The Fiend Queen (43 page)

“You’ve seen what happens when one of your Aspects emerges on its own,” Starbride said. “When Roland merged with it, the cruel monster filled in all the bits of his mind that it could.”

“And even the rest was under its sway,” Roland said, looking at her as if she was the spirit of wisdom. “But the knowledge remains.”

“And the guilt,” she said, “because the power does feel good. Horsestrong forgive me, but it does.”

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t know,” Einrich said softly, and she could tell he was waiting for an excuse, but was it to kill his brother or spare him?

She pointed at the dagger. “Both sides of the blade carry mercy and cruelty. Killing him spares him the pain of guilt but leaves him no room to make amends. And you would have to live with the fact that you’d killed him.”

“And if I spare him, I make him suffer the guilt, but he gets a chance to atone?” Einrich asked.

Starbride smiled. “And you’d have to live with that, too.”

Einrich stared at his brother. “He asked me to kill him.”

“Maia asked for the same.”

“And you?” Einrich asked. “What are you asking for?”

Starbride thought of the residents of Marienne and the villagers she’d killed. What would make it right? To send herself to prison? Yanchasa was already there. If she held herself blameless, she had to hold Roland the same, didn’t she?

“To make amends,” she said. “To marry your daughter and make her happy. I want to live, and I want him to live to prove it can be done.”

The silence stretched on until Roland raised his head. “What could I ever do? There aren’t enough good deeds in all the world. A person could spend his whole life searching for them.”

Starbride smiled softly. “Yes, a person could.”

Einrich put his dagger away. He didn’t embrace his brother. He might never be able to, but the look he wore didn’t carry the hate it had when she’d first spied on him. He moved past Starbride, out of the cell. She sat face-to-face with Roland, not quite close enough to touch.

He folded his fingers over his stump and could hardly look at her. “Do you forgive me?” he asked.

She thought long before she answered. “No, not yet, but I understand you. I’m sorry I tortured you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t give you any other choice.”

“Tell me about your time with Yanchasa. I want to hear it.”

After a deep breath, he began to speak.

Katya

Katya sneaked into the secret passageways before Portia could find her. Her new maid had arrived in Katya’s apartment in a tizzy six weeks ago, days after Starbride had been cleansed. She’d stayed permanently abuzz ever since. It had only gotten worse as Katya’s wedding approached. The week before the event, she’d checked and rechecked Katya’s wedding clothes, her jewelry, and the plans. Now that they only had one day left, Katya expected her to be floating three feet above the ground with excitement. Anyone would have thought it was her getting married.

Katya had told her she wanted to sleep in on the last days before her wedding, and Portia had enthusiastically agreed. She’d promised to put together a large breakfast that Katya could have in bed if she desired. Katya didn’t see the fun with no one to share it. It had been the job of the wedding escorts to keep Katya and Starbride apart for five days before their wedding, and they’d done a miraculous job. If Starbride was still in the palace, Katya had no idea where.

Katya had struggled to find her the first two days, and her escorts had been delighted to watch her try, particularly Reinholt, but after she couldn’t even bribe the servants, she’d given up.

That didn’t mean she couldn’t hope to see Starbride where she was going, though the chances were slim. As she took her first step into the dark secret passageways, she shivered. Nearly three months since her ordeal underground, and tight spaces still unnerved her. Maybe they’d hidden Starbride in a closet. That would guarantee Katya couldn’t go in after her.

She hurried toward the capstone cavern, giving a quick hello to the knowledge monks who teemed around the large portal into the underground city. They were still discovering its secrets, including the pyramid and its ominous capstone. If people had thought Yanchasa a myth before, they knew the truth now.

Katya grinned and knew it had an edge of malice to it. The bastard wouldn’t be a problem much longer.

As she stepped into the capstone cavern, the lights of many tiny pyramids greeted her. The adsnazi had placed the pyramid that Starbride had transferred Yanchasa’s essence into near the old, dead capstone, the easier to work with both at once.

Near the center of the cavern, Leafclever nodded to her. Katya returned the gesture and headed to where Redtrue stood apart from the adsnazi, Riverwise at her side. Katya didn’t point out the distance. The adsnazi might be working with her this day, but afterward, they were going home without Redtrue among them. That didn’t mean she’d be alone, if Castelle had anything to do with it.

