I can't wait to see the Ladies' faces when we turn their question around on them. I never have been, nor do I think I ever will be, more grateful to Riletta for something. I hurry down the hall on my way to the Auditorium. After my private meeting with Selenia yesterday, and knowing what trick the Ladies intend to play, I really think there's a chance she'll listen to me and Reyan. She'll listen to the plan that is going to save lives, not serve them to the enemy. I think of all the soldiers and wizards waiting on the wall, trusting that the people giving them orders know what they're doing. Now, maybe, we will. Without Riletta's note, I wouldn't be so sure.
For once, maybe our luck has turned.
I struggle to hide the smile slipping onto my face. I can't look like a grinning fool when I get to the Auditorium.
Behind me, the wooden slap of a page's shoes rolls down the otherwise empty hallway. I turn, Leavi hurrying toward me. "Aster."
My smile drops, her tone as reassuring as the falling guillotine is friendly.
"We might have a problem."
"What is it?" I step closer, glancing around for listening ears.
She lowers her voice. "My notebook is missing."
I blink at her, the horror of the simple sentence slow to sink in. "It's just missing?"
She cringes. "I think—well, I think Jacin has it."
"Then get it back," I growl, incredulous.
She steps back, dipping a tight nod. "Alright. I'm sorry. I just thought you'd want to—" She nods again. "I'll do my best."
"Leavi, I—" I look away, biting my lip hard. My arms cross as I turn back toward her. "If someone else has it, that could be people's lives. Do you understand?" Desperation tinges the words, and my thoughts scramble for predictions of the Ladies' next move if they've learned about the notebook. Stars, if they know I have a spy, if they realize it's Leavi, then she's just dead.
Lady Solitaena turns onto the hallway, and Leavi dips a curtsy to me. "I understand, milord." She holds my gaze, eyes steady and serious, then turns away.
Solitaena eyes Leavi's retreating form. "Lots of people to message that won't be in the Auditorium, Prince?"
"An army is only as strong as its foot soldiers, Lady." I force a thin smile and turn, resuming my way to the Auditorium.
"Yes," she says. "I suppose you're right." Her words are soft, and I ache with her for the slaughter of her people.
We reach the Auditorium Arbitrate, and I take my place by my siblings. I try to catch Reyan's eye, hoping to somehow communicate that this may go more poorly than we had discussed yesterday, but he doesn't look at me.
If they don't have it, then we're fine. We're clear to continue as we planned. If they do... then what seemed like an unquestionable victory yesterday I can only hope turns out any degree better than disaster.
My palms sweat as we wait, and I fight not to wipe them off on my pants. When the last person arrives, the door wizard enters the room and casts to shut the door. Normally, there are two outside and two more in. I'm glad we've been able to cut so many people from inside the castle, but there's something that stings in its necessity.
Once everyone arrives, Selenia seats them and calls, "Now that we are all gathered, let us continue our discussion. As I remember it, High Lady Aselle had proposed that we take aggressive action and bring the fight to the Kadranians. Prince Aster brought forth the recommendation to hold steady and remain on the defensive until reinforcements arrive. Does anyone have a word to impart?"
Aselle slides a glance to Temmarelle that I almost don't catch. My stomach drops.
Temmarelle straightens in her seat. "My Queen, I fear there's another matter for us to cover as well, one of utmost urgency."
The whine in her voice sets my teeth on edge, and dread catches in my throat.
"What is the matter, Lady Temmarelle?"
"Unfortunately, I have reason to believe that Prince Aster has facilitated espionage of your Table."
The Ladies expertly feign shock. Solitaena frowns and rolls her eyes. She recognizes as well as I do that the bribery of pages is more open secret than crime. My only mistake is getting caught, and anger burns that Leavi let the condemning evidence be stolen.
Selenia frowns. "What is this reason, Lady Temmarelle? That is quite an accusation to bring before me."
Temmarelle lays a leatherbound notebook on the table. Any remaining denial flees my mind. That's Leavi's, and the Ladies aren't even just using the fact that I know their plan against me.
They're going to completely destroy my credibility.
"A concerned citizen gave this to me after seeing a page let the prince read it."
I bite my tongue. Jacin couldn't have seen that, but any argument before it's asked for is practically an admission of guilt.
"It contains transcribed messages between Ladies of your Table, Queen," Temmarelle adds.
I want to think that such obvious flattery would hold no weight with my sister, but I fear the ostentatious vipers have convinced her they actually admire her.
Selenia turns to me. "Do you have words against this accusation?"
Cooly, I watch the Ladies. They can't let Selenia read the notebook; it will only speak evil of them. "I see no evidence, only leather. Let the Queen call it espionage if she so sees it."
She turns back to them. "His words ring wise to me." She raises a hand toward the back of the room. The door wizard casts, and the book rises from the table and floats to Selenia. She takes it from the air and flips through it.
Jagged edges mark torn-out pages, and triumph once again falls into despair. Of course they removed any dangerous material before handing it over.
Temmarelle speaks up. "It seems someone was working to keep some of the pages from being seen, but I could only assume that it's more private information, stolen."
