Lyra leaned back, accepting the golden cup and drinking the fine wine without looking up from her map. It was nearly time. Her enemies had all gathered in one place and the thrill of their last stand made Lyra's heart race.

Reports of Avin movement across En made Lyra traced a finger over the Hidden Valley. It was so tempting to send her armies in to crush them now, but the battle would take too long, her brother's home was aggravatingly well protected. Hickory'd also informed her of a small fleet appearing from the west coast, setting out into the deep waters.

The last remnants of the Duskar rebellion throwing themselves into the jaws of the sea serpents was almost hilarious. It did tell her, however, that her enemies had been informed of her plan to join the two navies. Not that she'd expected anything less.

She'd thought to eliminate Aziron, but obviously this would be a much more satisfying victory. The bitch from the valley, the rebellious High Druids, the dissatisfied Aryi, and even the Avins who had slipped from her cages were all gathered neatly for the taking.

Lyra tapped the map, there was something else. Call it intuition, but she could feel her brother's hand in this. He was there and this was their final match. In a moment of nostalgia, she considered delaying the attack until their birthday for old time's sake.

No, that would be foolish, no matter the satisfaction it would bring her. Still she was determined to see Fenrin on his knees. Fiona's journal, despite its drivelings, had revealed much about her brother, as had Vai's last report, a note left at her side like an offering.

Her brother had been broken. It was both an embarrassment and an immense satisfaction. She decided she wanted him at her side. Her new world would need generals and Fenrin would be perfect. Sure he was damaged now, but he also was so much easier to control. So many weaknesses that Lyra was positively spoiled with choice.

Of course there was her own daughter, Fenrin seemed to have a terribly exploitable soft spot for the girl, but Lyra would rather Fiona grow a spine then remain merely blackmail forever.

There was that woman, Jayln, but Lyra wanted her dead far too much.

That left the mage, Matius. Having the Third Apprentice trussed up and locked away would be oh so satisfying. Lyra would break him and Fenrin would watch. She owed the mage a mountain of pain anyway for helping her husband collude behind her back.

"We've finished equipping the ships."

Only one person wouldn't add an honorific to their report and Lyra turned to Hickory with a wry grin. "Good. Find anything interesting in the process?"

Lyra watched happily as Hickory's eyes changed from green to orange, never tiring of the fascinating habit. He had found something.

"Don't keep me in suspense, what is it?" Hickory had a box under his arm and Lyra looked at it eagerly.

The mage placed the box on the table and opened it. Inside was a black cloak. Lyra stood up and reached down, checking first for any changes in Hickory's eyes, before, as unconcerned as he was, she pulled the cloak out. It was old but the fabric was still as dark as ink although some places were a bit threadbare.

"Do tell me what it does?"

Hickory sniffed, apparently he disapproved of enchanted items though he did seem to take satisfaction in revealing their secrets. "I think you'll like this one. Put it on and disappear."

It was a vague instruction but Lyra grinned with the implication. She put the cloak on, securing it with the silver clasp. She was familiar with invisibility and as she believed herself unseeable, she looked down and saw—or rather didn’t see—that she was.

Invisible, Lyra slid a hand over Hickory's shoulder, tracing up to his face. He didn't even flinch.

"I do like it. If I'd realized the true extent of the Aryi's greed for magic, I would have taken Aryus much earlier."

"The Emperor does seem to have been quite the collector."

Lyra's hand fell from Hickory's face. The man was so much fun. He was both unflappable and easy to predict. His young face hiding his truly ancient nature, while at the same time revealing quite how new he was at this. Lyra wasn't a fool to think she could ever truly understand or control a fae, but it hadn't taken long for her to realize he didn't understand people as well as he claimed—or that the fae were not as inhuman as they tried to pretend they were.

The man was a nation unto himself, the wills of hundreds of unseen beings hiding behind those fascinating eyes. A hundred weaknesses.

Lyra raised an invisible eyebrow. Hickory was not one to linger unbidden, so there was something he still needed to say but he was hesitating. Not physically of course, he had an unearthly control over his borrowed body, but he was still standing there with false indifference on his face.

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Not one to resist a chance to shake the unshakable, Lyra reached up and grasped his chin. "What is it that bothers you, Hickory?" she asked in mock concern.

As expected, her perception did in fact startle him and those eyes flashed from green to red. Too easy.

"There is a wrong you must make right," he said. His tone was commanding and if he'd been human, Lyra would have had his tongue for it.

"Oh? And what is it that I must do?" she asked, emphasizing the word to ensure he at least recognized he'd spoken out of turn.

