the sands spawn fire.” She toyed with the notion of calling such a meeting now, at River Run, but decided that the risk of Roelstra’s armies at the gates was not worth the amusement it would give her to see the princes arrive, soaked and irritable, at her whim.
Chafing her hands together, she stood before the hearth and scowled. One small accomplishment, acknowledging Davvi as Prince of Syr, did not weigh equally against interminable days of nothing. Boredom was the worst—that, and her bitter aversion to Chiana. The girl had grown this summer in one of those startling bursts some children experience. At barely six, she looked and behaved more like a child of ten. Each sight of her reminded Andrade of her sister, and how Pandsala was serving Roelstra with all the cunning of her breed and all the skills of her three faradhi rings.
As if called up by her thoughts, Chiana came dancing into the solar, bright and blooming. She swept Andrade a mocking curtsy and sang out, “My father’s come to fetch me! Look over the walls and you’ll see hundreds of his soldiers, all of them come to rescue me!”
Andrade pressed her lips closed and left the room for the hallway, where wide windows opened onto the courtyard. Urival was down below, and as he raised his head on sensing her presence, she saw the truth written in his face. Chiana was giggling and pirouetting beside her, and it was all Andrade could do not to slap her.
“How many are there?” the child cried out eagerly. “Two hundred? Three?”
“Be silent!” Andrade hissed, and went down to meet Urival in the foyer. Chiana scampered along behind her, still laughing.
The steward’s face was bitter as he reported, “Sixty of the High Prince’s troops seem intent on setting up camp outside in the mud.”
“A little late, isn’t he? Why didn’t he try this during summer?”
“You know him better than I,” Urival snapped.
“I know him better than I want to. Sixty, you say?”
“They’ll attack and kill you and I’ll be free!” Chiana crowed. “I’ll never have to go back to that horrid keep again!”
“Silence!”
“You’ve lost! You’re nothing, and I’m a princess!”
Urival took a step toward her, eyes like thunder, but Andrade was closer and swifter. She grabbed the child’s arm roughly. “Listen to me! I helped birth you, and watched while your precious father nearly ordered your death! You want to go to him, Chiana? All he lacks is yet another daughter! Would you like to be shut up at Castle Crag with all the rest?”
“Ianthe is free—and she has her own castle! Pandsala—”
“Used you,” Andrade told her. “It’s the thing your family does best. Ianthe is valuable to him for her cunning, and Pandsala for her rings. But you? Of useless daughters he has more than enough! He has no use for you!”
“He’s come for me!” Chiana screamed, breaking loose to flee out into the courtyard, masses of auburn hair streaming out behind her.
Andrade and Urival followed much more slowly. Neither spoke; there was nothing to say until they had heard what the troop’s captain demanded. He had evidently been waiting for Andrade’s appearance on the walls; riding confidently forward, he saluted her with all due ceremony. His words were polite and precise: he had been ordered by the High Prince to secure River Run from possible attack by the traitorous Lord Davvi, who had forfeited all rights to this holding by his actions.
“I assume you refer to Prince Davvi of Syr,” Andrade replied pleasantly.
“The High Prince does not recognize that title. He does, however, offer you his protection. Should you wish to leave River Run, we have orders to provide escort back to Goddess Keep.”
Urival whispered, “Now, why does Roelstra want us gone from here?”
Andrade called down from the battlements, “I find one cage very like another. And I am not partial to them.”
The captain smiled winningly. “And where else would you go, my Lady? Between you and the Desert lies the High Prince—and a rather substantial river you’d rather not cross, I’m sure. There’s nothing for you in the north, and the Catha Hills to the south are hard traveling in any weather. Your only choice is Goddess Keep, and I’m quite willing to provide escort.”
“Too kind,” Andrade sneered. “But perhaps you’ve not seen Sunrunner’s Fire kindled.”
“Should you attempt it, I will take River Run, along with River View.” He was no longer smiling. “And leave you alive.”
His meaning was clear enough, and she ground her teeth.