“Please, sit.” Eslar motioned to the chair next to him, and the three on the opposite side of the table.
Samson went straight for the chair at Eslar’s right. Since Jo had been leading the pack, she ended up seated to the left of the king, Takako beside her, and Wayne close to the opposite end of the table. They all sat when the king did, the servants that had been waiting along the path immediately stepping into motion to bring them a variety of foods. Unsurprisingly, Jo didn’t find herself particularly hungry. But she picked out a few of the pastries and interesting-looking sliced fruits that intrigued her, doing her best to not offend the king beyond the affront her mere existence caused.
“Master Greentouch has informed me that it is of the utmost importance to assist you in your quest.” Well, that sounded hopeful. “However, he was unable to give me a satisfactory reason why.” Significantly less hopeful. The king turned to Jo. “Perhaps you can further illuminate why,exactly, you are here.”
Jo wiped her mouth with her napkin, even though she’d only taken two bites and there was nothing on her lips. It gave her a second to figure out what to say. But all clever options left her, so Jo opted for the most original thing she could think of—the truth.
“It is difficult to explain. . . But I carry a—” How to word it that was both honest and not insane sounding? “Very ancient power. A power that only two others in this world carry.”
“And those two are?” Well, he wasn’t immediately writing her off, surely that was a good sign.
“You know them as King Snow and his Grand Advisor, Pan.”
The king leaned back in his chair. “You are asking me to go to war with Aristonia?”
“Nothing of the sort,” Jo insisted.Though if he didn’t help them, Pan may bring a war.She managed to keep that thought to herself, continuing, “We merely require some aid and then will be on our way.”
“And how do you think that aid will be perceived?”
“No one has to know.”
The king let out a low chuckle. “If I give you a bough of the Life Tree, it will be known that the Luanian Empire has assisted you in what amounts to aiding a revolution.”
“I don’t want a revolution,” Jo insisted, taking it as a good sign that Eslar had told the king that much already. “I don’t want to see Aristonia and Luana fight. I don’t want to see King Snow overthrown.”
“Then what do you want?”
“To kill Pan.” Jo didn’t mince words, and she could’ve sworn she saw the glimmer of appreciation in the king’s eyes for it. He leaned back in his chair, looking only at her.
“Killing the main advisor to a ruler is as much a sign of war as anything.”
“Not when the king hates that advisor.” Jo bit back further commentary on Pan. She didn’t want Snow to seem weak, even if the time jump at the end of the Society may have left him in a vulnerable position.
“How do you know this?”
Jo faltered. Should she explain that—
“Josephina was his consort,” Eslar answered for her.
“Excuse me?” Jo didn’t know which she disliked more—the term, or the carefree way Eslar had dropped it.
“Is this true?” The king looked to Jo.
“I. . .” She glanced down the table, as if one of the others could offer a response. They were silent. “We . . . have been intimate,” she confessed, feeling like a teenager put on the spot about her boyfriend. “More than that, I love him, and he loves me. You could say we were meant for each other.”
“Then how have I never heard of you before?”
Eslar cleared his throat, directing all attention to himself. “Do you remember, my lord, when I told you of the dreams I had of my past lives? Of the knowledge I gained there, and the companions?” The king nodded. “These are the reincarnations of those companions and, as a result, I believe her past relationship with King Snow still lingers in his heart.”
Well, that was a way to explain it, Jo supposed. But Eslar had been around in this new Age of Magic longer than anyone, and had to reconcile being in a prominent position at that. Waking from a dream was as good an excuse as any.
The king brought his fingertips to his lips, tapping them in thought. He looked from Jo to Eslar and back. Finally, speaking to Jo, he said, “Where does your mysterious power come from?”
It all came back to that, didn’t it? “The goddess,” Jo answered, as honest as she could be. She knew the elves held firm to monotheistic faith, and trusted he wouldn’t askwhichgoddess. When he didn’t, Jo doubled down. “I’m sure it’s unconventional for a non-elf to say. But you must believe me that it’s by her will that Imustdestroy Pan. If she is left unchecked, a great misfortune will befall not just Luana but the entirety of this world.”
For several seconds that felt like hours, the king considered this. It was long enough that Jo was left wondering if she’d stepped too far. If, in her attempt to secure his help, she’d merely guaranteed his ire.
“Then I shall grant you this boon as a personal measure of faith—not one of state. Should any ask, the fact will be perfectly clear that this is not an action on behalf of the Empire, and that the Life Tree is at the discretion of the royal family and our holy mission to guide the elves in our faith.” Jo had no objections, and the king continued. “You may have two weeks. This centennial cutting will go to your work.” He gave a nod to Samson and the man nearly jumped out of his seat, though whether it was at the attention or excitement at finally getting access to the material, Jo didn’t know. “I will offer you a workshop and access to the knowledge of my expert bow makers.
