When I awoke the next morning, I thought my short rendezvous with Brynna had been a dream. A beautiful dream that the Mother had gifted to me to torture me further. But the Forcadelian pendant was missing from my neck, so I took comfort that Brynna was alive, mad as hell, and on her way to reclaim the kingdom.
For the first time in months, I had hope. I wasn't merely standing against the rising tide, holding it back until it drowned me. There was something to work toward now, a light in the distance that would grow brighter with time.
I wasn't content to sit around and wait for her to come back, either. Brynna needed all the help she could get; if she was successful in convincing Ariadna to support her, she would need inroads in the city. And I hoped I could make those happen for her.
As soon as I was finishing my breakfast, a messenger came to tell me Ilara had summoned me to the Council room—an odd request from her. I wasn't on her Council, nor was I privy to what they discussed. So as I walked the long hall, my pulse elevated, I prepared myself for anything.
The room was a small space with large windows and a circular table in the center, but of the five councilors, only one was seated at that table. Lady Vernice, an older woman who'd lost much of her sheen in the four months since the invasion, nodded to me.
"Welcome to the nightmare," she said, pulling a flask from her dress and taking a sip. Her hair, which was normally dyed and styled, was now a little looser than usual.
The door opened again and two Severians came in. The one on the right was Tarckza, and he did little more than agree with whatever the queen said. But the one on the left was Captain Maarit. Her opinion of me was clear from the disdain on her face. She'd replaced General Godfryd as Ilara's military advisor, overseeing the Forcadelian navy and army, everything except the royal guard, which remained under my purview. For the time being.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, purposefully taking her seat.
"I was invited," I replied mildly. "What are you doing here?"
She sniffed, the corner of her lip curling upward. "I'm on Queen Ilara's council. Surely you knew that."
I did, but I enjoyed watching her have to explain herself. "Of course. My mistake."
"I suppose Ilara is finally curious why you haven't graduated a class of cadets in months," Maarit said. "Surely the latest crop is overdue to join the ranks out in the city. Coyle informs me they're ready to serve."
"I would hope you'd defer to me to manage my cadets," I replied, casting a long gaze out the window to the dark gray sky outside.
"Perhaps I'm concerned that your management isn't what's best for your own," Maarit replied. "Perhaps it's time to install someone else in your position. Lieutenant Coyle would be an apt replacement."
"I'm sure he would be," I said. "You are welcome to broach the subject with Queen Ilara."
"Already have," she said with a cruel smile.
The door opened again and in walked a man with slicked-back hair and a too-white smile. Mayor Zuriel had been integral to Ilara's invasion—in what capacity, I still hadn't figured out. Regardless, he was another traitor. It was all I could do not to punch him in his perfect teeth.
"Good morning, good morning," he chirped, clearly not reading the tension in the room. "Ah, Captain Llobrega. Always a pleasure to see you."
Instead of responding, I simply nodded.
"I believe Mayor Zuriel said good morning," Ilara said, walking into the room and eyeing me with her piercing gaze. "Is it not Forcadelian tradition to respond in kind?"
Although every inch of me cried out in protest, I forced the words, "Good morning" through my lips.
"That's better," Ilara said, taking her seat at the most ornate chair at the table. "Vernice, what news from the Kulkans?"
"King Neshua sends his best," Vernice said with a thin-lipped smile. "But…of course, he wishes to know when you'll allow Kulkan ships into Neveri again."
"As soon as he sends his best wishes on my coronation," Ilara replied, reminding me of a petulant child who wanted sweets. "Neither the Kulkans nor the Niemenians have bothered to even send envoys. Once they decide to accept my role here, I'll let their pretty ships in."
"But my queen," Vernice said, "there seems to be a shortage of goods in the kingdom."
"Like beer and whiskey?" Ilara asked with a quirked brow. "It would serve you well to quit drinking, Vernice. You're losing some of your luster."
Vernice licked her lips, casting a look at Zuriel, who was staring passively out the window. So she continued, her voice growing in strength. "It's not just alcohol, Highness. It's grain in general. If we don't get more shipments in from Kulka, we will suffer a food shortage."
Ilara shrugged. "Then I suggest you send a warning to Kulka to let them know what's at stake." Without missing a beat, her catlike eyes turned to me. "Felix," she said, looking at me with fluttering lashes. "Do tell me you've been able to capture the rebels in the slums? My furrier went up in flames last night."
Her furrier? Most of the fires in the city had been random arson, but to target a vendor of the crown? That was a new development.
"Felix?" Ilara said, catching my attention again.
