My ability to read the private language was a little rusty but it came to me after a few minutes:
THE RESISTANCE IS ALIVE
I blinked at it, unsure what it was referring to.
I tossed it on the fire and thought it was nothing but a bad joke. But a few days later, I received another letter. When I asked Aunzika to bring the messenger of the next letter to me directly, he had no idea what I was talking about.
No messenger had come.
The letter had appeared from thin air.
Each of the messages was just as cryptic as the last. Each one written in that funny little code a group of kids had invented.
With my brother dead and the emperor still out there, hidden among the stars, it could only be the maid’s small son. He lived in Muhtix, the next town. Was he planning something?
And now there was a new one, sitting there in the messages tray. I broke the seal—itself a mystery with the dried tree sap used in place of ancient wax.
It read:
SOON
I tossed it in the fireplace and watched it burn. Was it a trap? Someone trying to get me to admit my allegiance?
I would ignore it, I decided. I would ignore it and, if questioned, say I thought it was a joke. The important thing was not to act on it.
Even if I was desperate to.
Changelings could be tricky beasts. It was best not to anger them. Not unless it was absolutely necessary.
I turned to the only piece of artwork that belonged to me on the walls. It was the portrait of my departed wife, Jeyell.
So serene, so calm, so graceful.
Sometimes I spoke to her. She never responded, but it made me feel good to think she was still there, within reach.
“She’s not her, you know.”
My sister stood in the doorway. She scratched Niik on the head and he let her pass. She joined me at the portrait.
“She does look like her though,” Emana said. “More than a passing resemblance. But she’s not her.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” I barked.
Emana didn’t bat so much as an eyelid.
“Sorry I snapped at you,” I said. “It was a… long trip.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
She tutted and unwound the tie from my neck.
“Why do you always let Zes do your ties?” she said. “Have you seen the state of him? He’s incapable of dressing himself, never mind someone else.”
I couldn’t even bring myself to smile. I just looked at the portrait.
“I miss her,” I said.
“I know you do,” Emana said. “We all do. But replacing her with someone else… It’s not fair on either of them. Or you.”
“I know.”
Emana tossed the tie on the desk.
“What did you plan on doing with her?” she said.
My sister, as always, had hit the nail on the head. When she wasn’t being ditzy and scatterbrained, she could be one of the smartest people I knew.
“I’m not sure yet,” I said. “I haven’t given it a lot of thought.”
Emana pursed her lips. I wasn’t sure if she believed me or not.
“Well, she’s here now,” she said. “Try not to embarrass yourself, won’t you? How did the meeting with the Changelings go?”
“As well as expected. They made me make an unbreakable pledge.”
Emana hissed through her teeth.
“They’re sly,” she said. “I’ll give them that.”
“They use our strengths against us,” I said. “How do you beat an enemy like that?”
“By using their strengths against them,” Emana said simply. “And do what they don’t expect.”
I glanced at the open door. She needed to be more careful. You never knew who might be listening. She was more outspoken than me and inherited more than a filament of Qale’s temper.
I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. We’d both suffered enough loss already. We didn’t need more.
“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” I said. “Be careful.”
“I’m not the one setting themselves up for a big fall,” Emana said. “Just make sure to step carefully.”
I smiled at her and watched as she left the room.
Just what was I doing with Sirena? Both Zes and Emana recognized it was a risky step to take. So why didn’t I think the same?
Because she’s gorgeous and she reminds you of her.
I shook my head. They were right. I was wrong to bring her here. The next time I saw her, I would tell her I would find somewhere for her to work, somewhere that paid, and would allow her to save for a return flight to Earth. It might take years but it was better than being a slave.
Niik bolted to his feet and barked. That was unusual. He never usually had the energy. Unless someone new and unknown to him was approaching?
Sirena stood outside the study with her palms raised, a gesture of surrender.
“Don’t worry, he won’t bite,” I said.
Easy to say that, I thought. Every owner said the same thing, and some did bite. I tutted at Niik and stamped my foot. He immediately stopped barking, whined, and sat beside my foot. Despite appearances, he was well trained.
Sirena peered around the door but didn’t enter.
“It’s okay,” I said. “It’s safe.”
She kept a close eye on Niik as she edged around the doorframe. This was it, I decided. I was going to tell her my little story about finding her new work and somewhere else to stay— she couldn’t very well stay at the castle, could she?
Could she?
Those were the words that should have come from my mouth, but they weren’t the ones I used.
“Would you like to go for a walk?” I said.
Zes clicked his fingers the moment I left the castle. The guards on duty snapped to attention and trailed us, Zes taking point. Meanwhile, the guards who’d left their posts were replaced with another pair.
Zes was nothing if not well organized. In his personal life, he was a mess and barely managed
