“Your Majesty?”
The other woman started at the noise, turning to face her. “Maya, I didn't hear you come in.” Queen Inessa waved a hand. “Please, join us.”
Maya curtsied to the Second Queen, joining the older woman at the little table by the window, noticing that Luka didn’t turn around.
She couldn't quite figure out how or why, but Lady Inessa seemed…different today.
“Are you here to say goodbye to Luka?”
Maya blinked at the Second Queen in shock. “What?”
“Luka’s being sent to the front lines.”
She could only stare in disbelief, and Lady Inessa continued in that same deadened voice. “He’s being sent to Bigu.”
Maya gasped. Bigu was the where the worst of the bloodshed as happening. Everyday, there were reports of guerilla bombings and raids against their troops. Worse than that, though, was that Bigu was the part of Telluria that was infested with firedrakes and sabreclaws.
The Tellurians had spent years pushing the creatures farther and farther away from their cities and into the edges of their country, until they erupted over into the borders of Drakazov, which was what had sparked the decades long conflict between the two kingdoms.
And that was where Luka was being sent.
“Really? You’re really going to Bigu?”
Luka turned around at that and gave her a humorless smile. “Yes. It’s my duty, as a Prince of Drakazov, and the Commander of the Stoneheart regiment.”
What Maya thought, but couldn’t say, was this:Your father has asked this of you?
But it was a useless question. If his royal father commanded anything of him, Luka would jump to obey, desperate to prove himself, desperate to earn that distant, fatherly approval.
“I’m sure Luka will bring honor to the province with his actions on the front line.” The Second Queen smiled, though it seemed like she was trying hard to convince herself. “The Stonehearts have always been the pride of the Kamenev province, and I’m sure Luka will do well.”
Maya ignored the older woman to stare at Luka, who was looking down at them both from his place at the window.
“When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow morning.” Luka swallowed. “I take dinner tonight with my mother and Princess Ludmilla.” He looked at her, obviously trying to apologize for not inviting her, and Maya shook her head quickly. Of course Luka wanted to spend his last night at home with his family.
And she had other things to do. Maya swallowed hard, then stood up and bowed.
“I will leave you both. You no doubt have much to talk about before Luka leaves. And I need to finish work on my project before tomorrow morning.” Maya took a deep breath, trying to stem the tide of words that wanted to flow from her mouth.
Luka looked at her, his eyes sad. “I still have some kinks I need to work out on my latest project. I wanted to have it ready for you before you were called to duty.”
With quick steps, she made her way to the large room she had taken over as her laboratory. For a second, Maya stared her journal, open to the page where she’d made her notes for her plans—all the inventions she’d planned to build for Luka, all the prototypes she’d been drawing up for his regiment, to be made ready before he left to join the fighting—
All of them had to be put on hold now.
Because who could know when he’d be back.
Ifhe’d be back.
Of course he’d come back.
And he needed her to make the best damned armor she could, so it would keep him safe and bring him back home safe and sound.
Maya went to work immediately. She wouldn’t be able to have the whole thing ready, all she had were gauntlets, a set ofsabatonand mail chausses, and a breastplate and backplate. He would have to do with his own bracers and helmet, but this was better than nothing, she supposed. The defensive spells would keep the mage spelled armor from being battered, transferring the attack all over the surface, instead of affecting Luka. It would give him a greater measure of protection than his normal armor would have.
Nodding firmly to herself, Maya picked up her crucible and solder chips. She had no time to waste.
