But of course Silence would do that.

Elpis had a daughter-in-law who was proper, respectful and did not endeavor to bewitch her son with her charms and then turn him against his mother.

Elpis pinned Mercy with her eyes. “And I’m glad for some entertainment arranged by my queen.”

Her point was not veiled.

Mercy hadn’t exactly been spending her days regaling the Relict Queen Elpis of Firenze with amusements.

But Mercy did not care about that either.

She had a great deal to do, and it wasn’t all planning a wedding. She didn’t have time to entertain a guest she did not invite to the castle.

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy that greatly,” she said.

“I’m sure I will,” Elpis murmured, rising gracefully from her chair. She dipped her chin to Melisse as she moved across the room. “Always a pleasure.” Her gaze came to Mercy and she simply said, “Mercy,” as her farewell.

Gods.

The Firenz.

She would be happy when this was all over, and she only had one of them to deal with.

Elpis wasn’t two steps out of the room before Melisse spoke.

“Have you seen G’Seph?”

“No,” Mercy answered.

“Curious,” Melisse said quietly.

Hardly.

“When those priests are in the city, they like to go to their temples,” Mercy informed her.

And they did.

To collect their tithes to take to Go’Doan.

“Hmm,” Melisse hummed while rising. “Your Grace, I’m sorry to say I shall need to leave you as well.”

Mercy nodded.

Melisse then moved closer to Mercy, not the door, and she felt her brows draw together as the woman did so.

“You have,” she said quietly, “singlehandedly, for years, kept this realm safe from rack and ruin.”

Mercy stared up at her in shock.

Melisse carried on, “It is not only a shame, it is shameful that your subtle, brave, intelligent, quiet, but in times heroic efforts will not be recorded. In generations to come, no one will know who held Wodell safe for the reign of King True. Alas, this has been the lot of many women throughout history.”

Mercy found she was having difficulty with her breathing, considering it had escalated alarmingly.

“But regardless of that, you must know you leave a legacy. A legacy of a kingdom that is whole, if not thriving as it should, to your son.” Her voice dipped. “And you have left a son who will make it thrive.”

Mercy said not a word as she concentrated on regulating her breath.

And concentrating on every syllable from Melisse’s lips.

No one, not a single soul, had remarked on what she had done.