Page 73 of The Empty Throne

"No promises," Oskia replied, and cupped hisface before kissing him properly. His lips were soft, and he tastedlike tea, and she was going to miss him, even though she'd only begone a couple of weeks, a month at worst if the weather wereagainst them. "You stay out of trouble."

"I'm going to be in nothingbuttrouble, with all the fights I'm about to start picking once mycouncil returns."

"Well, keep Kite or Cohea near to hand, atleast." She kissed him one last time and stepped back, but beforeshe could head down the steps to her waiting sled, he caught herwrist.

"You're forgetting something, YourMajesty."

Before Oskia could ask, he unfolded thefingers of his left hand to reveal a ring—the ring of the latequeen, and the queen before her, down the line to the very firstqueen of Cremisio. It was set with a mermaid diamond that currentlyheld no color. Legend held that a monarch with dark intention wouldturn the diamond black. For the previous queen, it had always beengreen, save for when she'd been pregnant and it turned yellow,shifting slowly back to green after birth.

As Sobeki slid the ring onto her finger, itever so faintly took on some color, maybe blue or purple, somethingin that range. Oskia had no idea what either of those colors mightmean. "I'm not sure I like wearing a ring that gives awaymy…thoughts or whatever it's doing."

"I will see if I can find something in thearchive that would explain the color shifts. The knowledge was lostgenerations ago, and the last few monarchs never cared, but someonemust have written it all down once."

Oskia laughed. "A busy king, and alreadyyou're trying to rush back to your precious archives. Stay focused,Beki."

"If I must." He kissed the back of her hand,and bowed as she turned and strode off, remaining on the steps asher sled took her away.

The journey through the city was slow andwinding, many streets cut off entirely by the destruction caused inthe fighting, mostly by the enemy, who hadn't cared about all thepeople they'd be putting out of homes, the memories they weredestroying.

She called the sled to a halt as they reachedone of the main squares, where Cohea stood by a public fountainreigning over carefully contained chaos as he and his people workedto put the city back in order. Signaling her team to wait, sheclimbed out and crossed the square to Cohea, who smiled in greetingas he dismissed the people around him. "Queen Presumptive, how canI be of service?"

"Oh, knock it off. I came to see if there'sanything I can have brought back for you, as I'll be going right tothe border and will probably be there at least several dayssettling debts and all else for the sanctuary granted byEverage…and to make Boltane regret their cowardly decision to offerno help whatsoever."

Cohea grinned. "Make them cry. As to what youcan have brought…stone, a great deal of it. The fire mages ensureda lot of what was destroyed could not be reused, though we'reobviously salvaging everything we possibly can. I'm sure food andclothes are already on your list."

"They are."

"Then things to do. People were forced toleave musical instruments, paints, other such pursuits behind, anda great deal of it was destroyed. I found the remains of a violinthat was at least a hundred years old; it was probably a familyheirloom. People won't be able to work for some time while the cityis repaired and rebuilt, so having things to occupy them and keepspirits up will be invaluable."

"Of course. Anything I can getyou,Cohea?"

"If you can secure some sealskins for me, itwould be appreciated, and I never say no to rum if you can findany." Sealskins were uncommon in Cremisio, as the dead sea meantthey were limited in their fishing to the eastern side of thekingdom, and seals were more often found in more southern waters,largely around Boltane, making them hard to come by inCremisio.

Rum was imported at great cost from countriesfar to the south, where they endured crippling heat all year longinstead of devastating cold. She couldn't imagine it, heat so greatthat stone was burning hot to the touch and people walked aroundmostly naked to stay cool. Did those people wonder how a worldcould be so cold?

"Rum and sealskins. That should be easyenough."

"Let me know what I owe you when you return,and thank you, Oskia. I'm sorry Keris is being particularly bratty.I'll try to make him behave, or at least keep him distracted."

Oskia shrugged one shoulder. "We're hot andcold, me and Keris. But I can't promise I won't someday break hisnose."

"He'd probably be impressed and like youmore," Cohea said dryly.

Rolling her eyes, Oskia clapped him on theshoulder and turned away. "Send a runner if you think of anythingelse. Or tell Beki, I suppose, since I'm sure he'll insist onchecking in on me, even though it's not necessary. If I'm going tobe there longer than expected, I'll send everything ahead ofme."

"I appreciate it, Your Majesty."

"Shut up!"

Once settled in her sled again, she gave thesignal to her team, and they once more headed out. She would havepreferred to travel discreetly, maybe just herself and a fewbodyguards on caribou, but Sobeki had been unusually stubborn inmaking certain she traveled with a full retinue and every comfort.She was going to be queen, so it made sense, but she still did notfavor such ostentation, especially when so many of their peoplewere struggling in a foreign country and would return only to ruinand loss.

She was to be queen, though, so she'd have toget used to it.

May her mother forgive her for becoming whatshe'd tried to destroy, for making the deal she'd murdered and diedto prevent.

They rode in relative peace for hours, Oskiausing the time to read, focusing first on the draft of her marriagecontract, then on other reports and drafted contracts, at whichpoint her eyes hurt and her head ached, so she opted to sleep asbest she could.

When she woke, it was to someone gentlyshaking her arm and the slow realization they'd come to a stop. Afire was already crackling, and they'd built a shelter for her tosleep for the night. There were only four guards, so two must havegone out hunting. "Any problems?"

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