by S. T. Bende
“Thank you, Crown Princess.” The older woman reached over to clasp my hands in hers. She bowed her head low, and pressed it against my knuckles. “May you be blessed by the goddesses.”
“Uh, you’re welcome.” I glanced at Constance, hoping she had some experience in meadow elf etiquette. But she remained impassive, her wings pressed against the stiff back of her throne.
“The crown princess,” Narrik said the words as if they left a bad taste in his mouth, “speaks out of turn. She does not have the power to issue such demands. She is, in fact, powerless to act in any way.”
The women turned to Narrik with wide eyes. “She is the regent.”
Yeah. I’m the regent!
I stared at Narrik. “No. The minister of state speaks out of turn.”
“Actually, Crown Princess, he doesn’t.” Nambryr’s words came out on a hiss. “The senior members of this cabinet have authority over governmental spending. And at this time, we simply don’t have funds to spare for relocation expenses.”
“That can’t be true.” I turned to Constance. “A little help, here?”
My grandmother’s eyes softened. As she opened her mouth to answer, Narrik gave a loud, ahem. Her gaze shifted to his and her eyes widened, painting her face in a look of barely contained panic.
“Constance?” I pressed.
“I’m afraid the minister is correct,” she said quietly. “The cabinet must sign off on any governmental spending. If the senior members don’t approve, then we’re unable to assign funds to assist the meadow elves.”
“You can’t be serious.” I narrowed my eyes at Nambryr. “You’re saying the entire government of Alfheim has nothing to offer them?”
“At this time, our coffers are fully extended,” she said smoothly. “Should our situation change, we’ll be sure to add you to our long list of funding requests.”
“But the crown princess said . . .” The younger woman looked at me imploringly.
“The crown princess is new,” Narrik said slowly. “She has no idea what she’s doing.”
Rage boiled in my gut, but I stamped it down. Narrik was trying to bait me—we’d all known he would. I leaned forward and spoke directly to the women. “If these cabinet members won’t assist you with funding, I’m confident they will want to take steps to restore your home as soon as possible. In the past, restoration teams worked to resolve the exact issues you’re having with your region. If we reinstate them, our scientists should be able to get to the bottom of—"
“You have no authority to order a reinstatement of anything. Nor do you have the power to request a scientific inquiry, Crown Princess,” Narrik jeered. “Government scientists are paid by this cabinet. And as we’ve established, the regent has no control over how we allocate our funding.”
The rage bubbled hotter, my nostrils flaring as I struggled to contain it. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I never ‘kid,’” Narrik said coolly. “Now, if we have no other pressing matters, this cabinet is extremely busy.”
“You have no other business this afternoon,” I pressed. “And you break for your summer recess on Monday. Surely you can spare the effort to help these women find a way to save their colony.”
“Our hands are simply . . . tied.” Narrik lifted his shoulders. “This meeting is hereby adjourned. Good day, ladies. Regents, a word if you please.”
I so did not please. But I rose as the meadow elves were being escorted from the room.
As they left, I shot them an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry,” I said quietly.
“You did your best.” The older woman sighed. “Which is more than I expected.”
My heart sank as the door closed behind them. When I was confident they could no longer hear me, I loosened the reins on my anger.
“What the Helheim is your problem?” My hands balled into fists. “They came to us for help with a nightmare you created. And you let them leave with nothing?”
“Like I said.” Narrik lifted his palms. “My hands are tied.”
“That’s a lie, and you know it. How could you turn them away?”
“I can do whatever I choose. I’m the minister of state.” Narrik picked an invisible piece of lint off his sleeve. “Whereas you? Well, you have no power here. You can talk, and push, and demand all you want. But at the end of the day, you’re nothing more than a figurehead. You lack any authority to do anything, ever. And so long as I’m in office, I’ll ensure you stay as helpless as you are at this exact moment.”
I ground my teeth together. “Then maybe you should be relieved of your duties.”
A low chuckle rumbled from Narrik’s chest. “I’d like to see you try.”
My eyes narrowed, and I mentally girded myself for a fight. But Signy’s gentle cough from the door forced me from my fury. Losing my cool would only play into Narrik’s hand. And I wasn’t about to give him what he wanted.
“Constance, let’s go.” I stood, and the town crier scrambled for his horn. Gentle tinkling filled the room, and he loudly dismissed the meeting.
When Constance, Signy, Larkin, and I were back in the private hallway, I whirled on my grandmother.
“Why didn’t you support me before they threw me under the bus?” I asked.
“Because the cabinet was correct—our role is limited. Besides that, I didn’t speak against you,” Constance said. “That was my consent.”
“How is doing nothing consent?” I threw a look at Signy. She and Larkin stepped closer.
“The regent’s role in these proceedings is nominal. We’re meant only to voice our opinion in the event we disagree with an officially proposed policy.” Constance sighed. “I thought Eunice would have apprised you of this.”
“She did.” I spoke through gritted teeth. “But I thought, given the severity of repercussions, you’d have seen fit to speak the Helheim up.”
“Aura.” Constance stood abruptly. “You’ll not talk to your queen with such language.”
