Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3)(104)

“Father’s furious, as you’d expect, and determined to win. Now about Whitehall.”

“Granger hasn’t taken possession—and he never will, if your father and I have anything to say about it. I think he’s trying to hedge his bets. He’s already betrothed, mind you, to an heiress in the down-realms who is considerably older than he is. But now he’s thinking that if he marries Harper, that will damp down resistance to his claiming Whitehall, even if the thanes prevail. If they don’t, he could make a case for claiming White Oaks, too. After all, they go so well together.”

“He won’t if I kill him first,” Hal muttered.

“Don’t scowl like that, dear, it will give you frown lines one day, mark my words. No. I will kill him myself.”

Hal stared at his mother. “What?”

“Better me than you. You’re young and you have your whole life ahead of you. Now that I have you back, I won’t have you throwing it away. I’m old, I’ve had my children, enjoyed the love of my life, and what’s important is my legacy.”

“Mother, do you really think—?”

“Danielle!” she said, waving at Lady Oberon like she was having the best time ever. “That dress is so becoming.” And then, hardly missing a beat, said, “I almost cut the bastard’s throat the other day, when he came to see us in the Pit. He was sniffing around Harper, and I’d had enough, but then I heard about this party and couldn’t resist finding out what it was all about.”

Hal all but stopped dancing. “He’s keeping you in the Pit? Women and children in the Pit?”

“Don’t raise your voice, dear. It’s His Majesty’s private little prison. It wasn’t so bad, once we evicted most of the vermin.”

Except for the human vermin, Hal thought. “No killing will be necessary, because we’re getting you out tonight. Now I’d better move on, or people will gossip about Thanelee Matelon, endlessly dancing with someone young enough to be her son.” He stepped back and bowed. She curtsied, and he watched her walk away, cloaked in her usual dignity.

If we survive this, I won’t make the mistake of underestimating her, ever again, he thought.





42


MOTLEY CREW


The rooftop garden at Fellsmarch Castle had been one of Ash’s favorite boyhood haunts. It was planted deep with memories of time spent with his mother in sociable silence, planting, weeding, pruning, and harvesting, in tune with the rhythms of nature. Here he could bask in sunlight all year round, above the politics and drama of life in the capital.

Here he’d read, and dreamed, and grown the herbs and medicinals important to the healing trade.

Now he was back in the garden, planning the impossible with an improbable crew.

They sat in a circle in the garden temple, in the light from the waxing moon. Adrian sul’Han, runaway prince. Evan Strangward, Carthian pirate and weather mage. Sasha Talbot, a member of the queen’s Gray Wolf guard. Finn sul’Mander, wizard and healer. Hadley DeVilliers, wizard and commander of the Fellsian navy. Julianna Barrett, queen’s councillor for intelligence and diplomacy.

He’d hoped to include Rogan Shadow Dancer as well, representing the clans, but he’d left on some mission or other to the upland camps or the coast. That might be just as well. Shadow was a bit of a loose cannon.

They’d all been sworn to secrecy. They all looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

It was no wonder they’re wary, Ash thought. They don’t know you. He’d been closest to Finn, and even he had become a stranger since they were boyhood friends.

It was his job to win them, and he’d never practiced being charming.

“Thank you for coming,” Ash said. “Once I explain what this is about, each of you is welcome to opt in or opt out, no questions, no hard feelings. I just ask that none of this be shared outside of this circle. Agreed?”

When everyone nodded, he continued. “As you know, my sister Alyssa was taken captive by the empress Celestine of Carthis in an attack on the port of Chalk Cliffs. We assume she’s being held prisoner somewhere in the east. I plan to rescue her.”

Talbot flinched, then pointed at Strangward. “Why is he here?” she said, in her blunt fashion.

“Strangward is a weather mage and a skilled pilot with an intimate knowledge of the Desert Coast. We’ll need him.”

“Huh,” Talbot said. She shifted on the hard temple floor, wrapped her arms around her knees, and fixed the pirate with a suspicious gaze. “What’s in it for you? Why would you risk your life to save our princess?”

“I am here to stop the empress, free my homeland, and save my own skin,” Strangward said. “It seems to me that the best way to do that is to join in on a rescue of the wolf princess.”

“Before we get into the weeds on this, are we sure Lyss isn’t being held in the keep at Chalk Cliffs?” DeVilliers said.

“Corporal Talbot saw her being taken aboard the empress’s flagship just off Chalk Cliffs,” Ash said.

Talbot nodded. “Plus, she left a message on the beach,” she said.

Finn’s head came up. “She did? Before she was carried off, she had time to write a note?”

Talbot reached into her uniform tunic and pulled out a piece of paper that had been folded and refolded many times. Carefully flattening it, she held it up for everyone to see.