Author's Note: Once again- apologies for how long it has taken to get this chapter posted. This month I ran into some serious writer's block, but now I'm back. Hope that this chapter is worth the wait.
1/Terreille
Meredith was considerably calmer this morning than she had been the evening previous. Or perhaps she was just too tired to work into a rage this early in the morning, Valinna supposed. It was a rare day when the Queen woke up before noon, much less at dawn. If she'd taken a Warlord to bed last night- which Meredith likely had, despite losing their Rings of Obedience- he was lucky to be excused so quickly. Pity.
As for Valinna, she had been up much earlier in order to prepare for this meeting. She'd had to make some adjustments to her plans, especially after she'd seen in the tangled web last night. Her new plan was going to require all her skills, but Valinna saw it as her best chance for shaping Hayll into the territory it should be. And once she had Hayll under control, she'd make a better job of taking care of the others.
But first, she needed to cast her first line and snare Meredith in her web. Those thoughts cheered her enough that she managed a smile, even though she felt like ripping every perfectly coiffed hair out of the simpering bitch's head. Which of the serving witches had the misfortune of being summoned so early to make sure Meredith looked absolutely perfect?
Vanity was a waste of time in Valinna's opinion. A useless desire to make oneself look attractive. And for what? To arouse a male's interest? That only encouraged the idea that the opinion of a Blood male was worth anything, or that they deserved any thought beyond what was useful for witches. For the most part, sex was far from useful.
Of course, Valinna said none of those things as she watched Meredith sashay across the room like a common trollop in a Red Moon house. Didn't matter that no males were invited to the salon. Hell's fire, every day it seemed the bitch was doing something new to disappoint her.
"I trust you have something worthwhile to show me this morning, Valinna," Meredith began haughtily. "I postponed going forward with my plans, so you'd better prove that delay was warranted."
Valinna gritted her teeth at the insult, but held back from any retort. Instead, she gestured to the seat across from her and called in a tangled web. The Queen made herself comfortable in the chair and drummed her fingers on the velvet armrest.
"This better not take long, either," she complained.
"I assure you that it won't, Lady. The vision in the web was very clear and requires little explanation."
"That would be a first."
"Hourglass Craft rarely gives black and white answers," Valinna replied stiffly. "My apologies if that inconveniences you, but it's the nature of the discipline."
"Oh just get on with it."
With as much dignity as she could, Valinna jabbed her thumb and let several drops of blood fall on a thread of spidersilk. It woke the spell in the web that allowed the vision to be seen by someone who wasn't a Black Widow. Or so she'd always told Meredith when she'd done this before. Only another sister of the Hourglass would know the truth about this web.
Good thing she'd managed to convince the Queen to destroy any witch who showed potential to be a natural Black Widow- except a select chosen few who were trained exclusively by Valinna. Exclusively and very carefully. None of them could tell the difference between an illusion web like this and a vision web, either.
A decision made out of necessity, protecting her when she was at cross purposes with Meredith. Like times before, it served her well in this case. Unaware of the subterfuge, the Queen stared into the image revealed by the web and watched unquestioningly as scene after scene unfolded in front of her.
It was perhaps one of the most elaborate illusions Valinna had ever created. She knew it would have to be if she wanted to sway Meredith. And if she judged her mildly resigned look correctly, it was working. Stubborn or not, she wouldn't gainsay proof this solid when it came to victory over her enemies. After all, winning was the only thing that truly mattered to Meredith.
When the "vision" finished, the Queen raised her gaze to Valinna and resumed tapping her fingertips on the chair. Always that infernal tapping. They stared at one another for several minutes, but she made no move to speak first. That bitch was going to come crawling to her for advice, especially after what she'd said yesterday.
Finally, Meredith gave in.
"I suppose you're expecting me to admit that you were right," she snarled.
Oh she absolutely did, but Valinna knew better than to say so. They didn't have the time to waste on those games.
"We can argue all morning over who was right, or we can plan our next move."
"Very diplomatic."
"You said yourself last night that you were tired of waiting for what you wanted. I'm only thinking of how to avoid more unnecessary delays."
A slight frown shadowed the Queen's mouth as she held back what Valinna knew was a scathing retort.
"How considerate of you, Valinna dear," she drawled in false gratitude while her eyes held daggers.
