“Yes.” She pauses, her eyes holding mine. “Your duties this morning were interrupted, were they not?”
My duties . . . to see what I could discover about the Truthbringers.
“Are you still willing to find the information I asked for?” she says.
I think of that note I received from Lady Karyl, threatening the queen.
I think of everything I discovered from the scravers.
I think of Callyn, staring up at me fiercely, challenging me at every step.
I think of the fact that the queen has called for the return of the king, and that will make everything a hundred times more complicated.
But my queen is waiting on an answer, and I’m just as powerless to tellherno.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I say. “I am.”
CHAPTER 14
TYCHO
We left the body hours ago, but I can’t shake the feeling of a target on my back, and it’s clear I’m not the only one. It’s a new apprehension that’s overridden the tension among our group. That courier could’ve been killed by simple bandits, but my gut says it’s bigger than that. It’s the way her body was left out in the open, like someone wanted it to be found. A signal . . . or a warning. Especially since Malin was right— we never did discover who burned my safe house. The Truthbringers have caused too much harm for too long, and it’s too coincidental that the first courier sent by Lia Mara would be slaughtered halfway to Ironrose Castle.
I can’t stop wondering what the queen’s message would’ve said. Is there danger in Syhl Shallow? Could the scravers have returned? Regret flares in my chest as I think of Grey languishing in Prince Rhen’s strategy room, worried for his family.
I loop Mercy back around to ride parallel to Malin. Jax glances over his shoulder at me, and I have to ignore the weight of his eyes.
Instead, I keep my voice to business. “We should send word to Ironrose,” I say to Malin. “The queen sent a message that was intercepted. We have no idea what she might’ve said.”
We also don’t know what we might be ridingtoward, but I don’t say that. I doubt I need to. Malin considers for less than a second. “We’re not far from the outpost at Twinwatch. We could have them send a courier.”
I hesitate, remembering the way soldiers in Syhl Shallow turned against the king. Prince Rhen warned about unrest, and I wonder if it’s spread among the armyhere. He and Grey were just talking about sending more troops to the border.
I suddenly wonder if that’s the right decision . . . or the wrong one.
I’m very aware that Leo might be facing forward, but he’s listening to every word we’re saying. Sephran probably is, too.
“Fall back,” I say to Malin. Once he does, I drop my voice and say, “We don’t know who killed her. I don’t want to hand a message to an army officer who might just burn it.”
His eyebrows go up as he realizes what I’m saying. “You’re worried about the King’s Army?”
I wince. “I don’t know. Butsomeoneknew who she was. There were spies among the army in Syhl Shallow, so it stands to reason that there would be some here, too.”
He lets out a breath through his teeth. “And a soldier from either side would recognize her livery.” This time, he thinks for a long moment. “Do you want to turn back?”
Yes— but also no. Our mission suddenly seems more important than ever, and I’m not sure who else Grey could trust right now.
But then I consider all the codes the Truthbringers use, and I wonder if I can use them to my advantage.
“We’ll send a message from Twinwatch, but I want to get closer tothe border and see what we can discover,” I say. I glance up at the sky. We have another night on the road before we’ll reach Gaulter. I intended to camp, but with this new knowledge about the dead courier, I want to see what kind of gossip we can hear.
“Let’s get room in Willminton for the night,” I say. “We can spend a little silver and find out what the people are saying.” I hesitate. “In the morning, you can have one of your men take a message back to Prince Rhen with what we’ve found. The rest of us will continue on.”
Malin nods. “I’ll send Leo.”
That makes my chest clench— but I agree. He’s the youngest of the group, and the lowest risk. As much as I’d like to send Sephran away, just so I can be rid of his attitude and the way he keeps touching Jax, I’d rather have a skilled soldier along if we’re heading into trouble.
I nod. “Well chosen. We can have him strip his livery before he goes, too.”
