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SAGE SAT IN her room, trying not to vomit from the coppery smell of blood all over her nightdress. It reminded her of waking up drenched in the blood of the first man she’d killed. The man who formerly owned this blood wasn’t dead, though. At least not yet.
She looked down at her hands. The blood on them was actually Alex’s. Everything had gone as planned except Alex had been hurt again. He claimed it was just a scratch, but to him, “just a scratch” meant a half-dozen sutures. Currently he and the dolofan were hidden in Lani’s dressing room, the least likely place anyone would look for the king’s assassins, especially since everyone believed they were already caught. Some of the guards who’d been present when Alex was discovered were with him to watch over the Kimisar. She hoped he was getting some sleep.
Once everything was in place, Sage had run screaming from Banneth’s rooms and across to Lani’s apartment, and Lani, in turn, raised the alarm. Darit had been the first on the scene, after the guards in the outer passage. Because Darit was the king’s close friend and lead rider, all the guards had obeyed him when he ordered the palace locked down. Only council members were permitted to enter the gates, and they were escorted straight to the meeting chamber. Some got a detour to look into the king’s room, but no one was allowed to get close to the body, lest they discover it was still breathing.
Minister Sinda arrived in the middle of it all, neither too early nor too late. Lani had thrown herself at him, sobbing, and Sage suspected she enjoyed smearing as much blood on him as possible. Upon learning it was Sage who discovered the body, he’d ordered her and Nicholas confined to her quarters and the garden searched. She wasn’t surprised when the bloody knife was found buried in the flowers near her patio. After all, she’d chosen the spot.
The four guards in the room imposed silence every time she’d tried to speak to Nicholas, who looked terrified. Though he’d known since dinner there was some sort of ruse going on, Sage hadn’t explained everything, only assured him in their own language that Banneth wasn’t dead, for all he was lying in his bed covered in blood. The council meeting was in full swing by now, and she expected to be called and accused at any minute. She hoped it would be soon. Much as she disliked wearing all this blood, the king had to lie in it.
As the sun rose, Sage began to feel agitated. They’d wanted this resolved by dawn, before the people in the city had a chance to hear the rumors of Banneth’s death. Sinda was likely dragging this out to create maximum panic. Finally, she and Nicholas were called before the council and prodded by guards with spears all the way. They stood before the long table, still wearing their nightclothes, with over a dozen hostile faces staring at them. From the far end of the room, Lani flashed an icy smile.
Minister Sinda stood and addressed everyone, making a long speech about how their nation had nursed two vipers to their chests, that he himself had been deceived by their innocent appearance and swayed by their beloved king’s good but naive intentions. Sage remained calm throughout, taking Nicholas’s hand when he began to tremble. She let Sinda say everything he wanted. His elaborate knowledge and story would only work against him once they were proved false when Banneth simply showed up alive.
Sinda finished his speech and turned to the Demorans. “What have you to say for yourselves?”
“You have no proof,” answered Sage.
“Where were you last night?” Sinda demanded.
“After dinner with you and the royal family, I stayed up late with Princess Alaniah. As you may recall, you asked the king for his permission to marry her. We had much to talk on.”
The faces around the table looked to one another in surprise. Apparently that hadn’t been mentioned this morning. The minister had probably wanted to wait until he was the hero, when the news would’ve gone over well.
Sinda was unfazed. “I recall another event from that dinner, do you?”
“Dessert was orange custard.”
“Do you find this amusing?” Sinda bellowed. She’d rattled him by not behaving as he’d expected. “The king is dead!”
She blinked innocently. “We hadn’t gotten to that part yet.”
Lani put her face in her hands and sobbed, but Sage suspected she was actually laughing.
“Our beloved king told me that he had proposed marriage to you.”
Sage nodded. “Yes, he did.” Heads reeled again in shock. “But why would I accept, only to kill him?”
“I don’t know,” said Sinda. “Perhaps that was your entire purpose in coming to Casmun, to seduce our king and get close enough to assassinate him. It was you who ‘discovered’ his body in the middle of the night.”
“And yet, I did not kill him,” she said. Alex believed the dolofan would have no reason not to identify the minister as their conspirator, but it couldn’t be depended on, or that the council would accept their testimony. Sinda had to admit what he’d learned about Nicholas—and how, if possible—in front of everyone so Alex’s later testimony would ring true. The question was whether he wanted to hold that back for other purposes.
Sinda gestured to a guard who came forward and set a bloody dagger on the table. The golden SF glittered in the sunlight streaming through the window. “Is this your weapon?” Sinda asked.
Sage barely glanced at the knife. “You know it is.”
“It was found buried in the royal family’s garden, between your quarters and the king’s.”
“That proves nothing,” she said. “It could have been put there to blame me.” Sage was actually enjoying herself. The only thing she felt bad about was Nicholas’s fear. She squeezed his hand in reassurance. “I gain nothing from the king’s death. As you pointed out, I have lost my chance to become Casmun’s queen.”
“You act incredibly unconcerned, Mistress Saizsch.” Sinda turned to face the council. “Is that because you know your country is coming to your rescue? Is that why four hundred Demoran troops are on their way to Osthiza right now?”
Sage saw her opening to turn the focus on Nicholas a little. “If so, it would appear they are a little too late to save my brother and me.”
Sinda snorted. “Your brother?” He looked back to her. “Or your prince?”
A ripple of murmuring broke out among the council. Nicholas paled even more, and Sage squeezed his fingers again. The less she said, the more Sinda would have to reveal what he knew.
“I learned this in questioning the Kimisar man who followed them into Casmun,” Sinda told the men around the table. “Something General Calodan could not be bothered to investigate, I might add.” The minister of war’s face went purple with rage, and Sinda raised an eyebrow at Sage. “Do you not deny Nikkolaz is the son of your king? That he was sent into Casmun to give your country an excuse to invade?”
“Those are two questions with different answers.”
“You will answer for your treason!” shouted Sinda.
Darit had been standing by the double doors to the chamber; now he turned around to unbolt them.
“I committed no treason, Minister,” Sage said, dropping Nicholas’s hand and stepping forward. The room was so riveted no one noticed the doors opening. “Unlike you, I have no duty to Casmun or its king.”
His face triumphant, Sinda shook his head. “No, but you will stand trial for the king’s murder. As will Nikkolaz.”
The familiar silhouettes in the doorway brought a smile to Sage’s lips.
“That will be rather difficult,” said Banneth.
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