Psychic abilities, Regina had learned, were finicky, subjective, and hard to teach. They were like other types of magic on the surface, in some aspects, but tended to require intricate control and thought. They were also, as a consequence, more rewarding to use well. Or maybe that was just her. June seemed to agree, though. Lessons were usually nice, but they could also be frustrating.

  “But if someone doesn’t want to answer your questions at all, it’s harder to find the answer in their mind than if they just lie, right?” her apprentice asked, propping her head on her chin.

  “Right,” Regina nodded, “that’s what I meant. It might be related to certain areas of their brain being activated or not. We tend to experience formed thoughts as language, when we sense others’ minds, and I suspect it’s some of the easiest parts to access, behind emotions. Particularly since they are both about outward expression and communication anyway.”

  “Yes, sure,” June said. Clearly she wasn’t up for a tangent into neuroscience today, not that Regina knew much about it, anyway. “But, I mean, can’t you just make them answer you? Even if they lie, you can just tell if they do and get the right answer anyway.”

  Regina sighed, sitting back and rubbing her temple. They were in her living room right now, with her sitting in an armchair while June balanced on the couch. “You could, I suppose,” she said. “The same way as in other interrogations. Torture or other methods to force compliance. It wouldn’t exactly be very ethical.”

  June winced slightly, looking a bit chastened. “Alright, of course. But you can do it with psychic influence, too?”

  “I could,” Regina said. She hadn’t started teaching June anything that would come close to mind control abilities, and wasn’t sure if she would. “Do you think that would be more ethical?”

  Her apprentice shifted on her sofa, shoulders hunching a bit. “No,” she admitted, “I don’t suppose so. But that guy spied on you, don’t you need to find out who sent him and if there is more danger?”

  Regina tugged on her mandible. So they’d moved from a theoretical lesson to the actual case they were both thinking about. “Of course I want to know who sent them and what other plans they may have had,” she said. “But there are other ways to get information. A common one is offering them consideration when it comes to their sentencing if they cooperate.” She shrugged lightly. “I’m not ruling other methods out entirely, mind you, I just don’t think the situation is urgent enough to justify resorting to them, from what we know.”

  June frowned. “I think I understand,” she said. “It’s just a bit of an adjustment, still. The way I was taught, no one really cared if criminals got hurt. It was supposed to happen. To scare others away from committing the same crimes as much as to punish them.”

  Regina nodded. They had been raised in very different societies, with different principles and requirements. And, of course, June was part of the ruling class; she would have been taught, even subconsciously, the mindset of doing what was necessary to maintain their power. Including keeping the lower classes in their ‘proper place’. And now I sound like an ideologue in my own head, Regina complained to herself.

  It made her feel a bit guilty about even saying she would consider using ‘other methods’. She should be using this as a pointed lesson for June as to how everyone deserved basic respect and constitutional protection, including criminals and ‘enemies’ of hers.

  “As homework until our next lesson, read my draft of the constitution and give me your opinion,” she said. “Pay particular attention to why and how the principles are included.”

  June gave her a faintly exasperated look. “Is that entirely necessary, Master? I’ve heard it before and it’s hardly a lesson on magic.”

  “It’s still something you should know,” Regina said mildly. “Besides, I think we’d both enjoy discussing and debating this philosphically, but we kind of need to be on the same page. And you can’t exactly get away from political ideology or policy in your position.”

  “Fine,” June sighed. “I mean, as you command, My Empress. I am your obedient subject. Can we still do a practical psychic lesson in exchange, though? Please?”

  Regina chuckled. “Sure, we can do that. Come on, let’s walk.”

  It wasn’t far to where she wanted to go. Regina and the others had already scanned several people and she’d singled out a few she thought had potential, and had started training. They were still in the very early stages. She would have June help her teach them as well, soon.

  Not quite yet, though. Perhaps if June acquitted herself well today. Instead, Regina had thought of another training exercise, or task, if she wanted to see it that way. It shouldn’t be exclusive to June, though, so instead she stopped by to pick up two of the other new students they had acquired. She reached out mentally and told them to meet her there, ignoring the startled surprise she could sense from both of them. They would learn to expect psychic communication, and to control and hide their reactions from others’ minds, too.

  “Your Imperial Majesty.” When she finally joined them in the inner garden, one of them, Helen, sank to a knee, while the other, Edmund, only bowed deeply.

