Fireblood (Frostblood Saga #2)(48)
I patted the edges of my lips with a snowy napkin. “Kai is a good teacher.”
“But not a patient one, I reckon,” said Prince Eiko with a twinkle in his eye. “The young prince isn’t known for his calm nature.”
“A true Fireblood,” said the queen proudly. “Though I have told him before that his impulsiveness could well be his downfall. As it has been before.”
Kai inclined his head. “And yet, you’ve been gracious enough to allow me a second chance.”
“Do not fail me this time,” she said.
His face grew serious. “I won’t.”
A footman came forward and refilled our goblets, the crystal reflecting the glow from an enormous fireplace rimmed in black marble. It was strange to think that in northern Tempesia, the first snows would already be weighing down the pine boughs.
The queen must have noticed me staring at the fire.
“It’s symbolic,” she said, taking a sip of her wine. “A fire always burns in the formal rooms of my palace. Night and day, summer or winter, sun or storm. The flame eternal, like the spirits of the Fireblood people. Crush us, beat us, cut us down. We will not be extinguished. We live in the embers and rise again to consume our enemies.”
“That’s…” I searched for the right response. “Very apt.”
“Do you believe it to be true?” Her warm dark eyes fixed on me.
“I hope so, Your Majesty. Though Firebloods in Tempesia were driven away or killed, I like to think we’ll thrive there again one day.”
“As it happens, I share your dream.”
I froze with my goblet halfway to my mouth. “You want Firebloods to return to Tempesia?”
“My islands are many, but the total land is small compared to the kingdom north of the Vast Sea.”
Prince Eiko swirled the wine in his goblet. “Tempesia has inferior soil and a harsh climate.”
The queen inclined her head. “Except for the Aris Plains, which are fertile. When Firebloods began settling in Tempesia, it was still sparsely populated in the south. We brought our farming methods, tilling virgin soil and building homes. You know this, of course.” She raised a brow at me.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“We kept the early frosts from crops, effectively lengthening the growing season. We shared our shipbuilding, our navigation methods. We helped shape that kingdom and, for a time, we worked and lived with them in relative peace. Now they’ve taken our lands in the south and Firebloods were disposed of so the Frostbloods could reap the benefits of our labor. I will fight for our right to those prosperous lands once again.”
It was unclear how she meant to fight for those rights, though. Sudesia, with its smaller population, couldn’t possibly hope to take the lands by force.
Her lips curved. “You wonder why I’m giving you this history lesson?”
I did wonder, but it would be rude to admit that, so I practiced my diplomatic skills. “I find history fascinating. My mother and grandmother taught me some, but there’s much I don’t know. For instance, I don’t know the history of the Frostbloods living in Sudesia. One of my”—I wondered what to call Brother Thistle, settling on the simplest description—“friends is a Frostblood who left here when he was a child.”
Her expression cooled. The idea of a Frostblood as my friend probably stretched her imagination to its limits.
“In any case, let me return to my history,” she continued. “Akur was crowned king, and some say he was driven mad by the murder of his queen by Fireblood rebels.” She leaned forward. “He set out to destroy my people in revenge. So let me ask you this. Why did he not sail across the Vast Sea to conquer my lands?”
“Because of the Strait of Acodens,” I replied.
“And the masters who guard it,” she clarified. “They are the true jewels of the land. Never forget that, should you pass the trials, you will serve as my best defense against attack. Our power lies in unity, not as individuals. My people in Tempesia had no such protection.”
“You still considered them your people?” I asked. “Firebloods who no longer live in Sudesia?”
“Firebloods have always been my people, whether they left Sudesia four days or four centuries ago.” She gripped the stem of her goblet, her dark brows winging down over her fierce gaze. “We lost many ships, many loyal soldiers, in our attempts to save your compatriots from Rasmus’s decree that they should be killed or brought to his arena. Though we were able to save some, most were lost. It is the greatest tragedy in the history of my people. And it happened during my reign. I will not rest until my people are in Tempesia again.”
Her knuckles turned white, her fingers tightening until the crystal stem snapped with an audible crunch. I gasped aloud before I could stifle it. The look in her eyes was murderous.
A footman came and carefully whisked the broken pieces away. A full goblet soon replaced the broken one.
No one batted an eye. Perhaps the queen broke crystal on a regular basis.
Again, I wondered if the Minax was possessing the queen. I checked my senses for any sign of it, but found none—aside from a tingle on the back of my neck, which could merely be nerves. My eyes were drawn to her wrist to check the color of the vein, but her long sleeves kept me from confirming whether it was a natural red or the inky black of possession. I sipped my wine and tried not to show how much her unbridled fury had shaken me. She was passionate, but with that came unpredictable behavior. It was a reminder that my current freedom was based on her whims.