Jax pictured Duchess Tandora’s expression and laughed at her grandfather’s exaggerated imagery. “I hope that show was just for my benefit and that Lucien hasn’t been making you all feel this way.”
Duke Mensina stroked his trimmed gray goatee, his dark violet eyes scowling. “He wasn’t even at the palace when I arrived last night. Didn’t return until late this morning. Said he was on a hunting trip.”
Jax rolled her eyes at the obvious lie. “Please, a hunting trip that kept him away from his duties as summit host? I hope you had your courtiers look into it.”
The Duke gave her a look that practically shouted, Of course.
She motioned for him to take a seat before he divulged any more information, smiling with affection as he groaned into the cushions with old age.
“From what my spies, eh, courtiers have gathered,” her grandfather said in hushed words, “Lucien rode out to meet and escort Maegus Welles to the palace.” His kind lilac eyes sparkled with deviousness as he delivered this news.
“What? The Warden didn’t travel here with Fangard?” Jax looked taken aback.
“No, in fact, Darian arrived yesterday only an hour after I did.”
“Why in the Virtues would Lucien step away from his duties at court to meet with a lowly member of an unrecognized government?” Jax’s keen mind went to work trying to unravel the Duke’s perplexing actions. “What ties does Lucien have to Maegus?”
“I asked Darian that very question.” Her grandfather shifted in his seat, leaning forward. “He seemed to be just as surprised as I to find out the Warden would be joining us here at the summit. He had instructed Maegus to remain in Cetachi during these peace talks to look after things in his absence. The poor chap was furious to be caught off guard, finding out his second was being accompanied here by the Duke himself.” His bushy eyebrows wiggled as he relayed the gossip.
Jax folded her hands on her lap, in awe of this new development. “What is Lysandeir playing at, then? Does he want to somehow seat Maegus as the leader of this supposedly free Cetachi?”
“The most unbelievable part of the whole ordeal was Lysandeir’s excuse to Darian. He said that Maegus served in a position similar to a High Courtier, and since many of the duchies were traveling with or sending a High Courtier to the summit, Cetachi’s should be there too,” Duke Mensina recounted.
Jax’s mouth popped open in disbelief. “How did Darian react?”
Her grandfather let out a hoot of dark laughter. “I’ll give the boy credit for the poise he displayed. He must know not to bite the hand that’s feeding him. He thanked the Duke for looking out for Cetachi’s interests and left it at that.”
“Very interesting,” Jax murmured, scanning her grandfather’s face for further details. “I’m going to keep a careful eye on that partnership. What else have I missed?”
At that, her grandfather cringed. “I spoke with the High Courtier from Zaltor this afternoon. He took a meeting with Lucien after he arrived from collecting Maegus.” Duke Mensina paled for a moment. “Zaltor is changing its vote in support of the Accord.”
“What!” Jax nearly leaped out of her chair. “How could this happen?” Zaltor had always fallen in line with Saphire and Mensina. “What were they promised?” she demanded, remembering too late that her grandfather was merely the messenger of bad news and not its cause.
“You’re not going to like this one bit, Jax,” he warned, “but apparently Cetachi is willing to make the Ancient Faith the official religion of the region in exchange for Zaltor’s support.”
Jax felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under her. “Impossible. Why would Zaltor agree to such terms?”
Her grandfather shrugged. “There are many outposts of the Faith still functioning in Zaltor today. It may not be the official religion of the duchy, but its Duchess treads very lightly with the Order to maintain peace amongst both sects. From the sounds of it, the High Courtier is planning to offer leadership positions in Cetachi to some of Zaltor’s prominent priests in exchange for consolidating the number of active temples in Zaltor.”
Jax threw her hands in the air. “So, to the other duchies, it looks like Zaltor is finally closing the temples they promised to during the Rebirth, but in reality, they’re just shipping the Ancient Faith to a new location.” She began pacing around the room, her frustration nearly pushing her to heated tears. She had not expected Duke Lysandeir to stoop this low, nor for Zaltor to accept such a petty bargain. So much for her defense that dukedoms were less corrupt than democratic nations. “How did you find out about this?” she asked. She couldn’t imagine the Zaltorian High Courtier would have shared this under-the-table treaty so willingly.
