S
NOW SPENT MUCH OF THE NEXT TWO WEEKS in bed, under orders from Tymalous. Several times when she tried to sneak away, she found Talia waiting at her door. There were no words. One look at Talia’s face was enough to send Snow hobbling back to bed.
Much of what happened had the blurred, fantastical feel of a dream. She remembered fighting Morveren and then later, while they waited for a ship, working to try to undo the spells Morveren had cast on Lirea. And then there was the part where she was flying naked over the ocean, surrounded by very handsome, very large pixies . . . but she was fairly certain that really had been a dream.
The back of her head was still tender, but Tymalous had pronounced her well enough to join the others for one more voyage on the newly repaired
Phillipa
, under the condition that she do no magic for at least another month.
“Magic excites you,” he had said. “Your heart pounds harder, your blood rushes through your body, and your injury worsens. You may have already done yourself permanent damage. You will, if you don’t allow yourself time to recover.”
Beatrice had been quick to broaden that prohibition to . . . other forms of excitement, and Snow had grudgingly agreed. With the exception of one spell.
It was that spell that brought Snow to the queen’s cabin on the
Phillipa
. Snow had tried three times to talk to Beatrice, and each time her courage had failed her.
Snow knocked lightly on the door. There was no answer, so she cracked open the door and peered inside. Beatrice lay in her bed, her eyes closed. She had spent much of the first day’s journey resting. Snow stood frozen until she heard the slightly strained sound of the queen’s breathing.
Squeezing through the door, Snow set a cup of tea on the floor beside the bed and turned to go.
“Thank you.” The queen still hadn’t opened her eyes. “That smells wonderful. Dare I ask what you put into it?”
“You probably shouldn’t,” Snow admitted. “It will ease the pain.”
Bea sat up and reached for the mug. Snow was faster, placing it into her hands. Bea took a sip, then wrinkled her nose. “In the future, let it be known that the queen’s medicines should be mixed with elven wine.” She took another drink, then set the mug back down. “So how long do you intend to wait before you tell me?”
“Your Majesty?”
“Call me that again and I’ll have Hephyra lock you in the hold.” Bea reached out to take Snow’s hand. “When do you mean to tell me that I’m dying?”
Snow couldn’t look at her. “How did you know?”
“I’ve lived in this body for fifty-eight years. I know when it’s given up the fight.” Almost absentmindedly she touched her chest, where fresh bandages covered the old stitches beneath her shirt. “How long?”
“I used the mirror at the palace.” It had taken days to work up the courage to speak the rhyme, once she began to suspect.
Mirror with your truth so cold. Show me what her future holds.
“How long, Ermellina?”
Snow made a face. “A year. Maybe two. Morveren’s knife damaged your spirit, and your body was near death. There are other medicines I can try, spells I can—”
“I’m sure Tymalous has done what he can. We’ve already risked more than we should have to save me.” Beatrice’s gaze was distant, staring out the window at the sea. “I’d consider it a favor if you didn’t tell anyone else until I’ve had a chance to talk to Theodore.”
“Of course,” Snow said. “But once Father Isaac recovers from his injuries, he and I could work together to—”
“I’ve lived an amazing life, Snow. I’ve spent more than half of my years married to the man I love, and I’ve seen my son grow up to become a father. I always regretted that I couldn’t have another child, but I couldn’t be more proud of you and Talia if you were my own daughters.”
Snow stood and hoped the queen couldn’t see her blushing. “I should let you rest.”
Beatrice merely chuckled. “So beautiful, and you still haven’t learned to accept a genuine compliment from someone who loves you.”
“You’re teasing me. You know there are worse things I can put in your tea.”
The queen raised her hands in surrender. “Before you go, will you tell me what else is bothering you? I assume it’s something to do with Lirea.”
With a sigh, Snow sat back down on the carpet. “I keep remembering what I did to her. I thrust a knife into her mind and twisted until there was nothing left. I
felt
her thoughts fragmenting, ripping apart like rags.”
“Is that why you worked so hard to reverse the spells Morveren had worked upon her, back in Hilad?” Beatrice asked. “Danielle told me you kept passing out, but each time you awakened you insisted on trying again.”
“I managed to bind Lirea to one form,” Snow said. “The transformation from human to undine and back was a tremendous strain. I can’t completely restore her body to what it was . . . she no longer produces a scent, and her voice will never heal. But now that she’s free of Morveren and Gustan, unable to change, she might survive for years. A part of me wonders if it would have been kinder to kill her.”
“You did what you had to in order to free her.”
Snow snorted. “Free her to what?”
“To a life with a sister who still loves her. And perhaps, as time passes, a life of peace.” Bea climbed out of bed and held out her hand to Snow. “Help me find Danielle and Talia. There are few things more beautiful than sunset at sea, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let them miss it.”
Snow bit her lip at the mention of Talia’s name. The undine had kept her too busy to think about Morveren’s revelation, but now that the crisis had passed . . . She still didn’t feel ready to face that truth. “I think I’d rather be alone, if you don’t mind.”
“I do mind. Since I’m queen, that means you’re coming with me.” Beatrice put her hands on Snow’s shoulders. “None of us live happily forever after. But we can choose to be happy today. I’m choosing for both of us. Argue, and I’ll make you wake up tomorrow morning to watch the sunrise as well.”
Slowly, Snow smiled. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
The next morning Danielle stood on the forecastle with Beatrice, watching the waves. The queen tried not to let her pain show, but Danielle could see the tightness in her expression and the way she rested after exertion. Though she did appear stronger here on the
Phillipa
.
Beatrice glanced at Danielle. “You seem to have gained your sea legs at last.”
Danielle smiled and shook her head.“Without Snow’s tea, I’d be huddled away in my cabin with a bucket.”
