“Can we make a tracing of it?” Kiri asked. “Something you could take to study?”
Lillian looked at Kiri in silence for several moments. At last, she heaved a heavy sigh and nodded. “Please, don’t get your hopes up, Kiri. I’ll study this along, but please, don’t focus all your hopes on the possibility that I’ll suddenly have an epiphany.”
Kiri nodded, saying, “Thank you.”
Lillian retrieved some fresh parchment from the stack Kiri had placed on the table and started tracing.
Chapter 35
Marcus made the slave brands. Kiri still didn’t know what to make of that. Yes, fine…he didn’t make them himself, but he certainly enabled them to exist. Isn’t that just as bad? And what does that mean for Gavin? People get nervous and wary at the mere mention of Kirloth; will people fear Gavin one day, too?
The Slave Queen of Vushaar. The thought came out of nowhere and shouldered aside her turmoil over the brands. Had Marcus known of those prophecies Ovir mentioned? Did he help the slave brands to exist, so that the prophecy of the Slave Queen might have a chance of coming true?
A knock interrupted her thoughts, and for a moment, Kiri hoped Gavin was back…right up until she processed that Gavin wouldn’t knock on his own door. She pushed herself to her feet and crossed the room. A slight tug opened the door to reveal Lillian.
Kiri smiled. “Hello.”
“Is this a bad time?”
“No, of course not,” Kiri said. “I was just thinking.”
Kiri led Lillian into the suite and gestured to the armchairs in front of the hearth. Lillian sat in the chair on the right side, the same one Gavin always chose, and Kiri sat opposite her.
“You seemed pretty shaken by what we read in that book,” Lillian said, as she folded her legs under her. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
Kiri moved her eyes to the hearth and worked her lower lip between her teeth. Finally, she said, “I’m not really sure how I’m doing. That information about Marcus and the slave brands…well, it changed some things for me.”
“How? It’s not like Marcus was your best friend.”
“Maybe he was, in his own way.”
Lillian frowned. “Kiri, that doesn’t make any sense.”
“You told me once that you’ve wanted to study Divination since you were little.”
“Yes. I don’t know why, but it’s always been what drew me to the Art.”
“Ever read any prophecies…like old, old, old prophecies?”
“A few. My grandfather has a book in his library; it’s kind of a primer on prophecy. He always said he inherited it from his great aunt or some such.”
Kiri stared into the unlit hearth for several moments before she said, “Do the words ‘Slave Queen of Vushaar’ mean anything to you?”
Lillian frowned. “I think I remember something about that. I think it was mentioned as a classic example of a forked prophecy, something about only one path of the fork coming true. Why?”
Kiri wrung her hands as she stared at the lifeless hearth.
“Kiri, what’s wrong?”
Kiri took a deep breath and brought her eyes back to meet Lillian’s concern. “Lillian, I…my father is Terris Muran, King of Vushaar.”
Kiri watched Lillian freeze. Her friend had become a statue.
“Wait,” Lillian said at long last. “You’re the crown princess who died at sea? I remember hearing about that. The ship…it was the diplomatic courier between Tel and Vushaar. Grandfather talked about it. Why can’t I remember the ship’s name?”
“It was the Sprite,” Kiri said. Her voice was soft, vulnerable.
“Yes! The Sprite!” Kiri watched Lillian’s eyes drift down and slightly to her left; she could almost feel Lillian’s gaze burning into her shoulder. “You? You think you’re the Slave Queen?”
Kiri shrugged, moving her eyes back to the hearth. “I don’t want to be. I don’t want to be Queen for a long, long time. Besides, I don’t even know if my people would accept me.”
Silence took over the room for several moments.
“Are you angry with me for not telling you?”
Lillian frowned. “What?”
“It’s just that we’ve shared so much about ourselves, and I never told you who I am. You have a right to be angry.”
“No, I don’t. Not one little bit,” Lillian said, adding emphasis by shaking her head side to side. “Kiri, learning to trust again isn’t easy; I certainly don’t look at men the same way anymore, even men I know I’m safe with. Besides, how could I be angry with you? You’re my friend.”
They sat in silence for a few moments before Kiri pulled her eyes away from the hearth and back to Lillian.
“I don’t suppose you’ve heard any news of Vushaar?”
Lillian shook her head, saying, “No, I’m sorry. All I’ve heard is that things are very tense right now. There’s an army preparing to besiege the capital, and no one knows on which side everyone else is. Nobody wears any colors.”
Kiri nodded. “Ever since I heard what was happening, I’ve felt awful. I should be there with my father, helping him.”
“Kiri, he sent you away from that to keep you safe.”
“And just how well did that turn out?”
“Kiri…it’s difficult to understand why things happen the way they do. It’s difficult to believe that things will ever be better, especially after the last two years. You’re alive. You’re healthy, and I’d have to say you’re safe. How many other people can say that?”
Kiri nodded. “I know; I know, and I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. It’s just that I miss my father. I miss Q’Orval. I miss home.”
“Well, of course you do. Who wouldn’t?” Silence ruled the space for several moments until Lillian spoke once more. “Say…are you hungry? Dinner starts in the dining hall shortly.”
Kiri smiled and stood. “I should eat. Let’s go.”
Chapter 36
A slight breeze blew through the gardens, carrying the scent of flowers and herbs. Lillian, Braden, and Wynn sat on one of the bench planters, and they awaited the arrival of their fellow classmates for the mentor session.
“So-” Braden said.
“Think-Gavin-will-be-here-today?” Wynn asked, cutting off Braden.
Lillian and Braden smiled. They were long used to that side of Wynn’s nature.
“I don’t know,” Lillian said. “Kiri said she hasn’t seen him in almost two weeks.”
“I understand,” Braden said. “I mean, when my father died, Mom and I were a mess. Aunt Kora stepped in and ran the Duchy while we got through the worst of it.”
Lillian nodded. “Yes, it may be understandable, but if he’s going to be out of touch for a long period of time, he should’ve notified Valera so she could assign us a new mentor.”
“Do-we-really-need-a-mentor-now? Gavin-dealt-with-the-Fifth-Tiers-who-were-hazing-the-new-students.”
“He certainly did,” Braden said, adding a chuckle that sounded more like the rumble of distant thunder. “It will be a long time before I forget seeing those upperclassmen walk around with wreaths of holly leaves under their robes. Their expressions were priceless.”
The other students of their mentor group approached.
“He didn’t show again, did he?” the young lady asked.
Lillian shook her head.
“I’m so finished with this. If he doesn’t care enough to show up, why should we be bothered to, either?”
The young lady turned and left, taking her fellows with her.