Page 74

“How long have they been sick?” his treasurer asked, her amber eyes wide and almost glowing.

“A fortnight. Our healers caught on rather quickly,” Levay answered. “All infected were moved to a separate camp.”

“Where did this new strain start?” Chancellor Ortunge snapped.

“A village outside the west of Laos near the Caves of the Lost. The village is quarantined now. No one will go in or out.”

The chancellor tossed his hands up in frustration. “We thought our queen’s healers were supposed to prevent something like this!”

Raziel glared at Ortunge. The man was going too far. It seemed like he was still bitter that Raz had not chosen his granddaughter to be his wife.

“I understand you’re frustrated,” he bit out. “We are all frustrated and afraid for our families. Once again, the Sirenidae healers have only just arrived. Our healers have been trying to find a cure for the Mirror Plague for almost thirty years. Do you really think the healers from the sea would figure it out in a handful of weeks?”

The chancellor snapped his mouth shut, looking mulish.

The king’s words seemed to penetrate but did nothing to soothe. All of them had been living with the threat of the plague hanging above their heads for years. Everyone had lost a loved one. The Mirror Plague had left its mark on each and every one of them.

“Is there anything else that can be done?” he questioned Levay.

The Master Healer shook her head. “No. I’ve put all the protocols into place and redirected a few Sirenidae healers tothe village. Hopefully with time, patience, skill, and a little bit of luck, we will have answers soon.”

“Thank you for your insight.”

“My pleasure to serve,” Levay answered in the customary response.

Raziel’s marshal crossed his arms, his face a mask of anger. Not that the man was angry. Whether he was happy, sad, frustrated, or joyful, he always looked as if he were ready to tear someone’s face off. “My king, what about the attack on theZephyr? Have you gathered any news from your new bride?”

Raz nodded. “She claims it was not the Sirenidae.”

His words were met with disbelief.

The chaplain blinked slowly. “And do you believe her, my lord?”

The dowager queen sat forward in her chair. “I interrogated her myself at the behest of our king. Whether or not it was a Sirenidae attack is still yet to be seen. But if it was one of them, the queen has no knowledge of it. She firmly believes that it was not her people.”

The marshal scoffed. “That’s the first trick in the book. To deny, my lady.”

Raziel cut in. “You have a valid point, but one fact remains. The Sirenidae do not wish to make war with us. The sea king has made that abundantly clear.”

“But we cannot ignore evidence,” the chancellor added.

The king nodded. “You’re right. And we will not ignore evidence, but for now, we wait.”

“And if there are more deaths?” the marshal said, scowling.

“Then we will deal with it as we always have.”

Gideon sat back in his chair. “And what of the duke?”

Raziel gazed at his spymaster evenly. They’d discussed at length what they’d tell his council. Someone was bound to bring up his recent trip. It was better if Gideon did it so they couldcontrol the information. “Our visit was so well received that the duke and duchess plan to visit court within the week.”

The marshal huffed. “To cause mischief or to give support?”

“A bit of both, I assume,” Raziel commented. “The man is not eager to give up his gold. But between Gideon and me, I believe he is on our side. For now.”

“What of the queen’s health?” the chaplain asked. “There’s been talk she’s been in her rooms for the last three days.”

“She’s not feeling well.” A lie. She was staying in her rooms until he could trust her to not try to kill someone.