“I think it’s the Truthbringers,” says the other. “Someone is trying to get at the queen again.”
Behind us, Sinna gasps again, and I sigh, then wave the serving girls out the door. Before I turn, I paste a bright smile on my face and think of something that will distract the princess. “Sinna,” I say. “Should we practice your braiding before your lessons this morning?”
Her face lights up, and I tell Nora to fetch a comb.
While we practice, I wonder when we’ll see Queen Lia Mara—and whether it would be appropriate to ask for answers. When I returned from Lord Alek’s, she didn’t seem surprised by anything I told her. Not his attitude toward magic, not his near-accusations of her sister, not his whispered declaration that he has spies on both sides of the border. When I told her that he wanted me to return in three days with a response, she said, “Thank you, Callyn,” and then nothing more than that.
So I’ve been wondering. Waiting. Unsure if she’s going to have Alek arrested for treason against the throne—or if she’s going to send me back to discover more.
And now I suppose I’m going to wonder if Truthbringers are attacking the palace, dressed up as soldiers from Emberfall.
By late afternoon, we haven’t learned anything new, though the rumors are really quite spectacular. For the first time, I’m almosteagerto go spar with Verin, because I imagine she’ll at least know the truth of some of it. She might break every bone in my body, but she’ll know if I need to worry about Truthbringers sneaking into the palace.
Unless she’s workingwiththem.
The thought smacks me in the face, and I can’t even listen to Nora’s prattling as we head down the palace hallways in our sparring gear. Alek’s warnings about someone with power and access conspiring against the queen are suddenly whirling in my head in a new way. Weturn the corner that leads away from the royal wing, and I’m so wrapped up in my thoughts that I don’t see the man emerging from a room until I nearly walk right into him.
“Forgive me, my lord,” I’m saying absently—but then I realize I recognize him. “Tycho!” I say in surprise. I have to catch myself. “I mean—Lord Tycho.” I really need to get it together. “My lord.”
“Callyn,” he says, and he sounds equally surprised. But then he gives me a tired smile. “I mean,LadyCallyn,” he adds, gently teasing. His eyes shift past me to my sister. “And Lady Nora.”
That makes my cheeks warm, and I’m not sure what to say. For a moment, we stare at each other. I forgot how striking he is—and I’m so shocked that he’s here. It’s only been a matter of weeks since I last saw him in Briarlock—if it’s even been that. There’s a part of me that expects to blink and discover it’s not really him, like I’ve mistaken him for someone else.
“JustCallynis fine,” I tease back—just as Nora decides it’s completely appropriate to launch herself forward to tackle him with a hug.
“Tycho!” she cries, like she’s known him her whole life. “Itisyou! Did Jax come with you? Is Mercy here? You were so right about the sweet-cakes in the morning, but Cally-cal’s are better. I met your cat! But Salam is afraid of Princess Sinna, so I don’t see him very often. He runs whenever—”
“Nora!” I snap, grabbing her arm to pull her off him. “You can’t keep flinging yourself at people in the palace.”
“It’s all right,” he says to me. Even his voice is tired. For the first time, I notice a bit of tension clinging to his eyes. “I’ll takethiskind of welcome any day.”
There’s a hint of bitterness when he says that, but before I can figure it out, he draws back to look at Nora. “Jax isn’t with me, but he’ll be very happy to know I got the chance to see you both. Mercy is here, though. Well, in the stables. And Salam will get used to you, I promise. Here.”He opens the door at his back, then makes a whisperingpspspssound. “Let’s see if he comes out.”
Nora gasps with delight, but I say, “We can’t stay long. Verin is expecting us in the arena.”
His eyes skip over our attire, as if only just realizing we’re in sparring gear. “You’re training with Nolla Verin?” he says.
I fight not to grimace. “Is that a surprise?”
He runs a hand over the back of his neck. “Ah . . . ?well, I’m not sure I’d pair Verin with abeginner—”
“She said she’s going to teach me how to peel the bones out of Alek’sfingers,” Nora says, sounding a bit too delighted about that.
“Andthat’swhy,” says Tycho, and Nora giggles.
I’m blushing again. I’m still too surprised to find him right in front of me.
“Come with us,” Nora says. She grabs his hand. “I can show you what I’ve learned.”
“Nora!” I say. “Honestly. Let the mango.”
“It’s fine.” Tycho’s eyes have actually lit up, and for a moment I think he might really join us. But then he draws back. “Next time,LadyNora. I arrived with another soldier, and I should see if he’s awake yet.”
“Another soldier,” I say, remembering the serving girls and their gossip. “From Emberfall?”
He nods. “We rode through the night. We only arrived quite early this morning.”
Nora’s eyes go wide. “Then itwasyou who attacked the main gates!” she exclaims.
