“My lords and ladies, I need all of you to understand that my main concern as your queen is the safety of these lands and of your persons. I, and of course your king, are already ensuring the protection of this great kingdom by increasing our armies. But I wasn’t sure that was enough. Your safety and the safety of your families are all that matter to both the king and me.”

Beatrix held out her arms and Agathon quickly walked over to her. His head down, hair covering his face and his delightful shame. He handed her the child. A toddler. Duke Gennadius’s youngest.

The duke started to stand, but one of the lords beside him caught his arm. The duke’s wife covered her mouth, eyes wide over her hands.

“This is our true concern,” Beatrix announced, holding the babe close. “This innocent, defenseless child is all we care about. Protecting our children from outsiders. From those who don’t care about them at all.”

Beatrix walked in front of all the tables so that each royal could see the duke’s child in her arms and understand the full meaning of her act.

“And to ensure the safety of your children, I had all of them brought here to the castle while you’ve been attending the coronation.” She smiled; not because she had to but because she wanted to when she saw all the panicked looks and heard the terrified gasps. “I just wanted to make sure each child was truly safe, and I knew they’d be perfectly safe here. With us. Your king and queen. And while our war is going on,” she told the lords and ladies who would provide the resources, gold, and soldiers she and Marius would need, “your children will be safe inside these castle walls with us and our many soldiers. All of them willing to do anything, absolutely anything to protect these perfect, precious children. They’ll have everything they need. Food. Education. And, of course . . . love.”

She returned to the middle of the hall, between the tables, the child still in her arms.

“So please, everyone, enjoy this wondrous night. Eat, drink, dance! And know that your king and queen are here for you . . . and your entire family. Musicians!” she called out. “Play!”

The music began and Beatrix walked out of the hall . . . still holding the duke’s child.

Once she was out of the view of everyone in the hall, she returned the child to Agathon. “Put it back with the others,” she said, brushing her hands against her dress. That child’s hands had been sticky. Why had they been so sticky?

“If you need me, I’ll be in my privy chamber getting some work done.”

“Yes, my queen.”

“And Agathon?”

He stopped; faced her.

“Keep an eye on Gennadius. I don’t trust him.”

“But . . .” He glanced down at the child he held. “Do you think he’d really risk—”

“Maybe he’s not as attached to the girl since he has a first-born son. It’s best not to risk it.”

Agathon nodded and rushed off, clutching the child to his breast.

Beatrix cringed a bit. He seemed strangely attached to the child. She might have to get Agathon a wife soon so he could have his own family one day. It was best to give good people the simple things so that they could stay mostly satisfied. She’d hate to have to replace Agathon anytime soon.

That idiot Gennadius, however . . . if he kept asking questions about Keeley and whatever she was doing in the Amichai Mountains, Beatrix would find out exactly how attached to his children he truly was.

“What have you done?” Marius demanded from behind her.

Beatrix faced him calmly. “I’m protecting us.”

“By holding royal children hostage?”

“Who said they were hostages? They are merely your guests, my king. That’s all. Now if you’ll excuse me—”

He grabbed her arm and Beatrix slowly looked down at his hand, then—just as slowly—moved her gaze to his face.

She didn’t do anything. Beatrix merely waited. And despite his drunkenness, Marius released her rather than push his luck.

Now free to walk away, Beatrix didn’t, but said instead, “Everything I do, my lord, I do for the good of this mighty kingdom and for you. Our undoubted king. So please, don’t worry. You focus on getting your men ready for battle and I’ll focus on the boring day-to-day details. Let me take some of that pressure off your back.”

With one more smile, Beatrix walked to her privy chamber and the many hours of work ahead.

CHAPTER 24

Because the Amichai dwarves lived inside the mountain range, traveling to the Amichai wood elves’ territories didn’t take long; their home was just a few leagues away in the forests outside the mountains.

But in the end, it didn’t matter how long the trip took. Because, much to Laila’s surprise, the king absolutely refused to meet with them.

She didn’t understand why. The king usually met with centaurs as long as it wasn’t Laila’s mother. And that was only because Gaira was still friends with the king’s former wife. She’d left the king and their children to be with her lover, a dark elven lord. A decision that had made her a hated enemy of the wood elves and their tribal king.

