a remedy that would not make her as sick as the drink had.
Despite the amusement that curved her mouth, Lady Junica solemnly pointed out, “If the prince does not announce himself upon his arrival, it might be seen as an insult to the monks.”
“Then we will remain outside the city gates,” said Aerax.
“Do you hear this?” Kelir demanded of Ardyl, who still rode slightly behind. “It will be their moon night!”
Ardyl shrugged. “Lizzan said as much to me some handful of days after we met.”
“And you said nothing to me?” Kelir turned a wounded gaze to Aerax. “I would have given you the advice every warrior should hear before they take a woman to the furs the first time.”
From behind Aerax, Degg huffed out a laugh. “I daresay that from all we have heard, they don’t need that advice.”
Kelir acknowledged that with a nod but said, “I still would like to give it. Many a warrior has benefited from all that I know.”
Ardyl snorted. “Is that so?”
“I would hear it!” called Tyzen before riding closer with Seri and Preter at his sides, so that they all now formed a tight cluster on the road. Abruptly the prince paused, glancing to Seri with a flush under his skin. “Though this will not be my moon night. But if it is regarding how to please a . . . that is, if you could tell me what would most . . . Ah, perhaps at another time.”
Face fully red, he fell silent with all eyes upon him.
“At this time, you wish to discuss our plan upon reaching the monastery,” suggested Lady Junica.
Tyzen gave to her a grateful look. “That is precisely so.”
Nodding, she turned to Preter. “Will the monks take offense if a royal prince from a realm that seeks their assistance does not announce himself to them?”
Aerax’s teeth gritted in irritation. “I am hardly a royal prince.”
“You have snow-white hair,” said Degg. “And you were sent to Krimathe and played a part of those negotiations. If you do not attend those at Radreh, they might take it as a signal that Koth believes they are less worthy than Krimathe. And already we have a generations-old rift to overcome.”
Jaw clenched, Aerax looked to Preter. “What say you?”
The monk gave a light shrug. “In Toleh, any visiting royal would not seek us out first, but our king—for he would take offense if they did not. That royal would then secure his permission to visit us. But Radreh has no king or queen; they are ruled by their monastery council. And monks are taught not to take offense easily, but still we sometimes do.”
With a sigh, Lizzan told Aerax, “Then it seems you are not done playing the prop.”
“You think yourself a prop?” Degg asked disbelievingly, for after all these days together upon the road, he and Lady Junica still did not directly acknowledge Lizzan or speak to her—but neither did they pretend not to hear her. A wry expression crossed his face as he continued, “Did you not say that you would kill your uncle and make yourself a king?”
“You know very well that he has no wish to rule,” Lady Junica said to Degg in exasperation. “And no wish to kill our king.”
“I will if it saves Lizzan,” said Aerax, and Lady Junica closed her eyes and shook her head.
“You do not have to be so very honest,” she said to him.
“But as you are being honest,” Degg said, “do you truly believe you will have to?”
Aerax looked to Lizzan, who appeared nearly as exasperated with him as Lady Junica was, though with more amusement mixed in—and who had become near certain that she was not truly on a quest. She still wore her cloak, though it had faded more with each passing day until it was now a pale pink. But she’d told him that she believed whatever lay ahead was not a fate given to her by Vela, and instead her fate was one that already lay in her path.
Aerax would not allow her to die. He knew not what might change that fate, but if Vela’s magic had no part in it, then taking Koth’s throne and hiding Lizzan away on the island would not help her.
“Likely not,” he said.
“Well, then,” said Lady Junica. “Perhaps we should move away from discussions of royal assassinations and talk instead of what we hope to accomplish in Radreh?”
Aerax gave to her a narrowed look. “Do you wish me to tell you in