  “Rise, please,” Regina responded, smiling at them, while making a mental note to make sure they got on the same page.

  Helen was a bit of a lucky find. She’d actually been brought in by Madris. A peasant by birth, she’d moved to the city a few years ago and used her minor and mostly self-taught magical talent to make a decent living for herself. Regina had already assigned her a tutor to make sure she would learn what she needed to navigate the court and nobility, in case it came up, and asked several drones to catch her up on what they could teach, as well. She already knew the other, of course, Sir Edmund of Whitedale. Earl Whitor’s son.

  Regina hadn’t forgotten that June was a bit suspicious of him, but so far, she’d seen nothing to confirm any suspicions. She’d be careful, but from her previous interactions she wasn’t inclined to distrust the knight too much.

  Edmund bowed to June as well as she stepped up beside Regina, and Helen quickly copied him, also murmuring greetings. Regina waited for the initial exchange, but she could feel their anticipation in the psychic link. It was good that neither of them seemed afraid or reluctant, only excited.

  “Alright,” Regina clapped her hands once and smiled at them, kind of enjoying the situation and getting to push them around a little bit. “We’re going to stay here. June, don’t move from this position, you’ll be disqualified from our little exercise if you do. The two of you are free to walk around if you like, but don’t leave the garden. Your task is much simpler, I just want you to see if you can guess what June is doing. Pay attention to which people are nearby and moving to or from our position. I’ll ask you later. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel anything or can’t identify other minds, it is a hard task that will need practice.”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “And what am I doing?” June asked.

  “I’ve prepared a little bit of a scavenger hunt for you,” Regina said. “Not with physical clues, of course. At least, not that you should focus on. I’ve designated one of the people in the palace as the target, you need to find out whom and get them here. Several people have hints, and they might have left clues as well. You are not to cross any ethical lines or force anyone to comply with your wishes, still. Obviously. And not everyone in the building is aware of this little game. Try not to disrupt normal operations.”

  She didn’t say that most of the people in on it were her drones, June should be able to figure that out herself. She’d also, in the spirit of the game, instructed some of them to ask for specific things before they would give her a clue.

  Her apprentice smiled, not daunted by the task at all. She nodded and without fuss, sat down on the grass, closing her eyes and clearly focusing on her psychic senses. Regina watched her for a moment, trying to guess where she was starting. Then she turned to her other two new students and raised an eyebrow. They both bowed their heads at her and started shuffling around, their faces screwed up in expressions of concentration as they tried to reach out with their minds.

  Regina waited in silence for a while, trying to track her apprentice’s progress. June was doing pretty well from what she could tell, checking in with some of the people she’d conscripted into this little game. She was clearly starting with the people she thought Regina was most likely to have involved in it. And admittedly, she was mostly right. She also appeared to be ready to trade favors with them, trying to bribe them to cooperate, and probably setting up chains that ended with her not having to do that much in the end. That wasn’t quite the strategy Regina had expected, but it also wasn’t wrong.

  Social manipulations aside, June still had to use her psychic powers extensively; locating, contacting and keeping up conversations with other people, and probably trying to get a read on their emotional state or intentions. It was harder for Regina to evaluate that part, especially since June’s mental defenses had improved as well.

  “How’s it going?” she asked when June opened her eyes and she saw her attention returning to the garden, clearly taking a break.

  “Pretty well,” June smiled. “I think I almost have the answer.”

  Regina raised an eyebrow. She didn’t think June had talked to that many people yet. She was probably still guessing. But she didn’t say anything, just nodded.

  After a minute, June closed her eyes again. Regina watched her for a moment, but then her attention was drawn by a commotion outside. She turned her head, sensing a familiar mind approaching quickly. One that was rather more tense than she would have preferred to see her.

  “Regina,” Galatea greeted as she came to a stop in front of them, quite abruptly. A biological organism would have experienced whiplash, but she didn’t bother with it. “I have some news, we need to talk.”

  Regina sighed. It sounded serious. “Alright, that’s the end of our game, unfortunately. Helen, Edmund, please return to your regular duties or other lessons, we’ll conclude this tomorrow.” She returned their bows with a distracted nod and then turned to glance from June to Galatea. “Do you need complete privacy?”

  Galatea seemed to consider for a moment. “You’ve worked on June’s mental defenses, right? I don’t think that is necessary.”

  “Thanks,” June said. “One quick question, though, Master, if we’ve the time? I just want to know if I got the right answer.”

