Page 82 of The Witch Queen
“Hi,” Silene huffs out the moment I open the door, and I can’t keep myself from grinning. “You wanted to see me?” She says the words tentative and excited, like she can’t believe I’d call on her now that Thorne’s my mate. I open the door wide and gesture her in. When we’re seated, me in my favorite chair and her on the sofa, she’s practically bouncing with excitement. Hiding my smile at her reaction, I explain why I asked her to come here.
“Thorne told me you guessed I had a mole on my Council.” She nods and gives me a sheepish grin. “I want to tell my Council about Nemesia and working with you three…” I trail off, realizing that other than Nemesia, she’s the only other person I’ve ever sought help from. Her amber eyes only stare back at me steadily. “I’m not sure if it’s the right decision. I think it’s time to go on the offensive with the rebels, but I don’t want to harm my people. What’s your advice?” Her eyes widen in surprise.
“Me? But—why me? Why not Thorne?” Even though she knows she’s the better strategist of them, she still doubts herself.
“You’re the smartest of all of us. Myself included. I’m lucky to have you as a friend and ally.” I say the words gently, hoping I can convey the truth of my sentiment. She blushes but then sits up straighter in her chair and pulls her shoulders back. She nods like she’s ready for battle. “What do you think about telling the Council? Is it the right move, politically speaking?” Her brows furrow in concentration.
“Do you really think Nemesia is the mole?” Her words are quiet, questioning, like she knows the way they’ll sting. Some part of me, deep down, wants to screamno, she couldn’t possibly have betrayed me.That same part of me that still doesn’t believe it’s true. But I must bury that voice.
“I don’t know how I could possibly believe otherwise. The evidence is too damning.” My words are short and clipped.
“Well, here’s what we actuallyknow.The letter wasn’t addressed to anyone in particular. It only saidmy friend.It could just as easily been meant for you. Or another person on your Council.” My nostrils flare, not willing to accept this version of the story.
“Then how would the rebels have gotten the letter?” I snap, immediately regretting it. But she doesn’t flinch away from me, understanding my outburst is a coping mechanism to deal with my emotions.Just like Nemesia always understood.
“I’m not sure, but there are several possibilities,” she says slowly. “The actual mole may have intercepted it and placed it there for us to find. Or the rebels intercepted it and kept it because of the information it contained. All I’m saying is, we should be careful about assuming we’re in the clear with the mole. There could be multiple, or this could somehow be a trick we don’t yet understand.” She’s right, and I sigh at the complicated situation we’ve found ourselves in. Every time I think we’ve found answers, it only creates more questions and raises the stakes of failure.
“What do you recommend, then? With the Council?” She goes silent for a few beats, lost in thought. Her eyes track quickly side to side, like she’s visually playing out every possible path forward to determine which has the best outcome.
“You should still tell your Council about Nemesia. Tell them you’ve been working with us and you’re bringing us together to fight the rebels. In the background, the three of us will keep watch and try to see what information we can gather. We’re pretty good at getting information out of people when they think they’re flirting with Thorne or teaching a young and inexperienced female about politics.” She grins for a moment, but then her eyes widen. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have suggested that. Thorne doesn’t have to—” I hold up my hand to cut her off, hiding the hot spike of jealousy boiling in my veins.
“It’s okay. It’s a good strategy. I knew you’d come up with something brilliant.” My words are true, even if I hate the idea of Thorne flirting with my Council. “The three of you might find something useful. If thereisanother mole on the Council, someone may have heard or seen something, even if they haven’t put the pieces together about what it means.”
She looks unconvinced. “But, what about you and Thorne? Don’t you want to tell your Council about the two of you being mates?”
I laugh, a lifeless chuff. “Absolutely not. Until I know more about what this means, the only person I’m telling is Admon. You and Thorne will have to continue your charade. He and I will… Well, we’ll keep everything a secret.” She stares at me, and I know she can see through my words and flippancy, but she doesn’t press it, only nods and moves on with planning.
“We should plan an attack on the rebels and strategically leak information to different parts of the Council. Then, Fionn and I can use our in with the rebels to see if any of that information has made its way to them. That could help us narrow down who might be involved, and whether they’re working with Nemesia. Even if all that happens is the rebels distance themselves from Fionn and me, it might signal that someone has tipped them off that we’ve been working together, and we’ll know there’s at least a second mole.”
I nod, surprised by the relief I feel to have another person guiding me. Silene issointelligent, and I should’ve consulted her sooner. “And what about—” I start, afraid to even say this aloud for how weak it will make me sound. “What about hurting innocent civilians? I don’t want to become even more of a monster in their eyes.” The words are soft, tentative. Her amber eyes glow with understanding of everything I can’t say aloud, of the fears and insecurities that I truly am the Witch Queen they whisper about.
