“A woman never means it when she says she’sfine.”
I chuckle. “You have a wife at home?”
He nods.
“She’s a lucky woman.” I am about to ask him about her but instead, I gasp in horror.
Marcus, the guard we’d left behind, is laying on the ground in front of my tent with what looks like his own sword in his chest. Blood oozes from his parted lips and spreads like a horrible flower blooming from around the blade.
Nate draws his sword. “The empress is in danger!” He moves closer to me, ready to challenge anyone who might come out of that tent.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Brevan charging toward us, weapon drawn. He looks toward the slain guard, then stops in front of me, his eyes scanning me quickly to assess for injuries.
Several other guards have arrived and approach the enforcer, waiting for orders. Most of them seem like they’re trying very hard to avoid looking at the dead man.
“I want a list of everyone who is on duty tonight, now,” Brevan shouts. “You two, back of the tent in case anyone exits.”
Then he slips inside the tent. I hold my breath, but he’s only gone for a few heartbeats before he returns. “Nobody’s in there. Did anyone see anything suspicious? Any outsiders?”
As if Brevan’s question summoned him, Ludis strolls over to the group. “What’s going on over here?” He notices the dead guard. “Oh, I see. So this is the mighty Pendralian army? No wonder your emperor wanted our soldiers so badly.”
Brevan strides toward Ludis, then sweeps his foot behind his legs, knocking the prince to the ground. His eyes widen as the enforcer pins him with his boot.
Sword pointed at his opponent’s throat, Brevan leans down. “It’s awfully convenient how you’ve shown up after both attempts on the empress’s life.”
Ludis laughs. “You think I did this?”
“You’re Iskvalandian.”
“And so is she,” Ludis says, his eyes finding mine.
I glare at him. We both know it’s a lie, but neither of us can say it in front of so many witnesses.
“Enforcer, you can’t think the prince wants his own sister dead?” Another legionnaire asks.
Nate moves even closer to me, his hand clenching his hilt so tightly his knuckles go white.
Brevan takes his boot off Ludis’s chest, and the prince makes a show of coughing and gasping before he’s helped to his feet.
I roll my eyes as several legionnaires surround him and ask about his wellbeing. They like him. In the short time he’s been with them, he’s already won some of them over. I shouldn’t be surprised. He so easily won me over.
“Inform the emperor that there was another attempt on his wife’s life,” Brevan orders.
“How do you know it was an attempt on her life?” Ludis is brushing non-existent dust from his jacket.
“You don’t kill someone’s guard to have a conversation with them.”
Ludis shrugs. “I suppose. I’ll be in my tent. Sleep well, sister.”
Chills run down my spine. He’s so callous and cold. It’s hard to believe he makes Caiden look like a doting husband. As soon as he’s out of sight, I let out a breath. I didn’t realize exactly how difficult it was going to be to have him around. How am I going to pretend that he’s my brother?
“You’ll sleep in my tent, your highness,” Brevan announces.
I snap my attention to him. “That’s a terrible idea.”
“You’ll sleep in my tent. Alone. I’ll be outside.” He glances over at Nate standing next to me. “Can we trust this one?”
“Yes.” I don’t know why I feel so strongly, but there’s something about him that makes me think he’s not going to harm me. And I am the last person who should be making those decisions after what Ludis did to me, but I have to have someone I can trust to keep me alive.
