Lorant might rule the night and all the devastation that came with it, but Merrick was his match in many ways. Theyweretwo parts of one soul, and it wouldn’t surprise me to hear that, before they were split, this king was both kindandruthless.
With a little huff of a breath, Briscalar sat straighter. “Queen Reyla’s presence alone has already changed the tone of the court. For the better, I must say.”
I swallowed a sip of tea, the subtle sweetness barely touching my tongue. “You’re referring to the way the high lords and ladies watch me now.”
“Precisely. Before you arrived, the queen mother was a shadow behind our beloved king, struggling to thrust herself into the light.She still maintained considerable power. That has shifted. Now, they don’t see her as the queen any longer. You’ve disrupted her place. She’s bitter about being sidelined from power after the late king’s death, and I believe we can twist this and use it against her. Reframe her as someone who undermines the crown out of desperation and spite.”
“She has plenty of that,” I said dryly.
Merrick flashed me a smile before his mouth smoothed. He shifted his posture, and his gaze sharpened. “And you think Reyla should grab the reins of that dragon?—”
“We don't use reins with dragons. Only foot commands,” I said.
“Interesting. I really need to fly with you on a dragon soon.” Merrick grunted. “Once this is settled.”
“I think our queen could reflect Erisandra's spite back on her as if she holds a mirror,” Lord Briscalar said. “Indirectly, however.”
He should've seen me in the meadow, throwing my blades. That was as direct as it got with a mirror.
“Nothing blatant, which is not our queen’s style and honestly, could cause more harm. A quiet word here. A thoughtful question there,” the lord said. “Alluding to the queen mother’s ambitions without outright accusing her of anything untoward. Show her in the light where she already shines.” He turned to me, his voice lifting in excitement. “People like her thrive when others don’t question them aloud. But cast doubt on her motives? Make them wonder why she wants to rule so badly? That can be more powerful than any denial you or the king could offer.”
I nibbled on a slice of rusher, processing this before speaking. “It's hard to paint ambition in a poor light when it's so prevalent inside this court. What makes you think the lords and ladies would turn on Erisandra?”
Briscalar smiled, his gray beard shifting with the movement. “Because she’s trying to destroy the thing this court holds most dear.”
“Their status?” I asked, unsure where he was going with this, though the idea had merit.
“Theking’sstatus. Her actions would disrupt everything. They’d wonder if she’d displace them as well for someone within her own inner circle.”
“I’m the one who upset the hierarchy by elevating my ladies to high status. That created conflict.”
“While that worries them, it’s clear you’re not trying to rule from the king’s throne. They're eager to find your favor to ensure their way of life remains the way it has been since this court was formed. And if I might add, they hope to influence you into keeping things as they are now.”
“Hmm,” I said.
“The people already respect you, my queen,” he added. “Bucking convention can brew trouble, but I believe, in your case, countering her rumors will make you more allies than you realize.”
I needed them all to support me. Could this work?
“More importantly, they have faith in you,” he said. “Even if they haven't stated this openly yet. I hear things about you, and they're good. Very good.” His gaze darted to Merrick. “Those who believe in you will be less likely to tolerate someone threatening your standing in this court. If she displaces the king, she’ll also displace you.”
Merrick’s hand rested on the table, his fingers tapping a slow rhythm. “If the court strengthens around Reyla, won’t that inspire my mother to act more boldly? I will not endanger my queen.”
“It depends on how cleanly we thread this needle, my king,” Briscalar said. “This can’t be heavy-handed. We aren’t laying herguilt at anyone’s feet. We’d gently open questions. Those questions would do the walking. No, they’d do the shouting for us.”
The plan wasn’t without risk. No, it was riddled with it, but by the fates, it had potential. Minds that were naturally inclined toward suspicion didn’t need much to latch onto. A whisper here, a rumor there. It didn’t have to be neat. In fact, the messier it looked, the more believable it would be.
I ate more of the rusher, savoring the salt on my tongue. “If we’re going to align the court against Erisandra,” I said after swallowing, “we need to offer them something tangible to rally behind. They crave confidence in the throne. Confidence in their position within this court. Stability will quiet them faster than gossip.”
Merrick's eyes darkened and he leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. “What are your thoughts about this in general, Reyla? I don't want to put you at risk.”
“I'm at risk every time I take in a breath,” I said, stealing his words from earlier. “We’ll need help. This plan will require echoes, ones we’ll both need to quietly bring about.”
Briscalar chuckled. “Does Evergorne know how lucky it is to gain a queen so shrewd?”
“Let’s not start praising me too quickly.” I smiled, then dropped my tone. “But I can see how this could work. The court has already begun to shift its gaze toward Merrick since Erisandra launched her game. They’ll follow whoever they feel is stronger. The trick will be in how carefully we set things up so she’s caught in her own trap.”
Merrick loosened his arms and took a sip of his tea. “What about using Erisandra's past actions?”
