Chapter 205-Hidden intentions (2)

Chapter 205: 205-Hidden intentions (2)

The royal carriages had barely begun assembling when another carriage approached the riverbank, its black-and-silver exterior gleaming beneath the fireworks.

The royal guards immediately straightened, and the attendants stepped aside to clear a path.

Kheamossa recognized the crest before the carriage came to a complete stop. A smile spread across her face.

"Taratoya is here."

The carriage door opened, and Taratoya emerged with her usual unhurried grace. Dressed in a crimson gown decorated with white embroidery that complemented her pale skin, she looked every bit the dangerous vampire she was rumored to be.

Her gaze swept across the gathered royals and their guests before settling on Kheamossa.

"Auntie," she greeted, inclining her head. "You look as though the celebrations have been kind to you."

"And you look as though you have spent the entire evening making trouble for someone." Kheamossa stepped forward and embraced her niece without hesitation. "It has been far too long since you last visited properly."

"Has it? I was under the impression that you preferred receiving reports about me rather than enduring my company."

"Reports are useful for knowing whether you are alive. They are considerably less entertaining than watching you attempt to deceive me to my face."

Taratoya laughed softly. "Then I shall have to make an effort to be more entertaining tonight."

Kheamossa drew back, holding her niece by the shoulders as she examined her. Despite Taratoya’s sharp tongue and dangerous reputation, the affection in the older woman’s eyes was unmistakable.

Taratoya might have been her niece by blood, but she had never been treated as anything less than a daughter in their household.

After Taratoya’s parents passed away, Kheamossa and Velanora had taken her under their wings.

They had given her a home, taught her the intricacies of court politics, and shown her how to recognize a trap before stepping into it.

Kheamossa, in particular, had shaped much of the woman Taratoya had become. Her composure, her sharp instincts, her ability to conceal three intentions behind a single sentence; all those qualities had been sharpened under her aunt’s watchful eye.

Sometimes, Velanora suspected that Kheamossa had created a monster and then taken great pride in teaching it table manners.

"Your Majesty," Taratoya greeted Velanora with an elegant bow.

"Still so formal with me?" Velanora asked, offering her a warm smile. "I thought I had raised you better than that."

"You raised me to understand the importance of addressing a queen appropriately."

"And your aunt raised you to find loopholes in every instruction and situation."

"Only when the instruction leaves room for interpretation, my queen."

Velanora sighed. They had been exchanging pleasantries for less than five minutes, and already the conversation had turned into a contest.

Kheamossa’s smile widened. She turned to Delah, "You should have seen her when she was younger. She once convinced an entire council that she had lost a document, only to reveal that she had hidden it in the council president’s own sleeve."

"I was twelve," Taratoya pointed out.

"You were thirteen," Kheamossa corrected. She remembered it like it was yesterday.

"Then I was clearly more accomplished than I remember."

Velanora pressed her fingers against her forehead. "The two of you are impossible."

Neither woman paid her any attention, instead, Kheamossa linked her arm through Taratoya’s and began leading her toward the royal carriage, asking about her recent activities with the casual warmth of an aunt catching up with a beloved niece.

Taratoya answered just as warmly, but every response carried a carefully measured degree of concealment.

"The academy has been unusually lively lately," Kheamossa remarked.

"Has it? I heard the Blood Archives have been experiencing some difficulties."

"Difficulties are inevitable when people become too interested in things they do not understand."

"Indeed. Though sometimes the things people fail to understand are precisely what they should be investigating," Taratoya said, "I have a few things I personally don’t understand too."

Kheamossa turned her head to study her niece. "You sound concerned."

"I would never presume to question the judgment of the royal family."

"Of course not. You merely enjoy asking questions that make everyone else question their judgment."

Taratoya smiled. "I learned from the best."

Their gazes met and for one brief moment, the affection between them gave way to something sharper even as neither woman’s smile disappeared.

But the conversation had shifted into a familiar game, one they had played since Taratoya was old enough to understand that information could be more valuable than gold.

Kheamossa offered a small piece of truth and watched to see what Taratoya would do with it. Taratoya returned a half-answer, carefully shaped to reveal just enough while concealing everything that mattered. Each question was a move across an invisible chessboard. Each answer was another piece placed into position.

They were not arguing, nor were they entirely deceiving each other. They were measuring what the other knew, what she suspected, and how much she was willing to reveal and neither intended to lose.

Velanora watched them for a few moments before releasing another weary sigh.

"Honestly, I should have brought a chessboard. At least then I would know when the game had started."

"Would you like to join us, Your Majesty?" Taratoya asked sweetly.

"No. I value my peace," she shook her head. "Which is why I prefer Varitreya company in conversations. She is guarded but not layered like the two of you are."

"How unfortunate. I was hoping you might have something interesting to contribute," Taratoya said, ignoring the other parts Queen Velanora spoke.

She knew well, queen Velanora was not much for games. She preferred things to be white or black, never grey. But she didn’t mind because she could always expect straightforwardness from her.

"I have something interesting to contribute," Velanora replied. "It is the suggestion that both of you stop circling each other long enough to enjoy the celebration."

Kheamossa laughed, and Taratoya’s expression softened.

For all their games, there was genuine affection beneath the sharp exchanges. Taratoya had never forgotten who had stood beside her when she lost her parents.

As for Kheamossa, no matter how many secrets her niece collected or how many dangerous schemes she became involved in, had never stopped seeing the girl she had helped raise.

They could question each other, challenge each other, and spend entire evenings attempting to outmaneuver one another but if the world turned against Taratoya, Kheamossa would still open her doors to her and Taratoya knew it.

"Very well, Auntie," Taratoya said at last. "I shall behave."

Kheamossa raised an eyebrow. "For how long?"

"Until you give me a reason not to."

Velanora closed her eyes. "Seven candles," she muttered. "I lit seven candles for your long life, Kheamossa. I did not realize I would need another seven to survive the two of you."

Their laughter carried across the riverbank. The aunt and niece continued on the night, each carrying a mission to help Maisa and her mates grow closer.

Taratoya wanted her mother’s belongings while Kheamossa dreamt of a world without humans.

With or without knowing it, their paths were aligned and the means to their goal was one and the same. And neither of them knew how to lose.