“Your aunt called me a troglodyte three times, then grumbled under her breath as she took your cousin to the library to search for more reference materials.” Fel waved to the weapons platform resting atop cracked flagstones in the center of the courtyard—the place where the dragons had dropped it. Looking somewhat like a giant marble four-poster bed with a canopy on top, it was a strange adornment for the royal castle, but it had proven capable of harming dragons, so Syla would never object to its presence. “She did not seem enlightened,” he added.
“It doesn’t sound like it, no. As I recall, the runes carved into it roughly translate to:one blessed by the gods and sworn to protect her people might call upon its power.Others with similar intent and a moon-mark shouldbe able to operate it.”
“From what I gathered, she’s irritated thatshehasn’t been able to do so.”
“Is that why she insulted you? Misdirected frustration?”
“She insulted me because I was distracting her by stalking around the courtyard, thumping my fist against walls in irritation because the charge I’m sworn to protect took off on a dragon without me.”
“That was rude of that charge.”
“Yes.” There was the scowl again. “While you were gone, Colonel Mosworth came by looking for you and suggested that a bodyguard who can’t keep up with his charge should retire.”
Syla grimaced, even though she knew Fel, who neared sixty,wantedto retire. He’d served twenty years in the military and then another twenty years as a bodyguard for the royal family. Hedeservedto retire, and he’d been on the verge of it when the stormers had invaded. But he was also one of her few trustworthy allies.
“Colonel Mosworth might replace you with someone who has orders to assassinate me at the first opportunity,” she said, though he, like General Dolok, had been polite since her return with Wreylith. Polite, respectful, and even obedient. She didn’t trust either of them.
Fel chewed on the statement for a moment. Since she’d spent the last ten years of her life serving in the temple and only occasionally visiting the castle and never attending meetings with the military officers, Fel probably knew far better than she the various senior officers and their tendencies. She waited to hear what he would say. She wished it would be that Mosworth was loyal to the crown, not individuals, and she could count on him.
“I don’t mistrust him specifically,” Fel said, “but you’re wise to be wary of the military in general right now.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“Andunwise to leave without a bodyguard.”
“I had a dragon.”
“A dragon isn’tdependable.And other dragons chased you back here.” Fel pointed skyward to indicate he’d seen the skirmish. “What were you doing?”
“A brief survey of Harvest Island. I’m trying to figure out the best way to get it back. Do you think I should focus on trying to reclaim the magical components to repair its shielder from thestormers? Or sail to Harvest Island with the weapons platform and attempt to drive the dragons away from the harbor so we can take it back whether there’s a shield in place or not?”
Fel squinted at her. “I think you should send ateamto retrieve the components. Your place as queen is here, commanding people and ruling over your subjects, not risking your life on missions that take you from the safety of Castle Island.” He waved upward to indicate the shield protecting it.
“That is a wise place for a queen, but it won’t be that safe here until I can figure out who sent assassins after me—and if they’ll try again. Did you ever learn who the officer was who launched those ships after us?” When they’d returned from their last mission, Syla had requested that Fel snoop around and ask questions of old military contacts in the harbor, but everyone knew he was her bodyguard, and he’d met evasiveness when he’d made inquiries.
“I did try. Those who were good friends and superior officers when I served have since retired.” The wistful look in his eyes was brief before he went on. “The answer I got when I questioned the younger men serving now was simplyorders. That’s all anyone said. Orders.”
“I would suspect General Dolok, but when we left, he only wanted to put me in a dungeon cell, not have me killed.”
“Only.”
Syla spread her arms. The whole situation had her daunted and at a loss as to where to start. Maybe that was why she was having fantasies about sneaking into the stormer headquarters and finding and seducing Vorik to get back the components. Funny how many of her fantasies involved her getting horizontal with him to achieve her goal. Too bad she didn’t know where the stormer headquarters were. If she did…
“It is your prerogative as the ruler of the Kingdom to relieve military officers of duty and promote new men into leadershippositions over the Royal Fleet, Protectors, and Enforcers,” Fel said. “Your mother didn’t when she took the throne after your father’s passing, buthemade a number of changes when he became king. As I recall, he got rid of some corrupt figures and promoted a captain all the way up to general.”
“That was before I was born, but I’m glad to know my father couldn’t abide corruption.” She wasn’t surprised in the least.
Fel’s expression turned wry. “I’d already served many years when it happened and remember it well.” He rubbed his hip, probably an old injury.
Fel had many that bothered him chronically, and Syla wished shecouldallow him to retire. But she needed him, at least for a time.
“I am aware that it’s my right to do that,” she said, “but I don’t have any familiarity with the officers who would be logical choices. I suppose I can start talking to some of them, but…” She waved toward the weapons platform and vaguely in the direction of Harvest Island. “I’m not sure when there will be time to conduct interviews or if that’s even a good way to go about finding people worthy of promotions.”
“You’d typically want to be aware of their records and if they’re respected as leaders, but it might be wisest, at this point, to pick from those you’re certain are loyal instead of the most capable. Sometimes, the most capable are also the most ambitious.”
“How do I find those who would be loyal to me?” Syla spread her arms.
“You need spies,” Fel replied without hesitation, “to keep their ears open and let you know what gossip is going around in the military offices and barracks. You can trust that the general has spies in the castle.”
