I didn’t care if other people were in the room. They were all trying to figure out the culprit and motive, talking amongst themselves, so I had a window to reassure James without being watched. I gave him a hug and felt him lean into it, his head resting against mine. I hated how upset he was. I hated I’d been targeted once more. The fear was now alive and well in his heart again, and I didn’t want that for either of us.
Fear was an insidious beast that could wear down the soul and break the spirit. I did not wish for it in our lives.
“Thank you.” With a sigh, he stepped back but kept his arms loosely around my shoulders. “I needed that. I think we need toput more safety precautions in place until she’s well and truly gone. I also need a plan for how to get rid of her swiftly.”
“Let’s pull people in and brainstorm,” I offered. “Helena especially needs to be informed. I have no doubt these poisoned candies were a reaction to the disastrous after-dinner show last night, but on the off chance I’m wrong, she might well be a target. There are still people who want you to marry her, after all, so Valentina might consider her a rival.”
“Vuheia bless. An excellent point, and one we should move on.”
As if our words had summoned her, Helena appeared in the doorway, cheeks flushed and short of breath. She didn’t stop until she had hands on me, her grip on my shoulders tight. “Edwin, tell me you didn’t eat anything!”
“I didn’t,” I reassured her, touched by her alarm. “I fortunately used the silver needle on it first.”
A hand over her heart, she let out a relieved breath. “Thank all the gods.”
Captain Rowan came back, this time with a maid I knew in tow. She was crying her eyes out and, upon seeing me, rushed closer. “Edwin! I’m so, so sorry. I had no idea it was poisoned!”
Ah, well, the answer of who put it here was right in front of me. “Rosa, breathe. Take us back to the beginning.”
I kept a hand on James, mostly to keep him in check, because he was mad enough to take it out on Rosa right now. I didn’t for one second think she’d done this to hurt me.
She breathed out, wiped her face, then drew two things from her pocket: a note and a pouch? I took both from her, listening intently as she explained.
“Both of these sat on the table in the break room this morning. It wasn’t addressed to me, just anyone. The note said whoever picked up this task would be given some pocket money for making sure your peppermints were fresh and the bag fullevery day. The peppermints were provided too. I was just to sneak them in while I cleaned. It’s signed Prince James!”
I unfolded the note and showed it to James so we could both read it. It actually read much like she had said, nothing about the note at all strange or suspicious. In fact, James routinely did little things like this for me, so no wonder Rosa hadn’t batted an eye.
I could tell from the weight, the pouch held a significant amount of money. “How much is in here?”
“A hundred silver. Which I did think odd. Isn’t that too much? But Prince James has always been so incredibly generous…”
I could see all too well how this could happen and Rosa not think anything of it. “Rosa, take a deep breath. I do not think you’re mad enough to poison me.”
She smiled, tears in her eyes. “I should hope not. You’re my friend, and I’d never hurt either you or Prince James like this.”
I dug out my handkerchief and dried her eyes, trying to reassure her. “I’m glad to hear it. From now on, if you see another note, report it immediately. We’ll spread word among the staff to not blindly trust any notes or generous gifts, all right?”
“Absolutely, I’ll bring it straight to you if I see something else. But who could have done this?”
“We have a guess but no proof.”
She nodded uncertainly.
I turned to Captain Rowan. “Whatever punishment she is to be given for this, lower the severity of it for my sake. I truly do not believe she intended harm.”
Captain Rowan sighed. “Unfortunately, I have to punish her. Because there’s poison involved, my hands are tied. How about we say she’s under house arrest for a week without pay?”
I looked to Rosa, who seemed relieved at this very minor punishment, and this was honestly the best Captain Rowan could likely do. The rules in place here at the palace had very strict consequences, after all. It was why the guards who were supposed to protect Helena’s rooms had been promptly fired and sentenced to a year in prison. They’d been derelict in duty, and had taken a bribe to be not at their stations for an hour. Rosa was getting off lightly in comparison to them. “Then do that.”
James stirred at my side, unhappy, but even he seemed to realize Rosa wasn’t the real culprit. “I want a change in how things are handled. None of my offices or rooms will be cleaned without a knight present.”
Captain Rowan lifted a staying hand. “I promise you, this will not happen again. I will have two knights stationed at all times and the room thoroughly checked before anyone can start work. That includes food tasting. I would ask for no one to leave food behind, not even candy. It’s a vulnerability we do not need right now.”
James looked to the rest of the secretaries. “Please follow whatever instructions he gives you.”
Phila was the first to say, “Of course! It’s for our safety as well as yours. I have a thought, in fact. Can I see that note? I want to prove the handwriting was somehow copied.”
That would be nice evidence to add to our investigation file, and might lead to the actual mastermind.