Perhaps it was the magic of the ship, or simply being out in the sea air, but Beatrice’s face had more color this morning than in the past two weeks. She still used a cane for support, and she couldn’t stand too long without rest, but she was alive. Alive and healing.
The ship wasn’t fully recovered either. Hephyra said it would likely be several months before the foremast finished regrowing. But she was seaworthy, and Beatrice refused to set out in any other vessel.
“King Theodore was right,” said Danielle. “You shouldn’t be here. You need rest.”
“If I spend one more day in bed, I’ll go mad. They treat me as though I were a crystal doll who’ll shatter at the slightest touch.”
“How foolish,” Danielle agreed. “It’s not as though you were stabbed, had your soul ripped from your body, fell from a sinking ship, ripped your stitches, and nearly bled to death on the journey back to Lorindar.”
Beatrice snorted. “You sound like Talia. I think I liked it better back when you were afraid of offending me.”
From high in the mainmast, the watch shouted, “Hiladi ships sighted to port.”
“That would be the
Prince’s Triumph
and their escort,” said Beatrice. “I’ll have to ask Snow, but I don’t believe a Hiladi vessel has ever attended an undine ceremony before.”
Danielle pulled down her hat to block the sun as she searched for Varisto’s ship.
“You should get Snow and Talia. We’ll be there soon, and Lannadae will be disappointed if they aren’t present.”
Danielle turned around. “They’re already coming.” Snow and Talia were making their way from the cabin. Snow was trying to shove a sheathed shortsword into Talia’s hands.
“He’ll be offended if you don’t wear it,” Snow said, laughing. “If you didn’t want the sword, you shouldn’t have accepted it.”
“Why not?” Talia sprang onto the ladder, pulling herself onto the forecastle. “It’s a beautiful weapon. Light, well-balanced, and matched with one of those magical bracelets. Do you remember how Varisto summoned his ax back in the chapel? I could use a weapon that came when called. I thought this was his way of thanking me.”
“You didn’t see the coiled snakes on the pommel?” Snow asked as she followed. “Or the garnet chips worked into the scabbard?”
“What’s wrong?” Danielle asked.
“The snakes and jewels mark this as a hakris sword,” Snow explained. “Varisto gave it to Talia before he left Lorindar last week. She must have impressed him. The hakris weapon is a token of a suitor’s intentions. It’s not an engagement, but the next best thing.”
Talia snatched the sword from Snow’s hands. “You were there. You knew!”
“If you’d spend more time reading and less time learning new ways to kill a man with your bootlace, you’d have known too!”
Danielle reached out to take the sword, squeezing between them before Talia tossed Snow overboard. She was used to their teasing, but over the past few days, there had been an edge to Snow’s joking. Whatever had happened between them, Danielle hoped it would pass soon. “I’ll explain to Varisto that Talia is oath-bound to serve Beatrice and thus unable to accept other commitments.”
“Are you sure, Talia?” Snow pressed. “You don’t have to marry him, but the wooing could be fun. He’s strong, attractive . . . you both seem to like pummeling people. I thought maybe you might—”
“I count six warships,” Talia interrupted, squinting at the approaching Hiladi vessels. “You’d almost think they didn’t trust the undine anymore.”
Danielle glanced at their own escort. Four ships sailed alongside the
Phillipa
, each one carrying large nets, extra guns, and twice as much powder as necessary. Danielle just prayed fear and hatred didn’t lead one of the humans to fire on the undine. The undine attacks had stopped soon after Morveren’s death, but Danielle suspected it would take years for humans to once again feel safe at sea.
Danielle shivered when she spotted the undine approaching, their bodies cutting through the waves. How long would it be before
she
felt safe again?
“There they are,” said King Theodore, climbing up to stand beside his wife. His skin appeared faintly green, but it was an improvement over the previous day. Snow’s tea had helped the king as much as it had Danielle.
Theodore’s advisers had warned him against coming, citing dangers ranging from vengeful undine to the angry ghosts of Morveren’s victims. The king’s response had been succinct and had left at least three nobles red-faced and coughing.
Danielle had no doubt Armand would have been here as well, if not for his leg. She looked forward to returning home to him and Jakob soon.
There were no displays of undine strength or skill this time as Lannadae’s tribe approached the gathered ships. Nor would there be any gifts. Only a formal end to hostilities.
The undine swam in a series of inverted Vs, with Lannadae in the lead. Her escort was armed, weapons pointed not so subtly at the human ships, but Lannadae herself hardly appeared to notice. Her chest heaved, and she appeared to be breathing harder than her companions. She was still out of shape from her long hibernation and exile. But her skin had lost its blue tinge, and she was smiling. She wore the oyster necklace Danielle remembered seeing on Lirea.
There were fewer undine than Danielle remembered. Lannadae was too young, her scent still weak, and many of the undine had left her tribe.
The Hiladi ships dropped anchor a short distance behind and to the right of the undine. Some of Lannadae’s warriors shifted, clearly uncomfortable at the number of humans and cannons. Lannadae merely swam closer to the
Phillipa
.
“Greetings, Queen Beatrice!” Lannadae waved. “And to Princess Danielle and her two companions.”
Danielle had asked Lannadae not to share the truth about Snow and Talia. From the delighted smile on Lannadae’s face, she took great joy in keeping that secret.
“Hello, Lannadae,” said Bea. “I’m glad to see you again.”
“Is that your mate?” Lannadae asked.
The king laughed. “I am. My name is Theodore of Lorindar. I’m honored to meet you at last, and I am pleased to see you doing so well.”
“Thank you, friends. For everything.” With that, Lannadae disappeared into the water and swam toward the Hiladi.
Danielle blinked. “That’s it?”
“She named us friends,” said Bea. “The undine aren’t big on ceremony.”