CHAPTER 40 My Necromancer Can’t Resurrect Ashes

Keith

"Do we tell her?" Keith tilted his glass of elderberry cider at Rufus. The two were sharing a drink after dinner and had gone up to a secure place to have a very serious discussion. Keith had warded their conversation against spying. Twice.

Rufus shuddered in the way only a beastman could. "I'm not going to. Are you?"

"If we don't tell her, then she will be furious …" Keith replied.

"And if we do tell her, she'll try and decorate the entire castle in flowers. She'll stop all work on kingdom business to send runners out to the fae glades for everblooming daffodils, and she'll start pestering you to make automata welcome-singing doves."

"I remember."

"She might even succeed at finally painting the entire castle blue, since you're so distracted with your own partner."

"Good point."

The two men stared out over the black stone crenellations of the parapet. Chloe was in the garden below, laughing with Patina about something. And by something, they were laughing about Keith and Ria and the absurdity of it all. The Drendil princess with their king. Patina was of a mind that Henrietta was just waiting to stab Keith in bed … but Keith had to purposefully stop thinking about that.

He threw back his cider to slake his sudden thirst

"So we just wait for the storm to arrive?"

"I guess so." Rufus downed his own drink. For an entirely different reason.

The Dark Enchanted Forest had been Keith's home since he was born, and as the ruler of the Dark Enchanted Forest, he had many tasks.

None of which seemed all that important right now.

"Your Viciousnesss, Kith Bog peat and fishing reportsss for the first quarter have arrived," Chikli tried to get his attention, but Keith simply waved at him to put them with the Review Documents pile.

"Your Viciousnesss, I've prepared your glazed citron tartsss with a side of vanilla pudding." Panlith almost begged Keith to eat something. He was eating just fine … it was just a shame that he had eaten the last chai custard bun, and he wasn't in the mood for food.

He should have savored them over the few days Henrietta would be away.

"This Rinrin asks Master … why? Why do you do this? The poor buttons …"

Keith was wondering if he even wanted to be here when Julia arrived. The whole affair was becoming a bother. And more so than usual. Even his automaton tinkering didn't bring him much joy.

"I'm going back." A beautiful siren with long curled hair and delicately shaped purple fingernails stood at attention in front of his desk. "And I'll expect a proper military order to arrive by week's end. There isn't much time left to prepare."

"Goodbye, Patina."

"And you should seriously consider the fact that you are marrying someone you don't even know that well! And I haven't met her yet."

"If I marry her, you can meet her at the wedding," Keith countered. "Or maybe she'll be by during the war. Who knows."

"Really?" Patina resisted the urge to pout, and Keith commended her self-control. She really was growing up. "I think something's wrong with you, Cousin. You aren't usually this … distracted?"

"I'm fine," he countered.

"Sure you are," Patina replied sarcastically. "Or maybe you've been cursed."

"I'm just busy with being king," Keith said. She was right, though … maybe he wasn't just pining pathetically for Henrietta to come back. Maybe this wasn't the honeymoon phase that Rufus had warned him about. Maybe he was cursed.

He could always check with his spells … Asking Chloe would be faster, but the necromancer would laugh herself silly if he broached the topic now.

"In all seriousness," he changed the subject, "you probably will see Henrietta during the battle. Also, could you figure out a way to prevent anything from disturbing Feliwyn?"

As much as he teased, Patina was a strong and capable military leader. Her skills were invaluable—and putting the army to sleep really was a stroke of genius.

"I'll try."

They both shared a look. Feliwyn hated being woken up from her nap. It would be a disaster if they disturbed her. Maybe Keith would write to the Drendil army letting them know what any loud combat or errant missiles around his godmother would end with.

He pulled out a quill and jotted down a quick letter he'd been putting off since Gimtak delivered his mail that morning.

Dear Knight Commander Havork,

As per our last missive, I am not available to forward any messages to Princess Henrietta from the Drendil Court. However, I can assure you that she is well. Perhaps you should ask yourself who is really a danger to her safety? I had thought you would already know the answer.

Should Simon decide to continue his plans, I'm sure you will see her again soon. In that line of thought, please consider a cease-fire due south of Lake Loria … Her Eminence Feliwyn is still resting beside the waters, and I would hate for anything to wake her.

My necromancer can't [Resurrect] ashes.

Signed,

Keith Monfort of Nilheim, King of the Dark Enchanted Forest

Keith summoned Gimtak to handle delivering the letter, then leaned back in his chair.

Honestly, it might not be that bad if Drendil did wake up his godmother. She was an absolute grouch when she was awoken, yes, but that wouldn't be directed at him. And, once she had finished raining down terror and fire and destruction … she would be in excellent form to meet Henrietta.

Speaking of Henrietta, he should take a break soon to see how everything was faring with the dwarves.