“I liked her,” Griff declared, once the impromptu royal visit was over, and Nabah and Melly had excitedly departed to tell their families they had shaken hands with the Queen herself.
“I did too,” Rian said, smiling.
“When did you donate those amasen horns, Aunt Arianne?” Eluned asked. “Melly was going to thank you, but we all got distracted.”
“Oh, weeks ago. So they’ve finished shuffling paperwork and announced it, have they? It seemed a better use for the things than clogging up the basement. And now, before I go up to my bath, tell me which school you’ve decided on.”
“None of them,” Griff said flatly. He looked thoughtful, then added: “Could we hire tutors?”
“No,” Eleri said firmly. “You pick, Aunt. Then we can’t blame each other.”
“Just me?” Rian said, highly entertained. “Very well, then it will be Tangleways. Don’t pull that face, Griff. Remember there were tunnels. I expect I can prevail on Lord Fennington to exempt you from actually touching animals. And if the sports really are so terribly onerous, Eleri, feel free to develop migraines.”
Eluned, who was trying not to look openly delighted, said: “The workshop was very good, after all. And we never did get to look around the house properly.”
“Settled then?” Rian asked, and received one pleased nod, and two more reluctant assents. But no real annoyance, or angry rejection. The sense that she had no right to make decisions for them had gone, for they were family, not strangers in a grudging alliance. A blessing as great as Cernunnos’, an allegiance with just as much claim on her soul.
“Excellent,” she said, trying to stop the curling corners of her mouth giving too much away. “I’ll send the forms off right away. I gather I’ll need to get them in soon, before the rush.”
“What rush?” Eluned asked, while Griff eyed her suspiciously.
“Ah, well. Queen Tanwen mentioned that she and Princess Leodhild are going to send Celestine, Luc, Iona and Tethané to Tangleways. Once news of that gets out, there won’t be an open place there for years.”
A glow to rival the sun. It kept Rian smiling as she dutifully added forms to envelope and gave it to one very impatient niece, waiting to run it up to the Ktais’ before the last post.
But once released to take her bath, Rian acknowledged that her mood had improved well before the question of schools had been raised. And it had not been that interesting but relatively unremarkable conversation with the Queen that had made her feel infinitely better. Instead, a touch that brought warm amusement. The Sulevia Seolfor, equally as powerful as the Sulevia Sceadu, and Rian had for an instant been able to sense her emotions.
And suddenly tomorrow seemed bearable.
Rian soaked for a long time, thinking about being sensible, and moving on, and all the lessons she had learned about who she could be. About the inner calm that had allowed her to continue instead of crumbling. She had thought this a balance achieved through experience, but instead, perhaps, she had only been cutting away hope.
Why else would the merest possibility that she had not been wrong make the world seem new?
After dinner, Rian went to her room, and looked through the trunk Tante Sabet had sent, the one with all the oldest things. There it was, the last gift of her father, who had been so distressed when she had walked away from trying. A ridiculously extravagant leather-bound block of fine, heavy paper. All blank: she’d never touched it.
Methodically, Rian prepared her desk—pencils, inks—and locked her door, because this was a conversation she was having with herself. Then, after several warm-up sketches of hares, she settled down to her first serious work in nearly twenty years. A three-tailed mare, and rider.
Even if it did turn out to be a one-sided passion, Rian was damn well going to do it properly.
IN WORLD PEOPLE
Aedric Tenning — [M] Brother of Arianne Seaforth. Married Eilif Tenning. Father of Eleri, Eluned and Griff.
Aerinndís Gwyn Lynn (Princess) — [F] Sulevia Sceadu (Sulevia of the Shadow), one of the three aspects of Sulis. Reserved, calm. In France known as the “Steel Doll”.
Aranxta Trevelyan — [F] Head of Ministry of Science and Technology (Mini-T).
Arianne (Rian) Seaforth — [F] Daughter of Charlotte Seaforth and Henri Bordonne.
Astent Gwyn Lynn I — [F] Queen who ordered construction of Gwyn Lynn palace. Mother of Mennia and Nyroe.
Brangwen Meldane I (Queen) — [F] Queen who first called Sulis and became part of the Suliviae, founding the Meldanian Era.
Celestine Gwyn Lynn (Princess) — [F] Sister to Aerinndís. Vivid and brilliant and much-loved by populace. Father is Mi Mijiang.
Charlotte Seaforth — [F] Mother of Aedric and Arianne. Sculptress.
Dacius Sabinus — [M] Dacian Proconsul.
Danel Haft — [F] Page at Gwyn Lynn Palace.
Delia Hackett — [F] One of Lord Msrah’s bound—the former Wednesday.
Dyfed Fennington (Lord) — [M] Wealthy eccentric and industrialist.
Eilif Tenning — [F] Mother of Eleri, Eluned and Griff.
Eleri Tenning — [F] Twin of Eluned, niece of Arianne Seaforth. Automaton creator.
Eluned Tenning — [F] Twin of Eleri, niece of Arianne Seaforth. Painter and pen-and-ink artist.
Elwyswen Fulbright — [F] Former delegated Keeper of the Deep Grove.
Evelyn Carstairs — [M] Bound to Lord Msrah. Son of Naeemah Carstairs and Magnus Willitson (both also bound to Lord Msrah).
Falwen Chelwith — [F] Granddaughter of the Warden of Lamhythe.
Finn Seleny — [F] Grove Administrator, Chemistry Student at Rutherford University.
Gaius Silvanus Tarinus (Felix) — [M] Cousin of the Dacian Proconsul. Son of Darius Silvanus Tarinus, former Consul of the New Republic.
Griff Tenning — [M] Nephew of Arianne Seaforth. Obsessed with buildings and maps.
Gustav (Prince) — [M] Swedish prince. Current Lord Protector of Alba.
Hatshepsu/Maatkare Hatshepsu — [F] The Pharaoh of Egypt. First known Amon-Re line vampire, along with her daughter Neferure.
She took the throne name Maatkare, meaning “Truth in the soul of the sun”, when she ascended the throne, and she changed her name from the feminine Hatshepsut to the male Hatshepsu.
Henri Bordonne — [M] Father of Aedric and Arianne. Painter. French.
Heriath (“Comfrey Makepeace”) — [M] The Wind’s Dog. Keeper of the Deep Grove. Amon-Re vampire. Irritant.
Iona Gwyn Lynn (Princess) — [F] Second child of Leodhild Gwyn Lynn.
Kafele — [M] Son of Msrah. Means ‘would die for’.