Riverwise smiled and bowed, Farradain fashion. He’d chopped off the long lock of hair all adsnazi sported and seemed to be letting the rest grow out. “Highness. Some of the others are calling this your wedding present.”

Redtrue sniffed. Except for the long lock, her head was freshly shaved. The adsnazi could say she was no longer one of them, but that wouldn’t change who she was in her heart. “The magic is done today because we have now finished our research.”

“I love it when you get romantic,” Castelle said, hugging her from the side.

“It’s a perfect wedding present, Riverwise, thank you,” Katya said. “How long until we’re ready?”

“Shouldn’t you be preparing your suit of diamonds for the ceremony?” Redtrue asked.

“Alas,” Katya said, “the emerald-studded venue I ordered isn’t ready yet, and my sapphire-encrusted horse is too heavy to walk, so they’re putting it on wheels.”

Redtrue cracked a smile.

“Besides,” Castelle said, “Katya and Starbride are getting married Allusian fashion.”

“Mostly,” Katya added.

Redtrue sniffed. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” She looked past Katya’s shoulder to the capstone. “They’re ready.”

Redtrue didn’t speak to any of the adsnazi as she joined their circle, and Katya read in her stiff back and shoulders that she still pretended it was a matter of pride between them, that she didn’t regret her choices. Castelle’s pitying glances told a different story, one Katya could guess: Redtrue’s banishment cut her to the core. She could return to Allusia, but Katya bet she wouldn’t, not until the adsnazi welcomed her home.

Katya had always thought that pyradistés lacked ritual. Whenever the Umbriels had Waltzed, Crowe had simply chained them to the floor and let them transform, commune with Yanchasa, and then he’d cared for their unconscious bodies afterward. The whole thing could have done with a bit more pomp.

Evidently, the adsnazi agreed with Crowe. There was no chanting or dancing as with a feast for one of the spirits.

The council of five, an inner voice corrected. Katya contained a shiver. Best to consider them the spirits for as long as she could. Of course, now that the people of Marienne were learning the truth, Katya had to wonder if even spirit worship would change.

The adsnazi sat and linked hands, each with a pyramid resting in his or her lap. Some stared at the capstone and some at Starbride’s pyramid. Redtrue blinked twice and then not again. All around the circle, they wore calm faces and breathed in unison. Katya couldn’t fathom the battle that was raging, and she was suddenly glad Starbride wasn’t there to feel it.

Seconds passed, minutes. Sweat stood out on adsnazi foreheads, and some of their eyelids sagged or slipped shut. All the pyramids pulsed with white light, first slow and then as quick as the beating of a sparrow’s heart.

The capstone and the smaller pyramid flared, so bright Katya had to shield her eyes, and then both faded, going dark. The adsnazi let go of one another and came back to themselves slowly, their pyramids the only source of light. Redtrue stood on shaky legs, always the first to get to her feet.

“Well?” Castelle asked.

“It’s done,” Redtrue said. “Yanchasa is now back where she belongs.” She beamed, and Katya saw what Castelle must have seen in her. “There will be no more need for Fiends.”

No more need for the Waltz, at least. Da, Reinholt, Maia, Hugo, and Brutal still possessed their Aspects, all carefully locked by pyramid necklaces. If all went as planned, Bastian and Vierdrin would never need to carry pyramids. They would never Waltz. The adsnazi hadn’t wanted to risk draining the Fiends and giving Yanchasa a boost of power, but there was no reason to pass the Aspect to future generations.

Katya sighed. The end of an era. The end of secrets. Well, the end of Fiendish secrets. Who could say what the future would hold for the Umbriels without Yanchasa beneath their feet?

Starbride

Starbride felt him go, Yanchasa’s howling presence flitting past her mind’s eye. When he’d been forced from Starbride’s mind, he’d still had hope. She could feel him under the palace, waiting for another chance, seething with the need for revenge. He could wait centuries if necessary. Now he knew that he would never walk free again.

Starbride bet he was shrieking under the original glacier that had held him, trapped in his useless body, crying out impotently to his fellows. She wondered if they were happy to feel his presence again.

Dawnmother touched Starbride’s shoulder. “Is it the ritual?”

