Silvanoshei might have been uneasy at this, but he touched the box over his heart for reassurance, brought to mind Mina’s words to him, and his unease vanished.
Maidenly confusion, he told himself, and gazed at her as she talked of this One God, proud to watch her hold her own among the elven wise and scholars such as his cousin, Kiryn.
“You will forgive me if I ask a question about this One God, Mina,”
said Kiryn deferentially.
“I not only forgive you,” Mina answered with a slight smile. “I encourage you. I do not fear questions, though some might fear the answers.”
“You are an officer in the Dark Knights of Takhisis—”
“Neraka,” Mina corrected. “We are the Dark Knights of Neraka.”
“Yes, I heard your organization had made that change, Takhisis having departed—”
“As did the god of the elves, Paladine.”
“True.” Kiryn was grave. “Although the circumstances of their departures are known to be different. Still, that is not relevant to my question. In their brief history, the Dark Knights of whatever allegiance have held that the elves are their sworn and bitter enemies. They have never made secret their manifesto that they plan to purge the world of elves and seize their lands for their own.”
“Kiryn,” Silvanoshei intervened angrily, “this is hardly suitable—”
Mina rested her hand on his. Her touch was like fire licking his flesh. The flames both seared and cauterized.
“Let your cousin speak, Your Majesty,” said Mina. “Please continue, sir.”
“I do not understand, therefore, why now you conquer our lands and . . .” He paused, looked stern.
“And let you live,” Mina finished for him.
“Not only that,” said Kiryn, “but you heal our sick in the name of this One God. What care can this One God—a god of our enemies—have for elves?”
Mina sat back. Lifting a wineglass, she revolved the fragile crystal goblet in her hand, watching as the candles seemed to burn in the wine.
“Let us say that I am the ruler of a large city. Inside the city’s walls are thousands of people who look to me for protection. Now, within this city are two strong and powerful families. They hate and detest each other. They have sworn each other’s destruction. They fight among themselves whenever they meet, creating strife and enmity in my city. Now, let us say that my city is suddenly threatened. It is under attack from powerful forces from the outside. What happens? If these two families continue to quarrel, the city will surely fall. But if the families agree to unite and battle this foe together, we have a chance to defeat our common enemy.”
“That common enemy would be what—the ogres?” asked Kiryn. “They were once your allies, but I have heard since that they have turned on you—”
Mina was shaking her head. “The ogres will come to know the One God. They will come to join the battle. Be blunt, sir,” she said, smiling with encouragement. “You elves are always so polite. You need not be fearful of hurting my feelings. You will not anger me. Ask the question that is in your heart.”
“Very well,” said Kiryn. “You are responsible for revealing the dragon to us. You are responsible for the dragon’s death. You led us to know the truth about the shield. You have given us our lives when you could have taken them. Nothing for nothing, they say. Tit for tat. What do you expect us to give you in return? What is the price we must pay for all this?”
“Serve the One God,” Mina said. “That is all that is required of you.”
“And if we do not choose to serve this One God?” Kiryn said, frowning and grave. “What then?”
“The One God chooses us, Kiryn,” said Mina, gazing at the wavering drop of flame flickering in the wine. “We do not choose the One. The living serve the One God. So do the dead. Especially the dead,” she added in a voice so low and soft and wistful that only Silvanoshei heard her. Her tone and her strange look frightened him.
“Come, Cousin,” Silvanoshei said, flashing Kiryn a warning, irate glance. “Let us make an end to these philosophical discussions. They give me a headache.” He gestured to the servants. “Pour more wine. Bring on the fruit and cake. Tell the musicians to resume playing. That we may drown him out,” he said with a laugh to Mina.
Kiryn said no more, but sat regarding Silvanoshei with a troubled and worried expression.
Mina did not hear Silvanoshei. Her gaze was sifting through the crowd. Jealous of anyone who stole her attention from himself, Silvanoshei was quick to notice that she was searching for someone. He marked where her gaze roamed and saw that she was locating every one of her officers. One by one, her gaze touched each of them and one by one, each of them responded, either by a conscious look of understanding or, with the minotaur, a slight nod of the horned head.
“You need not worry, Mina,” Silvanoshei said, an edge to his voice, to show he was displeased, “your men are behaving themselves well. Much better than I had hoped. The minotaur has only broken his wineglass, shattered a plate, torn a hole in the tablecloth, and belched loudly enough to be heard in Thorbardin. All in all, a most highly successful evening.”
“Trivialities,” she murmured. “So trivial. So meaningless.”
Mina clasped Silvanoshei’s hand suddenly, her grip tightening around his heart. She looked at him with the amber eyes. “I prepare them for what is to come, Your Majesty. You imagine that the danger has passed, but you are mistaken. Danger surrounds us. There are those who fear us. Those who seek our destruction. We must not be lulled into complacency by gentle music and fine wine. So I remind my officers of their duty.”
“What danger?” asked Silvanoshei, now thoroughly alarmed. “Where?”
“Close,” said Mina, drawing him into the amber. “Very close.”
“Mina,” said Silvanoshei, “I was going to wait to give this to you. I had a speech all prepared “He shook his head. “I’ve forgotten every word of it. Not that it matters. The words I truly want to say to you are in my heart, and you know them. You’ve heard them in my voice. You’ve seen them every time you see me.”
Thrusting his trembling hand into the breast of his doublet, he drew forth the velvet bag. He reached inside, brought out the silver box and placed it on the table in front of Mina.
“Open it,” he urged her. “It’s for you.”
Mina regarded the box for long moments. Her face was very pale. He heard her give a small, soft sigh.
“Don’t worry,” he said wretchedly. “I’m not going to ask anything of you in return. Not now. I hope that someday you might come to love me or at least think fondly of me. I think you might someday, if you will wear this ring.”
Seeing that she made no move to touch the box, Silvanoshei seized hold of it and opened it.
The rubies in the ring glittered in the candlelight, each shining like a drop of blood—Silvanoshei’s heart’s blood.
“Will you take it, Mina?” he asked eagerly, desperately. “Will you take this ring and wear it for my sake?”
Mina reached out her hand, a hand that was cold and steady. “I will take the ring and I will wear it,” she said. “For the sake of the One God.”