“That’s why I came to you. If there is information about her out there, I knew you’d be the one to find it.”
Stroking his ego seemed to do the trick because a self-assured smile replaced his confusion. “Correct, Majesty. I know of a few places to start where I can loosen some tongues. Of course, you remember my services are not free.”
“I know,” I said. “You’re not going to hurt anyone, are you?”
“Of course not!” Romulo scoffed. “Finding your lost ancestor shouldn’t require too much blood to be spilled. If I haven’t heard of her, I doubt other people have, so my usual—uh—techniqueswould probably be unsuitable. Shouldn’t take more than a few days.”
I wasn’t sure I had a few days, but I had to believe he could get what I needed. “Okay, good.”
My eyes went to the rolled-up maps and the bulge of coins in his pocket before I said, “What were you and Lucas talking about?”
“Afraid that’s client confidentiality, Majesty,” he said, smiling. “The same courtesy, of course, would be extended to you. But it will cost you. Which I’m sure won’t be a problem for one such as yourself.”
It was true. I didn’t care about the money. And while the desire to know what business Lucas had here was almost too hard to ignore, I couldn’t push my luck with Romulo’s good graces. I needed his help, and I didn’t want to squander it now.
“Thank you, Romulo. I know you won’t disappoint,” I said.
When I returned,the caravan was waiting for me outside the palace gates, along with my bags, which Jinky had packed for me. The iron shackles weighed heavily in a rucksack slung over my shoulder. I’d stuffed my bag with spare clothes and anything else I could think of to bring with me.
Qian and his retinue had already chosen their horses and were preparing for the afternoon’s ride through the mountains with small provisions and weather gear. The mountains were known for their sudden rainfall and passing storms.
The sky above the palace had cleared up significantly. Droplets still clung to the white sampaguita blossoms and sparkled in the sunlight like diamonds. The air smelled alive, and everything looked impossibly green. It was as if the weather itself had realized we needed a break. I took it as a good sign as I walked toward the back of the caravan line.
Nix stood halfway inside a covered calesa and waved when I approached. It was a relief to see her smile. Qian’s men, on the other hand, stared at me as I passed, no doubt thinking I looked far from royal because I was still wet from the rainstorm. Qian was the only one who smiled.
“Hello, Your Majesty,” he said, and I nodded to him. I felt his eyes on me when I reached Nix.
“You’re okay riding in the calesa?” I asked her.
“Yeah,” Nix said. “Elias mentioned you requested they get your horse ready.”
I adjusted the rucksack on my shoulder. “I want to showeveryone that I’m not some pushover who needs to be driven everywhere.”
Nix’s eyes narrowed when she took in my face. “Are you sure you’re okay to ride?”
She knew something was wrong. For a moment, I wondered if maybe I should tell her about what was happening to me. She’d been my friend for long enough now that I knew I could trust her, but at the same time, I didn’t want to frighten her. Before I could open my mouth, I noticed Elias and Lucas walking toward me, with Lucas leading a horse by the reins. My heart at first leapt upon seeing him, on instinct at this point, before it plummeted to my toes. Lucas being here could only mean one thing.
“You’re coming with us?” I asked him.
Elias answered instead. “Lucas is your datu. You may feel that you’re safe in a remote home in the mountains, but you still need protection.”
Lucas’s gaze captured mine momentarily before I forced myself to look away. What was he planning with Romulo? It ached not knowing. “Fine,” I conceded.
Elias sensed the tension in the air and glanced at Lucas, too. He knew all about our breakup, but it didn’t seem like Elias was at all worried about that interfering with Lucas’s duties.
Meanwhile, Lucas excused himself with a stiff bow, leading his horse toward the front of the caravan.
I thought I’d had enough to worry about. I clenched and unclenched my fists in an attempt to calm myself down, but I heard a shrill voice cut through the air.
“Wait for me!”
To my dismay, Amador came into view from around the bend, a gaggle of servants in tow, carrying a cartful of luggage. She walked ahead of the group, head held high as she led the way. She was not dressed for a journey; instead, she wore one of the finest silk dresses I’d ever seen her in.
Is she for real?I thought, then asked, “Who invited her?”
Elias said, “I did.”
“Why?”
