in a loop. It’s … me. But it’s not a still, captured by an artist. It’s in full color, lifelike and dazzling.
I straighten, realizing this parchment is similar to the one Yuriel and Vataea were looking at back on Arida, and like the one Lord Garrison showed me during the council meeting. This one in particular is of me in the gambling den, raising a glass of bubbly with other patrons as we bet together on the games. Merrily we laugh, seemingly having enough fun that anyone would be jealous to have missed out. Below it, the parchment reads:
HER MAJESTY, QUEEN AMORA MONTARA, TO WED!
It looks as though Visidia may be getting a new king sooner than we thought! Her Majesty’s tour of Visidia started just days ago, and already she’s getting friendly with the people of Kerost. Could love soon be in the air for our queen? Better get ready, bachelors.
There’s a list of ads at the bottom of the moving parchment, featuring Ikaean stylists and wardrobe consultants to help get them ready for my visit. It’s worthy of an eye roll, but considering it leaves out the more unfortunate events of Kerost, it’s also brilliant. What’s depicted is short, sweet, and exactly the kind of show expected from me. I clutch the parchment tight, only truly feeling my tiredness as relief settles into me.
“This is brilliant,” I tell Shanty, to which she bats her pink hair over her shoulders.
“I am brilliant. You’re welcome.”
Casem sits behind her, eyes the hazy white of someone using Curmanan magic. “The news is already spreading,” he says, voice distant. But as the blues of his eyes return, so does his excitement. “The mind speakers are eating this up. Ikaeans are replicating the story and taking it back to their island to be redistributed, and they want more. They want documentation from each one of your stops. We can spin this story however we want.”
“Only if we’re the ones who stay on top of it,” Shanty warns. “These gossip pieces are so popular, lately; people will be competing for information. The best gossip makes for the fattest coin purse, so we’ll need to get our stories out the quickest.”
Had the purpose of this trip only been about ensuring my people favor me, this would’ve been a brilliant strategy. Now though, it’s a nuisance. It just ensures more eyes on my movements, and that I’ll need to be more careful moving forward.
I hand the parchment back to Shanty, and she marvels once more at her work. “We’ll see about that bonus,” I tell her, “but thank you. I appreciate it.”
“For the queen?” she teases. “Any time.”
Standing at the helm with a compass in hand, Bastian casts a sour glance at the parchment. He only scoffed when he saw the headline, and now spends his time glaring at his compass, pretending to be unbothered.
“Our itinerary doesn’t have us getting to Zudoh for another three days,” he says. “We’ll have to contact them and let them know we’re arriving early.” I don’t miss the hopeful edge of his voice, and guilt turns my throat thick. I wish it could be Zudoh next as planned, but my main objective is to find Ornell, and figure out what he knows about the legendary artifact.
“We’ll go to Curmana first.” I try to sound aloof about it, but Bastian’s eyes narrow with suspicion and Ferrick stirs from where he sits across from me, brows furrowing. “Casem, contact them and let them know our plans have changed.”
Casem stills. “But we have an itinerary.”
“Not to mention Curmana is on the complete opposite side of the kingdom,” Bastian grumbles. “Going there now wouldn’t make any sense. Both your mother and Zale will chew off our heads if we ignore the plans.”
“We’re not ignoring,” I say. “We’re protecting ourselves. If we want to stay ahead of the gossip parchments, we don’t need all these reporters knowing our next location. They’d mob us.” It’s a lie that rolls easily off my tongue. One that has enough merit that, for a moment, no one argues.
Ferrick’s response is the first to come, quiet and wistful. “Gods, what did I get myself into.”
I ignore him and stand on tired legs to lift my chin toward the others. “My mother would want us to take precautions. If something were to go wrong again, the last thing we need are a thousand new gossip parchments.” Not to mention that, with so many reporters sniffing around, finding Ornell will only be that