Jovari the Blue

Chapter 2: A Toast

Kastali Dun

Saffra fled the throne room, pushing past the crowd of courtiers ambling towards the dining hall for the midday meal. Court hadn't been a complete disaster, not like the first few times, anyway. Jocelyn fell into step beside her and said, "Well, Desaree went out this morning with Aithlin Naeris and Jassin Orythra. So I don't expect her back for a few hours." Saffra hummed, distractedly. "She offered to fetch you the herbs you needed, so I gave her a list."

"Oh. Good."

Aithlin and Jassin would be protection enough for Des. With Claire gone, her spriten guards had taken to whatever other duties they could squeeze themselves into. Protecting Claire's friends was one of them.

"Still fretting over your vision?" Jocelyn asked, making her blink.

She exhaled. "Is it that obvious?"

"You have been distracted all morning. Might as well just tell everyone so you can come up with a plan."

Jocelyn was right, of course. But their king—their stand-in king—had enough on his plate. She almost dreaded telling him as much as she often dreaded telling the real king. And that was saying something.

She quickened her step, Jocelyn keeping pace. They beat Reyr to the king's tower, where she took up a position near the sitting room to pace. His tower was empty. The servants had all been dismissed under the pretense that the king and queen wanted privacy for the next few weeks. It wasn't unheard of. Everyone probably assumed they were hard at work making an heir—Saffra almost snorted at the thought.

If only they knew...

Taking a deep breath, she swallowed down the guilt that threatened to crumble her facade. Whenever she let it, it reared its ugly head and tried to pull her into a deep pit of depression. This was her fault. The others kept telling her not to blame herself, but because of her, because she'd allowed that servant to lead her astray—

The door opened and Talon strode into the room. She blinked, coming back to herself. No, not Talon, but Reyr. He'd been enchanted by the sprites to look exactly like King Talon, down to the very last scar and the messy head of hair holding his crown. Week after week had passed, and she was still struggling with the contradiction. Reyr was an opposite to Talon in so many ways.

He glanced at her, then changed directions and went straight to the liquor cabinet. A sign that he already sensed what was coming. Or, perhaps, he was buckling under the pressure. Probably both.

"You're doing much better," she pointed out.

He glanced her way. "But? I sense a but..."

She sighed. "But, you're still not grouchy enough. You had no business granting that compensation request without pressing the merchant—"

"I'm trying my best, Saffra," he snapped.

"Ah. There. See? That's much better. Far more in character." Even a little frightening, but she didn't say that last pard aloud.

Reyr's features relaxed. He rocked his jaw from side to side, studying her. When she said nothing more, he snatched his drink and dropped into Talon's favorite armchair. The scowl on his face deepened. If she had not known, she would have believed it, seeing him there.

The door opened to reveal Bedelth and Koldis. Her stomach swooped at the sight of her mate. Their eyes locked before Bedelth gave her a wide grin. "Should have known I'd find you here," he all but purred.

"Bedelth, tell your mate to stop lecturing me," Reyr groused.

"His mate," she said, "is doing what her queen bid of her. I'm the glue, remember? I'm to make sure this all goes off without a hitch."