Sofie sits next to her, pulling a chair close. “Tell us what happened.”
I pointedly take a seat directly across from Agnata—I know she’s been through a lot, but I’m not going to baby her. Katrine, meanwhile, putters over to the stove to warm the remainder of the clam soup and the heel of a loaf of rye. Tandsmør nips at her heels, eager for whatever she might share.
“The king’s guard held me and questioned me,” she says, turning to Sofie. “Then your father came in and questioned me. And then they questioned me together.”
Somehow, with all that buildup, I was expecting something a little more descriptive. Sofie and Will must think so too, as they exchange a look.
“What did you tell them?” Sofie goads gently.
“Nothing about this! And I didn’t know what happened in the chambers. Only that the king was dead.” She pauses, her voice breaking. “I told them that I saw you covered with blood and relayed your story, Sofie, but then youdisappeared and I told them I didn’t know a thing about that...”
“Good. I was frantic, but I didn’t want you to know when I left the castle,” Sofie concedes, grappling at her friend’s hand. “It was bad enough that you knew where I’d go.”
Agnata nods. “I didn’t tell them about this place, I swear. I didn’t tell them anything.”
“And that was enough that they let you go?” I say, slightly incredulous—the guards in the sea kingdom would do no such thing, even the youngest of them. Even Calder. Yet Agnata confirms it.
Wiping his brow, Will interjects. “What about Phillip? Did they question him?”
“He left—went back with his family to Copenhagen. He’s out. I don’t know any more than that. I took my first chance to leave and then ran.”
Will nods. From what he’s told me, Phillip isn’t a wizard, simply someone with an interest in stopping the war any way he could. He knew there were more players, but not the magical realities of the other members. Though we are one weaker, it’s probably best he’s gone.
Sofie leans in. “Did they ask after Will? Do they think he’s part of this?”
Agnata shakes her head, emphatic. “They didn’t ask after you once.”
Will frowns. “Really? No one noticed I didn’t returnwith the guards in my search party?”
Again, she shakes her head, just enough water left in it to pepper the floorboards. “They may have realized it by now, but to be honest, from the cell where they had me, I could see the line of motorcars backed up down the drive. Every guest left as soon as their bags were ready. They don’t have the best tally of people right now.”
Chaos—exactly what we want to take advantage of.
“So, whatdothey think happened?” I ask.
“They didn’t believe Sofie’s story—running away didn’t help your cause—and now they think you two are working with each other,” she says pointing to me and Sofie. “And the other girl, too.” Agnata doesn’t inspect me for my missing piece like Sofie did hours earlier; instead she simply cocks a brow. “She didn’t make it here?”
Will answers for me. “No, she didn’t.”
Our expressions tell the rest of the story.
“What about Father? He thinks I could be involved?” Sofie shakes her head. “It’s just like him to toss me to the wolves as quickly as he was ready to marry me off. Anything to seal that damn deal.”
Agnata pipes up. “I’m sorry. It’s true. Your father is still going through with the sale. The queen mother approved it from her mourning chambers. He’s meeting with the king’s head councilman tomorrow morning—Nielsen. They expect the boats to be finished and ready for inspection within two days, and the sale will go throughimmediately after they’re inspected as sound. They’ll be in the water within minutes of the money exchanging hands.”
At least this confirms it: the deal isn’t dead and buried with the king.
Around the table, everyone is silent, still. Pensive.
None of us need to say it. We’re all thinking the same thing.
We have two days. We must get to work.
22
Evie
WAR WILL BE COMING IN DAYS, IF NOT HOURS.
