“So they were friends?” I asked.
“No.” Tevian hurried forward to walk along beside us and then dropped his voice. “But they do share the same desire for power, so if I were you, I would be wary.”
“What about Valkorn of Itasca? What is he now that he’s no longer the guy in charge of the magical people in Bathune?” I asked.
“He’s still a member of Bavasama’s council—an elder, actually. Most people thought he would have retired and let his son take his place on the council, but right now that’s not an option.”
“Why not?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Well, Valdoc of Itasca can’t take his father’s place on the council,” Tevian said, not meeting my eyes.
“Why?” I glanced over at him.
“Rumors are that Valdoc of Itasca died from the wounds your bodyguard gave him at Dramera, Your Majesty,” Tevian said. “You may remember she tried to carve him open with a sword?”
“Oh.” I swallowed and looked over at Kitsuna, who’d gone pale. “He was the wizard who followed us on raven back.”
“He was,” Tevian said.
“That wizard came to Dramera to assassinate our queen,” Kitsuna said, her voice steady. “I did what I had to in order to protect her.”
“Well.” I sighed. “Let’s hope Valkorn doesn’t let that get in the way of brokering this peace deal.”
“He won’t,” Rhys said. “After all, they were the ones that came to us looking for peace. They aren’t going to screw it up now over something that none of us can change.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said quietly. “Otherwise, we just might be walking into an ambush.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Halt!” Rhys called out a few moments later. We all froze.
I looked at him. “Rhys?”
“While you were getting your hair done”—Rhys smirked at me as I scowled—“I met with the leader of the battalion escorting Valkorn. We’ve agreed that the two of you will meet without soldiers.”
“But—” I swallowed and turned to look at the rest of the nobles.
“Since he’s a wizard, you’ll be allowed to take one body-guard and your sword,” Rhys said. “Anything else is seen as an act of aggression.”
“And bringing an army along isn’t?” I asked.
“Allie.” John looked at me. “There are rules to this sort of thing.”
“Fine. Right. Okay.” I nodded. “I can do this.”
“I’ll go with you,” John said.
“No.” Kitsuna stepped forward. “I will. I’m Her Majesty’s bodyguard. This is my responsibility.”
“I’ll go alone.” I pushed past Rhys’s soldiers and started toward the clearing, shoving branches out of my way. “I’m not going to let him think I’m too scared to deal with him on my own.”
Instead of waiting for someone to try and stop me, I stepped into the clearing and found myself face-to-face with the wizard Valkorn of Itasca—or rather face-to-beard-and-large-floppy-hat.
“Your Majesty?” The tiny wizard bowed low, his white beard scraping the ground. “I am Valkorn, advisor to the great and just Queen Bavasama of Bathune. I’ve been sent here today to arrange for the removal of your troops from our land.”
“I know,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady and not to let him see how on edge I really was. Sure, the guy was goofy looking, but he was a wizard, and in the past year I’d learned that even the goofiest wizard could be deadly. “You’ve been sent by the wizards of Bathune to negotiate the surrender of my aunt, Bavasama, Empress of Bathune.”
“Not as such.” Valkorn stepped forward, crowding me.
“What?”
“I am sorry, Your Majesty, but peace isn’t what we have in mind.” His hand shot out, lightning fast, and he grabbed my arm tight as sparks raced along my skin. The world around me went dark, and I could hear the sound of Kitsuna and Winston both screaming for just an instant before the world exploded, and then there was nothing but the sound of air flying past me and the sharp crack of the world splitting in two. The world blurred as I fell, and I flung my arms out, trying to grab onto something as Valkorn kept my arm clamped tightly in his grip.
There was a flash of dazzling green light, and then I could feel my body again as it rushed face-first toward a shiny black floor that had been polished so much that I could see myself falling toward it as if it were a mirror.
My body hit first, and I had just enough sense to jerk my head back, trying to keep from planting my face against the cold stone, as well. I rolled over, taking in the black marble walls that surrounded me, the blood-red tapestries hanging from the walls, and the elaborate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There, at the far end of the room, was a dais with an ornate, black throne sitting upon it, the broken crown of Bathune worked in gold thread on an enormous black tapestry.
Valkorn landed beside me, jerking my arm upward, and I turned to see him standing above me, glaring at me as I huddled on the floor beside him. “Up,” he snarled, tugging on my arm again. “Get up and show proper deference to a queen.”
“Oh, shut up.” I pushed myself up to my knees, grabbing for my sword.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, young one,” my aunt said, her voice bitter. “It’s not likely you’ll be able to do more than pull the blade from its scabbard before my men cut you down.”
“Bavasama,” I croaked as I managed to pull myself to a stand. I glared at the tall, skinny woman with frizzy red waves who sat on the raised black throne in front of me.
“Alicia.” She gave me a tight smile. “Do you know how much you look like your mother right now? Identical. You and darling, flawless Preethana, two perfectly polite princesses, both of you huddled on the floor, waiting for me to destroy you. Completely undeserving of the crown placed on your head.”
“My mother was a good woman,” I said. “She would have been a good queen if you wouldn’t have kidnapped her and put yourself on her throne instead.”
“My baby sister was a wimp. She got what was coming to her when I locked her in that tower. She was too weak to sit on the Rose Throne. Too stupid.”
“No, she wasn’t. She was good and sweet and smart. She wasn’t weak and neither am I.”
“Yes, she was.” She pushed herself up from her throne and came toward us. “Such a terribly weak princess. But you? You’re not, I agree. You inherited my mother’s strength. Her convictions. Her stubbornness. I can tell. I used to see the look that’s in your eyes all the time when I looked at her. You’re so much like Bavamorn you could be her reincarnated. That’s what’s going to make this so much fun.”
“My army is marching toward your palace as we speak, and they intend to set fire to everything in their path. Thousands of soldiers. Dragons. Nymphs. All united for the sole purpose of deposing you and putting me on your throne. How exactly is that fun for you?”
“It’s true that you have an enormously large army.” Bavasama nodded. Her eyes focused off to the side before she brought them back to stare at me. “But I have you.”
“And what do you think that’s going to get you?” I spat.
“I think you’ll be amazed at what your Prince Consort and lord general agree to when it comes right down to it. What John of Leavenwald will be willing to give up to save his only remaining child. After all, Bathune isn’t that rich a prize, especially not if they have to sacrifice their queen to get it.”
“They won’t surrender to you.” I lifted my chin higher and glared down my nose at her. “None of them will. Not Winston or Rhys or even John.”
“They will.” She stepped back. “It’s their only choice—your only choice. You surrender Nerissette to me and live as my servant queen or I put your head on the block and remove it.”