Quintana of Charyn

Grijio reached them as Harker and Kasabian approached and Phaedra completed the introductions.

‘We’ve met, sir,’ Grijio said to Harker, shaking his hand. ‘On the day you took this valley.’

‘How are things in the Citavita?’ Harker asked.

‘Hopeful, sir.’

Grijio searched through his pack and handed Harker the mail. ‘These are for the Lumaterans. Is there a chance they can reach the palace soon? Gargarin of Abroi was very insistent.’

Harker shook his head. ‘When it comes to messages and mail, we have to wait for the Monts to visit and then it’s up to chance when they next visit their palace. Sometimes a week passes. But we’ll do our best.’

‘I’m presuming that I’d be expecting too much if Froi of Lumatere was here in the valley?’ Grij said.

Harker shook his head again with a grimace. ‘He’s on his way to Charyn, the way we’ve heard it.’

Phaedra turned to Grijio, understanding his disappointment.

‘Rest first and then go,’ she urged, knowing he’d want to see his friend. ‘You may catch him in the Citavita if you’re lucky.’

‘And which of you is Cora?’ Grijio asked.

‘Me,’ Cora snapped. ‘Why?’

He retrieved a tiny purse from his pocket and held it out to her. Everyone crowded around Cora, curious to see what it was.

‘She’s rewarded you with gold,’ someone murmured.

‘Perhaps a trinket.’

They waited as Cora emptied the contents into the palm of her hand and soon there were sighs of disappointment. But Cora looked up and caught her brother’s eye and Phaedra saw a smile on both their faces as they studied the seeds.

‘Where would she have found herself a pair of Klin tree seeds?’ Kasabian asked, as Cora placed them in his hand. He clenched a fist and pressed a kiss to it. ‘These seeds grow hope,’ he said.

‘I have one more letter,’ Grijio said. ‘Quintana said I had to deliver it by hand. To Florenza of Nebia.’

‘My daughter?’ Harker asked, perplexed.

‘By hand, you say. Why?’ Jorja asked.

Grijio shrugged. ‘Quintana said I could not leave until the letter was read out loud, and then I had to wait for Florenza of Nebia’s response. So then Her Highness would be sure it was delivered.’

‘I’ll go find her,’ Harker said.

More of the valley dwellers came to greet Phaedra and she introduced them to Grijio, who seemed fascinated by the way they lived.

‘For now, every family is assigned to their own cave with ample privacy,’ Jorja said. ‘It was difficult for us during the time of Donashe and his friends. Families were separated.’

‘But still a blessing that our Quintana found herself in a cave with you women,’ Grijio said.

‘Phaedra!’ they heard Florenza cry, and next moment they were in each other’s arms, laughing and crying.

‘I was with the Mont girls when we heard the news,’ Florenza said. ‘Are you back for good?’

‘I am indeed.’

‘And how is she?’ Florenza asked solemnly. ‘I dream of them both. All the time, I do. Is she happy?’

Phaedra didn’t know how to answer that truthfully.

‘The little King is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen in my life,’ she said. ‘Is that not true, Grij?’

Grij was staring at Florenza, who was now staring at Grij with a hand held to her face to hide her nose, which had survived its ordeal in the caves with quite a large bump.

‘Yes … yes, of course,’ he said, flustered, clearing his throat.

‘Father said you have something,’ Florenza said, and Phaedra watched as Jorja’s hand brushed a leaf from Florenza’s hair surreptitiously. Cora exchanged a look with Phaedra.

Grijio removed a letter from his pack and handed it to Florenza.

‘She requested that you read it aloud before me,’ he said. ‘So then she’d be sure that it was read.’

‘Why?’ Cora asked bluntly.

‘Hurry up and read it, Florenza,’ Jorja said.

Florenza broke the seal of the letter.

‘Dear Florenza,

‘I hope all is fine with you. Phaedra will tell you more about life here. The weather is quite unspectacular and so are most of those who live in the palace …’

‘They are,’ Phaedra agreed.

‘Of course, I’m yet to meet a girl such as you, Florenza, who crawled through the sewers of Nebia to save the life of those Serkers and whose nose was broken as she fearlessly fought a man who was a threat to myself and the future King of Charyn …’

Florenza touched her nose again, self-consciously.

‘You crawled through the sewers?’ Grij asked in awe. ‘To save the Serkers?’

‘And broke her nose as she fearlessly fought a man who was a threat to Quintana and the future King of Charyn,’ Jorja reminded him.

Florenza removed her hand from her nose and continued reading.

‘Anyway, enough of all that. I was wondering if you’d like to come and visit some time. You can give your response to Grijio, the brilliant scholarly son of the Provincaro of Paladozza and one of the heroic masterminds of my rescue in the Citavita.’

Phaedra burst out a laugh and stared at Cora. This time it was Florenza who looked up in awe.

‘You were the mastermind?’ Florenza asked Grijio.

He waved a hand in embarrassment. ‘One of them, anyway,’ he murmured.

‘Our little savage has turned matchmaker,’ Cora muttered. ‘What have they done to her?’

Lucian finished helping Orly with the fence post and they both stood back to assess the work. Lotte joined them soon after and handed Lucian a hot brew. There wasn’t much talk between them, although he could sense that Lotte was dying to say something and Lucian knew exactly what that was.

‘Lady Zarah,’ Lotte said politely. ‘She seems a fine girl.’

‘Yes, indeed,’ Lucian said curtly. He was sick and tired of being asked at every turn if it was true that he was betrothed. No, he wanted to shout. Fabrications from an overzealous lord who wants a cut in our fleece market!

But he held his tongue.

‘Some are saying she’ll be your new wife, Lucian.’

Orly muttered something rude and Lucian had to agree.

Lotte peered beyond him towards the path that ran through the mountain.

‘Is that one of your aunts?’ she asked, somewhat alarmed. ‘Is she running? Sweet Goddess, Lucian. Something’s happened.’

Lucian leapt over Orly’s post to reach his aunt.

‘Lucian, Lucian,’ she called out, her face lit with excitement. ‘Phaedra’s returned to the valley!’

His mouth was suddenly dry. His heart was pounding too fast, his face felt aflame. Lotte and Orly caught up with them, Lotte trilling with excitement. He had to get away from them all to think clearly. He had to work out what to do and how not to ruin things. But he couldn’t do it here, and it was clear to Lucian that there’d be no more work done with Lotte and Orly, so he gently steered his aunt back home.

‘Too much work to be done around here to be wasting time,’ he said to her calmly. They passed Jory and the lads, who were rounding up the sheep on Yael’s spread.

‘See,’ he said, pointing. ‘The lads have got the right idea. Work and no talk.’

‘Lucian,’ Jory hollered, jumping from his mount and running towards them. ‘Phaedra’s back.’

‘Be quick! You’ll lose her again!’ another cousin shouted.

In the Mont market square, Lucian was surrounded instantly. By everyone. He hadn’t seen such a gathering since Isaboe had returned for the first time since the death of her child. The mountain had celebrated that day. Finnikin had begged Lucian, ‘Tell them that their sorrow will break her. She’s come for their joy.’ And the Monts had tried.