The fortress-in-progress was holding Kaelith and Aliyah's full attention, branches, flower petals, and cherry pits flying with the reckless dedication of future monarchs planning a siege.
It gave Lara and Malvoria a rare sliver of privacy beneath the spreading boughs of an ancient willow. Sun filtered through the leaves, painting Malvoria's crimson skin with shifting gold.
Lara brushed dirt from her shirt and shot her sister a sidelong look. "All right, so what are you really doing here? You didn't just show up to critique my grass-rolling skills."
Malvoria stretched her arms overhead, horns gleaming. "First of all, I'm your little sister, remember?" She tossed Lara a mocking smirk.
"It's practically my job to check up on you when you start acting like a sad song at a tavern."
"Yeah, but you're also the Demon Queen. Don't you have… I don't know, demon queen things to do?"
Malvoria shrugged, utterly unbothered. "Of course I do. There's always a rebellion to squash, an ambassador to terrify, or a council meeting to ignore. But right now? My daughter is here"
She waved at Kaelith, who was currently trying to convince Aliyah that flower petals made superior roof tiles—"so I came to see her and, incidentally, you."
Lara narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. "Just like that?"
Malvoria flashed a fanged grin. "And because Mother sent me."
Lara groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "I should have known. What did she say, exactly?"
"She said," Malvoria intoned, affecting Veylira's grave accent.
"That you showed up at her castle last night looking like you'd misplaced your last brain cell, and that you had the face of someone three days into a bad breakup. So naturally, I had to see for myself."
Malvoria's eyes sparkled with wicked amusement. "She's worried you're going through some sort of existential crisis. Or a very belated teenage rebellion."
Lara snorted despite herself. "Great. So the Demon Queen and her mom think I'm depressed."
Malvoria poked her shoulder. "If the boot fits, General."
"I'm not depressed," Lara protested, though her tone lacked conviction. "I'm just… reevaluating."
"Is that what the kids are calling it now?" Malvoria waggled her eyebrows.
"Because if you're reevaluating, you're doing a truly pitiful job. I saw you lying in the grass with your mouth open like a dying fish. No offense."
"None taken," Lara said, dry as dust. "So, what, you're here to fix me?"
Malvoria grinned. "Please. I'm not a therapist, I'm just good at heckling. But I am here to give you a hard time until you admit why you're really acting like a kicked puppy."
Lara crossed her arms, but couldn't quite hide the curve of her mouth. "Fine, Dr. Malvoria. What's your diagnosis?"
Malvoria mimed stroking a beard. "Classic case of 'Oh no, my co-parent is getting married to someone else and now I realize I'm an emotionally constipated disaster.'"
Lara threw a blade of grass at her. "Wow. Amazing insight. Where do you get your degree, the School of Being Annoying?"
"Top of my class." Malvoria caught the grass and flicked it back. "So, is it true?"
Lara hesitated. "Is what true?"
"That Sarisa's getting married, and you're secretly losing your mind about it."
Lara made a show of glancing up at the sky. "I'm not losing my mind."
"You're acting like you lost your favorite sword."
"Maybe I did."
Malvoria gave her a pointed look. "Come on. It's me. Don't pretend you don't care."
Lara looked away, jaw set. "It's complicated."
Malvoria's voice gentled, just a fraction. "Doesn't have to be. You could always try, I don't know, talking to her."
"I did talk to her," Lara muttered. "It didn't help."
"What did she say?"
"She said she's going to try with him. That he's nice, helpful. That it'd be good to have someone to share all this with. She sounded… tired, Mal. Like she's been alone for years and just wants it to stop."
Malvoria was quiet for a beat, watching her daughter and Aliyah attempt to balance a stick on top of their petal palace. "Maybe she does. Maybe she's tired of waiting."
Lara shook her head, fighting the bitter taste in her mouth. "She said there's still time, but I feel like I missed something important. Like I kept assuming she'd always be there and now—" She broke off, pressing her lips tight.
"Now it hurts," Malvoria finished gently.
Lara nodded, not trusting her voice.
Malvoria looped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a sideways squeeze. "It's not too late, you know. People change their minds. Even Sarisa."
Lara let out a breath. "You really think so?"
Malvoria snorted. "She's not marrying Vaelen for love. Not yet, anyway. That guy is many things, but he's not you." She poked Lara's cheek. "And you're an idiot, but you're her idiot."
Lara snickered. "You're terrible at pep talks."
"I'm not here to pep, I'm here to annoy you into action. Or at least get you to stop moping."
Lara relaxed a little, letting Malvoria's presence anchor her.
It was so easy to forget, sometimes, that this fierce, intimidating queen was also the one who'd once stolen sweets from palace kitchens with her, who had taught her how to throw a proper punch, who'd picked her up off the training yard when she fell.
Family had a way of surviving everything—awkward confessions, bitter fights, even heartbreak.
Kaelith and Aliyah ran up then, brandishing sticks like scepters. "Aunt Malvoria! Can you help us build the tower?"
Malvoria straightened, giving them a solemn nod. "Of course, my mighty rulers. But only if Lara agrees to be the dragon again."
Aliyah giggled. "She's always the dragon."
"Don't let her hear you say that," Kaelith stage-whispered. "She'll huff and puff and pretend to be scary."
Lara rolled her eyes but stood, stretching her arms over her head. "Fine, but if you don't make me a cherry crown this time, I'm revolting."
Malvoria leaned close as the children darted away. "See? This is what you need. Play. Family. A little chaos. Maybe even a real conversation with Sarisa."
Lara shot her a glare. "You're relentless."
"Only because you're hopeless." Malvoria winked. "Oh, and speaking of hopeless—" She turned to watch the children, but her tone grew sly. "I'm not the only one visiting today."
Lara narrowed her eyes. "Who else?"
Malvoria didn't answer right away, just dusted off her cloak and watched the children for a beat. Then she said, "Elysia went to see Sarisa."
Lara stared at her. "Elysia? Why?"
Malvoria just smiled—enigmatic, infuriating. "Who knows? Maybe she's finally come to talk some sense into her."
Lara snorted, but her mind was racing. If Elysia was with Sarisa, anything could happen—comfort, strategy, or, knowing Elysia, a gentle but merciless push toward honesty.
Malvoria stood, stretching again. "Relax. They'll work it out. Or they'll take over the castle and institute a new regime where you have to hug everyone once a week."
"Terrifying," Lara said, but her heart felt a little lighter, knowing someone else was with Sarisa—someone who could understand her in ways Lara couldn't.
Kaelith and Aliyah called for them to return, waving their scepters, demanding more help with the "sky tower."
Malvoria started forward but paused, glancing back at Lara. "You know, sister, you're allowed to want something just for yourself, for once. Doesn't make you selfish. Just makes you honest."