"You don't know how much that means to me," Mena said. "You didn't see those foulthings, didn't look them in the eyes the way I had to. For so long I thought of them, of what they were, worrying about what they might become. Corinn, some of them had such raging hatred in them. The tenten beast wasn't just an animal. It hated as only humans can."
"Which is why it was an abomination," Corinn said.
"The abomination is that Santoth sorcery did that to them."
Corinn ignored this statement. "Your creature cannot be trusted. It may change into-"
"No! No, she won't." Mena said this with all the conviction she could muster. She believed it completely, of course, but it was not all she felt. She had dreamed that Elya turned toward her with bloodshot eyes, with that terrible, malevolent intelligence in them. But these were only nightmares, she now believed, the lingering traces of having seen so much in her battles. Nothing more. She meant it when she said, "Elya is what she is, and that's wonderful. She makes me feel good. I haven't felt good in such a long time. I don't remember when I last felt… just joyful. Do you?"
She was surprised by the question, making it a full stop instead of only a part of her discourse. She looked at her sister even more deeply, realizing that Corinn had likely been dissatisfied more than she, for longer, in even more ways. She had never quite realized it, but now she was sure.
Corinn did not answer the question directly. "It's preposterous."
Mena smiled. At least Corinn had not said it with malice. "Perhaps, but, if so, I like things preposterous." She leaned back into the comfort of her chair. "What aspect of our lives hasn't been preposterous?"
"What do you intend to do with it?"
"She'll stay with me. As long as she wants to, at least. She's no burden or danger. She eats fruit. Just fruit. Her feet are as light on the ground as a bird's. She'll soon be loved by everyone."
"I don't know that I can allow that," Corinn said. She set down her teacup. "Here in the palace, I mean. There might be an incident. I know you favor this thing, but you should have ended it. Be done with these foulthings forever."
Mena looked at the bowl of apricots on the table beside her and plucked one. That was a topic she did not want to discuss. In truth, she had begun to suspect that Elya might be pregnant. Nothing definite gave it away, just a feeling of other pulses of life within her. She might be wrong. How could Elya be pregnant if she was the only one of her kind? In any event it was better to keep the possibility to herself for the time being.
"It won't be for long," she said. "I'll fly on her the next time I go to Vumu." She bit into the apricot and managed to speak as she chewed. "I've decided that's what I want to do next: go to Vumu for a time. I'd like to be the priestess again. This time, however, I'll show them Maeben at peace. I'll ask them to look up at the sky without fear. They'll look up and see Elya, and they'll feel safe for once. I'd like to give them that gift, for they gave me so much during my time there. The people will love it; the priests will hate it. Perfect."
"Perfect? Hardly. You may fancy your pet, but remember it's a foulthing. It's distorted. Who knows what-"
"Please, Corinn. She's not foul. I'm the one who hunted down monster after monster. I know foul. Elya has not a drop of bad blood in her. She's beauty, Corinn. Gentleness and humor and beauty. Come. Come right now and see her."
Corinn lagged behind Mena when they entered her quarters. She craned her neck around, clearly nervous. She did not stay that way long, though. Elya-fierce winged creature that sent nobles running and caused guards to fumble for their swords-was marching around the far side of the entrance court under the direction of a child. Aaden sat in the saddle of her shoulders, waving a wooden sword and encouraging the creature to attack. Elya did so, although her attack was rather careful, maneuvering through the chairs and tables of a sitting area. Her neck craned about to make sure she did not brush anything, and her tail carved elaborate circles, occasionally touching objects as if to steady them.
Two maids stood nervously nearby, as did one of the prince's tutors. Clearly, they had been beseeching the boy to come away, but now stood about, curious and worried at the same time.
"I didn't know he was here," Mena said, speaking in a near whisper. "Really, I didn't."
"Not much gets past Aaden. He's as hard to keep track of as Dariel used to be."
"Do you want me to call to her? To get him off?"
Corinn watched awhile before answering. "No. You're right; she's gentle. Even I can see that." Corinn slipped to one side, leaning against a pillar and half hiding herself. Mena joined her and together they watched.
"You say she is easily hurt?" Corinn asked.
"Her wings are paper thin. They're amazing. You can see right through them. If she didn't heal so quickly she'd never have survived. But she does heal amazingly fast. And she made me heal faster, too. I should still be splinted and battered. Instead, I've never felt better."
"You've never looked better either," Corinn admitted. "You look like a maiden in love for the first time."
"Why, thank you, Sister. I was going to say the same about you last night. Sitting next to King Grae. Quite the striking couple you two made."
"You thought that before you dropped from the sky?"
"Exactly," Mena said, a lift in her eyebrows and a slight purse to her lips. "So?"
Corinn did not accept the invitation. "Your Elya, might she have any military purpose?"
"Don't even joke about that. I mean it. Look at her. She's all delicacy. Power, too, but none that I would allow to be endangered. Don't even think about it."
"All right. All right. I had to ask," Corinn said. "She is a songbird, then, not a hunting hawk. That was obvious, actually, in the way she held her hands together and batted her eyelids last night. Preposterous."
Mena stared at her sister, her mouth open and the corners of her lips uptilted. It had been a long time since Corinn had said something as good-natured as that. She felt awash with affection for her. It was poignant, in a way, for she knew that she had not felt such affection for Corinn in a long time, but what did that matter? Now she was standing with her sister, spying on a child and a dragon. "What better thing?"
"What?" Corinn asked, but Mena did not answer.
When they parted, she embraced her sister for a few breaths longer than formality required. Corinn did not pull away or express any discomfiture. All things considered, it was the finest few hours Mena had spent with her sister since, well, she could not say since when. There must have been a time when they were young and easy with each other, but, if so, she could not remember it anymore. Perhaps they would grow closer now. Why not? The foulthings were gone. Elya was found. Aaden was healthy. Corinn was queen, so confident, in control of so many things. Dariel would be home soon. And when Melio arrived with the rest of the returning hunters she would run her hands down his back and across his backside and ask him to make love to her. And he would, of course, though he would look at her in surprise, smile his crooked grin, and find some way to jest; but she would close his mouth with kisses.
She was almost ready to put down her sword for good. Perhaps the time had come to do as Melio had so long wished. Maybe she was finally ready to be a mother, to raise a child to know peaceful things. Yes, she had not felt this good in a long time.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Delivegu did not much like the tedious work of espionage. It could be quite beneficial, a real boon at times. Certainly, that was all true. But if he were caught during any of its less dignified moments, it would tarnish his image. He went to great pains to ensure that he was always seen at ease, in control, with a drink or cards or a woman at hand: Delivegu, a man with few cares, a man above the petty concerns of others, one who benefited from human folly but never became the butt of it. That was the image of himself he most fancied. He wore a cloak of vice around him as normally as others wore clothing, and he felt just as naked without it.