“The Lunar Witches are currently safe within the asylums. They have food and a place to sleep, but it is still unsafe for them outside those walls,” Janus says.
“You would leave innocent witches falsely imprisoned in cages disguised as hospitals?” My voice rises an octave. My grandmother shifts beside me.
“Of course not, but there are more urgent issues at the moment.”
I wait three agonizing seconds before responding, hoping my heavy silence conveys the depths of my disgust. “If helping wrongfully persecuted witches isn’t worth our time, then what is?”
Janus’s piercing gaze drifts toward my grandmother, which only fuels my ire. My grandmother isn’t the queen; I am. Her presence at this meeting is entirely ceremonial.
“What?” I snap.
My grandmother breaks the loaded silence. “Leigh, helping the Lunar Witches is important, but so is stabilizing thecountry. The Nebula people refuse to adhere to the Labor Laws. Riots erupt nightly in most cities where the Epsilon refuse to raise people’s pay, and the skyrocketing popularity ofThe Tower Tribunehas only made matters worse. This is especially concerning because we know someone on the Council is aiding Stellan Navis’s crusade to reveal salacious gossip masquerading as truth, fueling the hatred between the factions and causing people to doubt the government, particularly in Aurora.”
We can’t force people to follow the Labor Laws. They were implemented when people believed the worst about the Nebula class following the First War. I want to remove them entirely. It is here in the envelope that I am white-knuckling. We will eliminate the Labor Laws, giving the Nebula a choice for the first time in their lives about how they envision their futures. At least, that is my desire. “Stellan is a problem, but is he dangerous?”
Stellan is a reporter who previously worked in the mayor’s office in Aurora. He concentrates on covering the political climate there. Recently, he has broadened his scope by criticizing the Council and me. He raises a valid point: We must do more for the Nebula people. Giving them representation on the Council is a positive step, but it’s insufficient. A civil war is not out of the question if the current situation persists, which terrifies me.
Take a deep breath,Aradia’s ghost whispers. I don’t understand how she can be so calm. Closing those asylums means as much to her as it does to me.
“Leigh, you know the pen is always mightier than the sword. Identify the mole among your ranks and focus on what is the bigger threat. Like our borders,” my grandmother replies, and Janus nods as if they’ve already discussed this at length. I glare at them both. Maybe they have. “King Simon Lupas of Lua and his sons declined their invitation to your coronation. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t been watching you closely.”
“The werewolves share a border with us. It makes sense that they would keep tabs on me, but wouldn’t that take time if they plan to invade? It shouldn’t be at the forefront of your mind, Grandmother,” I say, ignoring the quiver in my stomach. Corona and Lua have been at odds for centuries, ever since the wolves’ failed invasion to obtain our oil resources during my great-great-grandfather’s reign. King Simon declined my invitation for health reasons. His sons, Zeus and Alden, chose to stay behind and care for him. Yet, my grandmother has me questioning if something more nefarious is afoot.
“Paw prints were seen leading from Canis Pass into our territory,” my grandmother says, and I tense. Why is this the first time I’m hearing this? “The wolves should be your primary focus, Leigh. Invasion could be imminent.”
Janus slips her trembling hands into her pockets. “If that’s true, I’ll be ready for them. As president, I?—”
My grandmother shakes her head. “A divided Corona is a vulnerable Corona. You must unite to get through this transitional period intact.”
Janus’s gaze meets mine, but her attention quickly shifts away from me to focus on my grandmother. “What do you suggest then, Your Majesty?”
My patience snaps. “Well, for starters, we tell people the full truth about the wolves. Perhaps the fear of an invasion will inspire them to get along.”
Janus blanches. “That’s an awful idea.”
“Well, I don’t see you offering any better ones. We need to regain people’s trust.”
“Scaring them into submission isn’t how we do that.”
“That isn’t what I?—”
“If I may,” my grandmother says, “you both need to focus on mending your relationships, both with each other and within the Council. Stellan’s articles have you cornered. Uncover whois collaborating with him and why. The wolves and Stellan pose real threats. We must demonstrate our unity. Deny Stellan any material to write about, and he will lose interest. If we show the wolves that we are united and stronger, they will think twice before attacking.”
I peer at Janus. We’re not at odds. I have no problems with her.
“How about this . . .” my grandmother continues. “Should one of you take the train to Glaucus to assess the borders? Meet with the Blade Commander there and devise a plan to rectify the situation while the other works with the Council to stop Stellan.”
I shake my head. My reign has just begun. I must stay to prove to my people that I am trustworthy and involved. Janus’s presidency is temporary; she is only here until the next election. She needs to campaign if she wants to keep her position. I can tell by the way she’s eyeing me that she’d sooner chew off her foot than leave me unsupervised. I must admit, I feel the same.
“Fine.” My grandmother sighs. “I will go to Glaucus. Heaven knows I need a break from Borealis.”
Relief washes over me. My grandmother will handle the border, and I will have one less thing to worry about. Don’s trial recently concluded, and the backstabbing bastard was found guilty on multiple counts, including capital murder, for orchestrating the attack that killed my father and brother. My grandmother hasn’t stopped beating herself up for not seeing through his duplicity sooner or for not trusting me when I came to her about the letters. A trip to Glaucus is a chance for her to recharge and make amends for her mistakes. It will also allow me to stretch my legs as queen without everyone deferring to her, as if the crown doesn’t rest upon my head.
“I’ll arrange your travel,” I say to her. She nods in agreement. With that, I turn to Janus. “Now, regarding tomorrow’s meeting.”
“It appears our time is up. My next appointment is across town,” Janus announces abruptly.
I suck in a sharp breath. “But we haven’t covered everything.”
