But now I’m thinking I should have paid closer attention to everythingelse.
It seems the people of Syhl Shallow are determined to drive the king right out from behind his walls—and it’s working.
Tycho would have paid attention to all of it. He’s been a soldier, anofficer, so he’d be ten thoughts ahead, knowing exactly who to warn and what to do. I’m still just a blacksmith who barely speaks the language. I certainly can’t translate everything I just learned. It’s after midnight, so Master Hugh has long since gone home to bed. He won’t be back in the stables until morning.
I stand there at the door to the Shield House and wonder where Tycho would go, who he would tell.
But then I turn around. Across the vast grounds sits Ironrose Castle, large and dark in the moonlight.
I knowexactlywhat Tycho would do. I just don’t want to do it.
But I grit my teeth, steel my spine, and go to fetch my horse.
CHAPTER 39
JAX
I forget that the castle guards don’t speak Syssalah until I’m there in front of them.
“I need to talk to prince,” I say for the fourth time. I’m frustrated, and when that happens, I start tripping over my words. “Or princess. I need—I need say—no, I need tellabout—” This is impossible. “They need know—”
“The prince and princess have retired for the night,” says one of the guards at the steps. It’s the fourth time he’s said it, too. He’s been the most patient, but I can tell it’s wearing thin. He folds his hands together against the side of his face, miming sleep. “Asleep? Do you understand?”
“Yes, but—”
“Go back to the Shield House,” says the next man. He’s louder, as if I’m stupid and volume will help. “You—” He points at me. “Come back tomorrow.” Then he makes a shooing motion toward the Shield House. Without even waiting for me to look away, he rolls his eyes and mutters something to the other guard that I can’t quite catch.
I inhale sharply, because I’ve definitely lostmypatience, but both guards draw themselves up, like I’m about to become a problem.
I scowl and let out that breath in a defeated sigh. “Fine,” I say. “I come tomorrow.” I don’t know what else to do.
And maybe I didn’t need to ride up to the castle in the middle of the night anyway. Maybe there’s nothing urgent in the information Nakiis revealed. I draw up my reins and turn Teddy away from the castle steps.
“Jax.”
Prince Rhen’s voice calls me back, and I look up in surprise. He’s at the top of the steps, in boots and trousers, but his shirt is only half buttoned, the sleeves pushed back. It’s the most casual I’ve ever seen him.
“What’s wrong?” he says in Syssalah.
I inhale to explain what happened, but I glance at his guards, who are standing at full attention now. Much like that moment after the first attack, I don’t want to stir up gossip. The guards won’t understand my Syssalah, but they’ll know the wordscraver.
Prince Rhen looks down at me. “Would you rather speak with Harper? I’ll wake her if so.”
He doesn’t say this with a shred of anger or irritation. Not even resignation. More . . . acceptance.
I shake my head anyway. “I’ve received a message. I don’t know how much I can say in front of your guards.”
He nods. “Come inside. We can speak privately. I’ll have the guards see to your horse.” He glances at one of the guards and issues an order.
He says this with such assurance that I swing down from Teddy automatically, and one of the guards is leading my horse away before I consider that I’m going to have to climb fifteen steps. If I had my crutches, it wouldn’t be a challenge at all, but I’m still wearing the foot, and I was tired of it hours ago.
I grit my teeth and hope I don’t break my neck.
“If I try to help you,” says the prince, “I assume you’ll try to push me down the stairs.”
I jerk my head up in surprise. That’s so frank—and accurate—that I don’t know how to respond.
“Harper would have done the same,” he adds, a little ruefully. I remember the way the princess walked with a limp. Prince Rhen surprises me a second time by striding down the steps himself. He gestures to his face, his missing eye covered by the patch. “When Tycho finally convinced me to try swordplay, he offered to start slowly. He meant well, but it was infuriating. So I understand the impulse, Jax.” He reaches the bottom, and we face each other in the moonlight. “My intent wasn’t to challenge you. We can sit and talk right here.”
