Regina slept in a bit the following day, being more tired than she’d thought. Maybe it was because she’d spent part of the night just lying awake and staring at the ceiling, her mind buzzing too much to sleep.

She met briefly with everyone she had to, but had to force herself to focus on them, before she went back to where they’d decided to keep the prisoners. She trusted that Janis, Kiara and the others had the political aspects of the situation and the summit in hand, while she did what only she could do.

Regina actually managed to get through both of the remaining prisoners that day. It did get a bit easier once she’d already done it and knew what to do and what to expect. At the end, she still stumbled and crashed onto a stool Max had hastily brought in, wiping some blood from her nose. She had a pounding headache, but luckily it went away with an application of Greater Heal. Max had also just pulled blindfolds over the captives’ eyes so they couldn’t see her.

She might as well sit here for a moment, she decided, telling herself it wasn’t because she was tired. This room was secure and as good for a brief discussion as any.

“Did you find what you were looking for? Any more than the other one?” Max asked briefly.

Regina shrugged, stifling a sigh. “I guess, and not much.”

They hadn’t known much more than Alan, her first subject. Their stories were reasonably similar, and unfortunately, none of them actually knew who’d gotten them to do this. It seemed like the same guy, but with the System and magic and illusions or just mundane disguises, she couldn’t be sure of that. They all had slightly varying reasons; the woman’s brother had died in the war and she blamed Regina, the Nerlian wanted to save his crumbling family estate. They were all worshippers of Deirianon, at least officially, she noted. But she wasn’t sure if that mattered, he was a popular god and getting three for three wasn’t that unlikely even by chance.

She had also found further signs of what she’d seen in the first man’s mind. Well, at least in the other man. The woman - Enid - the woman seemed too focused on revenge to need such manipulation. Or I simply failed to see it. She had to acknowledge that was possible. Either way, it was further proof of … something. It wasn’t quite the same in the two men, but similar enough. A lack of reactions that should have been there, just that slightest shift in their attitudes and goals that resulted in them following this path.

A part of her couldn’t help but admire the artistry of it, but the rest was horrified. Clearly, whoever was ultimately responsible for this was a more skilled psychic than herself. Madris could do this, probably — and wasn’t that a disquieting thought? — but Regina didn’t know who else. Not that she knew about many other psychics, of course. Chances were it was someone she’d never seen coming.

“Do you trust Madris enough to look at them?” Ira asked quietly.

Regina shot her a glance, then nodded slightly. I think so. Yes, I do, she decided. She has no reason to do this, and much better options if she wanted me dead. It makes no sense that she’d be involved here. And given that, maybe she can tell me more. At the very least, it should help get her to tell me more about other psychics.

They both nodded, content with that answer. Max still felt worried, but Regina had learned to tune that out by now.

Instead, she reached out to Jem and got his help to put the knowledge she’d just gained into the psychic link. She tried her best to transmit the impressions she’d picked up, but she could tell it didn’t come across very well. Maybe that was just as well. Still, having the Keepers looking through the facts couldn’t be a bad thing, and she already knew Max and a few others were going to comb through everything they could to try to find and deal with any threats to her safety they could.

For now, except for revising security arrangements at the conference, there wasn’t much else for her to do, just wait for Madris to come. The dark elf was staying in Cernlia and had apparently been attending to some business, but she’d probably come as quickly as she could now.

The Delvers have a Seer, right? Ira asked. Maybe it would be worth asking them for help, too?

Regina paused. She hadn’t thought of that. I can ask them to take a look, I guess. Thanks. She should probably touch base with the Delvers, anyway.

First, though, she had to check in with what felt like everyone else. Regina left the room and made her way back to the main rooms of the summit, where she was immediately accosted by people. Well, not accosted, they were too respectful for that, but her patience for dealing with people’s crap was low today. She tried to remain polite as she told them that some information was confidential, there was an ongoing investigation, she was perfectly fine thank you, and the situation was handled and they did not anticipate further dangers or threats to anyone else. It almost made her miss the thought of a press conference so she’d only have to say all this once. Although word should be passed anyway.

Janis stuck close to her. She’d been away previously, with Kiara, as a quick check showed, but now Janis was too concerned to stick with her girlfriend over Regina. She appreciated the sentiment. It would probably get smothering if they all didn’t back off soon, though.

“June?” Regina asked, following an impulse.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” The younger girl stepped out from a group of nobles, looking almost eager.

Regina waved her closer so she could speak quietly. “I want you to go back and keep an eye on the prisoners,” she said quietly. “Catalogue their injuries, if you would, and see if you can find any substantive clues as to their mental states. Think of it as a practical assignment.”

June looked torn between smiling and looking sober. “Of course, Master, I’ll be right on it.”

Regina hid a smile as she watched her walk off. Not only would that get June out of her hair, it would hopefully be useful experience for her apprentice. She caught Janis giving her a look, shrugged slightly and turned back to the others.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Anything we can do?” Kiara asked. She had probably intended to sound sarcastic, if Regina was reading what she sensed from her right, but she was too tense and concerned to pull it off.

“Keep the crowd off me, please. But I know you must have more than enough of your own work to attend to.” She eyed their surroundings, the premises of their summit, then made an executive decision. “Janis, you’re sitting in for me on the meeting at least until afternoon, there’s nothing particularly important, anyway. I have people to talk to.”

Kiara frowned slightly. “My Empress, have you already announced Janis as your chosen heir?” she asked cautiously. It was obviously rhetorical.

Regina smirked. “What better way to do it?” She clapped Janis on the shoulder and pointedly ignored her expression. “I’m off to talk to the Delvers, call me if you need help.”

“You’re not actually going to —“

“No, we could do an announcement this evening or something, but it doesn’t hurt to prepare the groundwork beforehand, don’t you agree, Kiara?”

