by Rachel Aaron
“You don’t have a choice,” Theresa said. She turned to her guard. “Take his swords. The prince is under arrest. ”
“Are you out of your mind?” Josef roared. “You’re not taking my swords!”
“I am queen!” Theresa roared back. “I take whatever I—”
The queen’s words dissolved into a coughing fit as she doubled over, heaving into her handkerchief. Several of the nobles started to run forward, but Lenette was there first, waving the rest away.
“The queen’s medicine!” she yelled. “Hurry!”
A servant grabbed a kettle, a cup, and a folded paper sachet from the tray in the corner and ran to Lenette, pouring the steaming water into the cup as she went. Lenette grabbed the sachet and the cup. She shook the folded paper open, dumping green powder into the hot water. She stirred it once with the spoon the servant offered and then, grabbing the queen’s convulsing shoulders, pushed the cup to her lips.
The queen drank, choked, and drank again with Lenette’s help. Her coughing subsided, and she slumped back into the chair. For several minutes she did nothing but sit with her eyes closed, breathing as though taking in air were the hardest task she’d ever attempted. When she did finally open her eyes, they looked immediately at Josef.
“My order is final,” she said in a strained, husky whisper.
Josef stared at her, helpless, and then looked plaintively at Eli, but the thief was already a step ahead of him.
“My lady,” Eli said gently, stepping forward. “Think a moment. Someone out there is knocking off members of the royal family. Do you really think disarming the prince at such a time is a wise—”
“I will not be disobeyed,” Theresa said, closing her eyes again. “This meeting is over. Take the prince to his chambers and make sure he stays there. ”
The guards bowed and moved to Josef’s side. With a final glare at his mother, Josef raised his hands and let the guards guide him toward the door. Eli followed with his own escort. Looking back, Josef caught a final glimpse of his mother slumped between Lenette and the serving girl, and then the door closed and he saw no more.
The palace seemed empty as the guards marched Josef and Eli back to the prince’s suite. The usual bustle of nobles and servants rushing on Osera’s business had been replaced by grim-faced guards standing in knots wherever corridors connected.
When they reached Josef’s rooms, the entire squad circled round as Josef disarmed to make sure he surrendered every blade. It took a good thirty minutes, partially because Josef was taking his time about it, but mostly because he wore a lot of weapons. It took two men to hold Josef’s arsenal of daggers, throwing knives, and short swords, and Josef spent the entire time making it very clear what would happen if every one of those blades didn’t return to him.
When he finally announced he’d handed everything over, the guards stepped in to pat him down, just in case. This uncovered another two blades, one at the small of his back below his belt and one tucked into the heel of his shoe, both of which Josef claimed he’d forgotten. The guards gave him a sour look and added the blades to the pile. Then they came to the main bone of contention.
“The sword on your back,” the soldier said. “Hand it over. ”
“This?” Josef lay his hand on the wrapped hilt of the Heart of War. “I don’t think so. ”
The soldier crossed his arms. “The queen said every blade, Prince Thereson. ”
Josef smiled at him. “Fine,” he said. “You want my sword?” He reached up to his shoulder and undid the strap that held the Heart on his back. “Take it. ”
The Heart fell to the floor with a crash that rattled the windows. The soldier jumped back in surprise, and Josef, still grinning, stepped aside so the guard could retrieve the Heart. The soldier glowered and reached down, grabbing the Heart by the hilt to lift it onto his own back.
Nothing happened.
The soldier’s anger turned to confusion. He added another hand to the Heart’s hilt and pulled again, harder. The Heart didn’t budge. The soldier braced his legs against the wall. His face turned pink, then red. Sweat poured off his brow as he pulled with all his might, and nothing happened.
He let go at last, panting as he stared at Josef. “What is that thing?” he said, too out of sorts to remember the proper address for a prince. “It weighs more than a bloody mountain. ”
“It’s my sword,” Josef said. “Everything else you can take. This one stays with me. ”
The soldier shook his head. “Queen’s orders,” he panted. “I can’t leave you with a weapon. ”
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“Forget it,” Josef said. “I didn’t kill the duke. The queen knows that. Now, you cannot lift this sword. No one can, except me. You’ve done your job disarming me as best you could. Let it alone. ”
The soldier glanced at his companions, rubbing his strained shoulders. The other guards eyed the Heart with trepidation and, one by one, shook their heads.
