We followed the men at a safe distance. The spores lost their luster a few moments after hitting the ground, but it was enough to track them.
"What are you planning to do to them?" Felix asked.
"Ask what they're doing for Beswick." I held up my hand as the men walked into a small inn. That would be helpful—I could use the element of surprise. And perhaps, if they were in separate rooms, get the truth from them both.
"Stay up here and let me do what I do, okay?" I picked the lock on the back door of the inn then stepped over washtubs and around hanging laundry toward the front. Cracking open the door to the front room, I spotted an innkeeper at the desk, counting coins and putting them into a bag. Without any other options, I kicked over a washtub, causing a loud bang then pressed myself against the wall next to the door.
The keeper came running into the back room, rushing past me in the dark, and I was able to slip out behind him. With my glasses, the spores were still barely visible, but I trailed them up toward two rooms down the hall. I pressed my ear to the closest, listening for the sounds of movement. Instead, all I got were soft snores.
Working with my lock-picker again, I slowly pushed the door open, praying it wouldn't creak, then crawled inside. I rested on my hands and knees for a minute, waiting for the man in question to wake, but he snored on. They'd had a few pitchers of beer between them, so it might not be that tough to make him speak.
I yanked the covers off him, but he didn't wake. So I kicked him a few times until he roused, blinking in the darkness.
"What the—"
I yanked him upward by his shirt collar and snarled in his face. "What are you doing for Beswick?"
"I-what?" He shook his head. "Who are you?"
I pulled a knife from my belt and pressed it against his throat. "Your worst nightmare. Now tell me what you're doing for him?"
"I'm... I'm… I'm…" His face, pale in the dim light, grew wet as he trembled in my hands.
"And I'm losing my patience," I seethed. "Speak now, or I'll permanently remove your ability to do so."
"I'm bringing in artisans from Severia!" he cried, closing his eyes and dissolving into tears.
I lowered him slightly. "What?"
"Please don't hurt me!" he said, tears streaming down his face. "The Forcadel planning committee limited the number of foreign vendors who can show, but Beswick cut a deal with Mayor Zuriel to let more Severians come than were allowed and—"
I made a disgusted sound and tossed him back down toward the bed. "Are you serious? Artisans?"
"Y-yes, what did you think?"
With a growl of frustration, I threw open the window and climbed out without another word.
"Quit laughing at me."
"I just can't help it," Felix said as we sat on the edge of the docks with our feet hanging over the side. "You bullied some poor man who's just trying to get Severian artists some extra cash."
"Through Beswick," I said, but there was no heat in my tone. "And it's still illegal."
"But not…devastating to our local economy," he said, nudging me gently. "And definitely not treasonous."
I blew air out between my lips. "Maybe. Maybe not. Could it be a front for something? Beswick doesn't do anything nice for anyone unless he's getting something out of it."
"I think you're obsessed," Felix said. "I'll have my squad ask around tomorrow, and we'll find out what we can. If it's that important to you that some poor desert-dwellers don't make their coin…"
"This isn't funny," I snapped, sitting up. "This is how Beswick operates. He finds desperate people, gives them a hand with strings attached, and then they're stuck in his cycle forever. These Severians may make some coin, but they'll be in debt for much more."
"I know, I know," Felix said, casting me an amused look. "Perhaps the princess could intervene and grant a special waiver to the artisans."
I opened my mouth, ready to continue arguing then closed it. "I suppose she could."
"See? This is what I'm talking about," he said, leaning back on his hands. "You don't always have to save people by wearing a mask. There's a lot of good you could do as queen."
"Sure it won't mess everything up?" I asked, picking at the edge of the dock. "Take good paying jobs away from Forcadel citizens? Disrupt a treaty?"
"We always welcome foreign artists to the summer festival, but it's usually Kulkans and Niemenians because they're the only ones who can afford to travel here." He cocked his head to the side. "Why are you arguing with me about this?"
