Song of the Abyss Page 11

  And just like that, all pretense of civility was gone. Reyna thought she heard Commander Aimon sigh.

  “You cannot think I would wish this on you!” Queen Vashti burst out.

  “I don’t think it,” King Ulises retorted. “I’m certain of it. ‘A pox on you, Ulises.’ Isn’t that what you said? ‘A pox on your whole kingdom—’”

  “You would throw that in my face?” Temper sparked in the queen’s eyes. “After what you did to—”

  “I did what was best for—”

  “Oh, you are ever so self-righteous—”

  Slack-jawed, Reyna listened as the two rulers bickered like a couple married far too long. Centuries. Even more amazing was that she appeared to be the only one who was astounded. Commander Aimon merely studied the frescoes on the ceiling. Levi moved closer to Reyna so that their shoulders nearly touched. His words were quiet, for her alone.

  “Lady. I was glad to hear you were safe.”

  Seconds passed before her tongue untied itself. “Captain. Welcome to del Mar.”

  “I—” Levi stopped. Commander Aimon’s attention had shifted from the ceiling down to Levi, standing too close. Levi turned back to Reyna and spoke urgently. “Don’t hate me for this. Not forever.”

  Commander Aimon raised one eyebrow. Levi heeded the warning, steping away before she could ask what he meant. Of course she did not hate him. Why would he think so? Because he had taken her royal passport? It was nothing compared to his many kindnesses. Even if she could ask, this was not the time. The two rulers were still sniping at each other.

  Ulises and Vashti . . . apart they are rational people. But when they are together, it is something else entirely. This was what Mercedes had meant, and it was where she would have stepped in. Smoothing everything over with words and a smile. She had once told Reyna that diplomacy was the true power behind any throne. That flies were more easily caught with honey than vinegar. It was not a simple thing to learn. It meant biting one’s tongue and thinking hard before one spoke. It meant swallowing one bitter pill after another in the hopes that small compromises could be agreed upon. Diplomacy kept neighbors from becoming enemies. It saved lives. And just now, many lives Reyna cared about hung in the balance. Both Levi and Commander Aimon showed no signs of entering the fray. And Mercedes could not be here.

  So Reyna stepped forward and curtsied, low and formal, bringing the quarrel to a halt. She held her position through the silence until Queen Vashti spoke above her.

  “You must be Lady Reyna.”

  Grateful, Reyna rose. Her legs had begun to tremble. “I am, Queen Vashti. Prince Levi was kind enough to come to my aid on Lunes. I regret not being able to pay my respects to you then. I’m grateful to do so now.”

  Vashti’s irritation lingered. She said, crisply, “No one stopped you from paying your respects. You chose to leave Selene of your own free will. Without a word to my poor brother, who worried greatly.”

  Reyna had left because if she had not, Levi would have found her maps and kept them for Lunes. Everyone here knew it. Hold your tongue, Reyna. Vinegar. Honey.

  Ignoring her king’s slightly flaring nostrils, Reyna said, “The opportunity to leave on a del Marian ship presented itself. Rather suddenly.” Now she felt another sardonic gaze on her, this time coming from Levi’s direction. “And I did not wish to impose on your family any more than necessary during such a time. If I’ve caused offense, I am sorry.”

  “Hmm.” Queen Vashti took Reyna’s chin in her hand and studied her. Reyna did not look away. “I am not offended,” Queen Vashti announced at last. The tension in the chamber eased. She turned Reyna’s chin slightly left, then right. “Such a face,” she murmured, with a glance at her brother. “Some things are clearer now.”

  “Vashti.” Levi’s expression was pained. Reyna was careful not to look at him.

  Queen Vashti dropped her hand. She addressed the king with a scowl. “Your sea raiders aren’t Coronads,” she informed him.

  “They’re from Miramar,” King Ulises said. At her startled expression, he pulled out a chair for her. “What do you know, Vashti?”

  * * *

  “A year ago,” Queen Vashti said, “my father was approached by an emissary from Miramar. The son of the Miranese king. His name was Jian-so. It was the first contact we’d had with the kingdom since they closed their harbor to trade and foreigners.”

