“Close your eyes. Let Kavin rise insideyou.”
Kambry closed her eyes. The air flowed aroundthem, the smell of proilis and vanilla filled the room, and hermuscles relaxed, her breathing eased. She hadn’t been aware howtense she was. Her hand tingled. Giddiness made her heart flutter.Beneath it all was the fright that had yet to leave her since thestruggle in the map room. Slowly it eased, and the glee which hadfelt foreign became her own.
A thought filled her. Kavin ispleased.
“Open your eyes,” he said.
A pale-green glow surrounded Russal. Her ownskin glowed purple, and the ring which she had worn for months nowappeared on Russal’s hand.
“How do you feel?”
“Good. I feel at peace.”
“You were holding a lot of magic inside.Kavin did its best to protect you yesterday, but your fearswouldn’t let it leave.” He caressed her hand, now only adorned withthe queen’s scabbard. “The rings were never meant to be worn by thesame person.”
“Putting the map room to rights helped,” shesaid. “I couldn’t have let the ring go earlier, could I? My fearswouldn’t let me.” As she spoke, the glow on their skin faded.
“I’ve been waiting until you were ready.” Hereleased her hand and pocketed the spare ring. His blue eyes beamedat her. “How about fixing my map room?”
With a deep breath, she relaxed and called toKavin. “Russal doesn’t like the column, Kavin. Let’s fix it.”
A swirl of air wrapped about her, rising fromher ankles up to her shoulders. She closed her eyes, imagining thestone column liquefying and dissolving into the floor it had risenfrom.
“That’s how I remember it. I’ll close theceiling hatch.”
She stretched out her hand. “No, Russal. LetKavin keeps its room. I think we should let it always be a part ofour home.”
Russal looked up into the bright light thenback at the pedestal. He closed his eyes and stood. He smiled.
It was such a contented smile.
“I feel it,” he said. “That is what Kavinwants and may have had in the past.” He leaned down and grabbed thelantern. “Well, I won’t leave this behind.”
In a moment, he had the wall grating shut.Though sealed again, Kambry noted the air had a languid motion toit as if a bit of Kavin had followed them out. The map room wasneat again, the book back in its place on the table, closed thistime.
“Russal, that is the only book in here. Isn’tthat odd?”
He shook his head. “It’s been here sinceFelip and I discussed political conflicts I was dealing with.” Heflipped it open and turned a few pages. “It’s all about the NeckKingdom.”
“Drew noticed that, too.” She shivered. Shedidn’t want to think about Drew. “It was open to the capital citywhen I looked at it.”
Russal tapped his finger on the page.“Hmm.”
“What?”
“I have an idea.” He smiled at her and heldout his hand. “Let’s go.”
Snuffing the candles by the door, they exitedtogether.
~~~~~~~
Burty’s office had been rearranged. A largetable stood in the center and his desk hugged a far wall. Fourchairs sat along one side of the table, one on the other. Kambrycouldn’t sit. She fidgeted by the window.
Running her finger down the rough surface ofthe glass, she said, “Burty, this glass needs cleaning.”
“I like it dirty. It gives me some privacywhen I don’t want to do any work.”
Russal, seated in the middle chair on theleft, turned to Burty on his left. “You never don’t work.”
“I’m not working now. If Sybil takes muchlonger to get here, I’ll feel like I’m on vacation.”
Kambry imagined Sybil didn’t want to leaveLenar. Baraby had sedated him, but they expected Lenar to awakenthat morning. His connection to Maizalyn and the murder of thequeen had come out mostly through Felip explaining, though Sarenahad supplied her own corrosive version. How a mother could coerceher child to kill someone appalled Kambry.
She gazed at Russal. All this time he’d beenwanting to punish the murderers of his parents, and one of them hadbeen living as close as any of his subjects, and in some wayscloser. It was a wonder he had not imprisoned Lenar. She looked atRussal and amended the thought. No, it wasn’t a wonder. Asix-year-old boy had been told by his mother to slash a knifeacross the queen’s neck because she was an evil woman, and he haddone it to his horror. Blood had drenched him, and he had instantlyknown he’d done the wrong thing. After Maizalyn’s man had subduedKing Risler, she had been the one to kill him and take the ringfrom Queen Mya’s hand.
Russal had found it in his heart to forgiveLenar.
Now they had to decide what to do with Felip.He’d been there for the murders but claimed to have stood aside,told by Maizalyn that he was heir to the throne and should standand watch his kingdom be returned to him.
Two boys, each taking a different path afterparticipating in regicide. Felip may have been older, but Kambrysuspected he was as damaged by the event as his brother.
The door opened, and Sybil entered. She washer neat self, though her bun sat strangely pert and smooth uponher head. Kambry rested her hand on her arm. “How is Lenar?”
“Better now that he’s confessed. He expectsan execution.”
“Russal won’t do that.”
“I’ve told him, but he’s had years of thatwoman’s words in his ears.” Her voice carried the wrath of a motherwhose child was in great pain. Maizalyn was fortunate she wasalready dead. Kambry froze by the door. Lenar killed his mother!That poor man.
Sybil patted her hand.
Kambry released her arm. “He’s had you aswell. Don’t give up.”
“I won’t let her take him to her grave.”Sybil strode to her seat, leaving the center one to Russal’s rightopen for Kambry. Her stiff bun seemed to slide a bit to oneside.
Kambry resisted the urge to give it a goodshaking and make it properly messy. Sybil needed time. They alldid. Someone knocked at the door. She pulled opened it and noddedat the guard waiting outside. It was time to bring Felip in.
Taking her seat, she wondered how thismeeting would go. How would
