“True, but a barge is an achievable goal. Preventing future peasants from dying is not. The city has been overcrowded for weeks and yet just this morning another large group has arrived from Alburn. There are perhaps fifty families. If a viable solution is what you desire, I suggest preventing any more displaced people from entering the city. Seal it off and be done with it. Let those that come here looking for charity learn that they must provide for themselves. Allowing them entry will only cause a higher rate of mortality.”
“I suspect you are right,” Modina told him. “I also suspect you would feel quite differently if it was you and your family standing on the other side of our locked gate. I am the empress of all the people. It is my responsibility to keep them safe, not the other way around.”
“Then please tell me what you would like me to do, for I can see no solution to this problem. There is simply no place for all these people.”
Modina looked around her, at the painted dome and the great stone hearth burning the new log she had ordered.
“Chancellor?” she said.
“Yes, Your Eminence?” Nimbus replied.
“How many people could we fit in this hall?”
He raised his eyebrows in surprise, then pursed his lips. “Perhaps a hundred if they do not mind squeezing together.”
“I think if faced with freezing to death, they will not mind.”
“You will open the throne room to the public?” Gallsworth asked, stunned. “How will you conduct the business of the empire?”
“This is the business of the empire, and no, I am not going to open the throne room to the public.” She looked at Nimbus. “I am opening the entire palace. I want the gates opened at once. Line the halls, corridors, even the chapel. I want every square inch used. There will not be a single man, woman, or child left in the cold as long as there is any room to spare. Is that understood?”
“Absolutely, Your Eminence.”
“Furthermore,” she said, turning to Gallsworth, “I want a study done of the city to locate any other sources of shelter that could be utilized. I don’t care how hallowed or privileged. This is an emergency and all space is to be used.”
“You’re serious?” he said, amazed.
“I will not have my people dying on my doorstep!” she declared in a raised voice that left no room for question.
Guards looked up, concerned by her unusual outburst. Servants appeared nervous and several noticeably cringed. The city administrator did not. He remained straight, his eyes focused on her own. He said nothing for a moment; then his lips began to move about as if he were sucking on something, and finally he began to nod.
“Very well,” he said. “I will begin to look into the matter, but I can tell you right now where there is a large unused space. The Imperial Basilica of Aquesta has the capacity to house perhaps a thousand and at present is home to no more than eight individuals.”
“If you knew this, why did you not say something before?”
“I would never presume to fill the house of god with poor, filthy peasants.”
“Then what in Maribor’s name is it for?”
“The Patriarch will not be pleased.”
“Damn the Patriarch!” Modina barked. “Nimbus—”
“At once, Your Eminence.”
“Why are the two of you not asleep?” Modina asked, entering her bedroom to find Mercy and Allie wide-awake.
Modina insisted that Allie stay in her room as part of her initiative to free up as much space as possible. When Allie asked for Mercy to join them, Modina could not refuse. Now both girls were in their nightgowns, wrapped in blankets, facing the darkened, frost-covered window. At her question, the girls looked at her and then quickly wiped their cheeks.
“Too cold,” Mercy replied unconvincingly, and sniffled.
“It’s freezing,” Allie agreed. “We couldn’t even play outside today.”
“Even Mr. Rings won’t set foot out there.” Mercy glanced to where the raccoon was curled up near the fire.
“It is very cold, isn’t it?” Modina said, looking out the window at the starry sky. The night was always clear when the temperature was frigid.
“It freezes the water in your eyes!”
“It makes my ears hurt.”
Modina put her hand to the frosted glass—the same window she had spent so many hours kneeling before. It was like ice to her touch. “Yes, the cold is troublesome, but it might just be the miracle we need.”
“We need it to be cold?” Allie questioned.
“Well, if Mr. Rings won’t go outside, I don’t suspect anyone else will want to be out there either.”
“You mean the elves?” Mercy asked.
“Yes,” she replied. She didn’t see the point in lying.
“Why do they want to kill us? Allie is an elf, but she doesn’t want to kill us, do you?”
Allie shook her head.
“I don’t know why,” Modina said. “I’m not certain anyone knows. The reason is likely very old, too old for anyone to remember.”
“Will they—will they kill us when it gets warmer?” Allie asked.
“I’m not going to let them. Your father isn’t going to let them either. Is that why you were crying? You miss him, don’t you?”
The girl nodded.
“And you?” Modina looked at Mercy.