Selenia frowns. "Yes, this appears to be very serious indeed." She looks at me. "Do you have words against this new information?"
Stars, she nearly sounds like she's trying to believe this. Does she not realize how hypocritical this is?
I allow my brows to draw together, as if unsure how this has come to be. "This is not my notebook, Your Grace." I rush to compile a second defense. Grasping at something, I let my lips twist. "Who is it that calls this my crime? Let us hear her testimony."
Sela nods as if weighing my words, then faces the Ladies again. "Have you the witness to bring forward?"
Temmarelle hesitates. The moment she reveals her informer is the moment he's condemned as a spy. In the court's eyes, of course it's not Temmarelle's fault she was given information that should have been classified, but since Jacin stole and distributed it, he'll be guilty. Similarly, if I've been reading the stolen notes of a page, I'm counted untrustworthy, but not legally condemned. It's hardly my fault the notes found their way into my hands.
"Lady Temmarelle?" Selenia prompts. The rest of the Table watches, tense, and the High Mages, Ladies, and Lieutenants in the stands lean forward in their seats.
She has to say that she doesn't have identifying information. Someone so brazen as to bring stolen secrets to one of the secret-keepers must be considered a prize resource. I force myself to stop chewing the inside of my lip.
"He said his name was Jacin Jazere, my Queen."
In the silence, her words ring like the notes of a funeral violin.
"Then let us collect the boy and hear his words," Selenia says.
Even in shock, there's hope. She just revealed her informant as a male. In these sorts of things, it's always easier to discredit a man. On top of that, I know someone lied about what Jacin knows of the notebook—if it was Temmarelle, maybe he won't tell the same story.
Selenia gestures, and a Lieutenant steps down from the stands. The wizard opens the door for her, and she leaves. Normally a simple soldier would go, but considering we've only spared one guard, stationed at the back of the dais, to protect all three of us, there's no free soldier to send.
"If I may, Your Grace," I say once the door slides shut again.
"What is it, Prince?"
"We cannot know how long it will take the Lieutenant to find Maejuer Jazere. In that time, may I suggest we continue with the discussion of strategy?"
"May I offer words on that," Aselle interrupts, sounding affronted, "my Queen?"
Selenia looks surprised that she cut in but says, "Speak."
"If the Second Son is proven dishonorable, are you sure you want to hear his advice before we know that?"
My jaw drops. That's slanderously brazen; she must be convinced of condemning me. "It is not only my advice," I interject, "but also the advice of the Captain of the Court, whose position and therefore credibility is greater than mine, no matter what activities you claim me to be engaging in."
The room is thick with tension, and people rustle in their seats. Selenia glances around.
"Perhaps our conversations would proceed more smoothly if we wait until the first matter is resolved before another comes to the Table," she settles on.
My head turns away in frustration. I bite my tongue to keep from doing anything foolish and school my features.
On the other side of Selenia, Ren watches me, an unreadable expression on his face. He catches my gaze, and his eyes narrow minisculely as if asking some unspoken question. Does the Ladies' hypocrisy really fool him as well?
Not all laws are made to promote fair play, I want to exclaim. They only make it shameful to be caught, and they needlessly hurt people.
I turn away from him to face the hall again. I hadn't intended for Jacin to be handed over. A new thought wrenches my gut.
What if he gives Leavi away?
If he reveals Leavi as the page he saw—I swallow, horrified. Stupid, stupid. I shouldn't have let her copy things for me, only deliver my letters. If he mentions her, she'll stand beside him under the blade. I doubt he even realizes the sentence for what he's done.
Fear and anger war under my skin as we all wait in harsh silence.
Finally, the door opens again, and the Lieutenant escorts Jacin into the room and up the middle of the table. I think everyone but Jacin realizes he's both testifying against me and himself. The Lieutenant stops a few paces behind Jacin and remains there. The room rustles with reignited tension.
"Child," Selenia calls, silencing the room. Jacin watches her, shifting under the weight of the room's stares. She lifts Leavi's notebook. "What do you know about this object?"
His throat bobs. "It's a notebook of Ladies' messages." His accent is hard, making him sound like a peasant from the far edges of the country.
Viewers murmur in the stands, and I glance up at the windowed gallery. My gaze snaps back to it as I spot a grey page's dress. Dark hair, pale skin. The audacity! At least a few other pages stand around, too, so she doesn't completely stick out. Stars, if she dies—
"And how did you come to this conclusion?" Sela asks.
I swallow, buzzing with nerves.
"I—" His eyes dart around the room. Subtly, Lady Temmarelle nods. He looks at Selenia again. "I peeked at it after seeing a page show it to..." He squirms, as if uncomfortable to give away the name. Fury burns within me at the charade. I should have known he was a slimy trickster when I met him in Niv. No one's that charming without being a manipulator.
"It's alright," Selenia says. "Be honest."
Yes, now that you've already condemned yourself by admitting to reading the notebook, everything's just fine. I feel sick at the cruel game the Ladies are playing and even angrier that Selenia is participating.
"The page showed it to Prince Aster." I swear a glint of triumph shines in his eyes as he glances at me. The absolute fool.
"Do you have words against this testimony, Prince?" Selenia says.
