Throne of Threats (Ducal Detective Mysteries Book 5)

by Sarah E. Burr

  “I will see you to your rooms. Shall we reconvene in a few hours?”

  “That seems more than enough time for us to settle in,” Charles said.

  “Wonderful. When you are ready, summon any of the palace staff to escort you to the archives. I will meet you there,” Jax instructed as she led her friends back inside the elegant palace walls. “I have some business to take care of with Jaquobie that I want wrapped up before the festivities really begin.” She felt her mood dampen slightly at the prospect of the upcoming argument she and her High Courtier were bound to have over tax trades.

  She escorted her small party to the guest wing, showing each their selected apartment for the duration of their stay. Carriena’s lady’s maid was already busy unpacking the bursting trunks stacked neatly in the young woman’s cavernous room.

  “Did you bring enough? How long are you planning to be here, exactly?” Jax asked, astonished that her friend’s carriage had been able to move with all her luggage.

  With a shrug of her shoulders, Carriena stretched out across the massive sofa in the sitting room area. “Who knows? Since I’m on the continent, I might as well drop in on a few of the other duchies. It has been ages since I’ve been to a Zaltorian bazaar.”

  Bidding farewell to her lovingly obnoxious friend, Jax showed Giovanna and Charles to their respective apartments. “I will see you in the archives in what, three hours? Feel free to take your time, for the welcome feast will not be until after dark.”

  With that, Jax gathered her skirts and headed toward her personal wing of the palace. Her study, which had once belonged to her father, overlooked the sprawling gardens, in full bloom this time of year. The huge windows letting in the much-needed sunlight to brighten the space were also a huge distraction for Jax, as the sight outside was often too beautiful for her to concentrate.

  Sinking into her plush chair, she reviewed the stack of parchment that never seemed to diminish on top of her grand desk. Flipping through the pile, she decided to start with the reports from the outlying towns.

  A little over a month ago, several villages in Saphire had held their first-ever elections, appointing local leaders who would oversee the immediate needs of their people. It was all a part of the new era sparked by Darian’s ascension to the Cetachi throne. Jax had taken it upon Saphire to test these methods within the borders of her own duchy, with the hopes that other regions would soon adopt the policies.

  To her surprise, the first few weeks had been a pleasant success. Instead of sending her courtiers away from the palace to visit each township to hear petitions and resolve ongoing issues, the village leaders were now positioned to handle these matters themselves on a daily basis. She required them to send a weekly summary to the palace for review, an oversight tool to prevent the premiers from abusing their newfound power and influence. Jax still dispatched her courtiers to ensure that these reports aligned with what was really going on in the region and to observe how Saphirians were coping with this change. She actually found it all quite refreshing. She could now wholly focus on protecting her people and expanding Saphire’s holdings within the realm.

  Reading about a few land disputes in Roderick, one of the smallest villages in the duchy, Jax was pleased by the eloquent manner in which Premier JonLuque resolved the issue and reported it to the palace. His natural ability to lead and care for his own people was the very heart of this whole experiment.

  “Is that the Roderick report? They seem to be doing quite well thus far.”

  Jax lifted her amethyst eyes from the page and greeted the unannounced intruder with a tight smile. Jaquobie rarely knocked when he entered her study.

  His towering, rail-thin frame was hidden beneath embroidered robes that signaled his station as Saphire’s supreme High Courtier and Jax’s senior political advisor. Even though their personal history was somewhat turbulent, as he had often chastised and berated her as a child, she valued his political knowledge above all others. In recent months, after his engagement and subsequent marriage to Lady Lysette, sister to the Duke of Lysandeir, Jaquobie’s uptight and frosty exterior had begun to melt slowly. Very slowly.

  “I trust you have made sure courtiers have been assigned to our guests?” she asked, not bothering with his question.

  He bowed his head, a curtain of midnight hair falling in front of his piercing amber eyes. “Of course, Your Grace. With instructions to report back any and all information gathered throughout the day.”

  Jax cocked a frown. “I don’t think we need to be spying on our guests, Jaquobie. These are my friends we are talking about.”

