: Chapter 7

I wake to weak sunlight against my eyelids and whispers from beside my bed.

“Are you going to sleep all day?” says the tiny voice. “The sun is up.”

I blink and find myself eye-to-eye with Sinna, who’s standing beside my bed. Her face breaks into a wide grin full of baby teeth. Her hair is a wild mess of red tangles, and she’s still in a sleeping shift, one hand clutching the stuffed pony that Harper and Rhen sent to her. “You’re awake!”

“I’m awake.” My voice is rough, but I smile back. I could have done with another five hours of sleep. Salam, my cat, has no tolerance for toddlers or noise, so he springs off the bed to disappear somewhere. I glance past Sinna to see that my door is only open wide enough for her to slip through. I wonder which nanny she got away from this time. “Still being a bit of a sneak, hmm?”

Her grin widens and she puts a finger to her lips.

“Sinna!” a hushed voice whispers from the hallway. “Girl, it is too early for these games.”

“You’re going to scare your nanny to death,” I warn softly.

Sinna scowls. “Mama said you would teach me how to hold a sword.”

“I will.” I run a hand down my face. I’m not awake enough for this. “If you let me go back to sleep, I’ll let you ride Mercy, too.”

She gasps, her eyes wide. “Mercy!” She squeezes the stuffed pony in her arms and bolts for the door, pulling it closed roughly behind her.

I pull the pillow over my head and fall back to sleep. The next time I wake, Salam’s orange-striped body is curled around my feet, and my hearth has gone cold. By the time I make my way to the dining room, I’ve washed and shaved and put on cleaner clothes than I’ve worn in days. It looks as though everyone has already eaten, but I’m pleased that most of my friends are still present. The air is full of the scent of cooked meats, warm breads, and sweet honey, but it’s the company in the room that’s the most inviting. The king and queen sit at the far corner of the table, little Sinna between them. Noah, the palace physician, sits on the other side of the queen. The only people missing are Jacob, Grey’s closest adviser and friend, and Nolla Verin, the queen’s sister. I wonder if they’re on the training fields already.

“Tycho!” Sinna cries, as if she didn’t already wake me at dawn. She tries to tackle my legs, but I catch her and toss her into the air, and she shrieks with glee. But then she looks at me as sternly as a toddler can manage. “You’re late for breakfast.”

“You look like you needed the rest,” says the queen. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you,” I say, but if anyone looks like they need some rest, it’s the queen. She’s one of the strongest women I know, but just now her eyes are heavy-lidded and her skin is a bit pale. I remember what Grey said about the pregnancy. Two slices of honeyed bread sit on her plate, but only one bite has been eaten. A steaming cup of tea sits in front of her.

Grey nudges the plate toward her. “You need to eat,” he says softly.

“I will.”

“I could try a bit of magic—”

“No,” she says firmly, with the tone of a familiar argument. “You don’t know what it would do to the baby.”

There’s a moment of tense silence in the air, but I say nothing.

Noah gives the plate a nudge, too. “He’s right about eating, though.”

“I have an idea,” says Lia Mara. “The two of you can vomit all night and see how you feel about breakfast. Tycho, come eat so I can live vicariously through you.”

I smile. “Gladly. Where’s Jake—”

A strong arm grabs me around the neck from behind, but without dislodging the toddler on my one arm, I catch the hand, twist, and drive an elbow back.

I’m only doing it halfheartedly, because I’m used to his antics, but Jake grunts and falls back anyway. He coughs, then grins. “Damn, T.” He rubs his stomach. “Welcome back. Who said something about vomiting?”

“Again, again!” says Sinna.

I laugh. “Let me eat first.”

Grey stands. “We’re due on the training fields anyway.” He drops a kiss on Lia Mara’s cheek, then stops beside me to do the same thing to his daughter.

Sinna lets go of me to grab him around the neck, looking into his eyes earnestly. “You be careful with your swords today, Da.”

He smiles and flips her upside down before setting her on her feet. “I’ll try my best.”

I lose my smile and wish I’d woken earlier. “Should I join you?”

“You’ve earned a rest, Tycho. Take it.”

Jake claps me on the shoulder, drops his own kiss on Noah’s forehead, then leaves with Grey. I pile a plate with food from the table, while Sinna spins in circles beside me, chattering endlessly. I’m almost as relieved as Lia Mara when a nanny appears in the doorway to take the princess for her morning lessons.

“Did you hear?” Sinna is saying to her as they head into the hallway. “Tycho is going to let me ride Mercy!”

“You’re very patient with her,” says Lia Mara when I sit at the table.

“I missed her,” I say honestly. I glance between her and Noah. “I missed you all.”

Lia Mara frowns. “Grey told me he’s asked you to leave again.”

I slather honey on my own slice of bread. “I know what I signed up for. When he’s ready for me to go, I’ll go.”

Noah chuckles. “You’ll be out on the training field with them in an hour.”

