That didn’t matter, anyway. She was going home.
As a queen.
Chapter 17
The Lie
Leo woke the next morning to an empty bed. Even Molly was gone. Dammit. He couldn’t let Zwaantie go to Sol. She would be in more danger than she knew. While Sage had been giving Zwaantie the happy version of what was going on in Sol, she’d kept Leo up on the reality and the truth.
Sage. There was another thing. She was keeping a pretty big secret herself. A secret that even his father wasn’t aware of.
They could’ve sent anyone to Sol to hand out the necklaces. Sage was in Sol doing what she did best.
She was there to assassinate the Voice.
Leo, as spymaster, and his mother, as the head mage, were the only ones who knew what Sage’s real title was. Not even Ari or his father knew. Sage was the country’s assassin, and her sole purpose was to protect the kingdom.
It was why Leo had Sage stay with Zwaantie in the beginning. If she had discovered Zwaantie had ulterior motives for being in Stella, she would’ve poisoned her.
The identity of the assassin was to be unknown, even to the king, in case a sitting king or queen became a threat. Leo supposed his mother would find another assassin. But he also knew too much about the spy network, so he’d figure out who it was anyway.
Sage never had trouble finding her target. In fact part of the reason she was off riding horses and playing with chickens was that she was frustrated.
He didn’t tell Zwaantie Sage’s true mission because they strongly suspected someone in the castle was the Voice. Probably someone close to Zwaantie. She’d want to talk to them and have a trial. The future of the kingdom depended on the death of the Voice. He or she was the biggest threat to their joined kingdom. Zwaantie would be angry when she discovered they went behind her back, but she would be safe, as would the child she carried.
He wasn’t sure how he’d feel about the child, but as he and his father talked at length about how that child was the future of Stella and Sol, and needed to survive and thrive.
Leo would have to pretend. Which he could do for the sake of the child, but he didn’t have to pretend to like Zwaantie. Not anymore. He would not give her his heart to have her shatter it.
He scrambled out of bed to find Zwaantie. She was serious about going back to Sol, and he had to stop her. He used his disc first, but she didn’t answer. He opened the door and found only two guards.
“Where did the queen go?”
“Back to Sol.”
“How long ago did she leave?”
The guard stroked his beard. “Maybe five, six hours ago. She took ten guards with her. I’m surprised you slept through the whole thing.”
“What time is it?”
“Near noon.”
How had he slept through it all? He sat at the couch and fiddled with his wine goblet from the night before. A tiny bottle on the floor caught his eye, and he picked it up.
Deep Sleep.
She’d drugged him. Lovely. What next?
He’d never catch up with her now. He could have the guards stop her at the border, but there was no clear border anymore. At some point, they would have to address the lack of a border. If she survived.
He could go over himself and bring her back, but Sage warned him his neck was on the line as well. Their union threatened the Voice. Leo doubted the Voice knew about the child, or he’d be doubling his efforts to kill Zwaantie. Though he’d been fairly persistent.
She was walking into a mess. Between necklaces being ripped off, to her mother refusing to recognize his father as regent. Not to mention that Leo was still terrified her brother was going to come out of whatever hole he was hiding in and finish the job he started.
Zwaantie had no idea how much danger she was in.
Chapter 18
The Meddler
Zwaantie stepped carefully out of the carriage following her guards. She inhaled deeply and smiled. She was home. The air smelled of grass and cows.
Ajax waited on the steps, and people filled the stairs and the courtyard. They’d come to see their new queen.
She’d been careful when she’d chosen her outfit that morning, making sure it had elements of Stella but wasn’t too shocking for the residents of Sol. Her dress was dark blue with purple flowers, long but sleeveless.
As soon as her feet hit the dirt, the people around her dropped into a low bow. A few peeked at her. She crouched down in front of a child of about ten who had a streak of pink in her hair.
“Hello, what is your name?”
The little girl slowly met Zwaantie’s eyes. “I’m Katarina, Your Majesty.”
Zwaantie fingered the streak in her hair. “Where did you get this?”
“Sage, Your Majesty. She gives them to anyone who asks.”
Zwaantie chuckled and stood, making her way to Ajax. He smiled wide and embraced her.
“I’m glad you are here. We’ve been busy.”
“I see that.” Zwaantie arrived before the delegation of mages, but evidence of magic was everywhere, though it wasn’t as clean as Stella. On her way she’d seen a dog race across the street, his behind a bright green. A few colored lights hung awkwardly in the streets. The door behind the king opened and closed on its own at a fairly regular interval.
“How many Solites can do magic?” Zwaantie asked.
“Enough,” Ajax said with a sigh. “I hope the testing mages are on their way.”
“They should be here in a few days. Where is Sage?”
“Who knows? I hardly ever see the girl. Did she know you were coming?”
“No. I snuck away this morning. Leo didn’t want me coming.”
“Why?”
“He said it was unsafe for me here. But really, it’s unsafe for me everywhere. It was time for me to come home for a bit.” She was happy to be breathing Solite air again. She was home.
Ajax frowned. “He called and told me you were on your way, but he didn’t tell me he disapproved.”
