The Silent Shield (Kingfountain #5)(46)

Genny shuddered at the words. “I need to speak with you about something I didn’t dare mention in front of Duke Severn.”

“What do you mean?” Trynne asked, leaning away from the wall and stepping closer to her friend.

“Let me just say that I’ve come to doubt Morwenna Argentine’s loyalty. Fallon has shared some facts with me. Some suspicions.”

Trynne’s eyebrow arched. “Like what?”

“Things he has already confided in you,” she answered. “He’s my brother first and foremost. We have always been close. He was right, you know. He was the one who predicted how Gahalatine would invade.”

Trynne bit her lip, wondering if she would speak the words, but she decided she must. “Did he predict it? Or did he already know?”

Genny looked at her seriously, not startled by the accusation. “Sometimes little doubts whisper to me. Like when I learned that your little brother died in that accident. It kept . . . it kept the Painted Knight from competing in the Gauntlet.” Genny wrung her hands. “But I cannot believe it of him, Trynne. No, I cannot believe he would stoop to murder. He still carries such a burden of grief about your childhood injury. He blames himself for leaving the castle that day, for being greedy about pies. Even now, he still thinks if he’d stayed with you . . . well, it’s so easy to torment ourselves with what might have been. The Fountain could have prevented Dragan’s attack against you. The Fountain could have healed you. Yet it did not. We all must play a purpose in this world, Trynne. I think you are here to protect and defend my husband and his throne. You are truly the king’s champion. But at this moment, you must be your queen’s.”

Genny sighed and gave Trynne a look of pure determination. “I want you to do the king’s bidding and go to the Forbidden Court with Morwenna. I need you to try and rescue my mother. But more importantly, I need to know if Morwenna has been telling us the truth about her visits there. My heart tells me there is a spy among us. I suspect Morwenna, but perhaps I’m wrong. She’s proved her loyalty over and over. However,” she added, tapping her lip, “she is also an Argentine. Her father used to be the king. I cannot help but wonder if her loyalties are conflicted. Still, the spy may be Fallon or someone we haven’t even considered. I only know that someone has revealed our secret councils to Gahalatine. Someone has prepared his army for this invasion. There is a saying that Myrddin often repeated. ‘If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a thousand battles.’ That was how your father kept winning. He took the time to understand his opponents. I think our enemies have been studying us for many years.”

Trynne felt a shiver go through her. “I think you are right.”

Genny nodded firmly. “Be careful, Trynne. Morwenna doesn’t know you are an Oath Maiden. She has possibly become too powerful.”

Trynne let out her breath. “If I must go, then I think you should summon some of the Oath Maidens to Kingfountain to protect you. None of the others are Fountain-blessed, at least not that I’ve sensed, but they are skilled fighters. I would advise choosing Rani Reya or Mariette.”

“Mariette, merchant Barton’s widow, correct?”

“You have an excellent memory.”

Genny smiled. “Thank you. I will summon Mariette to wait on me. Any others you should send to Brythonica to ease your worries. Trynne, my husband believes his sister is loyal. I’ve shared my suspicions with him, but he cannot bring himself to believe it. He does not know what I’m asking you to do. Once you get there, you may be cut off from the ley lines. Remember how Reya told us that the women are kept in a compound called the zenana? That is where you will likely find my mother. You have a ring that can disguise you, the one that Morwenna originally gave Fallon. But there may not be any ley lines to help you escape. If Morwenna is planning you any harm . . .” Genny bit her lip and shook her head helplessly. “I know it’s a great risk. I hate to ask this of you, but I must. You’re the only one I can trust with such a mission.”

Trynne gave Genevieve a fierce hug. “Don’t you worry about me, Genny. I’m confident that I can get away if I need to. I didn’t only take the staff from Rucrius. He was also carrying a device the Chandigarli call a Tay al-Ard. It’s one of the magics of the Deep Fathoms, I think, and it allows the user to transport from place to place without using the ley lines at all. Morwenna doesn’t know that I have it.” She paused, then added, “I don’t think Rucrius is truly loyal to Gahalatine. When I interrogated him, he said he knew where my father was. That he’s been held prisoner, forced to wear a mask. Somehow his memories have been stolen from him. If Morwenna wants to prove her loyalty, then perhaps she can help us get information about where he’s being kept.”

Genevieve nodded. “While you are in the Forbidden Court, learn what you can about our enemy. We need to understand Gahalatine. We need to understand how he can afford to pay such exorbitant bribes. His wealth cannot be unlimited. Find that out, if you can. Then perhaps we can discern where he will strike next.”

The conversation with the queen had filled up Trynne’s reservoir of magic. She had always loved discussing politics with her father, plotting and planning maneuvers that would help them achieve their ends. A memory struck her in a flash that could only have come from the Fountain.