I smile, abashed. “Maybe.” That said, I like being here, too. I like their quiet thoughtfulness. Grey and Jake are at home with a sword in their hands, and I am too, but there’s something calming about being with people who wield warmth and empathy instead of weapons.

“Grey has told us about the ‘whisper network’ you discovered with Rhen,” Lia Mara says. She keeps her voice low so we’re not overheard. Her eyes might be tired, but her mind is as sharp as ever. “My sister has already taken the letters to a few key advisers. I know shipments are being searched in Emberfall, but I do not want to spread word of our suspicions here yet.”

I nod. “I think it took Rhen by surprise how widespread it was.”

“Me too,” she says. “Grey said you were concerned that Alek was so far northwest of the city.”

I make a face. “Maybe it’s just me.”

“Briarlock is such a small village I had to ask one of my advisers to find it on a map. Alek deals in rich textiles and fabrics. His House should have no business there.”

“I’ll try to find out,” I say. “I can leave today if you prefer.”

“No,” she says. “You need at least a day to rest. Two! I’ll speak to Grey.”

Her voice is strong and decisive, but when she reaches out to pat my hand, it feels like hers is trembling. She really should eat something. I wonder if she’s truly worried about Grey’s magic. Ever since so many died in the Uprising, there have been whispers about whether the king can adequately control it.

“I’ll do whatever you need.” I stab a piece of ham with my fork and smile. “I don’t mind. Truly.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “We ask too much of you,” she finally says. “This role leaves you no time for friendship, or courtship, or even—”

I almost choke on my food. “You are my friends,” I say. “And courtship? Who would I court?”

“We certainly don’t leave you with time to meet anyone. I could see if there are any eligible suitors within the Royal Houses.”

“Like when I was sixteen and you encouraged me to pursue Nolla Verin? I tried to hold her hand and I thought she was going to cut my fingers off.” I grin. “You do realize there are rumors that she sleeps with her blades in hand.”

Lia Mara rolls her eyes. “My sister does no such thing.”

I imagine Nolla Verin and her vicious practicality. “Tonight, you should check. I think you’d be surprised.”

She doesn’t smile. “In truth, I hoped that part of the reason you were in Emberfall so long was because you might have met someone who”—she exchanges a glance with Noah—“encouraged you to linger.”

“Then I’m sorry to report it was just plots against the throne that took up all my time.” I push food around on my plate. I’m not sure how we shifted from threats against the royal family to my romantic interests. A new tension has crawled across my shoulders. “When I wasn’t traveling with Rhen, I trained with the Royal Guard. Once we’d discovered all we could, I came home.”

“You spent a great deal of time with Rhen, did you?” A tightness enters her tone. She witnessed what Rhen did to me and Grey. It was years ago, and they’ve put aside their differences, but I don’t think she’ll ever forgive him for it.

“As much as was necessary.” I shove another bite of bread into my mouth. I wish I could shake off this sudden new attention. I should have followed the others to the training fields. Grey would stumble into his own sword before it would occur to him to interrogate me about courtship.

Lia Mara and Noah are quiet for a moment, and I have no desire to fill this silence, so I keep my eyes on my food.

“Since we’re talking about Emberfall,” Lia Mara eventually says, “I did have an idea.” Her tone has changed to lightly musing. Maybe she feels the need to change the subject. “It concerns me that the only people working together across the border are conspiring against us. There has been so much unrest, but our countries have been at peace for years now, and I would like to plan something bigger, something to show our people that they can be united in their love for both Emberfall and Syhl Shallow.”

“What did you have in mind?” I say.

“My mother used to hold a competition every year, called the Queen’s Challenge. It was quite a spectacle, and it would draw people from all over Syhl Shallow.”

I’ve heard of the Queen’s Challenge. Many of the soldiers have mentioned it with longing in their voices. “You want to bring it back?” I say. “I think that would be a popular decision.”

“I’d like to host it in Emberfall,” she says. “We could call it the Royal Challenge.” She pauses. “The lands surrounding Ironrose Castle are even more vast than the training fields here. This would require a great deal of resources from both countries, as well as an opportunity for the people to mingle in a time of revelry.” She takes another tiny bite. “What do you think?”

She’s right about the lands surrounding Ironrose Castle, and they’d be perfect to host all kinds of competitions, both mounted and unmounted, from swordplay to archery to foot races—any challenge they could fathom. The idea lights a spark of eagerness inside me as well. “When Grey and I worked in the tourney, the stands were full nearly every night. And there are tourneys all over Emberfall. I think such a challenge would be equally popular there.”

“Do you think Prince Rhen would be agreeable?”

She says this more tentatively. Grey is the king, so his word is law, but Rhen grew up believing he was the crown prince. Despite their dark history, Grey is always careful not to force his will on his younger brother. Sometimes I’m not sure Rhen is aware of that.

“I think …” I begin thoughtfully, remembering the prince eagerly poring over the letters with coded messages of potential treason. “I think he’d be open to the idea. Prince Rhen loves a challenge.”

She smiles and pushes her plate away. She’s only eaten three bites, but I know better than to say anything. “Good. When you return, please tell him we hope to see him compete.”

