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Avera couldn’t help glancing at the four stones—the dragon eggs—as Prielli dressed her in a gown both familiar and not.

Due to the warmer climate, it used thinner material than she was used to and involved fewer layers.

Not that she minded. She’d recently spent some time wearing men’s trousers and quite enjoyed the freedom of them.

Still, it would have shocked the court ladies back home in Daerva to see the fabric that clung intimately to her form.

While Prielli curled and bound her clean hair, Avera pondered the note from Titus and its promise.

She didn’t understand his motive, and, despite his nice words, she remained convinced he had an ulterior one.

Why bother himself with a problem an ocean away?

Why marry when he made it clear he required no heir?

Why be kind to her after he’d gotten the stones he wanted?

But most baffling of all, why give them back?

Then again, the stones didn’t scream treasure or even useful.

Hard to believe they’d emitted a shielding effect that kept the imprisoned Zhos from spreading its influence via a fog and tainted water.

Remembering how the mist that emerged from the cave keeping him captive had turned the citizens of a nearby town into mindless puppets and how water from some of the ice melted around Zhos’ prison could transform people into monsters showed just how important the Dracova stones had been.

But how did they work? Did they ooze some kind of protective magic?

Or was it more like a dampening effect? Would Titus know?

She had to wonder how much he’d reveal if asked.

She really wanted to know what his plans were for the stones.

Would he try and hatch one? After all, supposedly Merisu had a volcano, a mountain that could spew literal liquid rock.

Would Titus toss an egg in and hatch another dragon?

Surely he wouldn’t be so foolish, knowing what happened on Verlora.

The multitude of questions had her actually eager for dinner with the emperor.

The change from despondent prisoner to royal of importance had done much to renew her spirits, but that didn’t mean the thus far charming Titus would win her over.

She missed Griffon. His gruff manner. His toughness.

The way being around him made her feel. The kiss they’d shared…

He’d died, though, and nothing she could do would bring him back.

“If Her Majesty is ready, I can lead you to the dining room,” Prielli offered.

“If you don’t mind, then yes, please.”

Prielli smiled. “The palace can be daunting at first. When I began working here, I feared I’d never find my way around.”

As they made the journey down the winding steps of the tower, Avera mustered the nerve to ask, “What kind of man is your emperor?”

“Our eminence is a fine ruler. Tough but fair. Since he rid himself of that idiot Phelgar, things have been so much better.”

“Phelgar being his old vizier?” Avera asked to which Prielli nodded. “I assume he was a poor advisor?”

“At the time no one thought so. However, upon his removal, the ill luck we’d been suffering changed,” Prielli said.

“What kind of ill luck, if I may ask?”

“Droughts which led to famine. Poor hunting and fishing. Diseases that kept spreading. Upon Phelgar’s removal, things improved almost overnight.”

“Sounds more like a coincidence, since one man hardly could control such things.”

“There’s talk that the change might have to do with the trio who took Phelgar’s place.”

“You think they used magic?” When she’d learned about Merisu and the witches advising the emperor, she’d always assumed the magic spoken of was simple elixir brewing or divination, and not that they could actually wield power.

Of course, after speaking with Titus through the magical journal onboard Koonis’s ship, Avera had already begun to wonder at the abilities they might have.

Prielli’s lips pinched. “I shouldn’t speak of them, but…

” She glanced around to see if anyone lingered close by before whispering, “A few years ago, three women of unknown origin sought an audience with the emperor. He emerged from that meeting a young and changed man, one full of energy and determination. Not long after his renewed youth, Phelgar was retired from his position and these strangers were sworn in as the new viziers.”

“All three?”

“Yes, although Klothi tends to be the one who speaks most often for them.”

Avera hesitated only a second before stating what she knew. “Rumor claims they are witches.”

“They prefer the term guardians, but they are essentially witches who can wield fancier magic. I’ve seen them do things that were thought to be impossible.”

“Like make an old man young again.”

“Yes. And more. We had some mold-infested grain silos scheduled to be disposed of, and one of them used her power to cleanse it. They’ve healed the sick and lame. Not all, of course, as they are busy, but enough that they are revered by the people.”

“And no one knows where they came from?”

