Part of her wished to disallow this bullying, to inform the queen that she would invoke Saa when she was good and ready. She decided that such a statement would most likely worsen matters. She was tired of playing Xyledes' games. She hoped to get this over with so that she could get her stand out of Mantadia as quickly as possible.
Mia stood erect. Her eyes bored into the hateful queen not two spans away. She held Dielielle before her as she spoke in a commanding voice, her eyes locked on Xyledes. "Saa! Skalle beke pialle duo?" (Saa! Which shall join us?) The queen jumped back with a start, for as everyone knows, a wizard wielding a staff while invoking Saa, further directing facial expression such as the one Mia now directed to Xyledes, usually meant that something very unpleasant was going to happen to them.
One of the myths about wizards on Morrah was that a crossed wizard might change one into some despicable animal or worse. But it was not wholly myth, and was not wholly without historical factual basis.
Loud buzzing overcame the silence in the room as the Mantadian hornets, sensing that something was wrong, took to flight to protect their queen. Confused, they attacked no one, for they knew not who their adversary might be. Mia's heart jumped despite the warm flood of the power of Saa, the strong, dominant visions of feeling and word that flooded her head.
"Stop! At attention!" Xyledes commanded the huge hornets. They reluctantly obeyed, and soon perched again in regular stations about the walls of the chamber.
"Zimmictreckt will represent Mantadia for the eight Carrying of the Book of Life!" Mia knew it to be Saa, not she. Xyledes froze. One could hear small clicking sounds emanating from the royal Mantid. Mia didn't know what the clicking sounds meant. Only that they probably weren't good sounds.
Skallagaff, the Mantid wizard, the council's advisor to all kings, held her staff, Tabelliah, in a vertical fashion as she approached Mia. She laid her fore claw on Mia's neck. Mia felt the warmth of Saa wash her from head to toe as Skallagaff invoked the gift of Yamasaa on her. "It is as Saa directs." She removed her claw from Mia.
"Karthich is to accompany us," Mia commanded again, congratulating herself for the authoritative tone in which she delivered the statement. Saa had not given her vision of Karthich. Mia felt for the poor, little Mantid. She could not leave her to the cruelties of her kindred. With any luck, Skallagaff would not scan her again.
Skallagaff's fore claw touched Mia's neck. She held very still. The magic of Saa passed through her.
The Mantid wizard’s head turned and stopped within inches of Mia’s face, an insect gaze, expressionless, cold. "It is also the direct of Saa," Skallagaff confirmed, quite to Mia's surprise. Skallagaff had lied for her! Still, she trembled, and slowly let out a broken sigh of relief.
"ZIMMICKTREKT! KARTHICH!" Riccid roared. "Mother! Make her do it again! She's lying!" But Xyledes was already on her feet. The queen stormed out into the hallway, tipped over a few vases that were on pillars along her way, smashing them to bits. Riccid followed with incessant spoiled insistence. "Mother! I am going! You can't..."
Mia yelled after the raging royal Mantids. "XYLEDES! RICCID!" She was strong, commanding, violating protocol by not using the political titles demanded by the queen. She stood hand on hip, Dielielle butt down at arm’s length. She could hardly believe what she was doing at that moment, the boldness behind her action. She knew, too, that it was not entirely she. Finnegaff took a step toward her with a finger raised, shaking his head. Without taking her eyes from the queen and the princess, Mia stopped him cold with an outstretched arm, palm outward.