They walked for a short distance so they could speak privately, and Regina hoped she wasn’t the only one to find this awkward. It probably had something to do with the circumstances of her last meeting with Gwen Cern, if you could call it that.

If the Delver harbored any resentment about how it had gone, or because Regina had basically kicked them out of her territory afterward, she didn’t show it. Of course, they had probably averted a major disaster by working together, so there was that.

Finally, the small group reached an open area outside of the camp the humans had put up, where they shouldn’t be overheard as long as they stayed reasonably quiet.

“You wanted to talk,” Regina began, turning to face Gwen and raising an eyebrow.

“Indeed,” she answered, nodding her head. “I assume you have gathered that I am not just here on my own behalf?”

“I assumed so, yes. You do seem like the sort the Delvers would send to talk to me. Or to the Cernlian rebels, at least. If you’ll pardon a frank question, what’s your relation to John Cern?”

The woman’s eyes hardened slightly at the reference. “He’s my cousin,” she replied. “Please don’t hold whatever bad impression he gave you against me. We haven’t spoken in quite some time. He doesn’t approve of my choices. And I don’t approve of his attitude.”

Regina smiled a little despite herself. “Of course,” she agreed.

“That said,” Gwen hesitated for a moment before she continued, “my family name is what it is. As you’ve surmised, I am the obvious choice for this among my comrades. The marquis and his coterie were quite happy to host me for a short visit.”

“They probably hope that your organization will give them its support,” Regina guessed. “Is that what’s going to happen?”

Gwen shrugged. “Perhaps, but I doubt it will happen in the current situation. To tell the truth, I’m not really here for them.”

Regina crossed her arms and glanced at the tents before she turned her full attention back to her. “I assume the Delvers want something from me, then.”

“I wouldn’t put it quite like that, Your Majesty,” she responded, looking hesitant.

“That’s fine. I did promise you a few minutes of my time, and I will hear you out.”

Gwen nodded. “To start, we had to leave rather precipitously after the events of our last meeting. Have there been any problems with said location? Any indication of trouble, or any further changes?”

“Nothing,” Max replied, entering the conversation for the first time. “The tunnels are as silent as always.”

“Good, that’s good. If you do learn of anything suspicious, please don’t hesitate to contact us for aid.” Gwen smiled wryly. “I realize we don’t have the best reputation, but we Delvers really are experts when it comes to dealing with such phenomena.”

Regina privately doubted the Delvers were really experts on phenomena like what had happened with Galatea, or even the old base underground, but she still nodded. She wasn’t going to dismiss an offer of help for no good reason.

Regina started and barely kept herself from showing a more visible reaction as a hot sting went through her, originating from the psychic link. It took her a moment to realize what had happened. The fight at the edges of their main base had turned heated, and she’d just felt a large unit of War Drones dying to a magical bombardment.

Max took a step closer protectively, raising a hand, before she sent him a sharp mental no and he stopped.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Regina said blandly, trying to distract from her moment of distraction.

Gwen cocked her head slightly, watching her, before she gave a nod and continued. “Of course, the main matter of interest to my organization is your Hive’s rapid growth, as I’m sure you can imagine.”

“Certainly,” Regina answered. “I suppose I shouldn’t ask how you know about it.”

Meanwhile, the outer layer of mines had almost all exploded, taking a lot of gnomish soldiers with them. Some were floating a few centimeters in the air, copying the trick she’d seen before, but the gnomes clearly couldn’t do the same for all of them. A large flock of Winged Drones wheeled around and started a bombardment run, causing one of the magic shields stretched over a large unit of soldiers to buckle and fail under the hail of rocks and explosives. Then a small horde of War Drones emerged from the ground, coming from a hidden tunnel, and threw themselves into the breach, capitalizing on the opening. Regina felt further deaths, but she focused her attention on the present.

“Something like this is not easily hidden,” Gwen was saying. “And to be frank, you did not seem to attempt to do so. Of course, given your war against the gnomes, it is rather inevitable.”

“And how do the Delvers view this war?” Regina asked.

Gwen shrugged again. “Gnomes may have been some of the people we were on best terms with, but they were still … not human. Besides, it seems rather obvious this conflict is entirely their fault. I do not think most of my comrades want to see them triumphant.”

“Which doesn’t mean they want us to win,” Regina pointed out.

“True, there is a difference between these things,” Gwen acknowledged. She paused for a moment, then shook her head. “Anyhow, we have been watching these developments with some interest, for reasons I am sure you can understand, Your Majesty. You have my congratulations on your victories, by the way. And this interest has only increased since you seem to have struck up an alliance with elementals.”

Regina frowned. “You’re well-informed.”

Gwen nodded and remained silent for a while. “Elementals are unable to level up,” she finally said.

“And how do you know this?”

“About the same way you came to know, I suppose,” she said with a small smile. “One of our members talked to an elemental some time ago and learned of it.” She glanced at Janis, then back at Regina. “Interestingly, since elementals cannot gain Experience using the System the normal way, they generally seem to focus on acquiring skill and prowess by other means. It makes them rather formidable opponents. It also means they value new knowledge.”

Regina hmm’d in acknowledgment. She was watching the battle with part of her attention, which was still fought furiously. Both her Swarm and the gnomes were taking heavy losses. The gnomes were inching closer to the base, but still a long way off, and they wouldn’t even reach the inner ring at this rate.

“So, upon reflection, this development is not very surprising,” Gwen continued.

Regina sighed. “Pardon the blunt question, but is this going somewhere, or do you just want to sound me out?”

There was a spark of irritation in Gwen’s eyes now, or so Regina thought, at least, but it faded quickly. Instead, the young woman smiled sardonically. “Please don’t blame me for being cautious. Many of my fellows are unsure what to make of you, or how to react. I have to admit I cherish some reservations of my own. Probing your attitude is only natural.”