“You’re my equal, in case you forgot.” I leaned forward. “And it would have been nice if you’d had my back.”
“Okay, ladies.” Signy stepped between us. “I think some space is in order. Larkin, will you escort the queen to her senatorial chambers? Aura, come with me.”
“Fine.” I pinned Constance with a lingering glower before storming after my aunt. Signy led me through the side exit, down the stairs, and onto the lawn that ran alongside the gardens. This side of the legislative building was shielded from the senator and cabinet members’ offices, affording me a break from prying eyes and disapproving looks.
Signy hooked her arm through mine, and guided me to a stone bench beneath an arch of roses. We sat in silence, staring at the thin layer of pink clouds shifting across the pale blue sky. The sun wouldn’t set for another few hours, but summer evenings in Alfheim were proving even more spectacular than I’d imagined.
Too bad I was too angry to appreciate this one.
“This sucks, Signy. Those women did everything right—they asked for assistance before their situation escalated, then continued to ask until they finally got a meeting. We have more than enough funds, and ample Empati and Elementär who could restore the region.” I pounded my fist against my thigh. “The cabinet didn’t even care!”
“You were never going to win this one,” Signy said calmly. “But you did well. You’ve set the groundwork for the next stage of your reign.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ve proven yourself capable of hearing your constituents, addressing their concerns, and identifying a resolution. You’ve also proven that the existing administration doesn’t have the long-term health of the realm in mind.”
“Yeah, but what good does that do me?” My shoulders slumped. “We’re exactly where we were before I was co-regent.”
“For now.” Signy squeezed my fist. “But I’m sure you know what you have to do?”
“Overthrow the entire existing government?”
“We’ve had teams on that for months.” I shook my head. “Those senators are gone, Signy.”
“That’s what their abductors want you to believe.” Signy lowered her head and spoke softly. “But Larkin and I got word that one of the Protektor teams picked up a distress signal. They couldn’t isolate the location before it disappeared, but it came from the Opprør leader’s communicator. They’re still out there. We just have to find them.”
My breath caught. “How?”
“I don’t know.” Signy studied the clouds. “But your friends managed track an untraceable item before. I have every confidence you can do it again.”
“Another task force?”
Signy smiled. “Tell me how I can help.”
Resolve filled my gut. Exams were over, I’d made an ally of Princess Idris, and today’s horrific meeting was behind me. Now, all of my energy could go to recovering our missing leaders. And once they were back, and their voting rights restored, maybe we’d actually be able to get things done. The right way.
It was time to get to work. Again.
Chapter 8
“AURA. IT’S SIX IN the morning.” Viggo’s sleep-lined face filled my data pad. He ran a hand through his tousled waves, before squinting at the screen through puffy eyes. “What is so important that you’re calling before the sun’s up?”
“The sun came up forty minutes ago,” I countered. “And I waited until six. So, you’re welcome.”
“Is something wrong?” Viggo yawned.
“Everything’s wrong. Alfheim’s being controlled by a monster, the only people who can help us are missing, and the cabinet basically told me I’d never get anything through them so I might as well go to Helheim. How hard were you sleeping?”
“We knew all that last night.” Viggo’s morning voice was huskier than usual. Yum. “We were together until curfew talking about the list of governmental failures.”
“And we agreed to implement an action plan in the morning. It’s morning.”
“It’s six in the morning,” he said again.
“Could have called you at five,” I pointed out.
“What’s going on?” Ondyr’s voice chimed in through the data pad.
“Aura’s awake.” Viggo groaned. “And now, so am I.”
“We have work to do,” I said.
“Stop talking so loud.” Elin mumbled from the bed next to mine, where she’d shoved a pillow on top of her head.
“This affects you too, lazy. And Finna, you should—”
“I know. I’m awake.” Finna sounded resigned. “Though I do want to point out, it’s Sunday. Also, this is the second day of summer vacation.”
“Which means we have limited time before our schedules lock down again and we have to focus on classes and homework and training. This is our only window to search for the missing leaders ourselves. Do you want to waste that time sleeping?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?” Elin grumbled. But she flung her pillow to the floor, and rolled onto her back. “Gods, it’s bright. Who forgot to close the drapes?”
“I opened them an hour ago.” I propped my data pad against the pillow on my already made bed, and crossed to my desk. “I also went to the great hall and snagged muffins, tea, and hot chocolate.”
Elin sat. “Hot chocolate?”
“The first meeting of the Opprør recovery task force begins now,” I declared. “Viggo, you’d better get over here or Elin will eat all the good stuff.”
“Fine.” Viggo sighed. “You want me to bring Ondyr with me?”
“No,” Ondyr called.
“Yep,” I said. “And I’ll message Zara and Wynter. Ondyr, you want to call Jande?”
“Not if I want to live. He’s not exactly a fan of mornings.”
“None of us are,” Elin muttered.
“Guys. Future of the realm,” I said.
“Right. I’ll call Jande,” Viggo said. “We’ll be in your room in fifteen.”
“See you then.” The data pad blinked dark, and I poured two cups of hot chocolate.
Elin rubbed her eyes as I handed hers over. “You’re dressed already?”
