Blood Runner: Book Three of the Empress Saga

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Enfri teetered on her step stool as she fished her hand among a high-hanging pot of feverbane. A sprig of that along with the bergamot-cured tea leaves would be just the thing for the cold she felt sneaking up on her.

"Don't you have servants for that sort of thing?" Krayson asked.

Winds and storms. Not the most personable man I've met, not by a league. The blustering stump is as crotchety as Goodman Wainwright.

Enfri had to bite her tongue to keep a sharp retort from flying out to sever Krayson's head. It took a good deal of effort, but she managed to keep up the kindly bedside facade of a sky woman. "I surely do, but an army camp is no place for maids."

"It's not normal for a royal to travel without at least a dozen attendants."

This time, Enfri couldn't stop herself. "Liar. You came here with two who didn't."

"Algaras aren't normal."

Enfri hummed. "You have me there. But no, you've no idea how glad I am to be away from my estate. Every morning, the maids would bring my tea, so I'd get up earlier to make it myself. Then they'd come even sooner with my tea. It became a blustering contest of a sort until I'd have needed to brew it the night before if I wanted to do it myself."

Krayson gave a short, mirthless laugh. "From what I understand of servants, they took your making it before they arrived as chastisement for not being there sooner."

"Winds, you think so?" She hopped down from the step stool and tossed her sprig of feverbane into the tea kettle. "I tried to make myself clear. Hana seemed to ignore half the things I said."

"Hana?"

"My... err... what would you call that? My house steward." Enfri affected a shiver. "You know, I still get correspondence from Mistress Hana daily, asking me to allow her to send maids and butlers to join us here. I have the sneaking suspicion she'll do it anyway."

Krayson's tone went flat. "How awful."

She glared at him from over her shoulder. "One doesn't meddle with a herbalist's tea, Brother Joshuan."

You are a coward, girl!

Enfri winced at Shoen's sudden shout inside her head.

This keeper offers you power— more than you can imagine— and you must take it. If you do not, you deserve nothing less than to be made a slave by your rival. She would not hesitate, because she is not a fool.

I made my decision, Enfri thought back. I don't want it and not you or anyone can make my decisions for me.

The emperors and empresses of the past seethed. Their voices overlapped one another, each fighting to be heard over the others.

Take it! This is too great an opportunity. Do not fail us. What do you gain by refusing? Allowing a keeper to ascend with a bloodsong is lunacy. Can you not feel its power? Stay strong, Enfri. You would have no equal. Don't be a fool. Make it yours. If not you, then it may go to a rival. Take it before your enemies do. You are too weak. Become powerful! Insipid girl.

Krayson narrowed his eyes, studying Enfri's face. For a moment, she wondered if the voices were shouting loud enough for him to overhear. Enfri coughed and rubbed at her forehead as if working through a sudden headache, doing her best to fight off the assault on her mind without making her predicament obvious.

"Are you well, Majesty?"

Enfri blinked hard. Wrenching her thoughts away wasn't working as well as in the past. It still hurt but gave no relief. She made herself nod. "Tension headaches. It's been something of a long day."