“Because I didn’t want to ruin the celebration. Because we wanted to respond without the burden of public debate. Because I couldn’t bear to spoil your first chesli harvest.”
Lilette sagged. When she’d seen the book in Jolin’s handwriting, when she’d realized what the witches were doing, she’d assumed they were secretly cursing Harshen. She’d been wrong. “That veil—it’s offensive. Evil even.”
“I designed it that way,” Jolin spoke up, “to repel anyone who happened to stumble upon it.”
“Surely you knew I could sense it,” Lilette said to Merlay.
“I was informed of your . . . condition . . . by the guardians. I didn’t think you’d have the awareness to realize what was going on.”
“That’s another thing,” Han growled. “What that man did to her—”
Merlay cut him a look. “Believe me, he will be severely punished.”
Lilette stared at the harbor, ships coming and going as if the world wasn’t falling apart. “Why not make the counterattack public?”
“That’s . . . complicated.” Merlay said.
Lilette glared at her. “I think I can handle it.”
“Because if the world begins to view witches as weapons, they’ll start using us as such. From greedy rulers down to jaded farmers, they’ll know they can capture one of us and torture her until we do their bidding. How can we stop it? We risk becoming slaves to the very people we rule.”
“That’s why you did it,” Lilette said. “Because Chen was using his captives to sing a counter-curse. You couldn’t let the world know that. Couldn’t let them know that with their own group of witches, they don’t need you—that you couldn’t stop them.”
If she hadn’t been drugging herself, she would have realized all of this from the beginning. Perhaps she couldn’t have changed anything, but perhaps she could have. Now she would never know.
Lilette closed her eyes as she imagined her sister’s terrible death. “What did Chen do to them?”
Merlay’s head dropped. “Our spies have indicated that Sash and the others turned on Chen. Most of them died in the aftermath, and some killed themselves when they realized they couldn’t escape. There were only two left—we don’t know who. He had them beheaded.”
Han was staring out the window in the direction of Harshen, his face troubled. But he didn’t argue.
Merlay moved to sit behind her desk. “Jolin, Han, if you will wait outside, I need to speak with Lilette alone.”
After they had gone, Merlay studied Lilette over her steepled fingers. “We now find ourselves dealing with a conquered nation, a ruined city, and a downtrodden people.”
Lilette could well imagine the devastation. She’d seen Rinnish destroyed before.
“I don’t have the time or the inclination to mince words,” Merlay went on. “Harshen is in need of a new ruler. I’d like that ruler to be you.”
Lilette gaped at her. “Women don’t rule in Harshen. They don’t have any power at all.”
“Well, perhaps it’s time you changed that. If the Harshens want rain, if they want their seeds to sprout, they will do what I tell them to.”
Lilette’s insides seemed to sink into a puddle around her feet. “You want Harshen at your mercy.”
“They are already at our mercy,” Merlay huffed. “You would be a good candidate. You’re already their empress, and they consider you one of them. But you are also one of us.”
Lilette fisted her hands at her sides. “All I’ve ever wanted was for my sister to be safe. Beyond that, I wanted to be a keeper—the best of them.” And she just couldn’t give up on that dream.
Merlay inclined her head. “We can send you a tutor. Nassa has been begging for the job. And you’ll have the opportunity to really change things for the better. How can you refuse?”
Lilette rubbed her temples to try to stop the headache forming behind her eyes. “If anyone should rule Harshen, it should be Han. He’s the best man I know.”
Merlay’s gaze shifted to the window, which overlooked the Heads’ garden, the circle, and beyond that, the city itself. “He doesn’t have the ties to the keepers that you do. But . . . it would strengthen your claim as empress to have one of the emperor’s sons as your consort.”
Lilette’s heart fluttered in her chest. “I’m not sure Han would agree.”
Merlay chuckled. “He risked his life, betrayed his country and his brother for you—a man doesn’t do that unless he’s hopelessly in love.