I liftedone shoulder and let it fall. “Did you?”
Giving me that thin-lipped smile, she turned to sweep her gaze over the pastoral scene below us, if one could consider a fully-armed castle with guards at high alert ‘pastoral.’ “I thought you’d be drilling with the guard,” she admitted. She was scrupulous about being honest with me, determined to never again cross lines she thought had nearly destroyedour relationship before. Though I’d explained countless times that nothing could damage my love for her, the rejected and abandoned child who still lived in Ursula’s heart would never believe it. All I could do was give her that love without reserve or qualification.
“And before you get annoyed with me,” she said, bristling at my expression, “I wasn’t checking up on the defenses so much as…”she trailed off, searching for the right words.
“Reassuring yourself that all is as it seems?” I suggested, and held out an arm for her, so she’d lean against me for a bit. She gave me a relieved smile, real affection in it, coming to me with at least that much trust.
“You always understand me—often before I understand myself.” She snuggled against me, letting out a long breath. “I hate thatthe practitioners of Deyrr can mess with our minds. I’m more comfortable with an enemy I can predict. And one I can skewer with my sword.”
I hugged her close, her slim form and long bones nearly delicate, though I knew better than most how fast she could strike when provoked, and how lethally. “I do understand—and agree,” I told her.
She tipped her head against my cheek, so I kissed her temple,giving her the comfort she’d never ask for, her fiery hair always surprising me with its silky texture. It had grown longer since I’d met her. Tamed for court by her ladies, it lay in sleek waves and ended in wisps down her neck.
“Andi reports that the Tala are gathered and the navy assembled,” she returned to her point. “Now that Karyn and Zyr have recovered somewhat from their ordeal, Kirakahas been interrogating them about what they found.”
I grunted in sympathy. Kiraka was an old dragon—literally—and as cantankerous as they came.
“It’s bad.” Ursula said it so softly I almost didn’t hear. “Andi expects an attack on Annfwn at any time.”
“But the magic barrier is still holding, yes? The Dasnarian navy is still on the other side.”
“At last report that seems to be the case, butthe ships are massing there as if they expect that to change and soon.”
I held her, glad she’d come to me. “We have a lot of might on our side, too. We’ve done everything we can to prepare.”
“I know.”
She did. We’d both known most of this. The waiting was what wore on us. She shook herself and stood straight. “Andi warned me to expect attack here. The Deyrr sleepers might have infiltrated deepinto all the Thirteen Kingdoms. They’re waiting to spring some sort of trap on us all, or they would’ve attacked already.”
“If they do we’ll fight back. We’re ready for them—and not so easy to surprise.”
With a brief smile, she turned back to gaze over her realm. “I wish I could be so sure. Of everything.”
Something about the way she said that—some intuition perhaps—sent a brush of alarm thatmade my short hairs prickle. Something else was on her mind, and it wasn’t good.