How neatly she'd backed Meredith into a corner, she thought. All she had to do was hint that time was passing and the bitch would jump to heel. So fortunate that the Queen had given Valinna this weapon herself.
"Think nothing of it," she replied. "Shall I present to you some of my ideas for what information we can say Ettia and her cousin bring back from Dhemlan?"
"As you said- there's no time for pointless delays."
"My thoughts exactly."
Valinna vanished the web and called in a few pages of parchment. She spread them out on the table so that Meredith could read them. The Queen chose the one on the left and perused it silently. She did the same with the others, not making any comment until she'd finished with all of them.
"Interesting."
She refused to be rattled by Meredith's lack of enthusiasm, and pushed forward to explain the value of each different approach.
"They're designed to build on one another, regardless of which one is picked first. It's just a matter of what area to prioritize- the errant Blood males, the coven witches, or the general populace of Draega. Those are the three key areas to motivate properly before you'll have your war against Dhemlan."
"And this will do that, according to you."
"These are just general outlines," Valinna assured her smoothly. "Meant to give you the essence of each phase of the plan. We'll need much more than this when we're actually implementing it."
"Well I should hope so."
Meredith picked up one of the pages again to study it more closely. Valinna watched the Queen's expression carefully and tried to suppress her disappointment when she saw that her protégé couldn't grasp her plan. At least not in its entirety. Meredith understood what had been stated explicitly on the page; but she couldn't see the pattern orchestrating in the background.
She never has, Valinna admitted to herself. Never a thought beyond her immediate wants and needs. No thought to how to get them or what will happen when she does.
"Are you even listening to me, Valinna?"
She refocused her thoughts to the present, where Meredith was once again beating a steady tattoo into the arm of her chair. One of these days Valinna swore she'd put a compulsion spell on her so that she'd stop. Or just break all of her fingers. Either sounded appealing.
"My apologies, but my thoughts turned towards our possible preparations ahead."
"I asked you which of the three approaches you would choose first."
More proof that Meredith had no ability to plan something this elaborate. Even if she didn't choose the best option, she should have at least made a suggestion before asking Valinna's opinion. Maybe shown her some spark of a true leader, rather than a tool ready to follow direction.
This is what you've got to work with, so use the tool and the next time you'll choose a witch who will be the leader you want.
"Let me think," Valinna pondered.
Rising from her seat, she approached the table and touched the pages lightly. Naturally, she already knew exactly which group she would target first, and had known before coming into the salon. But if she appeared too confident, Meredith would choose one of the others out of spite. After a few moments of thoughtful silence, she offered her opinion.
"In your place, I would suggest starting with the witches of the coven and the district Queens."
"Reasons?"
"Because it's the easiest, for one. It won't take much to convince the more troublesome ones that they either obey or lose- lose more than just control of their piece of Draega."
"It better not take too many demonstrations," Meredith grumbled. "The last thing I need is to go looking for a bunch of replacements to rule the districts."
"I recommend you already have those in mind before starting any of this. Make a gift to the ones we think need the most encouragement- lesser Queens who don't have a district to rule. Stress that the witches are there for training purposes."
"Won't they know it's a ruse?"
"Not right away, but after the first example."
"And this causes no concern?"
"It's part of the plan. The Queens know that they're being watched for any mistake, but can't refuse your gift without making their situation worse."
Meredith was silent for a long while, mulling over what Valinna had said. Thank the Darkness that she'd stopped drumming her fingers in the meantime. Still, the wait for the Queen to catch up with her was irritating, and she was glad that none of the coven sisters were ever present during these meetings. Things would be much worse if any of them realized who was really ruling Hayll.
"Let's say I agree with your first point," Meredith conceded finally. "Did you have any other reasons for starting this way?"
"Indeed. You see, once the coven and the district Queens are in line, the other two groups will be easier to control. They'll be your tools to control the Blood males and the other witches. We've see that already with Lady Jaemie. She's already taken the initiative to keep her district under control with her demonstrations- which have been very effective."
"That she has."
"Imagine her methods practiced across all of Draega and beyond. There won't be anyplace for malcontents to hide- of either gender. And it will hardly cost you a thing out of your own pocket. Maybe a few inspection tours to back their orders with your Court."
2/Terreille
Very promising, Valinna, Meredith thought wryly.
