Chapter 9

A SERVANT OPENED THEdoor down the hall, and Gastone went to sit at his desk. Eirwyn took the seat opposite, the straight back making it impossible to be comfortable.

Not that she ever could be in his presence. He tapped on a stack of papers on his desk, his eyes dark and glittering.

"I read the Chancellor"s reports and talked with the Council yesterday. I thought I gave you specific instructions on what we would and would not agree to for a peace treaty."

Eirwyn frowned and nodded. "Yes, and I followed them."

Gastone tilted his head. "And the agreement to turn Auckwald back over to them? You said the borders would go back to what they were before the war. I specifically told you we would not give up even a foot of the land we"ve conquered."

Eirwyn bit her lip. "Yes but be reasonable. Think about—"

"Be reasonable?" he said softly. Too soft. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. "I don"t think you understand politics at all. Perhaps we should have more lessons."

She shook her head, her eyes wide. "No, no more lessons. I—"

A knock at the door interrupted, and Gastone said, "Enter."

The Chancellor walked in, his dark blue robes of his office stiff from a fresh pressing. His black pants, white shirt, and blue jacket were muted and in direct contrast to Gastone"s brighter, vivid clothing. Perhaps it was the lack of gold thread.

His beady gaze swung to Eirwyn, and his eyes narrowed as a tight lipped smile spread across his bony face. "Ah, welcome back, princess. I"m glad you"re here. A runner has just arrived from Auckwald."

Gastone sat straighter, his gaze sharp. "What"s the news?"

The Chancellor"s smile widened as he shut the door behind him and brought an envelope to her brother. "Auckwald has been reclaimed."

"What?" Eirwyn gasped, her hands going to her lips. She"d just been there for the negotiations. The Buspartans had invaded and quickly overtaken Auckwald a decade ago, but the defending army had set up camp a few miles away on the bank of a river. The lines of war had changed little in the years since.

"Our darling princess here boosted morale while she was there. But as soon as she left, our forces grew despondent, even worse than before. And her formal dinners with the king and queen of Glathen bolstered their resolve to end to the war."

Gastone read the letter, his eyes moving swiftly back and forth as smoke shot out of his nose and grew in intensity. Eirwyn"s stomach twisted, and when the letter burst into flames, her heart raced.

He stood up so fast his chair tipped over as he roared. "See what I mean? You can"t do anything right. I sent you there to keep you out of trouble and to calm down the nobles who felt slighted. And now you"ve gone and ruined everything. No matter what you do, it always turns out wrong. This is why you can"t be trusted with political matters."

He lifted a flaming hand and a burst of fire flew at her head. She ducked, nearly touching her knees where she sat as the flame hit the back of the chair behind her. It caught on fire, and she jumped up, dancing a few steps away and holding her hands up.

"I didn"t mean to. It was an accident. I"m so sorry—"

"You"re sorry?" Gastone shouted, throwing another fireball. Eirwyn dodged, and it slammed into the paneling behind her. The Chancellor grinned and crossed his arms as he watched.

"It"s time to grow up, Eirwyn. You"re not a child who can just say sorry and think that magically fixes things."

Eirwyn swirled the wind to put out the fire behind her, but her air magic only made it grow brighter. She shifted a few more feet away and turned back to the greater threat.

"I know, I know. But—"

"No buts, Eirwyn. You"re lucky we have the ball tonight, otherwise you"d be confined to your room. What am I supposed to do now?"

Another burst of fire crashed into the glass window. She covered her head as shards of glass went flying.

Chancellor Howe finally stepped forward. "Just bring our troops home. Announce to the kingdom you recalled them to celebrate your nuptials. Spin it so it"s not a defeat but a deliberate move."

Eirwyn stepped away from the window and burning wall, walking a wide arch around the edge of the room as far away from Gastone as possible.

"That"s a great idea. Bella has always wanted her father to walk her down the aisle. This will give you a chance to find him among all the troops being recalled."

The Chancellor said, "We"ve had our best people looking for him but I wasn"t able to find him during our time in Auckwald. Perhaps he"s deserted."

"Don"t tell Bella that," Eirwyn said as she backed up. "She"ll be heartbroken. She might even call off the wedding."

Gastone tipped his head back and roared, white hot steam escaping his mouth. Eirwyn threw open the door and raced into the hall, not stopping as he began to cuss and yell for her to get back in there.

****

Eirwyn knocked on Bella"sdoor and waited for her friend to answer, her heart still racing from running up the stairs.

"Enter," Bella said.

Eirwyn opened the door and shut it softly behind her.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Eirwyn asked as she bit her lip. She hadn"t ever told anyone about Gastone throwing fire at her or any of the things he"d tortured her with through her life.

She didn"t want to complain to Bella. She"d learned long ago that it was pointless. Sure, she"d joked around with Bella about her annoying brother, but she"d kept it all fun and light-hearted. Would Bella break off the engagement if she knew how twisted her brother truly was?

Bella powdered her nose.

"Yes, I"m sure. This is going to be a good thing for our country, Eirwyn. Think of all the good I"ll be able to do as queen. With all the resources at my disposal, we can finally solve the things we"ve complained about for years."

She knew her friend was excited, but that didn"t make this feeling of dread disappear. Eirwyn leaned against the bedroom door and really looked at Bella. Some of the worry lines on her face had disappeared, and a small smile hovered on her lips.

"You"re truly happy about this?" Eirwyn asked, crossing the floor to where Bella fixed her hair in the mirror. The vanity was old, but the mirror itself had sat on the mantle in the library for years.

Bella nodded, not looking away from the ugly mirror.

"Are you sure he doesn"t have you under a spell? You remember how we used to talk about Gastone, right?"

Bella bumped the desk as she turned and rolled her eyes, the light bouncing off the mirror at the movement.

"Truly, there was no potion or spell involved. Look, if you don"t want me to marry your brother, fine. I can live with that. But I don"t understand why you"re so against it? I thought we were friends."

Bella"s hurt look gutted her, and Eirwyn sighed and frowned. Bella"s tone was sharper than it"d ever been, and she slowly stood up, her back as straight as any noblewoman Eirwyn had ever met.

Gone was the tavern owner who had a smile for everyone. Gone was the friend who"d wash dishes while Eirwyn cooked and complained about her brother.

Bella looked exactly as a queen should, and Eirwyn shifted uncomfortably. She felt lacking. Was it any wonder her brother was constantly disappointed in her? She"d never look that regal and poised.

She was too wild and carefree, her attention span too short. She wasn"t as well-read or as good at conversation as Bella was. All she had were the fantastical stories she told in the tavern with her illusion magic, but that was more performing than interacting.

Eirwyn finally said, "We are friends. That"s why I"m worried. I don"t want to see you hurt."

Bella smiled and turned back to the mirror with a glassy look in her eyes. "Oh, stop worrying so much. Gastone loves me, and all will be fine. Now go get ready for the ball. We need to shift how they think about him, and marrying a commoner might not go over well with the nobles."

Eirwyn bit her lip and forced a smile. "You"re going to be a great queen, Bella. And I"ll do what I can to help with the nobles."