“No. One appeared to be Sigillite, another Athelstani. They wore plain garb and bore no orders.”
“Search again.” Kalid barked. The soldier saluted and fled outside.
“I don’t understand.” Talon finally spoke up. “Why would assassins come for Princess Janus, specifically?”
Janus didn’t understand it, either. She wasn’t the crown princess. She would inherit no station of importance. If all continued as it was, she would be married and languish around the castle for the rest of her days.
“Maybe they didn’t,” Kalid suggested. “Maybe all nobles traveling to the ball were attacked.”
“An easy enough answer to find once we arrive.” Talon stared at Janus. “Which either means someone has something to gain from spilling blood over the alliance, or someone holds a grudge we aren’t privy to.”
Looking up from her empty mug, Janus waited for Kalid to mention the mirage. Had he not seen it?
Kalid shook his head. “We should turn back.”
“Why?”Janus blurted out.
“It’s not safe, your highness.
“I’m not crawling back home with my tail between my legs before we’ve even left the country,” Janus said.
She hadn’t wanted to go. Now she didn’t want to turn away. But she couldn’t place why.
Kalid nodded reluctantly. “Alright. Then we should head out first thing in the morning. The sooner we arrive in Weisskopf Fortress, the safer we’ll be.” Turning on his heel, he left the room.
“Or the more danger we’ll find,” Talon murmured.
Sighing, Janus stared into her mug. Nobody had scolded her for running off on her own. She hadn’t digested the fact someone wanted her dead yet, so finding herself in trouble seemed a more pressing concern.
“Do you make a habit of wandering off, Princess?” Talon asked.
Well, there it was. Shoulders slumping, Janus shook her head. “Honestly, no. Gemellus likes to make fun of how I never leave castle grounds.”
“That’s a half-decent trait for a princess. Try to keep at it, yeah?” He leaned on the window, watching the men outside. “You should get some rest.”
Janus glanced at her bed. “I don’t think I can.”
Talon turned to leave, hand on her doorknob. “Lie down. I’ll keep watch outside.”
“Can you keep watch inside?” Janus blurted out.
“Would your guard approve?”
“I don’t care. I. . . I don’t want to be alone.”
Releasing the knob, Talon’s eyes darted around. The bed was the only piece of furniture in the room, so he leaned on the wall. “Alright. I’ll stay until you fall asleep at least.”
Relieved, Janus crawled into bed, hugging the pillow tight. A twinge of guilt stirred her heart, and she raised her head. “I don’t mind. I mean! You need to sleep, too, so. . .”
Talon composed her thoughts for her. “The bed does look comfortable.” Hiding a smile and failing, he sat on the edge of her bed and touched her shoulder. “I’ll be right here.” He promised in a low, soothing tone.
A wave of solace washed over Janus, and she lay down, squeezing her eyes shut, feeling the warmth of another body beside her.
Someone wanted her dead. She deserved it. All murderers did.
Swallowing, her throat dried. Had the strange mirage arrived to save her, or had it meant to kill her instead?
Shutting her eyes, Janus strained to recall the glassy eyes of the shrouded mirage in the rain. But try as she might, the memory simplyeluded her.
