Tell her it’s because I don’t like her, Borisin said. I dare you.


    Rudiger resisted glaring at Borisin and kept his eyes on Nin-Xoco. Oh behave. Out loud, he said, “Hard to say, Holiness. Every horse has its own personality and can react differently to the same circumstances. Buluc here is pretty stand-offish, and stubborn. It might just be his way, or he might be taking awhile to get comfortable with you.”


    It’s definitely my way, Borisin said, but I’m not getting comfortable with her.


    Oh, come one, Rudiger said. She’s not that bad.


    “It’s been five weeks.” Nin-Xoco started untying her hair. “I hoped he’d be used to me by now.”


    Sure, not that bad, but still bad, Borisin said.


    You say that about everyone, Rudiger said. Then to Nin-Xoco, “Give him time.”


    Time, hah!


    She let her hair fall over her shoulders and down her back. “He seems comfortable with you in that time.”


    Stay put, Rudiger told the horse.


    You’re no fun.


    Nin-Xoco stroked Borisin’s snout, gazing across the field at the river and the falls. “I do wish you’d like me.”


    Not a chance.


    You should be annoyed at her. She’s forcing me to be a damn training horse.


    I’ve already told you, Rudiger said. The other horses here haven’t been trained for riding. Otherwise, I would have started her with one of them.


    If she ever gets her hair caught in my saddle again, I’m going to gallop off and drag her on the ground behind me.


    That was one time! And it was my fault for not telling her to tie her hair up first. He’d nearly been skewered by Ses-Zeltzin for it, too.


    Doesn’t matter. I’ll do it.


    Just drop it, would you?


    “No, of course not, Holiness.” Now look what you’ve made me do! “I was just distracted for a moment. I was...reminded of Zandrue for a moment, and it got me thinking. That’s all.” He hoped that sounded convincing.


    Don’t get used to it, Borisin grumbled.


    No, I just wasn’t thinking.


    No, you just don’t hate her as much as you claim.


    “I’m sure they would be, Holiness,” Rudiger said.


    She tilted her head and shrugged. “What is and isn’t wise in politics is an ever-changing thing, and it can be hard to decide what’s wise in any particular situation. At the moment, this seems the wisest course of action.”


    “If you say so, Holiness.” He wasn’t sure he followed what she was saying.


    “Walk with me back towards the Palace.” She began leading Borisin in that direction. Borisin followed without objection.


    I’m going to the stables, Borisin said. They just happen to be in the same direction.


    Rudiger kept beside her, and the Queen’s Guards shifted their positions to maintain their wide circle as she moved. Nin-Xoco linked arms with Rudiger as they walked.


    At the slow pace Nin-Xoco set, it took close to a quarter hour to cross the field back to the palace. The Queen spent the time asking Rudiger about his and Zandrue’s childhood. He had to spin a tale that he hoped he’d remember later if he needed to.


    “Of course, Holiness.” This was the part where he always got uncomfortable—when she started getting more physical with him. It wasn’t just that he wasn’t interested in her in that way. There was something off about it, too. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was inconsistent.


    She only does it when there are lots of other people to see it, Borisin said.


    That was it! She was friendly and casual with him during their sessions, but not so touchy. But during her sessions, there were only her bodyguards to see. But now they were in sight of servants and Palace guards, maybe even priests and nobles.


    Now you understand why I don’t like her. She’s using you.


    Except you do like her, Rudiger said. Don’t try to deny it again.


    Okay, so she’s savvy, and I kind of admire that. But I don’t like what she’s doing with you.


    You could have told me.


    I would have, except I only just figured it out myself.


    Nin-Xoco let go of him and handed him Borisin’s reins. “Thank you, Rudiger. I will see you again in a day or two.” She motioned to Ses-Zeltzin. “I will head to the Council now.”


    “I am guarding her.” The warrior stomped away and into the Palace.


    Now that one I really don’t like, Borisin said. Just give the word and I’ll bite her next time.


    Really don’t think that’d be a good idea, buddy. Remember her threat to feed you to that jaguar?


    I told you, I’m looking forward to that. I will savour the look on her face when I trounce that oversized cat.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Rudiger sighed and closed the doors. He still hadn’t gotten used to her talking to Borisin.


    She sat down on the pile of hay near the doors. “And what’s that mean for me?”


