Camille entered next, much more cheerfully than Skye. “What fortuitous timing!” she chirped. “We managed to agree on all the terms amicably and sign the document before receiving word of the Republic’s invasion.” She made a shooing motion at Skye, who slid over, granting her room to sit. “I must say, I was impressed by the AlgonCree people and the high council.”
“Me too,” Azaleen agreed, adding under her breath, “even if they were interminably slow about everything.” She glanced at Lark. “Five more.” Her pointed look left no room for argument.
Even while conversing about important matters, she’s still focused on my breathing practice.The thought warmed Lark as much as did Azaleen’s nearness. She didn’t bother speculating what would come of their attraction, how long it would last, or whether necessity dictated it remain secret or brief. There were too many variables, too many competing factors, circumstances, and considerations. She determined simply to enjoy every minute spent with Azaleen to the fullest.
Lark felt the motion of the river, the jerk of wind catching in the sails. Skye’s chin fell onto her folded hands, elbows propped on knees. Taking a quick break between exercises seven and eight, Lark asked, “What’s wrong?”
Skye huffed a breath and glanced at the skylight. It was cloudy with a strong chance of rain. “I wanted to get to know Renée better, spend a little more timehere. She wanted to come with us, you know—argued with the high chief about it. I told her I wanted her to stay where she was, safe. We don’t know how far the Republic’s incursions will spread, or where battles might spring up. She’s more of a lover than a fighter, and High Chief Batise and I put our feet down. But I miss her already.”
Sucking air through the tube, Lark glanced at Azaleen. If this war lasted more than a few weeks, she’d end up in the thick of it, leaving the queen in the safest spot possible.
“I’m happy you made a new friend, Skye,” her aunt said, reaching an arm around her shoulders, squeezing them. “I’ll be making other trips to Aurora, now that we’re treaty partners. You’re welcome to come along. You did the right thing, though. I know you couldn’t live with yourself if Renée suffered any ill effects from the invasion.”
“Yeah.”
Luke ducked his head to pass through the doorway. “Everyone OK in here?”
“Yes, thank you,” Azaleen replied. “What was General Wasaykeesic’s most recent estimate?”
Having finished sucking a ball up a tube, Lark laid the apparatus down. An hour from now, her new caretaker would be ordering her to do it all over again.
“He’s called up some reserve units to reinforce his eastern division and mobilized a two-thousand-strong battalion of marines,” Luke reported. “This morning, he told me they’d be departing Fort Halifax in a week. They’re running some twenty-first-century frigates, destroyers, and converted freighters with a combination of solar-powered electric engines and diesel backup generators.”
“We could use some of those,” Azaleen said dryly.
“They’ve also got a state-of-the-art nuclear vessel—but, for obvious reasons, they aren’t sending it.”
“Wouldn’t want that falling into enemy hands,” Lark commented.
“For sure,” Skye concurred.
“Hard to say if they’ll catch up with us,” Luke continued, “even though the electric engines run about twice the speed of our sails. Each ship has cannons, the destroyers have rocket launchers, but, like us, they have a limited supply ofrockets. Machine guns.” He shrugged, as if ticking off items on a list. “I think they could crush anything Irons sends at us by sea. It’s the land invasion that worries me. If I may ask, what reply did you send to General Stark?”
“You may ask,” Azaleen said, with a calculating sharpness in her beautiful blue eyes. “I instructed him to alert all bases and launch scout balloons to track the Iron Army. While I’m leaving the details to him, I suggested Stonevale’s forces move to intercept north of Tupelo. If my brother-in-law is as clever as he thinks, he can lay a trap and catch the enemy off guard. But we must be careful not to commit our troops without adequate intelligence. Whisper might say the Iron Army is moving here or there, yet their orders and path could change. For that matter, the report itself could be a ruse. That’s why we must have visual confirmation—even if it risks losing a balloon.”
Speaking of being impressed, Lark thought, admiration for Azaleen growing by the moment.Remarkable tactical planning. Of course, the suspicion of being double-crossed always rose to the top with Azaleen, as Lark had witnessed before. It made her wonder when she had been fooled, betrayed, or taken advantage of in the past. Indignation surged—she wanted to punch whoever had hurt the queen, likely long before she wore the crown.
“Excellent thinking, Madam Queen.” Luke cocked his head at Lark. “Are you going to live, Sutter?”
“That’s the plan,” she answered with a cheeky grin.
Luke laughed. “Well, I’d better see if I’m needed topside. Talk to you later.”
“I want some fresh air before it starts to rain,” Camille said and followed Luke out. Lark peered questioningly at Skye.
“Oh, yeah, well …” She stood up and stretched. “I hope everyone likes salmon, ‘cause Pike and Flynn have the ice chests jam-packed with them. See y’all later. Got to go pine over Renée in private.”
As soon as Skye was gone, Lark turned a radiant gaze on Azaleen. “You are such a brilliant leader. Is there anything you don’t think of?”
Azaleen blushed, a surprised laugh spilling from her inviting lips. “I’m glad you think so. I can’t afford to overlook a single possibility. Unfortunately, it happens sometimes.” The levity evaporated from her manner. “Like when thecountry ran out of medicine. AlgonCree is so far ahead of us in reclaiming lost medical advancements and technology. I’m just glad they can’t grow cotton and need us for something.”
Lark reached for her hand, squeezed it. “We’re good for more than cotton. I think High Chief Batise was impressed withyou—our nation’s greatest asset.”
Azaleen leaned closer, hip and shoulder brushing hers. “You are biased in my favor.” Her lips grazed Lark’s cheek.
“I must say, while I always found you the most beautiful, desirable woman on the planet, my opinions on everything else have shifted quite a bit. But you never answered my question from before.”
Azaleen’s brows knit. “What question?”
