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 that’s 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 beef—more food than I can eat in a week. e rats will probably make a meal out of most of it before I can, but I do appreciate my brother’s tending. It’s 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 don’t know whether I should be relieved that Harristan took Tessa out of here—or worried. He obviously hopes to question her to nd out what I was doing.
He should be questioning Arella and Roydan. He should be con 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 Jonas’s 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 doesn’t 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 don’t know why she and Roydan would want to interrupt Allisander’s supply runs—but if she were paying off common folk, it would explain why she needed more silver. Sunkeep and the Sorrowlands both border Trader’s Landing, and the consul from there was responsible for killing my parents.
Roydan and Arella have soened their borders to account for the lack of a consul in Trader’s Landing. Have they turned against us as well? Is there something about that sector that bears discontent for the Crown? I don’t know.
at girl with the rebels said that explosives came from the mines of Trader’s Landing, too.
I wish I were in the palace. I wish I had my records and a map. I wish I had Quint, who’d be gossiping endlessly, but knows everything about everyone.
Instead, I have Rocco.
I limp to the bars and offer him an apple. “Peace treaty?”
He doesn’t move from his spot on the wall. “Are we at war, Your Highness?”
“You’re my brother’s spy. You tell me.”
“I am no one’s spy.” He looks at me dispassionately. “e king asks questions, and I answer.”
I shouldn’t be irritated. I know all my brother’s guards, and I know where their loyalties lie. is is just the rst time it’s ever put me at odds with them. I toss him the apple. “Will you answer mine?”
He catches it easily. “Certainly.” “What are your orders?”
“To ensure you’re unharmed.” “e Hold guards won’t harm me.” “An easy night for me, then.”
“Are Arella and Roydan still in the palace?” I say. “Have they had any more secret meetings today?”
He frowns slightly. “I don’t know. I was off duty until dusk, and I have been with the king since then. He has only met with Consul Sallister.”
“What did they talk about?”
“I was not privy to their conversation.”
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 don’t know what I’m doing. Like when Tessa was stitching up my forehead, I’m grasping for information, and I don’t know what I can do with any of it. Before, I was facing death, and now I’m facing . . . what? An eternity in the Hold?
Harristan can’t let me out of here unless we can determine who’s truly behind the attacks. Even then, there’s already been enough talk. I was found with rebels. It doesn’t matter what they were doing to me—just that Harristan sent the army looking, and they found me.
Light ickers in the stairwell, men’s 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 there’s nowhere to go. at’s the problem with a cell.
Allisander stops in front of me, inches from the bars. He’s holding a handkerchief over his face as usual. “I had to see it for myself,” he says.
For the rst time in my life, I make no attempt to hide my dislike of this man. “Allisander,” I say. “I’d think you would have learned your lesson about standing too close to the bars.”
He doesn’t move. “I’d think you would have learned your lesson about smuggling.”
“I’m not a smuggler.”
His eyes trace the walls. “Your current accommodations suggest otherwise.”
“What do you want?”
“You’ve stolen from your people, Corrick, while punishing them for the same. I want your brother to make an example of you.”
“I’m not behind the raids on your supply runs.”
“It doesn’t matter if you are or not. e people of Kandala must see a show of strength. ey must see that the king will not stand for insurrection—and we all know Harristan isn’t going to do anything to you. Something must be done—and it’s clear that you and your brother are no longer the ones who should be doing it.” He pauses for one long, vicious second. “Many of the other consuls agree.” He tsks mockingly. “Perhaps you should have granted Jonas the funding for that bridge.”
A cold lick of fear races down my spine. I need to get to my brother. All this time I’ve 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 can’t believe my options are siding with them or siding with this man. “Not all of the consuls agree.”
“Enough of us do. And we have enough of a force to do what we see is necessary.”
I stare at him. “Most people don’t boldly admit to treason in front of my guards, Allisander.”
“Treason? Kandala stands on the brink of revolution. e elites were woken by explosions in the streets two nights ago. Rebels have formed packs in the Wilds. e King’s Justice has been found to be a hypocritical traitor— and the king himself hides a cough that grows worse by the day. No one is safe. ere’s nothing treasonous about protecting our people.” He steps right up to the bars. “Especially when you and your brother sure couldn’t do it.”
I punch him in the face.
He rocks back, blood owing freely from his nose. “Guards!” he shouts. “Guards, you will punish him!”
ey don’t move. ey don’t even look over.
I stand against the bars and ex my ngers. “You don’t seem to have much willing help right now.”
Allisander swipes blood from his face and surges forward, his hands balled into sts.
Rocco catches him from behind. “Consul. You will keep your distance.”
Allisander glares at me. ere’s blood smeared across his cheek. “Fine. Let me go.”
Rocco looks at me.
I shake my head. “Put him in a cell,” I say coolly. “He’s conspiring against the throne.”
Allisander ghts the guard’s grip. It makes his nose start bleeding again. “is won’t work. We’ll see you hanged, Corrick,” he snaps. “I’ll do it myself
—”
Rocco shoves him into a cell, and one of the Hold guards slams the gate. “Do you know who I am?” he yells. “You will all be put to death. is man
has no power any longer. He is a criminal—”
I ignore him. “Rocco,” I say urgently. “You need to go back to the palace. You need to tell Harristan what he said. e consuls can’t be trusted. I don’t know what they’re planning, but you need to go back.”
Rocco stands in front of my bars. “My orders are to keep you safe.”
I swear and hit the bars, and they rattle with an earsplitting clang. “e hell with your orders! You have to protect the king!”
“Yes, Your Highness. I will.” He looks to one of the Hold guards. “Unlock the gate.”
“What?” I whisper.
Allisander isn’t anywhere near as quiet. “What?” he demands. “What are you doing?”
e guard puts a key in the lock, and I stare at Rocco. “What are you doing?”
“Returning to the palace, as you requested, but I must take you with me.”
e lock gives, and he swings the door wide.
“You will hang for this,” Allisander says. “He is a traitor.” I’m staring at Rocco like this is a trap.
“His Majesty told me to ensure you are unharmed,” he says. “Your Highness, he never said where.”
