His tone was light, but I could tell that, also like Jasmine, he was uncertain of what had become of my pregnancy and was hesitant to presume.

“That’s because I left my children behind,” I said. I kept my words light too, but their meaning left an ache inside me. “They were born about a month ago and are doing well.”

Shaya looked awestruck. “Truly? They’re thriving after being born that early?” She shook her head in amazement. “Human medicine,” was all she said on the matter. From the moment I’d met her, she’d been very outspoken about humans “twisting technology,” but I think this had made her reconsider the benefits. Probably not enough to handle hearing about my C-section and the NICU, though.

Her awe soon gave way to joy. She embraced me, and even Rurik did too. Dorian and Pagiel didn’t, both keeping their distance for entirely different reasons. Once the welcomes were done and we were all seated, Rurik leaned back and sighed with satisfaction.

“Well, then,” he said. “Now that you’re back, we can get rid of this blight.”

There it was again. I grimaced. “Why does everyone think I can fix things?”

“You’re Storm King’s daughter,” he replied. “The weather obeys you.”

“Not this weather,” I said. “I mean, the little parts, yeah, but all of it? It’s an enchantment that’s bigger than just a weather pattern. It’s permeated the core of the land ... corrupted it.”

Dorian nodded. “I know exactly what you mean. And I suspected as much—that your formidable capabilities wouldn’t be enough to break this.”

Rurik seemed undaunted. “Even if it’s not a matter of controlling the weather, can’t all of you just ... I don’t know ... band together and break the spell?”

I glanced to Dorian for this answer. Roland had hinted that something like what Rurik was suggesting had already been attempted. “Several of us monarchs tried to unite our powers and break through,” Dorian confirmed. “It was ineffectual, and I didn’t get the feeling that we were close—like if we had one more person, we could have managed it. This enchantment is going to require something more, I’m afraid.”

“Maiwenn helped you,” I said, trying not to sound accusing.

He shrugged. “What is it humans say? ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’ Right now, the blight is everyone’s enemy. Maiwenn wants to end it as badly as we do, and she’s a force that shouldn’t be easily dismissed.”

“She plotted to have me and my children killed!”

“Yes,” Dorian said. “I can see where that would bother you.”

I arched an eyebrow at that. “Bother” was kind of a mild way to put it.

Shaya’s face had initially reflected Rurik’s enthusiasm, but now she’d grown grave. “We have to do something. We can’t go on like this.”