“Actually, our dear friend Darian told me about it during afternoon tea. He was very upset and let it slip. Mark of an amateur,” her grandfather scoffed. “He believes the people of Cetachi should be free to believe in what they choose. He doesn’t want an official religion slapped across the nation. He himself is a devout believer in the Virtues.”
“But it doesn’t sound like he’s doing anything to stop it,” Jax mumbled grimly.
“It was Maegus who persuaded him that all nations in the realm have an official belief system attached to them, so what was the harm in allowing the Order of the Ancient Faith to preach from Cetachi. The ends justify the means, if you will.” The Duke crossed his arms, not looking pleased. “Darian may be idealistic, but he knows he needs more allies. I’m sure it didn’t take much to persuade him to come around to the idea.
Jax returned to her chair, feeling angry enough to rip apart the cushions beneath her. “Grand-Père, if Lysandeir manages to swing one more duchy to sign this Accord, our plans completely go up in smoke.” She tried not to sound too overwhelmed, but she felt close to hysteria. Never had she thought Zaltor would switch sides.
“Ah, now, that is the reason why I came to speak with you in the first place. I have an amendment to our proposition.” Duke Mensina’s expression turned shrewd and calculating, his diabolical grin widening. “I may have only just met him last night, but I have spent considerable time conversing with Darian Fangard and hearing about this ideal Cetachi he has plans for. The man has charisma, that is certain, and he is passionate about allowing his people’s voices to be heard.” He stood up and leaned against the hearth of the fireplace. “Fangard simply wants the opportunity to let Cetachi flourish on its own. All these tricks that Lysandeir is pulling to make it so have left him uneasy. The stunt with Maegus, the Zaltor deal, he doesn’t believe it to be right. It undermines what he believes in.”
Jax resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “His naiveté is truly astounding. It’s amazing he’s lasted this long in the political arena.”
“I concur, but—and I think you’ll agree with me—I think he’s worthy to be somewhat in the spotlight,” Duke Mensina said.
“What do you mean?” Jax’s eyes narrowed, sensing she was not going to entirely like the topic they were encroaching upon.
The Duke met her intrigued gaze head-on. “What if we made Darian Cetachi’s leader?”
“Have you lost your mind, Grand-Père?” Jax laughed at the ridiculous notion of giving up on all they had planned. “Cetachi would descend into even more chaos, letting the people choose their own officials.”
The formidable man wagged his finger back and forth. “Not as a leader chosen by the people, darling, but a Duke chosen by the realm’s royal families.”
Speechless, Jax couldn’t find words as she stared at her grandfather’s apparent madness.
Sensing her astonishment, he continued. “We offer him the ability to rule his people as he sees fit, but within the confines of the institution we have thrived under for so long. My Annette would make sure of that.” His chest visibly swelled with pride at his solution.
“You want to offer Darian Annette’s hand in marriage and Cetachi?” Jax finally was able to pull herself out of her shocked stupor.
Mensina nodded, as if he wasn�
�t planning to upend the very foundations of the realm. “I don’t think Darian is the problem here. Lucien and Maegus are the ones fueling the rebellious fires.” He paused to let Jax absorb his accusation. “My courtiers have been haunting the hallways since we arrived, and have all but confirmed Lucien wants Cetachi for himself so he can move out of this freezing hellhole and rule from somewhere a little warmer.”
Jax’s eyebrows nearly disappeared under her bejeweled crown. “So, you think the peace talks are all a front?”
“Of course.” Duke Mensina scolded his granddaughter for her thoughtlessness. “We all know how bitter Lucien has been since he took the throne. He spent his youth in Savant. You think a hotheaded man like him liked being dragged back to his ancestral home to rule in mounds of snow? He hates this land and would do just about anything to get away from it without losing his title.”
