“Meanwhile, Fyrehold would rub their hands together with glee while Ashthorn watched over their shoulders, letting us draw each other out, and expend energy and resources, while the true battle was being fought on their terms.
“If we can make them think we believe them, it actually gives usreasonto reach out to Fyrehold in a few weeks—we anticipate losses in a war, and need to galvanize our dragon herd. As well as cementing our alliance with thevery innocentonlookers in Fyrehold. None of us will speak of the risk of war, but all of us will know that’s why I’m there. Because I have to be seen to be focused elsewhere, while we position covert troops.
“Fyrehold will play the game because it gives them access. If the twowereworking together, they’d appear to keep Draeventhall at bay to fool us. And if they weren’t, they’d align with us to keep any suspicions soothed.
“We find very obvious reasons to have a greater number of dragons beyond the cliffs where our borders meet Draeventhall’s, Fyrehold uses the dragons as a carrot to entice us closer—and regardless, remains smug because they have information Draeventhall wants. Either as ally, or enemy.
“After I’ve reached Fyrehold, I quietly indicate to the king that we havea desire to expand our trade alliance,or some such vague indication that you’re looking for something more formalin terms of alliance. If Fyrehold has betrayed us, they gleefully believe they’re getting inside information, and if they haven’t, they see the coming conflict and want to be on the correct side of it. Regardless, they want to keep us close, and we are welcomed in the royal circles.
“In essence, we perform in ways outside the nation that increases our credibility within it. Let everyone believe they know exactly what we’re doing. The unspoken threat, the quiet undercurrent. We are Vosgaarde. We have no need toattackDraeventhall. But by God, we’ll come down on them if they so much as squeak in our direction. All eyes appear to be on the east. But as you and I know, that isn’t the case at all.”
The king’s gaze didn’t waver from my face as he took another sip from his wine then scratched his cheek. “Hiding in plain sight.”
“Yes, something like that.”
The king nodded. “The plan is a good one and plays to our strengths. But I still don’t see need for delay—if we’re making them think we’ve turned our eyes to Draeventhall, we can do that in two weeks as easily as four.”
“Except that to move quickly after the discovery of an enemy force near our border, is to broadcast that we’re moving in response to it. We must be seen to move against Draeventhallfirst.”
The king’s lips thinned and he finally looked away, his gaze travelling to the tall windows that overlooked the gardens outside.
I waited, praying.
“It has already been days since we descended on them—has the girl been brought in? Would they know?”
I bristled at thegirlreference. Though Kgosi and I used the term at times to referenceourgirls, it was with fondness and admiration. The king’s tone was dismissive. I cleared my throat.
“Furyknight Kearney has been sworn in and is already training.”
Alexi nodded. “Then, three weeks—at the outside.”
I stiffened. “Sire, I can’t be certain she’ll be—”
The door opened from the royal suite and his wife, Diaan en’ Del Rea, the reigning Queen of Vosgaarde, and my unwelcome admirer, swept into the room, her shrewd gaze taking both of us in and immediately—correctly—devising that we met to discuss war efforts.
When I stopped talking as she entered, her brows rose and she threw the first questioning look at Alexi, then turned to me. “Please, don’t let me interrupt.”
“We’re discussingwhenwe can send Donavyn and the others into Fyrehold. Our General grows apprehensive,” Alexi sighed, then took another sip of his wine.
“When the girl is ready,” Diaan said as if it were obvious.
My teeth clenched when Alexi grunted. “Donavyn believes she won’t be ready for a month. At least.”
Diaan turned to face me and our eyes met. A bristle of anger prickled up my spine.
We’d had little contact in the past week after she’d tried to manipulate Bren into believing I was in an affair withher. I’d been forced to harshly set her down, and been cold with her ever since. She’d pretended she didn’t notice. This was the first time she faced me openly and addressed me directly.
“Is she struggling to learn?”
“No, she’s a very quick study,” I said, struggling not to snap my teeth at her. “But she has new Furyknight duties, as well as recovering from the travel, and her dragon’s heat. The type of training we’re undertaking is demanding even for the men. To ask her to do both is—”
“Why would she be trained as the men are?” Diaan asked with an edge of disapproval. “Her role will be significantly different to theirs.”
I nodded. “And yet, she needs the foundational understanding of our skills. She’s brand new to Furyknight work. She and her dragon are still finding each other. There are so many moving parts. It takestime.”
“Time that we do not have. However, I do sympathize with the difficult nature of the task. I’d be happy to help with the more nuanced aspects of being at court. Unless she learns how to carry herself among nobles, no level of Furyknight skill will keep her alive in that Palace.”
Every hair on my body rose in alarm at her casual offer. I stared, frozen by the combined rage—how dare she?—and alarm coursing through me like white-hot flames licking in my blood. The effort not to snarl at her was so intense, I almost shook.
