Iโve learned too much in the last hour, and my brain can hardly contain it all. I feel as though Iโve spent the last few years underwater, and Westonโ no, not Wes, Prince Corrickโjust yanked my head above the surface. If I hold absolutely still, I can almost imagine that this is a terrible dream that Iโll wake up from any moment.
But if I wake up, then Wes is still dead. I am still miserable. People are still dying. Kandala is lled with su๏ฌering. ๎ขe prince and the king are still horrible men who do nothing to help their subjects.
Well, all of that is still true. Wes never really existed at all.
๎ขatโs almost harder to accept than his death.
๎ขe man whoโs entered the room is the same man who rst caught me in the hallway. Quint. He looks to be in his early twenties, with red hair and enough freckles to make him look boyish. He needs a shave more badly than Prince Corrick.
Iโm clinging to the wall as if I can somehow pass through it and nd myself on the outside, heading back to the Wilds and Mistress Solomonโs and my friendship with Karri.
Iโm such a fool. Iโm never getting out of here.
When the prince says, โAllow me to introduce you to Tessa,โ the other man goes still, then sighs and runs a hand across his jaw.
โTessa,โ he says slowly, giving me a clear up and down. He looks back at Corrick. โYour partner?โ
Corrick nods.
And just like that, I realize Quint must know about Wes.
I canโt decide if this is infuriating or a relief, to know that I wasnโt the only one aware of Wesโs existence, of the princeโs trickery. I suck in a breath to protest, but Quint puts up a nger. His expression has changed from one of
incredulity to one of thoughtful scrutiny. He gives me a slower, more appraising look as he walks toward me. I can feel the moment his eyes skip over the torn fabric at my shoulder, and I clutch it against my skin protectively. But his gaze isnโt licentious, just . . . assessing.
Quint glances at Corrick. โArella is livid. She thinks youโre forcing the girl into bed this very instant.โ
๎ขe words make my stomach clench. Corrick hasnโt harmed meโnot directlyโbut that doesnโt mean he canโt, or he wonโt.
๎ขereโs one thing he said that keeps ickering through all my worries: ๎ปe only place I can o๏ฌer you safety is here, in this room.
I have so many questions.
Corrick is clearly not answering. Heโs moved to the side table to pour yet another glass of liquor, as if Iโm barely an a๎erthought. โArella is livid about everything I do lately.โ
Arella was the woman who spoke to me when I was chained. Before I knew who Corrick was. I donโt understand why heโd be so terrible in front of herโin front of his guards, evenโwhen heโs made no move to harm me since I arrived in this room.
I open my mouth a second time, but Quint puts up a nger again. โWait,โ he says. โIโm thinking.โ
Heโs stopped in front of me, and his head is tilted slightly, as if Iโm a ba๏ฌing puzzle heโs been charged with solving. Even though heโs a bit disheveled himself, I feel like I should adjust my clothes and stand straighter.
โBe careful,โ says Corrick. โShe hits.โ
I narrow my eyes at him. โOnly liars and villains.โ He li๎s his glass to me. โCheers.โ
โCan you sing?โ says Quint. I blink. โCan I . . . what?โ
โSing. Or dance? Perhaps you know some sleight of hand?โ โI . . .โ What is happening. โNo.โ
โQuint.โ Corrick rolls his eyes.
โ๎ขe king will never allow you to keep her here as some kind of . . . tortured concubine,โ says Quint.
โI wonโt allow it either,โ I snap.
Heโs not paying attention to me. โWeโll need to come up with something else. Something that will satisfy Allisander yet appease Arella.โ
โI need to know why you were in the palace,โ says Corrick, and his voice has gone cold again, the way it was when he grabbed hold of my hair and jerked tight.
I swallow. โI told you. It was a mistake.โ โTry again.โ
Itโs easy to see why people are terri ed of him. Itโs not just his reputation. When his attention is so focused, itโs hard to think of anything else. I want to rewind time to the brief minute when he was still Wes, unchaining my hands, letting me cling to him the way Iโve done so many times before.
I need to shake this o๏ฌ. Wes doesnโt exist. And Corrick is still waiting for an answer.
