The streets between the apartments were awash with activity. There were soldiers everywhere. No one did anything without soldiers guarding them now. And the non-soldiers busied themselves preparing to leave. Though not everyone was leaving yet. Meleng had heard that some nations were still discussing things in the Nabrinja, hoping to find some sort of solution. Even though the Volgs had pulled out of the discussions, nations like Singea were desperate to avoid war. Most had pulled out of the talks, though, including Arnor. And those who had pulled out were preparing to leave.

Meleng kept worrying people were looking at him. He knew nobody had any reason to. Nobody who wasn’t an Arnorin even knew who he was. But he couldn’t shake the feeling. He’d tried to act brave around Cerus and Felitïa, but truth was, the Queen’s threats to execute him had shaken him a lot. Although, come to think of it, Felitïa had probably sensed that in him.

He wished he could be more help than he was. If he were a better wizard, Felitïa wouldn’t have to tell him to leave things to Nin-Akna. If he were a better wizard, he could just use magic to heal her throat and ankle, and she’d be back to herself in no time.

But he hadn’t really known what to do. He’d looked after her as best he could, but when going back outside to collect supplies, he’d been apprehended by Arnorin soldiers and brought before the King and Queen. He’d begun to have visions of her dying, just like Stavan had died under his care.

“Look, I know this isn’t a good time,” Quilla said to the Ninifin soldier, “but it’s really important we see the Queen. Her Majesty is expecting us.”

“Holiness,” Meleng corrected.

“Sorry, her Holiness is expecting us,” Quilla said.

Meleng wasn’t sure the guard even spoke their language, as all he had done the entire time they’d been there was shake his head at everything they said.

“Can you at least send a message?” Quilla said and the guard shook his head once more. “Argh!” She grabbed Meleng’s arm and pulled him back into the street. “What do we do?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. We could wait, I guess, until someone goes in or out, and ask them.”

Quilla sighed and dragged him back over in front of the guard, who shook his head once more. “It’s all right,” Quilla said. “We’re just going to wait.”

The guard shook his head again, but didn’t do anything to make them leave. So they stood there for a few minutes until Quilla pulled Meleng aside again.

“Aren’t we waiting?” Meleng said. “It hasn’t been that long.”

“We’re just going to wait here,” Quilla said. “I don’t like the way he’s looking at me. I can see the lust in his eyes.”

“Oh, okay, sure.” Meleng hadn’t noticed anything like that, but then again, he wasn’t any good at noticing those sorts of things.

They waited a few more minutes, Quilla fidgeting the whole time. “Sorry, I’m just nervous. I’m not used to this sort of thing. It’s weird. When Garet’s around, he does all the pacing and I’m perfectly fine. Do you and Felitïa do this sort of thing all the time?”

“I wouldn’t say all the time,” Meleng said. “Not often, really. Felitïa’s a lot better at it though. She always seems to know what to say and do.”

A few minutes later, the door to the Ninifin apartments opened and a girl of about fourteen stepped out. She nodded to the guard and started into the street. Meleng and Quilla rushed over to her.

“Excuse me!” Quilla called. “Can you help us?”

The girl stopped and turned to face them.

“We need to see the Queen,” Quilla said. “It’s very important.”

“The Queen is not seeing anyone,” the girl replied.

“Please,” Meleng said. “Her Holiness knows us. Well, me anyway. Sort of. She’s expecting us. Nin-Akna can vouch for us.”

A look of recognition came across the girl’s face just as a shadow fell over the three of them. The guard from the door had come over and was staring at them, his spear held not quite threateningly, but in a manner to make its presence clear.

“All right, all right, we’re going,” Quilla said. “And stop leering at me!” She stormed off.

Meleng started to follow, but the girl placed her hand on his arm. “You were with her, weren’t you? The one they say started the war. I remember seeing you with her.”

Meleng was unsure what to say. On the way over, he and Quilla had agreed they should avoid using Felitïa’s name, given the possible ramifications. He gave a slow nod.

The girl stepped up closer to him and whispered, “The Queen is not here. Nin-Akna said you would know where to find her.” She stepped away again, said something to the guard in Ninifin, then went on her way.

The guard glared at Meleng some more. “Yeah, going,” Meleng said and rushed off.

Quilla was waiting for him a short way up the street. “Now what do we do?”

“It’s all right,” he said. “The Queen’s not there, but I think I know where she is.”

“Where?”

