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“What in God’s name is going on here, Vikhrov?” Ivor Lobe added his shouting to everyone else’s.
“I’d like to know the same thing,” Jorgen said to Magnus.
“I do not take these accusations of treason lightly,” Kendrick said, stepping away from his wife and moving to stand toe-to-toe with Lord Vikhrov…which looked a bit silly considering the difference in their heights. “How dare you bandy these sorts of things about without foundation or evidence.”
“We have more than enough evidence of the Arzumanyan family’s treachery to strop you of your titles and possessions,” Lord Vikhrov said. He glanced to Ivor Lobe and said, “A spy was captured in Hedeon. He was in the direct employ of King Julius, and he had a book with the names of other spies in his possession.”
“Outrageous!” Kendrick growled. “What sort of fantasy is this? I demand that Vikhrov Hakobyan be removed from office as head of the Council of Good Port at once.”
My brow flew up.
“That was quick,” Hayk said, crossing his arms and watching the unfolding scene as though it were being performed on a stage.
He wasn’t the only one with that thought.
“That’s exactly what you want, isn’t it?” Lefric said rushing toward the man. “You want there to be another election, because you’ve been working for the last two years to undermine the fortunes of the Hakobyan family, and probably the Lobe family too.” He glanced to Ivor, then back to Kendrick. “You were responsible for Gregorius and the money he embezzled from Olympus, or, at least your family was, and I bet that if Ivor Lobe were to have his family’s books audited, he would find discrepancies as well. It all makes perfect sense now.”
“What is this lunatic on about?” Kendrick shouted. I noticed his face and neck were growing redder and redder, though. Zendaya inched toward the open gate as he spoke. That alone was enough of a sign that both of them knew they’d been foiled to prove everything.
“Show Lobe your pretty little pendant, Zendaya,” Olympus said, frowning at his sister. “Show him what you’ve been wearing as a symbol of your loyalty to King Julius. It’s the same symbol that was found in Gregorius’s house, among Eneko’s belongings, and on the person of the spy who was caught in Hedeon. It is the sigil of King Julius’s family and a sign among those who are loyal to the Old Realm and wish to bring the new kingdoms of the frontier down.”
“You can’t prove anything,” Zendaya said, clutching at the pendant under her bodice, like she had earlier.
“We can and we will,” Olympus said. “Will you still be protesting your loyalty when we bring Jasur Jamshid in for questioning in this matter?”
“He’s already been apprehended trying to escape up the Kostya River,” Lord Vikhrov’s son, Demeter, said.
Everything went suddenly still and quiet. The news came as a surprise to even Lord Vikhrov and Magnus.
“I was just informed,” Demeter said. “He confessed to murdering Eneko and to him and Eneko murdering Gregorius. He’s being held at East Harbor Prison, and he says he will confess to more in exchange for immunity.”
Hayk grabbed my arm tightly, though his eyes remained fixed on the confrontation at the gate. I was certain I heard Billie squeal as well. They knew all of the players in the drama much better than I did. For them, it was like the climax of the drama.
“This means nothing,” Kendrick stammered, behaving more and more as if he were guilty. “You would trust the word of a servant over me?”
“King Julius will protect us!” Zendaya shouted, blowing the whole thing up before all of our eyes. “We are his loyal subjects, and he will protect us.” She stood taller and went on with, “The rightful king is sending his armies to take back the frontier. He will reward his loyal subjects, and the rest of you will be punished as traitors.”
“That army is not coming,” I shouted.
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I flinched at the way I’d blurted them. What kind of an idiot got involved in this sort of a mess? I didn’t owe anything to these people. I didn’t even know the names of all the players in the game.
But as everyone turned to face me, eyes wide, expectation crackling in the air like heat lightning, I knew I had to go on.
“The army that King Julius sent to reconquer the frontier has abandoned his cause,” I said, speaking loudly and as if I had authority. “General Rufus took one look at the bounty of the frontier and the new kingdoms that are being carved from it and decided he would rather be a king himself than serve a remote king on the other side of the mountains who cannot even keep his own realm in one piece.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but everyone grew quieter. I had the full attention of kings and leaders, wealthy men and servants alike.
I swallowed hard, feeling like I might be sick. It was too late to back out of telling everything now. I turned slowly to look at Magnus. He stared back at me with a look of angry astonishment. I just hoped it wasn’t me he was angry with.
“It’s true,” I said, losing some of my bravado. “That was the secret Dmitri was keeping. General Rufus has turned traitor himself. He’s been recruiting wolves to form his own kingdom, not another army.”
“This is preposterous,” Kendrick insisted, but his movements were twitchy and awkward. “General Rufus is one of the king’s most trusted aides. He would never betray our liege.”
“What else do you know?” Magnus asked me, ignoring everyone else. He marched up the side of the hill toward me, Peter and Neil following with him. “What other secrets has Dmitri been keeping.”
Leave it to Magnus to know there was more.
In fact, the way he looked at me was a dead giveaway that Magnusdidknow more. Magnus probably already knew everything. That was just what Magnus did.
