I stare at the closing words. I can count on one hand the number of times he told me he was proud. The cynical part of me doesn't believe he means it here other than to try to boost my spirits, but the part desperate for any hope at this point embraces the words with warmth.

Agraund thought I could do it. Of course, this was before I ran off like a fool, but still... He thought he had already taught me what I need to know. Determination steels my soul. I'm not just doing these things because it's what I'm supposed to, because it's 'the best I can.'

It's what I've been bred for.

I rise, slipping the letter into my cloak and clicking the compartment shut. As I leave the office, I pull the door closed behind me.

"Alright, mages."

They all look up again, gazes solemn and intent. Instead of intimidating me, the watching eyes fill me with renewed confidence. They're looking to me to lead them. And I'll do it with the certainty that comes from knowing that no other option is acceptable.

I take the center of the room. "Our men did well for the path they were set on. The Kadranians took a beating. Somehow, they got their men behind us at the end of it and trapped us when we tried to retreat." I look at them, grieving but determined. "One soldier made it out. Our wizards did not." Most of them drop their gazes. "This is a tragedy, but one we're not going to let happen again. These men's deaths will not be in vain."

Their eyes come back up to mine, and they nod.

"Let's get to work then. The savages won't have it their way for long."

They stand and start to break up, but I catch Solus.

"Can we talk?"

He nods, and we slip back into my office. I cross the desk and turn to face him. He watches me, sharp face unreadable. I lean with my hands on the desk.

"My uncle chose you as his right-hand for a reason."

He doesn't move.

"Why?"

One eyebrow raises. "You always were very to-the-point."

I straighten, arms crossing. "At this moment, there are far more important things for us to be doing than verbal sparring. Lie to me if you must, but I want a concrete reason my uncle trusted you over all the other wizards." My eyes drill into his.

He regards me. "Don't you intend to arrange your own Corps? You seem to have taken a liking to Mage Liraena."

"I do intend to, and I will. This is me deciding where you'll stand in it. My uncle trusted you—to have Morineaux as your first priority at the least. But if you are going to proceed by viewing me as not in Morineaux's best interest, then the Corps will have a problem. The mages cannot have two leaders, or we'll fall into ruin." My arms unfold. "Now, if we weren't in a state of emergency, I might consider playing the usual games with you to figure out where you stand, but we don't have that luxury."

I watch him. He watches back.

"So," I say. "I'll tell you where I stand. I'm the Second Son of Morineaux. I have been bred to raise up this Corps in success and to protect my country and people. I have every stars-given intention to do that, and I won't let Kadranians or anyone else stand in the way of accomplishing that goal." I hold his eyes. "Your turn."

He's silent for a long moment, but I wait, gaze unrelenting.

His nasally voice is quiet. "You sound quite determined for a boy that ran away less than a year ago."

"If I am a boy, then I'm the boy you've got. The past is over. I intend to carry this country forward. Are you with that goal or not, Solus?"

His lips twist as he considers me, and for once, I really don't care what he thinks he sees. I know who I am.

"I am and always will be a humble servant of Morineaux." He pauses. "Your uncle favored me for my bluntness with him and ability to appease the Ladies. He confided more than once that they were his least favorite part of this job."

The hardness of my face immediately softens, and I struggle to pull back up the look. Uncle disliked the politics as well? He always seemed such a natural.

The dinner before I left flashes unbidden into my mind. He criticized me for being late when I was exactly on time; now, layers of importance ride on time of arrival. He rebuked me for speaking to the maids during the dinner; now, the Ladies dismiss me as unserious, just as he always said they would.

He wasn't lecturing me because he expected too much. He was warning me about the hidden traps of the politics he hated too.

I find Solus's eyes again. "And do you deem me worthy of such favors?"

"I find you more and more deserving."

"Then start telling me when I screw up. And stop letting the others think they owe more allegiance to you than me."

He smiles. "Yes, my lord."

I can't help the small one that lifts my own expression. "Good. Now let's get to work."