“That was nice of him.” She waved to the door. “Should we go in?” She wanted to get away from all the eyes.
“Yes.”
Ajax stepped back and let her go first. She chewed on her lip. She’d have to call Leo when she got a free moment. She should feel guilty for drugging him, but she didn’t know how else she would get out of there. He wouldn’t listen to her.
He had a lot to learn.
Before stepping into the castle, Zwaantie inhaled the fresh air. It didn’t have the sweet smell of the air in Stella, but it smelled natural and clean.
She crossed the threshold, and slaves bowed as she passed. A knot she hadn’t realized she had relaxed in her chest. She was home. As much as she had come to love Stella, this was where she belonged. She would be Queen of Sol and Leo King of Stella, and they would reign together but live apart.
Slaves followed with her trunks and brought them to her room.
“When is Sage bringing a group of farmers to Stella?” Zwaantie asked Ajax.
“Next week, I think. Sage doesn’t seem in any hurry to go home.”
“She did when she called me. I’m going to freshen up. Shall I meet you in the king’s office?”
Ajax gave a small smile. “Of course. Will you be taking the queen’s office?”
“I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, but maybe.”
“Just so you know, your mother is still using it.”
Zwaantie rolled her eyes. “I’ll deal with her. Thank you for acting as regent.”
“My pleasure, Your Majesty.” He gave a small bow and retreated. She thought his behavior was oddly formal, but then she noticed all the slaves around them watching. Ajax was a smart man.
She pushed the door open to her room, leaving her guards behind. So much had happened since she’d left. She’d change things in this room, for sure. She’d have a shower installed and lights. Maybe she’d even adopt a kitten or two.
A slave followed her in and dropped into a
deep bow. “Can I get you anything, Your Majesty?”
Zwaantie studied the slave. She was young and wore a necklace that signified she wasn’t under the influence of the Voice.
“Join me in my room for a few minutes. I have some questions.”
The slave would not look up. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Sit, please. Tell me, how have things been since the stars appeared.”
The girl sat on the edge of her seat and wouldn’t meet Zwaantie’s eyes. “For me. Not much different. I can’t hear the Voice anymore, but no one freed the slaves.”
No one should be a slave. She was surprised Ajax still allowed this to go on. Freeing them would be her first order of business, but she needed to know other things as well.
“How are people being kept in line?” This was the one thing Zwaantie worried about most. She didn’t want Sol descending into chaos.
“The guards. They are quite cruel. I wouldn’t dare cross them.”
Zwaantie frowned. That wasn’t a good answer. She had hoped things were better in her country than this. Perhaps change took longer than she thought.
“Ajax approves of this?”
The girl shrugged. “I’m not sure. As far as I know, the guards only answer to your mother.”
“My mother has no authority.” Anger swelled. She and her mother would have words, and from now on, those guards would answer only to Zwaantie or Ajax.
“She thinks she does.”
Zwaantie let out a breath. This was not good. “How is Ajax doing as regent?”
“He’s most gracious. The people love him.” The girl fiddled with her dress.
Zwaantie was glad they’d sent him to Sol.
“How do you feel about the magic?”
Her lips twitched. “It is fun. I have some. But I don’t see how it’s good for much.”
“What can you do? Show me.”
A blush crept up the girl’s cheeks. “No, I couldn’t. Not in front of you.”
“Don’t be silly. I want to see.”
The girl screwed up her face, and her hair turned bright blue.
“Stars,” Zwaantie said. “I’d say you’re destined to become a beauty mage.”
“Oh, no. I’m a slave. I’ll stay in the castle.”
“The wall falling opens new doors for you. You can do whatever you want.”
“Not as long as I have the bands.”
Zwaantie hated those bands. That will end now. Slaves were a thing of the past. The Solites would struggle for a bit, but perhaps the magic would help soften the blow.
“This is true. I’ll talk to Sage about removing yours right away. Thank you for your information, you’ve been most helpful.”
Zwaantie rubbed her forehead. Sol was as she expected, but she didn’t know the next steps in truly freeing her people. She needed Leo’s help. Perhaps she should’ve waited and convinced him to return with her. He was much better at this diplomatic stuff than she.
He was probably angry, but he’d talk to her. She turned her disc on. Thirty messages blinked at her. She ignored them and called him.
He answered right away. “What in the dark were you thinking?”
“I told you I wanted to go home.”
“It’s not safe for you there. Don’t you get that?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s not more dangerous here than it was in Stella.”
“Yes, it is.” He sighed. “But I understand. You wanted to see your home again. Sage should be returning with the farmers in a few days. You can ride back with her.”
“No. My people need me. They have not yet moved into the realm of Stella. Until then, we both have kingdoms to think about. I’m staying here.”
He pinched his nose. “What happened to trying to work out our marriage?”
“You made it clear you weren’t interested in that.”
“Please, just come back. Did you consider what the Ticker might say now that you are living with my father and not me?”
She drew back, not prepared for that argument. “I didn’t. I’m sorry.” Her voice was soft. He’d taken the wind out of her sails.
