Aurekdel

“I let Izeria live,” Seron said.

“So we can execute her in a grand fashion? Maybe the rock dragons can tear her apart and eat her?”

He sighed.

I crossed my arms and said, more seriously, “All right. What do you have planned, then?”

“I want to use her,” he said. “I think I might be able to use crystal magic to heal her, at least enough so that we could lean on her to aid in peace treaties. All the mist dragons who were loyal to her won’t go away with the snap of our fingers, just as the Emperor’s old allies have caused trouble here.”

“Healing? Peace?” I had to tamp down my temper. “Well, at least I know the old Seron is back. Except now you might be even more of a soft touch than the last version. With all the things she and Dvaro have done? We have to show our people that we’re strong, and there are consequences to opposing us.”

“We did,” Seron said. “We crushed their asses. Literally…in some cases.” I think he must have looked at Himika then, because she said,

“I’ll let you two and Ezeru decide what to do,” she said. “You’re the ones who have dealt with this conflict all your lives.”

Seron took my elbow. “Can we take a walk and talk about this?”

“What about Izeria’s head on a pike?” I asked Ezeru.

“It’s an image I still enjoy thinking about,” he said.

“Fine.” I started walking down the path so we could have some privacy, as currently we had guards, handmaidens, midwives, nosy mothers, and everyone else gathered around. My cane swiped a cat out of the way, provoking an indignant meow. “You too, Ez.”

“Me?”

“Yes. As Himika said, it’s our business.”

But I also had something to tell them. Oszin already knew. Even after Himika woke from her close call, the midwife pulled us aside.

“Before we get into that, I have to tell you two something,” I said. “Don’t panic. I feel much better now that you’re home, Seron. But—Himika came very close to dying or losing the babies while you were gone. I was able to connect with the babies and draw out their healing power, but we’re not out of the fire yet either. She hasn’t rested like she should.”

“That’s damn sure no surprise,” Seron said. “You two were fighting when she was still breakable!”

“I have been trying to keep her in bed,” I said. “Well, you can imagine how that went. She had a scare with Merrick and was running around, knife in hand. The healers are worried that the babies are too much for her. I mean, look at you, Seron. Anyway—stay close to her now. You might be the one to keep her alive when the time comes.”

“I will,” he said. “I would give everything in me to keep her alive.”

“I know.” Suddenly I had to embrace him, even though I knew he’d get stiff and awkward.

“All right, all right, it’s okay,” he said gruffly. “As for…Izeria. I’m not really sure if my plan will work. If she causes trouble, we won’t let it go on. And I didn’t let her off easy. I gave her eyes a blast of light magic. Her central vision’s fried. She can’t cause too much trouble. After all those years they spent mocking you, and after all the shit she’s done to hurt people, I figured she can get a taste of her own suffering.”

“Okay. I like that a little better.”

He laughed in a vaguely exasperated way. “You’re only one or two more tragedies away from turning evil yourself, you know.”

“The fact remains, the mist dragons started all of this when they attacked us. And now we’re going to be the ones to capitulate?”

“This is no surrender or weakness,” Seron said. “Our forces were superior. Their plans failed. They were defeated. She knows it. I think she might have brought herself down when she had her husband killed. Her idea of love is pretty twisted, but I think a part of her cared for Ezeru.”

“I’m not spending any time with her,” Ezeru said.

“She’ll have to learn to care for her own people,” Seron said. “She’ll have to heal on her own terms. If she can’t, she’s out. But we have to break this pattern. They fight us, we fight them. We can remain stubborn, knowing Izeria would never do it, and if we kill her, one of her lackeys might rise up in her place. But my ancestors punished all the mist dragons for the actions of a few. I accept some responsibility.”

“Can I see her and gloat?”

“Are you really going to gloat?”

“Hell yes. I didn’t even get to kill anyone.”

Seron groaned.

Still, he brought me through the mist dragon camp. Along the way we were swarmed by Merrick’s sisters and parents, who were in tears thanking us for sparing Merrick’s life.

“Just a normal human family, by the looks of ‘em, but they seem half starved,” Seron said.

“By the woman you want to let off the hook?”

“Give me a chance to see if I can make it work, that’s all I ask.”

Izeria had been given a tent to stay in, with a guard watching over her, and a few of her handmaidens were still with her, starting a cook fire.

“She’s sitting on a log with a shawl wrapped around her looking pretty pathetic,” Ezeru said. “I must admit, this might be as good as her head on a pike. This way, she has to feel her defeat. But I’m stopping here.”

I put a hand on Seron, signaling for him to stay back, and tapped my way around the mist dragon camp. I heard them moving out of my way.

“Izeria?” I said sharply.

“Y—yes? Who?” I heard her voice low to the ground and moved toward it. She sounded defensive. Then I guess she connected the sound of my cane. I heard her stand, the shawl falling softly to the ground. “King Aurekdel.”

“We have never actually met.”

“No. We have not.” She sounded like she was braced for something.

I did notice that she referred to me as the king. That was a little surprising. If she wasn’t in fallen circumstances, I was sure she would have been the one gloating.

“I am—sorry,” she said. “For shaming you and perpetuating insults to your name.”

“Hmph! Seron allowed you to live. I haven’t forgotten all the things you and your husband have done. Killing the last king and queen. Keeping Tiriana in prison. Peri’s tongue. Vorja’s eyes. Morhu’s hand and Ijaru’s virginity—nearly so. I’m sure that when it’s all accounted for, the list will be very long indeed. If there is one thing I’ll forgive you for, it’s insulting my name. I can take care of myself.”

“You have,” she said. “You were always a strong king. That was what drove my husband so insane about you. He didn’t understand why your people loved a king who couldn’t go to battle.”

I twitched. Seron would probably storm on over if I slapped her.

“It has not escaped my notice,” she said. “That your strength was…different from his. When he died, I thought maybe…things would be better. Then my brother…but who can I blame? No one. I have no idea how to lead people the way you do. If I had any pride, I would kill myself now. I am the one who is weak and blind.” She let out a small, angry sob.

Aw, damn it.

I hissed under my breath. Seron was right. We couldn’t trust her—but this was not the moment to spit in her face. This was the moment the prophecy had promised. Peace was in reach, and if the prophecy had been unclear as to who it was really about, maybe it would take all of us.

But gods, was I supposed to actually console her? Hug her? I would rather hug a licking snake.

She’ll have to learn to care for her own people. She’ll have to heal on her own terms. We have to break this pattern.

I took my cane and put it in her hand. “Don’t be afraid to stumble when you chart your own course,” I said.

I heard her sniff.

I was done with her for today.

I returned to Seron’s side, and he clapped my back.

“That was good,” he said.

“Ugh. Make me a new cane, Seron.”

“Yeah, I don’t have anything better to do,” he said dryly.

We understood each other.