Even though he didn’t think Patteon would hurt Ari and risk Emperion’s retaliation, Savenek would keep an eye on her. Her father would probably appreciate it.
At the end of the corridor, he found Ari standing there by herself.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes.” She turned and started walking.
“Where are you going?” he asked, hurrying to keep up with her brisk pace.
“To my bedchamber to change.”
“Why?”
She stopped and stared at him. “Are you going to ask me fifty million questions?”
“If you don’t tell me what’s going on, then yes, I’ll ask as many questions as I damn well please.”
“I don’t need my over-protective brother hovering around me.” She rolled her shoulders back and resumed walking.
Someone must be watching them. “Father made it clear I’m to take care of you.” He went after her. They continued to bicker until they were secured in Ari’s bedchamber. “What’s really going on?” he demanded now that they were alone.
“Prince Patteon asked me to go riding with him.”
“And you’re going?”
“Of course. I’d be stupid not to.”
Because he was the crown prince and would one day rule Apethaga. Who wouldn’t want to encourage his attentions? Savenek plopped down on the sofa, rubbing his face.
Going over to the armoire, Ari rummaged around inside. “He speaks to his advisors and those around him in the Apethaga language. He assumes I’m ignorant and can’t understand him. I may be able to gain valuable knowledge.”
“He’s using you,” Savenek mumbled.
“Using me for what, exactly?” She turned and faced him, placing her hands on her hips.
He shrugged. “To make it look like he’s working with Emperion. Or maybe he’s trying to use you for the knowledge you possess.” Because Savenek couldn’t admit that the prince might have become interested in Ari.
She waved her hand dismissively and turned back to the armoire, shoving clothes aside as she searched for riding attire. “He’d be stupid not to try and glean information from me. After all, that’s what you’re doing with the lady-in-waiting.”
True. So why did it bother him so much that she was spending time with the prince? She was working—doing her job just like Savenek was. Still, he felt the need to warn her. After all, she was young and inexperienced. “I want to make sure that you’re careful around him and don’t fall for his charm.”
She chuckled. Pulling out tan pants and a white shirt, she tossed the clothes on the bed. “Do you honestly think so little of me?”
“It’s just that he’s a prince and he’s powerful.” All the things Savenek was not. “I can see how that would be appealing.”
“Please don’t insult me. Now if you don’t mind, I need to change,” she said, shooing him out of her bedchamber.
Savenek stormed into his own room, pacing back and forth. On the night they’d attended the ball, he’d asked her to get close to the prince. She hadn’t wanted to, but he’d insisted on it. Now that she was doing exactly what he’d asked, he didn’t want her to do it anymore. Why? As she’d pointed out, she could gain valuable knowledge. But the idea of her spending time with the prince made him want to tear something apart. Because how could the prince not fall for Ari? She was beautiful, smart, and fun to be around. Yes, he sounded like a complete pansy.
Ari knocked on the door connecting their rooms. She opened it and poked her head inside. “I’m going. I’ll see you later today.”
“I’ll walk you there,” he muttered. It was something a brother would do. He didn’t particularly like playing the role of her brother. He should have said they were married. That would have been far more entertaining. The image of waking up next to her in bed, of riding horses side by side, and of dancing under the moonlight bombarded him. If Nathenek saw him right now, he’d smack him upside his head. Savenek needed to stop being an idiot, and he needed to focus. Ari was just a woman. And after this mission was over, he’d never see her again.
As they left the room and headed down the hallway, his thoughts drifted to Hana. Now that he’d been around someone like Ari, someone who challenged him, he no longer wanted to marry Hana. The two of them would have made a terrible match. He needed to marry someone who truly knew and respected him.
They descended a flight of stairs to the bottom level of the palace.
“Thank you for escorting me,” Ari said, patting his arm.
He gave her a sidelong glance. How would she react if he told her he had feelings for her? That he might even be falling in love with her? She’d probably think he was joking and not pay any attention to him.
Up ahead, Prince Patteon stood in the middle of the hallway, waiting for Ari. When they neared, he said, “As always, you look stunning.”
Savenek wanted to punch that smug expression off Patteon’s face. The prince took Ari’s arm and started walking down the hallway. Patteon glanced over his shoulder at Savenek and smiled, a cold and calculating smile. Prick. While the prince had a fine sword strapped to his waist, Savenek doubted he was any good at wielding it. He’d love the opportunity to fight him.
As Savenek watched their backs move farther away from him, he made a reckless decision. He would spy on them to make sure Ari was safe. Since he knew they were headed to the stables, he’d be able to watch them without following them. He went the opposite direction, intending to take the east exit to the stables. As he rounded the corner, he almost collided with Karolena.
Skidding to a halt, he tried to compose himself. “What are you doing here?” He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I thought you weren’t feeling well.”
“I’m better now,” she replied, her focus on her feet. “Care to join me for a stroll in the gardens again? I could use the fresh air.” Her voice remained flat. She was lying. Someone had told her to cozy up to him.