She hadn't wanted the old crone to be right, but it was hard to argue with a vision in a tangled web. So Meredith supposed Ettia and her idiot cousin would be spared. For now. It was some consolation to know that Valinna's plan did call for their deaths in the end. In the meantime, she'd use her 'demonstrations' with the district Queens to vent her frustrations at the wait.
Plainly, Valinna wasn't finished yammering on about the details of this strategy and that. Meredith's head was swimming from it all. She was a Queen- what did she care about how this message needed to be delivered at that time by this person? When she had pictured herself ruling Terreille, she hadn't pictured spending her time in dusty salons like this nattering on about boring things that didn't matter.
Since their argument last night, Meredith was playing with the idea that it was time to sever her dependence on the Black Widow. She was a symbol of their past, but it was increasingly obvious that the future Meredith had in mind wasn't as in line with Valinna's as she'd thought several months ago.
Since that damned witch infiltrated my court, she reminded herself. Valinna and I haven't agreed on anything since that little bitch tore the Rings away- and Prince DeSade with them.
An alarming thought struck her suddenly. What if Valinna was behind that little stunt? How else could she explain why the witch had successfully resisted during the interrogation in front of the coven? Not only that, but who would have told her where to find the old Craft texts Meredith kept hidden from the rest of the coven? Help from Valinna was one way to answer both questions.
Ridiculous, Meredith scoffed. We may not be seeing eye to eye lately, but Valinna wouldn't intentionally sabotage the coven. She most definitely wouldn't have helped set Prince DeSade loose.
Shadows and paranoia, that's all it was. She was seeing problems where there were none. But the seeds of doubt lingered in her mind, and Meredith wondered just how much she should be trusting that Valinna would act in her best interest when it came to Hayll. Maybe she ought to seek out one of the other Black Widows- quietly- and see if their webs revealed a similar vision as the one she'd just seen.
Finally, Meredith had enough of trying to pay attention to Valinna's chatter, and held up her hand for silence.
"That's more than necessary to discuss right now, I think. We have a few days yet before Ettia and her cousin are due back from Dhemlan, so why don't you see to drafting up the appropriate messages we will want to distribute amongst the coven and the district Queens upon their return."
The Black Widow narrowed her eyes slightly, but kept her hands patiently folded in front of her. Whatever she wanted to say, though, Valinna held back. Instead, she gathered up the parchment pages and vanished them.
"When would you like me to deliver them for your review?"
Meredith didn't really want to waste her time reviewing them. Still, it was good the witch understood that she expected to have the final say about anything to do with this plan. Valinna may have thought of it, but she was merely the tool to get her what she wanted.
"This evening, after the meal. That should give you ample time to prepare."
"Will you want to discuss any comments at that time?"
"We'll see," Meredith replied noncommittally. "It depends on how well they're executed."
Anger flashed in Valinna's eyes. Meredith waited for her to rise to the bait, but the witch held back again.
"Of course," she replied with stiff politeness. When the silence between them had gone on for a minute or so, she spoke again. "If there's nothing else, why don't I start working on it?"
"Oh no, nothing requiring your attention for the morning," she said with a knowing smile. "Please do go on and work your Craft. I have other things to see to."
Not even a rise out of the Black Widow at that, aside from something barely whispered under her breath. If she hadn't been listening for a reaction, Meredith wouldn't even have caught it. Satisfied that she'd won their verbal skirmish, she didn't bother to call Valinna back to explain her remarks. Letting her stew on it all day was enough.
Not long after the Black Widow left, Meredith rose and headed back to her suite. It was far too early to be awake at this hour. At least awake and out of bed. She'd only insisted that this meeting take place so early so that she could annoy Valinna, but the bitch hadn't even batted an eyelash.
Just as Meredith should've known she wouldn't. She forgot that unlike the rest of the coven, Valinna abhorred the finer pleasures of having power and wealth. Things like a bed of silken sheets and a young pretty boy toy to enjoy it with. So she'd never resent losing several hours of playtime to discuss something so positively boring.
Well she sure as hell wasn't going to waste any more time. Last night, she'd selected an especially lovely male to serve as her bed partner. Not so beautiful as Prince DeSade had been, but then no one ever could be. She'd had to punish him somewhat for that, naturally. And for the insolence Valinna had shown her yesterday, too.
By now, he ought to be recovered enough to play for a few more hours. The thought brought a malevolent smile to her lips and a throbbing heat throughout her body. Meredith almost hoped that the young Warlord wouldn't be ready when she got there. It was always more fun to dose them with safframate when she could tell them it was their fault.
