Chapter 17

R o leaned over the sink in her bathroom. She was tired and ready to sleep, looking forward to a night in a real bed. Tomorrow, she'd be sleeping on the ground again as they made their return to Willow Hall. But there was no going to bed until King Ehlzar's guards arrived with Lady Cynzia's ashes from the vault.

Uldamar was in the sitting room with Gabriel, where he was doing another magical sweep to be sure they weren't being listened to. He had not found any signs of Lady Cynzia in the palace, but that no longer mattered. They knew what had happened to her.

Ro washed her face, patted it dry with a towel, then went out to join them. They were bidding the king's guards goodnight as she entered, a pair of Summerton guards at the door. She waited until the door closed to speak. "The ashes are here?"

"They are." Uldamar turned to face her, a simple stone jar in his hands. Dingy wax sealed the lid, the substance yellowed with time and dust.

Certainly didn't look like the final resting place of a woman who'd once been considered the most powerful witch in Malveaux. "You really think you can use them in a protection spell?"

"Yes, your highness, I do."

She wrinkled her nose. "Doing a spell with ashes sounds like dark magic."

He stared at the urn. "It is, in a way, but it's the rare bit of dark magic worth doing."

She wasn't sure she liked that. "Uldamar, tell me the truth. Will this spell be dangerous for you?"

"I don't believe so. It will take precision and care, but I am capable of both of those things."

"I know you are. And I trust you. But I also don't want you to get hurt."

He smiled. "I appreciate your concern, my lady."

She saw tea had been delivered. It wasn't her spiced cocoa, but the temperature had dropped and although there was a fire crackling away in the fireplace, a hot drink sounded good. She fixed a cup and went to sit on the couch, feet tucked up underneath her. "Are you going to leave the ashes here or take them to your room?"

Uldamar considered that as Gabriel sat nearby. "I suppose I should leave them here. I can put a little spell on them to hide them, the same way I did with the diary in Edna Wigglesworth's room."

"Okay." Ro sipped her tea. "Oh, this is good. I don't know what kind of tea it is, but it tastes like cake. Get a cup."

Uldamar's idea of hiding the book in Wiggy's room at Willow Hall had been genius, made even more so by the invisibility spell he'd covered it with. It was probably overkill, but with them gone, Ro didn't want Aunt Violet or JT to have to worry about it. All she'd told them was that the book was in a safe place. Better, she thought, if they didn't know the truth. Then they wouldn't have to lie if anyone, such as Anyka, confronted them about it.

Gabriel came back to the couch with tea, the small cup almost comical in his rugged hands. Uldamar had set the urn on the table in front of him and was whispering words over it.

"The tea is good," Gabriel said.

"You were great tonight. Telling the king the truth like that. Thank you."

He nodded. "If we are to be allies, there's no reason not to share such things."

"I agree. Now tell me what you learned at dinner."

He set his cup on the table across from the urn. "The Wyvern army is small but unmatched. After all, they have abilities no fae has. They can take to the sky."

Ro nodded as she sipped her tea and absently watched Uldamar work. "And they breathe fire, both of which make them pretty unbeatable, I'd think."

"There is the matter of archers," Gabriel said. "In their Wyvern forms, they have tough hides, but they are not impenetrable. Archers would need stronger arrowheads."

The urn disappeared under Uldamar's hands. Ro sucked in a breath. "Where did it go?"

Uldamar smiled. "Perhaps it's best if I just tell you…it is secure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must sleep."

"Of course. We'll see you in the morning. Good night."

He stood, giving her a bow. "Good night, my lady. Gabriel."

"Uldamar. We leave at dawn."

The old wizard nodded. "I'll be ready." He took his leave.

Ro toed off her slippers, wiggled her toes, and propped her feet up on the table. "Not very royal behavior, I know, so you'll have to forgive me."

Gabriel laughed. "You're the queen. You can do what you like."

She stretched her legs out. The heat from the fire felt good. "Did you learn anything else this evening?"

"My impressions of the Wyvern are…" He seemed to be searching for the right words. "They are pleased about being asked to ally with us."

"But they have a reputation for being standoffish when it comes to that sort of thing."

"They do, but I don't believe it's anything they purposefully cultivated. More likely that it came about because everyone's afraid of them and saying they don't do alliances saves more face than admitting other kingdoms are too afraid to approach them. You showing up here impressed them greatly. Even more so because, while your visit was an attempt to secure an alliance, it was also to warn them. General Lazheller told me that's never happened, as far as he can remember."

"Things worked out well for both of us then."

Gabriel's brows arched. "He told me something else."

"What?"

"That one of the things King Ehlzar will seek from the alliance is landing rights. In Summerton."