“Laurel, there are always casualties in war. And make no mistake, this is a war. The rebellion has attacked you directly, has committed acts of domestic terrorism so severe they deserve to be punished. But I promise you, we’ll limit the worst of it.” She smiles at me and then jumps up from the couch and wraps me in a tight hug. It takes me by surprise, but this time my arms instinctively wrap around her with no hesitation.
“Thank you,” I murmur, and there’s so much meaning in those two words.Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for filling the hole Nemesia left. Thank you for understanding me.
She squeezes me. “Good luck with the Council. You’ll do great, I know. Let me know how it goes.” With that, she turns and practically skips out the front door.
When the time for the Council meeting arrives, I take a deep breath, then walk down the hallway to their meeting chambers. Every advisor is here today, answering my last-minute summons. They all bow, and once I’m seated the rest of the room follows, chairs scraping against the floor.
“I have upsetting news to share today,” I tell them, my voice steady. I feel them lean in with interest, and I scan every single advisor, looking for the smallest sign that something’s amiss. My eyes meet Carex’s gaze, who seems to hang on my every word. “I’ve discovered evidence that suggests Nemesia is working with the Sons and Daughters of Thayaria.” Dozens of eyes stare at me with nothing but shock and disbelief. Murmurs break out, but I silence them with a raised hand. “The leader of the rebellion had in his possession a letter in her handwriting and with her signature,” I continue. “She passed him information she discovered in Velmara.”
“Your Majesty,” Carex interrupts, and I bristle. “I mean no disrespect, but how did you uncover this letter? Our spies couldn’t uncover the identity of the leader, much less his or her location.” Maybe it’s because he interrupted me, or maybe it’s because he’s been irritating me lately, but I narrow my eyes in anger before speaking with dangerous calm.
“Spies that I will remind you were hand selected and trained by Nemesia herself before she turned them over to you in her absence.” The murmuring in the room breaks out again.
Carex only bows his head slightly. “Of course. But then, how did you find this?” I steel myself for what I’m about to tell them.
“I’ve been working in secret with the Velmarans,” I admit, and chaos erupts in the Council chamber. All the advisors are speaking at once, some to me, some to each other. They’re shocked, angry, and uncertain. But none of them display anything I wouldn’t have expected except Admon, who doesn’t seem surprised in the least, though I suspect that’s because of what I told him about Thorne and me yesterday. I simply sit in silence until they quiet again. “I suspected a mole on this Council,” I disclose. “Nemesia herself brought the accusation to me and advised me not to disclose any sensitive information while she was gone. It was a convenient way to ensure I didn’t uncover that in her absence, there were no leaks. I’m deeply sorry for my suspicion of all of you.” Dozens of angry eyes glare at me, and I know I’ve broken trust with many of them. I’ll have to deal with those consequences later.
“Your Majesty, you acted in the best interest of Thayaria with the information you had,” Admon offers, though I know it won’t undo the damage I’ve done by lying. I give him a thankful smile anyway.
“The Velmarans were approached by the rebels and brought that information to me. They offered to pretend to seek an alliance with the rebellion in order to discover their leadership and movements. They were successful,” I explain.
“Your Majesty,” Carex interrupts again, and now the interruption feels targeted. I’m trying to get all the information out, but he keeps adding his own commentary. I want my advisors to speak up, but not when I’m in the middle of revealing important information. “If the Velmarans are the ones who procured this letter, how are you so certain of its authenticity? I think I speak for all of us when I say that I doubt their trustworthiness.” Murmurs of agreement break out across the room, and after Carex’s display at Winter Solstice, I want to rattle him with my magic a little. But I don’t, knowing now is not the time and place for such personal feelings and actions.
“I can assure you, I’ve reviewed the letter myself,” I challenge. Adding,as I would have explained if you hadn’t interrupted me,in my head. “I’m certain she wrote it. What’s more, the Velmarans have proven themselves trustworthy allies. They’re not aligned with the Golden King. If you don’t trust them, then trust me.” If Silene’s suspicions that there’s a second mole on the Council are true, this is a dangerous admission. But the time for secrecy is over. The only way we’ll defeat the rebels is with the full strength of the Council.
Hesitation fills my advisors’ eyes, most of all Carex’s. His hatred of Thorne goes beyond dislike or distrust of Velmara. But Carex doesn’t continue to challenge me. Instead, he offers, “Of course, Your Majesty. You have our unyielding trust. If you find them worthy allies, then so shall I.” Flowery language that doesn’t match his eyes.
