“Independent ally of the empire,” she replied, eyeing me. “One hundred years of that status, with options to renegotiate. Protection from the Temple of Deyrr.”
“A good offer,” I acknowledged. “Better thanI expected.”
“If Hestar doesn’t renege.”
“He won’t. Not on the letter of the agreement. Konyngrrs revere a good contract.” I smiled at her in reminder of the Vervaldr’s initial contract, how Ursula had pored over it, looking for loopholes, and how she hadn’t believed at first that I’d written it. But she didn’t smile at the old joke.
“And Deyrr?” she asked pointedly.
I lifted a shoulder andlet it fall, contemplating. If I focused on the politics, I could set emotion aside. Giving Ursula advice was part of supporting her as I’d sworn to do. “I imagine Hestar will be very careful of exactly what he promises regarding Deyrr. From what we know of the movements of the High Priestess and the previous actions of the temple, I doubt Hestar has as much control there as he’d like. It’s entirelypossible this offer is a sign that he recognizes he needs this alliance—and your assistance—to tear Deyrr from his own throat.”
“What possible assistance can I offer the Empire of Dasnaria?”
“You rule Annfwn,” I pointed out. “The Tala are the descendants of n’Andana, ancient enemy of Deyrr. Arguably a successful enemy, as they made the deciding move in their long war by taking magic out of circulationand starving Deyrr of magic. In Hestar’s place, who else would you bet on to contain Deyrr other than the people who did it before?”
She had an arrested look on her face, thinking through the ramifications, then wrinkled her nose. “Logical, except I don’t actually rule Annfwn. Even Andi and Rayfe are hard-pressed to govern that lot of anarchists and iconoclasts.”
Though I appreciated her attemptat levity, I didn’t take the distraction. “Hestar doesn’t know that. Something has pushed him to this point and it’s an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up.”
Fury crossed her face like a summer squall, quickly passing. “How can you suggest that so calmly?”
I only wished I felt calm inside, but I could present the façade to ease this for her. Sliding a fruit tart onto her plate, I bit intoone of my own. Fresh strawberries, first of the season, and a fair amount of sour with the sweet. “We always knew this day would come,” I said after swallowing, since she’d left the question out there for me to answer, staring me down. “You’ve known all your life that part of being heir to the High Throne meant making a marriage of state.”
“That changed for me when I committed to being with you,”she replied, an edge to her voice. “I’ve told you that countless times.”
“Essla.” I set down the tart and took her hand. It lay limp and cold in mine, nothing there for me to grasp. “TheElskastholrris about me and my own internal compass. Nothing changed for you. Your loyalty has always been to the High Throne first, as it has to be. You said as much this morning.”
“I was angry.”
“Yes, butyou also know it’s true.”
“I don’t know that.”
“Oh, will you abdicate then? Step down and hand over responsibility for your Thirteen Kingdoms to… well, let’s see.” I pretended to think, letting go of her hand to cross my arms and rub my chin thoughtfully. “Andi is next in line, but she’s preoccupied with defending Annfwn and we need her there as she’s our best sorceress. Never mind the politicalunrest it would cause, putting a shapeshifting sorceress on the High Throne. Then there’s Ami, who’s come a long way but would be the first to tell everyone she’s not equipped to be High Queen—and who you noted won’t be pried out of her cozy nest in Windroven. Astar is your official heir, of course, but I’m not sure a toddler on the throne during a time of war is a good—”
“Just stop it,” shecut me off, scowling. “Do you always have to be so thriced logical about every Danu-cursed thing?”
“Yes.” I took up my strawberry tart again, savoring the sweet that came with the sour. “I do, because you’re the passionate one in this relationship. You are the fiery blade while I’m the cool water of reason.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Says he who declared I’d unleashed the dragon and promisedto eat me alive.”
I waved that away. “That was sex.”
“And who came close to killing his brother this morning.”
“A temporary lapse.”
“Who was passionate enough to save his sister and gave up everything to start a new and better life.”
“She gave upherlife,” I answered. “She gave upeverything. How could I do less?”
Ursula sat back, weary, grief in her eyes. “Harlan—how can you want me tomarry another man, your own brother?”
“All I want is to do my best by you, and you need to do your best by your realm. That means accepting this alliance. You’d be marrying into the imperial family of the Dasnarian Empire, gaining a century of reprieve and very likely averting a war. That is a service to the High Throne that will save countless lives and bloodshed. There really isn’t a questionhere of what you should do.”
“I could marry you,” she pointed out. “You’re full brother to the emperor.”
“No, I’m not. I was disinherited, stripped of rank. In the eyes of my family, I no longer exist.”
