Shalador’s Lady (The Black Jewels #8)(33)
Author: Anne Bishop

“She’s not my Queen, Theran,” he said quietly. “She never will be. I look at her and see the same kind of Queen I fought against for three centuries. Nothing is going to change that, boy. We’re standing on opposite sides of a line now. I’m sorry for that, but that’s the way it is.”

“You’ll regret this,” Theran said urgently. “A year from now, Kermilla will be the Queen of Dena Nehele, and she may not forgive you for treating her this way.”

“That may be. If she does take control of Dena Nehele . . .” Talon shrugged. “I’ve spent most of my life as a rogue in the Tamanara Mountains. If it comes to that, I’ll finish my life the same way.”

“You don’t mean that. Youcan’t mean that.”

“I mean every word. Don’t tell yourself otherwise.”

They stood in a doorway, both feeling something break between them that would never truly mend.

“May the Darkness embrace you, Theran.” He hesitated, then felt he had to say one last thing, try one last time. “I’ve taught you what I could about honor, about the Invisible Ring. The day may come when you have to make a choice, so I want you to remember this: it is better to break your own heart than to break your honor.”

“When did you ever make that choice?” Theran asked bitterly.

Right here. Right now.

Talon walked away from one of the boys he loved, walked out of the mansion, and headed for the landing web beyond the gate. The sun’s fist beat on him with every step until he caught the Sapphire Wind and rode it through the Darkness, heading for Eyota.

Part of him wanted Theran to come after him. Part of him hoped the boy would stay away until he was free of Kermilla.

And part of him had the sick feeling that Theran would use the Grayhaven name to justify breaking all of their trust.

Theran stood on the terrace, staring at the single remaining honey pear seedling. Gray had watered it, had given it that last bit of care before taking the other twelve.

Grayleft. Even more than Talon, Gray’s misguided loyalty to Cassidy hurt. Hell’s fire, it hurt. Ranon? He didn’t give a damn if he ever saw the man again, but if Ranon was gone that meant Shira was gone—and he needed to find someone else to act as Kermilla’s personal Healer.

Probably for the best. He wasn’t sure he would trust Kermilla’s well-being to a Healer who was also a Black Widow.

“Oh,la. There you are.” Kermilla slipped her arm through his and gave him a sunny smile. “Why the sour face?”

“Gray took the honey pears.”

Her forehead wrinkled as she looked at the marks on the terrace where the other pots had been. “Just as well. That was such a hodgepodge of pots it was very unattractive.”

“Those honey pears are a legacy, Kermilla. Their existence means a great deal to the Dena Nehele people.”

“Oh,” she said contritely. “I didn’t realize.”

Why didn’t she realize? He had told her the story of how those pears were found after being buried for centuries. Of course, a guest would listen to the story as astory —entertaining, but not important. But a Queen preparing to rule a Territory with a past like Dena Nehele’s needed to understand the significance of those seedlings.

Just because Cassidy probably would have understood the significance didn’t make her a better Queen. She was older and liked to grub around in the dirt. Kermilla, being younger, just needed more guidance in some areas.

“Kermilla, would you have breakfast with me in private?” He’d tell her about the honey pears again—and about Cassidy’s rude departure.

“Oh,la. ” She gave him a delighted smile. “You are being sonaughty. My Consort will be jealous.”

“It’s not like that.”

Her expression immediately turned woeful. “Oh. I thought . . .”

Was she hinting that she’d like to have him as her lover? He was willing.More than willing. Even if he had to dance around the damn Consort’s presence.

“There are some things I need to tell you,” he said. “And there are some possibilities we need to discuss.”

No, he wouldn’t break Cassidy’s court and risk Talon going after Kermilla. But he would make the best use of the time to prepare the ground for theright Queen.

A wet swipe across her cheek. A slurp across her closed eyes.

“Aarhhh. Uuhhh.”

*Cassie? Cassie! Gray says you must wake up so you can go to sleep.* A pause. *That is confusing, so it must be a human thing.* “Wha . . . ?”

*Wake up!*

“Vae?” Cassidy grunted. Groaned. “Gray?”

“Here.”

A warm hand covered hers.

She smacked her lips—and made a face. “Hell’s fire. Did I swallow a cat?Vae. ” That because a Sceltie nose almost poked inside her mouth.

*I do not smell cat.*

“Why do you ask, Cassie?” Gray asked.

Bastard sounded like he was laughing at her. “My tongue feels fuzzy.”

“How many cups of that brew did you give her?”

Ranon’s voice.

“Enough to soothe a heart,” Yairen said.

“How are you feeling?” Shira asked. “Do you want anything?”

Since no one else answered, Cassidy decided the questions had been directed at her. “Toast. Scrambled eggs. Bath.” And something to scrape the fuzz off her tongue. “Who is here?”And where is here? Oh. Yes. Boardinghouse. She had meant to go to Dharo but had ended up here because Ranon took her trunks. The prick.

“Almost the whole First Circle,” Gray answered, sounding tense.

“Oh,” Cassidy said. Then her eyes popped open and she jackknifed to a sitting position. “Thecourt is here?”

“Mostly,” Gray said. “Talon hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Your bedroom is ready,” Shira said. “What you need now is more sleep. After your bath, toast, and scrambled eggs.”

“I can . . .” What? She was pretty sure she wasn’t hungover, but she wasn’t feeling smart either. “I can stay here.”

*You are in the way,* Vae said. *But we are not supposed to tell you that because you are the Queen.*

“Come on, darling,” Gray said, snorting in the effort not to laugh out loud. “Let’s get you up to bed.”

“I can—”

Gray hauled her to her feet. She felt a lot more tipsy now that she was standing up, so she didn’t protest when Gray wrapped an arm around her waist and steered her toward the hallway and the stairs.