Felicia arrived early the next morning, presumably to help Naya dress for the Congress meeting. She smiled as she stepped into the room, but her smile fell when she saw Naya’s expression. “Miss Naya?” she asked, sounding uncertain. “I, ah, I see you’ve already gotten dressed. You never rang last night, so I wasn’t sure if I should come down and…” She trailed off.

Naya crossed her arms. After what Francisco had told her, she hadn’t felt up to facing Felicia last night. She’d spent a good half hour wrestling with the ties on the back of her ball gown before realizing she could simply make her body incorporeal and step through the fabric. She’d changed into a far more practical skirt and blouse of a modest Talmiran style, then spent the remaining hours of the night translating her father’s logbook and trying to figure out what to do about Felicia. In the end she’d decided a direct approach was her best option.

“You’ve been spying on me,” Naya said.

Felicia’s eyes widened, and Naya sensed a jolt of icy panic slicing through the girl’s aether. “I would never—”

“Would never dig through my bags and then report everything you found to Francisco? That sounds like spying to me, and I would know.”

Felicia opened her mouth as though to object. Instead she bit her lip and ducked her head. “I wasn’t spying exactly. Your things really did fall out of your bag back on the ship and I…” She grimaced, then met Naya’s gaze with obvious effort. “I did what I thought was best. When we left Ceramor, Lord Francisco asked me to look for anything suspicious. He said it could be important, so when I saw that strange book in your bag, I told him about it.”

When put that way, it didn’t sound so unreasonable.

Naya shifted uncomfortably. “You could have asked me about it instead of going straight to Francisco.”

She could sense Felicia’s fear and uncertainty like a heavy, sour fog in the aether. But underneath that she caught a glimmer of steely determination. “Is that what you would have done in my place?” Felicia asked.

“That isn’t the point at all.” Naya glared at Felicia. This wasn’t how she’d expected this conversation to go. “I never wanted a maid, especially not one I can’t trust.”

“Then what would you have me do? Should I go sit on my hands and wait in the servants’ quarters until the Congress is over?” Felicia asked.

“No, that’s not—” Naya closed her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. “Could we start over?”

Felicia looked away. “If that’s what you want. But if you expect me to go around pretending I don’t see things, or never asking questions, you’d be better off dismissing me.”

“What if I asked you to come to me first if you do see something?” Naya asked.

Felicia hesitated. “I guess I could do that.”

“Good.” Naya felt her shoulders relax a little. “Because I’d appreciate having someone around who can run errands and carry messages for me.” Felicia would likely have an easier time moving around the palace without guards following her every move.

Felicia’s eyebrows rose. “Even if it’s someone you don’t trust?”

“I trust you a lot further than I do the palace servants,” Naya said.

Felicia sniffed. “That’s just common sense. From what I’ve seen, the queen hired a right mob of newcomers to handle all the extra guests. Half of them don’t even seem to know their way around any better than I do.”

Naya responded with a weak smile. Even with all the preparations she’d made before coming to the Congress, she still felt badly out of her depth. She needed allies, and she was starting to realize that there was a lot more to Felicia than she’d first assumed. Felicia must have heard all the rumors about what Naya had done in Ceramor. But when Naya had confronted her, she’d told the truth and defended her actions. Naya respected that. “What you saw on the ship was my father’s old logbook. Francisco’s agreed that I should be the one to translate it to see if it has any more clues about Valn’s allies.”

Felicia met Naya’s eyes, as though looking for something there. Eventually she nodded. “Have you found anything?”

“Not yet,” Naya said. “But I’ll work on it some more after the meeting.”

Felicia glanced at the clock on the mantel. “Speaking of, maybe we should do something with your hair before everything gets started?”

“What’s wrong with my hair?” Naya asked. For the moment it hung in a simple braid down the back of her neck, the same way she’d usually worn it before she’d died.

“Well, simple styles like that aren’t really in fashion right now,” Felicia said. “I was talking with Lady Briello’s maid Yenni up in the servants’ quarters and she said she knew a girl who was maid to a lady wraith. Yenni said this girl would always do her lady’s hair and makeup, even though the lady could twist her features any way she liked. The lady found it easier to hold the changes if she saw them done beforehand by ordinary means. If you’d like, I can show you some of the new styles, then you can shift that way whenever you like.”

“We could try that,” Naya said cautiously. Felicia had done up her hair last night, but it hadn’t occurred to Naya to try re-creating the look from memory.

Felicia grinned. “Excellent!”

A half hour later, Naya stepped into the hallway with her hair spun in an elaborate coil on the back of her head. She wasn’t sure she could re-create the knot from scratch yet. But having watched Felicia create the style did make it easier to hold the image in her head and keep her hair from falling back into her usual braid or loose curls.

