For Want of a Fiend (36 page)

And then there was only the cursed waiting to be done. Pennynail hovered in the corner. Queen Catirin hadn’t spoken to him, hadn’t really looked at him. Katya had said once that the queen didn’t care for him, that she wouldn’t trust anyone who didn’t show his face. Starbride had almost laughed. The Umbriels were forced to put on false faces all the time. Pennynail just took the same idea to the extreme, and he was upfront about it.

Eventually, Katya burst into the room, not even bothering to knock. “The secret passageway from Starbride’s room has—”

Katya caught sight of Starbride mid-sentence, and then rushed in her direction, each of them opening their arms and then swallowing the other in an embrace.

“I thought you’d been hurt,” Katya said. “That they’d—”

“You always wanted me to run from danger, didn’t you?”

When Katya pulled back, her expression was so relieved that Starbride wanted to kiss her senseless, but Queen Catirin cleared her throat.

“Did you tell them what happened, Mother?” Katya asked. “Did someone tell you?”

“You should reverse those questions, but yes and yes.”

“I can hardly believe it,” Katya said. “The council’s in a tizzy. Father is handling them, but I should get back soon. Anthony’s assistant dealt the death blow. I thought he’d prefer me dead, for sure.”

Starbride glanced at Pennynail. He stepped around a chaise until he stood just behind her shoulder.

Katya glanced at him. “What is it?”

It was best to just blurt it out, Starbride told herself. That’s the way Katya did things, the way she seemed to prefer they be done. “Anthony’s assistant is Roland.”

Katya smiled for a moment, either confused or maybe thinking Starbride made a perverse joke. “He’s…”

“Roland.”

While both Katya and her mother were speechless, Starbride told them all. Katya paced up and down the carpet, her scowl deepening when Starbride told her of the ultimatum Roland had given, either Starbride keep still about his identity, or he would kill everyone in the room.

“Even then,” Starbride said, “when the council accused me of hypnotizing you and the king, I pointed to him, but he did exactly as he said, feigned total ignorance. And no one believed me. I suppose that with all the hullabaloo, everyone’s forgotten I ever accused him.”

“I certainly forgot it,” Katya mumbled. “You should have told me.”

Pennynail stepped to Starbride’s side and shook his head.

Katya switched her glare to him. “And why not?”

Pennynail drew a triangle in the air.

“How do you know he would have actually risked killing me and my father, two people he wants alive? It was a bluff!”

“I couldn’t risk that,” Starbride said. “He said he would live because of the Fiend. That might have saved your father, too, but you? Even if you reached him before he could attack—and you would have tried, Katya, I know you—he might have let you stab him. How would that look for our cause? You stabbing Anthony’s assistant?”

“She’s right,” Queen Catirin said. “It’s the kind of frustrating thing Crowe would have done, for our own good.”

Katya pointed at the door. “My father is sitting at a table with his murderous brother right under his nose, and you’re telling me that’s right?”

Queen Catirin shook her head. “I’ll have this same fight later with your father, but you have to let Roland get away, Katya.”

“Spirits above! We can’t let him run loose in the palace.”

Queen Catirin turned to Pennynail at last. “Can you follow him?”

He nodded.

“Mother…” Katya pulled her hair back from her face until tears formed in her eyes.

“Katyarianna, you mustn’t.”

“Please, Katya,” Starbride said. “This is a wonderful opportunity. Pennynail can find out where he’s hiding. If he thinks I’m still running for my life with Pennynail helping me, he won’t expect to be followed.”

Katya nodded, but a vein stood out at her temple. Queen Catirin made a shooing gesture. Starbride heard the gentle click of the secret passageway as Pennynail left them.

“So what now?” Katya asked. “I sit and let someone else do my job again?”

“Sulk on your own time,” Queen Catirin said. “You have a task. Go to the ballroom and look worried. You haven’t found Starbride yet, but you’ve decided that the best place is by the king’s side, doing your duty.”

“Everyone will expect me to be hunting Starbride.”

Starbride chuckled. “But duty comes first to you, always has. Everyone knows that since you agreed to become crown princess.”

“And I can keep an eye on Roland until Pennynail takes over.”