“So, a vote for Cetachi is actually a vote for Lysandeir,” Jax stated grimly, her skin paling. “Your courtiers are sure this is the plan?”
The Duke nodded. “And I don’t know about you, but I’d rather see Mensina blood on the throne of Cetachi. Of course, that still includes you as well, my dear,” he said with a tender but gruff look.
“What will Annette think of all this? Have you had time to reach out to her?” Jax felt a little dizzy from the upheaval in their plans.
“She’s here at the palace. I brought her along. I figured our peers would be better off visualizing our solution for Cetachi if she was beside us,” the Duke explained. “She met Darian at breakfast this morning. Sure, she’s a little older than he is, but they got along well enough, and she’s ready to do what it takes to ensure Cetachi doesn’t fall into Lysandeir’s outstretched hands.”
The firelight danced throughout the room, painting the stone red. Jax shivered at the imagery of blood on the walls. “And what do you think our righteous governor would think of the bargain?”
At that, the Duke looked less pleased with himself. “The poor sod is determined to see his people have a voice. We could try to reason with him that Lysandeir is not an ally, but rather a snake waiting patiently in its den.”
Jax considered the approach. “I’m sure if you painted the same picture as you’ve done for me of Lysandeir’s true intentions, he’d at least have to step back and think about it.” She thought back to the enthusiastic young man she’d met in the grand hall. He couldn’t be more than five or six years her senior, and yet the entire balance of the realm rested on his shoulders. “Let’s see how the summit begins tomorrow. If Lysandeir does not have the votes for the Accord, then we don’t need to deviate from our current path. But if it looks like things are going to change for the worse, then we can approach Darian with our suspicions and make an offer.” She studied her grandfather’s face, which looked much older and worn out since she’d seen him last at their family’s yuletide celebration. “Are we in agreement?”
“Of course, my dear.” Duke Mensina cocked an eyebrow. “I assume Lord Pettraud doesn’t know we’ve been having these little chats?”
Jax shook her head. “Nor does Jaquobie. The fewer people who know about this, the better. We don’t need the other courtiers to catch wind of our plans.”
Her grandfather eyed Uma’s form moving about in Jax’s bedchamber. “I trust your maid will be discreet with what she’s overheard?”
Jax gave him a severe look. “Yes, Grand-Père, I assure you that Uma will not breathe a word of this to anyone.”
“Then I’ll let you rest from your journey. I look forward to sharing in this evening’s shenanigans with you, my dear.” Duke Mensina planted a quick kiss on Jax’s cheek before he departed to his own chambers.
Jax had to smile at his small display of affection. If someone had told her two years ago that she’d be having these types of interactions with her imposing grandfather, she would have told them they were crazy.
Apparently, Uma was thinking the same thing. “My, how you two have changed around one another,” she said as she entered the room, her eyes bright with intrigue. “I can hardly begin to process what I’ve heard. How awful for Darian that Lysandeir is simply using him for his own means.”
“It is a bit heartbreaking, but Darian is a fool if he thinks Lysandeir’s patronage comes without any strings attached,” Jax replied. “It makes me so mad that Lucien is risking the security of the realm for his own gain. It makes my argument about allowing the people to choose their own leader completely moot. Corruption is everywhere, even in those bred for benevolent leadership.” An immeasurable sadness welled up inside her. “Is this how you felt when I was describing my plans to rule Cetachi?”
Uma’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh Virtues, Jax, no! I know you were coming from a place of good intentions. You are a strong and fair-minded woman who rules her duchy admirably. Lysandeir is nothing like you.”
Jax managed a grateful smile. “Let’s just hope future-Uncle Darian sees it that way, too.”
Chapter Eight
At long last, Jax sank into her warm bath, the smell of lavender oil tingling her nose. After her whirlwind discussion with her grandfather, she was in need of some alone time to sort out her thoughts. She had come here hellbent on ensuring Cetachi didn’t fall victim to an age-old idealistic theory that never worked in practice, only to find out that Cetachi’s failure at democracy was just what Lysandeir was planning on. She would find the time to speak to her grandfather’s courtiers herself, to confirm what they’d heard about Lysandeir wanting to seize Cetachi. While she wanted to fully trust Duke Mensina, she couldn’t ignore that he was still the leader of another duchy, playing the games of power for his own nation’s advantage.
