Rafe let out a disgusted sound and pushed his plate away from him. “Evonia thought this was not vital information to me?”

“Nor for me,” I said, trying to temper his anger, “she thought her reputation with her daughters to be enough to dissuade them.”

“She had to know that it would fade with her death. There is no reason for them not to attack at any moment now!”

I couldn't blame his bad mood. Though I wished not to think ill of the dead, I very sorely wanted a chance to demand Evonia explain herself.

“This is the worst possible scenario!” he continued, banging the table with his first for emphasis. “They know how, where, and have the power to cross the border. Plus they're in bed with the very people who wish to eradicate us from existence!”

“I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, I sincerely wish I had known about this long ago.”

Rafe let out an inhuman growl and leaned back in his chair, throwing his hands up in the air. “The worst part is the person to blame is already dead so I can't kill them for this foolishness.”

Mistra winced and leaned closer to her father. “Father, you should not say such things,” she harshly whispered to him.

“Why not? I am the one who gives the power and keeping this information from me was a betrayal! If not for Toria's promptness at informing me, I would be on the warpath with her as well.”

It was good to know that I had done the right thing, though this was not at all how I had imagined my first day as queen.

“Now Rafe, we both knew Evonia very well and... well, she was not very good at making choices sometimes,” Mari chimed in with her soothing voice. “I think it was not meant to put you in any danger, but she sincerely thought that the situation was handled. You, of all people, know the type of person she was and if she had ever truly thought that what she was doing would harm you, she would have told you right away”

“Yes,” he grumbled, “but this is such an egregious omission.”

“And no one is arguing with that,” she continued, “but the important part now is to work on what do to about it now that we do all know.”

“We need to raise an army and fast,” I offered. “I can't guarantee how fast the twins will move, though Mari has indicated that they have perhaps stepped up their plans.”

“House Drak will take care of the army,” he commanded, “it will raise too many suspicions for it to be done here. We also can't be too sure that there aren't human spies in the castle while they are very easy for us to detect in the demon realm.”

“Agreed, please let me know if there's any way I can be of assistance.”

He leaned forward, his face turning dark and more demon-like. “Ensure that information is never withheld from me again.” It was a foreboding command laced with unsaid threats.

“Of course,” I said with as much confidence as I could muster while slightly terrified, “I plan to never keep secrets from you.”

“See that it is so.”

With that, he stood up and nodded to the men that had come along with him. They unceremoniously marched out of the room and towards the dungeon where they could return to their own realm. I let out a long held breath and a nervous laugh.

“That went about as well as could be expected,” said Mistra. “No one died at least.”

“Yet,” I sighed.

“Oh don't be such a pessimist,” she said with a playful push of my shoulder. “Both you and my father need to remember that no one, not even those zealots will rush into a war involving magic. They never turn out well for anyone involved.”

“That still isn't comforting.”

Her eyes glittered with amusement. She didn't have to say anything to let me know that she thought I was being more whiny and less regal. I knew that she would make an effective consort.

“You're right,” I conceded, “we probably have time before they make a move. I just feel that I've been placed at an immense disadvantage and I just started the job.”

Mari nodded in agreement and let out a long sigh. “I'm sorry again, I had meant to warn you before, but once it was clear that Evonia was dieing everything else seemed too out of focus.”

I reached across the table and took her hand. Despite her calm demeanor, I could feel it trembling.

“I don't blame you,” I assured, “you had enough on your plate. Besides, you are an asset to this whole thing, you already have people watching their movement.”

“Yes, that's true.” She nodded and squeezed my hand. “They are not yet in a position to lead an attack. I think Rafe will calm down once he realizes that the most opportune times for an attack, the funeral and coronation, have passed, that they likely are not ready to launch an assault yet.”

That was also a weight off my mind. It was hard not to panic with a king spouting doom and gloom for all. I was hoping for at least a little time to relax and enjoy my newly acquired power.

“Let's forget about all of this tomorrow,” Mistra suggested, taking my hand in her own. “I know of a lovely spot in the countryside for a small picnic where you can look over your land. We can ride out there, spend the day in the calm, and let my father work on the hard part. He spends enough of his time doing a whole lot of nothing.”

I agreed with the plan. Certainly things could wait for one day. If everyday where like this then it wouldn't be long before I lost my mind. It certainly would have explained Evonia's carefree nature and aversion to talking about much serious.

“I will let Busby know that I will take a break from training tomorrow. I do not think he will care all that much.”

“Busby not caring?” Mari asked with a laugh. “Is he becoming senile in his old age? He would continuously work me until just before I considered turning my magic on him.”

“I think I am reaching the end of what he has to teach me,” I commented.

“At the end? Surely you cannot be there so soon, you are only twenty-years-old,” Mistra said with shock in her voice.

“It is what he said,” I replied with a shrug, “I guess he must not be very proficient with fire magic.”

Mari shook her head and let out a small laugh. “No, he is proficient in pretty much everything at this point. You're just a quick study, you always have been. You're very much like your grandmother and myself in that regard.”

“You completed training that soon?” Mistra asked Mari, still seeming confused as to how that would be possible.

“Of course, it has been a requirement to stay here in the house of Yser. Toria's mother and aunts are no longer here because they did not rise to the challenge.”

“I did not know that,” I exclaimed, “so my mother was not magically powerful?”

Mari pursed her lips together and gave a small shake of her head. “I would not say that she is not powerful, but she always had difficulty in manifesting her power. I believe she used to describe it as being able to feel what was possible, but being always held back from harnessing it. It was similar for the twins, they simply will never be nearly as powerful as any of us.”

“I can see why they were not allowed the throne,” Mistra mused, clarity returning to her face. “That would have be politically and practically dangerous to have less powerful women on the throne.”

“Are there really that many dangers?” I sighed.

“Not for those with a foreboding presence,” Mari answered. “Rulers that are feared are rarely tested.. Evonia established early that she was not one to be trifled with.”

“Perhaps that is what I should do, some show that will keep the twins at bay for at least a bit longer.”

“Then complete your training as soon as you can and let the word spread,” Mari suggested. “Just completing training with Busby is an impressive feat. I'm sure you have realized by now that his schedule is demanding and quite rigorous, only the best magic-wielders can finish with his training regiment.”

“Will news really travel that fast? I mean, it can take months to hear other kingdoms have been attacked depending on where they are.”

“You concern yourself too much with the details, Toria. I assure you that I possess the power to make sure everyone who need to know will know. There are ways to ensure communication is much more swift.” Mari gave me a knowing wink. “There's much more I can do than just throw up a glamour. You should start thinking like a monarch who can command others to worry for you.”

“I suppose it's hard for me to so soon think of myself in the same position as Evonia.”

Mari leaned forward, making intense eye contact with me. “Embrace it, revel in it.”