  Galatea gestured at her to go ahead. “Alright, who did I name as the target?” Regina asked.

  “Yourself,” June promptly replied.

  “… Correct. Good work. I didn’t think you had progressed that far yet.” From what she could guess, June should only have known the person was female and an adult and, maybe, magical.

  “No, but I didn’t need to,” June smiled.

  “I don’t know the details of your training exercise, but that doesn’t surprise me,” Galatea said drily. “Alright, more of that later. I think Tim would prefer I catch you up as soon as possible.”

  Regina straightened and quickly glanced around. Max was coming closer, but they were alone otherwise. She briefly considered going somewhere else, then decided they might as well talk here. “I’m listening,” she said.

  Without wasting more time, Galatea told her about the underground tunnels Tim’s group had explored, the golems they had encountered, and what they’d found there. Regina listened in silence, tugging on her mandible. Then she asked a few clarifying questions and Galatea went into a bit more detail on several points.

  Finally, she shook her head, sighing. “Another Hivekind installation,” Regina mused. “I suppose it was only a matter of time until we found more ruins. Of course I’ll send more people. This project just got more urgent. Though …” she trailed off, frowning.

  “The distance?” Max asked.

  “We’re going to have to be careful,” Regina said. “I don’t want to start fighting with any southern powers. It sounds like they have enough conflict going on already, by what Galatea said. People will try to pull us into it. We may not be able to avoid it, I guess. But I’d prefer to focus on exploring this new site and learning what we can from it.”

  “Tim has dealt with the nobles of Veragles before, and he didn’t seem too bothered, did he?” Max asked. “He’s good, he can handle it.”

  “He did seem a bit nervous, but he’s been away from your hive for a while now,” Galatea noted.

  Regina sighed. “I’ll do what I can to support Tim, of course. We’ll need to think carefully about who to send, but I have a few ideas. It should be fine to send a few good flying mounts to help them and potentially open a way back, too. And … well, I’m afraid you’re out of luck on that other matter, Max.”

  He gave her a look. “I still don’t think it’s necessary. And I want to keep protecting you, My Queen.”

  “You can still do that,” Regina said. “As head of my security. We’re in the middle of my empire, it’s really not the best use of your time to personally stand guard around me all the time. You can protect me better by using your skills more judiciously, I mean, you are one of our most competent and high-leveled people. You’ll still be able to accompany me pretty much anywhere, anyway.”

  Max sighed, June raised an eyebrow but forebore to comment, and Galatea crossed her arms, looking impatient. “Maybe we should discuss the magic and potential enemies instead of getting hung up on personnel decisions.”

  “Of course. You said you didn’t recognize the circles in their teleporting ritual plate?”

  “Not at first glance,” Galatea said. “Some common elements, of course, but those aren’t unique. I will need to do some research. I already scanned and memorized the design, I can draw it out for you. But please be careful who you show it to.”

  “Of course,” Regina said. She glanced at June, who looked eager; no surprise there. Janis would be just as curious once she heard about that.

  “Should we ask anyone else? Zephyr, maybe?” Max asked.

  “Maybe once we hit a wall,” Regina answered, shaking her head. She didn’t really think the Cernlian mage would be able to help them, although she supposed all things were possible.

  “Who would know if it is authentically Hivekind or not?” June asked.

  Regina and Galatea exchanged a look. “Well, Leian,” she said promptly. “Not sure about anyone else.”

  “Maybe Beren, and possibly Alianais, but that might be a stretch,” Galatea added.

  Regina sighed and resisted the urge to rub her temples again. “Just the people I wanted to be the answer,” she muttered.

  “Leian would probably know — or be interested to know — a lot more about that teleportation ritual, as well, anyway. It’s probably nothing special to her.”

  “Well, I can try to pray again, but until then we’re on our own,” Regina said. “Maybe we should focus on the political elements?”

  “Sure,” Galatea agreed. “That’s your wheelhouse.”

  Regina hummed and glanced at Max again. She could send him to supervise the mountain road project at least for a short while. She’d also consult with Ben, Janis and maybe a few others on who would be a good idea to send. Enough to make it through the mountains and to make a point, but not anything like an invasion force. She really would rather prefer to avoid that impression.

  Given previous events, it was probably a bit of a concern. At least if the southern lands were informed on what happened up here.

  At least she’d hopefully get to sate some of her curiosity regarding what happened in other parts of the world.