“Right,” the guard said at last. “Move out. You,” he said, looking Eli up and down. “Coming?”
“I’ll stay here, if it’s all the same to you,” Eli said, flopping into a chair by the hearth.
“Suit yourself,” the guard said. “But no one gets out of this room until the queen gives the order. ”
“That’s fine,” Eli said. “I think our poor, maligned prince could use the company during his wrongful incarceration. But thank you for your diligence, officer. ”
The soldier gave Eli a sideways look, like he wasn’t sure if that was sincerity or an insult, maybe both. In the end, he let it go, walking out with a shallow bow and locking the door behind him. As the lock clicked, Josef grabbed the Heart and returned it to his back.
“This is a fine mess,” he grumbled, walking over to the tiny window.
“Mmm,” Eli said, staring absently into the fireplace. “Josef, is your mother-in-law a card player?”
Josef blinked in confusion. “What?”
“Lenette,” Eli said. “Is it possible she used to be a cardsharp?”
“No,” Josef said, appalled. “Why in the world would you even ask that?”
“Because she pulled the best snake-in-the-sleeve I’ve ever seen,” Eli said. “And I’ve seen a lot. ”
If possible, Josef grew even more confused. “Snake-in-the-where?”
“Snake-in-the-sleeve,” Eli said slowly. “It’s a gambling move. Watch. ” He held out his empty hand, and then, very subtly, flicked his wrist. Out of nowhere, a Daggerback card appeared between his fingers. “See?” he said, turning the card over. “Looks easy, but it takes years of practice. ”
“Wait a second,” Josef said. “That’s a Shepherdess. ” His eyes widened. “How long have you had a trump up your sleeve?”
“A long time,” Eli said, grinning wide.
Josef crossed his arms over his chest. “I want my money back. ”
“Josef,” Eli said, looking hurt as the card disappeared back up his sleeve. “I would never cheat you. ”
Josef rolled his eyes.
“Anyway,” Eli said. “That’s hardly the point. What matters is that I saw Lenette do that exact move when the servant handed her the cup. ”
Suddenly, Josef was paying very close attention. “Are you sure?”
“I wasn’t at first,” Eli said. “I caught it only by chance. But then I saw her do it a second time, while she was stirring. That time there was no mistaking it. ”
“Right,” Josef said, rubbing his neck. “And what did she take out?”
“I don’t know,” Eli confessed. “As I said, she was really good. I couldn’t even see if she was taking something out of her sleeve or putting something in. But I saw her wrist move, and I’ve been in enough card games to know that when you see someone flick their hand that way, you either call your bets or start cheating better. ”
Josef scowled. “What would Lenette be putting in t
he queen’s cup? She owes my mother everything. Her position, her wealth, her daughter’s place as princess, everything. The second the queen dies, Lenette goes right out the door. She knows that better than anyone. So why would she take the risk of doing something that could possibly be seen as treasonous?”
“I have no idea,” Eli said, standing up. “But the royal family’s luck is getting a little too bad for me to buy. ”
Josef winced. He knew that look on Eli’s face. “What are you going to do about it?”
“First,” Eli said, walking over to the table beside the door, “I’m going to find out who’s been drugging you at night, and how. I’m guessing it happened again?”
“Yes,” Josef said. “And it got Nico too. ”
“Really?” Eli said. “How curious. ”
Josef frowned. “Why curious?”
“Because it didn’t get me,” Eli said. “Which rules out the food. ”
“And you think the sleeping thing is related to the duke’s death?”
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“I don’t know,” Eli said, running his hands along the wall. “But as I said, this is too much bad luck, even for you. Now keep your voice down. ” He glanced pointedly at the door. “Bored soldiers have surprisingly sharp ears. ”
Josef looked skeptically at the door, but he nodded and moved over to the couch, sitting down with the Heart between his legs.
