Within an hour, my cell has a mattress, heavy blankets, and not one, but two chairs. A fresh change of clothes has been provided, so I no longer need to sit here in torn wool thatโs stained with my own blood. A basket sits in the corner with bottles of water and wine, along with rounds of cheese, perfectly ripe honeyed apples and sugared pears, fresh breads that are still warm from the ovens, and dried beefโmore food than I can eat in a week.ย ๎ขe rats will probably make a meal out of most of it before I can, but I do appreciate my brotherโs tending. Itโs very likely more than I deserve.
I also have company of a sort in Rocco, who stands in the shadows of the hallway, leaning against the wall across from my bars.
I donโt know whether I should be relieved that Harristan took Tessa out of hereโor worried. He obviously hopes to question her toย nd out what I was doing.
He should be questioning Arella and Roydan. He should be conย ning them to their quarters and reading any messages they send. He should be calling a meeting of the consuls to let them make demands of each other.
I keep thinking back to Jonasโs request for a bridge for Artis, the one that Harristan denied. Jonas hates Allisander, so I could see him attacking the supply runs on principle alone, but he doesnโt have any silver to spare. Artis is struggling if the fever is running rampant among the dockworkers. Most of his sector is dependent on those who work along the water.
Arella made a request later that day, though. She also put in a formal request to pardon the prisoners before the execution that never happened. I donโt know why she and Roydan would want to interrupt Allisanderโs supply runsโbut if she were paying o๏ฌย common folk, it would explain why she needed more silver. Sunkeep and the Sorrowlands both border Traderโs Landing, and the consul from there was responsible for killing my parents.
Roydan and Arella have so๎ened their borders to account for the lack of a consul in Traderโs Landing. Have they turned against us as well? Is there something about that sector that bears discontent for the Crown? I donโt know.
๎ขat girl with the rebels said that explosives came from the mines of Traderโs Landing, too.
I wish I were in the palace. I wish I had my records and a map. I wish I had Quint, whoโd be gossiping endlessly, but knows everything about everyone.
Instead, I have Rocco.
I limp to the bars and o๏ฌer him an apple. โPeace treaty?โ
He doesnโt move from his spot on the wall. โAre we at war, Your Highness?โ
โYouโre my brotherโs spy. You tell me.โ
โI am no oneโs spy.โ He looks at me dispassionately. โ๎ขe king asks questions, and I answer.โ
I shouldnโt be irritated. I know all my brotherโs guards, and I know where their loyalties lie.ย ๎ขis is just theย rst time itโs ever put me at odds with them. I toss him the apple. โWill you answer mine?โ
He catches it easily. โCertainly.โ โWhat are your orders?โ
โTo ensure youโre unharmed.โ โ๎ขe Hold guards wonโt harm me.โ โAn easy night for me, then.โ
โAre Arella and Roydan still in the palace?โ I say. โHave they had any more secret meetings today?โ
He frowns slightly. โI donโt know. I was o๏ฌย duty until dusk, and I have been with the king since then. He has only met with Consul Sallister.โ
โWhat did they talk about?โ
โI was not privy to their conversation.โ
I give him a look. He gives me one right back, then takes a bite of the apple.
I sigh and press my forehead against the bars. I donโt know what Iโm doing. Like when Tessa was stitching up my forehead, Iโm grasping for information, and I donโt know what I can do with any of it. Before, I was facing death, and now Iโm facing . . . what? An eternity in the Hold?
Harristan canโt let me out of here unless we can determine whoโs truly behind the attacks. Even then, thereโs already been enough talk. I was found with rebels. It doesnโt matter what they were doing to meโjust that Harristan sent the army looking, and they found me.
Lightย ickers in the stairwell, menโs voices echoing. I wonder if my brother might be returning, or possibly Tessa, but then Allisander himself turns the corner.
I jerk back from the bars automatically, but thereโs nowhere to go.ย ๎ขatโs the problem with a cell.
Allisander stops in front of me, inches from the bars. Heโs holding a handkerchief over his face as usual. โI had to see it for myself,โ he says.
