Copper Ravens(61)

“Leave it, Sara,” he warned. I noticed his clenched jaw, his hands balled into fists. Both signs meant that Max knew much more than he was telling.

“She was!” I squealed. “Did you know him? Was it an air man? Or water?”

Max stopped just ahead of me and spoke over his shoulder. “Honestly, I know nothing about Juliana being with any air or water Elementals.”

He walked off toward the orchards, which is where he retreated to when he wanted some alone time. It was typical Max; he willingly thrust himself into all these volatile situations, but he couldn’t admit how shaken up he got. I mean, it was nothing to be ashamed of; anyone would feel a little off after being surrounded by thousands of people calling for your head on a platter.

Since I wanted to give Max time to decompress, I went inside. To my surprise and relief, Micah was back from the Golden Court, safe and sound.

“I missed you,” he murmured as he folded me into his arms. “I take for granted that you will always be here, waiting for me when I return.”

“You didn’t miss me nearly as much as I missed you,” I mumbled into his shoulder. “Did you talk to Oriana?”

“I did.” Micah held me for a moment before he continued, one hand stroking my hair. “I asked her, bluntly, if she knew of anyone who might want the Ravens separated from others of copper. She countered by asking me what evidence I had. I then made the mistake of mentioning the boggart.”

“Mistake?”

“It seems that our queen is not fond of boggarts. She immediately ordered her guards to search the court, to ensure none of the creatures were skulking about.” I felt Micah’s shoulders quiver and tipped my head back. He was desperately trying not to laugh.

“The Gold Queen is frightened of boggarts?” You’d waste less energy being scared of wallpaper, most of the time. I raised my eyebrows, and that was more than enough to set Micah’s laughter free.

“She went so far as to stand on her throne, as if one would bite her toes,” he said. I laughed with him then, at the image of the crazy queen squealing at shadows.

“Suffice it to say,” he continued, wiping his eyes, “I did not learn much this afternoon. However, what I observed leads me to believe that Oriana is not at the center of a plot against you.”

Yeah, she was the wrong sort of crazy to be an evil mastermind. After a few more comments at our gracious queen’s expense, Micah asked me where I’d been earlier.

“I went to the Mundane realm, with Max.” I hadn’t meant to just blurt it out, but my words came out in a rush, faster than I could check them. In a short time I’d told Micah everything, from the press of the crowd, to how they had shouted for all Elementals to be imprisoned or banished, to Uncle Mike’s speech about Elemental babies. I even mentioned how Juliana had been on stage beside him, a haggard shadow of her former self. I left out how Max and I were spotted, and how Juliana might have helped us escape.

“It’s bad, Micah. Really bad.” We’d made it as far as the kitchens, and the silverkin served us tea and quiche, along with a side of grapes. How I loved these little guys. “I mean, there’s always been anti-Elemental factions, but not like this. This hasn’t happened since the wars ended.”

“Do you think this is related to what you did at the Institute?” Micah asked.

“It must be,” I replied. “How, I don’t know, but it must be.” I left out that Juliana’s punishment, whatever it was, also seemed to be my fault. Now, I’m not saying she didn’t deserve it, but we were friends once (well, I was her friend), and for a long time, at that. Sometimes, you just can’t help the guilt.

“You and your family must be much more important to your government than you realize,” Micah said softly. I began to protest, but he continued, “Your sister is the Inheritor; you and Max are powerful in your own right. Maeve—”

“They don’t know about Mom,” I interjected. “No one did, except for Dad. He didn’t even tell Meme Corbeau.” Hell, Mom’s own kids hadn’t even known about her royal status until recently.

“Then it is you, Baudoin’s children,” Micah said. “Your government wants the three of you found, and, from what you have told me, they will exhaust their resources to do so.”

For a long time, I was silent. First I examined a fingernail; then I picked at the table’s edge, and ended up staring into the bottom of my teacup. All the while, my mind was churning with the life I once knew in the Mundane realm, coupled with what Uncle Mike wanted the world to be.