Page 69 of Queen of Legends and Lies
But I can guess well enough. More reports of Xenon’s forces spreading like a killing fog.
“Your Highness.” Serle rises to greet me, his smile a touch too bright. “I trust you’re enjoying the festivities?”
I bare my teeth in what might charitably be called a smile. “Immensely.”
Sterling’s hand flexes against my spine in silent warning. I draw in a breath, forcing my shoulders to relax.
Diplomacy. I can do diplomacy.
But I’m so much better at burning things to the ground.
“It’s a lovely evening.” I search for something positive, my voice only slightly strangled. “The musicians are quite talented.”
Serle’s satisfied smile widens. As if I’m a child he’s successfully cajoled into good behavior.
I grit my teeth so hard my jaw aches.
“Yes, we’re very fortunate they were available to play.” He settles back into his seat. “Especially in such troubled times.”
Troubled times.
As if that even begins to cover it. I open my mouth, a scalding retort on the tip of my tongue.
“More wine, Your Highness?” Celeste appears at my elbow, a goblet extended. Her eyes sparkle with merriment.
I accept the goblet. “Thank you. This is just what I need.”
“Of course. Would you care to join us?” She curtsies, but something about the gesture strikes me as ingenuine.
I tip the glass to my lips and mimic taking a sip of the wine. With Celeste’s every action, I trust her less and less. The memory of Leesa handing Sterling the eyril-laced whiskey after a drachen attack is also still firm in my mind.
“Excuse us.” Sterling spins me away from the dais. “We should mingle.” He gives Celeste a nod before leaving the council behind.
He’s way too good at this.
I let him guide me off the dais. It was an excuse to get away, but he’s also right. We have a role to play here. We have to showwe’re a couple and that no one should be worrying about a contender to the throne.
We make the rounds, exchanging pleasantries and empty compliments. All the while, my mind churns, bouncing from one worry to another until it settles on the merging issue.
There has to be a way. Some angle we haven’t considered, some key we’re missing.
But as the evening wears on, my frustration mounts. The council’s words reverberate in my head like an endless, taunting refrain.
Years. We don’t have years.
As the evening winds down and guests begin to disperse, Sterling and I find ourselves alone on the balcony, the cool night air a welcome respite from the crowded great hall.
I lean against the stone railing, my wings acting as a fan behind me. “We can still try merging magic. We just have to be sneakier about it. Do it someplace no one will notice. We can’t let them stop us.”
Hells, I’m the queen, and he’s about to be king.
Sterling sighs, his brow furrowed. “I know. But, Lark, they’re not entirely wrong. What we’re trying to do…it’s unprecedented. Dangerous, even.”
I whirl to face him, heart squeezing under the weight of his gentle rebuke. “So, what, we just abandon our people? Leave them to suffer under Xenon’s rule?”
“Of course not.” Sterling’s wings flare, silver glinting in the moonlight. “But we have to be smart about this. Rushing in blindly will only get us killed. And using an unknown weapon in battle could get a lot of people slaughtered. We can’t be rash.”
Deflating, I let the fight drain out of me as quickly as it came. He’s right, of course. He usually is. “I just feel so helpless. I know I’m not strong enough on my own to burn Narc’s body.And I can’t think of any other way to win this and fulfill my favor to Nyc.”
