Kingdom of Sea and Stone (Crown of Coral and Pearl #2) - Mara Rutherford Page 0,106
her chambers. As usual, her natural beauty was obscured by her severe facade. She wore her hair pulled back tight against her skull, and her dress had long sleeves and a high neck, exposing only her hands and face. Her eyes were lined heavily with kohl, a style uncommon in Varenia that made her look even more fierce.
“Lady Hyacinth.” I dropped into a polite curtsy, surprised she had used a title when gods knew no one else had bothered.
“Welcome back.” She gestured to the three other women in the room. “I’d like you to meet the better half of King Ceren’s war council: Ladies Lyra, Dree, and Poppy.”
I studied the women with interest. I vaguely recognized two of them from my previous time at New Castle, though none of them had attended Hyacinth’s tea parties. The third, Poppy, was completely unfamiliar. It was interesting that half of Ceren’s war councilors were women, when he had made it very clear how little he respected them. “A pleasure,” I said, taking the offered seat. “May I ask why I was invited today?”
“You may ask whatever you like,” Hyacinth said with a high, musical laugh that was clearly fake. Several of the others chuckled, too, but I kept my expression neutral. “Sweet girl. Don’t you remember what the first rule of warfare is?”
I remembered what she’d told me all too well. “Know your enemy.”
“Exactly! Such a smart one. I always thought King Ceren was underestimating you. I was hardly surprised when you escaped. I wasn’t even surprised you stabbed the king.” She came to stand behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders. I could feel her long nails—kept that way to show she was above manual labor—pressing against my skin through the holes in my knit wrap. “We are all very fortunate you didn’t manage to finish the job.”
The other councilmembers were watching me for a reaction, and I wondered what qualified them to advise anyone on warfare. Given their soft hands and smooth skin, they hadn’t spent much time outdoors, let alone fighting.
It was difficult to ascertain how much the people in New Castle knew of what had transpired between Ceren and me. It was no secret that Ceren had kept me in the dungeon and bled me repeatedly for “research,” but I couldn’t imagine him telling everyone he’d been drinking my blood. It wouldn’t do much for his image to admit that the person who nearly killed him was also the person who had made him strong.
“It wasn’t for lack of trying,” I said finally.
She barked a mirthless laugh. “No, I suppose not. We were all shocked by his miraculous recovery and the discovery of the bloodstone vein. I must say, your people are so hardworking. Even the elders and children.” She pushed away from my chair and walked back to her seat, then steepled her fingers, clicking those awful claws together.
I glanced at the other ladies. “How did you become members of the war council?” I asked, figuring I might as well find out whatever I could while I was here.
“I was raised in Galeth,” Lady Poppy said. “I came to Ilara when I was still a girl, but King Ceren finds my knowledge useful.”
Lyra lifted her chin. “I have something of a knack for design and building. I’m helping with weaponry.”
“I learned strategy from my father, who was general of the king’s guard before Prince Talin,” Dree explained.
I tried not to let my concern show on my face. Ceren was surrounding himself with the right people, much to my surprise.
“Speaking of dear Prince Talin,” Hyacinth said. “I could have sworn you’d be married by now. And yet here you are, wearing your old clothes, sleeping in your old room. Even dining with the man you tried to assassinate.”
“I am loyal to Talin and to my family,” I ground out. “I came to free them, not to help Ceren.”
“Ah, but he’s already had more of your blood. So you have helped him, haven’t you?”
She knew he was drinking my blood, then. They all did. “You’re one to talk about helping Ceren,” I growled, no longer able to pretend I didn’t despise her. “You head his war council.” Why question my loyalties, I wondered, when she knew they were in exact opposition to hers?
Unless they weren’t. I stared at Lady Hyacinth for a moment. “You said I was free to ask anything I want,” I began.