Page 50 of The Witch Queen
“Not yet,” I answer gently. “But the property damage alone is catastrophic. It will take us a very long time to rebuild, and I fear for the people who’ve lost their livelihoods.” Fionn crumbles, and I make a note to ask Hawthorne or Silene about this later. He walks around to sit beside Hawthorne, anger and weariness gone from his features.
“I’ll do what I can to help them rebuild,” he says firmly, and I give him a nod of appreciation. The enormity of what rebuilding will entail threatens to break my carefully constructed calm. Before I can even process leaving again, Hawthorne is looking at me with eyes that see too much.
“Laurel, may I speak with you in private?” he asks. “Is there somewhere we can go where we have no chance of being overheard?”
Laurel
After the Golden King met the prophesied Princess of Thayaria, a deep uneasiness settled over him—Princess Laurel’s magic made him uncomfortable. Since she was so young, he pushed aside his worries, wanting to give her a chance to prove she wasn’t the monster he feared. King Mazus agreed to court her at her father the King of Thayaria’s insistence, both of them hoping he could help shape her into a force for good. Unfortunately, she revealed her vile magic and witch tendencies, and the Golden King was forced to launch a war on Thayaria to stop her.
The Witch Queen and Her Treachery
I tense at Hawthorne’s request, unsure why he’d want to speak with me without Fionn and Silene present. My gaze tracks to the two of them, hoping for a clue, but they look just as surprised as me. When I study Hawthorne, the intensity in his gaze makes me agree.
“Where we trained. We can go back there, though it will be cold, so bundle up,” I respond tersely. When he’s sufficiently bundled in both his and Fionn’s cloaks, I aerstep us back to the Spined Moors. The wind howls, and my magic can only ease it so much.
“How are you notfuckingfreezing?” Hawthorne asks the moment we appear, practically growling the last two words.
“I can warm myself up with my magic,” I answer automatically, and that seems to startle him.
“But—how? I’ve never heard of anyone being able to do that. What conduit could that possibly be connected to?” Another day, another secret I’ve revealed to him without even thinking.
“A witch never reveals her secrets.” My usual quip falls flat, but Hawthorne doesn’t press it as we sit on my favorite boulder. I will it to heat a bit to cut the worst of the biting cold for him, and he studies my face for what feels like an eternity. I’m about to ask him what he’s looking for, giving him one of the signature barbs we trade with one another, when he finally speaks.
“Laurel, I’d like to understand more about the declining thayar. I won’t reveal any of what you tell me, not even to Fionn and Silene.”
Tension rolls through my body, leaving my shoulders tight and my jaw aching with how tightly I clench it. Magic deep inside of me opens its eye, like it’s waiting to see what I’ll do, and the ground around us trembles. This time, I’m not sure if it’s me or something else that causes the quake. I wasn’t expecting this, and there’s no way I’m going to discuss it with him. I open my mouth to tell him to mind his own business, but he cuts me off.
“Before you say no,” he continues, voice serious and commanding, “let me remind you that Velmara is now paying twenty percent more for our thayar imports, besides buying what I can now deduce is your entire supply. Not only that, you’ve abandoned your wheat agreement with Delsar and now source your entire country’s grain from Velmara, a deal that’s contingent on you being able to continue supplying thayar. You’re in a precarious situation with trade here.” Is he threatening me? There are very few plants to call on here, so I gather the mist, ready to choke him to remind him who he’s dealing with.
“Howdareyou threaten me,” I hiss. His demeanor stays calm as he holds his hands up, placating.
“I want to understand so that I canhelpyou, Laurel. This problem isn’t going away without some pretty impressive political maneuvering, and even then, it’s unlikely you’ll fool my father. Let me be a real ally to you.Please.”
“Even if youwantto be my ally, even if you have the best intentions of keeping my secrets, the moment you go back to Thayaria your father could compel you to reveal everything you’ve learned with the aether-voice.” How can he not see the precarious situation I’m in here?
