Thread of Gold

Ch. 8: love and hate

Anna gathered up the supplies. Interesting. So her hunch was correct: Isaac did report everything to Ryne. That was good to know. People were more likely to drink poison if it was given to them by a loved one; false information worked the same way. If she wanted to lie to Ryne, she would give Isaac the information to pass along.

Anna shrugged. "I was planning on selling it."

"Theft is a crime."

"Is it?" Anna asked mildly. "Somebody ought to have said."

Anna knew she should back down — several minutes ago, in fact — but there was something utterly infuriating about Ryne Delafort. She wanted to shake him. Repeatedly. His face was unreadable.

He set the phial down. "There's a fascinating philosophical idea that you should consider subscribing to. It's called morality."

"Well, it's not like he's going to miss it," Anna said. "I suppose you could punish me, but I wouldn't recommend pissing off the person administering your pain relief potions." She paused. "Your Majesty."

And with that, Anna exited the room.

***

Penny rested her chin on her hand and tried not to die of boredom.

She stared mournfully out the window. An autumn breeze filtered through the open shutters, stirring the maps in front of her. Somewhere, a bee was buzzing. Or maybe that was just the drone of her tutor, Briar.

Gods, she hated the man.

To be fair, it wasn't Briar's fault that she was bored; he'd planned today's lesson with her younger cousin in mind. But her cousin was hiding somewhere in the castle, leaving Penny to suffer through simple geography that she could recite in her sleep.

"Your Highness." Briar frowned. "Are you listening?"

She blinked. "Of course."

"Then what is the capital of Salvatoria?"

Penny couldn't help it; she gave him a sweet smile. "Bardan?"

"No. That's the Lox Empire. It's Wrog, as you well know."

"Then why are we doing this?"

She could feel Briar's impatience radiating off him in waves. It was one of her least favourite emotions to experience — like jumpy bugs in her stomach — and it only made her hate him more. He grunted, shoving a blank map towards her.

"Fill this out."

Penny pulled a face. "Is this really necessary?"

"Now, Penelope."

Her actual name; not her title. Oh, she was in trouble. Penny sighed, pulling the map toward her.

She started with the easiest of the six kingdoms: Wynterlynn, which — considering her family ruled over it — was simple to fill out. She moved south, labelling Lucerna next. Briar cleared his throat.

"And the most commonly used magic, please."

She pulled a face. "Must I?"

One look at Briar's face said that she must, or Penny could muck out the stables. She wrinkled her nose, then jotted down "Dayweavers" next to both. She supposed she ought to include Nightweavers too, at least in Wyterlynn, but this map would go to her mother.

And Penny wasn't risking that earful.

She labelled the Gongo Islands — the kingdom furthest south, where the bravest citizens rode dragons — and then Zarob, the kingdom of healers.