โHEโD MADE IT THROUGH three days of parties, dinners, and meetings, and no one had attempted to murder him again. It was a bit like being on the front. You survived for an hour, then another hour. You hoped to make it through the day. At night, Isaak fell into bed and lay staring at the ceiling, heart pounding, thinking of the many things heโd done wrong and the many more things he was bound to do wrong tomorrow.โ
Today, they were to enjoy the morning boating on the lake beside the Little Palace, and then they would picnic on its shores.
โWeโve arranged for you to spend time with the Shu princess before lunch,โ Tamar had told him.
โAnd I โฆ do what with her?โ
โBe charming. Ask her about her guards and how long sheโs known them. Get us any information you can.โ
โCanโt you and Tolya just bond with the Tavgharad over your Shu childhoods or something?โ
The twins had exchanged a glance. โWeโre worse than Ravkans to them,โ said Tamar. โWe had a Shu father, but we wear the tattoos of the Sun Saint and serve a foreign king.โ
โWhyย didย you choose service to Ravka?โ โWe didnโt,โ said Tamar.
Tolya put his hand to his heart. โWe chose Alina. We chose Nikolai.
All of thisโโhe gestured to the palace groundsโโmeans nothing.โ
Isaak didnโt know what to say to that. He considered himself a patriot, but he could admit that, unlike the king, Ravka had never been particularly kind to him.
โChat with Princess Ehri,โ said Tamar. โGet her talking.โ
โHypothetically, if I werenโt possessed of natural charisma and a gift for witty conversation, just how would I do that?โ
Tamar rolled her eyes, but Tolya said, โCompliment her. Express your admiration for Shu culture. You might consider recitingโโ
โOh, for Saintsโ sake, Tolya, thatโs the last thing he should do.โ Tamar knelt in front of Isaak. โJust listen to her. Ask her questions. Women donโt want to be seduced. They want to be seen and listened to. You canโt do either of those things if youโre thinking up strategies on how to win her overโor reciting theย Fourth Epic of Kregi.โ
โThereย isย noย Fourth Epic of Kregi,โ growled Tolya. โThe third was unfinished by the poet Elaan.โ
โThen thatโs definitely the one he should recite.โ
Why did the thought of a simple conversation make Isaakโs heart rattle? Possibly because heโd never been good at talking to girlsโother than his sisters. But arguing with Belka and Petya over the price of ribbon was a far cry from making small talk with royals. And he was supposed to somehow wheedle information from a princess? He tried to remind himself that he was handsome nowโa fact that took him by surprise every time he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror. He hadnโt been ugly before, just unremarkableโtidy brown hair that curled if he left it too long, regular enough features, slightly crooked bottom teeth. His mother had told him he was nice looking, but sheโd also told his sister she had a lovely singing voice, and that was definitely not the case. Now Isaak tried to look at ease as he reclined on a cushioned divan on the royal barge, attempting his best approximation of Nikolaiโs relaxed slouch. Heโd spent too many years standing at attention. Before him, elegantly decorated sloops and barges dotted the lake like water lilies,
banners snapping, awnings striped in Ravkan blue and gold.
The lake was too cold for swimming, but the Tidemakers had heated its surface so that mist rose from the water in dense clouds, which Squallers manipulated into symbols of various countries and families of standing. Isaak had permitted himself a few sips from a tiny bell-shaped glass of apricot wine to try to soothe his nerves but still remained alert, listening to the conversation as one of the Fjerdan ambassadors asked if they might have a tour of the Grisha school.
โOf course you may,โ said Genya. โIt would be our great pleasure.โ
Isaak did not think he imagined the current of excitement that passed between the ambassador and another member of his delegation.
Genya smoothed her skirts and added, โBut I fear you may find it boring. The students are currently traveling with their teachers as part of their instruction.โ
โAll of them?โ
โYes,โ said Genya. โWe find work in the field is so beneficial for a childโs education. And I must say Iโm not sorry for the peace and quiet. Young Grisha can be quite high-spirited, as Iโm sure you can imagine. We didnโt want them getting underfoot with such important new friends visiting.โ
Isaak had never known the Grisha students to be underfoot. They were kept busy, and the school was isolated enough from the rest of the palace that they would have had trouble getting anywhere without notice. No, theyโd been moved for their safety. And the Fjerdans knew it.