"Landing rights? As in…they can land in Summerton when they're in Wyvern form?"

"That's it exactly."

Ro had to think on that a second. "I'm fine with that, however, for the sake of not scaring anyone to death, I'm going to have to put some limitations on that. I think it would be best if we designate a specific landing area. I'll have to get some input on that, but we'll come up with something. Maybe not too near the castle, but it shouldn't be in town, either."

"I agree."

"Additionally, I want a portal here. It's the best way to transport goods and for us to travel. It will make things so much easier.

"It will. How do you think the citizens are going to take the news of the alliance?"

"If I were a citizen, I'd be happy. I'd much rather have the Wyvern with us than against us. And for those in farming and manufacturing, it's another place to sell goods." She gave him a sharp look. "But you wouldn't be asking me that if you thought everyone was going to be happy about it."

He shrugged. "You will never make everyone happy. There will be some who don't think it's a good idea. You must prepare yourself for that."

She rolled her eyes, knowing Gabriel wouldn't judge her for it. "I am prepared. But I have to do what's right for Summerton as a whole." She hesitated. "You agree with the alliance, don't you?"

"I do. They're a strong ally and the fact that you were the first to come to them, and your gift to Queen Varyana, makes me think they will be exceptionally loyal for a very long time."

"Good." She exhaled and tipped her head back against the couch. If she stayed like this for much longer, she was going to fall asleep. She really ought to get up and go to bed, but she was so comfortable in the warmth of the crackling fire and Gabriel's easy presence that it was nearly impossible to move. "I don't know if I'll actually be able to leave precisely at dawn. I plan on bathing in the morning."

"We'll leave whenever you're ready. But the sooner we get underway, the sooner we'll be back at Willow Hall."

"Yes, and back to dealing with Queen Anyka. Ugh. She's exhausting." Ro rolled her head back and forth on the couch cushion. "I hope JT and Violet are getting on all right without me. I never thought I'd miss having a cell phone, but it would be nice to be able to check in with them, you know?"

"Not really."

She snorted. "Well, trust me, it would be." She heaved herself upright. "I guess I should go to bed before I fall asleep out here."

"Wouldn't bother me," he said, smiling.

"Bed's probably more comfortable." Once again, she was thinking about inviting him to share it with her, the words dancing on the end of her tongue.

"I have no doubt it is, but I'll be here, on the couch, making sure your sleep is safe and uninterrupted."

It seemed like he was answering her unasked question. The time wasn't right. She got up, then went over to him, leaning down to cup his face in her hands and kiss him. "Sleep well, Gabriel."

"You, too, Ro." Her hands lingered on his face. He took them in his and turned his head to kiss her palm, then gave both of her hands a little squeeze. "If you don't mind, I'm going to dismiss Ren. With me here, there's no reason for him to stand guard all night. He needs to sleep as much as we do, and I don't believe there's any real threat here."

She nodded. "Neither do I, so that's fine with me."

He let go of her and got to his feet. She headed for the bedroom, oddly melancholy that the night was over. It wasn't the fancy banquet or the entertainment she was missing, certainly none of the pomp and circumstance. It was hanging out with Gabriel in a place where there were no watching eyes, judging her for being so close to someone she wasn't supposed to be involved with.

Larksford had better be done with the paperwork needed to bestow the landed title upon Gabriel. Making that happen was going to be her number one priority when she got back. Once he was officially nobility, things could be different between them. More open.

She undressed and slipped into the simple nightgown she'd brought. It was one she'd had in the mortal world and something she'd been meaning to ask the castle seamstress if she could replicate. Ro thought it would be easy. The nightgown was basically an extra-long T-shirt.

She washed her makeup off, moisturized, brushed her teeth, and got into bed. As tired as she was, she didn't drift off like she'd been expecting to.

Instead, she found herself staring at the ceiling, desperately trying to stop thinking. Hard to do when there was so much to think about. After a few minutes of restlessness, she got up and went to the windows. They overlooked the park and pond, and she could see a good slice of the night sky through the cavern's opening.

She stared up at the stars, which seemed brighter here, and thought about her son and her aunt and how she missed them. Benny and Wiggy, too.

She'd be back in Willow Hall by tomorrow night, since they were leaving so early. Tomorrow afternoon, if they made good time. Going down the mountain ought to be easier than climbing it.

A soft rustling sound turned her head toward the sitting room. Was Gabriel asleep? Probably. But she knew the slightest movement would wake him up. He was too well-trained, or maybe it was self-disciplined, to sleep through anything that might vaguely be considered a threat.

Being awake wasn't going to serve her well tomorrow. With a sigh, she went back to bed and did her best to sleep even with the weight of so much responsibility pressing down on her.