Starsinger

Peacekeeper

The sun was melting into the ocean, painting the twilight with its fire. Aaron leaned back against the parapet and watched.

The first wall was still off-limits while repairs were being made, but the second wall had sustained no physical damage during the attack the soldiers were calling the Battle of Aster. Below Aaron, the remaining Crollish warships and those of a few high-ranking diplomats bobbed in the first bay. Aster had opened its gates to the surrendering officers in a show of hospitality, and as a reminder to Crolton that should negotiations go poorly, Zareyma had plenty of hostages.

Only one ship floated outside the drooping, deformed first wall. The Drake had lashed itself to a nearby cliff and Aaron could see the crew scurrying through the rigging, righting sails and knots. Katrina's ship had been battered and bruised, but remained stubbornly afloat. They had been offered asylum inside the gates of Aster, but Katrina refused. She said the Drake didn't like to be caged.

"They got all the Ravens safely ashore."

Aaron started and turned to see Raelyn behind him. It was the first time he had seen her in all her royal finery, and for a moment he almost didn't recognize her. Her already beautiful features were outlined with black kohl that drew the eye, her hair coiffed and coiled with glittering gems. The pale blue gown she wore accentuated her curves and glinted with subtle gold accents.

She looks like a painting of herself, Aaron thought. An artist's interpretation of Raelyn.

He bowed his head. "Your Highness."

Raelyn snorted. "Gods, that sounds strange coming from your mouth. Let's stick with Rae, if you please, unless there's someone around I need to impress."

"Fair enough."

He hadn't seen Raelyn much since the battle. She'd visited the recovery room a few times, but only briefly before she had to run off to some diplomatic discussion or other. The crown was eager to reassure its court that the princess had returned safely, and Raelyn was uniquely positioned to discuss exactly what had happened during the Battle of Aster.

"Are they alright?" Aaron asked.

"Many of them sustained injuries, including frostbite from casting void spells. A few were already dead when the Drake reached the shore. But we can't find any trace of Ezra's influence on the survivors. They remember what they did as Ravens, but they returned to themselves after the flare."

The flare. Aaron quickly changed the subject. "I thought you were locked in peace negotiations this evening."

Raelyn nodded. "I was."

"Did the ambassadors need another break?"

"Actually no." Raelyn drummed her hand absentmindedly against the stone of the parapet. "We reached a tentative agreement."

That was a surprise. "I thought the discussions were deadlocked." For weeks the halls of Aster bristled with frustrated diplomats as the talks went round after round, getting nowhere. It had been impossible to ignore.

"There was a particularly thorny issue, but I may have found a way to resolve it."

Something in her voice put Aaron on edge. "What issue?"

Raelyn swallowed. "Sapphire."

Ah.

"The Croltonites see her as a weapon," Raelyn continued. "There's been no magic of that magnitude in Re Vlynn since the Days of Division. They argue there can be no reasonable peace while one side maintains a monopoly on such power."