“Funny that they’d call it that. There’s not even any singing or dancing.” She looked around the room where her wedding escort had hidden her that day, a place even Katya didn’t know about: Pennynail’s tower. Cleared of most of its shabby furniture, it was nearly presentable, and they had the master of sneaking himself bringing them food and drink.

Her several attempts to escape had left her lost in the secret passageways. She’d given up then and just gone where they’d led her. Thankfully, Freddie knew some beautiful places in the palace where no one else went, like the roof, with stunning views of Marienne and the countryside.

Still, nothing could compare to the sight of Katya, who’d been denied to her for five days. “What do you think she’s doing right now?”

“None of that,” Dawnmother said. “These Farradains think we can’t play their games and keep the two of you apart, but we can.”

“You sound like my mother.”

“And may I point out that the Farradain games have kept her out of your hair for the past five days as well?”

“True.” Though she did miss her father’s easy presence. Starbride touched her gown where it hung before the mirror. “Is it nice outside?”

“The sun is shining. Hopefully, that will continue into tomorrow. It should melt the snow just enough to make things nice and soggy. Honestly, Star, spring is just around the corner. You couldn’t have waited?”

“No.” The king, the nobles, and the Allusians had finally reached an accord, with only a few outstanding details to iron out. What better time? “I wonder what she’s doing now.”

Dawnmother sighed. “Horsestrong save me from people in love.”

Starbride sighed heavily and acted as if she might faint on Freddie’s couch. “Fantasizing about Katya is all that’s left for me.”

“Perhaps not all.” With a sly smile, she took a pyramid from her pocket and pressed it into Starbride’s grasp.

Starbride didn’t need to fall into it to sense what it did. Redtrue had been teaching her the knack of Allusian magic. “A dream pyramid? Is this for tonight?”

“In a few minutes. My wedding present to you. Well, mine and Redtrue’s and Castelle’s. As the latter pointed out, all the custom says is that you can’t
see
each other.”

“Clever Castelle.” She slid her thumb up the pyramid’s smooth side. She still couldn’t use a pyramid without thinking of Yanchasa and all the people she’d killed. She’d used them only when she had to, and thankfully, that hadn’t been often. Master Bernard, the pyradistés, and the adsnazi had taken care of any emergencies and cleared out the rest of Roland’s puppets and traps.

Redtrue had been teaching her how to feel the adsna without letting it overwhelm her. She’d hoped to speak with the other adsnazi, but they refused to have anything to do with her. Their cold, polite rebuffs had hurt, enough that Katya had threatened not to work with them, but Starbride had insisted she should, for the good of the kingdom. Redtrue and Riverwise had been good enough teachers on their own. They could keep her from murdering anyone else.

“Star,” Dawnmother said, “I know that look. Stop.”

“I can’t forget, Dawn, I—”

Dawnmother wrapped her hands around Starbride’s, around the pyramid. “Remember what you’ve learned from your conversations with Roland. No nightmares are waiting for you here.”

Starbride shuddered and leaned back on the couch. It was just a dream pyramid, nothing that could hurt anyone. She fell into the pyramid and waited.

It wasn’t long until she felt Redtrue’s pyramid linking with hers, and then Katya was there like a stampeding horse.

“Have five days ever felt so long?”

Starbride laughed, losing herself in the dreamy haze of Katya’s love but not completely. The Farradain repetition of fives made her think of the council and Yanchasa’s banishment.

“It went smoothly, no problems,” Katya said.

“I’m, well, I don’t think happy would begin to cover it.”

“I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”

Starbride squirmed in delight. “I’ll take your can’t wait to see me and offer a can’t wait to hold you.”

Katya chuckled, and the low sound made Starbride’s insides warm. “If we keep going this way, you’ll find out everything I have planned for you.”

“Oh, you have plans?” Starbride asked. “So do I.”

“Do tell,” Katya said, and the desire Starbride sensed matched her own.

“You’ll have to wait and see. But will there be time for all our plans?”

“Hmm, we’ll just have to make sure we leave right after the wedding and get straight to the sex.”

Starbride laughed deeply, and it felt so good to do so. She’d been billowed by emotions after the loss of the adsna, but they’d been cleaner than any she’d suffered under Yanchasa’s influence. She was finally getting used to not having every emotion tinged with sorrow.