  “Five hundred years ago,” Ulises said from the head of the table. Queen Vashti sat to his right, her brother beside her. Commander Aimon sat to the king’s left, Reyna beside him.

  “Yes,” Queen Vashti said. “Naturally, my father was intrigued.”

  “What did he want, this prince?” Ulises asked.

  “Our clay,” Levi said.

  There was a silence. Commander Aimon broke it, in his usual brusque fashion. “Your clay what?”

  “Just the clay,” Levi said. “We have quarries full of it, and Prince Jian-so offered a staggering sum. My father agreed.”

  “Why did he want it?” King Ulises asked him, perplexed.

  “He would not say,” Levi said.

  “And you did not ask?”

  “Ulises,” Queen Vashti said, testily, “it was clay. Not sulfur or saltpeter. For what they offered, we did not care.”

  The king conceded grudgingly, “It’s a fair point.”

  “I’m delighted you think so,” Queen Vashti said.

  Reyna’s fan lay gathered on the table. With a fingertip, she spread it open, black lace on ancient, polished wood, and she thought, Clay, sulfur, who cares? What does any of this have to do with Lord Elias?

  Levi said, “Prince Jian-so returned months later for the agreed-upon cargo and went on his way. We saw nothing of him afterward until . . .” He trailed off, glanced across the table at Reyna, glanced away.

  Queen Vashti finished for him. “Until Lady Reyna drew his picture for Levi.”

  Reyna’s fan snapped closed, impossibly loud in the silence. Stunned, she stared at Levi across the table, but he would not look her way. She could not have heard right. Levi had known who her attacker was then, many weeks ago, and he’d said nothing?

  Don’t hate me for this. Not forever.

  Commander Aimon said, “You’re certain it was him?”

  “Yes,” Levi said. “He had the same face. The same pock scars.” He withdrew a folded sheet of parchment from his jacket, opened it, and placed it on the table for all to see. The Simona’s attacker glared up at them from Reyna’s original drawing. “The same axe.”

  The king brought the drawing close, then tossed it back onto the table. A different sort of anger settled over him. “So. These raiders are making slaves of my men. And you’re their trading partner.”

  “Your Grace.” Levi’s words were cold, clipped. “With respect, we do not answer to you. My father chose to trade with the Miranese. My sister and I stand by that decision, as he is no longer here to stand by it himself.” Both fists were clenched on the table. “We came here, at Lord Elias’s request, so that we may work together. If you are in disagreement, we will leave. At once.”

  At the mention of Elias, the king’s antagonism dimmed. “Work together in what way?”

  Levi said, “We have an invitation to deliver more clay, when it’s ready. I have the cargo on the Truthsayer now. I can get my ship into their harbor, and from there try to discover what has happened to your men. But from what Reyna—Lady Reyna,” he amended, after a hasty glance in her direction, “has described, they are being restrained in some way. I may need help getting out.”

  It was a generous offer. King Ulises looked first at the commander, then Reyna, before he spoke. “What did Elias promise you in exchange?”

  “Nothing.” This from a more subdued Vashti. “Our brother has gone missing.”

  “Asher?” The king’s gaze sharpened. At Vashti’s nod: “We haven’t heard of any missing Lunesian ships.”

  “There are none,” Queen Vashti said. “Asher was attending univer
sity in Caffa. He was to return home for the coronation, but the Lunesian ship he was to sail home on needed repair.”

  “He would not wait,” Levi said, “and instead booked passage on a Caffeesh messenger. He planned to travel as a common passenger, a student returning home. No one knew who he was.”

  “Foolish boy,” Queen Vashti said. Levi’s hand came up to brush his sister’s shoulder, in comfort.

  “How do you know this?” King Ulises asked.

  Levi said, “He left a letter behind for Master Hiram, who was to have accompanied him home. No one has seen the ship, or any of its passengers, since.”

  Commander Aimon spoke. “You’re on good terms with the Miranese, it sounds like. They are not targeting your ships. Why wouldn’t your brother have told them who he was? They would have been lenient.”