He leaves. I sit and pull out my blackwood bowl to scry the Queen. She sits with Irrianet and Osennia in a meeting room that used to be one of Mother's favorites. My lips tighten, but I end the spell and leave, cloak swishing behind me. I march down the halls. No sense in wasting time for a page to let me know that Selenia says, "Not right now."

I knock on the meeting room door.

A moment passes, and a maid opens it. With surprised eyes, she bobs a curtsy. "It's Prince Aster, Your Grace."

Behind her, Selenia twists in her seat to see me. "Oh!" She sounds simultaneously delighted and confused. "Well, come in."

I enter and force a small smile to Irrianet and Osennia before turning to my sister. "I apologize for the interruption, but I must request an emergency audience."

A smile pins itself to her face. "You could have sent a page, brother."

"It was quicker for me just to come, my Queen."

She frowns lightly and glances at the other Ladies, who watch with poorly concealed amusement. Her eyes flick back to me, and she opens her mouth.

My stare intensifies.

The look in her eyes turns to a glare, and she says, "Of course, Prince. I'll meet you in my chamber in just a minute."

My tone is appeasing. "Thank you, Your Grace." I walk out. What I need to say to her may not be an emergency in her eyes, but it needs said and enacted before she lets the Table Arbitrate have their way with the country any longer. And in any case, it being an emergency was the only way I could politely interrupt her. Perhaps showing concern for what's supposed to be an emergency will help redeem her to the Ladies anyway.

Because like Agraund's letter says, they don't respect her. They like that they can bend her to their will, but they don't respect her.

I walk to our hall. It's only when I've stopped outside the door beside mine that it occurs to me she might have already moved to the Queen's Suite. Something about that idea makes my insides twist. It doesn't seem right, so soon. Then again, she is very much the Queen.

I wait here anyway, sure I'll hear her approach if she goes to the other room. True to her word, she's only a minute or two behind me. There's too much going on for anyone to be moving rooms, I suppose.

I incline my head. "Queen."

Her response is simply to unlock the door and let us in. She pushes it closed behind us, and we sit. "Now what's the matter?"

"I found a letter from Uncle Agraund."

Her face falls, her eyes suddenly a well of sorrow, and I remember that he gave his life for her, too. That's why he was in the Meadow at all—for her.

I bite my lip.

Then her expression hardens again. "Why was that important enough to pull me out of my meeting?"

I suck on the sore on my lip. "He said some things I thought you might need to hear, too."

Her legs cross. "What?"

I lean forward on my knees. For some reason, I had thought this conversation would be much more combative on my side, but I don't want to argue with her. I miss my sister, and I long for a good relationship with my Queen.

"The Ladies' first interests aren't in the country as a whole." I raise my hand. "I know you know this. But even if they all agree about something, that doesn't mean it's the best decision. They're looking out for their lands and their power, and they're not trained like we are." I shift in my seat. "I know that Reyan and I have lectured you about needing to trust us and take our advice, but you need to trust yourself as well. Mother raised you for this. And I refuse to believe she raised you purely to follow the Table."

She turns away, staring tightly at the fireplace.

"The Ladies will listen to you, even if you dictate something they don't like, if you act like you know what you're doing and won't tolerate misbehavior. It is not how much they like you that determines how much they listen—it's how much they respect you."

She faces me now, eyes challenging. "Uncle Agraund said all this?"

"He reiterated the principles."

She watches me, lips pressed together.

I keep eye contact, earnest and hopeful. I don't know what we'll do if she doesn't listen to me now.

Finally, she softens, leaning back in her seat. "You may be right, brother. It's exhausting trying to please all of them. And I was starting to get the feeling that... Well, it doesn't matter." She looks at me. "But I won't ignore them."

"And I'm not saying you should. But you, Reyan, and I were all bred for our roles. You are the law. Reyan is the sword. And I am the magic. Can we three not convene and find what ought to be done before letting women that haven't studied sieges and magic decide what's best for the country they don't rule?"

She studies the tea table, quiet for a long time. This conversation somehow feels so much more real than the ones we've been having.

"Your words are compelling."