“You cannot do anything to him Katya, cannot approach him, or speak to him,” Queen Catirin said. “You must be every inch the haughty princess and not stoop to speaking to someone’s assistant.”

“You’re not supposed to know who he is,” Starbride added, “because you haven’t found me yet.”

“It will be very difficult,” Katya said.

Starbride kissed her cheek. “I have every faith.”

“As do I,” Queen Catirin added. “Go, before the council ends. When we finally catch Roland in one of his own traps, I promise, you won’t have to stay your sword.”

The council chamber was far more orderly when Katya returned. Lord Vincent had cleaned up his face, but his nose was beginning to swell. He’d have one hell of a bruise.

He deserved much more. She stalked past where he stood next to her father on the dais and resumed her seat. Da held up a hand to stop one of the nobles from speaking. “Did you find her?”

Katya shook her head and put on her best pained expression. “Lords and Ladies, ladies and gentleman, the princess consort is still missing. I would appreciate it if when our business is concluded, you would do me the honor of sending your households to look for her, as I have sent mine. Since I cannot find her, I have decided to rejoin you with the hope that I might help put an end to this unpleasant business.”

Countess Nadia thumped the table, a noble’s applause. The others followed suit while the commoners clapped for her.

Duke Robert stood. “I must apologize for my zeal in this matter. I thought Lady Hilda a maligned woman.”

“No need, old fellow,” Da said. “Yours is a family recently beset by tragedy, as is mine. After my son’s unfortunate actions, I can see how one might begin to lose faith.”

Duke Robert bowed deeply and sat. Magistrate Anthony cleared his throat from the gallery. “Majesty, may I speak?”

Murmurs echoed through the ballroom. With Lady Hilda dead, they no doubt hoped that the council would be dismissed. The nobles looked scandalized, but Da waved him forward.

Katya kept her eyes glued to Anthony as he stood, not daring to look to his side, to his “assistant.”

“By your son’s unfortunate actions, Majesty,” Magistrate Anthony said, “I assume you mean the murder of my former assistant, my dearest Georgie Appleton.”

“I am as sorry for your loss, Magistrate,” Da said, “as I am of Duke Robert’s daughter, my old friend pyradisté Cimerion Crowe, and of course, my mother.”

Katya almost smirked. So the magistrate wanted to play a game of hurts, did he? Let him challenge those.

Magistrate Anthony simply bowed. “If you will, Majesty, I have a solution as to how you might win the faith of the people as completely as you have won that of the nobles.”

Da inclined his head and gestured for Anthony to continue.

“Let us have a government where we have a voice, Majesty. Let us have a parliament.” He waved at the assembled party. “An august council such as this one, to have a voice in the ruling of this kingdom.”

The council erupted into impassioned voices. The nobles, even Duke Robert, shook their heads. Some of the commoners nodded, most at least appeared thoughtful. One of the baronesses stood. “Do you really think that would be a good idea, Magistrate? Most of the common people don’t even know how to read.”

Magistrate Anthony gestured to those gathered around him. “I challenge you to find a man or woman here among us, Baroness, who does not know.”

The baroness blinked for a moment, her mouth working. “Well, of course yourselves, but…”

“Even a man or woman who cannot read should have a say in the course his or her life takes. Such people could elect someone to represent them, just as the people have elected me to judge them in matters of law. These representatives would form the parliament.”

With a shake of his head, a viscount rapped on the table and gave Magistrate Anthony a pitying look. “You may have learned the law, Magistrate, but how could you know anything of politics, of war, of how to shape a kingdom?”

“Forgive me, Viscount, but did you know such things when you inherited your title at birth? A person may learn.”

The nobles fell to angry murmuring again. Da raised his hands. “Peace, fellow councilors, please.” After a moment, they all fell silent. “Do I take it, Magistrate Anthony, that you have a particular problem with how our kingdom is ruled?”

Anthony bowed again, the slippery eel. Katya saw right through his fawning. “I believe all men and women should be subject to the same law, Majesty. That cannot happen unless we all have a say in how we are governed.”

“You would have had my son arrested and tried.”

“No, Majesty. I do not believe one man is wholly under the control of another. I would have the champion arrested and tried.”