    Rudiger squeezed past Borisin to retrieve some brushes and a hoof pick from the supply shelves. The old mare in the stall next to Borisin’s peered out.


    The stables were small with stalls that were also small—too small for Borisin. In the days following their arrival at the Palace, Fra-Atl had ordered an extension built, one with a larger stall capable of fitting Borisin. It had gone up in just a couple of days and was a very hasty job. The rain leaked in and the walls wobbled whenever the wind picked up. And the stall still barely fit Borisin.


    Rudiger was pretty sure she wasn’t talking to Borisin anymore, as he had heard this before. He had learnt that the best response was to say nothing and just let her vent. He started to brush Borisin.


    “I had a meeting with the Queen earlier. First time in a week. She went on about the New Year sacrifices. What am I supposed to do? If I appear at the sacrifices with the Queen, my life’s work is ruined. No one will ever look to me again. If I refuse, gods know how she’ll react. She has a reputation for being petty. She’ll probably execute me and my life’s work will still be ruined. I suppose I’ll die a martyr that way though. Maybe I should try to kill her. Just before the sacrifices start, I launch myself at her. Zeltzin or one of her guards kills me, and I die a hero to the cause. It will probably cement the whole Eleuia thing, but I can live with that. Well, not really. I’ll be dead, so I won’t have to. What do you think?”


    “Welcome to politics. Still eager to intrude into it? I told you you don’t belong here.”


    “Uh huh.” She sighed. “Look, can we get straight to sparring today? I need to release a lot of pent-up anger and I’ll do that best by beating the crap out of you.”


    Damn right.


    When he was done and Borisin was in his stall, she tossed him one of the poles they had been using as practice spears. She had suggested a week back that they should spar regularly to keep in practice and relieve tensions. Rudiger liked the idea at first. He had had little opportunity for actual practice since coming to Ninifin, and that was even more so in the Palace.


    “But I can just cut your spear in half when you thrust at me,” he said, knocking the pole aside with the practice sword. “Trust me. Slay would cut through it without any effort.”


    So, for the last few days, they’d been sparring with practice spears. And she’d been beating him every time. He was learning, though, and it was taking her longer to beat him—if not by much. This time, he’d barely gotten a grip on his weapon when she jabbed him in the stomach.


    He lunged at her, but she took several steps back out of his reach. He lunged again, and she moved to the side. His pole hit the wall and he nearly jabbed himself with the other end. Then she thrust her pole into his side.


    He backed away from her, taking a quick look behind to make sure he didn’t collide with the large haystack at the back of the stables. He raised his spear. He had longer reach than she did just by virtue of being bigger. He had to be able to make that work for him. When she moved closer, he struck before she was close enough to strike herself, but she darted back again.


    Then she moved round to his left, her spear raised. Rudiger lunged at her, but she switched directions and came in from his right instead. He tried to back away from her, but found himself pressed against the hay stack. Her spear struck him in the chest.


    She came at him again, but this time he was ready. He moved his spear to block and...she hit him in the stomach again. He could have sworn she was coming in high, but she came in low instead. He was usually better at predicting his opponents’ movements than this.


    She had him pinned against the haystack, so Rudiger decided his only option was to push past her. He levelled his spear and rushed forward. She dived aside, colliding with the wall and rattling the entirety of the stables. He took the opportunity to stab at her, but she dropped to the floor and thrust up with her spear. It hit him in the chest with enough force to wind him and make him stumble into the door of one of the stalls. The old mare inside squealed and the entire stables rattled.


    “Not bad,” she said, pulling herself to her feet. “Not good enough yet, but not bad.”


    He groaned.


    Don’t bring me into this.


    Does she remind you of Zandrue?


    No. For a start, Izel is human.


    Not that again.


    I told you not to bring me into this.


    you want this?” he asked her.


    He bent his head down to try to kiss her. At his height, Rudiger was used to bending over to kiss women, but Ses-Izel was shorter than any other woman he’d kissed. His back was pressed against the gate to Borisin’s stall and she was too close to him, so he couldn’t bend at the back and his neck wouldn’t bend far enough.


    Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. You are not doing that here! Borisin’s snout pushed him in the back, and he stumbled forward, but kept hold of her.


    Nothing to do with me? I’m right here. It has everything to do with me. I don’t want to watch this.


    “Then don’t watch it,” Rudiger said. “Turn around the other way. Like Ses-Izel said, this is between me and her.”