Kiara looked thoughtful for a second. “Come on, I’ll give you some advice,” she offered her girlfriend, taking her arm to pull her along.

I mean it, if you need help, ask me, Regina repeated over the psychic link, sensing Janis’ nervousness. She wasn’t too concerned, though. Janis had accompanied her to more than a few meetings and held her ground very well.

Max stuck close to Regina as she continued on, along with a few other drones from the bodyguard unit he’d chosen. They would have been annoying under other circumstances, but Regina had to admit, if only to herself, that she did find their presence comforting right now. The idea that someone had tried to kill her in these corridors had only just sunk in, really, and having their steady presence at her side, between her and danger, was nice. Regina was determined not to dwell on it, though. It was hardly the first time she was in danger and it wouldn’t be the last. She had to be conscious of the risks, but she couldn’t let it paralyze her, even if the hive depended on her. With the founding of the Central European Empire, she couldn’t just hole up in her hive’s most defensible base all the time, she had to go and interact with people. And right now, she needed to show that she wasn’t rattled.

The Delvers made a minor stir when she arrived, but not as bad as some might have. There weren’t that many of them here. In particular, she noticed, the Seer didn’t seem to be present. He had supposedly been going to come later, but she wasn’t too surprised that he didn’t. Alix didn’t seem like the type to enjoy large gatherings of people.

Owin, Gwen and Egon Trito were there, though, and they quickly invited her inside the house they’d taken over and to the parlor. The other Delvers seemed to silently decide to give them some space, which Regina was thankful for. It was a bit of a shame that she didn’t know them as well, she supposed, but she didn’t really regret that she seemed to end up dealing more with the people she already knew.

“We’re always glad to see you visit, Your Majesty,” Owin said, “although it is a bit unexpected, considering what has happened. Is there any way we can help?”

Gwen threw him a look but Regina only smiled, appreciating the bluntness. Owin was not a court type, which she found refreshing just now.

“Perhaps,” she said. “As it happens, I’d like to talk to Seer Castaway. Is he intending to come to the conference?”

Gwen frowned a bit deeper. “Unfortunately, as far as I know Seer Alix was indisposed,” she answered, the others nodding in confirmation.

“We can certainly pass a message if you’d like, though, Your Majesty,” Trito offered.

Regina looked at them for a moment, considering it, before she nodded. “Alright. Please make sure the information is handled discretely, though. I’d rather this not become public knowledge.”

“Of course, we’ll proceed with the utmost caution and secrecy.”

“Very well. As you must know, several people attempted an assassination yesterday. We caught the attackers and I’ve interrogated them. They were all approached by someone hiding their features, although it seems to be the same man. Or woman, I suppose they might have given the wrong impression on purpose with the disguise. They seemed to have mercenary motives, or personal ambition, rather than any kind of conviction. At least two of the would-be assassins showed signs of psychic influence.” She paused, watching their reactions. “I’d like to know if Seer Alix might be able to help us find who is behind this.”

Gwen and Owin exchanged a look. “We’ll certainly pass this on, but I’m not sure he will be able to help,” he said.

“The Seer usually does not work with this kind of information or such investigations,” Trito cut in. “His abilities skew more towards seeing what is happening elsewhere. But I think he would be able to contribute something.”

Regina nodded, making a mental note that Trito was probably closer to Alix than the others. It didn’t particularly surprise her. And he probably had at least one Ability for more esoteric clairvoyant things if she got that right.

“I would appreciate that,” she responded. Then she couldn’t help herself and glanced over at Owin. “Not to pry into your personal affairs, but are you and the Seer …?”

Owin laughed. “No, we’re not related, as far as I know. We met only a few years ago. We’re simply both Castaways, orphans or those who had no one to take them in.”

“I see, pardon the question.” Regina shook her head and gave him a small smile. At least he didn’t seem to take offense. It did remind her to look into social services for Nerlia and Cernlia. It didn’t bode well that the Delvers had to take in orphans or children no one wanted, and having an entire last name culturally established for that situation didn’t, either.

She hesitated for a moment, struck by a thought. “How are your numbers? New recruits pouring in, or are people leaving the order?”

They exchanged another look. “More of the former than the latter, My Empress,” Gwen said. “At least in Cernlia and the border territories of Nerlia. Our membership is holding steady otherwise.”

“Even with the war?”

“Even with the war,” Owin confirmed. “We did not lose many people in the civil war, especially compared to the armies raised by the contenders.”

Regina hummed. That made sense; the Delvers had only really entered the war quite late, after all. And after the end of the war in Cernlia, there were probably mercenaries and those who had turned fought during the war who couldn’t or didn’t want to go back home to their farms looking to join up. I suppose that’s a good thing for me. Even if the recruits aren’t originally in line with the Delvers’ attitudes, including being inclined to follow me, enough time with their new comrades should build that loyalty.

“My plans do include a standing army for the Empire in the foreseeable future,” she told them slowly. “I would very much appreciate the help of your order.”

Trito smiled. “A very intriguing prospect, Your Majesty. I confess I thought that, considering your Hive, this would not be a priority.”

“The Hive does effectively have a standing army already, of course. But it’s still a separate entity from our new nation. I would like soldiers from all corners, and notable communities of the Empire for it. But, of course, that’s a tricky situation when it comes to human fighters I can trust, well, I hope I can rely on the Delvers.”

Now all of them were smiling. Regina wasn’t foolish enough to promise them control over her planned new military and they clearly recognized that. But the influence and ability to shape it, and presumably having high-ranking positions reserved for Delver leaders even while the army would recruit heavily from them, wasn’t exactly a prospect they disliked.

“I believe I speak for the order in saying that we would be honored, Your Majesty,” Gwen assured her with a small grin.