David Coe - Shapers of Darkness

Her father merely glanced at her. “Whoever it may be, this person has been quite clever about hiding his or her treachery. We’ve neither seen nor heard anything that would indicate that there is a traitor in the court.”

“Is it possible that we’ve been wrong about all this?” Olesya asked. “Perhaps there are no traitors in Yserne.”

Clearly the queen wanted to believe this; it was written on her handsome face, in the hopeful look in her dark eyes. But Diani knew better. The conspiracy was everywhere, infesting the land like some pernicious weed, spreading its tendrils through all the houses in the realm, insinuating itself into every court. It would take some time to prove this, perhaps more time than they had. Which was why they had to expose the traitors in the queen’s court as quickly as possible. This was where the evil was rooted-she was certain of that, as well. Kill the thing here, and perhaps the tendrils would wither and die.

“The conspiracy is real, Your Highness,” Diani told her. “And it’s here, in Yserne. Whoever had Kreazur killed was thoroughly familiar with this castle and this city.”

Olesya had heard this from her before, but still the words seemed to pain her, bringing a grimace to her lips and leaving her looking bent and frail.

“I’m too old to be fighting two wars at once.”

“You’re not fighting either of them alone, Your Highness.”

The queen forced a smile. “I know that, Diani. Thank you. And thank you, Sertio. I wish you could have learned more, but I know that you did what you could.”

“Your Highness,” Diani said, sensing that Olesya was about to dismiss them, “I’d like to ride with you to Eibithar.”

“Thank you, Diani, but our force will be large enough with the soldiers from the northwest houses, and we really can’t delay.”

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but you misunderstand. I don’t want to lead my army to Eibithar, I merely wish to accompany you myself.”

Sertio looked at her sharply, drawing breath to object.

“To what end?” the queen asked, before he could.

“To keep watch on Abeni and the other Qirsi. You’ll be occupied with the war, as will Naditia and the others. But since I won’t be leading an army, I can give my full attention to the conspiracy.” She faltered, but only for an instant. “Besides, this all began with the attack on me. I’d like to see it through to the end.”

“This war may be only the beginning, Diani. It may be quite dangerous to allow yourself to be driven by vengeance.”

She hadn’t said no, at least not yet. Diani pressed her advantage.

“Vengeance has nothing to do with it, Your Highness. You’ve decided to grant Kearney’s request because you see in this war the hand of the conspiracy. We saw it as well in the attempts on my life, and who knows how many times we’ve failed to see what should have been obvious to us. Our enemies may be all around us, but they won’t show themselves until we’re most vulnerable. If this war is a Qirsi feint, shouldn’t someone be with you, watching for the hidden blade?”

“Why you?” Sertio demanded. “You’ve never been to war, and as good as you are with steel, you’re not accomplished enough to guard the queen’s life. You should be in Curlinte, with your people and your army. I’ll accompany the queen.”

She should have been grateful. He was trying to protect her, as any good father would. But she heard only his challenge, his questioning of her abilities and her judgment.

“No, Father. You can’t do this. Whoever goes with the queen must be able to spot the traitor before he or she strikes. And you’re just too trusting. What good is steel if it never leaves its sheath?”

His face shaded to crimson, and he leveled a rigid finger at her chest. “Just because-”

“Stop it!” Olesya glared at them both. “I haven’t even said yet that I’ll allow one of you to accompany me, and already you’re fighting over which of you will be riding.”

“She has no place in this war, Your Highness. Better you should go without either of us than take her. You can just as easily have one of your men keep watch on the Qirsi.”

“I believe you do her a disservice, Sertio. You love her; you fear for her. I understand that.” She paused, looking at the duchess. “You must understand that, too, Diani. What he said a moment ago was intended not to diminish you, but to protect you. You may have felt slighted, but until you’re a parent yourself, you shouldn’t judge your father too harshly.”

“Your Highness-”

“Let me finish, Sertio. I know that you want to keep her safe, but she’s not a girl anymore. She’s a woman, and with Dalvia gone, she is duchess of one of Sanbira’s leading houses. The attack at the coast has left you frightened, and rightfully so. But you can’t let your life, or Diani’s, be ruled by fear. Would you have her lock herself away within the walls of her castle so that no arrows can find her, no traitors can strike at her?”

His cheeks still red, Sertio shook his head and muttered, “Of course not.”

“Then let her do this. I think it a fine idea. The two of you have been watching Abeni and the others for some time now; it makes sense that Diani should continue to do so.” Diani’s father still did not look mollified. “I’ll take good care of her, Sertio. You have my word, not only as your queen, but as your friend.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Again they bowed to the queen, before leaving the chamber. Even after they were in the corridor, Sertio said nothing and for a time they walked in silence back toward their chambers on the far end of the inner keep. Only when they reached Diani’s door did her father finally look at her, his face like stone.

“You truly think me too trusting?”

“Father-”

“Do you?”

She took a breath. “Sometimes, yes.”

“And you believe this weakens me.”

“You’re a good man, Father, and a strong leader. You have fine qualities, among them your capacity to trust and the loyalty you show your friends. I just believe that some gifts, no matter how bright, have a dark side as well.”

“You may be right. And certainly the queen was correct when she said that I wish to keep you safe. But the real reason I don’t want you making this journey is that I fear your suspicions will get the better of you. I believe you want to accompany the queen for the same reason you imprisoned all the Qirsi in Curlinte. The attempts on your life have made you so frightened that you can no longer distinguish friend from foe, at least where the white-hairs are concerned. I may trust too willingly, but you see treachery behind every pair of yellow eyes. Tell me, Diani. Which is the darker gift?”

He left her then, and long after the click of his boots on the stone floors had faded to nothing, Diani still stood there, her hand poised on the door handle, her throat so tight she could hardly draw breath.

It took more than the suspicions of a queen and the prejudice of her small-minded nobles to keep Abeni ja Krenta, Sanbira’s archminister, from knowing all that happened in Castle Yserne. Though it had been more than a turn since Olesya had trusted her with any important task or confided in her in any meaningful way, there were those in the castle who still did her bidding, because they feared the influence she once had wielded and might someday wield again, or because they feared her magic, or because, like Abeni herself, they served the Weaver’s movement. She wasn’t without her own resources, her own servants. If it was possible for an Eandi to cast a pale shadow, then that was Abeni. White-skinned, white-haired, she was a counterpart to the queen. Perhaps her power didn’t reach as far as Olesya’s-yet-but she commanded a force of her own within the walls of this palace.