โYou evacuated all of them?โ the ambassador asked coldly. โEvacuated?โ said Genya with an amused laugh. โThat would imply
there was some kind of threat.โ She tapped the ambassador on the knee playfully. โA threat! To a group of children who could set fire to this barge and stop the hearts of everyone on it with the sweep of a hand.โ She dabbed at her eyes. โIt isย tooย droll.โ
Isaak turned to Genya as the Fjerdans walked to the sloopโs railing to enjoy the view and possibly to seethe. โYou sent the students away to protect them?โ
โOf course,โ said Genya, all mirth gone. โYou think we would keep one of Ravkaโs greatest assets here when a bomb or poison gas could eliminate an entire new generation of Grisha in moments? But a fearful Fjerdan is one less likely to act, and I just relish the idea of them having bad dreams about a bunch of schoolchildren.โ
Isaak gave a slight shake of his head. โListening to you talk is like watching a sailor who knows the secret shape of a bay, all of the places where storms strike, and the rocky spots where ships run aground. You navigate these waters with such surety.โ
Genya was quiet for a long time. โI was thrown into the water early,โ she said. โThe Darkling gave me to the queen of Ravka as a gift when I was just a little girl, a pretty thing who could be of service to her.โ
โThen you knew the king as a boy?โ
โI saw him and his brother in passing. I was a cherished servant, but a servant all the same. They were veryย loud.โ She toyed with one of her topaz earrings. โThe household staff used to call them the Two
Headaches. How I envied them, the way they were free to run and play and make trouble.โ
โBut to be a favorite of the queen,โ said Isaak. โThat must have been a great honor?โ
Genya popped a slice of plum into her mouth. โFor a time, I was the queenโs doll. She would dress me in lovely clothes and brush my hair and let me sleep at the foot of her bed and sit beside her at meals. I watched the sharks and learned. When I grew older, and I had the misfortune of catching the old kingโs eye โฆโ Genya wiped her fingers slowly on a linen napkin, the leavings of the plum staining the cloth. โI convinced myself that the suffering I endured was an honor because I was the Darklingโs soldier and his spy. He trusted me above all others, and one day all would know the good Iโd done him. He could not have managed his coup so easily without the information I fed him.โ
Isaak stared at her. โYou are confessing to treason,โ he whispered. โSweet Isaak,โ she said with a smile. โNikolai Lantsov pardoned me
long ago, and in that moment he earned my loyalty forever. The Darkling threw me into the water, then watched me drown to serve his own purposes.โ
โSo he was as cruel as the stories say?โ
โCruel? Oh yes. But he didnโt leave me to the kingโs predations to punish me. He just never even considered my misery. What was the anguish of one girl if it might help to earn him an empire? He was playing a long and complicated game. It was only when I dared to think for myself, when I interfered with his grand plan, that he set his monsters on me andโโ
A loud splash sounded from somewhere on the lake. They stood in time to see a billow of yellow silk sinking beneath the surface near a barge crowded with members of the Kerch delegation. One of the merchantโs daughters had fallen into the water and was sinking fast.
โJump in,โ whispered Genya furiously. โGo save her.โ โThere are Grishaโโ
โNikolai wouldnโt wait for the Grisha.โ She was right, but โฆ โI canโt swim.โ
โPlease tell me you mean that metaphorically.โ โAfraid not,โ he said, panic rising.
โWhy didnโt you tell me?โ โIt never came up!โ
โJustย jump,โ said Genya. โAnd donโt you dare flail. Sink as fast as you can and weโll do the rest.โ
Isaak couldnโt believe she was serious, but one look at her expression made it clear this was no joke.ย Well, he thought as he leapt onto the railing and launched himself into the water with what he hoped was a modicum of grace,ย at least if I drown, I wonโt have to sit through dinner.
The water was bitterly cold, and as he sank, everything in Isaakโs body demanded that he move, fight, doย somethingย to get back to warmth and air.ย Do not flail.ย He remained still, the ache building in his lungs as panic began to set in. He looked up, up, to the dim glow of light at the surface. It seemed impossibly far away, the lake dark and silent around him, an endless, starless sky. A rotten place to die.ย Is this it?ย he wondered.ย Am I really going to drown to preserve the kingโs reputation as a hero?
Then Nadia had hold of his arm. She was surrounded by a bubble of air that she had created and that two Tidemakers beside her were propelling forward. She yanked him into the circle of air and he took a long, gasping breath.