His eyes stayed red and that told Lyra it was in fact a serious matter—and only one two things were serious to Hickory. Since the Soli bloodline was practically extinguished, she wasn't surprised when Hickory informed her, "I don't know how, but one of my sisters is here. She's been away from the forest for years. As per our agreement, she will be returned."

Lyra released Hickory's face, noting that as she walked, his eyes followed her precisely, invisible or not.

She sat on the table and released the magic, flickering back into view. "Come here and explain."

Hickory obediently stepped forward and with a glance from her, he knelt to give his explanation. The gesture meant nothing to him, but Lyra enjoyed having a being of his power at her feet.

"There is a tree in the heart of the Emperor's garden. It must be carefully moved back to our forest."

"Sister you say?"

He nodded and Lyra considered. She could probably coerce this new fae into giving some power to one of her mages in exchange, but she didn't want to upset Hickory. He was so very sensitive about his disembodied family. Besides, with their agreement, the fae would likely lend her power anyway.

"Show me and I'll see it done." Lyra stood and Hickory did as well, his eyes back to an emerald green.

As they made their way through the positively hedonistically beautiful palace, servants scurried away or pressed their faces to the floor in her wake. Eventually Hickory led her through the lush gardens to a beautiful magnolia tree, carefully pruned so it stretched just to the edge of the circle of polished white stones that surrounded it.

As soon as Hickory passed the white ring, the air changed. The smell of flowers grew and the pink blossom swirled into a vague shape.

"Am I truly going home, brother?"

The voice was light and delicate, almost disappearing before the words were finished.

"Yes, sister."

Lyra stepped inside the circle and felt a few petals kiss her cheek. She examined the ground with a botanist's eye. "It will be difficult, but not impossible. One moment."

She left the circle until she spotted a servant still pressed into the floor. "You there."

The woman didn't look up, "Y-yes Your Excellence?"

"Fetch me the gardener."

The woman stood quickly, eyes on the floor as she hurried away. Lyra waited impatiently, occasionally glancing back at Hickory who stood, eyes closed in the circle. The petals swirled around him nervously.

Eventually the gardener was found and knelt at her feet. "Stand up," she ordered. He stood but kept his eyes downcast. It was an Aryi custom that was becoming annoying.

She wrenched his face up and his golden eyes widened with fear. Much better.

"How long have you been the gardener?"

"Three months, Your Excellence."

She frowned. It wasn't unexpected, most of the palace had been killed in the coup, honestly it was a miracle the garden hadn't been burned by the rabble before Lyra had taken over.

"See that tree?" She pointed and the man nodded.

"Get whatever manpower you need and carefully transport it safely to one of our scout ships. The Empress's Eyes should be at the dock. You will see it delivered to Taka and then taken across the Great Lake and safely planted in the Forest of Dorvaad. Understand?"

The man nodded but Lyra felt his jaw working and she let go, demanding with her eyes he spit it out. He carefully asked, "That is a long journey, am I to hand off the tree in Taka?"

"No." Lyra gave him a deadly grin and pointed to the tree. Hickory had turned and was watching from the edge of the circle. "That tree is your life now. For every leaf that falls, every piece of bark knocked off, I will carve the damage off your own flesh."

The man went pale and Lyra waved a hand. "Surely you are up to the task, after all I give you permission to make full use of any resource. What is your name?"

"Rahim."

"I will send someone later with a letter for you, Rahim. It will have my seal and give you more power than you've ever had in your life. Enjoy the trip, but do your damned job. I won't ask again, do you understand?"

Rahim bowed low. "Yes, Your Excellence. It will be treated as I would my own child."

"Better or any child you have will be paying the price when I'm done with you."

With that Lyra waved her hand and the man backed up, giving one last glance at the tree in question. Hickory walked over and gave Lyra a absolutely approving look.

She waltzed out of the garden, not quite finished. A few more words and she had the details on Rahim and his family, ensuring to her satisfaction that he was the right man for the job. She signed the promised letter and saw it delivered before finally returning to her favorite of the Emperor's chambers.

"Happy, Hickory?" she asked as she lounged on the plush cushions.

To her delight he actually gave a small bow. "I am pleased with your upholdance of our agreement."

His eyes were sparkling green and Lyra resisted smirking. He really was happy. All she had to do was prioritize a tree and he would burn thousands for her. Singularly minded and easy to please, gods, he was so easy.

"Of course, I told you, so long as you are by my side, no one shall harm a fae."