"The boy is lying," I say, not bothering to hide my derision. "I wouldn't be so foolish as to hire someone to spy for me. The notebook is someone's, but it's not mine."
The stupid foreigner cuts in. "I think she was doing it as a favor, Queen."
I hold back a growl. If I prove him a liar, then I could convince Selenia to forgive his trespass. But if he's so spiteful, so desperate to damage me, he's begging for the guillotine. What did I even do to him?
"Why would she do that?" she asks.
"It's just speculation, my Queen. I don't have proof."
"Speak, child."
His hands clasp in front of him, and I dread whatever hateful lies are about to come out of his mouth. "I think he romanced her."
Gasps from the stands, wide-eyed silence from the Table, and a smug, surprised glance exchanged between Aselle and Temmarelle. I stare in indignant horror at the filthy beguiler.
I'm the first to interrupt the shocked silence. "How dare you?" I demand. "How dare—" I cut off, disgusted. No matter what my thoughts toward Leavi are, I would never use that against her, and I wouldn't betray my country like that either.
Before Selenia takes control back, the Table explodes in objections of how inappropriate his accusation is. A couple of them argue that he's wrong, but the others' cries of my impurity override their comments.
"The Table cannot abide behavior such as this from one of our princes!" Aselle calls out, and the others fall silent.
Janeaulí leans forward, hands on the table. "There is no proof to back such a corrupt accusation. You cannot treat such obvious lies as truth—" Aselle starts to talk, but Janeaulí speaks over her. "This whole presentation is clearly is a sham to distract from—"
"You have no right to speak to me like—"
"—your petty attempts to rule this Table—"
"—this. You've heard the testimon—"
"Table!" Selenia shouts. "Control yourselves!"
"Your Grace," Aselle says.
"What, High Lady Aselle?" Frustration lightly laces her tone.
"We have not yet determined who the spy is. The girl could continue to steal communication if we do not find and charge her as well."
"Let it be," Selenia says, turning to Jacin. "Who was the page, child?"
"I don't know her name, Your Grace."
My eyes narrow with confusion. Relief courses through me, but I don't understand why he's doing this. And if he has his way, I never will.
"Have you no identifying information?"
"She was plain, my Queen. Nothing remarkable in appearance to separate her from many other pages. I'm sorry."
Temmarelle frowns.
"Do you speak the truth?" Sela asks.
"He hasn't said a truthful thing since he walked in here!" I burst. "The page doesn't exist—that's why she's so bland." Anger burns in my face as I glare at Jacin, but within, I'm desperate.
He has the audacity to wince at my words. Head bowed submissively, he says, "I speak the truth, Queen."
Anger twists into despair. His desperation for petty vengeance will cost more lives than his own if Aselle's plan is enacted. My stomach churns at the thought of the massacre her ideas will surely end in.
"If this is the case, Queen," Aselle says, "I propose we take a vote on the guilt of this man." She sweeps her hand toward Jacin. For the first time, confusion and doubt overtake his face.
"I haven't—" He looks around, fear and uncertainty in his eyes.
Selenia watches the Table, lips twisting. "I find the proposition wise. Let it be." She turns toward Reyan. "What says the Captain of the Court, First Son of Morineaux?"
He glances at me, eyes searching, and I'm not sure what he finds. He faces the Table. "There isn't enough proof here to convict anyone of anything. I vote no."
"What says the Crown Prince, Second Son of Morineaux?"
"The boy is a slanderer." Though he is guilty of stealing secrets, a vote to condemn him declares belief in his stories and my own ignobility. "No."
Selenia collects the votes of the High Ladies. Only Solitaena hesitates. Their verdict is unanimous. Inner Lady Janeaulí, who doesn't get a vote, scoffs at the proceedings.
The Queen spreads her hands. "The Table has spoken," she says, voice dark as if with reluctance. Disgust rolls through me. "And I find wisdom in the Table. With the power bestowed on me by the line of my blood and the crown of the First Mother, I give my final verdict." She looks at Jacin. "You have been charged with espionage. You have admitted to espionage, and you have been convicted of espionage. The sentence is and will continue to be public execution. Let it be!"
"Let it be," choice Ladies echo.
I desperately desire to storm out, calling out this court for the sham it is, but I force my feet still. My jaw is clenched so tightly my teeth ache, and my fingernails dig into my palm. Shame—at the despicable behavior of the Ladies, at the spinelessness of my Queen, and at their vilification of me—burns red-hot in my throat.
The only ones who acted with any honor were Lady Janeaulí and Reyan.
Made a liar and a rogue, I'm forced to silence while Selenia resurfaces the original intent of the meeting. Useless and discredited, I watch as Reyan, Janeaulí, and Solitaena fight to retain what little influence our proposal had before.
When it comes time to vote, the three of us remain in favor of defensive measures and against attack. It matters little. The Ladies cobble together the plan to have a group of soldiers and wizards leave over the back of the wall, sneak through the city, and attack the Kadranians from behind.
They're all going to die.
Numb and angry, I leave as soon as I can, not a glance to my siblings and not waiting for dismissal from my Queen. And some Queen she makes.