Gaira, however, refused to let anyone—king or peasant—tell her who she could or could not be friends with. Not when she’d known the former elf queen for years before the royal marriage.

So, when the centaurs needed to communicate with the elves, they just didn’t involve Gaira. But for some reason the king was making some sort of stand here. Laila simply didn’t know why.

While Laila argued with the king’s long-eared emissary, Lord Elouan, Keeley and Gemma stood nearby. Keeley examined everything she could see. Ever since they’d entered the elven forest, she’d looked at all around her in wonder and fascination; the very sight of the elven city built directly above them making Keeley smile. Then Laila had told Keeley that the elves had built their kingly city from the ancient trees of the forest. That nothing had been cut or torn down, but merely enhanced with old magicks and elven care. The joy that brought to the human had amazed Laila.

Perhaps her friend’s enjoyment amazed her because Gemma’s reaction was nearly the exact opposite. She seemed unimpressed with everything in the elven city and suspicious of everyone. And the more Elouan spoke, the more suspicious Gemma seemed to become. True, she hadn’t said a word, but there were some beings in the world who got their point across with silence. Gemma was definitely one of those beings.

“I simply don’t understand,” Laila continued to argue with Lord Elouan. “Why does he object to seeing us? Could you at least make that clear?”

Elouan tossed his silky white hair over his shoulder before snidely replying, “I don’t have to make anything clear to you. My king has made his decision and he doesn’t have to explain to you or anyone else.”

“So he didn’t tell you either?”

The elf’s eyes narrowed the slightest bit. “Watch your tone with me, centaur.”

Keeley tugged on Laila’s arm. “Let’s just go.”

But Laila wasn’t done. She pointed a finger at Elouan. “Do not forget to whom you speak, elf. I am my mother’s heir and—”

“And nothing. You are not your mother, and therefore do not have any of her power here in our lands. As for being her heir . . .” He shrugged. “Life changes.”

That’s when Gemma cracked her knuckles. Again, she didn’t say anything, but the elven royal guards abruptly appeared, standing behind Elouan, their weapons gripped tight.

The emissary glared at Gemma but spoke to Laila. “Is that why you brought this one here? To threaten us?”

Gemma blinked in surprise. “I’m just standing here.”

“Like hells you are, human. You’re a War Monk, everyone knows what that means.”

A small smile curled the corners of Gemma’s mouth. “If you truly knew what that meant . . . you’d be much nicer to my friend.”

“Or we can just go!” Keeley suddenly announced, motioning with her head. “Really. Let’s just go.”

“Fine,” Laila snapped. “But this, Lord Elouan, will not be forgotten.”

They turned to depart, Keeley leading the way back out, but Gemma suddenly tossed over her shoulder, “Give Beatrix our best.”

“Oh . . . I will.”

Laila and the sisters stopped, Laila spinning around to gawk at the elf. And she saw the truth on his face.

Slamming down her front hoof, she barked, “You motherfucker!”

Keeley pressed her hand against Laila’s hip. “It’s all right,” she soothed.

“It is not all right.”

“It is, Laila. It is. A mistake,” Keeley added, glancing at Elouan, “but their right to make it.”

“You’re threatening me too?” he questioned, smirking. “Like your War Monk sister?”

“My sister didn’t threaten you, and neither have I. But an alliance with Beatrix is, in my opinion, a questionable choice on your part. But at the end of the day, also none of our concern. So good luck to you.”

Without waiting a moment more, Keeley headed back the way they’d come with her sister beside her; and, after a withering glare in Lord Elouan’s direction, Laila followed.

When they reached the rest of their travel party outside the forest, Laila was absolutely livid.

“How dare the king and Elouan take sides with Beatrix without speaking to my mother first!” she angrily announced before either of her brothers could ask her how everything had gone.

“Isn’t that what you did with me?” Keeley asked.

“What?”

“You sided with me without speaking to the elves first.”

“We don’t have to talk to them! We’re centaurs!”

“Isn’t that what they think about themselves?”

Now, even angrier, Laila slammed her front hoof again and demanded, “Why are you being so bloody calm about all this?”

“I guess I just don’t see the point of getting upset. Besides, we can still get the dwarf army if we find Sichar’s gold.”