The Mirror King (The Orphan Queen, #2)(88)

Then everyone would starve. Not to mention the morale. “What do you propose?”

He leaned on the table. “You won’t like it, but I think a citywide curfew is the place to start.”

“Enacting a curfew doesn’t send a good message,” Melanie said. “Especially so early in her queenship. It says she can’t protect people from the Red Militia.”

“It says she’s willing to take measures to protect them.” James met my eyes. “They need to have confidence you’ll do what’s necessary.”

Was a curfew necessary? Taverns and inns, which made their business off late-night customers, wouldn’t be pleased. No one would.

But if there were no civilians on the streets, it might be easier to catch the Red Militia, and that was surely something we all wanted.

“Willingness to obey a curfew will only last so long,” I said after a moment. “They’ll need regular proof of our progress, as well as assurance that civilians won’t be hurt or arrested for being out, just escorted to their homes.”

James was nodding. Melanie was frowning.

“Only police will engage civilians. No military. We’re not under martial law.” Not that police were incapable of being cruel. I’d seen that much in Skyvale. “Anyone caught using violence will be brought to me.”

“Fair conditions,” James said.

The Red Militia here. The wraith in the west. Everything seemed eager to destroy my kingdom.

“If you’re going to do this,” Melanie said, “then you’ll want to make a statement about the decision and how you hope it won’t take long. Which means writing a speech. Tonight.”

So much for sleeping. “Tomorrow I want to see the city.”

“We’ll see.” James turned a chair out for me. “There’s not much time for it, and the Queen’s Guard is still untrained as a unit. Ensuring your safety on a visit to the city will take time and preparation.”

Which meant I’d see only the elite parts of Aecor City, where everyone was cleaned up and wearing their best behavior. I wouldn’t see the city as it truly was.

“Fine,” I said. “Prepare a tour for me as soon as you can.” It was certain to be a sterile, useless tour, but it might keep James from thinking too hard about the black bag under my bed.

But by the time everyone left my room, I had only four hours to sleep before I had to start another day as queen in name only.

Several more days proceeded in the same manner. I was overprotected and under-slept, and the castle walls seemed to grow closer every hour. But finally, I had a relatively early night, and a letter from Tobiah waiting in the blue notebook.

Wilhelmina,

Sorry it’s taken a few days to reply.

Here’s the truth: I’m not ready, either.

Power and responsibility don’t wait for us to feel ready; they are thrust upon us, always too soon.

Last week, I sent a contingent of soldiers to scout the wraithland border and bring back as many live beasts as possible for our barrier. The soldiers were on horseback, so it should have been a fast journey, especially now that the border is edging up into the mountains. It’s close, Wilhelmina. It’s so close.

Now I hear the soldiers are missing. Five hundred men. I made myself read their names again this morning, because I was the one who ordered a team to the wraithland. If they are dead, then the weight of their lives is on me.

My father often talked about this kind of responsibility, but I never understood it until now.

You’re not ready. I’m not ready. How can anyone be ready to take responsibility for an entire kingdom’s safety?

More than anything, I want to escape into the city and be Black Knife for a few hours. But I can’t. Not anymore.

Tobiah

I closed the notebook without replying. There was nothing reassuring there. If he’d spent his life preparing for rulership and he wasn’t ready, how could I be?

Well, visiting my city was a start. And not James’s as-yet-unscheduled sanitized visit.

I hauled the Black Knife bag from its hiding place.

It was time to see my people.





THIRTY-ONE


IN SPITE OF the cold wind, it was embarrassingly easy to climb off my balcony.

The courtyard was quiet. Smooth, white flagstones glowed in the faint torchlight, but I kept to deep pockets of darkness as I crept toward the high rampart, which separated the main keep from the rest of the city.

I let my hands breeze over my tools and weapons. Sword, daggers, crossbow, grapple and line, and a dozen other small things I’d yet to find a need for—but Black Knife was always prepared. To an empty pouch I’d added Connor’s small silver mirror, a reminder of my friends still far away.

Footfalls sounded, and I held my position in the shadows of a silent blacksmith shop.

A pair of guards marched their patrol route, holding a torch aloft. One wore red, and the other blue. That had been my idea, keeping Prince Colin’s men and mine working together. Most merely tolerated the arrangement, but these two held a low, friendly conversation.

When they were gone, I hurried to the wall and tossed my hook over the ledge. The parapet made the throw tricky, but my aim was true. Climbing was easier; my boots gripped the stone securely.

At the top, I hopped the parapet and knelt to coil my line.