“I’ll explain later.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Analleia
Paravellia grantedits guests access to the royal library, and I slipped inside, hoping my visit wouldn’t reside in the guards’ memories.I worked my way to the history section, flipping through endless pages explaining Paravellia’s government and laws.Everything Valeris had told me about the line of succession lined up with what was stated in the books, but I kept combing through them even though they all said the same thing: Once the king died, the line of succession began with the eldest son, and if the eldest son had children when he was crowned, any siblings were ruled ineligible for the throne.Rivero had children, but since he had died while his father was still alive and ruling, his heirs would now never hold a claim to the crown.
I returned to my room and changed into my assassin’s garb, loading up on knives and specialty weapons.Desmond and Nadiyah were nowhere to be found.I left a note in code explaining what I planned to do.
I had come to avenge my family, but killing King Zaricor would set off an uncertain chain of events.If he had set up the competition between his children it had to already be in writing, signed and sealed—which would force the competition to go forward even in the event of his death.Killing him meant one of the three Paravellian heirs would become sovereign, and according to Valeris, Ezrielle or Zandyr on the throne could be disastrous.How they could be any worse of a ruler than their father, I wasn’t sure, but Valeris feared for the fate of his people underneath their leadership.
My fight was with King Zaricor, not with his children.
My rope was still hidden beneath the ivy on the palace wall, and I counted the schedule of the guards on the other side, ensuring I wouldn’t be seen before I climbed up and over.Desmond had been clocking Athello’s schedule.He should be in his office by now.
I stalked across the courtyard, my plan processing in my mind, forming more with every step I took.If I killed King Zaricor, Valeris would be thrust into royalty sooner than he expected—which made him vulnerable.All someone had to do to bring this country to its knees would be to kill Valeris, ending the line of Paravellian kings, and making a way for a new line to ascend to the throne.
And none of this would have started if Rivero hadn’t been assassinated.
His brother’s assassination had never made any sense to me, but now the pieces were falling into place.Rivero had always been the crown heir; there had never been a need or a consideration for another to replace him.The only way for King Zaricor to be enticed into changing the line of succession was if the crown heir was dead.Someone had ordered his assassination.Someone who knew how to manipulate the laws, someone who had also lost a claim to the throne, and they would have to know Valeris inside and out to encourage him to win the competition for the throne.
I hesitated outside Athello’s office, candlelight flickering from within the room.Shadows concealed me as I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as I summoned peace into my mind.I had to go through with it on my own.For all our sakes.
My fingers dug their way into the grout between stones, the tips of my shoes following as I worked my way up the wall, moving slowly as I crept toward his office, ears alert for any noises.I brought myself up parallel to the window, peeking in to find Athello writing at a desk.I stepped onto the ledge before dropping into the room, landing silently on the floor in my slippered shoes as I drew a knife from its sheath.He scribbled furiously on the parchment, ink splattering over the hasty words.
“I thought you would have come for me before now.”
I froze.
His quill stilled.
“I know about your ploy for the throne,” I said, struggling to disguise my voice when it was strangled with emotion.
He turned and took me in, studied the dagger outstretched in my hands before cocking an eyebrow.“And what ploy might that be?”
“I’ll start with a story.”My voice grew raspy.“Once, the heir to a throne was murdered, and the king decided the line of succession should be changed.A competition, arranged between three of the remaining heirs.Do as the king wished, and they would win the crown—but there was a catch in the laws of the land.Once an heir has been passed over, they can never be a contender for the throne again.So my question to you is if they crown the youngest child, eliminating all other heirs, and then that youngest child is murdered, who is chosen to sit upon the throne?”