“I wasn’t going to go to the dining hall in my pajamas.” I shrugged. “Now get ready. We have a lot to do.”
With a sigh, Elin swung her legs over the edge of her bed. She sipped her drink as she shuffled to the bathroom. Once she was inside, I handed the second cup to Finna.
“We’re going to be okay. Right?” My teeth worried my bottom lip.
“We’ll keep doing everything we can,” she assured me. “It’s all we can do.”
“I know.” I dropped into the desk chair. “I just . . . after yesterday I feel so helpless.”
“Don’t.” Finna shook her head. “We’re going to set this right. It may take time, and a lot of setbacks, but we’ll figure it out.”
I reached over to clasp her hand. “Thanks, Finna.”
“Of course.” She set her beverage on her nightstand. “Now let me get ready before your gorgeous boyfriend sees me with bed hair.”
Right.
Twenty minutes later, our normally spacious dorm room felt uncharacteristically cramped. Zara sat on my bed beside Wynter, the Bridger who’d used her unconventional gifts to introduce me to my deceased dad a few months back. . . and later, to help our team defeat my evil uncle Dragen. Viggo and Ondyr claimed desk chairs, and Finna had moved over to Elin’s side of the room . . . since Jande was sprawled out across Finna’s bed.
“Comfy?” Finna raised a brow at her friend.
“As I can be, after somebody woke me up this early on the first day of summer vacation. Not that it isn’t for a worthy cause,” Jande added, as I opened my mouth to berate him. “I’m answering the question honestly.”
Fair.
“Let’s get started then.” I paced in front of one of the big, open windows. The cheerful trill of songbirds floated across the sill. “As you guys know, I couldn’t get the cabinet to help the meadow elves—or their habitat. Narrik slammed my suggestions before they ever had a chance.”
“I really hate that guy,” Elin grumbled.
“You and me both,” I agreed.
“I can’t believe they ever did away with the restoration teams.” Zara frowned. “They’d have been a slam dunk to fix that problem. It’s a real shame Minister Narrik shut their department down.”
Elin turned to me. “You’re the diplomat—how do you get a department reinstated?”
“It would have to go through a resolution process,” I said. “You’d need a well-drafted proposal, a formal submission before the senate, and two-thirds approval by the voting bodies.”
“The regent’s vote counts for one-third, right?” Elin asked.
“Correct. With the cabinet and the senate constituting the other two.”
“And we haven’t tried this . . . why?” Elin pressed.
“Because there’s zero chance of anyone but me and Constance passing that proposal.” I shrugged. “We’d be wasting our time. Besides, I’m not familiar enough with the former practices—or the whole Elementär crystal-regrowing thing—to speak in front of the senate without embarrassing myself.”
“Maybe now, but . . .” Elin glanced at Finna. My science-geek roommate nodded.
“We’ll draft it,” Finna said. “It may take us a while, but we’ll put together something technical—in words you can totally explain,” she added before I could object. “You can present it at the next senate session.”
“Are you sure?” I glanced between Elin and Finna.
“We have Jande.” Finna shrugged. “He’s top of our class in crystals, and I’m sure he’ll need something to do now that classes are out.”
“I’d intended to sleep.” Jande didn’t move his arm from over his eyes. “But if you all need my big brain so badly, who am I to say no?”
T
hat was Jande. Big brain, bigger ego.
“Well, thanks.” I grinned. “Okay, so about my meeting yesterday. After I’d finished venting to Signy about the cabinet’s total refusal to do anything helpful ever, she pointed out that we’re not going to get squat done without the Opprør. And until their leaders are returned, we’ve got zero chance of making the changes Alfheim needs to survive. So, we’re going to track them.”
“Um.” Jande raised his hand. “Haven’t official teams been on that for months?”
“Yes,” I said. “Clearly, they lack our motivation.”
“Not to be the group downer,” Jande continued. “But what do you think we’re going to be able to do that they can’t? They have actual warriors on this—Protektors, and guards, the whole deal.”
“The same Protektors and guards who tried to find the crystal last fall and failed. We pulled that off, didn’t we?” I set my hand on my hip. “We’re going to do this too.”
“I like your confidence, Glitre.” Viggo popped a piece of muffin in his mouth. “So, what’s the plan?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” I admitted. “But we’ve got a pretty diverse collection of strengths here, and if we play to them, we’ll figure it out. We have to.”
“Seriously,” Zara chimed in. “We’re the ones who are most affected by all of this. It’s our school losing students who don’t fit their mold, and our realm that’s being destroyed. Those senators will be long dead by the time things are completely shot, and we’ll be stuck living in some dystopian nightmare.”
“Been there, done that,” Ondyr muttered. “Z, I’ll run a ground search with you if you’re up for it.”
“Done.” Zara nodded at me. “Put us down for a search team. Whatever region you think might generate a lead.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed my data pad and made a note.
“I’ll cover things from the Cloak,” Wynter referenced the hidden void through which her department bridged communications between the living and the dead. “Most of the Bridger students are going home for break, so it’ll be easy for me to monitor the incoming messages and to put out feelers about what we’re looking for. I’ll pass anything I hear to whoever’s running operations from the ground.”
