Everyone was waiting. They were all sitting and standing and staring at her, waiting for her to tell them what to do. Sade glared at their dumb stares. “We proceed.”
“How? The queen will be leaving on her airship at any moment, and she’s taking her children with her,” Fariza said. “Soon she’ll be in Arafez, cleaning up Barika’s mess and wondering what to do with you. With all of us.”
“You’re certain she knows I’m here? She doesn’t want to see me before she goes?”
“Yes.” Fariza swallowed. “The page told me that the queen is going to deal with the riots herself, and then come back here and deal with you, herself.”
“Perfect.” Sade turned her cold eyes to Barika. “She’s going to deal with me. With us. Because of the riots, Barika. Because of your mess.” The ambassador slouched in the corner, her eyes lowered. “It doesn’t matter. We can’t wait. We’ll do it now. Quickly, go and fetch the Incan girl, but not her guard. Now, where’s the cat? Our cat, not the two monsters that the Espani brought. We’ll let the Incan girl present it to one of the princesses, right now, on the airfield. The little brat will fawn all over it and take it on the airship, and in half an hour it will all be over.”
Fariza sighed and shrugged. “As you wish.” She snapped her fingers and the maid in the corner scurried out to find Lady Qhora.
They all turned to the children sitting quietly in the corner and Sade felt her breath stop in her breast. “Where’s the cat? Where’s the damn cat?!”