Page 74 of The Empty Throne

"None at all, Your Grace. Hunters are out, sofood should be ready in a couple of hours. Your shelter is ready.Would you like some tea?"

"That would be appreciated, thank you." Sheaccepted the hand he offered and climbed out of the carriage,settling in the fur-draped seat they'd set up for her. Between thatand the crackling fire, she was comfortably warm, despite the chillbreeze that rose up infrequently.

One of the staff who'd come along brought herthe offered tea, dark and fragrant, a hint of spice to it. Thankingher for it, Oskia sat sipping while reading a book she'd broughtalong, as there would be precious little to do on the journey. Atleast the weather was holding for now; ideally it would behave longenough for them to reach their destination.

The hunters returned an hour or so later, anddinner went quickly after that. Climbing into her shelter, made ofthe endless supplies of snow around them, she almost immediatelyfell asleep.

The pattern repeated for the next four days,until they reached the border with Everage, where she could seetens upon tens of shelters of various size, like massive snowballsscattered across the field. People started appearing as word spreadof her sled's arrival, and Oskia didn't even try to fight the crowdthat was soon upon her, everyone eager to learn about the state ofthings at home, learn which of their loved ones had died.

Delivering such terrible news washeartbreaking, but if being queen was an easy job, more peoplewould vie for it.

By the time the crowd began to trickle away,called to attend dinner and other late-day tasks, Oskia wasexhausted, starving, and weary to the bone. She didn't fight it asher staff and guards ushered her off, past the encampment, throughthe city, to the old castle that overlooked this border city.Everage's capital was another week south, where days and nightscould be longer, but never reached the eternal night that struckthis far north.

Once she arrived, she was escorted with pompand circumstance to a beautifully appointed private dining roomwhere a tall, imposing woman awaited her: Grand Duchess Akta Torr,third daughter of the Queen of Everage, Steward of the border cityof Starmount. "Your Grace, I'm happy you've arrived safely."

"Thank you, Your Grace, and for havingme."

Akta waved her to a seat, and then the two ofthem were left alone. Mouth quirking, formality dropping, Aktapoured them wine from a pitcher on the table and said, "You'relooking well, Oskia. Beautiful ring. How did Beki finally convinceyou to wear it?"

"It was time. How are you? Haven't seen yousince Tilda was born."

"Five years old and an utter brat, preciselyas I was at that age," Akta replied with a snorting laugh. "Ibelieve yesterday she somehow snuck into the kitchen and broke notone but three baskets of eggs."

Oskia winced.

"I've put additional supervision on her. Tellme everything, darling. I'm sorry Everage did not do more tosupport you. I tried and tried, but my family remains stubbornly'neutral,' even when that is the stupidest option possible."

"I appreciate your support, Akta." They'dgone to the same schools while they were growing up, first friendsand then lovers for a time, before their lives finally split wheneach of them had to return home. They didn't see each other veryoften now but did remain friends. She had hoped it would be Aktashe'd be meeting with, but given the rest of her family, there wasno telling who they might have sent to do the job, instead ofsimply trusting Akta. "I'll be honest, I half-expected to bedealing with your brother."

"I thought they'd send him, as well, butsomething must be afoot at home, because they've left this entirelyto me. What finally convinced Cremisio to ally with Kenten?"

"Necessity, more or less. We barely survivedthis attack by Terek, and only because we had Kenten support at thevery end. Look at my people now, living out in the snow, mourningloved ones they won't even be able to burn properly. I don't wantthat again, even if I chafe at the idea of relying on anyoneelse."

"Same old Oskia. Being queen suits you."

"I'm not queen yet."

Akta waved off the minor detail. "Familieswith children were given shelter within the city, and others as wefound room. We were still working on finding more room when we gotthe message the fighting was over, and your people opted to remainwhere they were. I don't want you to think we didn't offer as muchshelter as we could."

"I know." Like most cities in that area,space was as limited as resources. In such cold and brutal climes,there wasn't enough of anything to be extra. "I appreciate allyou've done. If you have the invoices, I can settle the debtstoday."

Waving the words away like she had theprevious statement, Akta said, "We would rather you get us aninvitation to sit and talk with Kenten. We have some minimal tradeagreements with them that have remained in place since before thewar, but we would like to improve that relationship and even buildties. If you could get us an in, that would be greatlyappreciated."

"Deal," Oskia said. If Kenten and Everagebecame allies, and Kenten was bound to Cremisio, that was analliance that would only benefit them all, and quite possiblyEverage's place in it would bring Boltane into it, which wouldunite the four of them against Terek, leaving Terek high and dry,forcing them to finally behave.

Oskia hated it, but her mother had been inthe wrong. Egregiously, horribly in the wrong. And Oskia had verynearly followed her down that path—had followed her, until almosttoo late. If she hadn't been faced with having to kill Sobeki…

She was fortunate Sobeki was giving her achance to redeem herself. More fortunate than she would everdeserve.

"Let's have dinner, shall we?" Akta said."Tomorrow we can work out all the details." She rang a bell, andservants appeared moments later with the first of what would likelybe seven courses, an affectation of Everian nobility thatCremisions would see as wasteful. Their most luxurious meals werethree courses, and only at certain times of the year for importantholidays.

Oskia simply ate and talked and even relaxed,perhaps the first time she'd truly done so since fleeing homebecause her mother was dying.

When the meal was over, she was escorted toher room, where a hot bath and fresh, warmed-by-the-fire clothesawaited her, along with a proper bed, one of the box ones common inEverage that left you feeling like you were sleeping in a wardrobe.She'd never liked them much, but they made sense for keepingwarm.

Once she was clean and dressed, she sat atthe vanity to wrap her hair for the night. She'd just finished whena softOskiafloated through the room. She rolled her eyesbut was smiling as she cut her arm and let the blood fall on thehearth stones so she wouldn't stain the extravagant rugs coveringmost of the floor.

Moments later, Sobeki's beautiful wispy formappeared. "I honestly thought you'd visit me sooner."

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