Once Lia Mara is gone, I expect Noah to leave to attend to his own duties, too, but he pours himself another cup of tea, adding so much milk and honey that my eyebrows go up.

He sees me looking and smiles. “One day we’ll bring you back a caramel macchiato from the other side, and it will wreck you for tea forever.”

He and Jake came from somewhere called Washington, DC, just like Princess Harper. Noah wears two magic-infused rings like my own: one to assist in his healing arts, but the other allows him to cross over into his own world.

I don’t know how often they go, but I don’t think it’s often. I’ve heard Jake say that the longer they stay here, the more jarring it is to cross over. A few years ago, not long after Grey first forged the rings, Jake and Noah went to “Disi” for a visit. They returned two hours later, and Jake had a split lip and bloodied knuckles.

They didn’t tell me what happened, but I overheard them talking to Grey.

“In some ways, it’s harder here,” Jake said. “But in a lot of ways, it’s a hell of a lot easier.”

My plate is empty, and I can see soldiers taking to the training field outside the window, but I fill my own teacup and add an equivalent amount of milk and honey.

When I take a sip, I nearly choke, and Noah laughs.

“Maybe it’s an acquired taste,” he says.

“Definitely.”

He says nothing, but he sits back in his chair and takes a sip of his overly sweet tea, and we both stare at the window for a while. Snow has begun to drift down from the sky, but it’s only flurries now. Bits of frost have collected along the edge of the windowpanes.

“When the weather is like this,” Noah says, “it makes me think of Iisak.”

He says this almost offhandedly, but Iisak’s name always dredges a bit of sorrow from my chest. Iisak was a scraver from the ice forests of Iishellasa who initially helped Grey find his own magic. Iisak was my friend, too, but he died during the battles between Syhl Shallow and Emberfall. The scraver could be viciously callous when he had to be, but he was deeply kind and loyal, with strong opinions on the duties of a ruler.

Iisak loved the snow. Even in the dead heat of summer, his magic could pull frost from the air. I take another deep swallow of my too-sweet tea. “It makes me think of him, too.”

Noah studies me for a long moment. His voice drops. “How are you doing really?”

I glance at him. “I’m well, Noah. Truly.”

“You were with Rhen for a long time.”

“He doesn’t treat me poorly.”

“I wouldn’t expect him to.” Noah hesitates. “But Rhen has suffered a lot—”

“So has Grey,” I say.

“So have you.”

I almost flinch. Noah knows me too well. Better than anyone, probably. When I was younger, I used to seek his company in the infirmary whenever the rest of the world felt too overwhelming—which was often. At first, it was because the space was quiet and secure, and Noah is one of the few people in my life who has never demanded anything from me. But as time went on, I discovered that Noah was a safe confidant: never harsh or critical, just a good listener. I know he was a healer in Washington, DC, a doctor in something called an emergency room. He once said that he used to see people on the worst day of their life, and it was his job to help get them through it.

I’m certain he was very good at it.

“Rhen is an expert at keeping people at arm’s length,” Noah says. “And so are you.” He pauses. “Lia Mara hoped you might have found … ah, companionship at Ironrose, but I’m worried you found the opposite: a little too much isolation.”

“I don’t mind being on my own.”

“I know,” he says. “And I know Grey relies on you quite a bit.” His voice quiets further. “What happened to Rhen and Grey was terrible, but they were young men, and they made some terrible choices. You were fifteen—and you had no part in their conflict. You didn’t deserve what was done to you.” He pauses. “I know about the soldiers when you were young, too, what they did to your family.” Another pause, and this one is more weighted. “What they did to you. You didn’t deserve that either.”

This time I do flinch. “Stop.” I hesitate. “Please.”

“You spent so many years with the army, and I don’t care what you said to Grey, I know you didn’t want—”

“I was a good soldier, Noah. I’d do it again if he asked me to.”

“Would you?”

The question hits me like a knife. It’s a little too piercing, a little too precise.

“Yes,” I say firmly. “I would.”

He reaches out a hand as if to touch mine, but I draw mine away before he makes contact.

Noah watches this and goes still, then rests his hand on the edge of the table. “You were very tense when Lia Mara was asking about courtship. I’m worried that everything you’ve been through—”

I stand, wishing for armor and weapons and an end to this conversation. “I should join Grey and Jake.”

“Wait. Please.” His voice is very gentle. “I didn’t mean to chase you off.”

“You didn’t.” But maybe he did. I respect Noah, though, so I pause before moving away from the table.

“There’s nothing wrong with enjoying being on your own,” he says. “I don’t want you to walk out of here questioning that.”

I nod and move to leave.

“Tycho, look at me.”

I turn, but my jaw is tight.

“I just want to make sure you enjoy it,” he says, “and that you haven’t taken this job because it’s a convenient way to hide when you don’t want to feel vulnerable.”

“I don’t feel vulnerable anymore,” I say. “Grey made sure of it.”

Then I turn on my heel to head for the training fields, to prove exactly that.