"Because I want Beswick to be guilty," I said, slumping my shoulders. "It's not just about the timeline. Every night he remains on the street, another person gets sucked into his web. Surprised the entire kingdom isn't indebted to him for something."
He covered my hand with his, sending a warm zing from my fingers to my toes. "You'll get him, Brynn. You just have to be patient."
I nodded, turning to the inky black waters of the bay as he held my hand. I willed the fog to dissipate so I could see more than creaking shadows, but nothing happened. "What do you think this big shipment is?"
"Could be those artisans. Could be something else entirely. The summer festival isn't for another two months." He turned to me with a smile. "Could be exactly what you need to take down Beswick, delivered on a silver platter."
"Now you're just being mean," I said, ripping my hand away from his. Not just because of what he'd said, but the reminder that time was passing quickly, and I was no closer to Beswick than when I'd started.
Chapter 20
The next morning, three strange-looking ships sat in the bay with white hulls and billowing orange sails. Our own naval forces had surrounded them at daybreak, preventing them from getting any closer to the main city.
The only thing we knew about them were that they were Severians. And, if what they said was true, the queen was here, too.
"This is new," I said to Katarine as we stood in front of the window. "Right? This is new."
"Exceptionally." She chewed her lip. "It's unheard of for a queen to arrive unannounced."
"How'd they manage to get all the way into the bay?" I asked, squinting and wishing I had a telescope. "The fog was heavy last night, but we have some kind of defenses, right?"
She cleared her throat. "Presumably. But someone sent our two fastest ships to the east, and they haven't returned yet."
"Ah, well…" I shifted against the window. "What do you know about the queen?"
"Not much, unfortunately. She's young, maybe twenty? Twenty-one? Her father was quite old, but most of the children he'd sired died in childbirth. She was his last, and the only one who survived."
"Tragic."
"It's a hard life in Severia, even for the royals." Katarine tapped her fingers on the windowsill. "It's very rare for the royal family to leave the kingdom, let alone the queen. The weather in Severia is unpredictable. Sandstorms, that kind of thing."
"So maybe she's on vacation?" I asked.
"Queens don't take vacations," Katarine replied with a small laugh. "It's more likely she's here to petition you directly to allow them access to the ocean. Severia has a coast, but it takes months to get from the castle to the coast on the western side of the country. It's closer for the Severians to travel into Forcadel and pick up the river at Skorsa, but of course, they're subject to tariffs."
"It sounds like she could use some help," I said, chewing my lip. "Do we have to charge them tariffs?"
"The problem is if we give the Severians an inch, the Kulkans will want one as well, and Niemen," she said. "As much as I know you'd like to help them, the other two nations are much more strategically important to Forcadel's future. It's best to leave things the way they are."
"And yet, here's the queen," I said, squinting out at the ships again. "It's gonna be bad to tell her no, huh?"
"It will be enough to receive her," Katarine said. "And perhaps you'll be able to figure some way to help without causing too much distress. Just be sure to use yo
ur resources."
"Ma'am," Beata said from behind us. "Felix has asked me to get you ready for the Council meeting."
"Council?" I shared a confused look with Katarine. "I don't have a Council meeting today."
"Emergency one, I'd guess," Katarine said, walking to the door. "I'll see what I can find out while you get ready."
Beata grinned and held up a bright blue dress. "I thought you could wear the Forcadel colors today. And perhaps your diamond tiara."
"Fine, fine." I sat down at the vanity and stared at my reflection in the mirror as Beata undid my plait. "Is it weird that I'm nervous?"
"I don't see why you wouldn't be," Beata said, her gaze focused on her hands in my hair. "It's certainly a new situation. I daresay nobody really knows what to expect."
"I can handle the Council, I can handle crime lords, but I'm not really sure I can receive a queen."
"Sure you can," Beata said, catching my eye in the mirror. "It's no different than meeting with anyone else. Be kind, smile, and don't agree to anything she asks."
