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I turn to find hi at me

He says, "Now that you have momentarily incapacitatedchased by a sandstor "Coain"

This time, when his arm slides around me, it feels slower, more deliberate"The trick," he says in my ear, "is to be wholly cohtens in a little jerk, and I catch ht have to stomp to live"

I s hard "I understand"

"Lady Xi us a few pillows?"

My nurse rustles around on the bed She must know exactly what Hector has in mind, for she strides intoasked, crouches down to cover Hector’s right foot with cushions

Hector says, "Now come down as hard as you can on my foot"

"No! I don’t want to--"

"Do it"

I lift asps, releasesme ide eyes Then he says, "Well done!"

I ith relief "It hurts," I ad cushions Youto hurt yourself a little in the short terh "The cushions were for your protection If not for thes "You’ll have to stomp a lot harder than that"

My oad aze, I say, "Xi to need them"

As she hurries away, he says, "Think you can learn this faster than your seven-year-old heir did?"

"Watch , with each foot, and then he teaches me to dislocate someone’s kneecap By the time Ximena calls a halt, my heels ache, the muscles in s with overstretching

I’m surprised to realize I enjoyedthe burn I feel strong in spite of ue Powerful, even And Hector has always been easy to be with, since that day o when he took a lonely princess on a tour of the palace to help her feel at home I hope we have our next lesson soon

Chapter 10

I’VE neglected Father Alentín and Queen Cosive offense It’s especially insulting given that he now quietly aids Xi the Godstone So I decide to host a s to relax in the co close companions

But the mayordomo insists I also invite Conde Tristán and his foppish attaché, along with Lady Jada, whose Quorum vote I may need if we do not find a per to do But e in an evening of not being queen

By design, I a idle chatter while waiting to be served As is tradition in Joya d’Arena, the table is low and surrounded by huge sitting cushions Not for the first ti the use of proper tables and chairs

Hector and Ximena seat themselves on either side of me I frown to think that I can’t even enjoy a se

I nod to Father Alentín and Belén, sitting at the other end Lady Jada is directly across froazing sha beside her But the conde doesn’t notice because his gaze fixed on h as I reach forand tedious evening If it were just Alentín and Belén, I would know exactly what to say, exactly how to be I find that er am I for the familiar

To my relief, Conde Tristán is the one to open conversation "Lady Xi in the monastery?"

Everyone freezes Belén becomes as dark and coiled as a storm cloud

The conde looks around at us in alar?"

Lady Jada says, "Oh, I’et to know each other" She turns to ht, Your Majesty?"

My voice is dead flat when I say, "Your Grace, do tell me how you came to know about Xilance The conde says, "I often walk at night, after everyone has gone to sleep Lately I’ve been going to the ht I saw Lady Ximena with the ambassador from Basajuan" He indicates Alentín with a lift of his chin "I just thoughtI know she used to be a scribeThat is to say, I’ve started studying the scriptures h the ood lie comes to mind It’s a forced sound that will fool no one who knows me, but the conde’s face relaxes at once "I didn’t mean to alarm Your Grace," I say "It’s just that we’ve kept it quiet intentionally You see, not many people know that Basajuan’sthe war We’ve been working with the new ones as necessary"

He nods "I’ way toward building goodith Queen Cosmé Which is vital now that her country stands between us and Invierne"

"Indeed" I raise oodwill between Basajuan and Joya d’Arena"

Everyone raises their glasses and echoes the sentih," the condethe archive for clues about the Godstone"

I stare at his out of innocent coincidence? Or is there a purpose to his comments?

"Why is that?" Xierous edge in her voice

"Well, the anius, for one The one who martyred himself Invierne still wants that stone desperately I must confess that I am deeply curious as to why And I’ about it Maybe the whole country"

"Maybe they’re afraid of it?" Lady Jada offers "Her Majesty destroyed several of their s "There have been bearers, Godstones, every hundred years for two o to extreh I don’t knohat They’re talking about me, the most important part of es like this going on all over the country

My Godstone Me A dinner-table conversation I suppose that as queen, I belong to everyone a little

"You knohat I think?" Lady Jada says

"I would love to know," I tell her sincerely