“I would be happy to.” He forced himself to smile. As he led her to the gardens, he realized both he and Ari were out of the palace. It couldn’t be a mere coincidence. The timing of Karolena’s arrival was too convenient. This had been planned.
A diversion was needed then. He started coughing. And coughing. And coughing.
“Are you all right?” Karolena asked, worry creasing her brow.
He shook his head and wheezed out the word water between coughs.
“I’ll be right back. Stay here.”
He nodded and watched her hurry away. As soon as she was out of sight, he recalled everything he’d seen in the palace that day. He hadn’t noticed any particular commotion, any increase of soldiers, or anything else unusual. So what didn’t the royal family want him and Ari to see?
Karolena returned with a cup of water, and Savenek drank it.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I think there’s something in the air that’s bothering me. Would you mind if we remained inside today? We can walk the hallways, and you can show me what you find interesting in the palace. Do they have a library? A gallery?”
Her face paled. “You don’t want to walk outside?”
“I’m afraid I’m not feeling well enough.” He sounded like such a sissy.
“Um, why don’t we go to your bedchamber?” she suggested. “Since you’re not feeling well, you should sit and rest. Besides, that will give us the opportunity to converse more freely.”
“Excellent idea.” He’d just have to take the long way to his room. He escorted Karolena to the third level instead of the second level. As they walked down the corridor, she kept pulling him along, faster than necessary. When they came to a door, he paused and then laughed, admitting he didn’t think this was the right room.
“I believe you are down one level. That is usually where guests like you stay.” She took his arm, leading him to the stairs.
Once they were on the correct floor, Savenek turned left instead of right. When he came to a balcony overlooking the great hall below, he
stopped and rested against the railing, taking in the sight before him.
Karolena hesitated and then came next to him. “We should go to your room. I fear your coughing fit will return.”
“I find the architecture here fascinating,” he said. “It is far superior to anything I’ve seen in Emperion.”
She smiled and started to explain how Apethaga had a great variety of different stones in the region, which allowed them to incorporate color into their architecture. Savenek tuned her out because something had caught his attention.
On the other side of the great hall, the level directly above the one he was standing on, someone had just walked by the balcony who didn’t belong. Savenek had only caught a glimpse of the person because he didn’t want to angle his head up and give himself away. The individual stood out because he was at least a foot taller and twice as wide as most of the Apethaga soldiers, had pale white skin with strange black markings on the side of his face, and his clothes were ill-suited to this hot climate.
“Where’s your room located,” Savenek suddenly asked Karolena, interrupting her.
“It’s on the third level.”
“Show it to me.”
“I thought we were going to your room.”
“I’d rather see yours first, then we will go to my room.” He held out his arm for her. When she remained standing there, he left without her. She called after him, but he didn’t stop. He had to find out where that man was going. When he heard Karolena’s footsteps behind him, he quickened his pace to ensure she couldn’t catch up to him.
He sprinted up the stairs to the third level and went to the right. At the end of the hallway, he saw the man in question about to turn the corner. However, the man paused and looked back. Their eyes locked for a brief second. Now that Savenek had seen the man’s face, he had the information he wanted. As he’d suspected—and feared—the man was from Russek. Savenek reached out and knocked on the door to his left, pretending that was the reason he was in the hallway.
The Russek man continued around the corner, out of sight.
“There you are,” Karolena said, out of breath. “My room isn’t in this wing. There are only offices and meeting rooms here.” She waved him toward her, her eyes alight with panic.
The best course of action was to leave with her so as not to raise any more suspicion. Savenek would have to come back later to investigate. Nodding, he gave her his arm. She took it, her body instantly relaxing.
“If you’re not comfortable taking me to your room, we can go to mine,” he said.
She was about to say something when they reached the top of the staircase and came face to face with Princess Conditto, two soldiers flanking her.
“What are you doing here?” Conditto demanded.
“Your Highness.” Karolena bowed. “I am escorting Ven to his room.”
Conditto’s eyes narrowed. “You are on the wrong level.”
“I know,” Karolena said. “But he had a coughing fit. Since I have some medicine in my room, I took him there and administered it. We are now on our way to his bedchamber so he can rest.”
The princess’s cold gaze settled on her lady-in-waiting. “It seems you cannot even do the simplest of tasks. Take him to his quarters, then go directly to the throne room and wait for me there. Felem will make sure you don’t get lost along the way.” She stepped around them, one soldier following her as she headed down the hallway the same direction the Russek man had gone only moments before.
The other soldier, presumably Felem, positioned himself behind them. Karolena pulled Savenek along, her hands shaking as they walked.
She’d lied for him.
“Thank you for the cough medicine,” he said. “It has done wonders already.” He squeezed her fingers in reassurance. He wished he could ask Karolena if she knew anything about the man from Russek. However, with Felem following them, he didn’t dare risk it.
