“My father had great faith in diplomacy,” I said slowly. Queen Brenica leaned in to listen. Belatedly, I realized I was mimicking Lorcan’s habit of speaking quietly, so as not to be overheard, and to ensure others paid close attention to what I said. “Diplomacy has its uses. We will need it to forge new agreements with other countries. But we don’t need it to finish this war.”
I sipped fermented palm juice, sweet and tart and slightly fizzy.
The queen looked skeptical.
“Once I understand the scope of the problem, I will have a better answer for you.” Which meant that tomorrow, I needed to see Saskaya’s newest invention. I had the outline of a plan, a dot on a map to aim for while I tried to figure out a route to get there. I wasn’t signing off on her latest innovation without seeing it in action, though, which meant I needed to sleep. I bowed, stifling a yawn. “If you’ll excuse me, I need rest.”
“Go,” the queen grinned. “Your knight won’t be far behind, I am certain.”
Presently, my knight was seated between Tahra and Keryn, near Tovian and his brother. For once, I didn’t feel a stab of envy. I’m tired, sated, and content to let him socialize without me.
Up in the rock-walled room, I washed for bed and put on one of Cata’s old undershirts. It bags out around my body but it’s long enough to cover my painted rear end. I can’t get over how odd this painting thing is—which reminded me of my interrupted text conversation with Raina.
The rest of her text message reads:DON’T LET LORCAN paint you, it has all kinds of connotations—
I could’ve used that information a little earlier.
Raina, several minutes later:Zosh? Still there?
Raina:If he paints you, and you paint him, you’re basically considered married. So don’t be an idiot! Don’t make the mistake I did!
Raina: The painting process can be pretty hot [sweating emoji, water emoji] which is part of how I ended up [pregnant emoji], just FYI. So watch out. I bet Lorcan is devious enough not to tell you what it means. Tovi was, damn him. I swear those men are colluding.
Me:[takes a selfie of me scowling and painted] Too late.
Raina, who was apparently still awake:[gif of baby laughing and falling over] You look great, but you better not make me lose this bet with Hallie. Speaking of whom, call me or check your emails, the situation is *bad.*
Me: yay
Me: will check in tomorrow, gotta go
If painting worked to get Raina knocked up, maybe it will work for me, too.
I fell asleep while checking my emails, dropping my phone on my face before conceding that I was too tired to focus and setting it aside. I’ll deal with Hallie’s irate father in the morning.
There are times when I wonder whether engaging with the outside world was ever a good idea.
* * *
Lorcan roused me well before dawn. I didn’t remember him coming to bed, though I did remember him rearranging my body so he could hold me the way he did in Tenáho. Apart from that? Blankness.
Still only half-awake, I opened my eyes to find him dressed in leathers and a tiger skull with fangs on either side of his blue eyes.
I’m dreaming, right? This is too weird to be real.
“Didn’t mean to wake you up, Princess.” He bent to kiss me. A tooth scraped my temple.
“Where are you going?”
“To test Saskaya’s new weapon.”
“Not without me, you’re not.” I kicked back the furs and sat up.
“It’s a long, hard climb. Dangerous, too. You’re safer here.”
I wanted to ask whether Tahra was going. Whether this was an excuse to go off and spend time with other women—I’m not blind to the way some of the Ansi women look at him. If my frailty is an excuse.
“Lorcan. I love Sas, but I am not signing off on any weapon without seeing it in action.”
