“How’d they die, then?”
His jaw clenched as he stared at me. “Slit throats, and hanging from the Western Wall before dawn. Queen Vali caught wind of the last one. It scared her.”
Fuck.Hanging from the castle walls, and Vilkurn didn’t know who’d done it? What was worse, I hadn’t heard of them being found? There were going to be some hard questions asked at the next all-hands meeting of my street rats.
“Of course it scares Queen Vali. It scaresme. How’d you keep this from me, Boss? Why?” I thought I’d known everything that happened in Turino. “If someone’s killin’ in my city, I’ll?—”
“You’ll donothing.It won’t be your city anymore, Ratter. You’ve gone too far.” His voice was far louder than the wind now, and I knew there was no convincing him.
I shivered, but not from the cold. Pain I could handle. Even death. But being torn away from my city, my crew? I wouldn’t survive it.
His hand landed on my shoulder, in what might have been a fatherly gesture. I shook it off. “Was I supposed to just let them feel up my tits, Boss? That’s what the rat bastard yesterday was doing in the middle of that fucking waltz. And he’d tried to grope Verity right before.”
Vilkurn sucked in a breath. “He did what?”
“You heard me.”
“Ratter, are you telling me the men you killed… they’ve been…” His eyes flashed. “Attempting toharmyou? Your little sister?” I could almost hear him thinking. Queen Vali and her consorts had five children, the eldest of them eight years old. All of them vulnerable. Their oldest daughter was younger than Verity, but she’d been asking to start attending balls. What if she had been the one on the dance floor with the duke?
Though I was almost certain her father, General Axe, the King’s Executioner, would have done a better job at chopping off all the duke’s parts than I had.
I blinked slowly when Vilkurn repeated his question. “Harm. Pretty word for it, but yeah.” Those dark eyes dug into me, but I forced my gaze to move behind him, to the flashing light. The code was erratic, and I couldn’t read the flashes. I was trying to think who it could be when I realized Vilkurn was saying something important.
“...still, it’s been decided. You’ll go to Verdan first, to study with Valerie, the Queen of Death, and one of her associates. I’m assigning you as a translator and guard to a merchant group heading there. You have orders to stay away from the castle from now on. Rest assured, I will keep a close eye on the remainder of the Mirrenese contingent.”
“Why do I have to stay away?”
Vilkurn smirked. “Another of their nobles has vowed to get revenge for his cousin’s death.”
I scoffed. “I’m not scared.”
“No, but this one is a seven-year-old, who arrived with your Aunt Cilla’s retinue. She’s afraid he’ll do something unwise.”
I knew better than to underestimate a child with a grudge. They trained them to the sword young in Mirren, and while he wouldn’t be a match for me, I didn’t want to hurt a child inadvertently. “Fine,” I agreed. My favorite aunt was back in Rimholt for the Solstice celebrations, and to spend some time with her best friend, the queen. “Can I at least sneak in and visit her rooms?” She hadn’t been at the ball last night.
“Not unless you want to witness her heat.”
“Oh.” I wrinkled my nose. I’d been around during one of those, and it was enough to last a lifetime. The way Alphas and Omegas behaved during those cycles was disgusting. And only slightly fascinating. I nodded, changing the subject. “How long will I be in Verdan City?”
“Until I can orchestrate a way for you to get safely over the border and into Starlak.”I made a face, and he nodded grimly. “I know. It’s a terrible country for women, so be on your guard. But you know they have herbs and poisons we can’t find anywhere else.”
Now I had to fight a smile. I loved poisons more than I did most people. I’d inherited quite a few vials when I killed a Guild assassin seven or so years before, but I always wanted more. The Starlakian ones were mysterious and fascinating, some with no known remedies. If only Vilkurn would give me permission to test them out on a few of the Mirrenese delegation…
I tried to focus back on what he was saying.“…but I don’t want you anywhere near their capital, Wargate. After Starlak, you’ll spend a few months in Gaelar. Your grasp of their language is still too weak, and your accent atrocious. Then to the nearby islands, and perhaps a quick tour around the continent to Mirren, once they’ve forgotten you’re the reason their royal succession is in jeopardy.”
“Wait, what the… Why are you sending me to all those places?”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “You can’t learn everything you’ll need in this small city, Ratter. Our kingdom’s next Master Spy must travel to all the known lands.”
RATTER
“Master Spy? Me?” I gaped at my boss, who was almost grinning. Well, one of his lips was slightly curled, but that was a lot for Vilkurn. I felt like he’d whacked my head with a wooden beam. “You’re… I’m going to be…”
“If you can get hold of that temper, and learn to fend off boors like that Alpha yesterday without causing a diplomatic incident—or Goddess forbid, a war—then yes. I’ve been training you for almost a decade, girl. Don’t act surprised.” His eyes narrowed again. “And don’t let me down. You’ll leave the day after the Solstice with the Verdanian trade council.”
I swallowed hard, my head swimming. “I won’t fuck up again,” I promised.
He rubbed his temples with his fingertips, like he had a headache. “Just don’t kill any of them. We need the salt from their flats, and your Aunt Cilla and Queen Vali both want some of the fabric dyes Valerie’s friend makes.”