  “Forgive me, Your Grace, but seeing as we are unfamiliar with Lord Pettraud’s companions, I think it best to keep an eye on things for a while,” he replied with the finesse of a true statesman.

  Jax couldn’t help but wonder if Jaquobie was also concerned with whom she had chosen to confide in. It was no secret that she had been betrayed not once, but twice, by a woman who had been like a sister to her in her youth. “If you truly think it’s necessary. I expect you to alert me if you notice anything of concern.”

  Jaquobie took his usual seat in a chair by the magnificent stone fireplace that dominated the room. “Of course. Now, to the taxes on trade.”

  Jax’s nose wrinkled with displeasure. During its first six months of nationhood, Cetachi had not been subjected to taxes on goods while it developed into a full-fledged duchy. However, Jaquobie had received word that the other leaders of the realm deemed this goodwill period to be at an end and were implementing tax measures on the newest nation. With her close ties to Darian and Annette and the expert economic insight she had honed at the Academy, Jax was hesitant to charge the fledging duchy at the same tax rate the other, more established regions paid.

  “I know that look,” Jaquobie commented with surprising warmth. After the role Jax had played in his engagement to Lysette, his shrewd and seemingly unpleasant attitude toward her had softened. “You don’t want to tax them yet, do you?”

  Jax steeled herself for his disapproval. “I just think that six months is not enough time for them to develop a secure treasury that can offset taxing costs.” She stood up from her seat and walked over to the fireplace mantle. “But I also do not want it to appear that I’m showing favoritism because of my familial ties to Annette.”

  “I agree that we want to veer away from playing favorites,” Jaquobie responded, pressing his tented fingertips together in thought, “but I also think you are right about putting too much pressure on their treasury upfront. It would bankrupt the nation before it even had a chance. What if we institute a lighter, startup tax in which Cetachi won’t pay the rate the other nations do for, say, two years?”

  Jax was astonished at his generosity. “Married life suits you, sir,” she teased. “Do you think we could get the other rulers to fall in line, too? If Saphire is the only one to abstain from the regular tax rate, it won’t make much of a difference.”

  Her High Courtier stroked his long, twisted beard. “Mensina would no doubt agree, considering your grandfather has just as much at stake here as you do,” he said, then paused for a moment. “I’m sure Lysette can be leveraged to persuade her brother to join. In fact, the only one I’m worried about is DeLacqua.”

  Jax’s eyes widened. “Really? Why?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve heard rumors that the Duke’s treasury is a bit low itself. With all the money he is spending shipping goods from the continent, the isles are bleeding gold. He’ll take any opportunity to secure a heftier purse.”

  “Are you certain? Carriena hasn’t mentioned a thing.” Feeling a knot of hesitation blossom in her stomach, she met Jaquobie’s calculated gaze. Did he really believe Carriena was attending her wedding for more devious reasons?

  He waited a moment before answering, as if aware he was heading into sensitive territory. “I would exercise caution around her, Jax,” he said in a more familiar manner than usual. “Duke DeLacqua’s pains are real, and if he sees an ope
ning to exploit his daughter, he will take it. No matter what.”

  Jax shivered at the hidden threat now looming in her mind. She couldn’t possibly imagine Carriena doing anything to jeopardize their friendship, but then again, she had misjudged loyal faces before. “I appreciate your candidness, Jaquobie, but I really hope you’re mistaken. I’ll draft a proposal for a startup tax, suggesting we wean Cetachi onto the tariffs to avoid an economic collapse. See that it gets delivered, will you?”

  Jaquobie nodded. “In person, while the dukedoms are here for the wedding celebrations?”

  “Oh no, send them by messenger.” Jax waved a hand with disdain. “I don’t want my wedding to turn into a trade summit. I’ll give Darian the loan from my own personal reserves if it keeps Cetachi afloat through the event.”

  Her advisor’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t let your guests overhear offers like that.”

  “Considering the influx of security around the palace with all the visiting delegations, I’d have to have words with Captain Solomon if anyone got close enough to my private study to eavesdrop on our conversation,” she replied, dismissing his concern.

