Joelle’s glare could have flayed iron it was so heated. She did not give in to her wrath, though. “I have handled the Houses how I see fit.Youare not Solarian. Don’t pretend you know our ways.”
“And now the House of Sa’Liandel has been made aware of someone’s effort to infiltrate a House allied with theirs. I’m certain the emperor will feel obligated to search out the perpetrator, and it may lead him to your door.”
Joelle’s lip curled at that. “We will not be here for such accusations.”
“The Conclave is not finished.”
“It finishes in a week with Vanya’s gathering.”
“My understanding was the Conclave would finish at the end of Eleventh Month. The month has barely begun.”
“The Dawn Star’s appearance has moved up my agenda.”
“Has it now?” Terilyn hummed wordlessly. “What of the star priests?”
“The key has been obtained and copied, no one the wiser. The secondary defense will be accessible to us as well. We have the papers that will get my people past security and gain us access to the star temple.”
“Forged?”
Joelle shook her head. “Completely authentic. My spy in the household was able to obtain what was needed. We areprepared. I do hope your queen is satisfied.”
The words were bitten out, Joelle clearly annoyed at having her authority questioned. Terilyn didn’t care. She was here to see her queen’s will done. “If anyone you assigned to this endeavor is arionetka, they will be removed from the plan. My fellow Blades will take their place.”
“My plan isset.”
Terilyn’s smile was small and tight, displeasure seeping into her voice like poison. “No, it is not. Your plan is mine to change as I see fit. The palace will be putting security measures into place because you tipped your hand early. You should have waited to infiltrate thepraetorialegionnaires. Then you turned a House member into arionetkaand sent them into the one place they shouldnothave gone. The House of Sa’Liandel is on guard because of your actions.”
“And you think your Blades will do better?”
“Blades have taken out a government before. What makes you think we can’t do it again?” She let the reminder of Ashion’s past settle between them like a promise, holding Joelle’s gaze. Terilyn was not the first to look away, and she nodded slightly at that win. “My fellow Blades will handle this task. They’re well suited to it. You, however, will find an excuse to leave Calhames.”
“If I leave before the Conclave is over, the Houses will see it as mine giving in.”
“If you stay, you’ll die.”
“Your queen would like that.”
“She’d like many things,” Terilyn said lightly.
She didn’t elaborate on what those wants were, and Joelle didn’t ask. Terilyn left the office without another word, finding handmaidens and a Blade waiting in the room beyond. The handmaidens entered the office while the Blade fell into step beside her. Witten was dressed in nondescript robes of someone not worth a second glance. The look was intentional.
“Check our munitions and ordnance supplies that I brought with me. We’ll be handling the excavation, not thevezir. And find out which star priests will be handling the delivery. If they arerionetkas, remove them. If they are not, then set our magicians to them to make sure they are loyal,” Terilyn said in a low voice.
“And those who belong to the House of Kimathi?” Witten asked.
Terilyn pursed her lips. “Leave them in place for now. They still have a purpose.”
Joelle may have been forced to stop playing fast and loose withrionetkas, but Terilyn wouldn’t put it past the woman to try to sabotage Eimarille’s plans in favor of her own. Terilyn was here to see that didn’t happen.
Seven
NATHANIEL
Nathaniel woke up disoriented, the world wider than it had been, pain a deep ache he felt in his bones. He sucked in a breath, air catching in the back of his throat, and he held it, lungs locking up at the half-formed thought running through his mind.
His body listened to him.
Itlistened.