โCome on,โ she said. He felt the current around him moving, dragging them along like a fast-running river.
A bundle of yellow silk billowed in the water ahead of them. The girl
โBirgitta Schenckโwasnโt moving. Her eyes were closed and her hair was splayed around her face like a corona.ย Oh Saints, was she dead?
โGrab her,โ said Nadia, and as soon as his hand closed over her wrist, they were shooting through the water again.
They emerged on the opposite side of the tiny island at the lakeโs center, away from the pleasure crafts. Tolya and Tamar were waiting. They pulled Birgitta onto the steps of one of the practice pavilions and began the work of trying to revive her.
โPlease tell me sheโs alive,โ said Isaak.
โThereโs a pulse,โ replied Tolya. โBut thereโs water in her lungs.โ
A moment later, Birgitta coughed, lake water spewing from her lips. โScatter,โ commanded Tolya.
โBe charming,โ Tamar said as she disappeared with the others into the mist. โYouโre a hero.โ
Isaak bent over the girl, trying to remember that it would be the kingโs face she would see. โMiss Schenck?โ he said. โBirgitta? Are you quite well?โ
Her long lashes fluttered. She looked up at him with dazed green eyes
and burst out crying.
Well. Perhaps being handsome wasnโt a cure for everything.
โYou almost drowned,โ he said. โYouโve cause to be emotional.
Come, we must get you warm.โ
Isaak felt frozen and exhausted too, but he forced himself to do what he thought would look best. He slipped his arm beneath the girlโs legs and lifted her into his arms. All Saints, she was heavy. Was so much silk really necessary?
She leaned her head against his chest, and Isaak strode across the island, his teeth chattering, his boots squelching wetly, until they emerged from the trees onto the islandโs opposite bank.
Everyone was peering at the water as would-be rescuers paddled around the Kerch boat and Grisha Tidemakers pulled back the lake in sheaves of water that hovered above the surface.
Someone caught sight of Isaak and Birgitta and shouted, โThere they are!โ
โSheโs right as rain!โ Isaak called. โBut twice as damp. We could both use some dry clothes and some hot tea.โ
The crowd burst into applause. Isaak set down Birgitta before his arms gave out, depositing her on the sand like a pile of wet laundry. He bowed and managed to stop his teeth chattering long enough to kiss her hand.
Heโd graduated from minor breaches of etiquette to nearly getting himself and someone else drowned. Perhaps tomorrow heโd manage to burn down the palace.
Birgitta Schenck and Isaak were hustled onto the royal barge, wrapped in blankets, and dosed with hot brandy as servants chafed their hands. But it wasnโt until he was back in Nikolaiโs quarters and submerged in a steaming bath in the kingโs vast tub that Isaak finally started to feel warm again.
Genya and the others had remained in intense conversation in the sitting room while Isaak had been left to soak in peace. He was going to miss this tub when the king returned. The rest he could do without.
He stayed in the bath until the water turned cold and heโd started to prune. He didnโt particularly want to face the people waiting next door, but he forced himself out of the tub and dried himself off with one of the long linen bath sheets.
Nikolai employed no valet, which had been a relief to Isaak; he hadnโt
had anyone help him dress since he was a child. He put on the kingโs soft breeches and boots, the shirt and suspenders, the fitted coat embroidered with the Lantsov eagle. He could admit the clothes werenโt a bad part of the deal either. They had been constructed meticulously and were as comfortable as they were elegant. As Isaak adjusted his coat, his fingers touched on something in the right pocket. He was always finding things tucked away in the pockets of the kingโs clothesโa note the king had scrawled to himself or a sketch of what might be a new invention, a small silver bead. This time he pulled a tiny knot of wire from his coat. It had been fashioned into the shape of a sailing ship. He set it on the kingโs vanity.
โWe think this may actually be a good thing,โ said Tamar as Isaak entered the sitting room.
He joined them by the fire, glad for the warmth. โSo I should try to drown more often?โ
โIt wasnโtย ideal,โ Genya said, pouring him a cup of tea. โYou missed your chance to chat with Princess Ehri. But we made the best of it, and the king looked like a hero.โ
โThe carry was a nice touch,โ said Tamar.
โVery heroic,โ said Tolya, โlike a prince out of the epic poems.ย And so Ivan the Gilded Hair bore her across theโโ
โKeep reciting poetry and I will personally drown you in the lake,โ said Tamar.