Lord Vincent didn’t bat an eyelash, though the rest of the room murmured. Da gave Magistrate Anthony a friendly smile. “I will take your words under advisement, Magistrate.”

Most of the nobles seemed aghast that Da hadn’t shut the man down completely. They were probably aghast that Da didn’t order Vincent to chop off Magistrate Anthony’s head. But Da never shut anyone down. He had no wish to be a tyrant and, “take your words under advisement,” never closed a door. It never made people unhappy.

Even Magistrate Anthony smiled. “Thank you, Majesty.”

“Shall we declare this council closed?” Da asked. “Unless there is any other strange business this day?”

Heads shook, and people stood and bowed as Da prepared to exit. Katya stayed on his heels and finally did what she’d been avoiding, what she’d been desperate to do: she let her eyes rest on Roland. His eyes met Katya’s, and for a moment, they locked. He bowed, his face surprised, almost in awe. Katya barely avoided a snarl and looked away.

She didn’t say a word to her father on the way back to the royal apartment, but he whispered in her ear, “If you want to duck away and go look for her…”

Katya shook her head, not trusting her voice. When they entered his apartment and Starbride was waiting, Da stopped in surprise.

He glanced at Katya. “Would have thought this was one of the first places you’d look, my girl.”

Katya let the story tumble out of her. When he’d been informed of everything, Da turned nearly as red as she felt.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

Katya nodded. “That was almost exactly what I said.”

“The swine was in the same room with me, under my very nose!”

“And that.”

“It isn’t funny!” He nearly roared, and Katya took a step away. She looked to her mother who stared at her father as if she’d never met him. Starbride faded to the back of the room. Ma made a shooing motion, and Katya started for Starbride while nodding at the door to the secret passageway.

“Where are you going? Where is she going?” Da shouted.

“I can fill in the gaps for you,” Ma said. “I’ve heard all sides of the story, now.” Ma touched Da’s chest over his pyramid necklace. Katya opened the door to the secret passageway, waved Starbride in, and then turned to stare again at her mother.

“Einrich,” Ma said, “you must calm down. Your daughter is waiting to see if your head bursts open.”

Da stared at Katya for a moment before he rubbed a hand through his beard and closed his eyes. “Go, my girl. But come back in an hour to check on me.”

Katya smiled and left, giving Ma room to work her magic.

As soon as the door to the secret passageway was closed, Katya wrapped her arms around Starbride, not caring that they were still feet away from her parents. “I was so worried for you, Star.”

“Does this mean you aren’t angry with me anymore?”

“I’ll likely be angry for a long time, but not at you. Even when I’m angry, I love you.”

“I heard you punched Lord Vincent.”

“He laid his hands on you.”

“My savior.” Their kiss lasted only a moment. “Roland seemed very confident his plan would work. Makes me wonder if he has a backup plan up his sleeve.”

Katya led the way down the secret passage. “Where has Dawnmother gone?”

“To warn Averie that we’re coming.”

“I wish I could just not think for a few moments.”

“No time, I’m afraid.”

“What now?”

“Ursula and Castelle. They’re in the thick of this, Katya. We have to decide how much to tell them or if we should warn them off.”

“I, um, I already told Castelle some of it. She knows about the Fiends and about Roland.”

Starbride’s eyebrows shot up. “You told her without me?”

“We needed the help, and I didn’t know what else to do. She wanted answers, especially after one of her friends had just died. And she saw Lady Hilda as a Fiend.”

“So did Captain Ursula, but you didn’t rush away to tell her.”

Katya took a deep breath. “There wasn’t time.”

By the twist of Starbride’s mouth, Katya could tell she wasn’t happy, but she nodded.

Katya wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hoping to turn anger into humor. “Should I take it personally that you’re not jealous enough to forbid me from working with my old flame?”

“Tsk, I trust you, and if I can’t trust her, I can always have her killed.” Starbride paused for a moment before she said, “Why didn’t you ever tell her about the Fiend or the Order before now? If I hadn’t stumbled onto them, would you have told me?”

“Or course,” Katya said, and even though the words came easily, part of her doubted them. “I love you.”

“You loved her, too. Don’t deny it.”

“Ah, but she didn’t love me like you do. Castelle has always been more worried about herself than she could ever be about someone else.”