Halfway to her suite, Meredith spotted a few of the lower circle coven members. They froze, as if hoping she might pass them unnoticed. The weak-minded fools. Her smile turned predatory and she watched them tremble. A few more minutes' delay wouldn't spoil her plans. In fact, it would be a perfect appetizer.
"Ladies, how unusual to see anyone up and about at this hour. To what do I owe the occasion?"
At first, no one wanted to answer, but they were at least smart enough to realize silence could doom them just as easily as the wrong reply. The most senior of the witches stepped forward reluctantly. Meredith couldn't recall the bitch's name, although something struck her as being familiar.
"My Queen, we were on our way to breakfast."
"Instead of sending down for room service? How strange."
"The dining room is better suited for a larger group than our private suites, and the four of us didn't want to dine alone, Lady."
I bet you're all regretting that thought now, Meredith mused. But none of you expected to run into the Queen so early when you made your little plan.
"What a quaint notion," she replied with a hint of condescension. "Something left over from where you grew up, I imagine. Remind me where you're from again, dear. So many young witches pass through my court that you all tend to look alike."
"It's Maeren, Lady. From Lady Jaemie's district."
"And who are your little friends, Lady Maeren?"
"Lady Danella, Kirsten and Chenoa, my Queen."
Now Meredith remembered why they seemed familiar. Before she'd sent Ettia and Bethaeny away, she saw them with these witches from time to time. Not so often that it invited comment, but odd enough to warrant notice. After all, Ettia belonged to one of the higher circles in the coven. Her only reason for associating with this lot would be to see her cousin.
Unless they were involved in some other way.
Perhaps she'd kick off Valinna's plan a little early, and provide some entertainment this evening. Dosing Lady Maeren and Lady Danella with safframate might just cheer her mood. Not to mention, it might provide her with some useful answers about the nagging suspicions she had about Ettia and Bethaeny's loyalty.
That would have to wait until later, when she had the full attention of the coven in residence. She'd make note to speak with the head cook before dinner to ensure that two plates received an extra ingredient before they were served to the table. Meredith loved seeing the look on a witch's face the moment she realized she'd unwittingly dosed herself with safframate. Far more entertaining than force-feeding it to them.
But if she wanted to play out her game, she couldn't let on now what she intended. So Meredith affected a bored look and pretended that she could care less who any of them were.
"Well, if you expect me to remember your names, I'd suggest working a little harder at it, ladies. Perhaps you can spare some time at your breakfast get-together to think of a way to distinguish yourselves."
"We'll be sure to," Maeren assured her with a nervous twitch. "And to find a way to be better assets to Hayll."
"I'm sure that won't be too difficult. On your way, then."
"Thank you, Lady."
With that, the four witches scampered away as fast as they could without making it seem obvious. Better assets indeed. Little did the bitches know Meredith had already decided that for them. They'd wish they'd never laid eyes on Ettia or her dimwit cousin by this time tomorrow.
Her mood vastly improved by the anticipation of tonight's demonstration, Meredith breezed through the corridors back to her suite. Not a thing out of place since when she'd left it a few hours ago. Including her hapless Warlord, who was still tethered firmly to the bedposts with leather thongs.
She arched against the doorframe while her eyes roamed over his young, well-built body. How much did he resent that body now, Meredith wondered. After all, it was the reason Lady Jaemie had selected him personally as a gift for her. A show of appreciation, the Queen had said, for helping her regain control of her district.
A Warlord like this one was a fine start towards repaying that debt, even though his Tiger-Eye Jewels hadn't provided much of a challenge. She doubted he'd last very long with the coven once she was done playing with him. But Meredith could easily demand another from Lady Jaemie to take his place.
"So sorry to keep you waiting," she purred in a sultry voice.
The Warlord trembled and said nothing. Meredith glided further into the room, until she stood right next to the luxurious bed. How she loved this room- done up in crimson brocades and black silk to complement the golden brown tones of bared skin. It was a room meant for sex and the pursuit of her chosen prey.
She'd barely stroked his chest with her hand to set him to quivering, muscles taut and straining against the bonds. That is, all but one. Meredith set her mouth in a disappointed pout as she focused on his flaccid cock.
