Page 90 of Knight's End
Chapter Twenty-One
Evil or not, I couldn’t stop the attacks from the djinn, or the giant waves that battered our docks the next day.
Our country was a wreck. I was a wreck. I was an emotional mess because I still couldn’t see or hear Quinn. I carried heaping loads of shame on my back because every attack that hit us felt like it might have been prevented. Or I might have known how to respond better … if I’d never run away.
Sirens came ashore, singing to the dockworkers in Marscha. We sent gargoyles to run them off, but I heard thirty civilians had walked themselves into the water and drowned.
The guilt of that gnawed on my bones.
My knights and I issued orders and divided responsibilities. We did all we could to help alert the people and levy the shores. But we couldn’t stop the attacks. Not without help. We left Connor’s mother in charge as we mounted gargoyles and flew to see if we might convince Gitmore to ally with us.
If all else failed, at least my husband’s family would rule Evaness with a fair hand.
I dressed for a formal court appearance once again, this time Gennifer was unfrozen and could actually plait my hair. But it seemed her freezing experience hadn’t left her much more talkative than she’d been before. If anything, she seemed to have withdrawn further.
She helped me into a bright orange gown, this time, the burning rose of Evaness was embroidered in a tiny, repeating red, orange, and black pattern of flowers on the skirt. She helped me into my black traveling coat. I grabbed my coin purse and stuck it onto my waist as she set a tiara with onyx stones on my head. Inside was the flower I’d promised to give to Posey. Surprisingly, it had yet to wilt.
Gennifer hesitated, looking me over one last time. “Your necklace, Your Majesty,” she said hesitantly.
My hand flew to my neck, where the love potion sat. “This will do.” It was all of Donaloo and Cerena that I had left. I wasn’t about to leave it. I needed them with me. I touched it gently and nodded to Gennifer. “Thank you.”
“Um … Your Majesty?” Gennifer asked as I turned to leave.
“Yes?” I turned back around.
Gennifer turned nearly puce as she whispered. “If you ever … um … require an audience again … I’m courting a man from the laundry. He’d love to –” She couldn’t finish. My poor, shy maid, couldn’t finish her offer.
I gave her a grin. “We’ll call you first.”
She bobbed a curtsey and I had to tamp down a laugh so that I didn’t insult the poor, sweet thing. Connor and I had definitely traumatized her.
Then I left the Queen’s chambers, my amusement melting as my mind turned to the task ahead. I left Gennifer and a few staff to pack up what was left so that they could move to the safety of another province.
I swallowed hard as I took a saddled Pony from Jace. My gargoyle gave me a lopsided smile as I climbed onto his back and stared at my castle.
The sea crashed violently against some buildings in Marscha. It had invaded the streets nearest the ocean two days past and was slowly creeping forward. Other than the violent smack of water against stone, the capital and my castle were empty and quiet. With the damage from recent battles and the tangle of flowering vines growing on the mage’s tower, my home looked like an abandoned castle from a kingdom fallen long ago. Most the people had already left. Only a few like Gennifer remained. Most of our gargoyles had been sent north to fight the djinn. Only five remained for us. Each of my knights and I clambered onto our gargoyles.
I looked at Declan. “Is Quinn on?”
I still couldn’t see or feel my knight. I didn’t know if it made him feel bound, to have to stay with me at all times. But knowing he was there, even if I couldn’t see or feel him yet, made me feel better.
Declan nodded. “He’s good.”
I yanked Pony’s reins and rose into the sky. I didn’t look back at my castle. There was no point. I had to look forward. It was the only way to keep all of Evaness from falling victim to the same fate as those battered towers.
I soared into the sky, my eyes and hopes directed toward Gitmore.
* * *
We descended on the castle, which looked like something from a tapestry or some illustrated tome. It didn’t look real. Nestled in the midst of some jagged mountain peaks, the castle was well-protected and nearly as large as the mountains themselves. The castle was made of pristine white stone. Green stained-glass created geometric patterns in the archway above the main entrance, above the windows, on the many towers. Metallic blue domes capped the towers and to the right, a waterfall spilled through arches underneath a bridge that led toward the entrance. The effect was stunning.
I found myself feeling a little intimidated as our gargoyles descended to the bridge.
But my sense of trepidation only increased when two guards blocked our path.
"Who goes there?"
Connor took the lead. "Queen Bloss of Evaness is here to meet with her Majesty, Queen Shenna."
