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“Highness” Vaelin began but she waved hi in frustration “I find, Lord Verniers, it would be best if you came back tomorrohen my temper will be better suited to diplomacy Lord Vaelin, you will stay We have military matters to discuss”
Vaelin touched a hand to Verniers’ sleeve as he bowed and made for the door “The Volarian woman?”
Verniers took a deliberate step back froed as he said, “She died”
“I’ent of the Ally in Alpira”
“It died too” Verniers bowed again and walked from the chareeting hier abruptly vanished “A little overdrahness knows best how to deal with an a to learn with some rapidity So, do you think we should retake Verehl?”
“The decision is not hness And you have a Battle Lord to advise on the practicalities of such an undertaking”
“I don’t need Al Hestian to tell me it would be impossible, not for another year at least Verehl sits on the southern coast, a fairly unpleasant place by all accounts, surrounded by jungle and subject to yearly storendary ferocity Its only value co less than one-half of one-hundredth to the Imperial treasury I suspect E a trap to see if I’ll bite”
“Given the animosity between our peoples, a city of little value seeave a s back to her throne “Always the peacehness had called h it suited me to add a little theatre for Lord Verniers” She settled onto the throne, accepting a cup of water froo home”
“With my sister, yes”
Lyrna’s face clouded a little as she drank “Lady Alornis isihtmares every tiines she built on your behalf They grow more deadly by the day, she tells reed this war had to be won, Vaelin, and we all gaveYour sister rooman and I never forced her to any action”
“Nevertheless, my petition stands, and I request your answer”
She turned to Iltis, handing hi he leave them alone “You will require a new commander for the North Guard,” she said when the Lord Protector had withdrawn “Lord Adal has petitioned to be released fro news of Dahrena’s death to Adal had been a hard trial, id coh the accusation on his face as he bowed and withdreas plain enough She would have lived if she had loved him instead
“I trust you will find him suitable employment,” he told the queen
“Indeed I’m minded to create an East Guard for my new dominions War has left us with many able hands to fill the ranks and who better to cohness I would request Lord Orven as his replacereeht to choose his coain and went to theCouncil- a fine view of the harbour, still croith the fleet, though somewhat diminished now The Shield had sailed ao days after the city’s fall, taking with him perhaps a tenth of the Meldeneans There were rues h Lord Ell-Nurin see low to the queen as she gave hirant of land on the south Asraelin coast
“Do you reht we met?” she asked
“You surprised me, I threw a knife at you”
“Yes” She slad”
“There was a question I asked you then, one I won’t ask you again, since both question and answer are now redundant But, I’ve always been curious, did you ever regret saying no?”
Her hair was fully gro, he saw, longer than it had ever been, a golden cascade in the light from theAnd her face, the porcelain perfection enhanced by the few s froer subject to any constraint
“Of course,” he lied “Whatthe Politai, speaking in low but earnest tones as they clustered around They wereup to interrupt, faces betraying distinct eer Thein baffle close to their brothers Frentis said it was always the ith them, an inability to be alone or tolerate the co? Vaelin wondered Or unleash it?