Most of the other delegates were already gathered near the stairs. Naya paused at the edge of the group, and after a moment Francisco came to join her. He was dressed in a fresh suit and walked with the quick steps of someone impatient to be elsewhere. Despite that, he looked exhausted. The skin under his eyes was puffy, and Naya saw him wince when a door slammed farther down the hall. “Good morning, Miss Garth,” he said.

Naya smiled politely. She wasn’t sure exactly where they stood after last night’s conversation, but at least his tone wasn’t as confrontational as it had been before. “Please, just call me Naya,” she said.

“That wouldn’t be very appropriate,” Francisco said.

“Please?” Naya asked. “It’s strange having so many people call me by my father’s name.” At first in Ceramor it had felt like treason to shed her old name. But in a way, it had also been freeing. As Naya Garth, she’d been a merchant’s apprentice who’d kept her head down and done as her father said. But Blue had been so much braver. She’d danced across rooftops and fallen in love with a boy who shaped molten fire with his bare hands.

She couldn’t be Blue anymore. Blue had died the day she told Corten the truth. Naya wasn’t sure exactly who she was now, but she knew Miss Garth didn’t fit the person she’d become.

Francisco watched her, and for a moment the tense lines of his face seemed to soften. “Naya, then,” he said.

Four soldiers waited at the end of the hall to escort the delegates to the first meeting of the Congress of Powers. “Excuse me, Miss Garth?” one of them said as Naya approached with the others.

Naya tensed. “Yes?”

The soldier stood parade-straight, staring at a point somewhere above her head. “The queen has requested you join her for tea.”

Naya stared at the man, stunned. “Queen Lial wants to have tea with me?” Queen Lial was a devout follower of Dawning law. She wasn’t as fervent as Naya’s father had been, but the queen was still outspoken about the dangers of necromancy. Why in creation would she want to meet with a wraith?

“I am to escort you there now,” the soldier said.

Naya heard murmurs from the other delegates. Delence clasped one hand on her shoulder. “Of course, Miss Garth would be delighted to join Her Majesty.” He squeezed so hard Naya imagined it would have left bruises had she still been made of flesh and blood. She struggled to regain her composure.

“What about the meeting?” she asked. Regulations prevented any ruler from attending the Congress meetings in person. Since the other leaders couldn’t abandon their lands to join the debates, Queen Lial would be represented by a delegation of advisers and experts, just as the other three Powers were. But though the queen wasn’t expected to be there, Naya had certainly been planning to attend.

“Don’t be foolish, girl,” Delence said with strained cheer. “We wouldn’t insult Queen Lial by ignoring such a request. We’ll do well enough without you.”

Naya searched the aether. With Delence’s hand on her shoulder, it wasn’t hard to pick his energy out from the crowd. He was obviously annoyed, though whether that was at her or the queen, she couldn’t be sure. The soldiers were farther away and harder to isolate among the energy of the delegates gathered in the hall. Their aether felt sharp and cold against her senses. They feared her, but so did almost every Talmiran who knew what she was.

The soldier who’d spoken first gestured for her to follow. Naya scanned the aether as they walked but didn’t find anything out of the ordinary as the soldier led her around the edge of the palace’s central circle and then to what proved to be a miniature version of the huge dock lifts. Rich carpet covered the floor of the lift, and the ceiling was decorated in a star pattern that mirrored the one in the grand ballroom. The soldier followed her inside, then pulled a small lever. Runes drew aether, and soon the lift began its ascent.

They rose slowly until the soldier turned the lever back and opened the doors. Naya blinked against a sudden rush of sunlight, struggling for a moment to reconcile what she was seeing. A green-and-blue-tiled walkway wound from the lift’s doors to disappear among lush foliage and bright flowers. The room’s ceiling was made entirely of glass, the huge panels bounded by a metal frame that looked too insubstantial for Naya’s comfort.

Faint, strange music sounded from somewhere beyond the lush greenery. Naya closed her eyes. The aether drifting from the plants felt cool and soothing after the flood of harsh emotions that had surrounded her ever since she’d returned to Talmir. Combined with the rich smells of damp earth and growing things, it made her want to curl up and doze in the sun. Reluctantly she pushed the urge aside. She couldn’t imagine why Queen Lial would summon her. But whatever the reason, it would be best to keep her wits sharp.

She followed the soldier around the corner to where the path opened up. Fruit trees and beds of flowers formed a half circle around a delicate table laden with tea and sweets. The wall at the edge of the circle was made of the same glass as the ceiling, offering an incredible view of the city.

