“If you’d waited five more minutes, we could be having this conversation in the warmth of the stables. Join us for a sprint?”
“No.” Grey’s tone is as cold as the rain.
“Very well. Tycho?” The prince clucks to his horse and turns away.
My heart is beating in my throat. I absolutely do not have the mettle to race away from the king. I can feel Alek’s eyes on me.
Grey catches Rhen’s rein and sighs. “I’ll ride back with you, Rhen. Just not at a full gallop.”
“Of course. As my king commands.” Rhen’s voice isn’t flippant, but almost.
Something about his tone makes me take notice. Maybe Ishouldhave asked questions. The tension here isn’t all between me and Grey. I wonder if Rhen taking my side in regard to Alek has paintedhimin a bad light, too.
But they begin walking, so I turn to follow. Grey says, “No. Ride alongside.”
I do as he says, though I feel like I’ve swallowed a handful of ash. Alek catches my eye, and I see something like triumph in his gaze. Rain sneaks under my jacket to make me shiver, reminding me of miserable assignments when I was a soldier. My fingers tighten on the slick reins.
Grey is never one to mince words, and he doesn’t now. “Alek has mentioned that you did not cross the border into Emberfall as I ordered.”
Silver hell. I’ve been so focused on threats against the king that I completely forgot about Alek’s threats againstme. I steel my spine and answer. “You said you were not concerned about one random blacksmith. But I was.”
“You could not have shared your concerns with me?”
“I wasn’t hiding anything,” I say tightly. “You ordered me to leave, so I did.”
“I ordered you to cross the border and reach the safe house before midnight.”
I hate this. I don’t want to be at odds with him. I don’t want to feel like every choice I make is a poor one.
“And even if you thought you knewbest,” Grey continues, “you didn’t think to tell me about this …investigationon the day I arrived?”
My eyes are fixed on Mercy’s mane, my jaw tight. “Jax didn’t know anything,” I say, keeping my voice low. “He wasn’t working with the Truthbringers.”
“Just like Nakiis would never cause trouble?” he says.
I wish he would pull his sword and end this right here. All the peace and joy from the race with Rhen, from the swordplay, is now shriveled in my gut.
Prince Rhen speaks into my silence. “We all make choices that seem right in the moment,” he says, “that turn out poorly later. I believe you’ve made a few such choices yourself, Your Majesty.”
“Enough.” The king’s glare is so lethal it’s a miracle it doesn’t knock Rhen off his horse.
That isn’t better. “I won’t disobey orders again,” I say. “I swear it.”
“Will this oath be similar to the one you already swore?” says Alek.
I glare at him. I wish I had the talent to strike a blow with words, the way Prince Rhen can. “You may be able to convince everyone else of your innocence, but I know you’re turning everyone againstmeto keep the suspicion off yourself.”
“What suspicion?” Alek says. “You’ve made countless accusations, Tycho, but it seemsyouare the one trying to point the blame atme. Don’t think I didn’t know who suggested that Prince Rhen’s guards search my things.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from snapping at him, and look at the king in the rain. I say the only thing I can think of. “I’m sorry I failed you. If you don’t need me here, I’ll return to the Crystal Palace and await further orders.”
I don’t know what I’m hoping for him to say, but he nods. “Fine.”
That wasn’t it.
I’m going to make the ride at night again. The rain continues to poor down, but I’ve got an oilcloth cloak over my armor, and I haven’t been scared of thunder since I was a child. Mercy’s tack is still slick from when I went galloping with Prince Rhen, but I don’t care. My chest is tight and my heart is heavy and I just want to be … gone.
A boot scrapes on the stable aisle, and I turn, expecting Rhen again. He won’t convince me to stay. He won’t convince me that I haven’t lost whatever trust I might have had.
