I remain yours,
Latch
There had been no follow-up message waiting at her usual Fork Town inn. No call for her to join him. No assurances that he’d be pleased to see her. Seeing no reason to wait around in Fork Town, Selivia had gone on to Pendark with the rest of the dragon riders. She hoped a more reassuring letter would be waiting for her on their way back through Fork Town tomorrow.
Selivia reread the line that caused her the most concern. Latch asked her to bring Brelling’s “East Isles” journal. The famous travel scribe, who was Latch’s favorite writer, had never been to the East Isles, located off the southeastern coast of the Soolen peninsula. In fact, Brelling explicitly warned against going there in his other writings. Latch would know that better than anyone. He had to be trying to tell her something. But why not warn her outright if there was trouble?
She had brought a copy of Brelling’s Soole travel journal, carefully packed in her leather satchel. She hoped that was the one Latch had meant and that the reference didn’t indicate something was wrong.
But the salutation also wasn’t quite right. He didn’t normally call her “My Dearest.” His greetings had always been more restrained. The hand looked like his, but she had to wonder if the letter had come from Latch at all.
No matter what, the letter bothered her, along with Khrillin’s attitude and the increasingly hostile comments she’d been hearing about Soole since arriving in Pendark. She wasn’t sure how much longer the peace in the continent would hold. Not getting along with her future husband might be the least of her problems.
A knock sounded on the door to her chamber.
“Princess?” a muffled voice called. “May I have a word?”
Selivia put Latch’s letter back into her pocket and reentered the richly decorated sitting room, leaving the balcony door open. She fixed her windblown hair and tucked her shirt back into her snug breeches.
“Come in, Heath.”
Her chief dragon rider entered, scanning the sitting room as if checking for hidden enemies. He was the same age as her, but his large size and serious bearing made him seem older. He wore his Amintelle-blue uniform tightly buttoned despite the heat, and his Fire cudgel hung at his belt.
He offered a neat bow, formal despite their long friendship. “I wish to speak with you about your decision earlier today, about that girl.”
“She didn’t mean to hurt the dragons, Heath. I know you’re protective of them.”
“She’s not the problem,” Heath said grimly. “I was watching Khrillin closely during the incident. He didn’t like you challenging him in front of his people.”
“It was a small thing.” Selivia smiled at his stern tone and skipped over to a small darkwood table to pour him a cup of tea. She still had one box of sugar mushrooms left over. Maybe that would get him to cheer up a bit. Heath took himself and his duties very seriously, and she’d made it something of a personal mission to get him to lighten up.
“Princess—”
“How many times do I have to ask you to call me Sel?”
“Several more, I think, Princess. I’m worried about how King Khrillin has been acting on this visit.”
“You’re always worried.” Selivia pressed a teacup and half a sugar mushroom into Heath’s hands. “And you’ve never liked Khrillin.”
“It’s different this time.” Heath frowned down at her. She was a tall woman, but she still had to tilt her head to meet his eyes. “Can’t you tell? He’s as accommodating as ever on the surface, but he’s not as friendly toward Vertigon as he once was.”
“He wouldn’t risk his deal with Siv,” Selivia said. Her brother had made a peace with Khrillin that was every bit as important as the one she’d secured with Soole.
“Maybe he would,” Heath said. “I’ve been hearing troubling things down in the barracks. Fork Town has apparently been more volatile than usual lately, and Soolen and Pendarkan ships have clashed near the Desolate Coast. No matter what he says, Khrillin still hates Soole.”
“Maybe that’s all it is, then,” Selivia said. “He’s starting to see me as a Soolen lady instead of as my father’s daughter. They were friends, you know.”
“That was over thirty years ago, before Khrillin was the king of the most violent and conniving place on the continent.” Heath looked at the balcony door, as if expecting an assassin to leap inside. “It feels different. Please promise me you’ll be more careful.”
Selivia couldn’t contradict him when she’d sensed it herself. A shift in the wind. A change in the air. Khrillin had even ended their dinner early and had her ferried back to the King’s Tower without him. Perhaps she could be more cautious.
“Very well. I promise.” She took the other half of the sugar mushroom from the box and chewed it thoughtfully. “I wonder if Khrillin thinks I’m planning to end our Watermight contract and buy the substance from Soole instead.”
“That could explain some of the hostility,” Heath said. “Are you transferring the contract?”
“No.” A hint of bitterness snuck into her tone. “Soole is getting a Vertigonian princess. Pendark needs something of equal value to maintain our good relationship.”
Heath blinked, and Selivia wished she hadn’t said anything. She was used to speaking familiarly with her chief dragon rider, but she hadn’t meant to reveal her mixed feelings about her impending marriage. About everything she’d have to give up to become a Lady of Soole.
“You’re probably right about that Watermight thief,” she said, hoping to change the subject. “I should have spoken to Khrillin privately about the girl instead of insisting he give her to me in front of everyone.”
“About that.” Heath cleared his throat. “Do we really have to bring her?”
“We couldn’t just leave her to Khrillin!” Selivia said.
“Agreed, but that doesn’t mean she has to come home with us. She’s a criminal.”
“I think she’ll do really well with Dara.”
“We don’t know anything about her.”
“You’ll have plenty of time to get to know her on the way to Vertigon,” Selivia said brightly. “You can tell me all about it next time I see you.”
Dismay crossed Heath’s face, as if he was only now registering that Selivia would be leaving the dragon party at Fork Town and continuing east to Soole instead of returning with him.
The sun had set outside, and shadows were beginning to fill the room. Selivia moved to uncover a Fire Lantern that had been imported all the way from Vertigon to decorate this guest chamber. The golden Firelight filled the elegant room, reminding her of home. She didn’t know when she’d next see Vertigon.
“I’ll give you a letter to take to Dara about our new friend,” she said, fending off the tight pinch of homesickness. “In the meantime, you’re in charge of her.”
Heath grimaced. “But she’s a feral child who—”
“Heath, be nice. I’m counting on you.”
He sighed. “Yes, Princess.” He took a bite of the sugar mushroom and scrunched up his face at the taste.