Chapter 15

T he food at dinner had been wonderful, the entertainment fascinating, but Ro was glad it was over. It had been nearly two and a half hours, and she had a lot she wanted to discuss with King Ehlzar. In private.

Thankfully, he soon invited her, Gabriel, and Uldamar back to his personal quarters for that discussion.

As much as she wanted to know what Gabriel and Uldamar had learned, if anything, during dinner, the time for such questions wasn't while trailing the king and queen to their quarters with the Summerton guards behind Ro and her companions.

Instead, Ro took in the palace and its décor. "I know I've said this before, but your home is truly beautiful."

Varyana glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Thank you." She gestured to the portraits they were passing. "These are all the kings and queens who have gone before us."

Ehlzar looked up at them. "Reminds me of the weight and responsibility of the crown. In a good way, I assure you."

"I think about that, too," Ro confessed.

Footmen awaited them at the double doors leading into the royal quarters. They bowed, then opened the doors with such timing that the king and queen never had to slow down.

The Summerton guards, with a glance from Gabriel, stayed at the doors, which were closed as soon as Gabriel and Uldamar were through.

Ro wasn't bothered by the guards staying behind. She was confident Ehlzar and Varyana were no threat, a feeling aided by her inner sense about them and the continued lack of heat from her Silversmith blade. Besides that, there were no red flags, no warning bells, nothing to trip any kind of concern.

A butler greeted them with a bow as they entered the foyer. "Your majesties."

With the man's help, Ehlzar shrugged off the fur-trimmed cape he'd been wearing. "Bring us coffee in the sitting room, then you're dismissed for the evening."

"Yes, my lord." The man left.

Ehlzar walked them into the other room, where a small fire crackled in the fireplace. The room was cozy, and while decorated with royal style, much simpler than anything Ro had seen so far. Comfortable tanned leather furniture that bore the scars of use, a blue patterned rug covering much of the hardwood, some framed landscapes on the dark green walls. The mantel over the fireplace was a thick slab of polished wood, the grain beautifully displayed. The room almost had the feel of a rugged lodge.

Ro smiled. "This room reminds me of a place my aunt used to take me when I was just a girl. Up in the mountains. It was just a cabin, but we had great times there. This brings back a lot of great memories."

The king took his seat by the fire, the queen going to the chair across from his. "It's not fancy, not by royal standards, I know that. But it pleases us, and fancy is not always better, is it?"

Ro sat on the couch. "No, it isn't."

The butler returned with a tray bearing a steaming pot of coffee, a pitcher of cream, another lidded container with a spoon, and a plate of round cookies. They were golden brown and as plain as could be.

He poured coffee for the king and queen, then Ro, followed by Gabriel and Uldamar. He bowed to the king and queen before leaving.

Ehlzar spoke. "I drink my coffee with a little cream, but there is honey if you want sweetness. The biscuits are made with ground nuts, honey, acorn flour, and searzin." At Ro's questioning look, he explained, "It's a spice that comes from a root that grows wild in our forests, although we've learned to cultivate it. You've tasted it already in some of the fish and fowl dishes served this evening. It's got a little bite, but nothing unpleasant."

Gabriel reached for a biscuit. "The food this evening was delicious and well prepared. It was an honor to dine at your table."

Ro added a spoon of honey to her coffee and a splash of cream, then took a biscuit for herself. As full as she was, she didn't want to seem ungrateful. Or miss the chance to taste something new.

The king smiled. "Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

Uldamar held up a finger. "Your highness, might I ask a question?"

"A man of your power? Ask anything."

"How do the Wyvern breathe fire?"

Ro almost choked on her biscuit, which tasted very much like a honey ginger cookie. "Uldamar, that might not be something the king wants to share."

Ehlzar laughed. "We are friends now. There should not be many secrets between us. I don't mind." He looked at Uldamar, still very clearly amused by the bold question. "We have an organ just below our lungs that produces the fire. I would gladly connect you with some of our doctors and scientists, if you'd like to know more."

"Fascinating," Uldamar said. "So there's no magic involved?"

"No." The king grinned. "Sorry to disappoint you."

Uldamar chuckled. "Your majesty hasn't disappointed me at all, but rather satisfied my curiosity."

"I'm glad for that. However," Ehlzar went on. "When we shift into our Wyvern forms, that would qualify as magic, I believe. But that's not something we're prepared to share with anyone who isn't Wyvern, I'm afraid."

Uldamar shook his head. "Nor should you, sir. Some things are better kept private."

Varyana sipped her coffee. "Like your magic?"

"Most magic can be learned, your highness," Uldamar answered. "For me, it has been a lifetime of study and practice to make the most of the gifts I was born with."

The king's gaze narrowed. "Are all fae born with such gifts?"

Uldamar looked at Ro. Apparently, this was her question to answer. "We are," she said. "But just like you don't share how you change forms, we don't generally discuss our gifts openly. Some are obvious, some are not, but it's up to the individual if they want to talk about such things."

"I see." Ehlzar nodded. "I will respect that. This exchange of information is valuable. I appreciate that we can do it without upsetting each other."

"I couldn't agree more," Ro said. "I hope it can continue. In fact, I hope someday that you and Queen Varyana will visit Summerton and be our guests at Castle Clarion. I would love to show you my kingdom and introduce you to the rest of my family."

Ehlzar's brows lifted. "You would have us at your home?"

"Of course."

Ehlzar nodded. "That is very kind. We would be honored. As I said to you at dinner, this alliance that you seek will happen. I have never before entered into such a thing, so it may not happen as quickly as you would like, but you may consider our kingdoms allies. The signing of an official decree is merely a formality."

