The prince uncrossed his legs and sat up, took the paper, and snapped the seal. He read it in an instant. There was a flash of alarm and a small shake of his head.
“What is it?”
“Gryffin. He’s hurt himself and Sanj is focused on those injured in the market attack, so I’ll go myself.”
“You’re sure the note is from him?”
“It’s his handwriting,” he said with a smile, but he shoved the note into his pocket.
“You don’t want a second opinion?” I asked.
“I appreciate your very suspicious mind,” he said. “But everything is fine.”
“I could go with you…”
“Fox,” he said kindly. “It’s fine. I know you want to stay close to Wren. But I’ll take Galen, if that makes you feel better.”
I glanced at Galen. His expression was dry.
“It’s a start. But take soldiers with you, just in case.”
He looked at me for a moment. “All right.” He nodded at Galen. “Make those arrangements. I’ll change, and meet you in the stables.”
Galen nodded, then glanced at me. “Keep an eye on Wren.”
“I will.”
I ran to the front of the palace and stood in the doorway so I could see the front gate. The prince rode Grim with the bearing I fully expected from a Lys’Careth. Dangerous, handsome, arrogant. He looked every bit in control. Every bit as devastating and deadly as the power he wielded.
Galen and two other soldiers were on horses behind him. Hewas with people he trusted, and there was no specific reason why I should worry.
But something still bothered me. His uncle had spent his life traveling the world on his own. He didn’t seem like the type to suddenly ask his nephew for help. And if he hadn’t sent it, who had?
Gryffin had said he was staying in a house in the foothills; few would know he was there. But people talked, and it was possible word had spread that his uncle was visiting, and that the information had reached someone who wanted to lure the prince out. The Aetheric practitioner was the only person I knew who’d want to do that. But why in the gods’ names would the prince have agreed to meet him?
A horrible thought occurred to me.
But I had to see the note to be sure.
I went back to his room, my stomach tight with nerves. When I reached the door, I held up the square of silver to the waiting guards. I wasn’t sure if they’d stop me—this room was supposed to be off-limits, after all. But they’d seen me in here before and made no effort to keep me out. I walked inside.
The coat he’d worn was now over a chair. I walked to it and searched—thoroughly—for the note. Not there. He might have taken it with him. Maybe there’d been directions or instructions for a meeting spot.
I glanced around. It was warmer in here than it had been last night; someone had lit the fire.
He hadn’t wanted me to read the note. Hadn’t offered it. Had stuck it into his pocket. What else did a person do with a note he didn’t want anyone else to read?
I walked to the hearth, crouched in front of it. And at the edge I saw a sliver of paper, blackened and ragged at the edges. I grabbed the poker, pulled it carefully away from the flames,and turned it right side ’round. It was the left edge of the note, and only a few words from the ends of phrases were visible.
Fox.
Flowers.
alone.
I didn’t need the rest of the words to understand what they meant, and not just because I’d seen the sudden alarm in his eyes when he’d read it. The note wasn’t from his uncle…but his enemy. The Aetheric practitioner was using me to threaten the prince. Maybe he promised to tell the Emperor Eternal about my skills if he didn’t get what he wanted.
And what would he want? Money? Weapons? Soldiers? Maybe just freedom—an end to the hunt.