Prielli shrugged. “Nope. As I said, they just appeared one day. Neither horses to stable nor carriage to station. They carried no luggage, and their gowns of pure white showed no travel stains.”

“Perhaps they arrived by ship.”

“None had recently docked. Their arrival is a mystery, but we are happy for it as Merisu has never been more prosperous.”

Intriguing. Avera wondered when she’d get to meet them. As they reached the main level, the faint smell of food cooking had her salivating. Real food without hair or spit. She couldn’t wait.

The dining hall proved large and filled with many people sitting at long, wooden tables. However, the emperor dined alone at a large table. When he saw Avera, he stood with a welcoming smile and gestured to the chair beside him.

As she sat—tucked into her spot by Titus—he remarked, “I see you inherited your mother’s beauty.”

Her mouth rounded. “Um, thank you.” Although she did wonder at the comparison, for Avera and her late mother had completely opposite coloring.

“I trust your room is to your satisfaction.”

“It’s lovely, as is Prielli, the handmaiden you assigned to me. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I must atone for your previous treatment.” He sounded angry on her behalf, and yet Avera reminded herself this same man had been the reason she’d been kidnapped and then forced to snatch the Dracova stones from under the literal snout of a dragon in the first place.

“I’m surprised to see you dining alone,” she replied.

“Given your probable fatigue and the newness of my home, I thought that you might appreciate a more intimate meal rather than having to deal with all the questions my court would have surely bombarded you with.”

He considered this intimate? She forced herself to not hunch to avoid the scrutiny by the hundred or so people seated nearby, openly watching.

“That was kind of you.”

“My pleasure.”

The food emerged, hot and savory, and Avera ate with gusto while reminding herself to not overdo it lest her tender belly rebel. In between bites and sips of a refreshing lightly sweetened tea, she made conversation. “Your palace is lovely and huge. How many rooms?”

“Too many,” he offered with a laugh. “There are a few hundred, but that number includes many storage chambers under the castle.”

“I’ve never seen black stone. Our tends to be of the gray variety.”

“Most of it comes from past volcanic explosions.”

“Do you get many?”

“Enough that we never seem to run out, which is good as the city and palace keep expanding.”

“My home in Daerva cannot do the same, for there is nowhere for it to sprawl,” she offered in reply. The castle she’d grown up in resided atop a stony outcrop.

“I recall it from my visit. Magnificent views. Shame the lake bordering it is so poisonous, though.” He referred to the Lake of Tears, a body of what might have once been water until something caused it to become acidic.

“It makes the choice of placing the castle there odd, given the sparse hunting and difficulty farming.”

“Perhaps, once we’ve retaken your throne, we can have one of my viziers examine it to see if something can be done.”

Seeing an opening, Avera dove in. “Your viziers are magic wielders.”

“Yes. I take it you’ve heard of them.”

“A little. I’ll be honest, I didn’t put much stock in those rumors. You see, Daerva doesn’t have magic. Or didn’t until recently. Our witches were mostly potion makers with no actual power.”

“Sounds as if something changed your mind.”

Her lips twisted. “Kind of hard to not believe in magic when I’ve seen statues come to life.” She left out the fact it had happened on several occasions, and each time they’d tried to kill her.

“You’ve encountered golems.”

Her brow wrinkled at the term. “Is that what they’re called?”

“It is the term used for objects that can be animated.”

“Are they common in Merisu?”

“Somewhat. We use them for mundane tasks like cleaning sewers or extracting ore from mines filled with poisonous gas.”

“The ones I encountered were after blood,” she revealed with a grimace.

“But you prevailed.” His light reminder.

“I did. The whole magic thing is intriguing to me. I don’t suppose I could meet with your viziers to learn more about it?”

“You shall most definitely be introduced, although it might be a few days. They’re currently out of the city, but will return shortly. Unlike my last vizier, they trust me to run things in their absence,” he said with a wry grin.

As dessert came, she mustered the nerve to ask him about his gift. “I received your note. I’ll admit to being surprised you left the Dracova stones in my care, what with your insistence on finding them.”

“Consider it an apology and my way of showing you that I want us to be allied in what must be done. While it was imperative they be retrieved, I never meant for you to come to harm.”

“I find that difficult to believe since everyone knows how dangerous Verlora is,” was her dry reply.