I look over at her in surprise. I wonder what Nora would say if she knew Jax and I were holding notes for Lord Alek and the Truthbringers—notes of treason against the king. We were doing it in exchange for silver to pay the taxes that we owed to save our homes. We didn’t think it would cause any harm . . . ?but it did.
I nod. “You’re right. Da shouldn’t have been here. And we shouldn’t have come with him.”
Voices echo from up ahead, which isn’t too uncommon since we’re nearing the kitchen and the laundries, along with one of the halls that leads out to the stables and the training fields. Usually there’s a good deal of commotion down here as meals are prepared, clothes and linens are laundered, and guards and soldiers come and go. It’s early, but we’ve been hearing the low hum of chatter echoing from the kitchen as the cooks begin preparations for breakfast.
But something aboutthesevoices catches my attention. I can’t make out who’s speaking because of the echoes bouncing off the stone walls, but the tone is sharp. A bit more demanding.
I grab Nora’s arm and haul her to a stop.
“Who is it?” she whispers.
“I don’t know.” I’m torn between curiosity keeping me right here and the urge to protect my sister by fleeing back to the royal wing. I wonder if this is related to the reason the king was awake all night.
Then the decision is made for me. At least a dozen people stride around the corner. I notice the royal guards trimmed in the gold and red of Emberfall first, but they’re just ahead of two men who aren’t attired in royal livery at all. They flank a third man, and once my eyes lock on his face, I forget everyone else. He’s a bit windblown and travelworn, but there’s no mistaking the fiery red of his hair, or the near-constant look of disdain in his blue eyes.
Lord Alek.
My heart gives a traitorous skip in my chest as if it’s happy he’s here, and I gasp without meaning to.
The last time I saw him, he was in my bed, whispering promises against my skin. He was convincing me that he needed my help to protect the queen. He wrapped me up in his arms and made me feel like he had followed Lord Tycho to Briarlock formyprotection.
It was all a lie. He was only in Briarlock to help the Truthbringers lay a trap for the royal family.
I was such a fool.
The queen warned me that Alek would be escorted back to Syhl Shallow. But I thought he’d be thrown in the dungeon, locked far away from me.
I didn’t expect him to march right in while Nora was dragging me to get sweetcakes.
I’m frozen against the wall as if there’s any possible way he won’t see us.
Maybe he won’t. We’re only wearing sleeping shifts, and we probably look like servants. Lord Alek isn’t the type of man to pay an ounce of attention to someone beneath him. He’s glaring at the queen’s younger sister anyway.
I’ve only met Princess Nolla Verin once, but she might be the fiercest woman I’ve ever met. She goes by Verin to everyone outside the royal family, and she spends much of her time on the training fields with the army. Even though it’s early, she’s trimmed in fine black armor that’s lined in silver, and she’s wearing more weapons than Alek is. I wouldn’t be surprised if they broke out in a fight right here.
They both sound angry enough.
“I do not care what time it is,” Alek is snarling. “I do not care if the king and queen are sleeping. I have been detained long enough. I will not wait one more minute before being released from this charade. You will fetch your sister—”
“You will not order me to fetchanything,” Verin snaps. “Most definitely not your queen. You were to return to your House, not to report directly to the palace. You will wait until you are summoned—”
“Then send a servant to fetch the king. I’m done waiting.” His head jerks in my direction. “You there. Find the—”
His ice-blue eyes lock on mine, and Alek stops short so suddenly that the guards behind him skid to a halt. For a moment, we’re frozen just like that, staring at each other like we’ve been turned to stone.
And then he breaks the silence. “Callyn,” he says softly, the edge simplygone. There’s so much emotion in his voice that it causes my heart to stumble, because I certainly wasn’t expecting it. The disdain has vanished, too. “You’re here.” His eyes trace my dusty face, then my wildly misbraided hair, then my form. “Are you well?”
My heart gives that traitorous skip again. I inhale to answer, but I’m not even sure what I’m going to say.
I don’t get a chance to find out, because my little sister launches herself away from the wall. Nora is lean and wiry from all the work we did in the barn and the bakery, but she’s also strong. She smacks Alek square across the face at least three times before he gets it together to grab her arm.
“Nora!” he cries.
She switches to punches with her left hand, and when he tries to deflect, she gets him right in the throat. Alek makes a pretty horrific sound and falls back a step.
“You traitor!” she’s yelling. “You tried to kill the queen! Wetrustedyou!”
“Stop this!” He deflects again, and she tries to knee him in the crotch. He barely dodges that one.
