The Kindred's Curse Saga, #2
Glow of the Everflame
by Penn Cole
Contents
Chapter 26
Overview
Diem stages a calculated entrance at the ball, projecting innocence to win Houses while tightening alliances. She survives an Umbros mind assault, confirming the Umbros Queen’s past warning. Diplomacy turns precarious when Sophos targets Teller and House Benette shields them. Finally, Diem outmaneuvers Hanoverre’s public slander, but open conflict looms.
Summary
Diem enters the ball with Aemonn, adopting a pristine facade to signal harmlessness while consolidating Corbois support. She endures formal greetings, anxiously aware of potential Guardian unrest beyond the palace. Envoys present gifts: a Fortos blade, a Montios warming cloak, an Arboros cure-all, Faunos gryvern fare, an Ignios spydersilk scarf, and a Meros compass pointing to her heart’s desire.
An Umbros envoy, Symond, invades Diem’s mind with coercive desire. Diem’s inner voice surges, shielding her and breaking his hold. He reveals the Umbros Queen’s prior warning and prophecy, confirming the alley encounter tied to Diem’s mother’s disappearance and hinting at the Challenging and coronation. Symond withdraws, rattled.
Representatives of Sophos present the Orb of Answering and invite Teller to study. Diem refuses, suspecting Sophos’s predation, but Evrim Benette intervenes to host Sophos, forcing Diem into public diplomacy to avoid provoking all Lumnos. Aemonn pointedly suggests future heirs, stoking gossip to position himself as consort.
House Hanoverre arrives, led by Matriarch Marthe and Iléana, who needle Diem about lineage, magic, and Luther. Marthe escalates with insinuations that Diem, as a mortal healer, murdered the King and seduced Luther. With Luther absent, Diem reframes the accusation as an attack on Corbois and Fortos, compelling Hanoverre either to name them as conspirators or retract.
Under that pressure, Marthe denies accusing Corbois and Fortos, ending the immediate crisis. Though Diem preserves her standing and narrative control, Hanoverre’s malice and Benette’s leverage signal sharpening political fronts ahead of the Challenging.
Who Appears
- DiemQueen; performs strategic innocence, resists Umbros mind control, refuses Sophos’s offer for Teller, and publicly forces Hanoverre to retract slander.
- Aemonn CorboisEscort and political ally; showcases Diem, clashes with Taran, seeds rumors of consort and heirs to bolster his position.
- Remis CorboisRegent; manages diplomacy, cautions Diem about Sophos and Benette, attempts to control crises during accusations.
- Marthe HanoverreMatriarch; publicly insinuates Diem murdered the King and leverages scandal until forced to retract.
- Iléana HanoverreRival; goads Diem about the Challenging and Luther, revels in slander until Diem’s counter humiliates her.
- Symond (Umbros envoy)Telepathic seducer; invades Diem’s mind, delivers the Umbros Queen’s message and prophecy, then retreats.
- Evrim BenetteHouse Benette patriarch; shelters Sophos envoys, pressures Diem to maintain their business interests.
- Eleanor CorboisAdvisor; helps craft Diem’s image, remains by her side, shares intel on Hanoverre.
- LilyCousin and ally; supports Diem, mentions Teller, reacts to Sophos’s offer with hope.
- Garath CorboisCorbois leader; participates in greetings, uneasy during Hanoverre confrontation.
- PertheBodyguard; maintains watch during mounting tensions, ready to defend Diem.
- Taran CorboisAemonn’s brother; teases, offers Diem levity amid political strain.
- Sophos envoysKindred delegates; gift the Orb of Answering and target Teller with an invitation Diem rejects.