He couldn’t be sure he was right, but it was the only thing that made sense. There was no other place he might know that Nin-Akna could have been referring to. He led Quilla away from the apartments and the Nabrinja, through the Sanalog village, and along the trail that led around the small lake, all the way to the cave and pool where Sinitïa had tried to paint his picture.

“How can goats be so adorable and so annoying at the same time?” Quilla asked as they approached the cave. They—Quilla mainly—had attracted a group of goats along the way and several were nipping at her skirts. She tried to shoo them away, but that only made them more determined.

Several Ninifin warriors stepped out of the cave, spears raised. “Far enough!” one called.

Quilla and Meleng stopped. One of the goats let out a loud bleat.

The warrior who had spoken came forward. Meleng was pretty certain she was the same one who had suggested holding Sinitïa for ransom. He remembered the snake tattoos on her arms and legs, and the sun on her cheek. She pointed her spear at Meleng. “You, I know.” She called back to the cave. “Tell Nin-Akna her cute one is here.”

Cute? And why had she said it in such a mocking tone?

Then she pointed her spear at Quilla, this time close enough that the tip came just short of touching Quilla’s neck. “But you, I don’t. What is she doing here? And where is the princess?”

“She’s—” Quilla started.

The Ninifin pressed her spear closer. The tip was touching Quilla’s throat now. “Not you. He answers.”

“Felitïa...er...the Will-Breaker is engaged in important business,” Meleng said.

“Hiding from those who want her head?” the Ninifin said.

“No, engaged in important business. She sent us to talk to her Holiness about important matters.” He hoped he sounded authoritative enough. He really wasn’t suited for this kind of thing.

“Hiding it is, then.”

“Ses-Inhuan! Enough!” It was Nin-Akna, who was now crossing the space between the cave and the three of them.

Ses-Inhuan lowered her spear, and Quilla exhaled slowly. “Don’t worry. They are unharmed.” As Nin-Akna reached her, she leaned in closer. “See? Your cute one is intact.”

Nin-Akna froze in place for a moment, then bit her lower lip. “Yes, good. They are both welcome.” She looked at Quilla and tilted her head. “Even if one is not who we thought they would be.”

“I asked them about that,” Ses-Inhuan said. “The princess is engaged in important work, they say.”

“Yes,” Quilla said, straightening her posture. “Princess Felitïa regrets not being able to come at this time. She sent me in her place.”

Nin-Akna nodded. “Very well. Her Holiness awaits.” She motioned for them to head to the cave. “Ses-Inhuan, stay on guard.”

“Thank you,” Meleng said to Nin-Akna as he passed her.

Nin-Akna looked away from him.

“I think someone’s got a fan,” Quilla whispered as she came up beside him.

“Fan? Huh? What?”

Quilla rolled her eyes.

Queen Nin-Xoco was seated on a small pile of cushions to the side of the pool in the cave. The same three robed women who had been present last time stood behind her. Two guards stood to either side. The Queen straightened up as they approached.

Nin-Akna, Meleng, and Quilla bowed.

“Where is the Will-Breaker?” the woman in yellow robes—the one with the eye tattoo on her forehead—said. Meleng wasn’t sure he remembered her name.

“Not here,” Nin-Akna said. She indicated Quilla. “This one comes in her place.”

Quilla gave another bow. “My name is Quilla Steranovist, Holiness. I am a friend to Princess Felitïa. She regrets she cannot be here right now, but sent us with some important information for you.”

The Queen nodded to the guards and Nin-Akna. The two guards bowed and left, heading to the cave mouth. Nin-Akna hesitated a moment.

“Nin-Akna,” the Queen said.

Nin-Akna bowed, then followed the two guards.

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“I hoped the Will-Breaker would come herself,” the Queen said when the guards were out of earshot. “I know Agranim is dead and I have her to thank for that, and I am very grateful. However, I still fear for my life. He said it would come from a source I did not expect. Can she assure me that this source, whatever it may be, is also dealt with?”

“No, she can’t, Holiness,” Meleng said and the Queen slumped. “But that’s part of why she sent us. She’s found something that may give a clue and she wants you to see it.”

“Of course,” the Queen said. “Show it to me.”

Quilla reached for the locket in her bag, but Meleng shook his head.

“Is there a problem?” the Queen asked.

Meleng took a deep breath. They weren’t going to like this. “Apologies, Holiness, but Felitïa was precise in her instructions. We can show it only to you or Nin-Akna. No one else.”