"Oh?" I glanced behind me. "Have you been talking with Felix and Kat?"
"I hear things," she said, tying off the plait with a flourish. "You're very lucky to have so many people looking out for you."
No sooner had Beata helped me into my dress than the door opened, and now Felix strode in with a grim look on his face as he rested his hand on his pommel. "Riya got eyes on the queen, confirming she's here. Do you want to receive her?"
"Um…" I glanced at Beata, and she nodded. "What do you think?"
"I think it's weird she came unannounced," he said, walking to the window and staring out it as Katarine and I had done earlier. "But there were no signs of arms, and I can't imagine the queen would put herself in danger if she planned to do anything nefarious."
"So why's she here?"
"Her handlers wouldn't say. They're very protective of her, and when Riya tried to speak to her, she wouldn't answer." He cleared his throat. "The handlers said she'd only speak with the Crown Prince."
"Ah, well." I laughed. "That's going to be a one-sided conversation."
"Brynn."
"Sorry, sorry," I said, catching Beata's eye as she fluffed my skirt. "What do you think I should do?"
"Receive her," he said. "See what she wants. Talk to your advisors before you agree to anything. It's clear she thought there was a leadership change, so my guess is she wants to renegotiate some borders, tariffs, or something else."
Katarine poked her head in. "Brynna, the Council is down in the receiving room, if you're ready."
"I guess." I turned, smiling at all of them. "Let's meet a queen."
My receiving room was already filled with people when Felix and Katarine escorted me inside. The members were huddled off to the side, and the royal guard had lined the room at the posts, all wearing leather armor and carrying swords. Coyle, Joella, and Riya stood closest to my throne, their gazes centered on the double doors where, presumably, the queen of Severia would enter.
I bypassed my throne and went to the Council, gauging their reactions from extremely concerned (Vernice and Godfryd) to curious (Garwood and Zuriel) to absolutely bored (Octavius). Garwood nodded in my direction when I approached, but the conversation continued without me.
"I don't like it," Vernice said. "Send them back to the dustbowl from whence they came."
"There has to be a reason," Godfryd said, her gaze on the doors like her soldiers. "Captain Llobrega reports they had limited arms on board, just enough for royal protection."
"Perhaps it's because they consider us weak, since we have a young princess on the throne," Vernice said.
"That's interesting, because they came here to meet with August," I said, tossing a hard glare at Vernice. "Would you say the same thing about him?"
"Which makes it more probable they're here to invade," Vernice said.
"Invade?" Zuriel laughed. "Come now, Ana. Don't be ridiculous."
"What's ridiculous is entertaining her at all," Vernice said. "We should send her back to the desert."
"I don't think there's any harm in receiving her," Garwood said with a look to me. "May I have a word before we begin?"
I nodded and allowed him to walk me to the throne. "I've already had three lectures about not agreeing to anything from these so-called 'pathetic desert-dwellers,' I don't need a fourth."
"Three?"
"Beata reiterated the point."
He chuckled as he released me and I sat down. "Then I will be brief. You haven't much experience dealing with international dignitaries, especially royals. They're usually interested in one of two things—doing the best they can for their kingdom or growing it. View everything she says through that prism, and you'll be well-equipped to make good decisions."
I nodded. "Thank you."
The front doors groaned as they swung open, silencing the chatter in the room. Zathan walked in, shoulders back and hand on his pommel, coming to stand at the center of the room and bowing low at the hip.
"Your Majesty," he said, coming upright. "The queen of Severia has requested an audience."
"Well, send her in," I said, with a flick of my wrist. "Or else we all assembled here for nothing."
He smirked briefly then turned and walked through the open doors. An anxious energy permeated the room as the moments ticked on, and I tapped my fingers on the armrest of the throne, trying to keep all that everyone had said to me in the back of my mind. I wasn't sure what I was ready for, but as loud footsteps echoed in the hall outside, I released a long exhalation.
