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Nemesia

The people of Thayaria are known to be powerful plant channelers. While the ability exists outside of Thayaria, nowhere else has such a large population, and most of the notable plant channelers throughout history have been Thayarian. Magical historians and philosophers alike agree that Thayarians’ affinity for plant channeling stems from the numerous leylines that cover the kingdom. Plant channelers are best known for their ability to coax the landscape to their will, though their control over the plants around them take many by surprise as they find themselves ensnared in a trap of vines.

A Brief History of Modern Thayaria

“What the hell are you doing?” Laurel asks sharply once we’re secluded. “I will not allow that bastard’s son into my kingdom!” The room practically shakes with her power.

“El, listen to me,” I say with my calmest voice, attempting to deescalate the situation before she blasts me with her power. “We can gain access to the archives, can ask for better thayar prices. You don’t even have to interact with the Prince, just relegate him to the Council and give him busy work.”

“And who would we even send?” Laurel spits out. She’s lethal. I’ve never seen her this angry, especially not with me. I pause, knowing what her reaction will be when I reveal the plan I came up with the moment Mazus threw out this insane proposal.

“Me.” I keep my eyes locked on Laurel’s. She physically convulses for just a moment, so quick that few would catch it. Then she locks down her emotions in the vault she’s too practiced at using. The Queen emerges, and she dons a mask of cool indifference that I hate seeing. “I know you don’t trust him. I don’t trust him either. I know this is some farce and that we haven’t yet determined the game he’s playing. But we have to put our best pieces on the board and play the game. And I’m our best piece,” I say, squaring my shoulders and keeping my eyes on hers. “If he agrees to give me access to the archives, I might finally find information that can help us.”

“You know as well as I that he’ll hide any books that are of relevance to us,” she says dryly.

“I know he will try, ” I respond, confidence in my voice. “But I’m capable of finding information in the most irrelevant of books. I see what others don’t see. I can find information in those archives that no one else can. And I’ll come home at the tiniest whisper of trouble.” I sense Laurel becoming more open to the idea, the mask of Queen receding, so I press on. “I’m out of ideas, El.” My voice wavers. “I have no more experiments to try, or books to read, or elder fae to talk to. The flowers are declining, and we don’t know why or what impact it will have on the kingdom. Admon and I both tried finding answers here from the other advisors, and that was a dead end. Even if this is another one, we must try. There could be real answers in Velmara.” I lock my eyes on hers, pleading with unspoken words. She looks away.

“Admon, what do you think?” she asks the elder fae. He frowns, the deep lines on his face shifting with the movement.

“I’ve known both of you all your lives,” he says thoughtfully, kind and wise eyes darting between the two of us. “I was there the day you were born, Laurel. I was the one who received the missive that the Valley of Moormyr had bloomed under the blood moon. I delivered that news to your parents and watched them connect it to the prophecy and realize the implications. I’ve seen you both shoulder more than your fair share of tragedy and trauma. You’ve matured gracefully under immense pressure.” My throat aches with tears I don’t dare shed. I glance at Laurel. She must feel the same, though she would never show it, even better than I at concealing her emotions. “So I also know,” Admon continues, “what it will cost the two of you to be separated. But I do believe Nemesia is the best person to send. She knows every book in our own archives back to front and is smart enough to make connections where others may not. She can also protect herself with her magic if it comes to it.”

Laurel’s resolve falters, eyes softening and brow unfurrowing. Laurel’s a good Queen. She’s a fair and honest ruler, who truly listens to the advice of her counselors. She may put up her own wall of mist between herself and the world, but underneath she’s just as beautiful and lush as Thayaria.

Laurel sighs. “I’m wary of Mazus’s true motivations. He’s up to something. This is not some altruistic gesture…”

“El, we know—” I start to protest, but she cuts me off.