  “He might not have been able to, Commander,” Reyna said, and reminded him of the strange humming she had heard on the Simona, and how the men had gone above deck without a fight. She did not look at Levi. He did not look at her.

  A long silence filled the chamber.

  King Ulises said, “Del Mar will give you all the men you need for a rescue. For my men and your brother. I have conditions.”

  Queen Vashti looked unsurprised. “Name them.”

  “We will not raise arms against them,” King Ulises said. “Not one Miranese harmed, until we’re certain this is their doing.”

  Levi frowned, “I’m quite certain—”

  But King Ulises was adamant. “I’ll have absolute certainty before I send in my men.”

  Queen Vashti spoke. “You said conditions. What else?”

  Ulises said, “The proof will come from one of my own people. Someone who will sail with you, who can easily pass for a Lunesian . . .” He paused. “Someone who has an uncanny ability to remove herself from tricky situations.”

  The chamber went quiet once again. Everyone turned to Reyna. Beneath the table, she pressed a palm flat against her belly. It did nothing to calm the butterflies flapping around in a panic. When she saw that Commander Aimon’s gaze was on her hand, she dropped it.

  And said, “I understand. When do we go?”

  Thirteen

  “REYNA, WAIT.”

  She ignored Levi, storming across the open courtyard of the Tower of Winds. An immense mosaic compass sparkled green and silver beneath her feet. He had known. He had known from the beginning who the raider was and had said nothing to her. Not one word.

  A hand came down on her shoulder. She wheeled around, dislodging it, and jabbed her fan into his chest.

  Levi did not flinch. “Listen to me—”

  “I showed you his picture the first day I met you!” she cried. “And you stood there and you looked at it and you lied to my face!” There was no king or queen here to temper her words. Honey. Vinegar. Ha! She did not know how Mercedes did it.

  “I didn’t lie!” Levi looked as upset as she felt. Good! “Not exactly. I needed to think what to say—”

  “What to say?” she repeated, aware they had attracted an audience along the covered passageway and not caring one bit. “How about the truth? What is so hard about that?”

  “It’s not that simple—”

  “No?” Reyna spread her arms wide, scornful. “How is it, then? I’m listening.”

  They stood too close, breathing in the other’s angry, fiery words. Levi inhaled so deeply she thought his lungs would burst. He said, with some difficulty, “Lunes has a trading relationship with the Miranese. It’s not something easily set aside. When I saw your picture, it was my duty to speak to my sister first, to my queen, before I said anything to you. I did not lie.”

  “You said nothing because you didn’t want to risk losing your precious Miranese gold. And now that your brother is missing, you’ve come here to beg for our help.”

  “You—” Levi’s blue eyes widened in outrage. “This is what you think of me?”

  “Do you know what you’ve done?” Reyna could feel the tears threatening. “If we’d known who they were, we could have done something sooner instead of—”

  “What could you have done? There’s nothing—”

  “Something! Before Lord Elias and Jaime left here. Not after, when it’s too late!”

  Levi’s face altered as if she had hit him. He lifted a hand toward her, dropped it. “Reyna . . . I didn’t know you then.”

  “You still don’t know me.”

  “What is this?” another voice demanded.

  Master Luca. He pushed his way through the onlookers gawking in the passageway and stalked toward them. So many people watching. Even the first-years, still dripping from their lessons at the beach. Sensing disaster, she said, “Master Luca. This is Prince Levi.”

  “I know who he is.” Master Luca was shorter than Levi, but broader, with enough muscle to give anyone pause. A bull with round spectacles. That was how Lord Elias had described him once. His hand rested on his sword hilt in a threatening manner. “I don’t know how things are done on Lunes, but we do not shout at our ladies here on del Mar. In public or private. Step away!”

  Levi’s hand was also on his sword. A muscle twitched along his jaw, and for one horrible instant, Reyna could picture it: Master Luca’s sword through Levi’s gut, and Vashti’s terrible rage. Wars had been started with less provocation. She stepped between them and raised both hands, palms out, the way one would when confronted with wild animals.

  “We weren’t shouting, Master Luca. We were just—”

  “Don’t speak for me.” Levi’s words were cold, clipped. He kept his eyes on Master Luca. “This is a private conversation.”

