Emily nodded in grim agreement. She’d seen enough during the campaign to know that Sienna was right. The aristocrats – and the combat magicians – had eaten well, while the common soldiers were lucky if they got enough to sustain themselves. Farrakhan had been on the verge of collapsing into a bloody revolution because its nobility had collected all the food, leaving the poor to starve.
She tasted the stew. It was similar to the stew they’d had for lunch, but with a spiciness she found disconcerting. Marian passed her a piece of freshly-baked bread, which she dipped into the liquid. It countered the spice, making it easier to eat.
“You’ll enjoy sailing on a little boat,” Caleb said. “Would you like to try?”
“If we can get through the gap,” Emily said. She hadn’t liked the look of those waves. The currents might have pushed the ship into the harbor, but they could easily dash the vessel against the rocks if the crew lost control. “Is that safe?”
“We’d probably hire a boat from the outer docks,” Caleb said. “Anyone who tries to pass through the Dragon’s Teeth in a small boat is taking their life in their hands.”
“It’s been done,” Karan said. “Jolly did it on a bet…”
“Jolly nearly drowned when he tried to get back in,” Sienna said. “Idiot should have had the sense to realize the currents were against him. If he’d let himself be pushed back out to sea, he could have found his way to the outer docks or tried again at high tide.”
“He was brave,” Karan said.
“There’s a difference between bravery and stupidity,” Sienna said. She shot her oldest daughter a sharp look. “I hope you weren’t too impressed.”
Karan colored. Marian snickered at her discomfort.
“We’d have to scramble down the ladders, but it should be safe enough,” Caleb said. “Magic will break our fall, if we lose our grip.”
Emily made a face. She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of scrambling down wet ladders, even if she did have magic. Walking into a necromancer’s lair had been incredibly dangerous, but she’d known – all too well – that she didn’t have a choice. Taking on the necromancer directly was the only way to stop him from devastating an entire country. But taking a fragile boat out onto the open sea…she knew she could teleport away, if things went to hell, yet she still didn’t like it.
“We’ll see.” She suspected Sienna was judging her, although she had no idea what would appeal to the older woman. “It sounds like fun.”
“Caleb will take you to the temple tomorrow,” Sienna said, briskly. “You can say a prayer before the god of the ocean, if you wish.”
“You do have to pay your respects to Beneficence,” Caleb added. “I don’t think you’ve been there before, have you?”
Emily shook her head. She hadn’t stayed long, the last time she’d visited the city. Lady Barb hadn’t seemed inclined to take her to the temple, either. She wasn’t sure she wanted to go, but she knew it was important to Caleb and his family. Besides, she was curious. She’d only been to one other temple in her life, back in Zangaria. Her mother had certainly never bothered to take her to church.
“Make sure you take some fruit,” Sienna ordered. “And afterwards…?”
“I need to visit the bank,” Emily said. Markus had said he was in his office every day. If he wasn’t, for whatever reason, she could leave him a message. He might take a day off every so often to visit Melissa. “And then…I’m not sure.”
“I’d like to visit the bank,” Karan said. “I…”
“Perhaps later,” Sienna said. She glanced at Frieda. “Caleb and Karan will be happy to show you the city.”
“Thank you,” Frieda said, politely.
Emily concealed her amusement. Frieda would probably be happier exploring on her own, if Emily couldn’t accompany her. She really didn’t like Caleb that much. Maybe she’d get on better with Karan. She was only a year or so older than Frieda, after all.
“I have a bottle of sleeping potion, if you wish to take it,” Sienna said, when the dinner came to an end. “Or you can read until you feel tired.”
“I have letters to write,” Emily said. She owed Alassa and her friends an update. “I’ll get some rest afterwards.”
Sienna nodded, and led her daughters out of the room. Caleb sent Emily an embarrassed look – it was clear he didn’t know quite how to act when his mother and his girlfriend were in the same room – and nodded to the door. Frieda gave him a mock-suspicious look as they walked up the stairs. Emily shot her a warning look in return. She understood Sienna’s concerns – and Lady Barb’s – but she wasn’t going to allow either of them to control her life.
“We’ll be outside tomorrow,” Caleb whispered. Frieda slipped past them and hurried into the room, carefully leaving the door ajar. “I wish…”
He leaned forward to kiss her. Emily kissed him back, tensing as she sensed the spells crawling through the house. Caleb wasn’t in her room…surely, mere kissing wouldn’t set off the spells. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. She hugged him back, feeling a sudden hot flush. Her body was reminding her, sharply, of just how much she’d missed him.
“I look forward to it,” she whispered back. “Are you going to be sneaking through the house at night?”
Caleb looked embarrassed. “Mother would not be pleased,” he said. “And she would notice.”
Emily nodded. She’d seen monitoring charms at Whitehall, but Sienna’s spells were an order of magnitude more complex. Sienna would know, if she cared to ask, precisely what her children were doing at all times. Emily couldn’t help thinking there was a fine line between being protective and smothering…and that Sienna, for all her obvious concern for her children, was on the wrong side.
“I understand.” She kissed him again, just as she heard Frieda clearing her throat inside the room. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She kissed him one final time, then stepped into the room and closed the door.
Chapter Six