“But I see the sense in sending Nemesia to Velmara,” she says, finally meeting my eyes with a look of open vulnerability. Relief courses through me. “We should ask Mazus to agree to pay more for Velmara’s imports of thayar,” Laurel continues. “We know that our supply is going to decrease soon. With decreased supply, we’ll have no choice but to raise prices to keep our revenue stable. That could signal to the other rulers that something’s amiss. If Mazus pays more now, it will cover the shortfall in revenue and keep our secret longer.”

I’m delighted but not surprised by Laurel’s line of thinking.

“If Mazus knows about the declining thayar already,” I add, following Laurel’s logic, “he’ll have to agree to this, because he knows that prices will go up inevitably once our supply runs low. His kingdom relies so heavily on thayar imports for their trade across the Nivan Desert, he can’t afford to let Thayaria send future limited supplies to the highest bidder. This lets him secure the flower and might tell us what information he has.”

Admon sits thoughtfully, looking between the two of us. “It’s a good plan. If Mazus agrees readily, we’ll also know how desperate he is to send his son to Thayaria. We won’t know why, but we’ll have more information regarding his intentions.”

Mazus and his decrepit advisors whisper in a corner as we enter the chambers, returning to their seats when they spot us. Mazus gazes coldly at Laurel, then asks, “So, what have you decided to ask for? I confess we’re not eager to make the first move. We’ve agreed to give you access to the archives. That feels sufficient to us.”

Laurel stands, every inch the powerful and confident Queen I’ve seen her become over the last three hundred years, so different from the female I had to peel from the ground during the Battle of Moormyr. Her shoulders are set, back straight, eyes hard with resolve. She gives Mazus a haughty look that scares even me, so unused to this version of her.

“Let me remind you that you are the one who seeks this arrangement,” she says, and the room quivers. “I am perfectly content to leave things as they are. Nevertheless, in addition to access to the archives, should you wish to burden me with your incompetent and imprudent son, you’re going to have to pay me for it. I want a thirty percent increase on the export tax you pay for thayar flowers. In exchange, Thayaria will source our grain exclusively from Velmara.”

The room erupts in chaos once again. Lobelia hisses while Mazus’s advisors look aghast, hands raised in outrage. It’s a smart plan, though I’m unsurprised at her expert political maneuvering. The Council of Advisors fights every time about who to send with Laurel to the Forum of Royals, but the reality is she doesn’t need anyone to accompany her. She’s fully capable of running her kingdom and negotiating with the other leaders. She’s the only one who doesn’t see the fearsome and capable ruler she’s become.

Mazus and Laurel stare one another down. I practically hold my breath, waiting for Mazus’s response. He raises a single hand, and the room quiets. “You have a deal, Queen Laurel,” Mazus says, eyes bright. I let out an inaudible sigh, tension leaving my body, while Mazus’s advisors suck in a breath. Laurel only grins.

“And what about Delsar?” Lobelia asks, though not with the anger I would have expected from her.

“You can still purchase thayar from us at the same quantity of prior years, and I’ll reduce the export tax by fifteen percent,” Laurel responds. Lobelia only nods, and I can’t understand why she isn’t more upset at this turn of events.

Despite my confusion, I nearly laugh at Laurel’s brilliance. She’s played the game well. The arrangement secures Thayaria grain without increasing thayar shipments by a single stem. We’ll make more coin on the shipments we do produce, a resource we’ll desperately need in the future if I don’t uncover a way to stop the declining magic. Plus, it gets us out of the agreement with Lobelia that we absolutely would not have been able to honor, while covering the real reason for us agreeing to trade with Velmara after three hundred years of embargo.

Laurel remains stoic, staring Mazus down with a self-satisfied smirk. Mazus sneers at her in return, the two of them locked in a battle of silent wills. The tension coils in the room, and once again the Delsar Queen has to step in to cut the tension. The room practically takes an audible breath in at the release.

“While I’m disappointed to have lost the trade agreement to Velmara, I for one am happy to see Thayaria and Velmara taking steps to become what they once were—allies,” Queen Lobelia says. Something prickles at the back of my mind at her use of the word, but I shove it aside for another time, too relieved and thrilled with the outcome of events to worry about anything else right now.

