Khoda gave an impatient sigh. “Again, we don’t have anyone close to her, so it’s hard to say. From what we’ve observed… she jumps to easy answers, and she’s prone to underestimating people she thinks beneath her. King Surimir never would have handed you Phoenix teeth.”
“Do you think she murdered my father?” Jasimir’s voice frayed at the very edges.
This time, the truth cut straight from Khoda, unflinching. “I absolutely do. But as with your mother, there’s no proof.”
Draga straightened at the mention of her sister. “You believe she assassinated Jasindra?”
Khoda hesitated. For the first time, he seemed uncertain how to answer. “Not… directly. Only one of our agents saw the queen close-up before the king sealed her chambers and ordered her body burned. They found finger-shaped bruises on her throat. Rhusana wouldn’t have been able to overpower a former Hawk like Queen Jasindra. But…”
“Surimir could.” Tavin’s voice rang hollow.
Khoda nodded, grim. “We have no proof. However, it was no secret the king had been visiting Rhusana’s pavilion for moons—”
Khoda cut himself off as Prince Jasimir turned on a heel and walked out of the tent.
“I’ll go after him.” Fie let the Crane tooth fizzle out and tossed it aside, then caught Tavin’s hand a moment. “Can you make sure the band’s squared away?”
He brushed a quick kiss against her cheek. “Yes, chief.”
She sent a warning glare to Khoda and strode out.
Lakima was waiting outside with her three remaining Hawks, looking uneasy as they held a human barrier between the Crows and the rest of the camp, which looked even uneasier for the Crows’ presence. Wretch saw Fie and waved a thumb at the river. “His Highness went that way.”
“Thanks,” Fie called. “Tavin’s going to help you get settled. I’ll be there in a bit.”
A moment later she realized skipping through the Hawk camp by herself was not the greatest notion she’d had all moon. When she turned to Lakima, the corporal was already falling into step behind her as the other guards split off with the band. Fie raised her brows at her.
“You’re being targeted by the queen,” Lakima said blandly, even as she sized up the nearby Hawks. “Anyone could be a threat.”
“Aye,” Fie said, and knew she and Lakima both understood it didn’t take a queen’s influence for that.
They found Jasimir standing by the makeshift mammoth pen, snapping carrots in half and dumping them into a pail as one of the beasts lumbered over. Barf the tabby sat by his side, tail flicking in the grass.She’d had a shine for Jasimir since he’d saved her from a burning cart. Two Hawk guards maintained a respectful distance and a watchful eye; one held up a hand as they approached.
“It’s fine,” Jasimir said wearily. “Give us some room, please.”
Fie had found mimicking the Hawk salute only annoyed them, and so she did just that, and pretended not to relish the guards’ sour looks as she passed.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked once she was close enough to keep her voice low. The Hawks had stepped a few more paces away, but she wouldn’t risk one of them running their mouth.
“What’s there to talk about?” Jasimir threw a fistful of carrottops to the mammoth. Sunset had dyed the clouds above lily orange, turning his gold circlet to a band of clean fire cutting through his dark hair. “Everyone else knew he was a monster. I’m the only fool in the kingdom who ever thought otherwise.”
Fie watched the mammoth gleefully cram carrots into its mouth. “You thought Rhusana killed your mother. You’re probably right. What’s it matter if she made your pa do it instead of soiling her own hands?”
“Because it means some part of him wanted Mother dead,” Jasimir said, bleak. That much was true; a Swan witch could only twist desires, not create them. “And that’s—that’s myfather.He’s half of me. He’s the only king I’ve ever known. How am I supposed to believe I’ll be any better on the throne?”
“You can’t,” Fie said immediately. “‘Better’ isn’t what you think you are. Better is what youdo.” The mammoth huffed their way, and she threw it another carrottop. “Your father was a monster, aye. But I’d rather either of his sons sit on the throne than anyone else. And Tavin’s spoken for, so that leaves you to take the crown.”
They didn’t speak for a moment, though true silence was thwarted by the rush of the Vine and the clamor of soldiers sparring, mending armor, and throwing gambling shells in the camp at their backs. The mammoth finished its supply of carrottops and pressed closer to the fence, snuffling about the grass for any it might have missed.
“I really thought—” Jas cut himself off as his voice cracked, then cleared his throat and tried again. “I told you I wanted to save him.”
“Aye,” Fie said cautiously.
Jas’s knuckles paled as he gripped the fence. “I thought I could change him. I thought—I thought I could save him—”
Fury and despair shattered over his face. His foot crashed into the pail. It sailed into the mammoth pen, scattering carrot bits into the grass. The mammoth jerked its head back with awhuff, steel charms tinkling on its tusks as the Hawk guards glanced briefly over their shoulders to make sure the only victims were the vegetables. Barf, for her part, simply stopped washing a paw and leapt up on the fence to rub her face on Jasimir’s arm.
“I couldn’t even save my ownmotherfrom him!” Jasimir hissed. “I knew I’d been living with a murderer for the last six years. I didn’t know I’d been living withtwo.”
