“Fair enough,” Théo conceded. “Seren, will you be able to convince Harkin?”
“Of course,” I agreed without hesitation. “I can leave this afternoon. I’ll arrive by nightfall, and we can return in the morning.”
With a plan conceived, there was little else to do but make preparations. Théo gathered the books and documents, tucking them safely into a leather bag at his side. Ayla and I took our time, each wrapped up in our own thoughts.
In the hall, we were stopped by a guard. “Prince Claudian demands an audience.”
I laughed dryly. “I hardly think Claudian is in a position to demand anything.”
“He claims it is urgent,” the guard insisted.
I was unsure if that was a good sign or a bad one. I looked at Ayla who only nodded hesitantly.
“Fine,” I acquiesced, gesturing forward. “Lead the way.”
Back down into the dungeon we went, the long staircase into its depths looming before us. When we emerged at the bottom, Claudian leaned casually against the bars of his cell. A half smile twisted his mouth, unconvincing.
“Hello, Daughter,” he intoned, reaching through the bars as if he would squeeze her hand between his own.
I held Ayla back with a touch on her wrist. “What do you want?”
Claudian sighed dramatically, pushing his grimy hair away from his eyes. “Fine, straight to business. It has come to my attention that you are now aware of my partner in the grand scheme of things.”
I exchanged a startled look with Ayla. We had only just had that conversation with Théo. How was it that Claudian had any knowledge of our words, let alone mere minutes after they were spoken?
“You think I do not still have eyes and ears all over this palace?” Claudian laughed, a true sound of mirth this time. “I know everything that goes on here, even from the depths of the dungeon.”
I tried not to shudder at the utter creepiness of that sentence alone—his voice oil slick.
“You need me,” Claudian continued. “You will both die without my help.”
“We would both die with your help, you mean.” My voice was low, dangerous. “Tell us who your accomplice is.”
Claudian pretended to consider, tapping his fingers to his lips. “No. I don’t think that I will. But, free me, and I will help you. We can devise a new plan.”
Ayla remained silent, and when I looked at her, she appeared to be contemplating her fathers words. I was sympathetic to my cousin's situation. I knew it would not be easy to fully renounce her father, but Claudian was not someone who could be trusted.
“We already have a plan. Thank you for confirming what we already knew, but we will not be needing any furtherassistancefrom the likes of you.” I spat the word like it was a dirty thing. I knew Claudian would sooner help me over a cliff than offer me any true aid. “Let’s go, Ayla. We have far better things to do than to entertain the delusions of a treasonous old man.”
“This is your last chance to secure an alliance with me!” Claudian shouted as we turned our backs on him. “You would be fools to deny me!”
“Then I suppose we are fools.”
Chapter forty-eight
Seren
The sky stretched on, a cloudless, vibrant blue, and the sun shone uncharacteristically bright, catching on the early morning mist. It swirled through the chilly air, scattering crystal rainbows across my face as I traversed the narrow road. The path was bumpy and overgrown in places, my fingers numb with cold, but I could not help but admire the mágik that nature provided, all on its own.
Ayla had provided a horse for me—a large but friendly beast called Bear—and a map, which I was grateful for. Though I knew Villaz Silven was a half day ride east of Acsilla, there was no time to risk taking a wrong turn.
My cousin had suggested taking a guard with me for assistance and protection—the council had demanded it when they realized the future queen would be riding unprotected—but I slipped away in the early hours of the morning.
I preferred to travel to Harkin’s family home alone; I would be a fool to think it would not be more complicated than simply retrieving him for our mission. There were feelings involved, whether we would admit it aloud or not, and I did not want to bring members of the court to the home where his mother and sister lived.
Protection was unnecessary, anyway. Aside from Harkin, Ayla, and the council, no one in Acsilla knew who I was. The future queen was not under threat, because to everyone else, I was nobody. As expected, I rode on undisturbed as the sun climbed high into the sky.
It was nearly supper time when I arrived in the small, wooded village of Villaz Silven. I had taken the path far slower than expected, wasting away most of the day traveling. I could not deny—even to myself—that I was stalling, unsure of what I would find given the way we had parted two weeks past.
