‘My apologies that you had to suffer the Seneschal while I was away, Majesty.’
‘It was nothing. I am more than capable of handling Rogan.’ Janessa hoped she sounded more confident about that than she felt. ‘What is the news from the north?’
Odaka looked even more grave than usual. ‘The armies of the Free States are sorely pressed. General Hawke leads what remains of the Steelhaven levies. Only Duke Logar has brought his bannermen from Valdor, the rest of the nobles have not joined the fight, choosing to bolster their own defences rather than come to the aid of the capital. We fight a brave rearguard action, but ultimately it will fail.’
‘How long do we have?’
Odaka’s expression grew even darker. ‘Ten days. Perhaps less, depending on how valiantly our warriors fight. There is no doubt as to Amon Tugha’s goal — he means to besiege the capital and take it for his own.’
Janessa had always known what the Elharim warlord wanted; after all he had tried to have her killed, though only succeeded in murdering her handmaid and Lord Raelan Logar. Though Janessa knew he would eventually fall upon her city, she hadn’t wanted to believe it. Now Odaka forced her to confront the truth.
‘We must make plans for the city’s defence then,’ she said, trying to instil some fire in her words.
‘We will, Majesty. I will convene an emergency council meeting to discuss the matter. In the meantime, Marshal Farren has sent these men to ensure your safety.’
Janessa looked across at the four knights. They had been among her father’s elite, warriors who would have gladly laid down their lives to save their king. She wondered if she too could inspire such loyalty, if they would do the same for her if called upon.
‘No,’ she replied. ‘I have the Sentinels. These men should be north with their brothers, fighting the enemy at every step.’
‘But Majesty, you need a personal lifeguard. And these men are the best we have.’
‘I do not doubt it, Odaka. The more reason they should be north fighting our enemies, not here guarding me. Skyhelm is quite safe.’
Odaka shook his head. ‘I think we both know it is not.’ He looked at her, as though he might press his point, but then thought better of it. ‘Very well. I will send these men back north.’ Janessa was sure she could see relief in the faces of the knights. They wanted to be back in the thick of the fighting. ‘However, I will have Garret select his best men to stay by your side at all times.’ She opened her mouth to protest but Odaka leaned in, his eyes steely with determination. ‘His best, Majesty. At all times.’
She knew this was one battle she could not win.
‘Very well. Thank you, Odaka.’
‘There is no need for thanks, Majesty. I only serve you as I served your father.’
Janessa rose. For the most fleeting of moments she wanted to reach out and embrace Odaka — to feel safe for just a short while. She was almost certain he would have placed his arms around her and returned the embrace. Instead she walked past him, down the stone stairs from the throne and across the chamber.
As she walked Skyhelm’s torchlit corridors an ominous feeling began to rise in the pit of her stomach and not for the first time had she felt such a malady. Recently she had awoken with such a sickness she had retched into her chamber pot.
It must have been the pressure of her office, the strain of so much responsibility that was causing this sickness, but she had managed to keep it to herself. She had to stay strong, try to rule as her father had done and endure her burden in silence.
The palace seemed to be pressing in on her, and a sweat broke out on her forehead, her gown suddenly feeling as though it were constricting her. She just managed to reach her chamber without collapsing. Relief washed over her when she saw Governess Nordaine waiting patiently. Before Janessa could reach her bed, her knees gave way and she heaved once, twice, a thin line of vomit dribbling from her mouth. Nordaine was there in an instant, taking the heavy steel crown from her head and running a gentle hand through her hair.
Several weeks before, Janessa and Graye had been telling their cruel tales of Nordaine, but now she was the closest thing the young queen had to a confidante. Janessa still missed Graye, suddenly picturing her face, then her final scream as the giant Mountain closed his hands about her … Janessa retched again, ending it with a violent sob.
‘Come on,’ said Nordaine, helping her onto the bed. Janessa sat and looked up into Nordaine’s eyes; eyes filled with kindness. To see such compassion made Janessa feel guiltier than ever that she had spoken in such a scurrilous way about this woman.
‘What is wrong with me? I need to be strong.’
‘You are,’ Nordaine replied, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile. She reached around Janessa’s back and unlaced the bodice of her gown, loosening it and immediately allowing Janessa to breathe more easily. Over the past few days her gowns had seemed to grow tighter and tighter, despite the fact she was eating less and less.
‘I’m not. I’m weak and sickly. Perhaps we should summon an apothecary.’
Nordaine’s smile widened. ‘No apothecary can help you, my dear.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Janessa.
‘I didn’t want to think it, but it’s obvious now.’ Nordaine said, laying a gentle hand on Janessa’s belly.
‘What’s obvious?’
Nordaine gave her a look of sympathy. ‘Your Majesty is with child.’
Janessa stared at Nordaine for what seemed an eternity.
Then she doubled over and threw up on her skirts.
FOUR
The Skyhelm Sentinels were a martial order as old as the royal palace itself. Having studied their chequered history for long hours, Kaira knew well the tenets and traditions that made them such an honoured caste of knights. Established a mere forty years after the death of Arlor himself, they had been given stewardship of Skyhelm by King Burfain the Blue after his son attempted to usurp his crown. From that time, anyone wishing to depose a monarch of Steelhaven would have to take into account the unswerving loyalty of the Sentinels, and their capacity for retribution.
Of course history had shown the Sentinels could not always guarantee a long and untroubled reign, though almost a thousand years passed before the Steel Crown was usurped again and King Conrik the Second found his reign coming to an abrupt end. His brother Cedrik had raised an order of his own — the Knights of the Blood — and they had attacked Skyhelm in the night, murdering Conrik and driving out the Sentinels. Bloody civil war ensued as Conrik’s son, Hadrik, led the Sentinels in a protracted siege. After much bloodshed, an accord was met, and both Cedrik and Hadrik ruled Steelhaven through an uneasy peace. When both kings were killed on the same day, it was Hadrik’s heir Conhor who reinstated the Sentinels as stewards of Skyhelm once more, but also took the Knights of the Blood as his personal honour guard — an accord to which both orders had been bound ever since.
Kaira had found the Sentinels less pious in their worship of Arlor and Vorena, than the Shieldmaidens, but then for many days she had turned her back on piety and worship. She was a warrior-priestess no more. Now she was a servant to her queen and her city. Vorena would forever hold a place in her heart, would forever be her strength and her succour, but the Temple of Autumn was in her past. Though it pained her to have left her sisters behind, women she had grown up with, fought next to, she now had new warriors to stand by her side.
At first it had been odd, coming from the temple where she had been surrounded only by her sisters, but it had not taken long for her to gain as much respect from the men around her as she had from the Shieldmaidens. But then the Sentinels were a proud order, tempered long and hard in the training yard, each man picked for his prowess with sword and shield, each one devoted to his task. It was only natural that they should admire her skill and place the highest value on it. Kaira admired the dedication of these men to the Steel Crown and its city, and aspired to the same degree of commitment.