I glance between him and Quint. ๎ขereโs no use in lying, not when the answer is so boring. โI had to make a delivery in the Royal Sector. I made a wrong turn and found myself facing the palace. I knewโโ My voice breaks, and I have to clear my throat. โI knew the supply of Moon ower petals here was more potent than in the other sectors, and I wantedโI wantedโโ
โYou wanted to steal right from the palace?โ says Corrick. โEven I didnโt take from the palace, Tessa.โ
โNoโI know. I wasnโt thinking. I didnโt even plan it. ๎ขere wereโthere were girls. Serving girls, I suppose. I followed them. I thought for sure the guards would stop me, butโbut I guess one girl in homespun looks just like the others. I walked right in.โ
At that, Quint looks alarmed. Corrickโs whole demeanor darkens.
Quint puts up a hand before he can say anything. โIโll nd out who was stationed there at daybreak. Youโll have names by breakfast.โ
I donโt take my eyes o๏ฌ the prince. โYouโre going to kill the guard who let me past?โ
โIโm certainly not going to write him a letter of gratitude.โ
I say nothing, but maybe my horri ed expression conveys my thoughts anyway, because he sighs and looks away. โIโm aware of my reputation, but I donโt execute everyone, Tessa.โ He pauses. โBesides, Iโm surprised youโre sparing a thought to his defense. If heโd done his job, youโd be in the workshop right now, lling vials and loading your pack.โ
Hearing him talk about the workshop in such a at voice makes my throat swell. Like itโs something to be mocked, and not a space where we shared the
most important moments of my life over the last few years. I have to press a hand to my eyes before tears can fall.
When I steady my breathing and lower my hands, trying to blink the tears away, I see that Quint is holding out an embroidered handkerchief, and his expression isnโt unkind. Itโs so shocking that it drives back some of the emotion. I take it, clutching it between my ngers. It smells like cinnamon and oranges and feels like silk. Itโs quite possibly the most expensive thing Iโve ever held in my handsโwith the exception of Moon ower petals. I hardly want to use it to dab at my cheeks. โ๎ขank you.โ
๎ขereโs a knock at the door, but Corrick doesnโt move. โ๎ขat will be supper,โ he says. โEnter,โ he calls.
A serving girl who looks a bit tired and rumpled carries in a tray. She sets it on the side table, then curtsies to the prince. โYour Highness. Master Quint.โ Her eyes land on me, and she quickly glances away. โWill you be needing anything else?โ
โNo,โ says Corrick.
โYes,โ says Quint. โPrepare a suite for our new guest. Be sure the closet and washroom are fully stocked. Fresh linens, too.โ
โOf course.โ She curtsies again, then slips out the door.
โIโll leave you to dine,โ says Quint. โIโll speak with the captain for suitable guard assignments. I believe four should be enough to prevent any further . .
. shall we say, wandering?โ He looks at me pointedly.
โWait. A room for me?โ I squeak. Nothing here makes any sense.
๎ขey ignore me. โWhat are you thinking?โ says Corrick.
โIโm thinking she shouldnโt remain in your room any longer than necessary. Itโs the middle of the night, so rumors havenโt had a chance to spread. You said sheโs been adjusting the dosages on your runs. Perhaps she could have brought some medicinal insight to the palace? Surely we can spin something better than a punishment of being chained to your bed.โ
โSurely,โ Corrick says woodenly.
Quint pulls a little booklet from his jacket and jots a note. โIโll dra๎ an announcement by midday for you to review.โ
๎ขen heโs gone, and once again, Iโm alone with the prince. Corrick moves to the side table, where a massive array of steaming food is making my mouth water. I can smell something sweet and something savory, and there must be fresh bread because the scent of the yeast is heavenly. My stomach
reminds me that I havenโt eaten. I donโt want to move any closer to him, but I inhale deeply.
Corrick picks up a piece of fruit and holds it up to the light. ๎ขe skin is glistening red. โHoneyed apple, Tessa?โ
All of my hunger dies. โI hate you,โ I grit out.
He tosses it to me, and I catch it automatically, since the alternative is letting it smack me in the face.
