I’m here for a peaceful gesture, not friendship.’
Isaboe went to step past him, but he blocked her path. The sound of every Lumateran sword being removed from its scabbard was sweet to Lucian’s ears.
‘Regardless of what you choose to do,’ Donashe said, failing to hide the twitch of nervousness in his cheek as the swords pointed at his face, ‘there’s an army of four hundred men belonging to the acting house of Charyn coming this way. They can be here in days to await the birth of the heir and return him to the palace. And if they arrive to find her gone, I can’t promise to keep them off your mountain.’
Perri’s hand was quick and he gripped Donashe by the throat. It was only Isaboe’s hand on her guard’s arm that made him let go.
‘I’m here to wish your princess well and to see my cousin, Phaedra of Alonso,’ Isaboe said. ‘So let me pass. I may not go to war with you over the daughter of my enemy, but I will over a Mont leader’s wife.’
Donashe hesitated, but then stepped aside as Finnikin took Isaboe’s hand and Lucian went to follow.
‘Only one of you will accompany your queen,’ Donashe said, stepping before them. ‘Who’s to know what your real plan is? Perhaps it’s to murder Quintana of Charyn before she births the child. We don’t take that chance.’
Finnikin shoved Donashe out of the way, but Isaboe held him back.
‘Let’s not make this worse than it could be, my love. Lucian will take me. He needs to see his wife.’
Finnikin’s rage was potent. He had expressed no grief or emotion at the death of his son, but Lucian saw it all there in his friend’s eyes.
‘I’ll take care of her with my life, Finn,’ Lucian said.
Finnikin pointed to Donashe and his men. ‘They stay. If my queen enters that cave unprotected, then no armed man enters with her.’
It was a stand-off, but finally Donashe agreed.
Lucian gave his weapon to Finnikin, and was forced to hold up his arms for a search. When the camp leaders stepped towards Isaboe, the tip of Trevanion’s sword pressed into Donashe’s arm as a warning.
Donashe and his men stepped back and Lucian took Isaboe’s hand, leading her up the sheer path to the women’s cave. Her tread was slow, achingly slow. He knew it was because she was in pain and weary.
‘You go ahead,’ he said, wanting to be there to break her fall if she was to slip.
He had no idea what Isaboe’s purpose was in the caves, but he had faith in his queen and beloved cousin. She was the sister of his heart and it was only on this climb, with his face turned away from them all, that Lucian cried silent tears for the two people he loved.
On the precipice, he heard the murmuring and furious whispers and he led Isaboe through an archway and then into a second cavern.
The moment they stepped into the dark, dank space, Cora and Harker’s women were before him, hostility in their stance. When they saw it was Lucian, they sighed with relief. He couldn’t see Phaedra or Quintana of Charyn, but he saw Tesadora step out of the protective circle of these women, her eyes wide with shock to see Isaboe.
‘What are you doing here, Isaboe?’ Tesadora asked, horrified. ‘So close to your time. Take her away from here, Lucian.
‘What is happening here, Tesadora?’ Isaboe asked quietly.
It was Harker’s daughter who appeared from behind her mother and Cora to take Isaboe’s hand. ‘I prayed to the god of mercy for a sign and here you are, Isaboe of Lumatere.’
Jorja and Cora moved aside and Lucian saw the Princess of Charyn lying on the hard ground with Phaedra knelt beside her. There was a piece of thick wood clenched between the girl’s teeth to stop her from screaming. Her brow was soaked with sweat, her face contorted with pain.
‘She’s birthing,’ Isaboe said.
Harker’s wife placed a finger to her lips and pointed outside.
‘They’re not to know. They’ll kill her if they know. The order is that the babe lives, but not her. They have a woman from Sarnak who’s to arrive soon with breasts filled with milk to feed it. There’s talk that your lad Froi and an army is two days’ ride from here, but it will be too late to save her.’
‘The way your camp leaders hear it, there is an army, but not the one you want anywhere near your princess,’ Isaboe said.
‘Take her,’ Harker’s daughter begged. ‘Give her sanctuary.’
‘I can’t,’ Isaboe said.
‘You mean you won’t!’ Cora hissed.
‘Cora,’ Tesadora said. ‘Enough. If Lumatere takes the babe, it will bring Nebia’s army onto that mountain. I’ll not allow it. We find another way.’
Phaedra’s eyes met Lucian’s. ‘Arm us, Luc-ien,’ she pleaded. ‘I’ll slit the throat of anyone who comes close to taking her.’
‘It’s what my father says,’ Florenza said. ‘It’s the only way.’
Lucian felt awash with defeat. ‘There’s too many of them and we’ll never get a weapon into this cave,’ he said. ‘They searched us, Phaedra. They’ll search us again.’
Isaboe moved closer to where Quintana of Charyn lay on the ground, the girl’s pain muffled, her body convulsing. Lucian watched as Isaboe crouched and the Princess reached out to grip her hand, nails biting into skin.
‘You’ll never hide her cries or that of her babe from Donashe and his men. If you fear for your queen’s life once she gives birth, then give the babe to the army that approaches, whoever that may be.’ Isaboe hesitated a moment. ‘Once it’s born, I’ll give Quintana of Charyn refuge. Perhaps as long as she’s out of sight, they may not care whether she lives. They won’t storm my mountain for her. She’s worth nothing. It’s the babe they want. Your camp leader’s sentiment, not mine.’
Quintana spat out the wedge and Lucian heard a sound so savage and pathetic and heartbreaking.
Phaedra covered the girl’s mouth gently.
‘Don’t let them know, Quintana,’ Phaedra begged. ‘If they hear you, they’ll know the truth.’
‘If she wants to live she has no choice,’ Isaboe said. ‘Take my offer and be done with it.’
‘She won’t let them take the babe,’ Tesadora said.
‘And what good is she to him dead?’ Isaboe cried. ‘She can find a way to get him back. If he’s alive, she can find a way. All he has to do is live!’
Harker’s wife shook her head. ‘She’ll not do it willingly, Your Majesty. You don’t understand what Bestiano did to her. She won’t give her child to him and walk away to take refuge.’
‘She must.’
Phaedra’s eyes blazed up at Isaboe.
‘Would you? Give up the child you carry? Do you think a Charynite is made different? That we would love our children less?’
‘Phaedra!’ Lucian said.
‘No, I want to hear what she has to say,’ Phaedra cried. ‘You think you’re better than us. You think your capacity to love is stronger, but we bleed the same way, Your Majesty. Our queen gives up her son to no man.’
Tesadora took Isaboe’s hands in hers. ‘Go,’ she pleaded. ‘You shouldn’t be here, and the gods help Finnikin and those idiot guards who let you come down that mountain. If they’ve put you in harm’s way, I’ll kill them all!’
Lucian placed a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. ‘Come,’ he said.
Isaboe stepped towards Tesadora and embraced her. Lucian heard Isaboe’s murmur and then Tesadora began to weep and Lucian had never heard a sound so raw. The two stayed clasped for such a time and the Charyn women watched them silently. Much like Lucian, Tesadora’s tears frightened them beyond words.
Isaboe then stepped away and turned to Lucian.
‘I need you to give my king a message.’
Finnikin watched Lucian return without Isaboe. He pushed past the camp leaders, desperate for answers.
‘My lord,’ Lucian said to him formally. ‘You’re needed in the cave.’
‘You all stay here,’ Donashe said, ‘and the Mont returns to tell your queen that it’s time for her to
