Chapter Seven

Unexpected Honor

~*~

Kazia sat at a worktable in her laboratory, painstakingly drawing a diagram of the rescued Artifact before her. When she finished, she would dismantle the machine for a thorough cleaning, and her schematic would allow her to reassemble it afterward.

“Mistress!” Neiphi shouted, barreling into the room with Amelys coming behind her. “The Queen is coming!”

“Here?” Kazia said, rising from her seat.

“Let's go into the sitting room,” Amelys said, opening the door and waving frantically to her.

Kazia followed Amelys into the sitting room where they stood, waiting, while Neiphi stayed behind at the office door until a knock came.

Neiphi opened it and showed Queen Inaissa and Princess Nyssith the way through, the two young girls exchanging smiles and excited waves before resuming formal postures.

Kazia gave a deep curtsy as the Queen entered.

“Your Majesty, welcome,” she said. “To what do I owe this unexpected honor?”

“Let's all sit,” Inaissa said. “Everyone, please, be at ease. Lady Devratha, near to me here, please.”

She and her daughter were both dressed quite casually and as Nyssith took a seat on the settee beside Neiphi, both girls kicked off their shoes and tucked their feet under themselves.

“Can I offer you anything, Your Majesty?” Kazia asked.

“No, no,” Inaissa answered. “I won't take too much of your time.”

Kazia settled into the chair next to the one the Queen had chosen.

“My first order of business is this,” Inaissa said, handing Kazia a small velvet pouch.

Kazia opened it and drew out her mother's peacock comb, in perfect condition.

“One of the sapphires was lost, here in the last tail feather,” Inaissa pointed, “but we put a new one in. Does it look as it should?”

“Oh, Your Majesty,” Kazia whispered. “I don't know if I'll be able to repay-”

“Nonsense,” Inaissa said. “It is a gift. To thank you for services rendered to the Crown.”

Kazia considered what the Queen had said.

“I'm not certain that I'm helpful enough,” she said. “Others are sacrificing so much. I'm just here... tinkering with the machines. Hiding, if I'm honest.”

“These Artifacts have been of utmost value to our efforts,” Inaissa assured her, “and we wouldn't have them working if not for you. Which brings me to my second order of business.

We have already gleaned valuable information through Lord Meratha's efforts. First, it appears that you were correct in your assessment of your father's ambitions. It sounds as if he plots to eventually overthrow Halany.”

Kazia nodded. “That sounds like Gorvan.”

“This is good information. We know then where a fissure lies in Halany's ranks. It can be used against him. But moreover, Lady Devratha, it seems that your father plans an attempt to recover you soon. I would ask that you not leave the castle again for the foreseeable future.”

“I won't,” Kazia agreed. “The others can finish at the University and bring me the Artifacts here.”

“Lady Kazia,” Inaissa began judiciously, “it might be helpful if we knew more about why Gorvan is so determined to retrieve you. Forgive me if I speak out of turn, but from what I know of the man it wouldn't be out of fatherly love.”

“No, indeed,” Kazia answered, “but... Neiphi, with Her Majesty's permission of course, would you like to give Princess Nyssith a tour of the laboratory? Just... stay out of anything dangerous. Perhaps show her the orrery, that sort of thing?”

“Splendid,” Inaissa said. “Go on, Nyssith. Only as far as the laboratory though.”

They all waited until the girls were gone to continue their conversation.

“Gorvan invested years in training me to become an intelligence operative,” Kazia began. “All Valeskan children are trained in martial skills, and I was given an education in Alchemy, yes, but also trained in espionage techniques. Assassination methods. Interrogation resistance...”

Kazia paused and took several shuddering breaths. Her hands began to shake.

“Gorvan's methods were... unkind.”

“Brutal,” Amelys interjected. “Abusive. There's no need to understate in regard to that monster.”

Inaissa grasped Kazia's shaking hand, much to her surprise.

“It's a frustration to Gorvan that none of his children have inherited his instinct for cruelty. My brother has the reputation of a weak-willed and somewhat useless playboy, although I now think that's a ruse he puts on to prevent Gorvan from asking too much of him. I was never weak-willed, but I used my will to resist him. It only ever made him redouble his efforts.”

“Surely he has spies aplenty, though,” Inaissa said. “Why go to such lengths to bring you into his control?”

Kazia looked at Amelys, who seemed lost in thought. Finally, Amelys met Kazia's gaze and nodded. Kazia took a deep breath.

“Your Majesty, I hope that you can forgive me, and forgive Mistress Amelys, for keeping the full truth from you until now. I assure you that it was done only for my safety. But I suppose the time for hiding is drawing to an end.”

~~~*~~~