and Aslay giggled softly from the kitchen as they prepared the egg tarts and sliced bread for toast. Veria sat on Strelzar's left side, exactly where she had the last time she had visited Tarddiad, and her mother handed her a cup of tea which she sipped in silence as she smirked at Strelzar.
Queen of the Earth: Book V in the Elementals Series Page 11