“I first came to Kylma five years ago. If any of you had told me I’d be competing for that chair…” He shook his head. “And with my cleverest foster sister, too.” He raised a glass in my direction.
Don’t throw up.
“As shocking as it was to hear about Kamen Avenko, it is in times of tragedy, I believe, that we discover who we really are. Ekata, I look forward to discovering who you really are over the course of the coronation trials.”
The archimandrite stood as though she’d practiced this moment with him. She probably had. “The gods have made their will known. The God Below has acknowledged King Sigis as a member of the royal line, and the Goddess Above accepts the submission and faithful declaration of His Majesty, King Sigis Casimaj of Drysiak.”
Odious owl pellet, I thought furiously at her.
Applause and unease sounded in equal measure. Sigis and I were tied at one trial each.
“Two trials remain,” the archimandrite called over the noise, and the hush spread accordingly. “The trial Below will take place in four days. The final trial, to determine the will of the people, will occur the day after. Prepare your strength and cunning.”
She sat. Sigis lifted his glass to me. “To the trials,” he said. The entire hall drank.
Eirhan’s spoon hit the back of my hand. “Your turn,” he muttered.
“To do what?” I whispered.
“Say something. Remind them who has the better claim.”
Couldn’t he have warned me, or given me more magic, or something? I pushed back my father’s chair, and the scrape of oak on ice made the delegates turn their eyes toward me. I still held Inkar’s hand, but I shook too much to risk letting it go. I pressed my thighs into the table to steady myself.
“Thank you for coming,” I said. The words came out slow and raspy. “I… hope more than anything that the true winner of the coronation trials will be my father. He valued each and every one of you.” Everyone knew that for a big fat lie, but no one shouted their disagreement. “I hope he’ll be well soon. And in any case…” I lifted my own glass. “To new beginnings.”
I sat down before I realized I’d forgotten to drink. As the rest of the hall set their glasses down and the first course came, Sigis leaned over. “You’ve always had a gift for words,” he said in Kylmian. “When I lived here, you used to have entire lists devoted to insults and responses to insults.” He laughed into his wine cup. “Do you still have it?”
What do you think, you walking refuse bucket? “I make other lists these days,” I said in Drysian.
Inkar looked between us. “What are you talking about?”
“Nothing.” Sigis smiled tightly at her.
“Old lives,” I said. Old wounds. New problems. “Sigis was my foster brother for some time.”
“A hostage exchange.” Inkar nodded. “I, too, was invaluable enough to serve as a hostage.”
“Value is measured by our actions,” Sigis replied. “That’s why I’m king of the largest country in the North, and you are…” He frowned thoughtfully. “What is it you are, again?”
Inkar’s smile was bright anger, steel and snow. “I am the Grand Consort of Kylma Above.”
“For now,” Sigis replied, unperturbed.
Inkar chose to ignore Sigis. She took a cautious sip of her soup, and her eyes widened. “I like it.”
It was warm and creamy, dotted with chunks of salmon and onions. “It is the finest food we have to offer.”
“I thought I have been getting your finest since I came here,” Inkar said. “No matter. I will enjoy what I can.”
“It is hard to enjoy the comforts of civilization when you are not used to them.” Sigis took a sip of wine, eyeing Inkar over the top of his cup.
“It is equally hard to find civilization in the North,” Inkar replied.
Eirhan cut in. “Your Highness, we’ve heard interesting reports from Solarkyet. Has their border caused you any trouble?”
“Hardly.” Sigis rolled his eyes as he put his cup down. “The Ennthu region has declared itself independent again. The satrap has been hanged, and they’ve tried a campaign along the border. But they’re undisciplined and ignorant in the ways of war.” His eyes flicked to Inkar again. “When people begin to rely too much on horses, it becomes easy for them to forget the benefits of alternative strategies. They have no concept of how to besiege a fortress. They don’t know how to sit still.” His eyes found me next. “I find it to be true in all aspects of their lives, in fact.”
“Ridiculous,” Inkar said serenely. Her knuckles had whitened around her spoon. “Those who live by the horse are not devoid of education. My father has successfully besieged dozens of cities.”
“I do seem to recall a little story about the monastery at Thrios,” Sigis replied. “How many months did you sit outside while the monks drank their wine and played with their relics? Six, wasn’t it?”
The look Inkar gave him was, for once, devoid of even the pretense of humor. “Five.”
“And then, of course, you ran home to Papa, and he slaughtered every monk in that monastery for you.”
“That is untrue. Most of the monks became hostages.”
“Nothing to say about your military exploits?” Sigis raised a brow.
“I was fourteen. I was not head of the Emerald Order then.”
“Is this the wife you want?” Sigis asked me. “One who’s incapable of taking responsibility?”
Inkar’s jaw worked. “Here,” I said, pouring cloudflower juice with honey in her cup. I floundered for something to say. “Um. What good are monks as hostages, anyway?”
“The rich religious orders will pay sometimes. Otherwise, they make good tutors. I learned Drysian from monks,” Inkar said. Then she lowered her voice. “Though I often regret it.”
“At least he doesn’t speak your native language,” I muttered back. “I’ll never get away from him.” Inkar laughed, and Sigis shot us a dark look.
“You seem to have a problem with horses,” she added as our smoked caribou arrived. “Do you need a lesson in how to ride?”
“On the contrary. I don’t consider them the only tactic in my arsenal, that’s all.” He tore a piece of caribou off his knife with his teeth. “For example, I can shoot and use a sword. Maybe I could give you a lesson.”
Inkar’s hand went to her side, then came up again. “Do you think I wear axes only for show?”
Sigis put his knife down and steepled his fingers. “That sounds like a wager. I’m interested.”
Inkar smiled dangerously. “The Baron of Rabar will meet me for shooting tomorrow morning. Join us, and we will exercise a little.”
“Done.”
Eirhan put a hand on my forearm. “Your Grace could do something to prevent her wife and the King of Drysiak from killing each other tomorrow.”
“Why don’t you step in?” I muttered back. “Sigis might actually listen to you.” Even saying it stung. If I had to be duke, I didn’t want to be known as the impotent and incompetent one.