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“And be careful,” Clare added. “Grandeur is a dangerous enemy.”
“I will take care,” Latif assured her. “And I’ll work as quickly as I can to bring you news. But I must ask . . . why do you think the prince may have struck out at you in such a horrific way?”
Bennick’s breathing thinned. He wasn’t looking at her, but she knew he was listening closely for her answer. This was a question he hadn’t asked, but he’d clearly wondered.
She exhaled slowly, her eyes on Latif. “I told you about my brother, Eliot.”
“Yes. He was a rebel, but he was killed.” The man frowned. “Why would Prince Grandeur retaliate against you for your brother’s crimes, if the king himself did not?”
“There’s a possibility Grandeur did this on the king’s orders,” Clare said. “However . . .” She glanced at Bennick. His expression was carefully neutral, but his gaze was intent as he waited for her answer. “Before I left Iden,” she said, “Prince Grandeur asked me to spy on Princess Serene.”
Bennick stopped breathing. He hadn’t known that.
Latif’s eyes widened.
“I refused him,” Clare quickly lied to both men. There was no way to detail the truth without revealing Serene’s secrets, but it was important for Latif to know something of her history with Grandeur. “He considered this a betrayal, and he has not forgiven me. I believe his anger has only festered. The last time I saw him was during our travels to Mortise. He was upset with me still—worse than before. You must avoid him at all costs. Do not attempt to approach him or question him. I don’t think he would hesitate to kill you.”
“I will guard myself,” Latif assured her. “And I will learn the truth of what happened to your brothers and their caretaker. You have my word.”
There wasn’t much more to say after that.
When they all stood, Clare took Latif’s hand and squeezed. “Thank you.”
Bennick handed Latif a pouch filled with coins. Serene had given it to Clare yesterday, before the princess had left for Zennor. It wasn’t the only thing Serene had left her with, but it was the thing that had made Clare’s eyes burn. “Thank you,” she’d managed to say.
The princess’s lips had pressed into a line. “I hope he finds the truth so you can find peace. Or vengeance.”
Peace or vengeance. It would be her mantra. She prayed it would keep her grounded until she could learn the truth.
“What weapons are you most comfortable with?” Bennick asked Latif.
“Daggers,” the Mortisian man said at once.
“I have some in my room you can take.” Bennick glanced at Clare. “I’ll help Latif on his way. Venn is just outside.”
Clare nodded, watching as the two men left.
Once she was alone, she moved to the balcony, walking until she reached the railing. She set both palms against the smooth stone, warm from the morning sun, and looked out at the rippling sea.
Strange, to think Venn and Vera had returned only three days ago, and yet Serene had already left for Zennor. She’d taken Cardon and Wilf with her, and Clare already missed them. Bridget, Serene’s head maid, was still fuming that Serene had left her behind, but the princess didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention, and she had insisted Bridget needed to remain with Clare. This was partly because Bridget was one of Serene’s rebels, and Serene was adamant that Clare have her assistance. Especially because Serene hadn’t had a chance to speak with James, one of the rebellion’s top leaders, before she’d left. Clare had been entrusted with a letter to him, and Bridget was under orders to help make sure Clare could get it to James whenever he was able to make contact.
Serene had spent half the night sitting with Clare, discussing what her role in Duvan should be, and which nobles in Desfan’s court Serene had most recently had conversations with. Clare’s stomach danced with nerves if she thought too long about the fact that she was slipping into Serene’s shoes once more. She hadn’t fully pretended to be the princess since Bennick had rescued her. She hoped her old skills would return, because she could not fail. Too much hung in the balance.
Having Vera back was a huge relief, though. Clare had missed her friend desperately, and she’d been so worried about her. They’d spent hours talking, crying, and smiling together as they’d exchanged every detail of their stories. Vera shared all about her reconciliation with Venn, and though she’d blushed a great deal, her smile had only grown. The two were firmly in love, and Clare doubted anything could come between them now. Vera also told Clare about the Holm children she’d mothered for weeks. Her love for those children was evident, as was her pain from missing them. Clare knew that pang of loss and longing, because she’d felt the same when she’d had to leave her brothers in Devendra.
Still standing on the balcony, Clare slipped a hand into her pocket and withdrew a mangled piece of tin. The toy soldier Mark had given her when she’d left Iden so long ago had been thrown into a fire by Salim and melted into an unrecognizable mess. The crumpled metal easily fit in the palm of her hand. She hated the fact that her brothers might have been thrown into a fire as well because of her actions. Fates, how would she ever live with herself?
She hadn’t conducted any last rites or memorials for Thomas and Mark. She couldn’t—not until she knew why they’d died. Until she knew the truth, she wouldn’t be able to put them to rest.
Soon enough, she would know. Then she could find her peace with the fates, or seek vengeance against Grandeur.
The sea air lifted the loose strands of hair around her face. She drew in a deep, bracing breath, then let it out slowly. She slipped the melted tin soldier back into her pocket.
She didn’t know how long she stood there, but it must have been a while, because Bennick returned. She knew it was him who stepped lightly onto the balcony behind her, because her body suddenly hummed. His scent of leather and spice surrounded her, and then his hand touched the small of her back as he came to stand beside her.
He said nothing for a long moment, just stared at the sea with her. “Why didn’t you tell me about Grandeur?” he asked softly.
“I didn’t see a reason. There was nothing you could have done.”