Tolya scowled and muttered โItโs a classicโ into his tea.
Isaak didnโt agree, but he doubted this was the time to debate poetry.
Genya nudged David, and he looked up from the treatise he was reading. โWe traced the trigger device used to rig the kingโs door with arsine gas. Itโs most likely Fjerdan.โ
โWill they be arrested?โ asked Isaak.
Tamar looked almost bemused. โOf course not. Itโs not something we can actually prove, and, in a way, this is good news.โ
โOf course,โ said Isaak. He scratched his ear. โExactly how is it good news?โ
โWe already suspected the Fjerdans didnโt come to play. If it had been the Kerch or the Shu, we would have had real cause to worry. This means the Shu are still open to an alliance. We were curious to see who might attempt the kingโs life.โ
โWithout risking the king?โ Isaak asked, surprised at the bitter edge in
his voice.
Tolya rested a giant hand on his shoulder. โWe would never let harm come to you, Isaak.โ
โI know,โ said Isaak. But did he? And could he really complain? It was a soldierโs lot to be expendable. A guardโs job to put himself between his ruler and harm. Wasnโt that exactly what he was doing now?
Tamar leaned back in her chair and crossed her long legs. โIโve searched the chambers of the Shu guards.โ
โTheyโre our guests,โ protested Tolya. โTheyโre our enemies,โ said Tamar.
โAnd potential allies,โ said Genya. โIt wouldnโt do to make them mad.โ
โWe were cautious. But there was little to learn. The few journals I found were kept in code, and I doubt any member of the Tavgharad would be foolish enough to put damning details to paper.โ
โAnd the Kerch made an attempt on our labs,โ said Tolya. David looked up from his reading, startled. โDid they get in?โ โWe let them make it all the way to the Fabrikator workshops.โ โOh,โ said David, losing interest.
โWeโre not concerned about that?โ asked Isaak.
โThe real work happens elsewhere,โ said Tamar. โWe even planted some fake blueprints for them to find. All of it should help set the stage for our performance at the Gilded Bog.โ
โWeโre going to the Gilded Bog?โ asked Isaak, unable to hide his excitement.
โUnfortunately,โ said Tolya.
Genya tucked her slippered feet beneath her. โWeโll be using Count Kiriginโs lake to show the Kerch our prototype of theย izmarsโya.โ A look passed between the others that Isaak didnโt understand, but that was nothing new. He assumed someone would tell him what exactly anย izmarsโyaย was so he could nod sagely about the subject when the time came.
โYou will be working,โ added Tamar. โNot sampling Kiriginโs entertainments.โ
โOf course,โ said Isaak. But he could at least get aย glimpseย of what all the fuss was about.
Genya pushed a sheaf of papers over to him. โHere are notes for the dinner tonight. You wonโt be expected to make a speech, but this will be
a more formal affair, so youโll need to do your best to seem at ease. Tomorrow is the hunt.โ
โI can hunt at least,โ said Isaak with relief.
โNot like a gentleman hunts. But Nikolai was never much for the sport anyway. He has a fondness for foxes. The hunt is just an excuse to ride and get to know the hopefuls. Remember to spread your conversation evenly amongst them. Weโll go over the particulars tonight after dinner.โ
They filed out and Isaak let his head flop back, staring at the gilded ceiling. He felt both tired and restless. He glanced at the notes on place settings and how to eat oysters and tossed them aside. He needed to clear his head.
As soon as he opened the door, Tolya was there. โIs something wrong?โ
โI just want to take a walk.โ
Tolya fell back a few steps as Isaak made his way down the hall, but it was still unsettling to know he was being watched. There were rumors Nikolai had run away from university to pursue a life of adventure on the high seas as the privateer Sturmhond. A ridiculous story, but Isaak could understand the impulse. Who wouldnโt choose that kind of freedom over this constant performance? He passed through the portrait gallery, ignoring the paintings of countless Lantsov kings and queens, and entered the conservatory.
It was Isaakโs favorite place in the Grand Palace. The high-ceilinged room ran half the length of the southern wing. Sunlight streamed through walls made entirely of glass panels, and steam pipes heated the red tile floor. The conservatoryโs winding paths were lined with potted fruit trees and tall palms, flowering shrubs that overflowed the walkways, and hedges trimmed into tiered arches and lattices. An artificial stream flowed through the roomโs center, narrowing and widening to form lily ponds and reflecting pools.