“Where is Nico, anyway?” he said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice.
Eli ducked his head to examine the bookshelf. “Probably making herself useful. She’s not locked up, after all. No point in sticking around here. ”
Josef had to give him that one. Still, it annoyed him that he didn’t know where Nico was. But complaining wasn’t going to get him anywhere, so he sat and stared at his sword, letting his mind go blank as he traced the Heart’s scarred surface. He could feel the battle coming, like a storm on the horizon. Good. Let it come. He would be ready.
Josef took a deep breath, letting the anger and frustration flow out of his mind. Then, in one smooth motion, he stood up and stepped into first position. Mindful of the small space, he raised the Heart and began to practice his swings. Eli shot him an annoyed look and stepped out of the way, continuing his investigation around Josef’s sword work.
Outside, dawn turned to morning as the sun peeked over the mountain.
Josef had just passed his one hundredth swing when Eli shouted, “Got it!”
Josef lowered his sword. Eli was standing in the corner looking unbearably smug and holding a candelabra.
“It’s the candles,” Eli said, wrenching a candlestick out of its holder. “Here, smell the wax. ”
“No,” Josef said. “You just said it’s poison. ”
“Only if you burn it,” Eli said, shoving the candlestick in his face. “Smell. ”
Josef sniffed, wrinkling his nose. “Smells like bitter greens. ”
Eli nodded. “That’s incenteth. Doctors use it to knock patients out for amputation, usually by making them smoke it. I never even thought of putting it in candles. ” He sounded deeply impressed. “Kind of brilliant, actually. The candles burn down, slowly filling the room with the drug. Servants and others can enter and leave with no ill effects except a little drowsiness, but anyone staying in the room would get the full dose and fall into a deep sleep until the candles burned out and the drug stopped. ”
“Well, I’m glad you’re impressed,” Josef grumbled. “But unless someone signed their name on those candles, we still don’t know who did it. ”
“Up to this point, I’d have said the duke,” Eli said, putting the candle back with a long sigh. “I still think it could be, but that’s a moot point now, isn’t it?”
Josef scowled at that comment, but before he could answer, he heard a familiar step on the carpet behind him. He turned just in time to see Nico step out of the deep shadows by the window.
He smiled, but his smile dropped when he saw the expression on her face. “What?”
“Something’s going on down at the storm wall watchtower,” she said. “Two guard squads have already been sent in. ”
Josef caught his breath. That was where he’d had his argument with the duke the day before. “What have they got against me now?”
Nico shook her head. “I don’t think that’s it,” she said, her voice low. “They called in medics as well. ”
Josef frowned. “How close did you get?”
“Close enough to smell the blood,” Nico answered.
Josef nodded and turned toward the door.
“Josef,” Eli said. “Hold on just a—”
Josef didn’t wait to hear the rest. He grabbed the door handle and turned it sharply, snapping the lock. He pushed the door open in time to see the two door guards turn and scramble to block his way.
Josef glowered. “Move. ”
“I’m sorry, my lord,” the left guard said, shaking his head. “We can’t let you—”
Josef reached out with both hands and grabbed each guard by the helmet. Bracing his feet, he slammed their heads together as hard as he could. The helmets hit with a metal crash, and the two guards dropped.
Josef nodded and stepped over their prone bodies.
Eli poked his head out, his mouth forming an O when he saw the moaning guards. “Aren’t you Prince Charming?”
“Their fault,” Josef said, starting down the hall. “They didn’t move. ”
The palace was surprisingly empty. The guard posts were abandoned, probably in answer to the new threat at the bay. That suited Josef just fine. He jogged through the empty halls, following the twist of the castle toward the kitchens. He trundled down the narrow servant’s stair and burst out into the paved yard where he’d met Finley’s carriage the day before, scaring the daylights out of a serving boy in the process.