  “Is it?” Master Luca returned. “Yet half the castle is here, listening in.”

  Frustration lay upon him like a cloak. Levi turned to her. He wanted to stay, to finish what they had begun. She had heard enough. A step back, toward Master Luca, was all it took.

  Levi’s expression closed. He turned to Master Luca. “Well? Are you going to use that sword or not?”

  Master Luca’s eyes narrowed, but Reyna could see reason returning. His hand dropped away from his hilt. “You’re not welcome here. Prince.” The last sounded more like a slur than an honorific.

  Without a word, and without a glance at Reyna, Levi stalked off, his first visit to the Tower of Winds concluded.

  * * *

  After supper, a grim affair in which Vashti and Levi were guests of honor, Reyna dispatched a messenger to Blaise in Montserrat. She had promised to visit her friend the moment her work in the storage vault ended. That was no longer a possibility. The knowledge left her heartsick. Once that was done, Reyna returned to the king’s chambers. There was much to be orchestrated and little time in which to do it all. The Truthsayer would be sailing for Miramar in two days.

  Important people crowded the chamber: Lunesians, del Marians, none inclined to exchange more than a few terse pleasantries. They gathered around the table, standing, not sitting, as King Ulises and Levi laid out a plan of action. Reyna could not help noticing that Admiral Maira was nowhere to be found. No one explained why, and Reyna did not ask. She did not need to. It would be a long time before King Ulises forgave the admiral for allowing Lord Elias to be taken on his watch. Queen Vashti was present with her councilors, but she had ceded authority to her brother in all matters relating to the rescue. Beside Reyna was Master Luca, who, with Lord Braga away on Coronado, represented the Tower of Winds. Levi and Master Luca had exchanged frosty looks across the table and then ignored each other. From Levi, Reyna had received the stiffest of bows. He, in return, had earned the briefest of nods. And from there, they too had avoided each other.

  It was decided that Reyna would act as a Lunesian scribe. The role meant she would be present whenever Levi met with the royal family of Miramar, as it would be her responsibility to record all that was discussed. And, as an upper servant, she would be able to go places a foreign prince could not. A translator would not be needed. From Levi they had learned th
at most Miranese spoke the language common to all their lands, ancient Caffeesh.

  They would be in each other’s company always, Reyna realized. There would be no avoiding him. She was so absorbed in her thoughts she nearly missed the king’s question, for Levi.

  “This Jian-so. He’s a younger son?”

  “No,” Levi answered. “He’s an only child. His father’s heir.”

  King Ulises said, “Why would the heir to the Miranese kingdom be conducting sea raids? He could be killed. It seems a foolish move to me.”

  “To me as well, Your Grace,” Levi said. “I don’t have an answer.”

  “Hmm” was the king’s response. “How long was this Prince Jian-so on Lunes?”

  “Half a month,” Levi answered.

  “What did you think of him?” the king asked. “Lady Reyna’s experience was a grim one. A pirate, a murderer. Yet I can’t imagine you would knowingly allow such a person in your home.”

  “We would not,” Queen Vashti said.

  “No.” Levi glanced at Reyna before answering. “Prince Jian-so was on Lunes on trade business. He was prompt with his payments, amusing at supper, respectful of our customs. The clay was to be used for some sort of gift for his father, though he would not specify what. The way he spoke of King Botan-so . . . He was a man who loved his father.”

  King Ulises watched him closely. “You liked him.”

  “I had no reason to dislike him,” Levi said.

  “The feeling must have been mutual if he invited you to Miramar,” King Ulises said.

  “I think it was,” Levi said, then stopped, frowning. “He was a little strange with his crew.”

  Queen Vashti said, “I’d forgotten about that.”

  “Strange how?” King Ulises asked.

  “He would not allow them to leave the ship. Ever,” Levi said.

  “For half a month?” the king said in consternation.

  Levi nodded. “They anchored mid-harbor. The only men who made it to shore were the prince and his guards.”

  Reyna addressed her king. “If the Miranese are like other hermit kingdoms, they would not want their people exposed to foreigners. To see how others live. It gives people ideas, sows discontent.”