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She nodded her head in a sharp jerk. “But the little girl’s father was not someone Sirna should have been antagonizing.” She tightened her grip on his hand. “The little girl is fine, Sirna is now lying dead in the forest, and his partner, Evelyn, is no doubt riding as fast as she can back to Cattha.”

“What did they use to keep you weak?” General Ru asked. She was sitting on Ava’s other side, and she touched Ava’s painfully thin wrist lightly with her fingertips.

“A rope like the one you have in the drawer of the queen’s office downstairs,” Ava said. “I’m sorry, I know you think it could be useful, but it must be destroyed.”

The general looked like she wanted to object, but when she lifted her gaze from Ava’s thin arms to her face, she went still and then gave a slow nod. “All right.”

“It doesn’t just suck the energy out of you, it sucks your life force.” Ava’s voice was low. Quiet. “I thought I would never be the same, even after I rid myself of it. I’m still not what I was.”

They were all quiet after that, and Luc moved his chair closer to Ava’s, lifted their combined hands and kissed the back of hers.

“You need to walk around the city more,” Dak said, out of the blue in the silence. “You need to be seen. They are hungry for stories of you. Hungry for a relationship with their new queen.”

She nodded, although Luc wanted to argue against it.

“I know.”

“We also need some good news.” Raun-Tu bit into a slice of apple he’d taken off the cheese board, and looked around the table. “Something everyone can get behind.”

“How about a formal heart’s choice ceremony?” Luc suggested, and Ava turned her head, gaze fixed on his.

“You and me?” she asked.

“You and me. If you will have me.”

Their joined hands were still raised, and she moved them to her mouth so that she could kiss the back of his hand. “I will.”

“Sorry to break the moment, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.” General Ru’s sigh was heartfelt. “The nobles and the councillors are already too nervous about the Rising Wave’s influence on their queen. It’s better to wait until the negotiations are finished before you make your partnership official.”

Ava hadn’t looked away from him. “I’ll do it, anyway, if that’s what you want.”

He felt the warmth of her words spread through him, and he dipped his chin. “Good. But I already know my heart. If it’s better to wait, then we can wait.”

She nodded, and he saw General Ru relax a little.

“There still can be a heart’s choice ceremony.” Talika spoke up, and Luc turned to her in surprise.

He caught the sudden stiffening of General Ru’s spine at her words, and wondered what was troubling her.

Talika stood, and in the Cervantes way, clasped her hands together between her breasts and just under her chin. “I claim you for my heart’s choice, Erdene Ru. And I ask you for your agreement in front of witnesses on a day of your choosing.”

General Ru seemed speechless, and then she stood in a rush, hands out, cupped together. “I will give my agreement.”

After a moment of shocked silence, there was much joking about the circumstances of the courtship of a Cervantes guard and the general of the Venyatux army, and much arguing about the date of the ceremony, but after the toasts were over, Ava leaned against him as they waved to their departing guests from the balcony.

“Do you mind that we have to wait?”

“No. I’m patient.”

She turned to him and grinned. “No, you’re not.”

“Well, no, I’m not.” He lifted her up, his heart catching a little at how much lighter she was now. “But I am disciplined.”

“How disciplined?” she murmured as he lay her gently down on their bed.

“Well, now. How about we find out?”