“Agreed.”
They started out the door, but at the last moment, Harlyn ran forward. “I’ll come as far as the throne room door, to ensure you all get there safely.”
Amala stared at her a moment, then said, “That pleases the king.”
Harlyn followed them out of the room, gripping her hands together with worry, and for good reason. Why would Joth be pleased that Harlyn was coming?
In less than a minute, Joth had dismantled all our plans for an attack against him. I was now forced to go forward with an army of four. My companions included a father who would sacrifice our mission before putting me at risk, a mother who would not under any circumstances harm her own son. And our fourth member, who for all I knew might still consider my death her prime mission.
I gave Simon a final glance before rushing out the door. He remained on his knees clutching his chest, a stark reminder of how a single misstep might cost me everything. I’d made so many mistakes already. I hoped this wasn’t another.
Amala led me out of Woodcourt, with Harlyn and Loelle following and Darrow behind them. Outside, a wagon was already hitched to horses to carry us to Woodcourt. We climbed into the back, and Amala went up front to drive us the short distance to the palace.
As we rode, the four of us exchanged looks, but none of us dared speak. We all knew it was possible that half-lives were listening or watching. But with an air of nonchalance, Harlyn shifted positions to sit by me. She opened her disk pouch, showing me several disks inside, then gestured for me to give her my satchel.
I understood her intentions. I had only one disk and she wanted to be sure I was well armed to attack Joth. She must not have fully realized that the black disk I carried was the only one of any consequence. Nothing else would win this war, and to be sure, this was war.
Still, I could not communicate that to Harlyn, so when she persisted, I gave her my satchel. No matter how many disks she added to my bag, my black one would be easily identifiable by the markings created upon it when it absorbed the magic.
Harlyn looked more closely at my disk and then suddenly closed up the satchel, holding the ends tight with her fists. I locked eyes with her in understanding and then nodded in agreement with her unspoken plan.
While Harlyn worked, Darrow caught my attention, motioning toward his disk bow. Did I want it?
I shook my head. My intentions would be far too obvious if I walked into the throne room thus armed. But I would need it eventually. Darrow would have to find a way to get it to me once we were in the throne room.
Loelle had quietly observed everything that was happening between us, and I was relieved that she had not said anything to Amala or called attention to our actions. But there were tears in her eyes, and I ached for how she must have felt, knowing what would happen once we entered the throne room.
Except that just as before, my plans were thwarted. Once we arrived and Amala led us inside the palace, she said, “The king wishes to see Lady Kestra alone.”
“I am her protector,” Darrow said. “Where she goes, I go.”
“The lady needs no protection from the king,” Amala said. “As long as she does as she should.”
That was hardly my plan. I looked at Darrow with my heart suddenly racing and with sweat on my palms. I had always known that ultimately I would have to face Joth, but the idea of being in there alone with him again was terrifying.
The doors to the throne room opened, and as we began to walk through, I whispered, “Who am I speaking to right now? Are you a Halderian ca
valry woman, or am I speaking to Joth?”
Her response was equally soft. “Surely you know, my lady.”
Yes, I knew.
With an entire wall of exploded windows, the throne room was as wintry cold as the outdoor air, and a light falling snow was collecting at the far end of the room. I gathered my cloak around me, recalling how, only days ago, I would have welcomed this cold. Only days ago, I had been this cold myself.
Amala left me at the bottom of the steps leading up to the Scarlet Throne, bowed low to Joth, who was seated on the throne, and then exited the room, closing the doors behind us.
Joth studied me in silence, his mouth slowly widening into a smile. “My lady Kestra. Kneel.”
“I’ve come to bargain for the lives back in Woodcourt.”
“Of course you have, and we can discuss that … after you kneel.” I hesitated, and he said, “We both know that with the powers I now have, I can force you to your knees, and I will do that if necessary. But it would mean more if you choose to obey.”
His threat was similar to one I had made to Harlyn when I had sat on that throne. I understood better now how difficult it was to make oneself kneel to a ruler they had no intention of following.
Stalling, I asked, “And what does it mean to you, if I kneel?”
“It means that you recognize I am the king of Antora, and that I am your king.” He stood and walked down the steps until he was directly in front of me. “But I am a king without a queen. We were connected once, Kestra, and I feel your absence. I must have you for my queen.”