Inkga and I are getting ready to practice enchanting objects when a servant announces Venda.
“Good timing,” I say. “We were about to try more magic.” Since Jaku is the only one guarding me at the moment, I feel safe in saying so.
“I will be happy to help, but that is not why I came,” Venda says. “I would like to join your personal guard.”
“You want to what?” Surprise drips from my words.
“I want to join your guard. I know it is unorthodox, since I am not of your country, but I assure you I have your best interest at heart. Until you can again protect yourself, I would like to assist in keeping you safe.”
What do I say to that? Inkga, with her wide eyes, looks as surprised as I feel. I say, “That’s very generous of you. Please forgive me, but I don’t want you to think you have to help. I know you were only here to teach my people about Puneah.”
“If I may be honest—I believe you trust these people and gather that they will not break my confidence.”
“You’d have to ask them.”
She looks at Inkga, who says, “I’m apt at keeping secrets. I can keep yours as well as Ryn’s.”
Then Jaku. “I, as well, will keep your secret, as long as it will not harm Ryn or Valcora.”
Venda turns her unnerving gaze back on me. “Very well. Much like you, I am an assassin.”
Inkga gasps. Jaku has had enough training to not look stunned—or maybe he already knew. I think about her grace and ease. Her use of magic would be a great tool, and a fila would also be a good tool to work with. The more I think about it, the less it surprises me.
“I have the skills to help,” she continues.
“We can test those,” Jaku says. “But why would you and your country want to save our queen? Why did they send you and place you close to the queen, where we’re supposed to trust you?”
“My ruler does not know about this yet; it is my choice. I was sent here to deliver Puneah, yes, but also to discover what type of queen was on the throne. One we could work with, to widen the passage between our countries and open trade, or one for whom we should block the passage. Valcora has been bouncing between an unknown and a perceived danger for a long time, and Queen Swaja, my current leader, would like that to change, as would I. The last queen was seen as a threat, making our country nervous.
“I have discovered you are a queen with a lot of heart, despite what some may say. In contrast to your predecessors, you are endeavoring to do what’s right for your countrymen, even if you don’t always succeed. I see you opening trade among your people, and I think it would work well to do the same between our countries. That may not happen if another queen takes the throne. I’m determined to see you live until either you can take care of yourself or I die.”
I was mostly following along with her words until the last line. Sure, I don’t think I’m the best queen, but I do work to do what’s best for the country. I also want to open trade between countries. But is that enough for her to be willing to die for me?
It’s a bigger statement than her being an assassin.
Giving your life for another is the highest honor of love and respect.
That’s what Wilric did for me.
I don’t want to lose another person like I lost him, but my guards could use the help. If I’m honest, I could use the help. “I want to see what you can do, and then we will decide if you can join the guard.”
One moment she’s standing in front of me, the next she’s at Jaku’s side with his own dagger to his throat. “My skills are sufficient.”
“Clearly.” I’m surprised Jaku is taking it so well, not moving an inch, even to glare at her. “Please let my Head of Guard go.”
She releases him, flips the dagger around, grabs the blade, and hands him the hilt.
Jaku takes it. “Thank you. But it begs the question—how do we know we can trust you? We can’t even trust our people. What makes you different?”
Venda finally looks at him. “I have had opportunities to kill Her Majesty and I did not. I could have had Puneah harm Ryn early on, yet I did not—the fila would be the last creature to harm her now, though.”
“Fair enough.”
I lift my eyebrows at Jaku, but say nothing. He says, “We would like you to join us.”
“I would like it to be a secret,” she says.
“It would give us an edge if she was with you, and no one knew of her skills,” Jaku says to me.
She nods. “I will continue to act in a similar manner, saying I need to be near the fila, now that she is injured.”
“Speaking of Puneah—is she going to be all right?” Concern laces my words, though I try to hide it.
“She heals fast and will be fine in a day or two. It’s doubtful you will notice a difference when you see her next.”
“Where is she now?”
“Resting under the bed in your old room.”
“I’d hate to be a would-be assassin that stumbled in that room right now,” Inkga says.
Everyone looks at her.
“Well, it’s true. She may be a sweet thing when she wants to, but she’s also ruthless. I don’t think her injury changed that.”
“Indeed, it has not,” Venda says. “Shall we get on with your magic work for the day?”
“We should.” It’s urgent that I learn more than I have. I’m barely passable at making the luck charm that I've given to Inkga to be passed on to others. Once I get a little better at it, I’ll be able to send for Daros and hopefully learn the real spell I need to defeat the First Queen.
Asking Venda about Daros’s plan might be a good idea. I don’t want to give her more information than she already has, but there has to be a way to gain knowledge from her. “Is it true you need to learn easier spells before bigger ones?”
Her keen gaze locks onto me. “You are planning a bigger spell?”
“Perhaps.”
She continues to look me over, before saying, “It is much more realistic to learn easier spells first.”
Makes perfect sense. Maybe I should tell her all about Androlla and ask for help. The question dances around my tongue, but I can’t get it to come out. Can’t risk her knowing.
I wish Nash was here. I could use his strength and knowledge. I sent him home, but I wonder when he’ll come visit. Is he too angry at me to do so? My heart aches, but I do my best to ignore it. I have work that needs doing without my losing focus.