Because she must return. She must. Hanne is the strongest of us, the most tenacious.
Even Prince Rune believes there is a chance, for he summoned the Nightrender.
I saw her this morning. Just as the other ladies and I were finishing breakfast, word went out and we all hurried into the throne room, where the Nightrender intended to present herself to the king and queen of Caberwill.
The Nightrender is a frightening creature, almost as terrible to behold as the monster I saw in the woods. She has pale porcelain skin, cobalt veins, and coal-black hair and wings. That sword was strapped to her back, and several times this morning I thought she might use it against us.
She restrained herself, however, even when Queen Grace told her that she was not needed and tried to send her away. It makes me wonder if Queen Grace and King Opus really want the alliance. Does it benefit them if Hanne is dead? That is something I must keep in mind as the other ladies and I work on Hanne’s behalf.
I know the Caberwilline monarchs don’t care about Hanne herself.
They’ve never met her.
Most people don’t understand her. They fear her. They obey her. But few make the effort required to see who she truly is.
Hanne has always been a tool for her parents to use. They sharpened her so much that I was afraid she would break, but she never did. In spite of all the ways they molded her into the daughter they wanted, she resolutely refused to become them. She desires peace.
That is why I will move forward with her plans. I miss her so much, but whatever she is doing now, I know that she wants me to move toward her goals. So this afternoon, I will put all my feelings aside, and I will begin doing Hanne’s work.
9.
RUNE
It seemed impossible that something had actually gone his way.
The Nightrender—the actual Nightrender—had heard his case and agreed to help. It was almost too good to be true. She hadn’t even tried to kill him.
Optimism was something of a foreign feeling to Rune, but as he left the Nightrender’s tower and went to his quarters to grab his pack, there was a strange lightness in his step. He would—rather, the Nightrender would—rescue Princess Johanne, and the war against Embria would be called off, and the war against Ivasland would be called on. Together, they would ensure the Winterfast Accords were secure, and then they would destroy the malsites and—perhaps—the entire Malice.
It was a perfect plan.
He smiled as he strode into his apartments. Then the smile fell.
His parents were waiting in the parlor.
Of course. He should have expected them.
The strange lift in his chest evaporated as he took in their postures: his father, sitting at the table, head resting on his fist; and his mother, standing behind the king, her hands clasped behind her back. The weight of paternal disappointment hung heavy over the room.
Rune considered running back out the door, embarking on his mission with the Nightrender without his personal provisions, but his father’s glare pinned him in place.
“What,” said the queen, “were you thinking? How could you invite that—that thing into our castle?”
Opus cleared his throat, straightening as he said, “My love, we’ve talked about this. She’s a person, too, and she has very good hearing, according to the legends.”
She has extremely good hearing, if she can hear termites chewing, Rune thought.
Grace drew in a long breath. “Very well. Person.” Then she turned on Rune again. “You invited that person into our castle against our wishes. You put everyone in immense danger. Your sisters could have been—”
Rune shut the hall door. He would have to face his parents sooner or later, and, when it came to them, nothing had ever been gained by procrastinating. “I summoned the Nightrender because it was the necessary thing to do.”
The king rose to his feet, and the queen moved to his side. With the bookcases in the background, the hand-polished bloodwood paneling on the lower third of every wall, and the diamonds affixed to sconces, the pair would have looked very regal. The crown prince’s chambers—Rune’s chambers now—were quite grand.
It was their unfettered anger that wrecked the scene. “We should have spoken about it first—as a family,” the queen seethed.
“I tried. You dismissed me out of hand, because you would prefer to go to war against Embria.”
“We would prefer you to marry Lady Nadine.”
“You rejected that option because you believe that Embria will not see her as an acceptable substitute for Princess Johanne. And I agree: there can be no peace without the princess.”
“And so we must have war,” the king pronounced, the queen nodding solemnly. “Not by preference, but by necessity.”
Rune clenched his jaw.
“Now, as for the Nightrender. You’ve put all our lives at risk, and there will be consequences for your actions. Do not think you can get away with this reckless behavior.”
Rune had never gotten away with any sort of behavior—reckless or otherwise—in his life. This moment was no different. “A war against Embria is just as reckless, Father. It puts the entire kingdom at risk.”
“How dare you—” Grace started.
Rune didn’t let her finish. “The Nightrender has agreed to help me rescue Princess Johanne.”
That quieted both of them.
“I talked to her,” Rune said. “I told her what is at stake. She’s agreed to help.”
“What of the Red Da—”
“Not an issue.”
Opus glanced at Grace. “She swears she is not going to—”
“No,” Rune said. “She will do her duty, and that’s all.”
“I don’t trust her.” Grace lifted her chin. “She’s deceived Caberwillines before. She may change her mind.”
Rune had no evidence that the Nightrender wouldn’t change her mind and revisit the events of four hundred years ago, but having spent time with her, he felt certain of her intentions. Something deep within him knew that she was here only to fight the rancor, not to harm mortals. But he kept that to himself; his intuition would make no difference to his parents’ opinions. Instead, he said, “We’ll leave for the malsite immediately, and return tomorrow with Princess Johanne.”
“Oh no.” Grace stepped toward him, her eyes narrowed. “You will not be going anywhere with the Nightrender. Send one of your guards, if you must. Or Grand General Emberwish will assign someone.”