He glanced at Varyana. "Especially after your kindness to my wife."

"I promise, I gave her that ring with no ulterior motive."

"I told him," Varyana said. "Which is what makes it all the more meaningful."

Gabriel reached for a second biscuit. "I'm sorry, what happened?"

"Queen Varyana was admiring the trillianites on my dress and in my jewelry, so I gave her one of the rings I had on." Ro held her wrist up. "And she gave me this gorgeous crystal bracelet she was wearing."

"The exchange of stones," Varyana said, nodding. "An ancient and sacred tradition among our people. It's a pledge of friendship but even more than that, it's a bonding of those involved." She smiled graciously at Ro. "It is as if we are…like cousins."

Ro hadn't realized it carried quite that much significance. "I am honored." She hoped her next questions wouldn't overstep any boundaries now that they were nearly family. "And I apologize for turning the conversation to more serious matters, but as you know, we came here with a very specific mission. To make you aware of a possible mutual threat, and to find out if there was anything you could share with us about the whereabouts of a powerful woman known as Lady Cynzia."

The king and queen exchanged glances, then nods. "There is no need to apologize," Ehlzar said. "We know of Lady Cynzia."

Ro inhaled softly. "You do? Is she here?"

"We do, and yes, after a fashion, she is here," Ehlzar answered.

Uldamar refilled his coffee cup. "What do you mean, your highness, by ‘after a fashion?'"

"Perhaps I should start at the beginning. I am descended from a long line of Wyvern rulers. My mother was queen, her father king. We have reigned for centuries."

Ro nibble the biscuit she'd taken, listening for all she was worth.

"Lady Cynzia arrived when my great-grandmother was queen. Believing Cynzia's tale, Queen Ezzelya took pity on the woman and gave her sanctuary. It was the least she could do for a woman about to give birth—"

Ro straightened at that. "Lady Cynzia was pregnant?" This was news.

Ehlzar nodded. "Very much so. Within a month of her arrival, she delivered a healthy daughter. Cynzia was not exactly accepted as one of our own, because she wasn't, but she was allowed to stay as long as she contributed, caused no trouble, and only used her magic when the queen requested she do so."

Gabriel made a soft, throaty noise that sounded very much like he thought those stipulations would be impossible for Cynzia to abide by.

"You're right to scoff," Ehlzar said. "While she did contribute, working in the gardens, tending children when asked, it soon became known that if you needed a potion or a spell or something… more, Cynzia would oblige you. For a price."

Ro shook her head. "I'm not surprised."

"Neither was my great-grandmother," Ehlzar said. "She'd had Cynzia watched. Queen Ezzelya was no fool. She had Cynzia brought to her, and she warned the woman that her magic wouldn't be tolerated. It was disrupting the peace of Hythe. Citizens were targeting each other, thinking the use of magic would go undetected. There was strife unlike anything that had been experienced before."

He sighed and shook his head. "Not long after my great-grandmother confronted Cynzia, the strife and discontent seemed to increase."

He frowned, anger in his gaze. "It was discovered that Cynzia was behind it all. She was caught adding a potion to the water supply, one of the main wells used by the village. The potion heightened emotions, especially paranoia. The well remains unusable to this day."

"How awful," Ro muttered.

He nodded. "Cynzia was jailed. Her daughter, Tyssandra, was allowed to remain so long as she did not follow in her mother's footsteps. That seemed to be the case. Tyssandra never caused any trouble. She visited her mother regularly in her cell, but Tyssandra lived a quiet life, doing the work she was assigned and keeping to herself. And then, one day, she disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Ro needed to know more. "Do you know where she went?"

"No. She just left. No effort was made to find her, as it was well within her rights to leave."

"Is Cynzia still in your jail?"

He let out a short snort of laughter. "No. Cynzia attempted to escape when I was a child. She did not survive."

"But you said she was still here. After a fashion."

Ehlzar nodded. "I did. And she is still here. In the royal strongroom in an urn that contains her ashes."

And that is that , Ro thought. She nodded. "We can confirm she's dead then."

Uldamar inched forward. "Your highness, this is an odd request, I know, but would you be willing to give us her ashes? She is fae, after all."

Varyana gave a little nod. "You are her people."

Ro wasn't sure why Uldamar wanted Cynzia's ashes, but he had to have a reason. "We could return her to her homeland."

"More than that," Uldamar said. "I believe her ashes might allow me to craft a spell of protection for the kingdoms of Summerton and Hythe. If, King Ehlzar, you would desire such a thing?"

Ehlzar put his coffee down, his gaze flicking across them all. "Do you truly believe that we might be in danger?"

Ro inhaled, glancing at Gabriel.

He spoke up, as she'd been hoping. "Your highness, I am Grym. I escaped from Malveaux as a young child with my family, and for good reason. Had we stayed, I have no doubt that I would have lost my life under that regime. I know Summerton is in danger. As for Hythe, it is a beautiful place with incredible resources, and strong, robust people. Exactly the sort of kingdom Queen Anyka would desire to take control of."

Varyana reached for her husband's arm.

Gabriel shook his head. "I don't say these things to scare you or sway you, I say them because they are the truth. And if we are to be allies, we owe you that. If Uldamar can provide you with protection, I would urge you to take it. Queen Anyka may already see you as her enemy because she believes you're harboring Lady Cynzia."

Ehlzar, eyes narrowed, seemed lost in thought. Then he nodded resolutely. "The ashes are yours."