When youve had time to settle in back at the palace, would you be interested in having lunch with me? She smiled. We could get to know each other better.

If you dont mind, I said carefully, no.

She laughed beautifully. I see what Viraine meant about you! Well, then; if you wont come out of courtesy, perhaps curiosity will draw you. I have news of your homeland, Cousin, that I think will interest you greatly. She turned and began walking toward the gate. Ill see you in an hour.

What news? I called after her, but she did not stop or turn back.

My fists were still clenched by the time I got to the bathroom, which was why I reacted badly to the sight of Ras Onchi sitting in one of the parlors plush chairs. I stopped, my hand reaching automatically for a knife that was not in its usual place on my back. Id chosen to strap it to my calf, under my full skirts, since it was not the Arameri way to go armed in public.

Have you learned yet what an Arameri should know? she asked, before I could recover.

I paused, then pushed the bathrooms door firmly closed. Not yet, Auntie, I said at last. Though Im not likely to, since Im not truly Arameri. Perhaps you could tell me, and stop riddling about.

She smiled. So very Darre you are, impatient and sharp-tongued. Your father must have been proud.

I flushed, confused, because that had sounded suspiciously like a compliment. Was this her way of letting me know that she was on my side? She wore Enefas symbol around her neckNot really, I said, slowly. My father was a patient, cool-headed man. My temper comes from my mother.

Ah. It must serve you well, then, in your new home.

It serves me well everywhere. Now will you please tell me what this is about?

She sighed, her smile fading. Yes. There isnt much time. Forgive me, Lady. With an effort that made her knees crackI winced in sympathyshe pushed herself up out of the chair. I wondered how long shed been sitting there. Did she wait for me after every session? Again I regretted skipping the previous day.

Do you wonder why Uthr didnt file a war petition? she asked.

I imagine because they didnt need to, I said, wondering what this had to do with anything. Its nearly impossible to get a petition approved. The Arameri havent allowed a war in a hundred years or more. So the Uthre gambled on being able to conquer Irt without bloodshed, and fortunately they were successful.

Yes. Ras grimaced. There will be more of these annexations, I imagine, now that the Uthre have shown the world how to do it. Peace above all; this is the way of the Bright.

I marveled at the bitterness in her tone. If a priest had heard her, shed have been arrested for heresy. If any other Arameri had heard herI shuddered, imagining her skinny frame walking onto the Pier with Zhakkarns spear at her back.

Careful, Auntie, I said softly. You wont live to a ripe old age, saying such things out loud.

Ras laughed softly. True enough. Ill be more careful. She sobered. But think of this, Lady Not-Arameri: maybe the Uthre didnt bother to petition because they knew another petition had already been approvedquietly, mingled in with other edicts the Consortium has passed in the past few months.

I froze, frowning. Another petition?

She nodded. As you said, there hasnt been a successful petition for a century, so of course two petitions would never be approved back-to-back. And perhaps the Uthre even knew that other petition was more likely to pass, since it served the purposes of someone with a great deal of power. Some wars, after all, are useless without death.

I stared at her, too thrown to hide my confusion or shock. An approved war petition should have been the talk of the entire nobility. It should have taken the Consortium weeks to discuss it, much less approve it. How could anyone get a petition through without half the world hearing of it?

Who? I asked. But I was already beginning to suspect.

No one knows the petitions sponsor, Lady, and no one knows what lands are involved, either as invader or target. But Uthr borders Tema on its eastern side. Uthr is smallbigger nowbut their ruling family and the Teman Triadice have links of marriage and friendship going back generations.

And Tema, I realized with a belated chill, was one of the nations beholden to Scimina.

Scimina, then, had sponsored the war petition. And she had kept its approval quiet, though that had probably required a masterwork of political maneuvering. Perhaps helping Uthre conquer Irt had been part of that. But that left two very crucial questions: why had she done it? And what kingdom would soon fall victim to the attack?

Relads warning: If you love anyone, anything, beware.

My mouth and hands went dry. I now wanted, very badly, to go and see Scimina.

Thank you for this, I said to Ras. My voice was higher than usual; my mind was already elsewhere, racing. Ill make good use of the information.