Vex was still obliged to return to her own realm for two days every week to recharge her fire. She arrived at Malveria’s palace in good spirits.
“Here I am!” she announced, walking uninvited into the Fire Queen’s private chambers. “The hero of the ball.”
The Fire Queen, engaged in some quiet reading, welcomed her adopted niece without much enthusiasm.
“Have I not told you to announce yourself properly? And what do you mean ‘hero of the ball’?”
“Master spy and seductress,” said Vex. “I expect the papers I cunningly got from Bakmer were just what Dominil needed. Probably the vital clue.”
“It was not all that cunning to get him drunk and stick your hand in his pocket,” said the Fire Queen. “And as for your behavior at the ball, it left a great deal to be desired.”
Agrivex looked exasperated. “You see, Aunt Malvie, this is why I don’t like coming to the palace. It’s just criticism all the time. What did I do wrong now?”
The Fire Queen laid down her scroll. “You became hopelessly intoxicated and made an exhibition of yourself.”
“I did not. I was just pretending.”
“I can tell when you are intoxicated, dismal niece. Your aura turns a particularly unpleasant shade of purple. But your public grappling with Adviser Bakmer is not the only reason I was displeased. I expected you to formally greet the Empress of the Hainusta.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you are her equal. As my heir, you now carry heavy responsibility for the dignity of the Hiyasta.”
“Well, I didn’t want to be your heir in the first place,” protested Agrivex. “You only adopted me in a hurry so I could use the powers of the volcano.”
“Nonetheless it was done,” said Malveria. “And I expect you to act accordingly. As a first step, start wearing appropriate clothing while in the palace.”
Agrivex looked down at her clothes. She had on the same tiny shorts she’d worn to the ball, now accompanied by a very chunky pair of glacier boots, a colorful Tokyo Top Pop Boom Boom Girl T-shirt, accessorized with some yellow plastic beads.
“What’s wrong with my clothes?”
“Everything that is possible. Retire to your chambers and put on a dress.”
“Absolutely not.”
“I insist.”
“I’m not doing it.”
The Fire Queen’s eyes blazed. “You dare to speak to me in that tone?”
“Yes. You’re really the worst aunt ever. I come here after doing my best at the ball and what happens? You start moaning about my clothes. What are you in such a bad mood about anyway?”
“I am not in a bad mood,” said the Fire Queen, who quite obviously was.
There was a discreet knock at the door.
“Enter,” said the Fire Queen testily. A young attendant put his head into the room, rather nervously.
“Duke Garfire is without, mighty Queen.”
The attendant withdrew swiftly. The Fire Queen glared at her niece. “Garfire! How I loathe this man. And now I have agreed to spend the afternoon with him in the Royal Galleries. This is all your fault, vile niece.”
“Have you been sitting here in a bad mood just because you made a date with Garfire?”
“Garfire would put any right-thinking woman in a bad mood.”
“Well, just cancel the date.”
“It is not as simple as that, idiotic niece. It was easy for you to plunge me into this whirlwind of ambitious noblemen. It is not so easy for me to extricate myself. One cannot insult Garfire without insulting the Duchess Gargamond. Palace politics are complex, and you would do well to learn about it.”
“Pfff,” said Agrivex.
“What does ‘pfff’ mean?”
“I’ll get you out of it,” said Agrivex, and headed for the door.
The Fire Queen rose hurriedly. “Agrivex, do not meddle—”
By this time Agrivex was in the outer chamber. Garfire stood there, in his best formal fire cloak.
“Duke Garfire!” said Vex. “Nice to see you. I’m sorry the Queen can’t see you today. She’s got another engagement. All my fault, I double-booked, you know how scatty I am.”
“Another engagement?”
“I promised she’d receive Beau DeMortalis.”
“Agrivex,” came the Queen’s voice as she rushed from the chamber.
“I just forgot all about it,” continued Agrivex. “But we can’t disappoint DeMortalis, he’d be crushed. Anyway, understandable error, all my fault.
The Duke looked from Agrivex to the Fire Queen, and back again.
“Well, I am most sorry to hear this. I suppose the error is . . . understandable.” He bowed. “I trust we can make the arrangement another time, mighty Queen.” The Duke left the chamber.
“See?” said Agrivex. “That wasn’t so difficult.”
“Why did you say I would receive Duke DeMortalis?”
“Well, he’s in the palace, isn’t he?”
“In the visitor’s guest wing. I cannot officially receive him in my chambers.”
“Why not?” said Agrivex. “Aren’t you always saying he’s the only aristocrat you actually like?”
“Yes, but he is not a suitable person for me to receive.”
“I don’t see why not. You can’t be carrying on ancient prejudices forever. If anyone objects, just say your idiot niece organized it. Well, Aunty, I’m tired. I’m off for a sleep.”
The Fire Queen glared at her niece. “One moment, dismal niece. I take it your powers of fire have not improved?”
“I’m working on them.”
“Would you care to demonstrate your progress?”
“I really need to sleep,” said Vex, who had made no progress at all. “Traveling between dimensions really wears me out.”
“I think your unsuitable boyfriend is more likely to have worn you out.”
“Do you have to read my aura all the time?” said Vex.
“One does not need to read your aura. Your annoying grin gives you away.”
“I’d better get some sleep,” said Agrivex, and departed as quickly as she could.
Behind her the Queen was thoughtful. She sent for Gruselvere and Iskiline. “My niece has just announced that I am to receive Beau DeMortalis.”
Her chief dresser and her wardrobe mistress were astonished.
“Here in your own chambers?” said Iskiline. “Officially?”
“Yes. Can I allow the Duke to visit me?”
“I don’t think so,” said Gruselvere. “He fought against you in the war.”
“He did. But the Duke has surely restored his reputation. More recently he fought at my side during Distikka’s rebellion. It’s true that he stumbled upon the battle by accident after leaving the bedchamber of a kitchen maid, but at least he came.”
Gruselvere picked up a heavy crystal decanter and poured three glasses of port.
“The Duke still has a bad reputation,” she said. “There’s the gambling. And drinking. And the succession of kitchen maids.”
“But he is such a wit,” said Iskiline. “And he has beautiful clothes.”
The Fire Queen sipped from her crystal goblet. “Xakthan would no doubt be unhappy were I to receive DeMortalis. But I believe the population would not be outraged.”
In her bedchamber, Vex noticed that one of her small blue flowers was wilting. She put her hand over it and a tiny blue flame flowed into the flower. It responded immediately, raising its face healthily toward the ceiling. The ceiling was still covered in streaks of silver, spray-painted by Vex, to the Fire Queen’s great disgust.
“My super-cunning plan for marrying off Aunt Malvie is going well,” she told the flower.
Beau DeMortalis, Duke of the Black Castle, was surprised to be summoned to the throne room.
“DeMortalis,” said the Queen, quite imperiously, “I will receive a visit from you in my own wing of the palace.”
“This is a great honor—”
“You will make sure your attendants are respectable. I want none of your dubious entourage of harlots and so-called kitchen maids. Nor will you bring any of your disreputable gambling associates, particularly the Dead Prince of Garamlock, who I am quite certain cheats at cards by summoning information from beyond the grave.”
The Duke of the Black Castle bowed. “I’ll do as you say, mighty Queen.”