Page 123 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“Fine, fine. queen Cora is a distant second cousin of mine, her fourth son, prince Otis and I, we are close.”

“Inner court information?” she asked, worry blurring around her posture.

He hesitated again and she moved the sword closer to his neck. “Yes, yes! Mostly and especially that.”

“My aunt is married to their second son, why is he in need of you when he has eyes there?”

“The second son and her were banished to Whitebridge island after an argument among the court regarding this, they have not set foot in Theros for about a year now maybe.”

“I’ve never known Magnus and Cora for petty. Greedy yes, but to find slight in just an agreement, never. Afterall they didn’t even draw a breath of objection when they let my father marry my mother and slay my kin. I doubt my marriage has any play, so tell me, what does?”

He shook his head. “Their court has been stirring for a while now because of Silas, before the agreement, everyone except Cora and Magnus do not seem to know the why.”

“And what do you think?”

“Well, it could be anything.” The lord shrugged unsurely, yet full of knowing. “From the mistreatment of your aunt to hefty pricing Solarya has on products, the dart could land anywhere on the board, but I’d say your father has something they want.”

“Why?”

He pushed her sword with a finger, leaning in the table almost whispering, “Solarya has sent patrols further down Seer sea and is striking down on Isjordian troops. You surely are aware the vandals are no vandals, but mercenaries. Do you know how much gold those beasts feed on to do your bidding? Only a king could feed their bellies. Simple, they are looking to keep your father under control.”

Was he instigating the sun rulers had send the mercenaries themselves?

“Proceed,” she ordered calmly, leaning back.

“Your father sends two of my ships to Vrammethen a week, but about five or six moons ago they came and went back with no goods but with soldiers, few of them had brought back ivory around their necks and wrists.”

She narrowed her gold irises, immediately grasping his point. “Seraphim.”

“Correct, they’d gone to the fallen kingdom. Otis informs me that the Sun court had dispatched a general to Seraphim about the same time as your father, that is where Malena got two of her ships lost to Solarya, caught right between the Seer channel.”

“What is in Seraphim?”

“Nothing,” I interrupted. “Monks, ruins, wild life, nothing worth of any interest.”

“Scarlett Aura? Are there still fire wilders there?” Caiden asked.

“Few—few that will not use their magic, they have sworn to it after their fall,” I answered.

Seraphim had fallen more than four centuries ago, one of the first blessed kingdoms to have perished. Again because of a greedy ruler, this time their own. Their eager for more had not been for riches and power, but for the undoable, the heavens. First king to dare reach and search for them, to take seat amongst gods. Adan, god of fire, had sent one of his guardians to burn the lands he had graced with his blessings.

The lord shook a finger between us. “You both are missing my point. There is something two kingdoms are after on that island.”

“Gold?” Mal asked.

The lord shrugged. “Could possibly.”

Snow scoffed in disapproval. “No, it’s too pathetic for my father to look for it, we all know his motto.”

“Gold comes to us,” Caiden answered.

“Who would know better about this?” the princess asked, looking run out on patience.

“The mercenaries, of course.”

Snow turned to me, almost asking for confirmation and I gave her a nod, the man was being truthful.

“You are suggesting a princess to chase criminals without her father’s permission?” Mal sternly called out the lord.