Page 152 of With Wing And Claw

‘Look,someonehad to do it,’ a voice she recognised as Agenor’s said, sounding wryly amused, and at once matters began making rather more sense. ‘And either way, he ended up rather agreeing with me, which solved the matter far more easily than the diplomatic approach would have done.’

Emelin’s laughter, again. ‘And this was around the end of the Conquest, yes? So you—’

Thysandra opened the door.

Their voicesabruptly went quiet.

They were sitting on her couch together, father and daughter – Agenor lounging in the velvet cushions with his sleeves rolled up and a black snake curling affectionately around his shoulder, Emelin with her legs pulled to her chest, snacking on berries from a bowl she was balancing on top of her bare knees. No trace of Naxi. No trace of anyone else, either – but the collection of used glasses on the low table suggested more than just these two had entered her rooms during the however many days Thysandra had been out.

She should care about that.

The problem was there were about seventeen things she cared aboutmoreat this particular moment.

‘What …’ she began, and then she no longer knew how to continue, staring at the High Lady of the Cobalt Court and the High Lord of the Golden Court exchanging stories of divine shenanigans on her couch.

‘You’re awake!’ The sunny smile Emelin sent her seemed unnervingly genuine, the relief in her voice equally so. ‘How are you feeling?’

Bewildered.

It wasn’t even true, or at least, it wasn’t the full truth. It felt like she’d skipped half a century – like she’d stepped through some mysterious portal and ended up in a world that looked like hers, smelled like hers, sounded like hers, but was nonetheless entirely and essentially different from the one she’d walked all her life.

How are you feeling?

They were looking at her like the answermatteredto them.

‘Where …’ Her voice was a dry croak. ‘Where is Naxi?’

‘She’s fine.’ Emelin put her berries aside, hopped off the couch, and made for the kitchen corner as if she’d lived in these rooms for years. ‘Creon took her down to the pavilion. She was drained to the point where she couldn’t shield herself from the emotions of the court anymore, so we figured some distance would be helpful.’

Creon.

That wasCreon’svoice she’d heard in her half-dead delirium.

‘Oh,’ she stammered.

‘Take a seat,’ Agenor said, his smile faint but reassuring.It’s all under control, that smile said.No need to worry. ‘You’ve been out for five days.Before you start dashing around the place again, I suggest you at least eat something.’

Five days?

Good gods.

She dropped into the armchair, head spinning. Agenor’s snake idly slithered down over his arms, into his lap. From the kitchen came the sound of boiling water and a cloth bag opening; Emelin reappeared a moment later with a steaming mug of sharp-smelling ginger tea and two buttered sesame buns on a plate.

Tea.

Poison.

She stammered, ‘Nicanor …’

‘Has been duly disposed of,’ Agenor said wryly, lifting his snake back onto his shoulder before it could slip down onto the floor. ‘The Labyrinth burned him to an impressively charred crisp. Most of them, really.’

That flash of white.

A shiver ran through her. ‘And I—’

‘It seems to have made an attempt to spare you,’ Emelin said as she plunked herself back onto the couch and folded up her legs again. ‘It’s considerate like that. You still took some damage, though.’

‘I … yes.’ Thysandra tried a grin. ‘I noticed.’