“Do you argue that I have brought no dangerto Kavin?”
“No danger of your own intention.”
“Ah, well, that we can agree on. At least, itis only women I must worry about.”
“Covey, this brother he claims, those whosupport him. My queen, I didn’t feel the need to point out thereare an abundance of men to be watchful of.”
Kambry sighed and shook her head. “Alwaysassume you must point things out to me.”
Turning away from the door, Sybil facedKambry and raised her chin. “There is something else. I think youmay already know it, but as you say, you wish me to point outeverything.”
“Go ahead.”
“You are aware of Kavin’s ambivalence?”
“Ambivalence?” How can magic beambivalent?
Sybil lowered the volume of her voice. “Thatmay not be the best word choice, but Kavin has given me reason tosee Felip Covey in a different light.”
Kambry stepped close, speaking softly.“Describe this light.”
“Even small decisions changepossibilities.”
“What possibilities have changed?”
“A decision he has made—don’t ask me what itis, I don’t know—has shifted the line.”
“What line?” Kambry demanded.
“Whose side he is on.”
“I don’t understand.”
Sybil lay her hand on Kambry’s tight forearm.“Kambry do Brode, Felip may be on your side of a choice you willmake. Until them, it is important Russal and Felip not face eachother. Keep them apart.”
“Why?”
“So you can make the right decision.”
“What is the choice?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why shouldn’t they meet?”
“They should, just not soon. If you can, keepthem away from each other.”
Kambry strode away, stopping near the foot ofthe lounge. She closed her eyes. Keep Covey and Russal apart. Whatwould that entail? Stepping between them, hiding Russal. Shetensed. Hiding Felip Covey from Russal?
“Are you certain?” Kambry hesitated. “Whatyou ask could be difficult.”
“It is an interpretation. But I think it isaccurate.”
“You’ve confirmed it with yourapprentices?”
“Yes.”
Usually, a single-word answer always carrieda certainty to it. Sybil looked certain, but in that single word, asubtle indecision fluttered. “I think you should leave. If there ismore to tell me, save it for tomorrow.”
Sybil nodded and held her head down for anextended moment.
Kambry suspected it was a gesture of respectand accepted it. “I will see you later, Sybil.”
The door had not latched behind the sybilbefore the sound was lost in the rustle of a dress and the tap of acane. Kambry spun about, surprise tightening her shoulders.
Lady Laurents entered the room from the emptybedroom beside Kambry’s. “You handled that well for your firsttime, but you really must stop tugging on that leather brace.” Shepointed her cane at Kambry like a long admonishing finger. “Itreveals your nervousness. Perhaps you shouldn’t wear that ornament.It’s rather plain for a queen, anyway.”
In her intense observation of Sybil, Kambryhad forgotten the woman was watching from her brother’s room. Howmuch did she hear? Hopefully not the last part. Or the first part.She clenched her jaw, forced herself to relax, and covered herconcerns with a stern rebuff. “I will work on breaking the habit,but the ornament stays, Lady Laurents.”
Lady Laurents smiled approvingly, leaned onher cane and stepped forward, revealing the slightest stiffness inher step. “Very good, Miss do Brode. Do you trust me? Perhaps I amthe woman who betrays you.”
So she heard that part. Kambry’s shouldersdrooped. “Are you good at keeping your silence, Lady Laurents?”
“The loyalty issue? It is safe with me. I’vealways held Kavin’s security paramount. Why else would I saddlemyself with the training of a new queen?” Lady Laurents tapped hercane. “I was Queen Mya’s confidant, and I pay attention.” Shestrolled across the room and opened the balcony doors. The goldenlight made her intricate arrangement of white hair brighten.
Turning from the balcony, Lady Laurents said,“I agree with Sybil. It would be best if we kept her loyalty to yousecret.”
Kambry grimaced. “So you believe she is loyaleven though she put me in danger?”
“Sybil knew you were going to thwart Covey.”Lady Laurents gazed out at the balcony and sighed. “Being queenputs one in danger.”
“I worry that she did not expect Covey havingsomeone else with him. It surprised her to learn about thataddition to my challenge. It could have gone differently.”
Lady Laurents huffed. “Have you discussedthis with Russal?”
“He said it was not unlike his swordtraining. He often earned a cut as he gained in proficiency.”
“The marshal’s job was to make sure the crownprince was ready each time he raised the level of attack. Russal’sexplanation is valid.”
“Russal said he was always having to digdeeper to meet the new strategy.” Kambry’s voice fell in volume asshe made a connection. “As soon as he gained some proficiency in atechnique, he was having to use it at a level he hadn’t thought hecould rise to. My skills were just up for the challenge.”
“They pushed you to be better than you knew.Russal accepts this.”
“Oh, I didn’t say he was okay with it. Heunderstood the logic they were using, but he was stillfurious.”
“That’s how it is when you love someone,”Lady Laurents said. She had stepped up to the table and was pullingout, one by one, Kambry’s drawings. “You gave a set of these toAmily.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Kambry, parents, lovers, spouses, and dearfriends, if they are truly friends, want us to grow into our bestselves.” She let the sheet she held drop and faced Kambry. “Theyunderstand it means we have to suffer and learn from mistakes andtragedy and through success, but they wish we didn’t have to, andif they can, they will intervene, to save us from going throughthose struggles.” She tucked the pictures back into the folder.“Russal would have kept you from having that experience out of loveand selfishness, even knowing you had to go through them.
“Fortunately, he wasn’t here to interfere.”Lady Laurents slid the envelope aside, turning to face Kambry. “Sowhen you actually had to face Felip Covey, you had the confidenceto get yourself out. Have you even considered that you escaped himwithout anyone’s assistance? You drove him out of Kavin. You pulledmagic from Kavin you didn’t know you had.”
Kambry crossed her arms. She was not ready toadmit that her experience in the passages had improved her chancesfor when she faced Covey later at the border
