It took Destin a moment to process that. “Really? Does he have one picked out?”
Madeleine shrugged. “There’s only one left, isn’t there? They were talking about all the women they’d had, and would have. Jarat said Father never bedded a wolf, but he would, and even a wolf could be tamed with the proper—”
“Madeleine!” Marina scowled at her daughter and thrust out her hand. Madeleine sighed deeply, dug in her tiny purse, pulled out a copper, and dropped it into her mother’s hand.
“What’s the copper for, Your Highness?” Destin said to Madeleine.
“Mama is trying to teach me dis . . .” She frowned and looked at Marina.
“Discretion, darling,” Marina said.
“Whenever I’m . . . indiscreet, I have to pay Mama a copper.”
Destin reached behind Madeleine’s ear and pretended to pull out a silver. He handed it to her and said, “You were saying?”
Mother and daughter both laughed.
“I think it was just Jarat bragging like he always does,” Madeleine said, tucking away the silver.
I hope so, Destin thought, recalling what Matelon had said about the northern queen. “If your brother means to marry a wolf, you should tell him that wolves eat hawks for dinner,” he said.
“No,” Marina said sharply. “You should not tell him that. Now, isn’t it time for your dance lesson?”
“She wants me to leave,” Madeleine confided in a stage whisper. She kissed Destin on the cheek, curtsied to her mother, and flounced away.
Marina gazed after her. “She will make somebody a clever queen if she lives that long.” She turned back to Destin, set out two cups, and poured them both some cider. “What brings you into the garden today?”
It was an odd echo of his garden walks with Gerard, during which he’d receive his marching orders.
Destin nodded toward Madeleine, a bright spot of color disappearing through the gate. “Is there anything to what she said? Is there some kind of plan or negotiation with the north afoot?”
Marina sighed. “Not to my knowledge, Destin, but the king doesn’t confide in me much anymore, either. I’ve been giving him too much counsel that’s contrary to his nature. I don’t think he trusts me to tell him what he wants to hear. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people at court who will.” She fluffed her skirts and offered him a platter of grapes. “But enough about our family squabbles. What do you have for me?”
It was part of their unspoken bargain—to trade information without getting too specific about sources.
Destin sorted through bits of information, setting aside those that were too dangerous to share.
“Do you remember the empress in the east? Who wanted to lend us an army?”
“Of course. That deal fell through, right?”
“Right,” Destin said. “But she’s brought an army anyway, and invaded the Fells.” He watched the queen closely, and she looked absolutely ambushed. The queen had her own sources, but clearly she hadn’t known this was coming, either.
She leaned forward. “Does the king know? Is he working with the empress?”
“I was going to ask you that question,” Destin said. “My sources—on both sides of the Indio—are usually reliable, especially as regards diplomacy with the empire. From what I’m hearing, there has been no communication to or from, which suggests that she is acting on her own.” He paused, then continued, knowing that he had to frame this in the right way. “I think I can say with confidence that the king doesn’t know it yet, but he soon will. Jarat will think this is good news, that it will free him up to act against the thanes.”
Marina raised an eyebrow. “And? You disagree?”
“If King Jarat thinks it’s bad having Queen Raisa as a neighbor, wait until he has to contend with Celestine,” Destin said. “In just a few years, she has conquered the entire Desert Coast. Her army is larger than ever, and her soldiers are unstoppable. If she invaded the Fells without an agreement with the empire, you can bet that this is just the prelude to her coming south.”
Queen Marina studied him, as if she suspected there was more to the story than he was letting on. “Even if what you say is true—which I’m not conceding—why shouldn’t we bide our time and build our strength while she is busy in the north?”
“But we aren’t building our strength, we’re spending men and treasure on a civil war.”
“Have you spoken to the thanes about this?”
Matelon tried that, and failed, Destin thought, and he’s a much more appealing spokesperson than I am.
“If I walked into White Oaks, I’d never walk out again,” he said. “I’m not the best person to reach out to the rebels.”
“What is it you want, then?” Marina said, going for the meat of the matter. “What are you hoping will happen?”
“I would like to see both sides come to the table and end the civil war. Then we can send our armies into the north and help them drive off the empress.”
“We’ve been sending our armies into the north for twenty-five years,” Marina said, laughing. “They have not been well received.”
“One step at a time,” Destin said. “First, we end the civil war.”
“Done!” Marina said, slapping her hand on the arm of the bench.
Destin released a long breath. “Jarat thinks the thanes won’t attack as long as he holds hostages. He’s wrong. Arschel Matelon will be marching on the capital any day now.”
“And you know this how?”
“No sources, remember,” Destin said. “If the rebels reach the city walls, Jarat will begin killing hostages. If he does, there’s no way any of us will survive this war.”
“You’re that sure the thanes will win?”
Destin rocked his hand. “I give them sixty-forty odds—maybe seventy-thirty. Matelon is a seasoned military commander—the best in the empire other than the general. Heresford’s no slouch, either. Tourant’s an asshole, but he has lots of bannermen to call upon.” Destin paused, tilting his head toward the musicians.
Marina gestured, and they retreated a short distance, then resumed playing at full volume.
“I have it on good authority that Matelon’s son Halston has returned from the dead to fight alongside them. Everyone who’s served under him sings his praises. They say he’s a soldier’s soldier. He has a huge following in the imperial army.”
“He lost two big battles this year,” Marina said.
“Yes,” Destin said, looking her straight in the eye, “he did. As the general intended.”
He waited while Marina connected the dots. She never needed an extended explanation.
“So. The king’s soldiers might desert en masse if they find out that young Captain Matelon is on the other side?” she said.
“It’s possible. It doesn’t help that Jarat has been slow about paying the troops. At least Gerard was smart enough to keep his armies happy.” It was time for the ask. “If we can remove the hostages from the equation, Jarat might see reason and negotiate with the thanes.”
Marina considered this. “Is there any way they would accept a truce that would allow him to keep his throne and his head?”
“I don’t know,” Destin said honestly. “It’s early yet, and he hasn’t committed any unforgivable sin. There’s still time for him to show that he’s more reasonable than his father. The thanes really don’t want another civil war. They want an end to the war they’ve been fighting for a quarter century. They want to keep some of their money, for a change.”
“So they can fight another war against the empress?” Marina raised an eyebrow.
“Nobody wants that one, either,” Destin said. “But in this case we may have no choice. Who knows? A show of strength from us might send the empress back across the Indio, and that would be the best outcome of all.”
“But you don’t believe that will happen,” Marina said.
Destin shook his head. “No, I don’t.”
“So you want me to help you free the hostages,” the queen said.