Page 23 of Shadows and Roses (The Dark Queens #1)

Anais

Thakris stood tall with her hands clasped behind her back, the perfect image of a soldier at attention. The Escort only took this particular stance at court or when she was being obstinate.

They were not at court.

Taking a breath to order the woman to obedience—again—Anais paused as hurried footsteps approached from the hall. Vern pushed open the doors to her study.

He glanced at Thakris. "You cannot go, my Queen."

In his hand were four scrolls, each marked with one of the other nations’ symbols.

Her lips thinned. Duty was a bitch. She nodded at Thakris. "Do not kill him. Do you understand, Escort?"

Bowing deeply, Thakris loosened her stiff limbs. "Yes, my Queen. I swear I will do everything to bring Castien back alive."

"I know you will. Be careful."

The rescue plan was simple. It should be easy. Rebels would infiltrate the Nadrakenan capital, Coriante Castle. Their mute insider had provided a map to Castien’s location. Thakris and a few Drantarian spies would cause a distraction. In and out, and back home again.

Anais' entire body thrummed with the need to leap out of her chair, onto a horse, and ride south into the deserts like an arrow to the target her heart yearned for. She itched to place a blood-red rose on the bitch queen’s pillow. But her crown weighed down the bowstring. The arrow clattered to the floor .

As soon as Thakris turned away, Anais stood. "Are they waiting for me?"

Vern inclined his chin. "In the General’s study."

A map of the five nations lay on the table in the General’s study. Laureline and Trishve bowed as she entered. Anais glanced through the scrolls.

Northern border, attack, Fort Grand taken. She'd read them later. "Are they all attacking?"

It was a risk. A small one, she'd thought, without an official declaration of war and more major troop movements.

Vern frowned. "Not directly. Delia, yes," he said, nodding at her scroll. "Shoni’i appears to be targeting Nadraken."

One piece of good news. Drantar maintained relatively cool and less aggressive relations with their eastern neighbor, who preferred to stay in the mountains. Shoni’i primarily raided estates and castles to kidnap the occasional noble. Few were returned.

Laureline tapped another scroll. "Akerami has ceased trade with us, and their ships are blockading our ports."

Opportunists. All of them were, but Akeramians preferred non-violence. Trade blockades were effectively their unofficial declaration of war. There was nothing vital traded between Drantar and Akerami, but the luxury-loving snakes of her court would complain about their deprivations. They would manage.

Altogether, the situation was acceptable. They could handle two fronts.

"Have we sent reinforcements north?" she asked Trishve.

Her General nodded once. "As soon as I was notified of the attacks."

"Thank you. Handle Delia, please. As carefully as always. We will take care of Nadraken."

"My Queen." Trishve bowed and left the room.

The less she had to hear of Delia, the better. Of all the nations, they wallowed in pain and blood the most, caring for nothing except their Goddess.

She picked out Nadraken's scroll. "How is the distraction going?" Threatening war as a distraction. She rejected guilt. This was not for Castien alone; Nadraken's actions required a decisive response. Would she have done the same without his involvement?

"Fairly well," Vern replied. "Nadraken is either slow to react or reluctant to commit more soldiers. I believe the latter, considering their losses so far and Shoni’i’s interference."

The good news was almost worrisome, but there was no point in digging for rot where there was none.

Her dreams weren't so merciful.

—

Three weeks passed before news trickled back. It was remarkably quick—a week to send a message to the border, several days assessing the engagement, and another week to return a report to the palace. It wasn’t nearly quick enough.

Her court grew leery of her mood as her tolerance of their games narrowed. Distracted by a whore , the rumors murmured. She authorized scouts deeper into Nadraken, changing the rumors to war .

She’d commanded the legions to engage, not simply defend. They were not to hold any ground they gained, but to kill, raid, and destroy was an escalation she had never wanted. Retreating back behind their borders every day did not make this any less violent.

The rescue was in motion. While she trusted Thakris’ skills, her mind wouldn't stop conjuring all the ways everything could fall apart .

Lost messengers.

Betrayal.

Accidents, stupidity.

Nadraken moved him again.

The infiltrators would be caught.

He was already dead.

Jerome's blade slipped past her guard and nearly sliced her leg. He stepped back with a scowl. "Damn it! This is why I don't spar with you. I'm supposed to protect you, not cut you up. My Queen."

She sighed. "It’s my fault. I know better than to let my mind wander. Forgive me, Jerome. But you're right, I need a break." She replaced the practice blade and stretched her tense muscles.

"How are you and Madeline?" she asked.

His expression cleared, turning a touch nervous perhaps. "Well enough, I think. She… speaks her mind."

"Good." As she should. Madeline had a quiet and gentle nature, but Anais' mother nurtured an iron spine into both of them. Survival in the court demanded nothing less.

Her captain was fidgeting uncharacteristically with his blade. She raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I—ahem." He stared straight ahead. She clenched her jaw to keep her lips from curving in amusement.

"May I take an afternoon with her?" The words tumbled out of his mouth, then he went as still as a statue.

He may as well have asked to leave her service as an Escort. She took pity on him.

"Of course, Jerome. I don't need you by my side every day. Take a few days, I insist. You wouldn’t want to disappoint my best friend."

His eyes widened, then he frowned. He was a fixture at her side, only rarely absent for brief family visits and never for any other personal reasons. She wondered if he would actually protest the light command in her words.

"Thank you," he managed.

Good man. She thought she'd have to talk to Madeline about him for a moment there.

At least one thing was going to plan.