  “Courtiers are employed for their ability to obtain useful information. I’d be cautious if I were you, Jax. Even in your own chambers, the walls are always listening.”

  She was surprised by the genuine apprehension lacing his words. “Captain Solomon’s main task this week is protecting the royal wing. The Ducal Guard has been ordered that the area is off limits to anyone foreign. Even my grandfather and Annette are prohibited from my wing during their stay.”

  Jaquobie managed to look mildly impressed. “I doubt the Duke will take that well.”

  “I’m hoping that our stewards will keep his goblet full of mead to keep him thoroughly distracted.” Reaching for a quill, she found herself staring at a blank scroll of parchment. “Now, if there’s nothing else at the moment, I’ll get to work drafting the tariff agreement. We’ll reconvene our sessions after the wedding.”

  Jaquobie’s eyebrows rose. “You and Lord Pettraud don’t intend to seek seclusion somewhere after the celebrations? Enjoy marital bliss for a week or so?”

  Jax laughed. “I know you and Lysette had a lovely trip to the Savant coast, dear sir, but unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of shying away from court. Especially with this Cetachi ordeal.”

  “The realm would survive you taking a few days of rest, Jax.”

  If someone had told her a year ago that Jaquobie would encourage her to take a romantic getaway, she would have thought them insane. “It might. But a lot can happen in a few days, and with my attention focused on the wedding, I’m already loosening the reins on the realm enough.”

  Jaquobie’s slender shoulders hunched in a sigh. “Very well. I’ll tell Lysette I did my best to persuade you, then.”

  Ah, the source of all this concern, Jax thought with a smile. She had to admit, she’d grown fond of Jaquobie’s new bride. “I’ll have the tariff proposal delivered to your rooms shortly,” she said in dismissal.

  With a bow, the High Courtier left her to her work. As tiresome and particular the drafting of such an agreement was, it felt good to put her mind to work, forcing her burgeoning anxiety to the back of her mind. She supposed that all brides felt a modicum of worry as their wedding day approached, but there seemed to be so much riding on this event.

  It would be Darian Fangard’s first royal reception since his ascension to the Cetachi throne and all eyes would be on him, scrutinizing every political and social maneuver. There was also the matter of Perry’s father attending the festivities. His relationship with his youngest son was still in a fragile state, causing Jax to worry that the exposure Perry would be subjected to this week might actually damage the little progress he’d made when he’d last seen his father.

  She also had to admit to herself that she was worried about Uma. Considering this was her first true test as a lady-in-waiting, the Duchess prayed the pressure wouldn’t break her dear friend. She believed Uma to be entirely capable of handling the details of the event. What worried Jax was whether her friend would be able to turn a deaf ear to the multitude of gossip that would no doubt follow her around. Witnessing firsthand Lady Carriena’s rigidity on the subject, Jax could imagine what the other foreign dignitaries might be saying about Uma’s appointment to the esteemed position.

  Rubbing her temples, Jax felt the pressure build as her negative thoughts multiplied. Perhaps hosting a lavish wedding in the wake of all the recent changes in the realm had been a foolish notion.

  “No, Perry and I deserve this,” she said to the empty room.

  Chapter Three

  A light tap at the door pulled Jax’s attention from the pile of papers, a smile slipping across her face as Perry walked in.

  “Hello, lovely,” he said, cupping her face in his palms.

  “How goes it with the boys? Causing chaos already?” she responded with a mischievous grin.

  Perry perched on her desk, careful not to muss with her papers. “They seem much more tame than I remember. They all begged off to rest in their rooms before dinner.” He looked around the study, rolling his eyes. “Perhaps old age is setting in.”

  A shadow of worry flitted across her face.

  “Don’t worry, Jax. I left them in the care of their handlers. I doubt they are up to anything devious at the moment.” He placed a reassuring kiss on her forehead.

  Blushing at her transparency, Jax stood up and shuffled around the desk to stand directly in front of him. “You know it’s nothing personal, Perry. Jaquobie insisted everyone be put on watch. Even Carriena has a courtier reporting her every move.”