Queen Lial sat at the table with the two Endran ambassadors, who were dressed in simpler variants of the flowing pants and tunics they’d worn the night before. Naya recognized Ambassador Bargal from their brief conversation. His companion was a woman with short red-brown hair and striking features. She looked younger than Bargal and wore an impassive expression as she watched a trio of Endran musicians play next to the table. Their instruments were pipes of some sort, each one a slightly different length and shape.

Their music rose and fell in a slow, mournful melody. Naya paused at the edge of the clearing, not wanting to interrupt. Through the aether she could sense the sharp anticipation of soldiers standing guard somewhere nearby.

The song concluded and Ambassador Bargal turned to the queen. “What do you think of our people’s music?”

“It is lovely,” Queen Lial answered with a smile. “Truly. I think there is much we can learn from each other.”

“I agree,” Bargal said with a deep nod. “We’ve stayed separate for far too long.” He glanced over as though noticing Naya for the first time. “But forgive me, you have another guest.”

The queen turned to Naya, and her smile was replaced by a cool expression. “Ah, yes. Business calls. Ambassadors, I’m afraid I must speak to this young woman alone.”

Naya stood awkwardly to the side as the musicians tucked away their instruments and the two ambassadors rose and bowed to the queen. Ambassador Bargal didn’t so much as glance at Naya as he and the others brushed past her—strange after he’d been so eager to speak to her the night before.

“Please, have a seat,” Queen Lial said.

Naya pushed Bargal from her mind and turned to face the queen of Talmir. Queen Lial sat watching Naya over the rim of a porcelain teacup. She wore a high-collared gown of light green with a skirt cut to display its many silken layers. Tiny aether lights woven into the fabric highlighted the subtle color changes among the different skirts.

The queen’s dark hair tumbled artfully from a twisting knot at her neck, and she sat with an air of casual elegance that made Naya feel homely and awkward by comparison. The bones in her hand throbbed as she fought down the sudden image of her hair exploding back out into a snarl of curls. Instead, she willed herself to be the calm, elegant girl she’d seen in her dressing room mirror that morning.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Naya dipped a low curtsy, then sat in the ironwork chair across from the queen. She tried to keep her expression pleasantly neutral, even though a part of her wanted to sprint back to the rune lift. The woman sitting across from her could have her executed at a word. She could claim Naya had tried to attack her. Creator, she might not need any excuse at all.

Queen Lial took a sip of her tea. “You’re wondering why I asked you here,” she said.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The queen’s eyebrows rose a fraction. “How very polite. Though I can see from your eyes that you’re not at all pleased to be here.”

Naya blinked. “Your Majesty, I—”

“No. Please don’t bother making excuses. I hear more than enough of those as it is. Your unease is understandable, so let me make a few things clear before we continue our conversation. I am aware of the circumstances that led you to be what you are. I know you were not a willing participant in Valn’s schemes, and while Talmiran law makes it very clear you are no longer a citizen, I’m happy to leave any questions about your soul for the Creator to sort out.” She paused and looked intently at Naya as though expecting an answer.

“Thank you?” Naya said after an awkward silence. She wasn’t sure if she should feel impressed or insulted by the declaration. On the one hand, many Talmirans would dismiss her as a monster. It meant something significant that the queen was willing to speak to her like this. On the other hand, she was the queen. She could change the laws about undead citizenship or speak in favor of peace and reconciliation between Talmir and Ceramor. She hadn’t, which made her comments about Naya’s soul little more than a condescending attempt to win her gratitude.

Anger won out and stirred like a hungry beast in Naya’s chest. She drew in aether and fought to quash it. She didn’t know what was going on here, but she couldn’t risk doing anything rash, not if she wanted to leave the garden alive.

The queen watched her with a knowing smile, then selected a red-and-white cookie from the plate next to the teapot. She took a bite, the brittle sweet snapping audibly in the silence. “You’re welcome. Now, let us speak about Belavine. As I understand things, you saw a great deal of the traitor’s plans.”

The queen’s gaze was intent, her golden-brown eyes glittering with a focus that seemed to drill straight through her former subject.

Naya looked down at her folded hands. She didn’t have a heart to pound, but the tension humming in her chest felt liable to shake her apart all the same. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Lord Delence made it clear I wasn’t to answer any questions about that until the trial.”

Queen Lial waved the comment away with a dismissive gesture. “Lord Delence isn’t here. And quite frankly I am not convinced he’s been entirely honest in his reports.”

“But you think I will be?” Naya asked, unable to keep the disbelief from her voice.

“Perhaps. After all, he hasn’t been honest with you either.”

