Thomas sat forwards in his seat, mouth open. ‘How dare you lecture me when you are the man who ruined her future.’
‘What future, exactly? You had the chance to help that family and you left them in that shithole to starve.’ He saw Victoria flinch at his words. ‘Breathe deeply, my lord. Can you smell it? The bodies are decomposing.’
Kendra reached out and took her mother’s hand.
Thomas leaned towards Harlan, who was trotting alongside the cart. ‘My wife’s sisterchosethat life. She is lucky we still speak to her, let alone support her.’
They were nearing the gate, so Harlan pulled his horse up before he said or did something he would regret. ‘Ladies,’ he said with a nod. Then he turned his horse away.
* * *
‘I know it was a funeral, but the mood was darker than anything I’ve attended before,’ Astin told Harlan the next day. ‘The nobility want justice, but I don’t think many support the lockdown. They’re just not brave enough to admit it aloud.’
They were leaning on the wall looking out at the merchant borough. There was hardly any movement.
‘I hoped Borin would wake up to himself once he saw what was happening in the borough,’ Astin continued, ‘but I fear his mood is only building to something far worse.’
‘Worse than this?’ Harlan asked, nodding towards two men carrying a corpse to the wall.
The merchants did not have the space or energy to dig that many graves.
‘I’ve served as the prince’s bodyguard since he came of age,’ Astin said. ‘This isn’t about justice anymore. This is a matter of pride.’ He turned to Harlan. ‘I heard him whining to his father’s advisor this morning that everyone was laughing behind his back at the funeral.’
‘And were they?’
‘Probably. That’s not a new thing. Borin’s just sensitive to it suddenly.’ Astin crossed his arms. ‘You still watch for her every day.’
Harlan did not have to ask who he was referring to. ‘I do.’ It had been nearly nine weeks since he had seen her close up.
‘This must be a form of slow torture as you watch the bodies stack up.’
Harlan was silent a moment. ‘I keep thinking up ways to get her out, but there’s nowhere to send her.’
‘That’syour concern? Where to send her?’ Astin shook his head. ‘You’d be sacrificing yourself in the process. Borin would make an example of you.’
‘She wouldn’t leave her family anyway’ was Harlan’s response. He straightened. ‘I don’t think anyone in there knows who the killer is any more than we do.’
Astin nodded. ‘They should lay blame on one of the corpses.’
‘We both know it wouldn’t be enough for our new king.’
‘He’s no fool, despite appearances. God help us all after the coronation.’
‘Has a date been set?’
‘He’ll wait until the queen and Prince Becket return.’ Astin gave him a knowing look. ‘You know how much he needs his mother’s approval.’
If there was ever a boy desperate for his mother’s attention, it was Borin.
Approaching footsteps made them both fall silent. They turned as Shapur emerged from the fog lingering atop the wall. He looked between the men before his eyes settled on Harlan.
‘Prince Borin has called us to the throne room.’
Astin cast a knowing glance at Harlan and whispered, ‘Brace yourself.’
* * *
Prince Borin had grown very attached to his father’s throne in the weeks since his death. King Oswin would have held such a meeting around a table, in a less formal environment, but Borin liked his platform, plush chair, and everyone standing while he sat in comfort.
