A good outcome. She rode back to the palace beside a baron’s wife, a tall angular redhead. “Did you have weapons training as a girl?” the woman asked.

“No, I grew up on a farm,” Arian said. “Lyonyans are mostly Falkian, and Falkians do not train as young as you Girdish. I may suggest it when I return.”

“Which of your parents was an elf?”

“My father was an elf,” Arian said. “My mother wasn’t. My mother died years ago; my father died recently, trying to protect the Lady of the Ladysforest.”

The woman looked confused but then asked, “Are all the Lyonyan forest rangers knights?”

“By no means. My father paid my fees to attend Falk’s Hall, where Knights of Falk train. That, in fact, is where I learned most of my weapons skills, that and in my years as a ranger. I’m a better archer than fencer: archery is the main weapon of Lyonyan rangers.”

“I have used a crossbow,” the woman said. “But that’s not the same, is it?”

“No,” Arian said. “I don’t have my bow with me on this trip or I would show you.”

“I’m from the northwest,” the woman said. “Not so far from where Paksenarrion the paladin came from. We raise sheep, mostly.” After a pause, she said, “You’re not what I expected. Or most of us, I imagine. I was thinking half-elf, queen, she’ll be haughty and hardly speak to us, but you’re not like that.”

“I should hope not,” Arian said, laughing.

“Does your husband—the king—mind that you’re half-elf?”

“Hardly. He’s half-elven, too,” Arian said. Surely the woman knew that. But it turned out this was only her second visit to Vérella and she had no real friends at court.

“It’s a small domain,” the woman said as they came into the city. “But I wanted to see you—” She grinned suddenly, and her face no longer looked bony and plain. “And I have. I’ve been to Vérella and heard the bells and met the king and a half-elf queen from a distant land … I’ll never feel trapped again.”

“You could visit us,” Arian heard herself say. She had not meant to invite any of them.

“Oh, no. I could never be away so long. Once in a lifetime is enough for the likes of me. And I love our hills and streams. You understand; you grew up on a farm. I miss it in the city. But I thank you, Queen Arian, indeed I do.”

“You’re very welcome,” Arian said.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Fintha

Bad news.”

Marshal-General Arianya looked up. Marshal Kerivan held out a message tube.

“I’ve read this, Marshal-General. There’s been a child found not a day’s ride from here with magery—undeniable magery.”

“And?”