But not for Sothe. Raesinia swallowed. She didn’t want to think about Sothe.
Winter, leaning on the wrought-?iron railing, turned and bowed as Raesinia came in. Raesinia waved away the formality, slouching against the rail herself. She’d left her guards below, and the two of them were alone, far above the bustling life that was slowly returning to the palace. The sky was dark gray, shading to pink at the western horizon.
“How are you feeling?” Raesinia asked.
“All right,” Winter said. She lifted her arm, as though marveling at the absence of pain. “Thank God for Abraham.”
“He’s good at putting people back together,” Raesinia said. “But how are you feeling?”
“Like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop,” Winter said, turning back to the view over the palace grounds. “I know it’s over, but somehow I can’t make myself believe it.”
“I know what you mean,” Raesinia said. “Like any minute someone is going to ride in with news of the next war.”
“We’ve fought the Khandarai, the Murnskai, the Borels, the League, and ourselves, twice,” Winter said. “Who else is left? An invasion from the moon?”
Raesinia grinned, but Winter was shaking her head.
“The hell of it is,” she went on, “all that and we’re back where we started. What did we accomplish?”
“We stopped the Beast. You stopped the Beast. That has to count for something.”
“We let it out in the first place, when we marched on Elysium.” Winter waved south, toward the city. “For the people out there, what’s changed? We didn’t forge a new empire or build a utopia. We buried a lot of young men and women and wore out a lot of boot leather.”
“It may not be a utopia,” Raesinia said, “but I think Vordan is better off. We’ve got the Deputies-?General—”
“—?and what a great help they’ve been—” Winter muttered.
“—?and we’re rid of Orlanko. The Priests of the Black won’t be meddling anymore, or snatching people off to the dungeons under Elysium.” Raesinia looked south, too. The lights of the city were just about visible, a dim glow on the horizon. “And even if they don’t know it, those people are living without a sword hanging over their heads. You did what Karis couldn’t do, Winter.”
“I had a lot of help,” Winter said. She looked back at Raesinia. “I’m sorry about Sothe. She was a good woman.”
“I know that,” Raesinia said, her throat suddenly tight. “I just hope that she did, at the end.”
For a moment they stood together in silence. Winter turned her back on the view, shaking her head, and leaned against the rail.
“So, did you just come up here to ask after my health, Your Highness?”
“No, as it happens,” Raesinia said. “I wanted to talk to you. I’ve made my decision.”
Another silence, this one darker and heavier.
“I’m going to marry Marcus,” Raesinia said after a moment.
“Congratulations.” Winter cocked her head. “Damn. That will make me your sister-in-law, won’t it?”
“I suppose it will.” Raesinia smiled. The revelation of Winter and Marcus being family definitely took getting used to. “We’ll wait a while, after the wedding. Six months, say. Long enough that people get used to the idea of Marcus as king, and so that he and I can put some contingency plans into place. After that...” Raesinia took a deep breath. “I want you to use Infernivore to take my demon.”
“You know that I have no idea what will happen if I do that,” Winter said. “You were nearly dead when you took it on. Removing it might kill you. Or it might destroy your mind, like it did Jen Alhundt’s.”
“I know.” Raesinia paused. “I talked to Ennika.”
“Feor told me she woke up,” Winter said. “She also told me that at first she could barely speak.”
“It did seem to inflict some... damage on her mind,” Raesinia said. “But it’s healing. She’s almost normal now.”
“Still. There’s no guarantee it would work the same way for you.”
“I know.”
“You’re secure now, aren’t you? Why take the risk?”
Raesinia’s hands tightened on the iron rail, the rough metal digging into her skin. “The people of Vordan would never tolerate a demon-?host for a queen. I don’t look any older than the day I died for the first time. Sooner or later everyone will find out. I’ll either have to flee the country or fake my death.”
“Marcus could hide you.”
“And then what? Watch him grow old without me?” Raesinia shook her head. “There’s also the matter of the succession. I want a normal life, Winter. I never thought I could have that. You’ve given me a chance, and I want to take it.”
“And if things don’t go... well?” Winter said.
“Then Marcus will be king. After a suitable period of mourning, he’ll marry again, and there’ll be an heir. The kingdom will go on.”
Winter sighed. “If it’s what you really want, I can hardly say no. I’ll talk to Feor, and to Ennika once she’s fully recovered. See if there’s anything we can do to make it... easier.”
“Thank you,” Raesinia said. “We’ll have Abraham on hand as well.” She let out a long breath. “That’s for the future. I’ve got a wedding to plan first.”
“Good luck. I’d rather organize a battle.”
“Have you given any thought to what you’re going to do?” Raesinia said.
“A little,” Winter said awkwardly. “Cyte thinks we should stay in the army. I’m... not sure. She’s only ever seen how things are when we’re at war. Peacetime...” Winter shrugged. “I may not be cut out for watching over parades and barracks politics.”
“Can I offer another suggestion?” Raesinia said.
Winter looked at her cautiously. “Go ahead.”
“The Black Priests are gone,” Raesinia said. “I think we agree that’s a good thing, on the whole. But they had a lot of demons locked away who are now free to come back into the world, and there’s nobody watching for natural demon-?hosts. In a few years there’re going to be a lot of supernatural toddlers running around.”
“People are going to have to learn to deal with it.”
Raesinia nodded. “And we have the chance to help them. I want to start an organization to handle demon-?hosts here in Vordan, and hopefully across the continent. We can work with the people at the Mountain, and—”
Winter held up a hand. “What do you mean, handle?”
“Not locking them up, like the Church did. But they’re going to need to be guided, educated, protected. Everyone is going to have to learn that demons aren’t always evil, and that’s going to take time. And when a demon-?host does use their powers to hurt people, someone is going to have to make sure they’re apprehended and punished, as is appropriate under the law.”
“Sort of an Armsmen for demons?” Winter smiled wryly. “I can see how that would be useful, I suppose. So you want me to help?”
“Actually,” Raesinia said, “I was hoping that you would be the first captain. Or whatever we end up calling the top job.”