“As I have said,” the Guildmaster continues, “the Guild wouldneveraccept an order to kill a member of the royal family. I suspect these orders are fraudulent, possibly fabricated in an attempt to conspire against your alliance. This Hunter has been gone for quite some time, with no explanation for his whereabouts. His last assignment was in Morinstead, which is to the north, near the border, so it would stand to reason that he could be conspiring with agents from Draegonis—”
One of the Incendrian soldiers swears under his breath. The king crushes that ball of flame into nothing in his palm. His eyes lock on me again.
“No,” I gasp. “No, that’s not—”
The guard hits me in the brand again. I see stars. When I blink, my forehead is against the stone floor, and I’m gasping.
“No!” Jory says. “Father, stop this! Asher is not working for the Draegs. Iknowhe’s not.”
“You donotknow,” Prince Dane says. “You have been deceived. Foryears, if I am to understand correctly. He coerced you into allowing him into the palace, Marjoriana.”
“He did notcoerceme,” she snaps, enraged. “And you very well know—”
“Then you participated in an act of treason? You knowingly allowed an armed man to bypass the guards and access the palace? A knowntraitor? You deliberately endangered the life of your king?”
The entire room goes completely silent. Jory is glaring at him, her jaw tight, her eyes like fire.
Be careful, I think.Please, Jory. Do not admit to this. Not even for me.
After an eternal moment, she speaks through clenched teeth. “No. Of course not.”
Dane continues, because he knows he’s got her. “As I said, he coerced you into allowing him into the palace. He could be sentenced for that alone.”
“Hunter Asher,” says Master Pavok. “Where have you been for three months?”
“Morinstead,” I say, and the word comes out of me like I’m speaking through gravel. “I completed my duties.” I have to pause to inhale, and I fight not to flinch when one of the guards shifts his weight.
“Your duties should not have taken more than a week.”
“I was detained. Captured by a bondsman who thought I’d escaped. He thought my Guild ring was a fake. It took time to verify.”
The silence in the room is so thick. The king of Incendar is looking at me again.
I hope they execute him.
Unfortunately, it seems that only one of us is on trial here.
“It’s a good story,” Prince Dane finally says. “I’m almost convinced.”
“It’s not astory,” I growl. “Interrogate Rachel. Interrogate Hammish.Hesaw me. Maybe they’re the ones working with Draegonis—”
“I did,” says Pavok. “They deny seeing you.”
My head is pounding. I don’t understand it. Are they protecting Pavok? Dane? Themselves?
Dane rises from his chair and crosses the room to stand over me. “Which do you think is more likely?” he says, his tone mocking. “That you received orders to kill King Maddox Kyronan and Princess Marjoriana on the day we were to seal an accord between our kingdoms—orders allegedly given by the two people with the most to gain from an alliance?” He leans in. “Or does it make more sense that someone with a questionable past and secret access to the palace was hired by Draegonis to undermine it all?” He claps me on the cheek, and it stings. “Truly, Asher, it’s a great mystery.”
I spit right in his face.
He backhands me so hard that I taste blood before I hit the floor. Jory makes a sound, but there’s a quick round of hushing from her lady.
The guards haul me upright, and I don’t know if it’s the burn to my shoulder or the punch to the face, but my vision goes a bit spotty again.
That’s all right. I don’t need to see Prince Dane to let my hatred show on my face.
I just...don’t know why the keepers would claim they didn’t see me. I don’t know why the Guildmaster would claim to have no knowledge of these orders.
Did someone trickme? Or did someone trickthem?
