The prince looked back at me with a slightly weary expression, then escorted Catalaya back into the palace.
“She’s working him like it’s her job,” I muttered.
“She’s got a yearning for him and the money to back it up. Itisher job. I’m going back.”
“Want me to walk you out?”
“Sure. You can use your fancy badge if anyone tries to stop us.”
I doubted anyone would. I was becoming a fixture in the palace, which wasn’t something I was comfortable admitting. But as we walked toward the palace door, Galen stopped us.
“May I have a word?”
“With me?” I asked.
He nodded and moved a few strides away.
“This should be interesting,” I murmured to Wren. “Wait here.”
I followed him to the edge of the courtyard, where a lilac bush scented the air with heady flowers.
His expression was grave. “Be careful of Catalaya.”
I stared at him. “What?”
“Be careful of her, Fox. Her goal is to get what she wants, even if it hurts him. I’m not sure what you want, but you won’t hurt anyone to get it.”
I wondered how much it cost him to admit that, but at least he’d also managed to question my motivations. Good for him.
“The prince doesn’t trust her,” I said.
He glanced around, ensuring that he could speak safely. “Princes are trained to take what they want directly—usually by force. The daughter of an aristocrat doesn’t have that kind of power. So, to get what she wants, she has to be clever. Sly. She’s known to be…a planner.”
“A planner?”
“Has always taken steps to win without much care for how it impacted anyone else. His Highness is one of the things she’s planned for. You and the prince are friendly, and she won’t like that.”
“Foxes are sly.”
“And she has money, connections. You’re poor.” He said it like it was a character flaw. “But…” he added, which kept me from simply walking away.
“But?”
“He fell asleep with you. In the carriage,” he added at my obvious confusion.
“On the way back from Vhrania?”
He nodded. “Sleep is difficult for him. He only sleeps a few hours a night, and he never falls asleep around other people.”
We never knew what work the Lady might send us out to do, or when. We usually came home exhausted, so sleeping usually came easy. “Why is that? Did something happen?”
“He told you he was in the Eastern Army?”
I nodded.
“He was stationed near the border with Illarnin. There were rumors about mercenaries causing trouble, so he led a unit into the mountains for reconnaissance. They found nothing. On the return trip, they slept in shifts. While he was sleeping, they were ambushed. Two of his people were killed before he woke up. That affected him. Deeply.”
It would have. He saw himself as a protector of those who couldn’t protect themselves.
