“My son and his beautiful wife,” she greets as we enter. The wide smile on her face is painful to look at. “May the Flames bless your union with eternal happiness.”
I grunt in response, while Mayah shifts on her feet.
“Is your room suitable?” She gestures to the chairs. “Anything you need?”
A beat of silence.
“Our room is lovely,” Mayah says when I don’t respond. “Thank you.”
I manage to tear my gaze from the painting and pull out two chairs. Tairna gazes at us over steepled fingers.
“Tell us your plan.” My gruff voice draws a deep sigh from both women.
“Always so impatient, Vayru.” I remain stone-faced, and her smile slowly dims. “The plan is simple. We attack both Tundrayn and Arbinj on the same day. Obtain control of the capitals at once.”
“You don’t have enough men for that.”
“Oh, but we do.” Her smile returns, though it’s conspiratorial this time. “Tell me, how is that Volcan-Arbinji alliance coming along?” Her dark eyes glitter. “It isn’t.Because they’ve allied withus.”
My lips part with surprise—Tairna’s done well for herself.
“And then?” I ask.
“And then we declare Mayah—and you—rulers over both kingdoms. The people will accept her—the healer princess. She’s already won over the Arbinji citizens.”
I don’t miss the shifting of her gaze when she mentions me. What was her original plan, when it was expected Mayah would marry Faramir?
“And me?” My voice is colder than ice.
“Your reputation in the war … you won’t be well-received in Tundrayn. But at Mayah’s side, I’m certain her people will accept you in time. And—”
“There’s a slight issue with your plan,” Mayah interjects. She glances at me, her eyes haunted. “My people … they—” She takes a shuddering breath. “At the Tundrayni camp, we—”
Her voice chokes off on a gasp, tears welling in her eyes.
Something pulls in my chest. Stupid skiescursed heart.
“That’s where Mayah learned it was Tormik that killed her mother,” I supply. Her chest rises and falls rapidly. “Tormik and a few men escaped, but the remaining warriors attacked us. Mayah and I managed toprotectourselves.” Her knuckles are white, and I’m certain if she unclenched her fists, her hands would tremble. “The warriors are … gone.”
A look of understanding crosses Tairna’s face. “You think your people won’t accept you as queen because you killed your own warriors?”
Mayah flinches as though Tairna physically struck her. My jaw clenches tight, anger crackling in my chest.
“Hmm,” Tairna muses. “It’s not ideal. But not insurmountable. Once your people learn it was Tormik that murdered Meerah”—Mayah flinches again, and I grit my teeth to cage in the curses blooming on my tongue—“they’ll support you.”
Tairna taps her chin, deep in thought. I’d seen her wear this expression countless times—when she helped me with my studies or when I’d told her of Faramir’s daily cruelty. And hundreds of other times when I didn’t know what thoughts plagued her mind. Perhaps she’d been planning her escape—and realizing that I didn’t fit into it.
A pang of grief shoots through my chest.
Tairna sits straighter in her chair, steely resolve etched across her features. “The plan remains unchanged. You rule Arbinj and Tundrayn.”
Mayah worries her lower lip. “Do you expect me to be your puppet?”
“Of course not. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be left unchecked. We’ll install oversight councils in both kingdoms. I’ll serve on your council in Arbinj, along with my advisers. But I have no doubt you’ll be honorable,goodmonarchs. Sauzon speaks so highly of you, Mayah.”
Another impossible surprise.
“You know Sauzon?” Mayah asks, brows knit together.
