Kingdom of Ashes by Thomas Rhiannon

Author:Thomas, Rhiannon [Thomas, Rhiannon]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2016-01-13T19:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

AURORA STRUGGLED TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT.

It wasn’t only a question of good versus evil, of fighting or waiting, of who she wanted to be. Rodric was helping. He had to be. And if she did nothing, if she left him to fight alone . . . she did not see how he could last, not with his father so close. But if she fought for him, if she challenged the king, if she did so with dragons . . . would Rodric want her help, if it meant causing more destruction along the way? He would not want her to burn the kingdom in his name.

But people believed in her. People were relying on her. She could not just leave them. But neither could she betray them with fire.

She needed advice, the thoughts of someone she could trust. And although she had talked in the dark with Finnegan, telling him things she wanted to hide even from herself, he did not really know war. For all of his bravado, he had little more experience than Aurora herself.

But Orla might know. Aurora could not tell her about their plans with the dragons, but she could reveal more about her magic and about the king’s state of mind to gain her trust, and the queen could tell her more about whether violence could ever really lead to peace. Orla had a no-nonsense attitude that suggested she had tackled many difficult decisions before. She seemed as fair as she was practical, and Aurora could not imagine her letting her feelings get in the way of the right decision.

As soon as the sun rose, Aurora wrote a note to the queen, requesting that they have lunch, and sent it off with a servant. Half an hour later, the servant returned with another piece of paper, fastened with the royal seal of Vanhelm. The parchment was littered with inkblots. Among them, Orla had scribbled an invitation to join her in her study.

“I’m glad you wrote to me,” Orla said, after Aurora sat and a servant had gone to fetch food. “I have been wishing to speak to you alone for some time. Things are tense, as I am sure you know. And with Vanhelm between Alyssinia and the dragons . . . every day, discussions, every day, strategy. But that is the role of a queen, is it not?”

She watched Aurora as though expecting some reply. Aurora nodded.

“So tell me,” Orla said. “What is it that you wished to speak with me about? I am certain that you did not simply wish for my company.”

“Oh.” Aurora said. She could not think how to respond without being rude. “I wanted your advice.”

“You want advice from me? I am your kingdom’s enemy, am I not?”

“I don’t believe so,” Aurora said. “And even if you were, that doesn’t mean your perspective isn’t worth listening to.”

“And what is it you want advice on?”

Aurora smoothed her skirt to stop herself from fiddling with her hair. “It seems,” she said carefully, “that the only way I can possibly stop King John is by challenging him.

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