The soldiers came in first, carrying orange flags that almost scraped the top of the large doorframe. Their leather armor was more cracked and worn than my guards'. They wore severe looks on their tanned faces, perhaps a few shades darker than my own, moving as a unit in two columns and stopping in the center of my throne room.
An older gentleman walked through the break between them, wearing dark red robes that dragged along the floor behind him. He came closer to my throne, and out the corner of my eye, I saw Felix grip his sword tighter. But the man simply bowed.
"Your Highness, may I present my queen, Ilara Hipolita Särkkä of the great kingdom of Severia."
Behind him, the queen herself appeared. Unlike the rest of her countrymen, she was wide-eyed, with long black hair that hung to her hips. She wore a light brown dress that seemed a lot cooler than the velvet one Beata had stuffed me into, and no less form-fitting. Her painted toes poked out of leather sandals as she walked, her hands clasped in front of her. On her head, she wore a simple gold chain with diamonds and other gems resting against her forehead.
She caught my eye and averted her gaze immediately.
"Your Highness." She tilted her head as she curtseyed, but still didn't look at me. "I am Queen Ilara Hipolita Särkkä of the kingdom of Severia. It is an absolute honor to be in Forcadel."
"Raise your head," the old man whispered sharply. "You are a queen, Ilara."
Ilara's head shot upward, locking eyes with me. In her gaze, I read fear and embarrassment, and about as much anxiety as had settled in my stomach.
I glanced at Felix and he nodded. "I'm glad to welcome you," I said after a moment. "But a little surprised. Isn't there normally protocol for royal visits?"
Her eyes widened. "Did you…not receive my letter?"
"I received a note that asked for an invitation to my coronation," I said. "And I believe we declined it."
Her jaw dropped, and pure horror dawned on her face. "W-what?"
I shifted on my seat, glancing at her handler whose face had turned red. An awkward silence descended in the throne room as Ilara wrung her hands, searching the room for what to do.
"I apologize," she stammered. "I never would have come unannounced had I known. They didn't tell me that… They just said that—"
"Stop stammering," her handler snapped.
Ilara's lips clamped shut and her eyes filled with tears as she stood in the center of the room, w
hich was quickly filling with awkward tension. I glanced at Felix, then Garwood, then made a decision.
"You know what?" I rose from my seat. "Let's take a walk. You could probably use a walk."
"Your Highness—" Felix began.
"Captain," I said, cutting him off. "Please accompany us." I glanced at her handler and narrowed my eyes. "What's your name?"
"Jozef, ma'am—"
"You should probably head back to the ship," I said, walking down the throne to meet Ilara in the center of the room. "I don't think the queen needs your help from here on out. Seems like she's fully capable of talking with me without you."
His eyes bulged, but Ilara didn't contradict me.
"Shall we?" I said, offering my arm.
And without another word to anyone else, I led the queen of Severia out of the throne room and toward our gardens.
Chapter 21
"I am mortified," Ilara whispered as soon as we were out of the receiving room. "I wish I could disappear on the spot."
"That Jozef guy needs to learn his place," I said, glancing behind me to make sure the little snake hadn't followed us. "I'm not even queen yet, and I wouldn't let anyone talk to me like that."
"He's…my tutor. I value his guidance." She, too, glanced behind us. "But yes, he's become a little too overbearing of late."
"I could tell." My own overbearing handler was no less than three steps behind us. "Captain, I don't think the queen is going to stab me, and if she tried, I'm pretty sure I can fend her off. So give us some more space, hm?"
Felix glared at me, but kept his distance.
"So what's really going on?" I asked. "Whether or not you meant to barge in, why travel here at all?"
"We heard rumor that King Maurice had died," she said softly. "He refused to meet with us—ever. But we'd heard Prince August was a lot more amenable. So we set sail. We'd hoped to get here closer to the coronation, but we arrived much sooner than anticipated." She cast me a look. "And to a much different ruler than we'd expected."
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