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“No. That cannot be. The first attempt was on my father’s life. Then, he dies. It could not be a coincidence.”
“Did you find out how he died?”
“Poison. There was a tiny little dart on his arm. It was one of those that could get its target every time.”
“Every time?” I frowned. How could that be? What kind of dart never failed? What kind of weapon could weave its way through a large crowd? “Are you sure it is not one of those who hugged him?”
“I thought of that,” he said. Of course, he did. He was more focused than I was. “However, the dart turned green when doused in spelled water. Zarina sent the dart to Aruna.
“Are you telling me that your father was killed by a witch?”
“Yes,” he said glumly.
“If that is the case, how can you trust Aruna and Zarina?”
“Aside from their loyalty to my mother and then my father after her death, Seers have never been violent. They do not need anything from Prozeus. Prozeus had taken from the Seers’ Village but never the other way around. Whoever sent the dart was angry or needed something from us.”
“Mm. You said you have no enemies, Metheus.”
“Not that I know of.”
“Could it b-be the Ninurta?” I felt silly right after I said the words.
“Of course not,” he snapped. He had never spoken unkindly to me after we had married. My hand flew to my chest. “The Ninurta would have annihilated us if he wanted to. He would not resort to poisoned darts.”
“So, you are sending me back home. When?”
“Tomorrow.”
#
I looked back at the letters that I had sent home. They talked about how beautiful Arrowspear was. I had never talked about how I had become intimate with my husband. I thought it did not make sense to keep their hopes up. My menses came every month. I would be going home without a babe in my belly.
Francilia and Rowali wore long faces, mirroring my own. They had their trunks ready. We would be sent off with four men and Rowali’s nurse. Unfortunately, we could not bring her tutor, who had young children of her own. I vowed to get my new sister a tutor. I could not trust myself to do it well for her.
The walk through the palace halls felt infinitely slow. I never was the sort to drag my feet, always running towards where Metheus was or excitedly talking with Rowali and Francilia. That day, I noticed everything. The palace walls were carved with Prozeus’ history throughout the centuries. Stories that I would want to know more about. I had never felt the urge to open a book and read about a place’s history. Until now. Until it meant staying in the palace’s library, probably eliciting laughter from my husband. He would wonder why I got lost, why hadn’t I found someone to talk to? Why wasn’t I bothering the cook or walking along the fields?
In that frame of mind, I noticed the somber faces of both royals and peasants ambling through the courtyard. Even they did not look like they had a purpose or a destination. One man stood out. He was walking shiftily, eyes darting toward me. His hand clutched at his arm. I knew this man!
It was the man I had burned in Mogochislenia! What was he doing here?
“Who is that man, Rowali?”
“Who?”
“The man with the burned hand!”
“Oh, I think that is Cesar. He is from Mogochislenia. He stayed here for a while. Then, his master found a place to live.”
“Mogochislenia? Do you know about this, Francilia? Have you seen him around?”
“N-no!” My lady-in-waiting had gone pale. I believed her. She had also looked like she had seen a ghost. She must have seen Cesar at about the same time as I did.
“We need to tell Metheus,” I begged one of the men assisting us.
“His Majesty knows about the man called Cesar,” one of the men assured me.
They were no longer listening. When I tried to bolt, it was Francilia who held my arm.
“Your Majesty, we must go. Think of Rowali. King Metheus can take care of himself,” she said firmly.
Somehow, I believed her. It did not stop me from wanting to protect Metheus, my husband. I relented. Soon, we were at sea, but I stayed for as long as I could on the main deck, watching Arrowspear disappear into the horizon.
