It was to be tonight.
Witless and the babes had been banished from the chambers until they were needed.There would be no afternoon visit with a Bondmaiden and the scroll.The day was here, the moon would rise, and they would begin the casting that they had anticipated for all these long months.
The last of the kavage was cold and bitter.Riven drained it anyway.He’d need it to concentrate on the preparations.Not just on the mixing of the sands and the diamond dust and the gold flakes.Not just on the drawing of the matrix and the placement of the gems.
But on himself.
Riven knew full well that death wouldn’t offer peace.It wasn’t a balm, a soft sleep that everyone seemed to think it was.
Death was far more complicated than that.
He set the mug aside and held up his hands to the sun streaming through the windows, trying to decide what had changed.This decision?It certainly was not enough to absolve him, but maybe it was a start at redemption.
His hands were steady, his mind was clear, his heart set on a goal, and his determination firm.He was ready.
It was a fool’s hope, of course.Riven smiled as he turned to his worktable.
He already knew that about himself, didn’t he?
He picked up the first silken bag of diamond dust and gold flakes, took a breath, and started to chant.
The moon washigh when the door opened.Mira, Nora, and Caris entered, each carrying a baby on one hip.Witless followed with a babe in each arm.They all stayed close to the door, avoiding the design that glittered on the floor.
As requested, they all wore black tunic and trous, to avoid skirts brushing the matrix.As he had also anticipated, they were all armed with daggers at the waist.
He didn’t let himself look at Nora beyond a brief glance at her lovely face.Anymore and he might give himself away.
Witless was subdued, standing as far from the women as possible, his eyes cast down.
“The Queen?”Riven asked.
“She comes,” Caris said, lifting her chin to avoid the grasping hands of her burden.“She is withdrawing the guards from the floor.”
Riven nodded, and reached for the child.“Here, let me,” he said, taking the boy from her arms.
“Warm in here,” Caris commented.
Riven had built up the fires in both hearths, which made the matrix on the floor gleam.For both the light and the comfort of the babes.
He stripped the swaddling from the child and placed him in one of the outer circles.The child looked up at him with wide eyes and immediately grabbed for his own toes.
“Should we start without her?”Mira asked as Riven took the babe she held.He handed her the swaddling.
“Best to move swiftly,” he said.
Nora started to strip her babe even as he placed the second.No one else protested as he worked, stepping carefully into and about the matrix on the floor, placing each babe in the center of its designated circle.
He turned to Witless, who handed over one of the boys he held, his expression anxious.“Baby good?”Witless asked in a small voice.
“Baby good,” Riven said reassuringly, with a nod.He was just placing the last infant as the doors opened and Queen Satia swept in.
She was a glorious sight, wearing a red dress with black trim and wide skirts.Her jewelry glittered, catching the eye, as did her tiara.She stood in the door, posing, as if framed, imperious as she met his gaze.Avice stood behind her, holding Xykeir and the scroll box.
Riven bowed low.“Majesty,” he said.
“Blood mage,” Satia said, her voice oozing with satisfaction.“I brought something to celebrate with once the work is done.”She held up a bottle that gleamed purple in the light.
He lifted an eyebrow in a silent question.
