His statement was perhaps more accurate than he knew.I recalled the length of rope that seemed to come down from nowhere.Prilla Lewis must have entered the village that way.Had she also used it as a means of escape?
I had a feeling Maddox was keeping details from me, like how Ma had been angry, and Christabella silent and withdrawn.I had left them without a word again.For a moment, I wondered what would’ve happened if that man had succeeded in killing me.My family would’ve been left in ignorance until someone told them.
I shook the morbid thought out of my head.
Something crunched beneath my feet, nearly twisting my ankle.I bent down.A pair of cracked spectacles with golden rims lay crumpled on the cobblestone.
Maddox’s eyes alighted on the frames with a strange expression.He picked it up.“A carriage just passed through here, right?”
I nodded slowly.It was the carriage I had thought was empty.It seemed to have gone the same way we were going.
He shook off the broken pieces of glass and tucked the spectacles into his pocket.
“Why are you keeping that?”I asked.
“I guess we’ll see.”Maddox gestured to the road.“Let’s go.”
***
WE ENTERED THE PALACEnear midnight, though I wasn’t tired at all—the encounter made me jittery with adrenaline, and I had yet to recover a proper sleeping schedule after being on Witch Village time.The palace guards let us in when Maddox showed his badge and I showed my Witch Committee pin.The halls were empty save for an occasional servant dusting the gilded picture frames along the damask wallpaper.
We headed straight to the crown prince’s study, as we figured he’d still be awake working.We were right.
Crown Prince Bennett sat behind his desk, a deep furrow between his brows, bent over a pile of reports.At our entrance, he looked up, his expression surprised.
I curtsied quickly and Maddox bowed.“Your Highness.”
“Giselle, Maddox,” the crown prince said.“Did something happen?”
“Yes.Aboveground, and in the village.”I quickly summarized the situation with the weather and Prilla Lewis, then I offered the newspaper I had acquired from the inn.
Crown Prince Bennett read the article in silence.“Another resistance.”He heaved a sigh.“How did they know about the emissary visit?”
“We didn’t tell any outsiders,” Maddox said.“I have a theory that this group who calls themselves The Crown—apologies, Your Highness—has connections inside the palace.”
The crown prince nodded gravely, seeming to contemplate this.“Do you have any suspects?”
Maddox withdrew the crumpled pair of spectacles from his pocket.“This tumbled out of a carriage that preceded us.It was parked close by when Giselle was attacked.”He paused at the crown prince’s incredulous look and quickly summarized what had happened to me only minutes ago.“The wheel spokes were gilded, just like the palace carriages meant for courtiers and royal staff to use.”
I widened my eyes.I hadn’t even noticed such a detail.Ulysses, the royal steward, had come to me in a similar vehicle when I’d accepted the emissary assignment.The glasses in Maddox’s hand gleamed in the candlelight, and I suddenly recalled who had worn similar frames.
“Sir Archibald of the King’s Council,” I breathed.
Maddox nodded.
Crown Prince Bennett pressed his fingertips together.“This is a serious accusation.If this turns out to be untrue, Sir Archibald has every right to petition both of you to be removed from your positions.”
I huffed.Being removed from the Witch Committee was nothing.I hadn’t even wanted to rejoin in the first place!As for Maddox, I had a feeling he wasn’t all too attached to being a guard.
“We are accusing him,” I said stubbornly.
Maddox nodded.
“You barely have any evidence,” the crown prince said, his brows furrowed.
“Then we’ll find more,” Maddox said.“You believe us, don’t you, Your Highness?”
After a moment’s pause, Crown Prince Bennett nodded almost imperceptibly.I figured he didn’t wish to show bias, even in private.“I will have to question Sir Archibald myself at a later date.But for now, the priority is publishing Mr.Edmund de Clare’s report of the village.”