A girl was seated by one of the pondsโno, not a girl, a princess. Ehri Kir-Taban. Daughter of Heaven. The Shu usually carried the names of one or both of their parents, but the royal family all took the name of the first Shu queen and founder of the Taban dynasty. There were Ravkan guards and Shu Tavgharad stationed at the roomโs perimeter. He should have noticed them sooner, but heโd been too preoccupied. Distraction was something neither a guard nor a king could afford.
So this was his chance. He could make up for his missed meeting with
the princess and try to gather the information Genya and the others required.ย Be charming.ย Right. Charming.
But before he could decide on a good opening line, the princess lifted her head.
She rose hurriedly and curtsied. โYour Highness.โ
โI didnโt mean to intrude on your peace,โ he said in Shu.
โI am a guest here. There can be no intrusion.โ She glanced at the guards. โWould you โฆ would you care to sit and talk awhile?โ
There. I didnโt even have to ask.ย And yet he still wanted to turn and scurry right back through the door. But to say no now would be seen as a snub. Besides, Tolya might well block the door and refuse to let him through.
Isaak took a seat beside her on the wide rock next to the pond. The air smelled of sweet orange blossom, and the low splash of fish at play in the water was soothing. It might have been a pleasant place to rest if not for the guards glowering in the doorways. Isaak vowed that when he had his face back and returned to duty, heโd try to look a little friendlier.
โThank you for joining me,โ Ehri said. โItโs my pleasure.โ
โHardly that,โ she murmured with a small smile. โNo doubt you came here to be aloneโas alone as we ever can beโjust as I did.โ
โBut if you wish to be alone, why invite me to join you?โ
โI must be seen to be making an effort or the guards will report back to my sister, and then I will never hear the end of it.โ
โYour sister?โ
โMakhi Kir-Taban, Born of Heaven, our most celestial princess who will inherit the crown and rule wisely and justly for many years.โ
โAnd what will you do?โ asked Isaak.ย A woman wants to be listened to.
โMarry you, of course.โ
โOf course,โ Isaak said, willing himself not to squirm. โBut if you were not to marry me?โ
At this, she looked almost panicked, as if the question was not one that had been scripted for her, and she wasnโt at all sure how honest she should be. Isaak could sympathize. โPlease,โ he said gently, both to put her at ease and because he found he was genuinely curious. โIโd like to know.โ
She brushed her thumb over the silk of her gown. โI suppose that, if I
hadnโt been born Taban, I would like to be a soldier โฆ maybe even a member of the Tavgharad.โ
โTruly?โ He couldnโt help but laugh. It was too absurd to contemplate a guard pretending to be a prince talking to a princess who wanted to be a royal guard.
She frowned slightly. โIt isnโt kind to laugh.โ
Instantly Isaak sobered. โI didnโt mean to insult you. I was just surprised. Serving in the royal guard is a very noble calling. And it would allow some measure of freedom, though even guards have duties.โ โYes, but theyโre not forced to pose and preen just to be sold off like chattel.โ She paled, realizing what sheโd said. โForgive me, I didnโt mean
โฆ It would be my greatest honorโโ
โDonโt apologize. Please. I asked for your honesty. I donโt expect every woman I meet to be eager to wed me.โ
A crease appeared between her brows. โYou donโt?โ
Damn it. Another misstep. Isaak winked. โNot at first.โ That was a far more Nikolai answerโthough the princess looked slightly disappointed.
โYou can make it up to me,โ said Ehri. โI have been honest with you; now perhaps you will share a secret with me. Itโs only fair.โ
Iโm not the king of Ravka, just a lowly grunt trying not to perspire in his fancy clothes.ย No, that was definitely not the right reply. Isaak supposed he should say something flirtatious, but he wasnโt sure which secrets belonged to him and which belonged to the king.
โVery well. My secret is that I did wish to be alone, but that Iโm still enjoying your company. Itโs been a hard morning.โ
โHas it?โ
โA girl almost drowned.โ
Ehri released an unprincess-like snort. โItโs her own fault for throwing herself in the lake.โ
โPardon?โ
โI would wager my best axe there was nothing accidental about her plunge into the water.โ
โYour bestย axe?โ
Ehri tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. โI am an avid collector.โ
A princess who wanted to be a palace guard and who liked weapons.
