“Maybe I should… give it some time and attempt to take actions that inspire loyalty in people. If I could prove myselfworthyof their regard, surely that would be ideal.”
“I’m not going to call that naive, but…”
“That’s the word that popped promptly into your mind?” Syla smiled sadly.
“I don’t know if those who aspire to control the throne and are conspiring as we speak will give youtimeto prove yourself.”
“I guess I could visit the brothel where I healed that woman—Celena. She mentioned that high-ranking officers and minor lords visit regularly, and she volunteered to report on them for me.” Syla longed to be above employing spies but accepted that she alone couldn’t gather the information she needed.
“I agree that you should use her, but summon her to visit you here or at a neutral location. Queens don’t visit brothels.”
“I visited two weeks ago.”
“You were a princess then.”
“So it was all right?”
“No, it wasn’t, but you were determined.”
“I’m determined now, but I’ll concede your point that more people are watching my every move now than before.” That didn’t keep Syla from fantasizing about having Wreylith carry her to the brothel for a quick meeting, but the entire town would see a dragon flying over the city. It wasnota discreet mode of transportation. “Maybe I’ll visit one of the temples in town and ask the woman to come by while I’m there. If I’m to recruit spies, utilizing the city’s network of healers—my old colleagues—would be a logical place to start. Unfortunately, a number of them were killed when Moon Watch Temple was destroyed.” Her throat tightened at the reminder of the home and friends that she’d lost, in addition to her family, and Syla had to pause to blink away tears. “Others survived and have started workingat different temples in the city and the surrounding countryside. They frequently get soldiers for patients and might hear things.”
Fel nodded. “A good idea.”
Syla removed her spectacles to wipe a smudge that was distorting the light of a nearby lantern. When she returned them to her face, Fel was looking toward a side gate. Her cousin Relvin walked into the courtyard with several military officers and a minor lord Syla recognized as a landowner from the western end of the island. Zlargard. That was his name. She also recognized another older man with the group and groped for his name. Well-dressed and impeccably groomed, he wasn’t a military man. Lord Fograth. His family had owned land on the islands since before the gods had established the shields and the Kingdom.
Relvin blinked in surprise when he spotted Syla but recovered and smiled and waved to her. He held up a blue-velvet bag with a silver moon and dice embroidered on the front, and it jangled with game pieces. “Come join us later if you’re free, Syla.”
She lifted a hand in acknowledgment, though she knew the invitation hadn’t been in earnest.
“Brazen of them to scheme so openly,” Fel murmured as the group disappeared into the barracks instead of the keep. “Get your spies in order swiftly, Your Majesty.”
“You don’t think I could show up at the dice game, and they would tell me all their plans?”
“No.” Fel hesitated, then added, “For them to be this open about everything suggests… They may believe that events that you can’t stop have already been set into motion.”
“I can stop a lot. I have a dragon.” Syla looked around, but Wreylith hadn’t lingered. Maybe she was off to look for her next meal. “Somewhat part-time, admittedly. Did you know howmuch time dragons need to spend hunting to keep themselves full and fit?”
When Fel shook his head, it probably had nothing to do with dragon hunting schedules.
Syla’s spectacles didn’t need another cleaning, but she removed them to wipe anyway. “I don’t have a lot of time, do I?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I will do my best to get spies employed, but… while people are listening to others on my behalf, I’m going to give the order to have warships prepared, the weapons platform loaded onto one, and, unless Tibby and Teyla are able to find someone else who can operate it, I’ll plan to go along and reclaim Harvest Island.”
Fel’s wyvern-withering glower returned in an instant. “That’snota good idea.”
“Trying to take back the island or?—”
“You being involved with it.”
“You can come along with me on this trip.” Sylaknewthat wasn’t his objection but smiled anyway, as if she were solving his only problem.
His scowl didn’t lighten. “Exactly what happened before could happen again. Whoever created theordersfor fleet ships to follow you and attack—and for assassins to board your vessel—might not fail a second time.”
“This time, we’ll leavewiththe fleet, and I’ll write the orders to hand to the captains myself.”
“It would stillbe an opportunity for your enemies to strike against you.”