"But it would seem that you haven't missed me while I've been away. You don't seem very enthusiastic about my return," she continued with a pointed look.
Horror and fear filled the Warlord's eyes.
"Well?"
"My Lady," he beseeched her. "I swear that I'm just not used to keeping up with the desires of such an active, beautiful woman."
"Aaah, I see the problem. Maybe some help, then?"
Before he could protest, Meredith slid her hand down over his lower abdomen. With just her fingertips, she brushed over his limp appendage from base to tip and then back, gradually increasing in pressure until he was whimpering. As expected, it didn't stir at all.
"I don't think you're truly trying, Warlord," she warned him sharply.
Tears leaked out of his eyes and dribbled onto the pillowcase.
"I swear to the Darkness that I am, my Lady."
Meredith gripped him more firmly, and wrung from him a tortured sob. Her pout turned into a vicious smile as the Warlord fought the need to beg her to stop. After the games she'd played with him last night, by now he would know those pleas were useless and served only to make things worse. How she did admire his spirit.
It was time to see just how strong that spirit was, and so she called in a bottle of safframate. The Warlord's gasp of relief when she released his cock was short lived once he saw her reach for a glass of wine and pour out a dose. He struggled violently- albeit uselessly- against the leathers that bound him to the bed. Meredith ignored his frantic protests and silenced him using Craft.
"My poor boy," she consoled him. "I didn't realize just how much help you needed. Don't you worry, this will ensure that you're hot and ready in no time."
With that, she poured the wine down his throat and forced him to swallow it. The drug pumped through him quickly, and she watched in satisfaction as his shaft grew rigid under her touch. Eager to begin, she slid out of her dress and guided herself atop him.
"Now show me you can be a good boy, Warlord," Meredith whispered in his ear as she sheathed herself on his cock and began to ride.
3/Terreille
Maeren didn't breathe easy until after they'd gotten to the storage room near the kitchen. That encounter with Meredith had been entirely too close, and she still wasn't sure they were out of danger yet. So they'd have to be extra vigilant for the next few days…or weeks. There was no telling how long the Queen would wait if she was hoping to catch them off-guard.
Not the best timing for the four of them to have been seen together, and she blamed herself that they'd run into Meredith in the hallway. After she'd gotten the message from Fawne, Maeren should have waited longer to be absolutely sure that she'd returned to her suite. It was her responsibility to protect everyone in their network, and now she may have endangered two of their newest- Kirsten and Chenoa.
No use dwelling on that mistake, she admonished herself with an inward sigh. Might as well find out what Fawne and Kareal have learned over the past two days.
She probed the hallway carefully, and was relieved that no one else from the coven was nearby. The other members of their group were told to stay clear, and the rest wouldn't be up this early. Quickly, she pulled open the store room door and motioned the other three witches inside. Maeren followed them and shut it firmly behind her.
Fortunately, Fawne and Kareal were already waiting in the store room. They must have used the back stairs to get here from the salon. Too bad that wasn't an option for her and the others, since those corridors tended to be more efficient. But if anyone saw them lurking around in the servant hallways, it would raise far too many unwanted questions about what they were up to.
As it was, they were taking an awful risk for so many of them to meet at once. Maeren's instincts told her that more than just she and Danella needed to hear what Fawne and Kareal had to say, though. The junior witches in their group needed firsthand exposure to what was going on behind closed doors with Meredith. She couldn't keep expecting them to accept her second-hand accounts if she hoped to keep them on their side.
"Okay, Fawne, we're all here. What did you see this morning in the salon with Meredith and Valinna?"
The witch's eyes darted to Kirsten and Chenoa before saying anything. Maeren understood her hesitation, as she'd likely never seen either of them before.
"Ladies Kirsten and Chenoa," she said by way of introduction. "Danella and I are trying to get them more involved, so we brought them to hear what you've discovered."
"You picked one hell of a day to start," Fawne mused.
"When is it ever a good day?"
"Never, I suppose," the witch admitted. "Anyway, might as well get started. It's good news and bad, like always. Regarding our worries about Ettia and Bethaeny- Valinna won that argument, and they are to be spared for now. But that's only going to give us a few months at best before Meredith gets her way."
"I'm guessing that's not the bad news," Danella muttered grimly.
"No, it's not, although I wish it were."
"So what is the bad news?"
"If we don't gain some headway before then, their deaths are going to be the least of our worries."