“What do you mean?” Naya drew in aether, trying to figure out if the queen was lying. But the little lights in the queen’s skirt were sucking up her aether. Between that and the aether drifting from the plants, it was hard to get a clear read on her emotions.

“I wonder, did Lord Delence tell you I had been planning to withdraw Valn from his position shortly before the Belavine incident?”

“I—no, Your Majesty,” Naya said.

“I thought not. And I assume he’s told you that I am the true mastermind behind Valn’s scheme?”

“He’s never said that,” Naya said. That much at least wasn’t a lie. Though Delence clearly believed the queen was behind the coup, he’d been careful to avoid saying so outright.

The queen smiled thinly, as though she saw right through the avoidance. “Well, be that as it may, he has made it clear through his actions that he suspects me. He refuses to trust any evidence I offer to the contrary or to work with me in uncovering the truth.”

“What truth would that be?” Naya leaned forward. She wasn’t sure what game Queen Lial was trying to play here. But if the queen was willing to discuss what she knew of Valn, that wasn’t an opportunity Naya could pass up.

Queen Lial set down her teacup. For a moment she seemed lost in thought. “Do you know what I love, Miss Garth? Numbers. Numbers are so much clearer and more honest than people. Often they reveal the little truths that people try to hide. I like to know the truth, so I make a point of always reviewing the kingdom’s financial reports. And in those reports, I found certain numbers regarding Valn’s expenditures that seemed a little too tidy to be real. I suspected something was going on at his embassy, but I had no idea of the scale until I heard the news from Ceramor.”

Naya sat quietly and listened with growing unease.

“The bribes Lord Delence claims were paid to Ceramoran officials represent a substantial amount of money, especially when you consider the added funds needed to supply and ensure the loyalty of Valn’s spy network. I’ve searched my accounts but so far found no indication where that money might have come from. Do you know what that means, Miss Garth?”

“That you need better accountants?” Naya asked.

The queen’s expression darkened and Naya cursed herself for not thinking before speaking. “It means,” Queen Lial said sharply, “that someone is lying to me. If that money left Talmir, then my numbers should show some sign of its passing. They don’t. So either someone inside my government or the guilds is working very hard to hide their traitorous donations, or the money didn’t come from Talmir.”

Naya realized her hands had curled into fists around the fabric of her skirt. She forced her fingers to relax. “Who else would pay to start a coup in Ceramor?” she asked.

“Who else indeed?” Queen Lial asked with a smile. “It seems strange that Delence is so insistent on ignoring my offers of help, especially given how much he has benefited from Valn’s actions.”

“That’s—” Naya snapped her mouth shut. She could tell from the lines of tension around the queen’s eyes that she’d already pushed her luck. Calling the queen a liar to her face did not seem like a good idea. “I’m not sure what all this has to do with me, Your Majesty.”

“It has everything to do with you. After all that happened to you in Belavine, I believe you have very good reasons to want to see Valn’s allies exposed. So why don’t you and I have a nice little talk, and perhaps between your experiences and my numbers, we can find the truth.”

Naya leaned back in her chair. She and Delence had both assumed Queen Lial had supported Valn’s plans from the start. What if they’d been wrong? Valn’s allies could be anyone. They might not even be in Talmir. Lucia’s journals could be on the other side of the world.

Naya felt her thoughts spiraling toward panic as the queen stared at her. “I can’t help you,” she said, hating the waver in her voice. Even if Queen Lial was telling the truth, Naya wouldn’t risk giving her any information. She had too many secrets. One wrong word could expose her as a reaper. And there was a chance this was all a trap, a way for the queen to probe and find out exactly how much Delence did or didn’t know about her involvement with Valn.

The queen picked up another cookie and examined it. “That’s a shame,” she said. “Especially given your circumstances. I heard you had some trouble on your way into the palace.”

Anger surged in Naya’s chest. She had risen halfway from her chair before she realized what she was doing. When she did, she sensed a sharp pull through the aether as the guards hiding among the plants readied wraith eaters. Queen Lial continued to watch her, unmoving. Naya shuddered, then eased herself slowly back to a sitting position. Creator, what had happened to staying in control? “Some trouble?” she asked in a voice that was marginally calmer than she felt. “We were attacked. And your guards weren’t exactly helpful.”

The queen shrugged. “I am willing to overlook the details of your condition. Unfortunately, most of my people are not so open-minded. But…they might be more willing to accept you if you were seen helping clear the good name of Talmir.”

“And if not?” Naya asked.

The queen took another bite of her cookie. She chewed thoughtfully, then dabbed at the corner of her mouth with a perfectly white napkin. “If not, then who knows what might happen.”