When they came to his room, he opened the door and faced Karolena. He was tempted to ask her to see him again so he could find out what she knew about the man from Russek, the sailors he’d seen earlier, or about Apethaga’s intentions should Emperion go to war. However, if she aided him in any way, she could be arrested for treason, and he couldn’t place her in that position. He cursed silently. While he had no qualms about making her fall in love with him, the idea of putting her in danger was a line he couldn’t cross. Stupid morals. He was a freaking assassin. Why did he care what happened to Karolena?
Sighing, he pulled her close, giving her a quick hug.
She squeezed him back. “Beware of the red flower,” she whispered in his ear. She released him and quickly strode away, Felem following close behind her.
Savenek closed the door, wondering what the heck she had meant about the red flower. There weren’t any red flowers in his room. Thinking about all the various exotic flowers he’d seen in Apethaga, he didn’t recall seeing a red one. He added that to the list of things he needed to investigate.
It didn’t take Savenek long to find Princess Lareissa. What he planned to do with her would not be pleasant, but at least he had no hesitation about using her.
The princess was in the throne room, speaking to a group of young women while sipping a glass of wine. Savenek approached her and whispered, “I’m looking for some fun.” Then he walked away, glancing once over his shoulder and winking. He didn’t know if she’d come after him right then, or if she’d find him later that day. But he knew, without a doubt, the princess would seek him out. And when she did, he would use her to discover why there was a man from Russek at the palace.
Out in the hallway, Savenek leaned against the wall, waiting for Lareissa. It took her less than a minute to emerge from the throne room.
“I thought you’d found diversion with my sister’s lady-in-waiting.” She smiled and took a sip of her wine.
“What can I say,” he drawled, “I have a thing for beautiful women.” He pushed away from the wall and came closer to her.
She finished her drink and set the cup on a side table. “My father told me to stay away from you.”
Savenek smiled, knowing that her father forbidding her from spending time with him would allow him to tempt her into doing just that. “Back home, I have a tavern I go to when I want to have some fun.” He took another step toward her, their bodies almost touching. “But you’re a princess and can’t leave the palace without a royal guard.” He leaned down and pushed her hair behind her ear. “And I have no desire to be watched right now.”
She slid her hand to his chest. “There are places we can go in the palace where we can be alone.”
And that was exactly what he’d been hoping. “I don’t want your father to find out we’ve been in his office. I imagine he’d kill me for such a violation. Although, maybe you’re not up for something so scandalous.”
She smiled at him. “Is that a challenge?”
He gently blew in her ear, and she shivered. “It’s an invitation.”
Soldiers hovered nearby but far enough away that they couldn’t overhear their conversation.
She patted his chest and walked over to a servant standing off to the side. Lareissa whispered something to the young woman and then the princess left, glancing over her shoulder and winking, just as Savenek had done.
“Sir,” the servant said. “Please follow me.” She took him through the palace and up two flights of stairs.
If he’d done this right, he was being escorted to the king’s office. If not, he was being led to his execution.
“Wait here,” the servant said. Torches hung on the wall, lighting the hallway and revealing four soldiers on guard, two at each end.
This was the hallway Savenek had seen the Russek man enter earlier today. If this was where the offices were located, had he been here to meet with someone from the palace? Princess Conditto perhaps? Or was he an undetected spy?
Savenek glanced around, wondering if he was just supposed to stand there until Lareissa showed up. Since th
e soldiers weren’t bothered by his presence, he meandered down the hallway, stopping before a door. No light shone from underneath, so he reached out and turned the handle. It opened. None of the soldiers shouted in alarm. He grabbed a torch from the wall and went inside. It was a simple office with a single desk, several maps on the walls, and some weapons in the corner. It could easily belong to an officer. Going over to the desk, he examined the papers strewn on top. Most were written in the Apethaga language.
Frustrated he couldn’t read the writing, he decided to locate the king’s office. If King Theon was corresponding with other kingdoms—as Savenek suspected he was—then he’d have documents written in the common language. Going back into the hallway, Savenek closed the door and replaced the torch. The king’s office was probably at the end of the hallway—the room with a soldier standing guard outside of it.
“There you are,” Lareissa purred. “I thought maybe you’d changed your mind.”
He leaned down and kissed her cheek, wishing it had taken her longer to get here so he could have snooped around some more. “Since the moment I woke up with you sitting beside me, I’ve been dreaming about being with you.”
She chuckled. “My brother also warned me about you. Good thing I don’t listen.” She headed down the hallway and he followed, knowing exactly which of her two brothers she was referring to.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
Glancing over her shoulder, she replied, “To my brother’s office.”
Blasted, he wanted to go to the king’s office. “I guess that’s good enough.”
She stopped before a door and looked at him. “Good enough?” She raised her eyebrows.
He shrugged. “We’d probably get in too much trouble if someone found us in your father’s office.”
She started to open the door.
“I mean, it’s not like we’re going to Prince Zare’s office.” He chuckled. “That would be boring as hell.”
Oath of Deception Page 14