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“You,” he barked before the boy could bolt. “Two fast horses. Now. ”
The boy stared at him wide-eyed. “This is the back stable, sire. We only got—”
“I don’t care about the quality,” Josef said. “If it’s fast, bring it. Now. ”
The boy ran off, returning moments later with two long-legged bays already saddled and bearing the queen’s colors.
“Aren’t these reserved for messengers?” Eli said, scrambling onto the smaller of the two.
“Royal privilege,” Josef said, pulling himself onto the other. He held out his hand for Nico, but she stepped away.
“I’ll meet you there,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “Horses and I don’t get along. ”
Josef nodded, but she was already gone, her body dissolving into shadows. Behind them, forgotten, the serving boy shrieked.
“He’ll get over it,” Josef said. “Come on. ”
He kicked his horse and thundered out through the open gate. Eli shook his head and followed, bouncing in his saddle behind Josef as the prince forged a path through the crowded streets to the sea.
The queen supplied her messengers well. The horses made the trip down the mountain to the Rebuke in record time. Ahead of them, the flat walk of the storm wall was crawling with soldiers.
Eli stood up in his saddle, squinting at the horizon. “I don’t see any ships. No invasion yet, at least. ”
Josef hopped off his horse and started pushing his way through the crowd. The soldiers looked at him sideways and whispered among themselves, but no one tried to stop him as he made his way to the heavy watchtower. Once they were inside, Nico was suddenly there.
“They’re at the top,” she said. “The light’s too good for me to get in and the only door is guarded. Sneaking’s not an option. ”
“Good thing we’re not sneaking,” Josef said, starting up the stairs. “Come on. ”
They climbed the four flights of stairs without challenge, but the door to the watch room at the top of the tower was blocked by a man in
the polished chain of the royal guard. The soldier gripped his short sword when he saw Josef’s face and pulled himself as tall as he could.
“Prince Thereson,” he said in a voice that failed to be as authoritative as he probably wanted it to be. “You’re supposed to be under arrest. ”
“Change of plans,” Josef said. “Step aside. ”
The guard tightened his grip and held his ground.
Josef reached for the Heart, but Eli’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. The thief leaned forward, fixing the guard with his sweetest smile.
“Listen, young man,” he said. “The prince has had a really bad morning. So either you step aside and let us take responsibility for what’s about to happen, or Thereson here lives up to his murderous reputation. We clear?”
The soldier looked from Josef to Eli and back again before he let go his sword and stepped aside in one shaky motion.
“Good choice,” Eli said as Josef slammed the door open and stepped inside. He stopped again almost immediately, eyes going wide. He felt Eli stop as well and then hastily turn away. Josef didn’t blame him. The sight was enough to turn even his stomach.
The watch room where he’d met with Finley was now slick with blood. Six dead guards lay on the floor below the windows, their necks slit at the back. Blood pooled on the wooden floor, reflecting the morning sunlight, and the smell of it was thick in the air. Around this gruesome scene stood a ring of royal guards, their faces pale and tight beneath their helmets. Medics waited at the edges, but there was very little for them to do when the patients were already dead. At the center of the room, two men stood over a wide table where a seventh dead man sat slumped over a blood-splattered pile of maps, his fine-tailored gray suit now a sickly reddish black thanks to the gaping wound at the back of his neck. Josef frowned and flicked his eyes to the men standing over the table. The one on the left in the fancy coat he recognized as his mother’s admiral, though he couldn’t remember the old man’s name. The other man also looked familiar, but Josef couldn’t place him either.
Eli, however, had a better memory. “Josef!” the thief hissed, grabbing his wrist. “That’s Tesset!”
“Who?” Josef said.
“Tesset!” Eli whispered again. “Council man from Izo’s, works for Sara. Powers, he’ll ruin everything. ”
Josef stared at the man in question. He vaguely remembered that swarthy face and large figure standing outside the hut with Sted, the one who’d gone after Nico. He could already feel Nico fading into the shadows behind him. Eli was still tugging his arm, trying to pull Josef back down the stairs, but Josef shook his head and yanked his arm free. If this Tesset was good enough to subdue Nico, then he’d already seen them, and running would do no good. Besides, Josef had questions to answer.