Tension wrapped an icy claw around Maeren's spine and squeezed. She cleared her throat, startling Chenoa.
"And what would be the biggest worry," she dared ask.
"We've got about three months before Hayll goes to war with Dhemlan."
Muttered prayers to the Darkness passed over the lips of several witches, including her own. Maeren hadn't wanted to believe that Meredith would actually go that far- or that the Hayllian Blood would let her do it. How much more could they tolerate out of fear or willful blindness? But Fawne's tone was serious, and Maeren knew better than to scoff at the idea. Others weren't quite so convinced.
"It's not possible," Danella protested. "She'd need an army to do that, and Hayll hasn't had an army since before the Purge."
"There will be an army," Kareal assured her. "That's what she's going to build over the next three months or so."
"Rather, what Valinna is going to build," Fawne corrected.
"How do you mean?" Chenoa asked, obviously puzzled. "I don't see the difference."
Which was exactly why Maeren had wanted to bring her and Kirsten to the meeting. For all their supposed social status by being coven members, they were far from adept at picking up subtle cues in a conversation. Fawne had shown time and time again that the servant witches used that skill effortlessly.
A truth I'd never have known myself if not for Bethaeny.
In all honesty, Maeren thought the wrong cousin was leading their cause. Ettia had her strengths, but in the month before she and Bethaeny were sent to Dhemlan, the witch's flaws and blind spots had become increasingly hard to ignore. She would likely deny it, but the witch was hung up on social standing as much as Meredith or any of the others they were up against. And an attitude like that was going to cripple- or destroy- them in the end.
That was something to bring up with Bethaeny when they got back. Right now, Maeren kept her focus on the task at hand. Unlike Chenoa, she knew exactly the kind of distinction Fawne was making about Meredith and Valinna. Didn't mean that she liked hearing it, or that she would like anything else Fawne was about to say in her explanation.
"Between Kareal and me, we've spent a lot of time over the past months listening to the private discussions between Meredith and Valinna. At first, it wasn't obvious what was going on, but the last few days have shown a dramatic change in their dynamic. We're sure enough of it now to bring it to your attention."
"And that is?"
"Ladies, Meredith isn't ruling anything in Hayll. It's all orchestrated by Valinna."
After a minute of awkward silence, Kirsten was the first to speak up. She glanced at Maeren before saying anything, but there was hardly a point in stopping her. Might as well say what needs to be said.
"You must be mistaken. Valinna has always been Meredith's bitch to command, waiting for the Queen's beck and call before taking action."
"I'm just telling you what we've seen. And in their private meetings, Valinna is presenting the ideas to Meredith, not the other way around."
"But Meredith still makes the decisions and plans out how to best use Valinna's ideas."
The witch shook her head slowly.
"That's not what I saw this morning. Hell's fire, Meredith can barely follow the Black Widow's ideas; much less give meaningful direction how to use them."
Kirsten was about to protest again, but Fawne wasn't finished.
"Valinna had to spell out every detail about their upcoming plans for Hayll, and even that proved too much for Meredith to handle. The Black Widow had barely sketched her tactical planning for the first strike when Meredith called off their meeting."
On some level, Maeren had always known Valinna was the true power in Hayll, even if she'd never let herself admit it. She could examine all of the excuses she'd made for ignoring it, but in truth, it was quite simple. She didn't want to admit that she'd been taken in by the ruse like everyone else in those early years when Meredith had risen to power.
And that revelation brought along some others what were equally unpleasant. If the Blood had surrendered Hayll to a witch just because they feared her dark Jewels and caste, what did that say about themselves? Certainly not that they were very smart on the whole. And possibly more worrisome- how much more dangerous was a witch like Valinna? Far more dangerous than Meredith.
She was pulled out of those thoughts by Chenoa.
"So she's a moron, basically."
"I wouldn't go that far," Kareal hedged. "The Queen may not be the mastermind behind Hayll, but she's by no means stupid."
"I got the impression this morning that it's not so much that she can't figure things out for herself, but rather that she doesn't want to," Fawne added.
"I agree," Maeren spoke up. "When it's something she wants, Meredith is very capable of devising a way to get it with or without Valinna's help."
Especially if it involves pain or torturing someone, she added silently.
