3

“I know,” Elias said. “I wish I could offer it to you in a better context. One that wasn’t us attempting to stave off the Fae Queen.”

I leaned over the table and kissed him briefly. “As nice as that would be, knowing you trust me to take this on is better.”

Elias grinned again. “Good. Once the jaguars depart, we’ll get started with preparations.”

“Speaking of the jaguars,” I said, “we need to prepare some for their departure dinner. And potentially some supplies to send with them as a show of goodwill — that’s important to Askonians.”

“See?” Elias said. “This is why you’ll be an excellent diplomat.”

The conversation turned to the details of the dinner. Elias was significantly less interested in my musings about if I could convince Queen Enet to prepare another performance from the Askonian dancers, but he listened diligently as I sketched out the plan for the dinner.

The thought of developing a new role in the court, and potentially acting as a diplomatic liaison — a war diplomat — made me nervous. But at the same time, this was what I had wanted all along. I wanted to be his equal in leadership. Here was my opportunity.

I wasn’t going to let him down.

2

“I

ncredible!” I cheered, standing up from my seat at the dais to clap. The Askonian dancers in the center of the hall took sweeping bows, the bells on their ankles and wrists jingling merrily with each moment. The performance really had been remarkable — exciting and elegant and hypnotic all at once. The other guests in attendance, all wolves of Nightfall dressed in their finest wear, looked just as awed as they applauded the performance.

The Nightfall band joined the Askonian one, and they began to play together, a drum-heavy version of a traditional Frasian jig. The dance floor filled with wolves and jaguars alike, and I smiled as the energy escalated.

At my side, Queen Enet leaned closer. “Your Highness? Do you have a moment?”

“Certainly,” I said. I glanced over at Elias, but he was wrapped in conversation with King Khainan and another of the Askonian generals. For their departure dinner, the Askonian King and Queen had dressed in their usual finery. Enet was dressed simply but elegantly, in dark silks, with a silver shawl winding around her narrow arms. I followed her off the dais onto one of the balconies overlooking the forests of Efra.

“I’m grateful for the intelligence you’ve given us, Reyna,” Enet said as she gazed out over the tree line. “I imagine if the Fae Queen had approached us blindly, my husband would’ve been keen to work with her in an attempt to revive our lost magic.”

“She’s wily,” I said. “I myself was certainly ensnared in her plans.”

“Khainan and I will be fortifying Askon’s borders as best we can in preparation for any Fae attacks,” Enet said. “We’ll be doing our best to prepare our soldiers. But it pains me to admit… and my husband would never admit this…” Enet sighed and gripped the railing of the balcony. “I simply don’t know if Askon has the military strength to stand against the Fae, should it come to such a thing. It’s been generations since Askon has developed our fighters for anything beyond ceremonial purposes.”

I nodded and steeled my face into careful neutrality. Internally I cursed myself for putting too much truth on the stories I’d read about the jaguars—of their fierceness in battle and their powerful magic. I was grateful to have Enet as an ally, but there wasn’t much she could offer me against the Fae except for advice and knowledge. That would have to be enough.

“So we will offer what aid we can,” Enet continued, “but I fear there may be a time when we must call for it ourselves.”

“And Frasia would answer,” I said. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”

“We can only hope.”

For a moment we stood side by side in silence, looking out over the treeline. The winter night was brisk, and Enet tightened her shawl around her arms. The cold barely raised goosebumps on my own skin. Perhaps I was becoming more of a wolf of Nightfall than I thought.

“Regardless of what occurs,” I said, “I’m grateful yourself and King Khainan were willing to journey here. And the materials you’ve given us are more valuable than you think.”

“I’m glad,” Enet said. “I trust you’ll keep them private.”

I nodded. Enet had brought maps — extensively detailed surveys of Askon, Osna, and Cruora, beyond anything we had in the Nightfall library. I had yet to pore over them in detail, busy as I was with hosting the jaguars and managing the regular patrols of the borders. But now, as court cartographer, I’d have a reason to spend my days in the library going over the materials.

“I may find myself traveling toward Cruora,” I said. “Our conversations have piqued my interest.”

Enet threw me a small smile. “I thought they might. Again, it’s only rumors.”

“Still, even rumors are better than nothing,” I said. “If the Eagles have a genuine alchemist working with them, that could change everything for us.”

“And for the jaguars, as well,” Enet said. “If the alchemy is real, it could guide us to the recovery of our own magic.”

“And guide the wolves to a victory against the Fae,” I said. “I simply don’t know how we can stand against her magic. It’s a terrible thought.”

“You can’t focus on the fear,” Enet said. “If there’s anything I’ve learned in my years as Queen, it’s that. Even if the eagles have lost their alchemy, the wolves will find another way.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Because you must,” Enet said. “There is no other choice.”

Her words hung in the air between us. She was right. I’d hoped the jaguars would have some easy solution for handling the Fae, but that was wishful thinking. No one was coming to defend Frasia. It was up to myself and Elias alone.