and purples near the center, merging into deep blue, then pale blue, with green and a tinge of yellow at the tips.
The top part of the dress had the same colors and pattern, but wrapped around her slim waist and cupped her bosom with flares of black, leaving her shoulders bare, though her arms glittered. As she drew near, I saw that she wore sleeves of jewelry, strands of golden vines from her upper arms to her hands, with leaves made of green gems and jewelry butterflies seeming to flutter within, the orchid ring reigning supreme over them all.
“I’m guessing today’s theme is butterflies,” I said to her, bowing.
She smiled, amused. “It seemed apt. And yours is … brutal conqueror? So last season, Conrí.”
I grinned at her. “Never goes out of style.”
“Not while Anure rules,” she agreed, sobering.
“Shall we?” I offered her my arm, and she took it, the others falling back to follow us. They’d pulled her glorious hair into a loose braid that somehow made it look like a cascade of color studded with flowers. “I like the hairstyle.”
She slid me an opaque look, subtly guiding me down another hall. “And what have you been up to so early in the morning?”
“I wanted to check out the ships for myself, give Vesno a bit of a run.”
“Ah, I wondered where he was.”
“I left him with some of the carpenters. He gets bored in meetings.”
“As all good wolves do,” she replied mildly, her expression so bland I knew she was enjoying poking at me.
“Where are we going?” I asked, deciding not to take her bait.
“The Sand Salon. Didn’t you get My message?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I know what or where that is.”
“Just through here,” she said, then gave me a real smile. “I think you’ll like it.”
She looked so pleased with herself, almost mischievous, that I didn’t grumble about the needless mystery. We turned a corner, entering a large room. Open to the outside as most of them were in the palace, the salon held none of the tables, chairs and seating areas I’d expected of a salon. Instead, what looked like toys were stacked against the walls, and a large table took up the center of the room.
Everyone else awaited us—including Ambrose and Merle, which surprised me—eating pastries and sipping from pretty cups. Sondra and Kara stood together studying the table. The other members of the Defense Council, Percy, Brenda, Agatha, Dearsley, all bowed and exchanged greetings with Lia. Percy ignored me with a lift of his elegant nose. Unperturbed, I grabbed an almond pastry from a platter, went to the table, and peered at it, trying to figure out why the thing looked weird.
It wasn’t really a table at all—or not the normal sort—because there wasn’t a solid surface. It was more of a box, with a smooth, rounded rim and filled with fine, shifting …
“Sand,” I said.
“Thus the name,” Lia said, coming beside me, that pleased glint in her eyes. “I apologize that it’s so low. It’s built for children and there wasn’t time to raise it and still have it be stable enough, so we’ll have to make do.”
Children. That’s why the toys. “We’re in a playroom?” I asked, looking around for any kids.
“Don’t worry, Conrí. I asked that the children take their classes elsewhere this morning. None will pop out from under the table to gnaw on your ankles.”
“You think you’re funny,” I growled under my breath, and she smiled serenely. “And we’re looking at sand because why?”
“I thought it would be helpful, for planning.” She waved a hand over the table and the sand shifted and stirred, following along. Pinching her fingers, she drew her hand up and the sand followed, building itself into a tower. As it took shape, I recognized one of the towers at Yekpehr.
She waved a hand and began detailing a coastline, our companions bursting into excited chatter. “I don’t have magic, though,” I said, surprisingly disappointed that I couldn’t do it, too.
“You don’t need it. The sand is enchanted, so anyone can use it.” She put her hand over mine, the delicate jewel butterflies fluttering, the golden vines twining between her fingers, too. “Picture what you want it to look like,” she instructed, guiding my hand, showing me how my gestures shaped the sand.
I tried it, and the sand swirled, responding to my movements, building itself into that long wall around Yekpehr that seemed to grow out of the craggy rocks of the daunting coast. Feeling kind