She remembered all too well the time she'd been starved for three days over a steak. Valinna had nothing to do with that in the slightest. It made sense. Maeren suspected the Black Widow wasn't against torture, but used it only if more subtle methods had failed first. And even then, she let Meredith be the one to order it.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Kirsten acknowledged.
One potential disaster averted. Now Maeren could move onto what she really wanted to hear. They didn't have too much more time before they'd have to adjourn for the morning, so it was best if she got Fawne to get on with the details of Valinna's plan.
"You mentioned that Valinna was able to provide some details of her plan to the Queen before she was dismissed, Fawne. If we're going to have any time to prepare, we're going to need as much information as you have on it."
"Of course," Fawne replied and took a breath to begin. "So here's what she has in mind…"
For the next fifteen minutes, the witch recounted everything she'd heard in the meeting, starting with the broad ideas first, and moving into the details. Maeren was glad to see Danella paying close attention. Before Ettia and Bethaeny had left, the witch had been acting too much like their official leader- snubbing any ideas that witches like Fawne and Kareal were more than useful tools to a specific end.
But Maeren had been gradually working with her, and Danella's attitude had improved. She just hoped that the change would survive Ettia's return, and the witch wouldn't fall back into her old opinions. At least until that time, she could keep them as united as possible. After all, she'd promised Bethaeny she'd try to integrate the two halves of their group as best as she could.
That effort might be all for nothing, however. The more of Valinna's plan Fawne revealed, the more Maeren worried how successful their plans would be- even if they got Ettia and Bethaeny back. The Black Widow's tactics were terrifyingly clever, and none of them truly had enough experience to counter them.
If she were honest, the best they'd done so far was defensive action. But reacting to the information the staff passed on wasn't really doing anything to thwart them, was it? Ettia had talked big about overthrowing Meredith and Valinna, but very little of their operation included offensive action. To get anywhere against this new design of Valinna's, that would have to change. Quickly.
She wondered if Kirsten or Chenoa realized how bad their situation was right now. Danella did, judging by her expression.
*We're in trouble, aren't we?*
"More than we thought* Maeren sent back.
*I'm not sure if we have enough support left in the coven to keep going*
*If we're lucky, Meredith and Valinna will focus on the district Queens and we can work on the coven*
*To what end? Even if we won over everyone in the coven, how is that going to stop what they're planning and the coming war with Dhemlan?*
It wouldn't do much of anything, and Maeren knew that. She had hoped that she'd have until Ettia and Bethaeny returned before anyone else would start to realize it. There was a way she thought they could spread their influence, but she didn't want to bring it up until everyone was present. Danella was expecting her to say something, though, and Maeren hoped she wasn't making a mistake with a half-hearted answer.
*We'll find a way to make a difference*
*You don't sound as sure as you did a few months ago. Or even when Ettia left* She paused. *Are we giving up?*
*Not yet. Let's see what happens when Bethaeny and Ettia return*
"Thank you, Fawne, for your thorough report. I think we've all been gone from our regular tasks long enough for this morning, though."
Everyone nodded.
"Who should we send for tonight's meeting?"
"Is there a problem with either of you doing it?"
"I think it'd be best if it were one of the others," Kareal suggested cautiously. "It's going to be suspicious if either of them do notice that only the two of us clean the room when they're around."
"Is there anyone you can trust?"
"Arren has proven capable in the past few weeks. She's been practicing on some of the other coven members in Meredith's higher circles, so she won't freeze up or give herself away easily."
"If she's ready and you think she'll be able to provide us with enough information, then by all means send her."
"We'll work with her this afternoon, and if she's ready, Arren will be our eyes in that meeting. If not, either Kareal or I will go," Fawne agreed.
"Good plan," she said with a short nod. Then she turned to the others. "Danella, you need to keep an eye on what Valinna is up to before dinner. Find some excuse to shadow her, and if you need help, let me know."
"What about us?" Chenoa asked.
"You two will be with the rest of the coven. Try to keep an eye on the witches who support Meredith, and scout for any who might be swayed to our side."
"I doubt we'll find any takers, but we can try."
"That's all I'm asking for at the point. Everyone clear on our plan for the day?"
No one had any questions, and so Kareal and Fawne slipped out of the store room first. When Maeren was sure they'd gotten far enough away, she led the others quietly away. Before they could disappear to their assignments, she reminded them that they had a breakfast appointment in the dining room. She couldn't take the chance that Meredith would find out if they didn't go. Or worse, that Valinna would.