“Nin-Akna is not part of this,” the yellow robed woman said.

“Then only with her Holiness. Everyone else must go.”

“Absolutely not,” the woman in green said.

“We are the Queen’s top attendants and advisors,” the woman in white said. “She does not do anything without us.”

Meleng gulped. “I’m sorry, but Fe—the Will-Breaker’s instructions were very specific. The Queen or Nin-Akna. No one else. At all.”

Quilla nodded in support.

“I’m not sure,” the Queen said. She looked back at her advisors.

“It is too risky, Holiness,” the one in green said. “The Will-Breaker is a harbinger of death and destruction. We cannot be sure we can trust her. What if these two are the assassins?”

The Queen shook visibly at that and looked at Meleng and Quilla again.

“I assure you, Holiness,” Quilla said. “We are not assassins. Please, trust us.”

“While I do not think these two are assassins, Holiness,” the woman in yellow said, “I think the Will-Breaker is mistaken to exclude us. We deserve to be part of this.”

“But you would otherwise trust the Will-Breaker, Ses-Tlacotl?” the Queen asked.

Ses-Tlacotl nodded. “Yes, but you should insist—”

“Then go. I will look at what they have to show me.”

“This is intolerable!” the woman in green said.

“I said go, Nin-Zyannya,” the Queen repeated.

“You cannot order us—”

The Queen clapped her hands and pointed to the cave mouth. “Go!”

Nin-Zyannya nodded. “Of course, Holiness.”

“Wait by the cave mouth. And send Nin-Akna to me. If the Will-Breaker wants her included, then I will include her.”

Nin-Zyannya scowled. “You overstep your—” The woman in the white robes placed a hand on her shoulder with a soft hiss, and Nin-Zyannya fell silent.

“It will be done, Holiness,” Ses-Tlacotl said. “We will not be far. Call us if you need us.”

The three women stalked away.

“When Nin-Akna gets here, you will show us what the Will-Breaker wants us to see,” the Queen said. She was sitting tall, but there was a wavering in her voice.

“Of course,” Meleng said.

“I hope it’s not too forward of me, Holiness,” Quilla said, “but your advisors seem very disobedient.”

“They are just not used to being sent away,” the Queen replied.

Quilla shrugged. “I guess I can see them being surprised at first, but that one was outright talking back to you.”

“They are...” The Queen looked away. “They’re new. They just have not learned all the proper decorum yet.”

“Oh.” Quilla looked confused.

Meleng was too. “Didn’t you say Nin-Akna was also new?”

The Queen nodded, but continued not to look either of them in the eye. “Yes, she is also new.”

Nin-Akna arrived at that time. “Is there a problem with that?”

Meleng shook his head. “No, of course not. It’s just a little surprising that there are so many new people in her Holiness’s service.” And young. Apart from those three attendants, they were all so young. He had no idea what that meant, if anything, but it was weird.

Nin-Akna and the Queen glanced at each other.

“It is just coincidence,” the Queen said.

“It does explain why you’re so worried about being assassinated,” Quilla said. “If most of your staff is new, it would be easy for the Volgs to place an assassin in your midst.”

The Queen grimaced. “Perhaps. Now, please show us what the Will-Breaker has found.”

Quilla pulled the locket out of her bag and held it out to the Queen.

“A locket?” Nin-Akna said.

“We should probably fill you in on what’s going on,” Meleng said. “See, the Queen asked Felitïa, that is, the Will-Breaker—”

“It’s all right,” the Queen said, taking the locket. “She already knows.”

“Oh,” Meleng said. “But I thought you sent her away because—”

“I filled her in later,” the Queen said. “I do get some brief moments of privacy to myself, and I filled her in. Nin-Akna, sit beside me so that we can look at this together.”

Nin-Akna lowered herself down beside the Queen. “Chica, maybe we should—”

“Shh!” the Queen hissed and held up the locket. “It is very big.”

“Chica?” Quilla asked. “Is that a Ninifin word?”

The Queen lowered the locket, still unopened. “It is a nickname. From childhood. Now—”

“We should tell them,” Nin-Akna said. “If this Will-Breaker is half as powerful as Fra-Atl says, she’s probably figured it out already, anyway.”

“Tell us what?” Quilla asked.

The Queen sighed. “Later. Maybe. First, I wish to see this locket.” She held it up again, and opened it. Nin-Akna stiffened, and the Queen gasped.