For theย rst time in my life, I make no attempt to hide my dislike of this man. โAllisander,โ I say. โIโd think you would have learned your lesson about standing too close to the bars.โ
He doesnโt move. โIโd think you would have learned your lesson about smuggling.โ
โIโm not a smuggler.โ
His eyes trace the walls. โYour current accommodations suggest otherwise.โ
โWhat do you want?โ
โYouโve stolen from your people, Corrick, while punishing them for the same. I want your brother to make an example of you.โ
โIโm not behind the raids on your supply runs.โ
โIt doesnโt matter if you are or not.ย ๎ขe people of Kandala must see a show of strength.ย ๎ขey must see that the king will not stand for insurrectionโand we all know Harristan isnโt going to do anything to you. Something must be doneโand itโs clear that you and your brother are no longer the ones who should be doing it.โ He pauses for one long, vicious second. โMany of the other consuls agree.โ Heย tsksย mockingly. โPerhaps you should have granted Jonas the funding for that bridge.โ
A cold lick of fear races down my spine. I need to get to my brother. All this time Iโve been worried about rebellion from the sectors, when I should have been paying attention to what was happening with the consuls. I think of Arella and Roydan, and I canโt believe my options are siding with them or siding with this man. โNotย allย of the consuls agree.โ
โEnough of us do. And we have enough of a force to do what we see is necessary.โ
I stare at him. โMost people donโt boldly admit to treason in front of my guards, Allisander.โ
โTreason? Kandala stands on the brink of revolution.ย ๎ขe elites were woken by explosions in the streets two nights ago. Rebels have formed packs in the Wilds.ย ๎ขe Kingโs Justice has been found to be a hypocritical traitorโ and the king himself hides a cough that grows worse by the day. No one is safe.ย ๎ขereโs nothingย treasonousย about protecting our people.โ He steps right up to the bars. โEspecially when you and your brother sure couldnโt do it.โ
I punch him in the face.
He rocks back, bloodย owing freely from his nose. โGuards!โ he shouts. โGuards, you will punish him!โ
๎ขey donโt move.ย ๎ขey donโt even look over.
I stand against the bars andย ex myย ngers. โYou donโt seem to have much willing help right now.โ
Allisander swipes blood from his face and surges forward, his hands balled intoย sts.
Rocco catches him from behind. โConsul. You will keep your distance.โ
Allisander glares at me.ย ๎ขereโs blood smeared across his cheek. โFine. Let me go.โ
Rocco looks at me.
I shake my head. โPut him in a cell,โ I say coolly. โHeโs conspiring against the throne.โ
Allisanderย ghts the guardโs grip. It makes his nose start bleeding again. โ๎ขis wonโt work. Weโll see you hanged, Corrick,โ he snaps. โIโll do it myself
โโ
Rocco shoves him into a cell, and one of the Hold guards slams the gate. โDo you know who I am?โ he yells. โYou will all be put to death.ย ๎ขis man
has no power any longer. He is aย criminalโโ
I ignore him. โRocco,โ I say urgently. โYou need to go back to the palace. You need to tell Harristan what he said.ย ๎ขe consuls canโt be trusted. I donโt know what theyโre planning, but you need to go back.โ
Rocco stands in front of my bars. โMy orders are to keep you safe.โ
I swear and hit the bars, and they rattle with an earsplitting clang. โ๎ขe hell with your orders! You have to protect the king!โ
โYes, Your Highness. I will.โ He looks to one of the Hold guards. โUnlock the gate.โ
โWhat?โ I whisper.
Allisander isnโt anywhere near as quiet. โWhat?โ he demands. โWhat are you doing?โ
๎ขe guard puts a key in the lock, and I stare at Rocco. โWhatย areย you doing?โ
โReturning to the palace, as you requested, but I must take you with me.โ
๎ขe lock gives, and he swings the door wide.
โYou will hang for this,โ Allisander says. โHe is a traitor.โ Iโm staring at Rocco like this is a trap.
โHis Majesty told me to ensure you are unharmed,โ he says. โYour Highness, he never saidย where.โ