โAs Iโve said in the past,โ he says, โthat will de nitely work out for the best.โ
A large, ornate table sits on the opposite side of the room. When I didnโt move, Prince Corrick lled two plates and set them on the table, making a show of setting them across from each other, not beside each other. He holds out a hand to one of the seats and looks at me pointedly.
I really am hungry. Every breath reminds me of how little Iโve eaten lately.
It took everything I had to set that apple on the oor.
I stick to the wall. โNo.โ
โYou decline an invitation to dine with the brother of the king?โ He feigns a gasp. โWhat will the kitchen sta๏ฌ say when your plate returns untouched?โ
โI donโt think you want my hands near a knife right now.โ
๎ขat earns a rakish smile, and for a moment he looks so much like Wes that my heart swells and aches before shattering into a million pieces. Maybe he can read it on my face, because his mouth forms a line. โSit. Eat. I know youโre hungry. Whatโs to be gained by refusing?โ
Nothing, really. I donโt have a good answer, and the question feels like a challenge. I take a deep breath and walk to the table. Iโm sure thereโs some court etiquette Iโm supposed to follow, but I have no idea what, and if he expects a curtsy, heโs not getting one. My heart thumps along in my chest, and I have to remind myself that heโs not Wes, heโs the Kingโs Justice. Heโs not a friendly outlaw. Heโs a cruel man with no empathy.
I ease into the chair, and he does the same. My spine feels like a steel rod. I canโt relax. I pick up the roll from my plate. Itโs still warm, and dusted with salt. I tear a tiny piece and shove it into my mouth.
Itโs not salt. Itโs sugar, and itโs everything. I want to shove the whole thing down my throat at once.
I can feel him watching me, so I keep my eyes on anything else. ๎ขe
ligreed place settings. ๎ขe embroidered tablecloth. ๎ขe gravy in a small pool beside four thick slabs of poultry.
I have so many questions, but they would all reveal my feelings about a man who doesnโt exist, and I wonโt give any of that to Prince Corrick. Heโs already taken too much. I tear another small piece of bread and say, โQuint knows the truth. About you. And me.โ
โYes.โ He pauses. โHe is the Palace Master. And a friend. ๎ขere is very little that goes on here that Quint doesnโt know about.โ
โBut . . . but the king doesnโt know.โ
โNo.โ Corrick glances away. โI never wanted to put Harristan in a position where he would be forced to deny it.โ
โIf you were caught.โ โYes.โ
โI could tell everyone,โ I say, nally meeting his eyes with a glare. โReveal your secret. ๎ขe Kingโs Justice is secretly a smuggler stealing from the royal elites.โ
โGo right ahead,โ he says mildly. โYou wouldnโt be the rst prisoner to come up with a clever story.โ He slices a piece of meat. โIf you decide you donโt want to stay here, itโs a good way to earn yourself a trip to the Hold.โ
โIf I decide? Is that a joke?โ
โI didnโt lure you into the palace.โ His voice has turned hard. โIn fact, when you forced my hand, I did my very best to convince you that tensions were high and you would do well to stay out of the Royal Sector for a while.โ When I forced his hand. When we stood in the woods, and he didnโt want to make a run for supplies. He tried to talk me out of it, and I shook him o๏ฌ
and demanded revolution.
A revolution I now realize he could never be a part of.
Of course he had to kill o๏ฌ Weston Lark. I might as well have done it myself.
โAnd here we are,โ I whisper. Against my will, my eyes well again, and I sni๏ฌ back the tears and shove more bread into my mouth. โWho did you hang in your place?โ
โA true smuggler,โ he says easily. โHe might have gotten away with Moon ower petals, but he thought to spend a few minutes taking advantage of the lady of the house, and her son heard the commotion and rang the alarm. I hear the man beat her rather badly before he was discovered.โ
Iโm staring at him. Iโm not sure what to say.
Corrick takes a sip from his glass. โSurely you donโt think we were the only ones sneaking into the sector to steal medicine. It wasnโt di๏ฌcult to plant a mask on him.โ
I remember the alarms and lights from the night Wes went missing. I thought they were for him.