After the Forum concludes, Laurel and I sit in her suite together in comfortable silence. I prepare a generous pour of red wine for her, and an even more generous pour of whiskey for myself, handing her the glass before taking my seat on a sofa next to her.

“So,” I say, “I’m going to Velmara.” The enormity of what I’m about to do hits me, but I push down my reservations.

“You’re going to Velmara,” she repeats. “I’m not sure I’m prepared to rule Thayaria without you. We haven’t even discussed what to do about the Sons and Daughters of Thayaria.” She rubs her hands across her face. Laurel looks exhausted and worn down. Her always-on composure and control make it easy to overlook the pressure she puts on herself to be the perfect leader. Glassy eyes stare back at me. She likely hasn’t slept well in weeks.

“I’ve already spoken with Admon and given him direction for the Sons and Daughters, though I didn’t tell him about the mole,” I tell her gently, hoping to ease her concerns. “I counseled him to have the advisors spread whispers telling the truth of this arrangement—that I’m going to Velmara to seek answers about the thayar and that we are dipping a toe in the water of reconciliation with Velmara. I also instructed him to mention we’ll be getting increased revenues for our exports. This should quell their recruitment efforts and take away the full power of their narrative.” Guilt and shame at not being able to stop the rebel attacks before leaving for Velmara churn within me.

“Who are you going to take with you?” she asks me, and I once again hesitate to tell her my plans, knowing how she’ll feel about them.

“Well…” I start slowly. I take a deep breath, steeling myself. “I think I should go alone.”

“Absolutely not.” Laurel’s expression leaves no room for argument. I groan.

“El, you’ve got to stop saying no to everything that puts me at the slightest amount of risk.”

“I don’t, actually. I get to do whatever I want, and what I want is to keep you, my sister in every way that counts, safe. And this isn’t a slight amount of risk. Going alone to Velmara is insanity. Surely you know that.”

“Of course I know the risk. I’ve been through everything you have,” I snap, unable to keep the frustration from my voice. I immediately regret it when I see Laurel’s face shutter. Sighing, I rub a hand across the back of my neck. “I only mean, I’m just as aware as you are of what I’m walking into. And I’ve weighed the benefits and risks. Trust that I wouldn’t put myself in danger unless I had a good reason.”

Her bright green eyes search mine. “And what is this good reason?”

“There are several. First, if I go alone, Mazus will underestimate me. You know how fucked up his views are about females. It will be easier for me to fly under the radar if there isn’t an entire Thayarian entourage with me. Second, there are very few individuals I would trust enough to bring with me, and I need all of them to stay with you. You’ll have Velmarans snooping around your court, not to mention the rising tensions with the rebellion. I want every possible advisor and guard with you.” Laurel rolls her eyes and tries to protest, but I interrupt her and keep going. “Third, if it’s just me, it’s a lot easier to get out if things go south. If I bring multiple people with me, I’ll feel responsible for their safety, and I can’t guarantee it. I won’t put others at risk.” I stare her down, hoping my gaze expresses what I cannot say. The wounds of the war have not healed for me. My own guilt at leading thousands of soldiers to their deaths still haunts me. The idea of taking even a single other person with me who might be killed because of me ignites a grief I cannot bear.

She sighs. “Are you absolutely certain this is what you want? Of course I trust you. You know you can do whatever you want after I protest a little first.” We both chuckle. “I just want you to be safe.”

I squeeze her hand. “I’m sure. I’ll be safe, and it’ll be easier to get out alone. Like I said, I promise to come home at the first sign of trouble.”

She takes a long sip of her wine and sighs. “Fine. What else do we need to sort out before you leave?”

“Carex can take over my spy network, loath as I am to give him that role.” Laurel smiles knowingly. “If my spies uncover any of the rebel plans, they’ll report it. But… we haven’t been able to infiltrate them so far.”

“You should be nicer to Carex. He means well,” Laurel says, and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

“Despite what you may think, I am capable of putting my feelings for him aside when making decisions about the kingdom. As the Captain of the Royal Guard, he’s the right choice as my replacement for our intelligence efforts. Plus, he’s so in love with you he’ll do anything to keep you safe.”