She was at least interesting.
โHow can you be so sure the Schenck girl jumped?โ he asked.
โBecause my own advisers suggested I do the same thing last night.โ Isaak stared. โYouโre saying she risked her own life just toโโ
โGain the notice of a king and give him the chance to play hero?โ Ehri sniffed, and smoothed the silk of her gown. โA reasonable gambit, but not one I was prepared to make.โ
He studied her. โNot when you could simply wait for a pensive king to amble by and find you looking like a painting in green silk with flowers in your hair?โ Her golden eyes shifted away guiltily. โHow long were you waiting, hoping I might stroll by?โ
She bit her lip. โTwo hours and twelve minutes. Give or take.โ
He was both annoyed and pleased that sheโd actually been frank. โThat stone ledge canโt be very comfortable.โ
โI regret to say, I can no longer feel my buttocks.โ
At that Isaak burst out laughing, then caught himself. That wasย notย Nikolaiโs laugh. He saw one of the palace guards cock his head to the side.ย Trukhin.ย Isaak had worked countless shifts with him around the palace. He had every reason to recognize Isaakโs laugh.
All Saints, Isaak was tired of this charade already. But the princess had provided him an opening.
โIf you canโt manage a short stint sitting on a rock, I donโt see how you could hope to fill the role of guard standing at attention for hours.โ
โThen thank goodness I was born royal.โ
โI confess I know little of the Tavgharad,โ said Isaak, hoping his voice sounded natural. โAre they drawn from noble families?โ
โThey arenโtย drawnย from anywhere,โ Ehri said, a surprising bite to her voice. โThey come from every town and every village where they test and train and hope to be chosen. There is no greater honor.โ
โThan defending you?โ He couldnโt keep the smile from his voice.
Ehri bit her lip. โThe Taban line. Iโm one of the lesser jewels in the crown.โ
Isaak found that hard to believe. She was awfully pretty. He couldnโt imagine what her sisters looked like if she was the plain one.
He pressed on. โIt must be a hard life, even if it is rewarding. Do they leave their families behind as the Grisha do?โ
She stiffened slightly. โTheyโre happy to do so.โ She trailed a hand over the water. โI think itโs hardest for the twins.โ
โTwins?โ
โTheyโre very common among our people.โ She bobbed her head
toward Tolya. โLike the Keb-Bataar.โ
โItโs an interesting word,ย kebben.ย We donโt have one like it in Ravkan.โ It could mean close kin or twin, but also someone bound to your heart.
Ehri closed her eyes and recited, โEveryone mourns the first blossom.
Who will weep for the rest that fall?โ
Isaak couldnโt help but smile. It seemed Tolyaโs advice would come in handy after all. โI will remain to sing for you, long after the spring has gone.โ
โYou know it?โ Ehri said in surprise.
โI learned it when I was first studying Shu.โ It was a poem simply titled โKebbenโa,โ and there was considerable debate over whether the title should be translated asย My Dearย orย My Kinย orย My Only.
โItโs an old poem, long out of fashion, but it describes the spirit of
kebbenย well.โ
โI believe it was set to music,โ Isaak said. โIโve been told you play the
khatuur?โ
She bunched her hands in her silks, her expression tightening again. โYes,โ she said curtly. What had he done wrong?
โIโve found โฆโ he fumbled, afraid he might be about to botch everything horribly. โIโve found that this position, this life of display, can take the savor from many things I once enjoyed.โ
For a moment Ehri looked startled, even frightened, then something sparked in her eyes and she leaned forward. โI know,โ she whispered. โAt least if we were guards, we could spend the day doing something more exciting.โ
โWe could go riding.โ โEat with our fingers.โ
Ehri lowered her chin and whispered, โBelch.โ โWith fervor.โ
โWe couldโoh dear,โ said Ehri. โI think we have company.โ
And sure enough down both garden paths he saw the hopefuls and their chaperones approaching like a flock of beautifully dressed birds of prey. โSomeone must have reported we were in private conversation.โ
โPerhaps theyโll all throw themselves into the pond to get your attention,โ whispered Ehri, and Isaak had to resist the urge to laugh again.
โWhat amuses the king so?โ asked the Fjerdan princess as she
approached, her fan fashioned to resemble an elegant spray of frost. โMany things, I must confess,โ said Isaak. โThe king is a simple man.โ It wasnโt true, but so little was these days.