Regina only raised an eyebrow and gave her a look.

Gwen took the invitation to continue, and dropped into another bow. “We would be honored if you were to visit us, Your Majesty.”

Regina just stared at her for a moment. She had to admit she hadn’t expected her to say that. “I don’t even know where your base is,” she finally said.

“We have several, though our headquarters in this part of the continent is to the northwest of here, in the town of Resurgence. That’s on the border of the Earldom of Nijnen.”

“Then this is probably meaningless, since I couldn’t exactly go there right now,” she pointed out.

“Perhaps not right now,” Gwen agreed. “But with your forces helping the rebels to push the king’s forces back, it may be open to you soon.”

Regina frowned. “I am afraid that practical considerations make it impossible for me to entertain your offer for now, regardless of my inclination.”

That was, hopefully, the safe answer, neither a confirmation nor an outright rejection. Regina didn’t know what answer she should give otherwise. Her last invitation to visit people she wasn’t already allied to hadn’t exactly turned out very well. On the other hand, she still hoped she could use the Delvers. She’d need to consider the idea of visiting them. Max would scream bloody murder, of course, but it might be worth thinking about. As long as she didn’t have to worry about being attacked by both Cernlia and the Delvers, at least.

“I understand, of course,” Gwen answered. “I will convey your response to my superiors. We hope we may see you as circumstances permit at some point in the future.”

“Good,” Regina said. “If that’s all? I should speak to the marquis and perhaps others again.”

“Of course.” The Delver inclined her head. “I won’t keep you.”

Regina nodded and turned to go back. Gwen looked hesitant, like there was something else she wanted to say. She accompanied Regina for a few steps in silence, walking back to the camp, before she spoke again.

“I have one question.” Her fingers tightened on her instrument. “Are you a former human?”

Regina kept walking and stayed silent for a second. She ignored any reaction from her drones. Then she turned her head to look at Gwen.

“What do you think?”

The Delver didn’t answer right away, and as they reached the camp, Regina turned to part ways, not waiting to hear her answer. She didn’t even know what answer she was hoping for.

Janis split off from the group, and Regina only caught a short glimpse of Kiara waiting for her by the side of the pavilion, before they continued past it.

Instead, she closed her eyes for a moment and focused on the battle that was still raging in the center of her territory.

It appeared to be drawing towards a conclusion. It had been short and brutal, but the end was in sight, at least. The gnomes’ numbers had diminished too rapidly as many of their soldiers fell, and while the hive had also suffered losses, they still had reinforcements to spare. The ratio was tilting in the drones’ favor, and they were enveloping the main part of the gnomish army.

The gnomes would have needed elites to bail them out, and they’d already lost too many of those in prior engagements. Some still fought, of course, but not enough to turn the tide. Most of them were getting overwhelmed by the horde of War Drones the same as their common soldiers. They’d been prime targets from the beginning, and even those with abilities suited to dealing with crowds of weaker enemies were running low on mana or were using up their Skills. The bombardment by the mass of Swarm Drones gathered in the air only made things worse for them.

You’re doing well, Regina told Ben quietly over the psychic link.

Thank you, my Queen, he replied. This battle will drag on for a while longer, but the really important part is over. He smiled. I’ll make sure few of them escape.

Good, she answered. The more of them we can kill or capture, the better. I want this to be decisive.

Regina kept watching for a bit. More of her drones died, and so did more of the gnomes. She almost felt used to the feeling, or was at least getting numb to it. She suspected it would take more deaths in her hive to really rattle her. Or maybe that of a sapient member, but she hoped that wouldn’t happen.

Then Regina shook herself and turned. She’d wandered out of the small camp again. She wanted to at least touch base with Kiara briefly, but it might be better to wait for a while to give her time to come to terms with what had been said at the meeting. And there wasn’t much they really needed to talk about.

Besides, it looked like Kiara was currently speaking to Janis. Regina wasn’t going to interrupt that. She briefly took a mental glimpse at the pair through Janis’ connection to the psychic link, and noted that they were also walking through the camp, speaking quietly. Janis’ great-uncle trailed behind, wearing his armor and sword, and looking elsewhere. Regina didn’t stay long enough to catch what they were talking about.

Even if she wanted to listen to a couple of teenage girls like that, it felt like a breach of privacy. Regina didn’t need to spy on Janis’ personal life, and this was pretty clearly in that category. If they talked about something important to the hive, Janis would tell her, Regina was sure.

She did spend a minute considering the potential political implications, but didn’t come to any real conclusions. The situation was still too uncertain. Besides, this might not amount to anything, anyway.

Regina glanced southwest again. She felt eager to return to her hive, and not just because of any territorial Hive Queen instincts. Dealing with humans (or maybe just politics) was just a headache.

Regina smiled as she turned another corner in the camp and saw Janis and Kiara again. They were walking a bit more closely together, and Janis’ hand twitched slightly, as if she was stopping herself from reaching for hers. Regina smiled at them and gave a small wave, before she turned again, leaving the group to their own devices.

The gathered human nobles looked at her as she passed, but Regina ignored their stares. At least they weren’t openly hostile. She watched the girl who’d been with Kiara earlier, Margaret, talking to her father, until the marquis came and interrupted them. Another knight she recognized trailed him, and they started an animated discussion. Regina didn’t pay much attention to it, though, instead watching their body language and that of those around them.

Yeah, she concluded, definitely trouble in paradise. I wonder how many people only want to see Lyns on the throne because the alternative is worse?

She wished she could simply dismiss that as not her concern, but given what Regina had just agreed to, she knew it probably wouldn’t be that easy.

Well, at least she could make her excuses using the fact that she needed to prepare her hive for the war and leave quickly.