The Deepest Blue(98)

I don’t belong here.

A courtier wearing a white uniform edged with gold approached them. His hands were tucked into his sleeves across his body, and he inclined his head as he approached them. “Lady Garnah, welcome back to the palace.”

“Am I welcome?” Garnah asked. “That’s nice to hear. I know there’s a new queen. Will she hear my council?”

“I am most sorry, Lady Garnah, but she will not,” the courtier said. “You, of course, are still welcome to the comforts of your room. The new queen, however, does not wish to consult with those who were closest to the old queen at this time. She wishes you to use this time to mourn and to decide the shape of your future.”

Garnah snorted. “She’s afraid of me.”

Roe stepped forward. “Will she see me? I only want to speak with her. She owes me at least this much.”

The courtier shook his head. “I am sorry, Lady Rokalara, but the only one of you that the queen has agreed to see is the one called Mayara.” He turned to Mayara. “Am I correct in thinking that’s you?”

Mayara stared at him for a moment. “Me? Yes. Yes, that’s me.”

“Very well,” the courtier said. “Follow me.”

The courtier proceeded out of the room, expecting Mayara to follow.

Mayara didn’t want to talk to Lanei alone. She didn’t want to talk to her at all. But she’d come this far, and Kelo was counting on her to do this, to make sure that the islands were safe. She started forward.

Roe caught her arm. “You can’t let her get away with this.”

“She’s the queen,” Mayara said. “The important thing now is to keep her from killing everyone else.” Revenge would have to wait. She didn’t say that out loud, but she hoped Roe understood it was true. Their first responsibility was to fulfill the promise to Queen Asana and make sure the new queen knew how to keep the monsters in the Deepest Blue asleep.

Garnah dropped a pouch into one of Mayara’s pockets. “In case you change your mind.”

“There’s no heir in the grove,” Mayara said. “Even more would die.”

Garnah glanced at Roe with a significant look. “I’ll make sure someone worthy is in the grove.” She then flashed Mayara a smile. “It’ll be fine. We’ll be queen-makers.”

Mayara didn’t have the heart to tell them she didn’t want that. This wasn’t her plan. She wasn’t a murderer. All she wanted was to ensure her village survived.

She didn’t have to say it. Roe could read it in her eyes. “You aren’t going to do it, are you, Mayara? Even after . . .”

“I’m sorry, Roe.”

“She killed my mother. Your queen. She used Palia. She murdered that heir in the grove. You can’t think that such a person would be good for Belene. She has no morals.”

“That’s less of a problem than the fact that she’s stupid,” Garnah said.

“She outsmarted us,” Mayara countered. “Maybe she is what Belene needs. A ruthless leader to overthrow the Families and keep us all safe, not just the wealthy and their relations.”

“You don’t believe that!” Roe said.

Maybe she did. Or maybe she’d just had enough of death. And if Lanei could put a stop to it . . . “It’s not that I forgive her . . .”

The courtier poked his head back into the waiting room. “Lady Mayara?”

“Just Mayara.” She was an oyster diver and a spirit sister and a wife and a daughter and a niece and a cousin, and she’d never wanted to be anything more.

“Follow me, please.”

Mayara hesitated for one fraction of a second more. She glanced at Roe, whose face was flushed red, with unshed tears making her eyes look glossy, and she wanted to say she was sorry again. She didn’t know how to fix this. There was nothing she could say to Lanei, or even do to her, that would bring Queen Asana back.

She had one responsibility now: fulfill her and Roe’s promise to the dead queen.

And then go home.

If I can.

If she lets me.

Roe and Garnah might think she could kill Lanei, but Mayara knew better. Lanei would now have the power of all the spirits of Belene at her disposal. She’d be twice as strong as any heir, and Mayara was never the best of them. Three days of training and then days and nights of hiding on Akena wasn’t enough. I don’t have a chance against her.

She only hoped that Lanei would listen to her.

As she left the room, she heard a new voice behind her, addressing Roe: “Spirit Snack, this is a surprise. You’re supposed to be on Akena.” Heir Sorka! For an instant, Mayara hesitated, wanting to go back and explain everything—but Sorka might keep her from talking to Lanei. Might try to send her back. Roe and Garnah would have to handle Heir Sorka on their own.

“The queen awaits this one,” the courtier informed Heir Sorka.

Mayara followed the courtier up a spiral hallway. On either side were portraits of queens. So many queens. She studied them as she passed. Their eyes looked out, always painted with the sea behind them. Some were dressed in elaborate robes. Others were in simple tunics. Others, wrap dresses. Some were beautiful. Some plain. All dead, she thought. That was the one thing they had in common.

They continued to spiral up and up. Mayara was puffing, her sides sore. She couldn’t remember when she’d last slept. Or had a proper meal. Or had enough clean water to drink. She wondered if she was being brought up this far to be tossed out a window. It wouldn’t have surprised her.