My mouth is hanging open. I snap it shut. โYou . . . you said you worked in the forges. You said you were from Steel City.โ
He shrugs and runs a hand across the back of his neck, looking abashed. โIt was as good a place as any other. I have an interest in metalworking, so I can speak to it a bit.โ
Itโs so di๏ฌcult to remind myself that heโs not Wes. His manner has changed again, and heโs more relaxed now that weโre alone and Iโm not punching him in the crotch. I was wondering how he wore two faces, but a๎er seeing him with di๏ฌerent people, Iโm thinking he has dozens of faces that he shows when the need arises. I have no idea which is real, but his easy manner is making it hard to remain tense and frightened. If I close my eyes, we could be back in the workshop, sitting by the re, trading silly banter.
No. I canโt. I canโt forget that heโs Prince Corrick. He could snap his ngers and have me executed right here.
I draw a shaky breath. โWhatโโ I have to clear my throat. โWhen I was in chainsโwhen youโwhen that other woman spoke for meโโ
โConsul Cherry. Of Sunkeep.โ He takes another bite of food, as if my emotions werenโt crumbling to pieces right in front of him.
My mouth stalls. I swallow. He was so harsh. ๎ขatโs what Iโm having the hardest time reconciling. He was so playful and decent as Wes.
He sets down the fork and looks at me. ๎ขatโs almost worse. His eyes are so piercing. No wonder prisoners beg for death.
But then he says, โAsk your question, Tessa,โ and his voice is so๎ and low and familiar, no hint of ice or steel in his tone.
I draw a breath. โYou knew it was me,โ I say. โWhen I was lying there in chains. I couldnโt see you, but you could see me. You had to know.โ
โI knew.โ
โAnd . . . and you were so cruel.โ For all my rebellious bravado, my voice wonโt rise above a whisper now. I need to understand. I need him to explain it to me.
โI told you,โ he says. โCruelty is expected. Necessary, in fact, in front of Consul Cherry.โ His eyes ick to the door and back to mine. โIn front of my guards, who will gossip about whatever they see and whatever they hear.โ
I study him. I consider the way he threw me on the ground when the guard burst through the door. ๎ขe way he adjusted the fabric over my shoulder once the door was closed.
๎ขe man on the gates was hung for being a smuggler, but he was caught raping and beating a woman. Isnโt that what Corrick said? ๎ขat part isnโt public knowledgeโjust the smuggling.
Meanwhile, Corrick is allowing people to think heโs abusing meโwhen he hasnโt actually harmed me since the moment I woke up in the pile of pillows. I consider the food in front of me, or the way Quint is preparing a room.
โWhy would you want people to think youโre horrible?โ I say.
He inhales as if to speak, then thinks better of whatever he was going to say, because he gives a slight shake of his head. โWhy did you really sneak into the palace?โ he asks quietly.
โI told you. I hopedโI hoped to steal medicine. I hoped to help the people we le๎ vulnerable when Wesโwhen youโwhen we stopped.โ
โYou made it into the servantsโ passageways, so you would have had quick access to our rooms.โ He pauses. โYou know what they found in your pack. Did you seek to kill the king?โ
I say nothing. My mouth goes dry. To even admit the thought crossing my mind is treason. It was only a moment, but I thought of it.
I wonder what my father would think of me right now. Did I fail? Or did I make the right choice?
โDid you seek to kill me?โ Corrick adds.
I wet my lips. I wonโt say yesโbut I canโt deny it either. โI couldnโt do it,โ I whisper.
โYouโre not a killer.โ
I nod. He knows Iโm not.
His eyes go hard again, like twin slabs of ice in the moonlight. โKindness leaves you vulnerable, Tessa. I learned that lesson years ago. Iโm surprised
you havenโt.โ
Years ago. When my parents died?
No, thatโs ridiculous. ๎ขat wouldnโt have a๏ฌected him. But I realize that Iโm forgettingโagainโthat heโs a member of the royal family, and heโs faced his own losses.
So . . . when his parents died? What does that mean? Heโs changed faces again, and Iโm not sure whatโs safe to say.
Corrick wipes his hands on his napkin. โEat your dinner. Iโll take you to your room so you can get some sleep. Youโll need it. Quint will be banging on your door at sunrise.โ
