“Every time I see you, things take an unexpected turn.”
“In what way?”
Just a little farther.
“We meet at the Garden, and the next day the world discovers Galiene has a daughter. More, she breaks a five-year dry streak and takes a lover—and not just anyone. Inhan. The second prince.”
“I can’t imagine what that has to do with me.”
A brilliant move, Galiene. Of all people, Inhan had exactly the right combination of means, clout, and a lack of ambition that would keep her safe. Inhan Savaric had figured out long ago that his best chance at enjoying a long life hinged on convincing his older brother that he was not a threat. Kiel was rabid and aggressive, while Inhan was passive and avoided conflict. He indulged in wine and women, built elaborate moving models, and patronized the arts. When it came to his princely duties, he did the bare minimum, just enough to keep from enraging his father.
Both Sauven and Kiel had written Inhan off long ago, but he was still a Savaric. Not only did he possess considerable resources, but Kiel was directly invested in keeping his brother distracted. If Hreban threatened Galiene in any way, the crown prince would come down on him like a ton of bricks.
We stepped onto the main road and joined the foot traffic. Finally. The bridge curved just ahead. Yes! Made it.
“We meet at the Market, and then things that should’ve happened do not,” the man continued.
What did he mean by that?
“I come to the Harzi house, and you frustrate my plans. You should stop.”
“I was more surprised to see you in the cage than you were to see me outside of it, my lord. I had my own plans, which had nothing to do with you, but I couldn’t leave you in there. As you’ve said, we’ve met three times. We are practically friends.”
“Is that what we are?”
I realized Lute wasn’t behind me. I turned. He’d stopped in the middle of the street with an odd look on his face.
The man from the Garden stalked between me and Lute, blocking him from my view with his body. He was too close, way closer than was appropriate, and there was a spark of magic in his golden eyes.
“A friend is someone who knows you,” he said. “And you don’t know me at all, my gentle mel.”
I went cold.
Melmeant a year-old lamb-like creature. It sounded like a term of endearment, but it wasn’t. When a lamb became mel, it was marked for slaughter. There was a man who said this exact phrase in the books, word for word. He said it to Inhan Savaric just before he slit his throat.
Silveren.The man from the Garden was Estol Silveren. The Lord Commander of the Redeemer Knights. The man who had allied with Hreban and kidnapped Matheo.
Fuck.
“Lute!” My voice sounded too sharp, but I didn’t care.
Silveren smiled.
A metal blade slid over his shoulder along his neck.
The smile died. His eyebrows rose slightly. He hadn’t expected that.
“Step aside,” Lute said, his voice a quiet snarl.
Silveren took a step to the right, then another. Lute pulled the sword back and put himself between me and Silveren. On the other side of the bridge two men stopped to watch. A woman halted on the right. People were looking at us.
“Be on your way,” Lute said.
Silveren took two steps back, turned, and strode across the bridge into Kair Toren.
I slumped back. Lute caught me and helped me lean against the stone rail of the bridge.
“What happened?” I asked him. “Why did you stop?”
