Odd, it feels as if someone I love has died.
That was closer than she liked to the truth than she preferred. But not someone, something—several things, actually—such as possibility and hope. Idiot. You knew what he was from the beginning. He never tried to fool you. The wolf’s always been a wolf. It was ridiculous that she’d started to dream of more. Her life had always been solitary. It would always be so.
When she rose, some while later, she was all icy composure, and she went to find Ferith. The Noxblade leader was on a conference call with the parents who had gathered to hear Thalia’s decision. As luck would have it, she arrived in time to give the answer herself.
Ferith stepped aside and beckoned her toward the camera, ready to beam her words. Thalia brought up a practiced smile and said, “Our children are so precious. On further reflection, I cannot ask you to send them until I prove my worth and unite our people. We can revisit the matter once I sit upon the silver throne.”
With a click, Ferith ended the transmission. “You’ve decided to be a benevolent ruler, then?”
“I always wanted to be. The old ways are hateful and brutal.”
“That they are. What’s next for us?”
After Gavriel’s departure and Raff’s fickleness, it bolstered her to hear the word ‘us’ from Ferith. “We don’t have the foot soldiers for an all-out war with the other houses, and the drones can only stretch so far. Mines will keep them from taking Daruvar without the spy in our ranks, but they won’t gain us any ground.”
“I’m aware of all that, Your Highness. Or are you thinking aloud?”
Slightly chagrined, Thalia nodded. “I used to do this with Lileth in the room. Does it bother you?”
A smile softened Ferith’s lean features, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “No, I don’t mind being your sounding board.”
“Bribes and gifts will only empty our coffers without guaranteeing allegiance.” The more she thought about it, there was only one way to resolve this, quick and clean.
“Allies you buy only stay bought as long as you can afford them,” Ferith said.
“True. Which is why we’re going to kill Ruark Gilbraith.”
The Noxblade laughed. “Is that all?”
“I’m not joking. Gear up and tell me anything you learned from Tirael while she held you captive. I’ve got an old map of Braithwaite, where Ruark is holed up.”
“You’re serious? The two of us will end the fighting by assassinating the head of House Gilbraith?”
“There’s a historical precedent,” she said defensively.
Before she could elaborate on it, Ferith sighed. “I know our history, same as you. It’s not the after-effects I’m questioning, but the likelihood of us getting to that point. This seems like a good way to get ourselves killed.”
It was difficult to find the right words because her head and heart were such a mess, but she was positive that this was the right move. She just had to convince Ferith. “I spoke to a kitchen worker this morning.”
The other woman arched a brow. “You want a cookie for that?”
“No, that’s not the point. She said she doesn’t care who rules, right to my face. And I’m sure that’s probably true for most. Which means I need to take power with a swift, decisive strike, or not at all. The people just want the fighting to stop. They don’t really care about my high ideals.”
“A rude awakening, I suppose,” Ferith observed.
“Perhaps a bit, but a welcome one. I’d rather have the truth, even if it hurts.”
Like a husband snuggled up with someone else in the dark. Briefly, she considered asking Ferith what she thought of Sky and Raff. Before, it seemed like Ferith had bonded with the young wolf during their imprisonment, but it didn’t seem right to involve anyone else in their private business.
Thalia let out a shuddering breath and banished the memory of that scene from her mind’s eye. I won’t think about this anymore.
“Anyway, if I’m meant to rule, this can be my trial by fire, the start of the legend of Good Queen Thalia, first of her name, restorer of the silver throne.”
“Or a footnote about a pretender who died,” the Noxblade said in a somber tone.
“That’s the other possible outcome.”
Ferith stared at her, unspoken questions and doubts in her pale eyes. Thalia thought, Gavriel would have gone with me without a moment of hesitation. But that sort of reckless devotion wasn’t what she needed; Ferith’s caution might even let them complete the mission, however improbable it seemed.
“Very well,” she said finally. “Let’s do it and let our names be writ large in posterity.”
Thalia grinned. “You just want to kill Ruark Gilbraith.”
“Guilty. The man’s such an asshole.”
“Then pack your gear and meet me at the front gate. We can take a Rover mini part of the way, at least to our own borders.”
“I’ll reprogram a drone from the stockpile, get it to run recon for us.”
“Good thinking. I’ll download all the plans I have for Braithwaite, pack up our best poisons, and see you in an hour. Is that long enough?”
“Any longer and I might come to my senses.”
That was a joke. Thalia might not be as emotionally close to Ferith as she had been with Lileth, but the Noxblade was known for keeping her promises. There were stories about impossible kills she’d pulled off for Lord Talfayen while secretly working to further Thalia’s interests among the rest of their people, and she knew how many of those tall tales were true. In a guild of killers, Ferith stood head and shoulders above the rest.
She only hoped her lesser skills didn’t get them caught, but this wasn’t something she could send an assassin to do alone. Truth be told, her excitement was growing by leaps and bounds, fizzing euphoria in her bloodstream.
Thalia packed swiftly and