“It is a concern, but not the one I’m really worried about. You’re not safe.”
“I’m fine, but I need some help.”
He sighed with exasperation. “With what?”
“I need to free the slaves. Can Sage do that?”
“Yes, of course. But that’s a huge job for just her.”
“When you send the mages, can you make sure they have the ability to as well? That way, it will go quickly, and we won’t be dependent on Sage.”
He nodded. “Yes. I’ll do that because it’s best for the people, but then you’ll come back, right?”
“Leo,” Zwaantie warned. “Give me one good reason why it’s safer for me in Stella than Sol.”
“We know the Voice is in Sol. Probably in the castle. You’re feet from him, and we don’t know who he is. You could die.”
Zwaantie didn’t want to argue with Leo anymore. “Just send the mages, and we’ll work this out when they are done. Thanks, Leo. We’ll talk later.”
He sighed and waved. He’d lost. Zwaantie stood up and smoothed her dress. It was time for a visit with her mother. This would not be a fun conversation, but once it was over, she could council with Ajax and Sage.
She glided down the hall. People stopped in their tracks and bowed. She hadn’t missed this at all. Around a dozen guards mingled outside of Mother’s door. They were both Stellan and Solite. They stopped talking and stood at attention when she approached.
“All guards from Sol are dismissed. You will no longer guard my mother.”
Four of the guards marched away. Zwaantie waited until they were out of earshot.
“The Solite guards are not to be trusted. I do not want to see them anywhere near my mother. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” the guards shouted. The guard on the far right stepped forward. “Excuse me, Your Majesty, but all of the guards inside her chambers are Solite.”
“How many?” she asked.
“Four.”
Zwaantie thought for a moment. She spun around to the ten Stellan guards who followed her everywhere she went. She knew she was in danger, but she’d made sure she was well protected.
“When we enter my mother’s chambers, you will all come with me. I will instruct the Solite guards to leave. If they refuse, you may remove them by force. Saros, Cosmos, and Jupiter. You will remain with my mother as her personal guards. There must always be at least two of you with her at all times. Each night, one of you will report to me what she’s up to.”
They nodded. Zwaantie exhaled, took three steps forward, and pushed open her mother’s door.
Mother sat on her couch fanning her face. Her guards stood next to the doors. Zwaantie faced them before she said anything to her mother.
“You are all dismissed. Go find the head guard and ask for a new assignment on order of your queen.”
The guards looked to her mother. Mother stood and stalked over to Zwaantie. “Those are my guards. What do you think you’re doing?”
Zwaantie refused to acknowledge her. “I’m waiting. If you do not leave right now, I will have you hung for treason.” She really hoped they would leave because she didn’t know if she was ready to act on that order, but she wanted them to know she was in charge and not her mother.
They hesitated for another second, and then they marched out of the room. Zwaantie plastered a smile on her face and turned to greet her mother.
“Hello, Mother. How are you?”
“You took my guards.” Mother’s voice was tight and angry. Good. This was exactly what Zwaantie wanted.
Zwaantie kept her voice deliberately sugary. “I know. Meet your new guards, Saros, Cosmos, and Jupiter. They are more than capable of keeping you safe.”
Mother clenched her fists. “You and I both know the guards are not there for my safety.”
Zwaantie widened her smile. “Well, th
en you’ll understand why I insisted on Stellan guards. Shall we sit and discuss things?”
Zwaantie wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep up her fake sweetness. The only reason she did was because she knew it drove her mother nuts. She could see the fury in her eyes, but since she’d been trained to not lose her cool, she wouldn’t retaliate.
They sat across from one another. “Tell me what you think of the changes since the wall fell,” Zwaantie said.
“It’s been pretty chaotic. But that has more to do with you turning off the Voice.”
“We wouldn’t have had to do that if he wasn’t trying to kill me.”
Mother rolled her eyes, and Zwaantie dropped her carefully placed smile.
“You have no idea what I’ve been through. How dare you roll your eyes at me.”
“I don’t care if it wanted to murder all the Stellans. It’s lawless out there. People doing whatever they want. Young girls are taking cues from Sage on fashion. I even saw a farmer in the field not wearing a shirt. The guards can’t keep up with it.”
Zwaantie desperately wanted to address the Voice’s murderous thoughts, but she knew that wouldn’t be productive.
“I hope you aren’t having the guards policing clothes. Surely they have more to worry about than that.”
Mother frowned. “If they were, you’d be locked up. I thought you’d at least put on a decent dress.”
“If the guards aren’t policing clothes, then what are they doing?”
“They’re dealing with theft mostly. A few fights. Nothing major. I expect it will get worse when people realize what they are allowed to do. The midnight hours are still relatively quiet. I even heard some families are packing up and heading for the border because they think life will be better in Stella.”
Zwaantie nodded. “We expected that. People from Stella will try to come here as well.”
Mother leaned forward. “We need to find a way to seal the border. Otherwise we’ll be overrun.”
“Good thing you don’t have to make that decision since you are no longer queen.”
Mother sputtered. “But they’re my people.”
Stella and Sol Box Set Page 59