He only smirks. “First, my father cannot compel me, actually. Not without iron to weaken me. I’m stronger than him, remember?” That shouldn’t send desire shooting down to my core, but I’m past the point of worrying about what my reactions to Hawthorne Vicantshouldbe. “And second, I think we both know Fionn, Silene, and I won’t be leaving Thayaria without a solution to that problem.” His eyes burn with understanding. At least he realizes I can’t allow them to leave without certainty that Mazus won’t be able to get information out of them. I may not be plotting to kill them anymore, but they won’t be leaving Thayaria any time soon. It’s refreshing to not have to hide that anymore.
The tension and magic building within me deflate. My shoulders slump and I heave out a great sigh. I study him carefully, looking for any sign of deceit, but he meets my gaze with an open and vulnerable look. The same energy that has always passed between us ignites, but this time it feels tentative, like even the space between us knows that we’re at a critical juncture in our relationship.
Maybe it’s because Hawthorne has abandoned the flirty winks and grins. Maybe it’s the somber way he speaks, or the astute way he’s surmisedpreciselywhat keeps me awake most nights. Maybe it’s because I’m exhausted and still feeling the weight of my failure. Maybe it’s just because I’m no better than all the other females he’s used to earn his reputation. Whatever the reason, I lower my gaze and tell him the truth.
“It’s been declining for some time now. It took us—took me—too long to realize what was happening, and even longer to take it seriously. It was slow at first, but the last five years have been dramatic, and this year’s been the worst yet. What you saw in the tower is all that’s left of our harvest, and at least half of it we owe to Velmara. Normally we’d have a dozen towers like that one filled to the brim. People who used to rely on it, especially those in rural areas, no longer have any supply. Humans who bought objects spelled to work with thayar now have their farming equipment sitting useless. Small businesses who use thayar to add efficiency to their manufacturing are back to manual labor. It’s a complete disaster, and it’s why I’ve taken so long to do anything about the rebels. The people are scared and angry. I don’t blame them for joining the rebellion. They deserve better.” My voice cracks, the shame and anxiety from yesterday returning. I lock it down before I bring my eyes back up to meet Hawthorne’s. When our gazes meet, he sees more than I want him to.
The Prince considers my words carefully as he studies me. “Aethers, I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this, but I did say I wanted a real alliance.” I wait for him to continue, understanding the weight of sharing secrets. “My father’s been importing more and more thayar, as you know. In the capital, he’s spun a story that the Nivan Desert is expanding and getting more difficult to perform magic in, so more of our thayar imports are sent there. But the people in the desert arealsoreceiving less and less of the good. The thayar shortage in Velmara is just as bad as it is in Thayaria.”
That doesn’t make any sense. Mazus has been doubling Velmara’s thayar imports every year for decades. And I know Velmara’s population hasn’t increased significantly, because we monitor that closely for our protection.
“Where’s it all going then?” I ask, my voice almost a whisper.
“The people of the desert whisper rumors that my father is stockpiling it deep in the northern mountains.”
“Do you believe these rumors?” My mind spins with the possibilities.
“I have to. There’s no other explanation for the disappearing shipments. One of my reasons for agreeing to come here, and for wanting an alliance with you, was to find out more about the flower. Understand its properties. I suspect my father’s planning something big with all that thayar, some massive magical act. But I don’t know what it is, and I fear for my people.”
“And why is that, Hawthorne?” I ask, my voice coming out harsher than I intend. But I need answers from him.Realanswers. If we’re truly going to be allies, he needs to lay everything on the table. “Why do you fear your father? Why do youchafeat his rule, as you once said?” The male in front of me is an enigma. Everything about him confuses me, and this new version of him as a serious and caring ruler is the most confusing of all. It doesn’t match the rumors that describe a drunk and spoiled heir, doesn’t match the winking and unserious male he usually presents as. This is the male who sobbed while carrying a dead child to the forest to bury, who tenderly healed an injured family. I suspect this is the closest to the real Hawthorne I’ve ever gotten.
His jaw tightens, and I sense that he’s debating whether to share another deep truth with me. I stay quiet, knowing it has to be his decision. Finally, he lets out a sigh.