Jax thought about seating Darian, the son of a baker, as Duke of Cetachi. If a common-born man could rise to become Duke, perhaps this would pave the way for Uma to become her lady-in-waiting. It could quite possibly start a whole new movement across the realms, where offspring of royal families could marry whomever they pleased. While the thought of a commoner sitting on the throne may have shocked her ancestors, it filled Jax with an odd sense of peace. It might not be the voice of the people Hendrie proclaimed to want, but it was a step in the right direction to compromise.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a thud resounding from the floor above her. She tilted her head, her neck resting on the porcelain tub as she studied the stone ceiling. Listening for further sounds of shuffling, she gave up after a moment or two. Perhaps there was another delegation on the upper floors of the tower. She hoped that her neighbors, whoever they were, would not prevent her from getting a good night’s rest when the time came.
Jax made little effort to chat while Uma readied her for the welcome feast. She was too preoccupied planning how to survive the evening to be sociable.
If Uma was offended, she didn’t show it. She painted rouge across Jax’s cheeks and lips with nimble fingers, and at last set her honeyed curls into place. “I think we chose tonight’s ensemble well,” she said with satisfaction as she looked at the fully dressed Duchess.
Jax twirled girlishly around her room in a brilliant royal purple ball gown, dripping with glittering gold jewelry and wearing a most lavish crown atop her head. Although she would never admit it to anyone, she loved the pomp and circumstance of elegant dinners that required her to dress up.
“You’ll have them all eating out of the palm of your hand in no time,” Uma surmised with a wry smile.
“Beautiful work, as always.” Jax cupped her friend’s cheek with fondness before opening the door leading out into the hallway. “Enjoy your evening,” she called back with a wink, knowing that Uma was looking forward to the dinner she was to attend with Hendrie.
As she came to the edge of the landing outside their spacious floor, Jax was pleased to find Courtier Roust ready and waiting for her arrival.
“Your Grace! My stars, I have never seen a beauty like yours,” Roust squeaked in awe, quickly blushing at his outburst. The formal robes he wore denoted his position
in the Lysandeir court.
She thanked him for the compliment, a genuine smile situated on her lips. “I hope we have not kept you waiting too long out here in the cold.” She noticed that the temperature dropped drastically from what it had been in her room.
Roust chuckled. “Despite all the chambers with raging fires, it is always cold here, Your Grace. I believe my skin has formed a protective layer to keep me warm,” he said, rubbing his round stomach in exaggeration.
Jax took the opportunity to dig for more information while she waited for the rest of her party to join them. Laughing lightly at the man’s joke, she took his arm in hers. “I can imagine it’s not always fun and games being trapped amongst the snowdrifts. I think I would go mad.”
The jovial luster diminished in the rotund courtier’s eyes. “Ah, yes, sometimes it does dull the mood, but Lysandeir people make the best of it. Most of the region’s population relocates to the southern border during the winter months, when the weather is at its most fierce. Even Duke Lysandeir enjoys his trips to the balmier duchies when he can.”
“Does the Duke spend a lot of time away from home?” Jax pressed, trying to sound causal in her line of questioning.
“He does travel more than his father did while he was Duke. I don’t think our sovereign has a strong emotional attachment to this place,” Roust surmised, unwittingly giving Jax the opening she needed. “I’m not sure what it is, but sometimes it feels like he’s a caged, restless animal when he’s here for too long of a time.”
“Has he spent a lot of time in Cetachi, assisting Master Fangard with his plans for peace?” she asked with feigned innocence.
Roust shifted under her gaze, looking uncomfortable for the first time. “I know he’s traveled to Cetachi on numerous occasions, but I am not privy to his reasons. I must be honest with you, Duchess; I only recently became a Courtier.”
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