“Offer?” scoffs Madoc, taking a seat. “The way it was delivered, I am not sure how he could marry the girl without seeming as though the land feared the sea and capitulated to its demands.”
“Perhaps it was a trifle heavy-handed,” says Nihuar.
“Time for us to prepare,” Madoc says. “If it’s war she wants, it is war we will give her. I will pull the salt from the sea before I let Elfhame tremble over Orlagh’s wrath.”
War, exactly what I feared Madoc would rush us into, and yet now it arrives without his instigation.
“Well,” says Cardan, closing his eyes as though he is going to nap right there. “No need for me to do a thing then.”
Madoc’s lip curls. Randalin looks slightly discomposed. For so long, he wanted Cardan at meetings of the Living Council, but now he isn’t quite sure what to do with his actual presence.
“You could take Nicasia as your consort instead of your bride,” says Randalin. “Get an heir on her fit to rule over land and sea.”
“Now I am not to marry at Orlagh’s command, only breed?” Cardan demands.
“I want to hear from Jude,” Madoc says, to my enormous surprise.
The rest of the Council turns toward me. They seem utterly baffled by Madoc’s words. In meetings, my only value has been as a conduit between themselves and the High King. Now, with his representing himself, I might as well be one of the little wooden figures on a strategy board for all they expect me to speak.
“Whatever for?” Randalin wants to know.
“Because we didn’t heed her before. She told us that the Queen of the Undersea was going to move against the land. Had we attended her, we might not now be scrambling for strategy.”
Randalin winces.
“That’s true enough,” says Nihuar, as though she is trying to think of a way to explain away this troubling sign of competence.
“Perhaps she will tell us what else she knows,” Madoc says.
Mikkel’s eyebrows rise.
“Is there more?” Baphen asks.
“Jude?” prompts Madoc.
I weigh my next words. “As I said, Orlagh has been communicating with Balekin. I don’t know what information he’s passed on to her, but the sea sends Folk to the land with gifts and messages for him.”
Cardan looks surprised and clearly unhappy. I realize that I neglected to tell him about Balekin and the Undersea, despite informing the Council. “Did you know about Nicasia as well?” he asks.