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“Yes.” His answer this time was slightly weary.

“Explain.” The queen stood, and Ava saw her mouth was in a tight line.

She looked ill.

She had looked ill twelve years ago, and Ava had wondered a few times while she was held in the fortress whether she had possibly died.

“I thought we should have her under our control. She is your niece, after all, and would be considered a prize to some.” Herron held his hands palms up.

“You just forgot to tell me about it. Like the flares?” The queen slowly sat back down. “You ruin my reputation with our allies and neighbors, and I don’t even know what has been done in my name.”

“You aren’t in the best of health, I’m trying to shield you from the nastier side of running a country.”

Frieda laughed at that. It was not a happy sound. “Herron. I’m afraid you will force me to execute you one of these days.”

Herron tried to smile, but Ava guessed it was close to what he feared himself.

“And you? How are you known to the Commander of the Rising Wave?” The queen’s ire turned on Ava as suddenly as it had turned on Herron.

“I joined his army. I have traveled with the Rising Wave for some time.”

“And why would you do such a terrible thing against your own aunt?”

Ava stared at her, held up a hand and ticked the reasons off with her fingers. “I was abducted and lost two years of my life. My parents were murdered. I wanted revenge.” Ava held her aunt’s gaze, steady and serious.

The queen leaned back. “That, I understand.” She turned to Herron. “Again, your actions have consequences that affect me far more than they affect you.”

He said nothing.

Ava assumed they had already had a shouting match about the flares, which it was clear her aunt hadn’t authorized.

“Flares, Herron? Paid for with my money. In the hands of the army that has now besieged my city. Could you think of a scenario that is worse than this?”

“The generals let this happen. They were supposed to take the Rising Wave by surprise, and they did not. I thought we had competent military leaders.” Herron began to pace.

“Surely making sure they are competent is your job,” the queen said. She sounded tired. “I should be killing you, but instead, I have to kill Ava for her betrayal, even though I understand her motivations completely. How do you always survive when your betters do not? I cannot understand it.”

There was silence. Herron had stopped pacing and stood looking at the floor, as if hoping the queen’s attention would move off him.

“When do you plan to kill me?” Ava asked.

“Tomorrow, when the Commander of the Rising Wave comes to fetch you.” The queen leaned back as if exhausted. “I’ve told him I concede to his demand to have you back, but I insisted he come in person to talk terms.”

“And you’re planning to kill him, too?” Ava asked.

“I have no choice. I cannot surrender, I will be turning over Kassia to the Rising Wave, if I do.”

“Yes,” Ava said. “That does tend to be how surrendering works.”

The queen gave her a ghost of a smile. “You think I’m foolish, or deluded, but I’m clear eyed. It may be there are competent leaders in the Rising Wave who can take the Commander’s place, and then, we are done. Or killing him might be enough to throw them into disarray and buy us some time to save ourselves.”

“How will you kill him?” she asked. She would need all the information she could get to stop this from happening.

“An arrow from the wall.” The queen shrugged. “The coward’s way. I can claim it was a rogue soldier, deny all responsibility.”

“I am sorry that it is going to end like this.” Ava turned away from her, and started walking back toward the doors.

“I am sorry, too,” the queen said. “I wish I could see another way.”