She ignored Kaelan’s hand as she stepped into the carriage on her own and settled beside Flor in the forward-facing seat.
Kaelan slid across from them.
The driver shut the door. The carriage bounced as he mounted at the front.
Overflowing food baskets appeared in each of their laps. Then Meer perched on the seat next to Kaelan, nose in the air.
“Do you require anything more?” she asked, swaying only slightly as the carriage rocked.
“No, thank you,” Magda said.
Meer bowed and vanished.
“Don’t trust that one,” Flor said, then popped a grape into her mouth.
Not that Magda trusted Meer, but since the brownie was harboring one of Magda’s most dangerous secrets, she had to ask, “Any particular reason?”
“She works for my brother,” Flor said. “Rahul is supporting us, at the moment, but if the campaign does not go well, he will fall to the favor of Lavana, to save himself.”
“The moment we arrive, I’ll send word to the Spire, requesting an audience.”
“Of course,” Flor said.
“Have you arranged the presentation to the elders?”
“Yes. This evening.”
“Good. What about him?”
“I am sitting right here, you know,” Kaelan said.
“It will be difficult,” Flor acknowledged. “Cae was effusive and gregarious, charming. You have been too brooding.”
He set aside the basket, not eating. “People change.”
“Yes, I suppose they do,” Flor said, turning her gaze out the window.
“I’ll do my best,” he said.
“I know you will,” Flor said with a tight smile. “Just remember the story we rehearsed.”
“I remember.”
“And I’ve seeded it so that it is known Magda has gifted you with a nymph attendant,” Flor said. “I’ve discussed everything with Honey. She knows her part. She will be able to help you, with Cae speaking through her.”
“That’s quite unusual,” Magda said.
“Well, we are an unusual bunch, aren’t we?” Flor said. “The story will be that after you saved Honey from the empusa and her other Prince was killed, she offered herself in service to you. And you saw fit to gift the nymph’s service to my son. She will be as much a draw as he will, seeing as she was in love with this mysterious Prince who was killed by the King.”
“I’m not sure it was a good idea to let that story out,” Magda said.
“No, it was a brilliant one. Risky, yes. But the key to successful deception is to mix in as much of the truth as possible. Lavana was very much aware of Kaelan, and she knew that you loved a nymph, didn’t she?”
Kaelan let out a heavy breath, which seemed to be a yes.
“So it was imperative that we explained Honey’s presence in those terms. And I am correct in thinking she would also be aware that it was the King’s forces who killed Kaelan?”
“Yes,” Magda said, putting aside her own basket.