  He took her hand and squeezed it gently. “I know. You don’t have to defend your actions to me. You must do whatever is necessary to keep our duchy safe.”

  She warmed at his words. “‘Our duchy’. I like the sound of that.”

  Perry chuckled. “Well, I guess it’s really your duchy. I’m just here to look pretty by your side.” He gathered her up in his strong arms. “But I do hope you know I consider this home, my love. For the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve finally found where I belong.”

  “I’ve already agreed to marry you, Perry. You don’t have to keep buttering me up,” she replied with humor but her heart glowed from his admission.

  He grinned, knowing his words had been well-received. “We are getting married, aren’t we?”

  “Yes, you buffoon. And unless you want the pews to be empty, I suggest we go attend to our guests so they know how important they are to us,” Jax said, taking his hand and leading him out the door of her study and into the hallway. “I said I would meet Charles and Giovanna at the archives to give them a tour.”

  They strolled hand-in-hand through the halls, basking in the quiet, knowing it would not remain that way for long.

  “Will Lady Giovanna be performing at tonight’s feast?” Perry asked as they neared the grand doors of the Saphirian archives.

  Jax paused. “I hadn’t thought to ask her, with her being a guest and all. But wouldn’t that be a treat?” She stroked her chin, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “Perhaps her voice would cast a spell over Earl Windale.”

  Perry looked pleasantly surprised. “She’s interested in Edmund, you say?”

  “She’s intrigued by him, to say the least.”

  “Well, he did mention her beauty more than once during our ride.” Perry wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

  “I can only hope for Carriena’s sake that Emyr did the same?” Jax asked, her eyes radiating with hope.

  Perry answered with a snort. “He’s composed their wedding announcement already.”

  Her giggles echoed down the hallway.

  ǂ

  Charles and Giovanna arrived at the archives with their appointed courtiers, their amber eyes bright and alert.

  “I hope you’ve had enough to time rest, because we have quite the exploration planned out for you,” Jax said, rubb
ing her hands together in anticipation. It had been so long since she’d had the time to show off her regal, renowned home to friends.

  Giovanna nodded. “I usually don’t sleep well when I’m away from my own bed, but I must say, my suite is quite stunning. I would have slept the whole afternoon away if Charles hadn’t come to fetch me.” She looked at her brother for his response, but his attention had already been captured by the expansive library stretching out before them.

  “There is no question in my mind why you are considered the envy of the realm, Duchess,” he said with utter fascination, his eyes rapidly scanning the rows and rows of scrolls and manuscripts that reached nearly to the vast ceiling.

  The warmth in her chest reflected the pride in the Duchess’s face. “Our scholars have been curating this library since the time of the Rebirth,” Jax explained. She managed to mask the slight disappointment she felt from the archives not containing more knowledge about the time before the Realm of Virtues was founded.

  “Am I correct in remembering that your court physician is a former priest of the Ancient Faith?” Charles asked, his eyes lit with intense interest.

  Her bristling reaction was immediate and involuntary, and she regretted it at once. “Yes, Master Vyanti is a member of the Ancient Faith,” she responded, hoping her tone sounded neutral. Considering how she had chided Carriena for her prejudices toward Uma and Darian, she felt hypocritical about the negative thoughts clouding her judgment when it came to the Ancient Faith. She had been brought up to be a Child of the Virtues, trusting in the principles of kindness, humility, bravery, and intelligence. The Ancient Faith was an archaic religion, believing that gods and demons ruled over natural life, a faith that was eventually subdued when the people overthrew their oppressors, founding the Realm of Virtues.

  Master Vyanti had once been a priest of the Ancient Faith, and he’d long lectured Jax and her family that the religion had been reformed since the days of the Rebirth. Trusting the old man, Jax’s father had promoted tolerance of the faith throughout the realm, as some duchies still maintained temples dedicated to the old gods. Following in his footsteps, she allowed the Ancient Faith to continue its practices within her borders, but she personally didn’t have to like it.