By the time evening fell, the Prudence had been dispatched for Vordan City with messages for the Deputies and the garrison, and Duke Dorsay and his captains were making preparations for the fleet to leave in the morning. The duke hadn’t been happy about Raesinia’s choice to side with Marcus, but he’d seemed to expect it. Maybe he knows more than he’s letting on.
Once the strategy session had broken up, Raesinia gathered what she thought of as the conspiracy, everyone who knew that magic was real. With Winter gone and Sothe missing, this amounted to herself, Marcus, Cora, and Cyte, whom Marcus introduced as his second in command. Raesinia watched the captain with interest. She remembered Cyte, vaguely, as one of the student radicals who’d been there the night they stormed the Vendre. But that memory was of an anxious, insecure girl, inclined toward melodrama and heavy eyeshadow, and nothing at all like the calm, professional soldier before her now.
Marcus and Cyte went through what they’d discovered, their visit to Mieranhal and the nature of Janus’ obsession. When Marcus told the story of the battle of Satinvol, where he’d been forced to kill a girl who’d fought by his side, she could hear the emotion in his voice, and she reached out to take his hand. He started slightly at her touch and gave her a questioning look, but she only smiled. I’ve had enough of hiding.
Raesinia read the note Janus had written, in his familiar, precise script. “My mind is not my own.” It did fit, in a way. Or is he only playing us all, again?
“I thought Karis got rid of the Beast of Judgment,” Cora said. She was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, and Raesinia felt another twinge of guilt for getting her involved. Genius or not, this was a lot to lay on someone her age. “Isn’t that in the Wisdoms?”
“We don’t know what this thing is,” Cyte said. “Only that it can control people.”
“But not completely,” Raesinia said. “Janus seems to be able to fight it.”
“Only a little bit,” Marcus said. “And it’s not just controlling his body, either. It was definitely Janus leading the battle against Kurot. He took us to pieces.”
“So it takes over someone almost completely,” Cyte said.
“And it can spread from one person to another?” Cora said. “Like at Satinvol.”
“Feor might know more,” Raesinia said. “We can talk to her as soon as we get to Vordan City.”
“What happens if Winter doesn’t come back?” Cora said. “Or if he’s too late?”
“He’ll be there,” Cyte said. Her tone brooked no argument.
“Even assuming he does,” Marcus said, “we need to think about what happens if he hasn’t got a magic bullet. Suppose Winter takes care of this Beast, and leaves the army for us to deal with?”
“I left orders for soldiers to be gathered at Vordan City,” Raesinia said. “If the Deputies-?General haven’t screwed things up, there should be some reinforcements waiting. Beyond that...” She shrugged.
“There’s no point in speculating,” Cyte said. “We don’t have enough information. Once we know what resources we have to work with and how much time we have, then we’ll see.”
“It might not hurt to start looking for a place to mount a defense,” Marcus said. “We know the basics. It has to be a strong position somewhere north of the city.”
Cyte sighed. “I’ll look over the maps. It’ll give me something to do until we get there, at least.” She got to her feet. “Your Highness, General. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get some sleep.”
“Me too.” Cora yawned.
They left the cabin. Just for a moment, Raesinia thought she detected a conspiratorial glance between them.
“She’s impressive,” Raesinia said.
“Cyte?” Marcus said. “I agree. I don’t think we’d have gotten this far without her.”
“She and Winter...”
Marcus nodded. “From what I hear.”
“Then for her sake I hope you’re right, and this isn’t all some trick of Janus’.”
“Me too.” Marcus shook his head. “Cora really helped you beat the King of Borel?”
Raesinia snorted. “More like I helped her. And mostly just because I’ve got a nastier mind than she does.” She grinned. “She helped us track down Maurisk’s people, remember?”
“I knew she had a head for figures,” Marcus said. “But... you’d better make sure she never falls into the wrong hands.”
“Don’t worry. Cora’s a good person. If not for my bad influence, I think she’d be entirely virtuous.”
Marcus chuckled. “That’s reassuring.”
They sat quietly for a moment. There was something in the air, a hum of tension Raesinia could practically feel in her bones.
“Well,” Marcus said. “I should go get some sleep myself.”
“You could,” Raesinia said, swallowing. “Or you could stay.”
“Stay?” Marcus said. “In your cabin?”
“Stay,” Raesinia repeated, watching him carefully. He can’t be that dense. “In, as you say, my cabin.”
“Ah.” Marcus glanced at the door. “People will notice.”
“I don’t care anymore.” Raesinia took a deep breath. “With everything you and I have been through trying to save this country, I think we’re entitled to... some latitude, don’t you?”
“That’s one way of putting it.”
Raesinia got out of her chair and went over to him. Sitting, he was only a little taller than she was, which made it easy to lean in and kiss him. This time, Marcus didn’t pull away.
When they broke apart at last, Raesinia reached for the hem of her shirt. Thankfully, her shipboard wear was considerably less formal than the dresses she’d worn in the Keep, and she was able to pull it and her undershirt over her head in one smooth motion, without spending an hour undoing tiny buttons.
Marcus stared, his expression suddenly unreadable. Raesinia felt her skin pebble into goose bumps, and she fought a sudden urge to cover herself. Spending her whole life being dressed by servants had left her without a lot of body modesty, but here, now, she suddenly wished she was a little more... mature. Why couldn’t I have died a year or two later?
“Marcus?” Raesinia said.
“Sorry.” He shook his head gently. “It’s just...”
“Am I not...?” Raesinia swallowed hard. “Is it too strange? The way I look?”
“What?” He bounded out of the chair and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close with a surprised squeak. “No. Raes, no. You’re beautiful.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
Flushing under his beard, he looked down at her. “I just thought... You really want this? With me?” He gestured at himself with one hand. “I’m not...”
“Oh, for God’s sake.” Raesinia rolled her eyes, then went in for another kiss, standing on her toes. Marcus’ hands gripped her shoulders and slid down her arms, his thumbs brushing inward across the slim curve of her breasts. Raesinia shivered.
“I should warn you,” she said, her mouth near his ear. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“Really?” He stood up a little straighter. “I thought you spent a year slumming it at the University. You must have learned something.”
“I mean, I understand the... mechanics. But I never thought it really applied to me.”
“Well,” Marcus said, leaning toward her again, “I’m not an expert. But I can offer a little instruction.”
“That’s good,” Raesinia murmured. “A queen should really be properly educated.”
24
Winter