“Yes,” Arian said. “They said all the patterns in the palace are on the lowest floor, and there’s one in the courtyard, lightly incised into the stone. None in the cellars or pantries, none in the salle or in the entrance to the treasury and ossuary. They said they will have the reversal patterns painted in a few days.”

“Amrothlin’s coming back in two days,” Kieri said. “I hope I don’t have to listen to a single elf about anything tomorrow.”

Arian laughed. “Let us talk of other things, then.”

“Or not talk…” Kieri stroked her hair. “We have a child to invite, do we not?”

“We do.”

CHAPTER TEN

Arian woke one morning some ten days after Dorrin had left, aware of the taig’s intense regard. She felt perfectly healthy, in no need of the taig’s care, and wondered why she was feeling its interest so strongly. Then she realized the taig’s attention was not concern but a richly braided song of joy from tree and flower and every form of life outside the palace windows. Kieri still slept, but she could not sink back into sleep. Instead she rose and was half dressed when the sense of joy lifted in a dizzying cloud around her.

Delicately, she touched herself with taig sense and found two trembling sparks within. Healthy, yes—no shadow of the earlier poison. As she came into Kieri’s bedroom, he woke.

“You had a reason for rousing so early?” he said mildly enough.

“I did,” Arian said. “More than one, in fact. Two in particular, but also—”

“Two … in particular?” She had his attention, no doubt about it.

“Two.”

“Do you know yet what—”

“One of each.”

“You’re sure … of course you are. Let me—”

She came closer; he put his hand on her belly. She felt his attention, his hopes and fears, and then the joy as he knew for himself.

“Thank Falk and the High Lord and the Lady of Flowers,” Kieri said. He held her close. Arian nodded against his chest. “And you, my brave queen, so ready to risk again … we must be vigilant. We must not fail these children. Are you sure you wish to travel?”

“We still don’t know who sent the poison, how the iynisin knew about the pattern here,” Arian said. “So my going to Tsaia should be safer than staying.”

“I suppose.” Kieri had been increasingly reluctant to send her.

“I know I will want to be two places at once.” She twined her fingers in his beard and changed the subject. “I wonder how many of the supposedly powerless magelords still have their talent.”

“It would be best not to find any more in the royal family,” Kieri said, shaking his head. “I’m serious about that: we need stability on our western border, and if the government falls apart…”