Relief lights a hesitant smile on my face. "I look forward to working with you, then, instead of just beside you."

She offers me a quiet, warm smile. "I suppose we should be returning to our duties."

I stand and offer her my hand. If my sister stays true to her word, then the massacre of last night won't happen again. We're born for this, and we won't let citizens or savages take that from us.

When we step into the hall, she moves to go, but I bite my lip, remembering something else. "Sela."

She turns.

Wincing, I say, "I need a manservant."

Her brows furrow. "You haven't one already?"

"I fired him before this all started and haven't had time since. Not to mention not being entirely sure how to go about it with all of"—I gesture—"this."

I feel foolish bringing up such a small matter, but she nods. "I might not be able to get to it for a few days, but you should have one by the end of the week."

I thank her, relief coursing through me. It might be little, but I feel like things are finally starting to click into place. We can't pick our circumstances, but we can change them—one discovery, one reconciliation, one decision at a time.

I catch a maid to deliver my clothes to the laundry. It occurs to me that I haven't eaten breakfast yet, but I'm only an hour or two out from lunch now. I'll just wait. It's better to conserve food where we can, anyway.

Reyan and I work hard, making plans for how to recover Civat and rearranging rotations at the wall with the sudden decrease in force. I forget to eat lunch until it's nearly time for dinner. When evening comes, finally, I eat with my siblings. Even though the massacre last night shadows the meal, Selenia's resolve to work with me and Reyan lightens the mood. The coming days will be better, and we all feel it. Sela and I joke for the first time in years, and even Ren wears something a little lighter than a scowl.

After the late night yesterday and the hard day today, when I collapse into bed, I fall straight to sleep.

In my dreams, I walk down a castle hall I don't recognize. Torches flicker and flare as I pass them, but behind me, they start blinking out one by one. The darkness comes closer, and I break into a run, but my strides are thick and slow. The torches black out, closer and closer. I can't outpace them, and they're nearly upon me—

Banging rocks the suite door, and I jolt awake.

"Aster, open up!" Reyan. Keys clinking. Why is Reyan yelling at me? Crisis. Something's going on.

I scramble out of bed, but the blankets are tangled around my legs, and I fall in the floor.

Metal jingles against the stone. "Snared keys!" Reyan beats the door again. "Aster, what's wrong with you?"

"I'm coming!" I yell.

Finally free of the star-forsaken blankets, I run to the front room, snatching my cloak, and unlock the door. Reyan looms outside, fist raised to knock again.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Your prisoner escaped," he growls.

Time feels like it warps and stretches, and something like vertigo drops my stomach out from me. "What?" She couldn't have escaped. She couldn't cast in that cell, not the least because her fingers were tied. She wouldn't have been able to interact with anyone to hurt; even her food is delivered with a door between her and the jailer. She couldn't have escaped.

"She's gone, and the dungeon wizard is dead." His voice is angry, harsh. Somewhere beneath the din of disbelief and fear, mourning hits me. Another of my people—lost.

"Who found him?" She can't have gotten far. She's still on castle grounds, somewhere.

"Maid bringing him his meal. Look, isn't there something you can do with your spells to help us find her, or are you just going to waste my time with questions?"

I swallow, forcing my thoughts to reign in. "Yes. Of course. I'll scry her. That should lead us straight to her."

"Good. I'll get a search party started. Let me know when you've got something." He turns on his heel and marches away. He either doesn't have much faith in my ability to locate her or doesn't understand how little time it takes to scry. It doesn't matter; I can find him easily enough once I have information, and either way, he'll need to mobilize soldiers to subdue her.

I move back into my room, swinging on my cloak, and get my blackwood bowl. I cast. The water only reveals black, and there's a deadness to the spell that unnerves me. I've never experienced this before, but I've been told.

I dash the spell, dread mounting, and rush toward the door. The only reason the scry would act like that is if the anti-scrying spell is active on Amarris. And as worrying as that is, it implies something thoroughly more frightening.

She has powder to cast, and someone must have given it to her. Someone who had access to it.

The traitor is in my Corps.