Naamah's Blessing

“Do not shame me.”
    “You wouldn’t be saving yourself,” I said to him. “And there is no shame in attempting this. You would be saving your young sister, Desirée, whom I have sworn an oath to protect, and the rule of law in Terre d’Ange, which has currently been usurped by the Duc de Barthelme. Is that not worth doing?”
    After a moment, Thierry de la Courcel nodded, his sun-browned face leaner and older than I remembered it, faint lines etched in the corners of his eyes. “In my father’s memory, yes.”
    “I will try,” I promised him.
    “What happens if you fail?” Balthasar asked me.
    I shrugged. “We try somewhat else.”
    My handmaid, Cusi, was quiet most of the way back to the palace, her features screwed up in thought. “I think there are many things I do not understand,” she said slowly. “Many things.”
    “Ask, then,” I said. “I will tell you whatever you want to know.”
    She gave me a startled look.
“Arí?”
    “
Arí
, yes,” I agreed.
    Cusi frowned. “No. I think I am not wise to know what question to ask or what answer to believe.”
    Despite everything, I laughed aloud. “If you know that much, you’re already wise beyond your years.”
    It won a shy smile from her, the first since I’d quickened the fruit tree. “Yes?”
    “Yes.” I laid one hand on her arm. “I will make you a promise, Cusi.No matter what you ask, I will answer it truthfully. I know you may not believe me, but I promise it nonetheless. I will not lie to you.”
    She was silent a moment. “I will think.”
    I nodded. “For as long as you like. I will answer whenever you are ready.”
    Upon returning to the palace, I sent her to request an audience with Lord Pachacuti. It seemed to shock her a bit that I would dare to presume such a thing, and all the more so that he granted it.
    Raphael heard me out in the throne room, his face expressionless as he dipped into his basket, feeding leaves to his crawling horde. From time to time, he popped a leaf into his own mouth, chewing it leisurely. For some reason, that unnerved me as much as anything else.
    I opened with humility, hoping it might soften him. “Thank you for permitting me to visit Prince Thierry today, my lord. Forgive me; I apologize for having doubted you.”
    Raphael snorted. “False humility doesn’t become you, Moirin. What do you want?”
    So much for that gambit. “A boon,” I said. “You never asked what brought me to Terra Nova. May I tell you?”
    He cocked his head, considering the request, then spat out a wad of chewed leaves into the waiting hand of one of his maidens. “All right.”
    I spun out the tale of Denis de Toluard’s return with the news of Thierry’s disappearance that had led King Daniel to take his own life, the rise of Duc Rogier de Barthelme to the regency, and his swift move to declare Desirée’s betrothal to his loathsome son.
    Not wanting to give him further leverage over me, I did not tell him I was Desirée’s oath-sworn protector. But I told him of my vision that Thierry was alive, taking care not to mention that it was Jehanne who appeared in my dreams, and of Edouard Durel’s attempt to sabotage our mission at the Duchese de Barthelme’s behest.
    It disturbed him. Raphael rose to pace the floor as he listened, streams of ants skittering out of his path. “You’re right,” he said whenI’d finished. “This is unacceptable. But don’t worry, I’ll deal with it when I return to Terre d’Ange.”
    I blinked. “My lord?”
    Raphael laughed. “You didn’t think I intended to remain in Terra Nova, did you?” He gestured carelessly. “Among these savages?”
    One of the purported savages’ eyelids flickered briefly, and several others stiffened.
    “I thought you had adopted them as your people.” I hoped Raphael would further refute my claim, but he caught himself.
    “Yes, of course.” He bestowed a charming smile on his handmaids, who relaxed. “But I am D’Angeline, after all. Once I have been acknowledged the
Sapa Inca
, I will appoint a regent of my own and return home. The matter has already been decided. The Quechua in Vilcabamba understand this.”
    Clearing my throat, I sought to steer the conversation back on course. “That is some time away, my lord. There is a swifter resolution to the troubles at home at hand. Were you to free Prince Thierry and a few guards, the
pochteca
Eyahue will guide them back to the Nahuatl Empire, where a ship awaits.”
    Raphael raised