“It seems your tutor has been harboring forbidden knowledge,” he said, bringing his hands together and making a steeple of his fingers in front of him. “And he has planned the assassination of the Crown Prince.”
“What?” I exclaimed, my heart racing as my power tunneled beneath the palace. I should have foreseen this. I knew what Maalik and Aurelius were capable of. I had just never thought they would attack through Master Tarek.
“That’s impossible! Master Tarek is a man of learning, yes. As the Head Librarian he is often sent documents and books for translation, but he would never plot against the monarchy.”
“Really? Maalik has brought me rather damning evidence of the fact,” the King continued. “Including evidence ofyourparticipation in the plot to assassinate him.”
This shocked me, though it probably shouldn’t. I should have realized that with the other potential heirs dead I would logically be his next target.
“That’s ridiculous,” I spluttered, trying to buy time for my powers to work, desperately splitting my attention between the room in front of me and my nascent power burrowing through the bedrock beneath us.
“Oh? As ridiculous as this?” the King said, gesturing at the diagram of the printing press. Next to it were the notes I had painstakingly made as I had worked to translate the directions. “This is your hand, is it not, Lucien? And these books were found in your chambers. You know this type of knowledge is restricted to members of the Scribes Guild.”
I ignored his question. I couldn’t argue with the fact the notes were mine, though I knew the books hadn’t been in my quarters. I needed to get him to focus on what was truly going on here if I had a hope of surviving this.
“These are lies, Father. Lies created by Maalik and Aurelius in an attempt to make him the only potential heir to the throne,” I said, forcing myself to respond with logic instead of anger. I wasliterally naked in front of his power, but I couldn’t allow him to sense fear.
“Don’t you find it suspicious that he brings these allegations just as I come of age and would replace him as Crown Prince? Or that since he was named Crown Prince,fourof your other children have died? Doesn’t that seem at all strange to you?”
I saw a moment of doubt flicker across his face as he looked at me, and I hoped for a moment that I was getting through to him. Behind the King I saw Captain Allard looking at me with considering eyes. Then Master Aurelius interjected, “Those were accidents, Your Highness. Tragic, but accidents nonetheless.”
I glared at the evil man.
“Oh, so Mara, an expert horsewoman,accidentallysaddled her horse with a half-severed girth when she knew she would be riding over dangerous terrain? And Terry and Zeer justhappenedto accidentally drink bitterroot wine when they both hated the taste of alcohol?” I demanded. “So convenient for Maalik.”
Father’s eyes narrowed. Doubt was evident on his face as he looked from me to Maalik.
“It is no ‘accident’ that you are fomenting rebellion,” Maalik snapped. He grabbed one of the papers and held it up, reading my translation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these
are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights,
Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed,
That whenever any Form of Government
becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the Right of the People to
alter or to abolish it.
Maalik sneered at me as he read. The King’s face grew thunderous as he listened.
“So, Lucien,” he growled. “You would abolish my rule? You would treat every slattern and peasant as an equal? My gods, what has your tutor been teaching you?”
