“It’ll fall through if there’s no oil at the port to meet his ships,” I say through a growl.
“Can we prove it was sabotage?” Os asks.
“The foreman is looking into it.”
“This is bad,” Ryatt says, scrubbing a hand over his face. “What the fuck is with her? Queen Kaila has never pushed you like this before.”
My rot pricks and writhes beneath my skin, the roots jabbing beneath my jaw and threatening to dig deeper down my arms.
“This is her chance to weaken us, and she’s taking it.”
I shove the letter into my pocket and stride for the door. Ryatt pulls his helmet back on as he and Osrik follow behind me. As soon as we’re outside, the noise of the base is amplified, the smell of smoke from the fire pits clogging my nose.
Instead of fresh meat that should be cooking over the flames, I know they’re probably eating some kind of travel gruel. I’m lucky that the soldiers are so loyal to me and their captains, or I might have more fighting and grumbling on my hands. The way they proceed from here on out will be a true test of their fealty.
The soldiers walking around give us a wide berth, but there are more respectful nods than guarded looks of irritability. Probably because I gave everyone a pay raise. Yet if the mines on the other side have been caved in too...
One problem at a time.
Just as we reach the run-in shed where some of the horses are kept, another horse comes galloping toward us, dirt kicking up beneath its hooves. The rider yanks it to a stop, practically leaping off its back when he sees us. I’m instantly on alert, stopping with Os and Ryatt at my sides as the man hurries over. I can see right away by his uniform that he’s one of the castle’s guards.
“Sire,” he says, running up, face flushed. “There’s a problem.”
Tension thickens the stance of my shoulders. “What is it?”
“There was a woman attacked in the gardens.”
Everything in me becomes chaotic. A jolt of noise in my ears, a jump in my chest, even my vision seems to flare.
“Lady Auren?” A million things run through my mind, but the guard shakes his head.
“No, Sire. The Lady Rissa.”
Osrik’s head reels back. “What?” he snarls. “What the fuck do you mean she wasattacked?”
Most people would be a bit intimidated when being faced with all of Osrik’s fury bearing down on them, but this man holds steady. “She was stabbed, sir. The guards patrolling found her and another guard out there with fatal wounds.”
Osrik shoves past the guard and leaps onto his horse before I can even finish processing what the man said.
Ryatt and I sprint to our own mounts, trying to catch up as we race back to the castle. The three of us get back in record time, the horses pulled to a stop at the front courtyard. When we toss the reins to the handlers, Os is already through the side door, running the shortest path toward the gardens.
As soon as we’re inside, there’s an obvious turmoil in the energy of the castle. Servants are whispering in groups, quickly skittering away when they see us coming.
When we get outside, the garden is lit up more than usual, extra torches stuck into the ground, and dozens of guards are filling the area.
“Where is she?” Osrik snarls at the first guard he comes to.
“Over here, Os!” His head snaps to Warken’s voice, and the three of us make our way past the rows of bushes and shrubs, following the stomped over flowers and grass until we get to the center of the garden where the fountain churns.
Warken, Isalee, and Barley are here, and even Keg is with them, standing beside the fountain, their faces grim. We have to pass by a gathered group as they stand over the body of a fellow guard.
I kneel down at his side. One of the castle menders is hovering over him, inspecting the slash across the young man’s throat.The mender checking the wound has blood on his hands, and there’s more of it stained against the grass. I hear Ryatt curse beneath his breath.
“Where’s—” Osrik’s question cuts off when some of the people shift, and his eyes latch onto a figure on the ground just behind the fountain.
All I can see are the edges of a white skirt and one bare foot, a shoe kicked off lying uselessly a foot away.
Os rushes over to her, falling to his knees on the ground. “Fuck!”