"No, Your Highness, no news to date," I said, putting this new information in the back of my mind to chew on later. "But I'll have Lady Katarine provide me a list of your preferred vendors, and we'll place a couple of guards at each location. If they try again, we'll catch them."
Maarit chuckled under her breath, and I dug my nails into my palm to keep myself focused.
"I'm starting to wonder if perhaps you just aren't looking hard enough," Ilara said, examining a large grape. "Based on this new information Lieutenant Coyle has brought to me."
My pulse quickened. "Oh? He hasn't shared any new information with me."
"Apparently, a masked person was seen at a bar by the docks," Maarit said. "Some are saying it's The Veil."
Damn it, Brynna. Joella, Riya, and I had taken care to avoid guards in the city, and when we did engage, it was in a dark alley where we wouldn't be recognized.
"It doesn't surprise me someone has picked up the mantle," I said. "The Veil was beloved by everyone in the city, especially in Haymaker's Corner. Perhaps someone noticed the absence and decided to continue protecting the city."
Ilara snorted. "The Veil is as dead as your princess, so I suggest you remind the people of this country that they have a new monarch."
"If I may," Vernice asked. She was sure brave today. "What's so bad about masked vigilantes? The Veil did a lot to reduce crime in the city—"
"Because, you half-wit, The Veil was your precious Princess Brynna, and I want her memory erased from this kingdom," Ilara said, her face growing angry as she rose. "And if the citizenry think they can run around undermining the law, what's to stop them from setting fires and destroying this kingdom?"
"It's as you said," Maarit said. "Brynna is dead. I would release an edict—anyone caught in a mask will be hanged for treason."
"Treason?" I said, quirking my brow. "Seems a bit much."
"Does it?" Maarit said, challenge clear in her eyes.
"Well, considering you're talking about a citizen of Forcadel, yes, it does," I replied hotly. Even if it hadn't been myself and the others, I would've thought treason was too much. "Treason is overkill."
Ilara huffed. "I want to send a message—"
"No one except those in this room know that Brynna was The Veil," Vernice replied calmly. "If anything, someone's merely trying to continue what The Veil started—which was protecting the city from thugs and criminals. I agree with Captain Llobrega, treason is too much."
"Thirded," Zuriel said, speaking for the first time in the meeting. "I would leverage The Veil as a symbol of hope. It might help them—"
"Enough!" Ilara screamed, slamming her hands on the table. "I don't care who does or doesn't know. What I want is for that bitch to be erased from the memory of everyone in this city. She's dead, I'm queen, and that's final."
There was a deafening silence that echoed in the room. It was good to know that Brynna's ghost continued to irk Ilara. Especially considering said ghost was weaving her way up the Ash river.
Maarit cleared her throat. "Unfortunately, the three guards who came across this vigilante had differing opinions on what they saw. So until we hear otherwise, I'm assigning Lieutenant Coyle to canvass the city for anyone who might be wearing a hood and mask."
I narrowed my gaze at her. "I didn't realize Coyle reported to you, Maarit."
"Captain, I do believe you have your hands full lately," Ilara said with a dangerous look. "What with retaining your oversight of all the guards, including the cadets, and keeping the city safe in this time of unrest. It would be grossly unfair to add to your burden." She paused, a smile blossoming on her face that sent shivers of fear down my spine. "And speaking of, how are my cadets?"
"Doing well," I said.
She surveyed the nails on her thin fingers. "The oldest group, are they ready to graduate?"
"Not yet," I said, ignoring Maarit's look of triumph. "With the transitions in power recently, I would like to keep them in training for a few more months."
"Maarit tells me you're keeping them to yourself because you're afraid of their loyalty," she said softly. "Or is it that you fear they'll serve me instead of you?"
I had to choose my words carefully. "As I said, with all the leadership changes in their last year of training, I thought it prudent to take extra care releasing them into service."
"Too much care, if you ask me." She dropped her fingers to the table. "You will graduate your oldest two classes of cadets, and they will begin their service immediately."
I squeezed my fists behind my back and kept my face passive. One year I could live with; two…she was trying to set me up for something. But there was nothing I could do now.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied.
That afternoon, the skies opened in unrelenting rain yet again, and fifty new soldiers entered the King's Guard. Their apprehension was palpable as I handed them what would be their duty weapon, and their restraint was stretched thin as Ilara spoke under a large umbrella about the glory of serving Severia. When she handed them their pins, more than one of them turned a shade of green.
Some of them looked to me for guidance, but I could offer nothing but stoicism. To keep them safe, I needed Ilara to believe I was her servant. Even if it killed me inside.