“Do you recognise her?” Meleng asked.

“Ses-Xipil,” the Queen breathed. “I don’t understand. Where did you find this?”

“Felitïa found it in the Volg apartments, amongst the personal belongings of Prince Castroff. He’s the Volg in the picture with her.”

Nin-Akna took the locket and held it close to her face.

“Nin-Akna!” the Queen said.

“Sorry, Chica. Just memorising his face. Why is she pictured with him?”

“Presumably she posed with him,” Quilla said, turning her nose up. “Though gods know why anyone would do that.”

“She would not pose with him!” the Queen snapped. “This must be an artist’s fancy.”

“Someone who knows what they both look like well enough to paint them together?” Quilla said.

“Look,” Meleng said, “we don’t know for sure why she’s pictured with him, but it does point towards an association between the two. Felitïa wanted to know if you recognised the woman, and if she’s here. Because if so, she might be the one you need to be worried about.”

Nin-Akna handed the locket back to the Queen. “She’s not here. She’s still in Ninifin.”

“Who is she?” Quilla asked.

“Ses-Xipil,” the Queen replied. “Master of Wizardry and Voice of Sestin.”

“That means she’s high priest of Sestin,” Nin-Akna said.

“Why didn’t she come to Scovese?” Quilla asked.

“Obviously we couldn’t bring everyone,” the Queen said. “Some people had to stay behind and run things there.”

“It also means she cannot be the assassin,” Nin-Akna said. “Which means the Will-Breaker has found nothing to help us.”

“Yes, it leaves us at a bit of a dead end,” Quilla said. “Do you know why Agranim wanted to kill you, Holiness?”

The Queen shook her head.

“Does it have anything to do with the other thing you might or might not tell us?” Quilla asked.

“No,” the Queen said, but at the same time Nin-Akna said, “Maybe.”

“Maybe,” the Queen amended her answer. “I suppose it is possible, but I really do not know.”

“Maybe you should tell us,” Quilla said.

The Queen looked up and past Quilla, towards the cave mouth. Meleng glanced that way, too. The silhouettes of her advisors stood there with the Queen’s bodyguards, the light dimming behind them.

“They are afraid I will tell you,” the Queen said. “That is why they do not want me alone with you.”

“Tell them, Chica,” Nin-Akna said, placing a hand on the Queen’s shoulder and the other on the Queen’s arm.

“You should not be using that name right now, or treating me so personally.”

“I’m doing it because you have to tell them.”

The Queen closed her eyes and lowered her head. “Very well, tell them.”

Nin-Akna motioned Meleng and Quilla in closer. “This is not Nin-Xoco. She is not the Queen.”

Meleng had realised something odd was going on, but he hadn’t quite expected that.

“Her name is Nin-Chicahua,” Nin-Akna said. “She is one of the Queen’s personal attendants.”

“So, then, who is... Wait, are you the queen?” Quilla said.

Nin-Akna laughed and shook her head. “No, of course not. My name is Nin-Akna. However, I am not the head of the Queen’s bodyguard. I am not even technically part of her bodyguard yet. I am a member of the Youth Guard in training to serve the Queen. All the bodyguards here are.”

“Where’s the real Queen?” Quilla asked.

“Still in Ninifin. It was decided that the Queen’s life could not be risked for this mission, but that Ninifin should still attend. So Chica was chosen to play the role of the Queen and the Youth Guard was chosen to be her bodyguards. I was chosen to be the leader. Ses-Inhuan thinks I only got the position out of favouritism. Chica and I have been close friends our entire lives, though she had nothing to do with making the choice. Her attendants over there are attendants to the real Nin-Xoco, but not the senior attendants. Nevertheless, they are technically the most senior government officials here.”

“And thus, not used to taking orders from you,” Quilla said.

The Queen—no, not the Queen—Nin-Chicahua nodded.

Quilla looked back towards the cave mouth again. “They must be very uncomfortable with you talking to us alone then.”

“That is why we do not have much time,” Nin-Chicahua said. “What will the Will-Breaker do now? She promised to help me.”

Quilla looked to Meleng, who shrugged. “We’ll have to talk to her, I guess,” Meleng said.

“Please do so quickly,” Nin-Chicahua said. “And ask her to come to me, please.”

Nin-Akna grabbed her spear and stood up, her attention towards the cave mouth. The Queen’s attendants were returning.