Lyndal almost tripped at the sound of the king’s voice. She looked back at the fountain just as he emerged from behind it, surrounded by bodyguards. The defenders already had their weapons drawn, eyes moving between the women and the doors behind them. Eda stepped up beside her sister, one hand tucked behind her back. Lyndal did not have to look to know she was holding a knife. What she planned to do with one knife against a small army of defenders Lyndal had no idea.
‘I just came from there,’ Borin said, ‘and I am sorry to inform you that there was a small incident.’
A loud bang on the door behind them made Lyndal jump and Eda glance over her shoulder.
‘A bit of a tragedy really,’ Borin continued, as though hundreds of merchants were not standing on the other side of the doors waiting for their chance to get him.
‘What did you do?’ Lyndal asked, her stomach falling.
He tutted. ‘You merchants love to blame me for everything.’
Bang.
Lyndal flinched at the noise. ‘For years, Fletcher has protected you with his life.’
A nod. ‘Yes. Then you came along, and now suddenly everyone wishes me dead.’
‘I’m afraid I can’t take credit for that. People wished you dead long before I was lured here to help clean up your mess.’
‘Well, I tried to rectify that—twice.’ Borin’s eyes flashed. ‘Fletcher was determined to protectyouwith equal enthusiasm.’
Lyndal’s lungs expelled all the air they were holding. ‘Oh. It was you.’
Eda looked up at her, confused.
‘The fire, then the poison.’ She pressed a hand to her stomach as the new information settled. ‘All that effort when all you had to do was tell your mother no.’
Bang.
Borin’s eyes went past her to the door. ‘My mother’s logic was sound. I cannot fault her there. The merchants were in love with the idea of us. I had no choice but to play along.’
Bang.
She shook her head. ‘Then why try to burn me alive?’
He took a step in her direction, and she took a step back.
‘Better to win their sympathy than break their hearts.’
Bang.
‘You are vile,’ she said, taking another step towards the door.
Borin pointed a finger at her. ‘And you are lucky to still be talking, because I am fed up with your mouth. The only reason my guards have not sliced you open already is because I made a promise to my mother, and I am a man of my word.’ His eyes went to Eda. ‘Of course, I made no such promise about you.’
Eda revealed the knife and did the most remarkable thing she had done in years: she spoke.
‘Good luck with that.’
Lyndal sucked in a breath when she heard her sister’s voice. It was the sweetest form of music. No heart had been hit harder after their father’s death than Eda’s. The tiny shadow had lost its person the day he died. Her voice was no longer that of a child but of a confident young woman. It was remarkable and frightening all at once.
‘She speaks,’ Borin said, amused. ‘Is that knife for me?’ When she did not reply, he said, ‘Do you know what happens to people who kill kings?’
Eda raised her chin. ‘Your father’s killer went on to live a long and happy life.’
The darkness that descended Borin’s face was chilling. ‘Kill her,’ he instructed. ‘And take Lyndal to my quarters.’
There was not a chance in hell either of those things were happening.
