The Deepest Blue(94)
“Not true! Rokalara, were you and your grandparents ever treated unkindly? Were you not given everything you needed? Indeed, you had the best of everything.”
“Except my parents. Did you know my father was dead? You must have. He’s been gone for years, and you never told me.”
“We thought it was a kindness to keep it from you.”
“And my mother? You kept me from her, and now I’ve lost her too.” Roe advanced across the ship. Her hands curled into fists.
Mayara saw Lord Maarte glance at the sky, as if looking for spirits, and then he relaxed when he didn’t see them—there were no nearby spirits to draw. “As it appeared to me,” he said, a mild tone to his voice, “you were the one who brought her murderer close to her.”
Roe lunged at him.
Mayara caught her by the waist. “We need him to sail us to Yena. And maybe sail us away, depending on what we find there.” She tasted the guilt, sour in the back of her throat. He’s right, though. I brought Lanei to Roe and Palia. If she hadn’t chased after her . . . If she hadn’t tried to work with her, instead of labeling her an enemy . . .
“Just to interject one wee little detail you should be aware of,” Garnah said. “Lord Maarte did attempt to have Queen Asana poisoned, well before your friend with the knife joined us.”
“That’s nonsense,” Lord Maarte said, though his eyes were wild. “You have no proof.”
“I have the queen’s word.”
Roe again launched herself at Lord Maarte, and Mayara held her back once more. Then Roe steadied herself and drew herself upright, looking very much like her mother. “You will face judgment for what you’ve done to my family. I promise you that. You’ll live while we have use for you, and then, for the good of Belene, you’ll die.”
Lord Maarte smirked. “That’s what I told your mother.”
“Gag him,” Roe ordered.
“With pleasure.” Garnah tore a ruffle from her skirt, stuffed it in his mouth, and then knotted it hard at the back of his head. “Remove it, and I’ll remove your tongue,” she said sweetly.
The wind began to blow again, stronger, and Mayara felt a kind of tickling sensation in the back of her mind. She wasn’t certain what it meant, but she thought—
“There’s a new queen,” Roe said.
Yes, that was exactly what it meant.
“But who?” Mayara asked.
The ship began to pick up speed as the sails filled with wind.
Not long after, when they saw the glimmer of the mother-of-pearl-coated city of Yena, the jewel of Belene, they tied the gagged Lord Maarte belowdecks. The three women then guided the ship into the city’s dock alone.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The first thing Mayara heard was the city bells. It was as if every tower and spire were singing, all the melodies crashing together, bubbling like seafoam. She saw the city before her, rising up from the harbor as if it were crowning the sea. It looked luminescent in the sunlight. Every surface was covered in mother-of-pearl.
I wonder what Kelo thought of this.
She wished they were seeing it together.
“Wish they’d stop that,” Garnah muttered. “Damn bells giving me a headache.”
“It’s tradition,” Mayara said. “The bells both to mourn and rejoice.” Even in their little village, the bells had rung when an old queen passed and a new one ascended. It was a mix of sadness at the loss of life and a celebration of not being all dead.
“You have irritating traditions.” Garnah lifted her skirts as she stepped off the ship.
An official scurried toward them down the dock. He wore a crisp white uniform and carried a ledger. Mayara felt a rush of fear—if anyone guessed who they were . . .
“You need permission to dock,” the man barked. “No ships from the Neran Stronghold are scheduled—”
“I am Rokalara, daughter of Queen Asana,” Roe said, cutting him off, “and this is Lady Garnah, companion of the queen.” So much for anonymity, Mayara thought. It was too late to shush or interrupt her. She hoped Roe knew what she was doing. “We’ve come to fulfill Her Majesty’s final wishes and pay our respects to the new queen.”
The official blinked at them.
He looked at his ledger. Peeked at them. Looked at his book.
Apparently, this wasn’t a situation he was used to dealing with.
“Can you tell us the name of the new queen?” Mayara asked.
“I’m sorry, but it hasn’t been announced yet.”
“How about the old queen?” Garnah asked. “Any news on how she died?” She was beaming at him, as if they hadn’t just witnessed Queen Asana’s murder on the sands of Olaku Island.
He didn’t know.
“Do you know where we can find the new queen?” Roe demanded. “Is she in the palace? Or is she still in the grove?”
Again, he didn’t know.
“Can you point us in the direction of the grove?” Mayara jumped in.
He seemed relieved, perhaps because she’d asked a question he knew how to answer. “Yes, of course. Left at the end of the docks, then keep to the shore. It’s at the base of the palace’s tallest tower. Can’t miss it.”
“Thank you,” Mayara said.