“When I was in my attic prison,” Bitterblue was saying, “I couldn’t fathom why Estill would ally with Winterkeep in a war against Monsea, and why Estill would think they could win. Now we know. Benni Cavenda was going to sell them this weapon.”
“Remember, in the beginning,” said Hava, “Mikka wanted to tell you something about zilfium?”
Bitterblue’s voice, when she responded, was terribly sad. “He wanted to tell me about this zilfium weapon. He wanted to warn me of how the world had changed.”
“Lovisa,” came Katu’s voice again. “What does the queen mean by her ‘attic prison’?”
Lovisa could not bear the burden of explaining these things to Katu. He was her uncle. He was the one who was supposed to explain the world to her. He was supposed to say, “I’m going to take care of you and your brothers now. It’s all over, Lovisa. You’re safe.”
“Let me explain it to you later, Katu,” she said, “please?”
“Lovisa?” he said. “Are you all right? You’re all scratched up. What happened to you?”
Through the window, she caught sight of a dot in the sky, moving steadily between the trees. It took shape—balloon above, sails in the middle, car below. It was an airship, coming from the south. It was losing altitude, as if headed for the Cavenda house.
Lovisa dropped Katu’s hand, stepped closer to the glass. She knew all the airships of the important Ledra families. This one was deep blue, covered with gold stars, which made it the Tima family airship. The Timas were Industrialists, friends of her father.
From Hava’s sofa, Nev said, “Lovisa? What’s wrong?”
Lovisa left the room, heading upstairs to the roof.
* * *
—
On the roof, the wind gusted, sending her sideways.
The airship hovered, buffeted to and fro, having some trouble docking, because no one was present to feed it a dock line. Lovisa knew she could come forward to help, but she didn’t. There were two flyers. She squinted against the light, unable to make them out, but unsurprised when the ladder lowered and the person stepping down resolved into her father.
He was supposed to be in jail, but of course nothing happened as it was supposed to. Pushing her mucky mind back, she realized that the head magistrate’s visit to Bitterblue had been only yesterday. Benni had probably left Ledra in a borrowed airship before the magistrate had ever returned.
When Benni spotted Lovisa, his footsteps faltered. She saw the surprise in his expression, and also a kind of relief. Then he found a careful mask, one she recognized. It was his Disappointed Father face.
“My darling!” he said. “I can’t express how happy I am to see you. But what happened? You’re a mess!”
“Don’t come any closer!” said Lovisa.
“Darling!” said her father, continuing to move toward her. “What can you mean by that? Aren’t you glad to see me?”
“We found the eggs!” she said.
He laughed. “Eggs, darling?”
“We found Katu!”
“Ah,” he said, pausing in his advance, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. Then he stepped toward her again, so that Lovisa began to step back.
“Your mother is dead, Lovisa,” he said. “Her tyranny is over. I can finally start to make amends.”
“Amends!” cried Lovisa, alarm shifting into confusion. “What amends?”
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I never wanted any of this. You understand how it is to be under your mother’s power, don’t you? I came here to release Katu, now that your mother is dead. She can’t hurt us anymore.”
Lovisa wanted to believe the words he was saying. But she’d heard them fighting. She’d heard her mother accuse her father of doing something to Katu. She’d seen him carrying Pari’s body.
Her back came up against the railing that made the roof’s perimeter. “You’re trying to trick me,” she said.
“I can’t believe you would think that of your father,” he said, stepping forward and reaching for her arm.
A voice came sharply behind him. “Lovisa!”
Benni spun around.
“Lovisa?” said the Queen of Monsea, climbing through the trapdoor and starting toward them in Ferla’s coat. Tiny, swaying, wincing at the wind. “What are you doing up here? Who is that?”
“It’s my father,” said Lovisa in utter confusion. “Don’t you recognize him?”
“We never had the pleasure, not while I was conscious, anyway. Why aren’t you in jail?” said Bitterblue, marching right up to Benni with no fear in her big, intoxicated eyes.
“Bitterblue,” cried Lovisa. “Don’t trust him.”
“Of course I don’t trust him,” she said. “You’re on the run, aren’t you, Benni Cavenda? You came to see Katu killed, and to collect your weapons.”
“Queen Bitterblue!” said Benni. “We finally meet!”
“Are you kidding me?” said Bitterblue.
“I’m here to make amends for the wrongs of my wife!” he said.
“Oh, please,” said Bitterblue, rolling her eyes. “You know, I’ve had just about enough today. Lovisa, go downstairs. I’ll deal with this kitten-head.”
“Lovisa?” said Benni. “Is this really the Queen of Monsea? She seems a bit unhinged.”
“I am unhinged!” said Bitterblue. “You took my hinges!”
Then Benni grabbed at Bitterblue and everything happened at once. The queen whipped a knife out of nowhere and stabbed Benni right through the hand he was grabbing her with. As Benni howled, the queen kneed him in the crotch, once, twice. As Benni began to fold, behind them, Giddon emerged through the trapdoor, Davvi behind him. “Bitterblue?” Giddon said, glancing around, squinting. “Where did you go?”
Benni struggled up, yelling some indiscernible command across the roof, to the flyer in the airship. Lovisa suddenly recognized the flyer—it was that same guard, the woman who’d motioned to Lovisa to flee from the house, the sister of the one Lovisa had seduced. The guard began running from tiller to lines, preparing the airship for departure.
Benni stumbled toward the airship, but Giddon and Davvi came forward, intercepting him easily. Lovisa heard a terrible crack and knew it was a fist in her father’s face. Benni fell.
“Bullies!” Lovisa cried, rushing toward them. “Bullies! All of you, against one of him!” With a massive shove, she knocked Giddon away from her father. She dropped beside Benni, cradling his bleeding face in her hands. “Papa,” she cried. “I’m sorry. Papa, I’m sorry.”