They’d be sailing into a trap set by the most powerful woman on the continent. Infiltrating an island populated by the worst of humanity. The odds of survival were poor. The odds for success even worse. Which had been the reason he’d wanted Lara’s help in the first place—she’d spent her life training to find weaknesses where everyone else saw strengths. “He’s not the one I need. You are.”
The muscles in Lara’s jaw bunched, but before she could answer, a deep voice said, “You made a promise, Lara.”
his face, Keris stepped out of the room and into the corridor. The building had an echoing quality to it, Keris cursed, turning to find Aren leaning against the doorway, the big man too stealthy by far.
“Besides,” Aren continued, “you do need me because you will need a ship and a crew.”
“You can provide those things and remain in Ithicana,” Lara answered. “This isn’t a good time for you to leave. Everything is too … fragile. ”
“Together or not at all.” Aren crossed his arms. “You promised.”
“As much as I enjoy romantic declarations, she does have a point,” Keris said. “There is much to be said for you remaining in Ithicana and securing political stability while—”
“No.” Aren stepped into the corridor, facing Lara with his back to Keris. “Even if you hadn’t made the agreement, you just crawled out of what everyone thought would be your deathbed. If there is anyone who should stay put, it’s you, but I won’t ask that of you.”
Deathbed? How badly had she been injured?
“Then maybe we both stay put,” she snapped. “Let Keris shovel his own shit, because it’s not our problem.”
“Zarrah doesn’t deserve what has been done to her,” Aren said. “I owe her. Ithicana owes her.”
Lara’s blue eyes flashed. “It’s as though you want to go.”
“There is no as though, Lara,” a female voice called from within the room. “He does want to go.
And we can hear this entire conversation, so perhaps bring it inside rather than lurking in the corridor like spies.”
If Lara heard the thinly veiled barb, she didn’t show it, only limped into the room, leaving Keris to follow. He immediately leveled a finger at Dax. “I didn’t bring you here so that you could spill all my secrets after a glass of whiskey.”
“Four.” Dax belched. “And I ain’t told any of your secrets, Your Grace. Everyone in Vencia knows defenestration is your method of choice.”
Keris ground his teeth. “That’s a big word for you.”
Dax laughed. “All these hours around your learned self must be wearing off on me. Won’t be long
’til I start bleeding blue and pissing gold like a Veliant princeling.”
Everyone in the room laughed, and Keris rubbed at his temples. “Go find my room and check it for snakes. They’re goddamned everywhere.”
Dax’s eyes widened, all his humor falling away. “Snakes?”
“Take the cat.” Aren made a soft clicking noise, and Keris recoiled as a cat larger than most dogs eased out from under the table, stretching its back as it yawned, revealing massive canines. Aren picked up a platter containing what looked alarmingly like grilled serpent and handed it to Dax.
“Feed him, and Vitex will stay close and keep the snakes out of his room.”
“Right.” A bead of sweat ran down Dax’s brow as the big cat’s eyes tracked the thick coils of meat His eyes snapped open, his gaze fixing on hers as he said, “Did the Magpie mean so much to you?” on the platter. “Where might I find the room?”
“Top floor.” Lara settled herself on a chair.
Dax gave a tight nod, then exited the room, the cat following at his heels. The man’s boots made increasingly rapid thuds to the point he must be running, his curses loud until Aren shut the door and plunged all inside into silence.
There were a dozen seated at the table, and other than Aren, Lara, and Ahnna, the only one he recognized was Jor. Most eyed him with curiosity, though one older man’s brows were narrowed with distaste. Keris met his gaze for a moment, then took a seat at Ahnna’s left, accepting the glass of wine she offered, which was full to the brim. “Thank you.”
“Last I drank with a Veliant, I was drugged,” she said. “So stay away from my glass.”
Yet another barb directed at Lara, and though his sister’s face was unmoved, Keris could tell the barb had dug deep. Could tell such comments were endless and relentless, and he rounded on the
Princess, fixing her with a smile that was all teeth. “Remind me why you’re here again, Your Highness? Aren’t you supposed to be in Harendell, embroidering the cuffs of William’s shirts?”
Ahnna’s lips thinned and whitened, but then she inclined her head. “I am, Your Grace.
Unfortunately, you’ve enticed my brother to go on another adventure, which means I must remain in Ithicana because someone needs to run the fucking kingdom.” Her gaze shot to Aren, who had taken
“No.” Aren stepped into the corridor, facing Lara with his back to Keris. “Even if you hadn’t made the seat next to Lara and was pouring himself a drink. “That is the plan, isn’t it?”
“That a problem?”
“Harendell—”
“Has said nothing,” Aren interrupted. “No letters, no emissaries, nothing, which suggests to me that Edward is content to wait until we are ready to send you north.”
“How shocking.” Keris took a mouthful of wine, knowing he was being a prick and not caring. “I would’ve thought that William would be clamoring to get his hands on his oh-so-charming bride.”
Ahnna flinched and looked away.
“Leave her alone,” Lara snapped, only for Ithicana’s princess to round on her.
And we can hear this entire conversation, so perhaps bring it inside rather than lurking in the corridor
“I neither need nor want you to fight my battles for me, Lara.”
A flicker of hurt passed through his sister’s eyes. Lara’s willingness to keep taking this abuse was like oil on the fires of his anger as Keris locked eyes with Ahnna. “Then why don’t you attack me follow. He immediately leveled a finger at Dax. “I didn’t bring you here so that you could spill all my with your words rather than punching down at one who won’t fight back?”
“She’s the queen.” Ahnna rose to her feet. “How is that down?”
“A queen who stands alone,” he retorted. “Because you goddamned people seem to conveniently forget that if not for her, my father would have redecorated this lovely little palace of yours in red!”
“He would never have had the opportunity to attack Eranahl without her!”
“He would never have realized it was an opportunity without me!” Keris twisted to point at Aren.
“And I would never have known that pulling out this city’s gate was the route in if not for the fact that your king blurted it out in front of everyone!”
Not giving Aren a chance to respond, Keris rounded back on Ahnna. “There is endless blame to be cast, Princess, but direct it where it is due, not at the easiest mark. And keep in mind that the man who instigated it all, the one who wanted your miserable bridge and your snake-infested kingdom with its shitty weather, is dead. So quit snivelling over the past and set your eye to the future.”
The Princess of Ithicana’s hands balled into fists, and Keris readied for the blow—
Only to find himself staring at empty space as the woman exited the room.
“Right.” A bead of sweat ran down Dax’s brow as the big cat’s eyes tracked the thick coils of meat Silence stretched, broken only as Aren leaned back in his chair and lifted one scuffed boot to rest it on the opposite knee. “I think you need to get more sleep, Keris. You seem a touch more testy than usual.”
“Fuck you, Aren,” Keris snapped, but his temper was already fading, the endless crawling panic that all of this was taking too long, that he’d be too late, rising to take its place. He drained his glass, then refilled it to the brim and downed it, too. “When do we leave?”
Aren huffed out a breath. “Your mouth is going to get you killed one of these days. Jor, what do we have for stolen ships?”
“Not much readily sailable,” the older Ithicanian man answered. “We’ve got a pair of Amaridian naval vessels, but both need repairs and a good cleaning to get rid of the blood.”