“I’m. Um. Sorry it took me so long.” Stepping sideways, she waved a hand at her companions. “I think you’ve met Alex. This is Abraham, a healer from the Mountain, and Ennika, a... refugee. I wouldn’t have made it without them.”
“They all have demons? I knew I felt something in the palace.”
Winter nodded.
“Welcome, all of you,” Raesinia said. “Winter—”
“I know. We should talk, alone.” Winter turned to the others. “If you don’t mind waiting for a moment.”
Alex was looking around with obviously avaricious eyes, as though she were totaling up the cost of the furnishings. Abraham nodded kindly and directed Ennika to a seat at a nearby table. Raesinia reached out and rang a small silver bell that hung from the wall.
“Eric will be here in a moment,” the queen said. “If you need anything—?drinks, food—?just tell him.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Alex said.
Raesinia waved vaguely as she retreated to an inner room, with Winter following behind. This was her bedchamber, with a huge four-?poster bed shrouded by translucent curtains dominating. Raesinia shut the door behind them and let out a deep breath.
“Not that I mind, obviously,” she said, “but can I ask how you got into the palace without anyone telling me?”
“Sothe,” Winter said. “She found us in Murnsk and brought us here.”
“She’s here?” Raesinia said.
“In the city, at least,” Winter said. “There was business to take care of, apparently. But she told me to tell you that she’s sorry and that she’ll be there when you need her.”
There was a long silence, punctuated by a soft thump as Raesinia slumped back against the closed door. The tears in her eyes threatened to overflow, and she wiped her sleeve across her face, sniffing.
“When I most need her,” Raesinia said in a small voice. “I’ve needed her ever since she left. Idiot woman.”
“I know the situation is... complicated,” Winter said, shifting awkwardly. “Whatever she’s doing, she has a good reason.”
“Of course she does.” Raesinia blinked rapidly and pushed herself away from the door. “God. I’m sorry. It’s been a difficult few days.”
“I understand,” Winter said. “How much do you know about what’s happening?”
“About the war, you mean?”
“About the Beast.”
Raesinia stared at her. “How can you know about that?”
“I was there,” Winter said. “When it escaped from Elysium.”
“Escaped?” Raesinia shook her head. “You may need to start at the beginning.”
There wasn’t time to go over everything, of course. Even a summary took a while. Winter kept to the basics—?the nature of the Beast, its ability to control minds, its unstoppable spread throughout Murnsk and its implacable pursuit of Infernivore. While she spoke, Raesinia walked slowly to the bed and sat down, as though she didn’t trust her legs.
When Winter came to Ennika’s role in the story, the queen brought her up short. “Janus? She said Janus spoke to her?”
“Yes,” Winter said. “We weren’t certain if we could believe that, but it’s hard to think what the Beast has to gain by pretending to be Janus. I know it sounds crazy—”
“Not... entirely.” Raesinia shook her head. “Marcus met with Janus, during the campaign in the Pale valley. Janus demanded he surrender, but while they were talking he passed him a note. As though he had to... slip it past someone. It said that Janus’ mind was not his own and that you were our best chance against the Beast. That’s the only reason I know the name.”
“Saints and martyrs,” Winter said. “So he really could be... alive in there? Aware? Whatever that means.”
“And trying to help us,” Raesinia said.
“Or trick us into helping him. I wouldn’t put either past Janus,” Winter said. But she had to admit the corroboration lifted some of her doubt. “And now he’s coming here?”
Raesinia nodded. “With an army that’s at least twice as strong as everything we’ve got.”
“Ennika said the core, the Beast’s original body, is coming with him.”
“If we kill that, does it hurt the thing?”
“Not seriously,” Winter said. “But if I can get to it with Infernivore, the Eldest at the mountain thought I might be able to destroy it for good. That has to be the chance Janus talked about.” Winter took a deep breath. “If I push on north, I should be able to find it before he reaches the city. I don’t know exactly what will happen if I succeed—”
“You’ll never get close,” Raesinia said. “Don’t be stupid. The Beast knows this is a possibility, even if it doesn’t know you’re here. The core will be well guarded.”
“What else can we do?” Winter said. “I have to try.”
“We can figure out a way that gives you a chance at success,” Raesinia said. “Which means not running off half-?cocked. We may not be able to match Janus’ numbers, but he’ll have to at least deploy for battle when he comes against us, and that alone will give you an easier shot at the core.” She got up from the bed, her face all decision. “We need to talk to Marcus. He’s out there trying to bang the fresh recruits into some kind of army—”
“That may not be a good idea,” Winter said, a little desperately. “Time could be important.”
“Like I said, if we’re only going to get one chance, we have to make it count. Besides, I’m sure there are other people you’re going to want to see.” Raesinia smiled again. “You’re back from the dead. Do you have any idea—”
“No,” Winter said. “Please. You can’t... tell people I’m here.” Cyte. “I can’t...”
The room shimmered. This time, Winter realized, she was the one on the verge of tears.
There was a pause. After a moment she felt Raesinia take her hand, pulling her to a seat on a velvet-?cushioned chaise. The queen sat down across from her, cross-?legged on an ottoman.
“Winter,” Raesinia said. “What’s going on?”
“I just...” Winter swallowed hard. “When I confronted the Beast the first time, at Elysium, it nearly devoured me at the same time I was using Infernivore to try to destroy it. Assuming I succeed this time, I’m not sure that it... won’t succeed, too. I don’t know if there’ll be anything left of me afterward.”
“Oh,” Raesinia said. Her gaze was far away.
“It has to be done,” Winter said. “I know that. If it’s me or all of humanity, obviously it has to be me. I’m not... afraid.” That was a lie. Sometimes she felt like she was nothing but afraid. “But the people in the Second Division, Marcus... they already think I’m dead. Wouldn’t it be more cruel to them to come back for a little while and then to leave again?”
Raesinia sighed. “I don’t know.”
“Then I should stay quiet—”
“It might be more cruel, in the end,” Raesinia interrupted. “But I do know that if you asked them, if you gave them the choice, they would want to see you again. However briefly you were going to stay.”
Winter stared at her. Her throat was thick. Raesinia looked down, her hands interlocking in her lap.