Laurel snorts and rolls her eyes. “We can agree to disagree on that front. He was the one who decided we weren’t right for each other. But you’ve covered everything, as usual. I’ll have to hope I can find something to stop the rebels while you’re gone.”

“You should stay on alert,” I warn. “Things could change with the rebels at any moment. They may be attacking small villages now, but they could easily escalate to larger targets, even the palace. Be careful who you discuss any plans with while I’m gone. The mole is of more concern to me than the rebels. Don’t tell anyone of our suspicions.”

Laurel nods in agreement. “So… how excited are you really to read all those books?” she asks with a genuine grin, changing the somber mood in an instant.

I laugh. “Truly, I think I might squeal when they first bring me to the archives. Other than this trip, it’s been a long time since I’ve left Thayaria, so I can’t help but be a little excited to see something new too.” Laurel winces, so quickly most wouldn’t catch the small movement, but I do. I know she feels enormous guilt for the mist, though I still don’t understand why she won’t drop it. It’s the one subject she won’t discuss with me. There’s more to her unwillingness than a fear of the outside world, but I haven’t discovered it yet. I quickly change the subject to ease her pain. “To see another kingdom’s history and research is amazing, but to see Velmara’s… it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Even if I’ll have to occasionally interact with Mazus the Moldy.”

She scrunches her nose, then bursts out with a deep belly laugh. “I forgot we used to call him that,” she says through her heaving laughter. “If he gets too pompous, just drop that little moniker and then put up the strongest plant defenses you can muster.” Grinning, my heart swells with happiness to see her laughing. She doesn’t do it nearly enough, if at all, anymore. It’s also a relief to discuss Mazus in such lighthearted terms for once.

“I’m going to Velmara to cozy up to old Mazus the Moldy, and you’re going to meet the Shining Prince. I hear he’s extremely handsome.” I give her a wink.

Laurel snorts. “I hear there isn’t much more to him than that. They say he spends his days drunk, wooing women only to abandon them the next day. Gambling his father’s fortune and then finding the closest brothel to bed into at night. But I’ve also heard he has light channeling abilities that eclipse even the King’s powers. I can assure you I don’t intend to take much notice of whether he’s handsome or not. I don’t intend to take much notice of him at all. He’s the son of the worst male we’ve ever known and is almost certainly being sent to spy on me.”

I consider her words, my own suspicions about Mazus’s motivations resurfacing. “I’m not convinced he’s being sent to spy, actually. It seems too obvious. Mazus wouldn’t be so straightforward, though I also think he believes us incapable of determining his real plans with our tiny female brains or whatever it is he thinks makes females so inferior.”

She chuckles, though it’s more reserved than her earlier laughter. “Why do you think he’s sending his son?”

I shake my head in confusion and let out a heavy breath. “It’s almost like—like he wants the two of you to meet for some reason. Or maybe he wants his son out of the way in Velmara. Maybe both. I haven’t worked it out yet, but those are my two leading theories.”

Her eyes narrow as she falls deep in thought. “You may be on to something. Either way, I don’t plan to meet him at all. I’ll let the Council handle him entirely, like you suggested. He can stay in his chambers, meet with the Council, and gallivant around the city. Arberly has plenty of pubs for him to drink in and find whatever willing females he wants to take to his bed. He’ll report back to Mazus only what he can glean from those meaningless interactions.”

“You really think you can get away with never meeting with him?” I ask, and she shrugs.

“It’s worth trying, especially if Mazus has some secret reason for wanting us to meet.”

I consider her plan. “You’re the Queen, and he’ll be in the kingdom of his enemy. A kingdom that none can reach without your consent. I think you can do whatever the hell you want with him. It’s a good plan.” She breaks into a smirk.

“And if he finds out more than he should? If he somehow sees something that puts Thayaria at risk, or discovers the declining thayar? What should I do then?” she asks.

“You should kill him.”