Page 61 of Lady's Steed

She hoped so.

While Avera didn’t understand why the amulet acted as a counter to the fog, she was very glad to have it, but she did wonder why it was in her mother’s possession in the first place. Gustav didn’t recall seeing her wearing or speaking of it. Another mystery on top of everything else.

They layered on clothing and loaded up some packs with food and even more garments for the hike. Gustav also had them loopa rope around each other in a daisy chain, giving them enough slack to move.

“This should ensure we don’t lose each other.”

Probably a good plan, seeing how the mist could come suddenly, and—from what Grigoire had told them in the library—blizzards as well, even though they were just entering fall. Fraegus Spire suffered from perpetual winter, by all accounts.

They were ready within an hour after dawn, their mood somber as they headed out of Herder’s Respite. Avera trudged with her companions, ruminating on what was happening in the capital. Fearful of what might await on the mountain. Worried that her choice to come here might hurt Josslyn and Gustav, but they wouldn’t let her go alone no matter how many times she asked.

As they left the green and yellow scrubby grass tufts for the rocky base of the spire, Avera couldn’t stand the silence. “You’re sure my mother visited the spire twice?” she asked Gustav.

“Twice that I know of.”

“Why did she bring a dignitary from Verlora?” It seemed an odd place to visit with a lover.

“At the time, she mentioned something about him wanting to take samples from the mountain. He was a scientist of some sort.”

“What kind of samples? And how would he even know to find them on the spire?” Josslyn asked, craning her head as if she could see the peak. She couldn’t, the low clouds covered it.

“No clue.” Gustav shrugged. “Calixte never said.”

“Is there anything I should know that you haven’t told me?” Avera asked.

“Probably. I saw and heard much during my time by her side. Some likely important, more that’s not, plus things I’ve surely forgotten. It’s hard to pinpoint what might be of use given my decades of observation.”

“Or what you missed when she had you off doing other things,” Josslyn murmured.

“The queen didn’t have secrets from me,” he insisted.

“You wouldn’t know if they were secret,” his sister countered.

“She has a point,” Avera stated, jumping in. “You said yourself you have no idea why she turned sour on Benoit or why she got paranoid near the end, or even what happened at the Spire.”

“Perhaps she feared I wouldn’t understand.”

Josslyn kicked a pebble on the ground as she murmured, “I am curious, since you knew the queen well, how was it Avera received weapons training?” She glanced at her brother. “You spoke quite often of Avera’s progress, but never mentioned her sisters.”

“Because they never had lessons.”

“Why?” Avera asked. “Why me and not them?”

He shrugged. “They lacked aptitude and interest. And there was the fact your mother asked me specifically to teach you.”

“I was barely walking when my fighting lessons began.” Avera remembered her first sword, carved from wood. She’d delighted in swinging it around.

A glance at Gustav showed him pensive. “Training someone at that age was odd, but Calixte explained her request as an outlet for your energy.”

“But she had you giving me some of those lessons. The Grand Rook teaching a child.”

“Because I was the best swordsman.”

“You didn’t train my brother,” Avera pointed out.

At that, Gustav grimaced. “I tried but the boy didn’t listen. Rather than thrash the future king, it seemed best to leave it in the hands of another teacher.”

“He could have used a good spanking,” Avera grumbled.