Page 127 of Settle Down, Princess

“Last time was a mistake,” Selene admitted.

“Don’t I know it.” Desiree’s brows drew down. “We had young Roderick’s mother wailing at the kitchen door for days after what was done to her son. I won’t be party to any more attempts on the king’s life, Selene Corvus, no matter what you have to say about the matter.”

“The last attempt on the king’s life was a feint by my father,” Selene replied in a low voice. “‘Young Roderick’ was hocked up to the eyeballs when my father let him keep running up gambling debts in one of his halls. He knew he was going to die, one way or the other, and figured striking back at a despotic king might make him a martyr rather than a murder victim. His mother knew this and decided to direct her ire at the castle, fearing to point the finger at the true originator of the threat.”

“So what does the Raven want now?” Desiree’s hands went to her hips. “I don’t step foot in any of the Guild-owned places, won’t even allow my Bill to drink at the local ale house. He has to ride three blocks over to that backyard still the Harrisons run.”

“Which my father has a controlling interest in as well.” Selene shot her a long look. “The Raven is everywhere.”

“So he can do his own dirty work then.”

I stared at Desiree, took in her stance and her determined expression and wondered where the hell Selene was going with this.

“That’s not how my father works and you know it.” Selene’s tone was always mild, barely rising to the level just beyond a murmur. Her green eyes remained fixed on the crowd, scanning, scanning, but not really seeing until she glanced at Desiree. One perfectly formed eyebrow rose. “He got you the job in the kitchens.”

“One I didn’t ask for,” Desiree snapped. “That was Roan, all Roan.”

“Roan?” I took in the red hair anew. It wasn’t a common hair colouring, but it was also not especially rare. “You know Roan?”

“You know Roan?” Desiree repeated back, though the emphasis was completely different. “Oh goddess…” All the tension bled from her body as she turned to face the two of us head on. “What the hell has my brother got me into now?”

Chapter 74

Silas

I fucking hated everything about this.

We’d finished the meeting between the rebellious border lords and my father, the way forward becoming clear. All of us would work together to ensure an ‘accident’ happened to the king, clearing the way for Arik to take the throne and bring order to the city.

Just not as quickly as the lords thought.

My father had discussed a hunting trip. It wasn’t something that Magnus liked to do, only deigning to join a royal hunt when his quarry was brought before him, kept tightly lashed in place by his huntsman—the stag or the boar drowsy with drugs that had been shot into the animal—before he would deliver the killing blow to the cheers of everyone gathered. Magnus’ ego was one thing though and that was fragile. The Duke of Fallspire’s proposal of challenging the king in open court would force Magnus to accept his offer of leading the hunt.

And the stupid lordlings thought that’s when the accident would happen.

We would all accept the king’s death if the attempt was pulled off, but it wasn’t likely. The king knew how vulnerable he was to attack and had a team that inspected his tack and saddle meticulously. Father had several of them in his pocket and could put pressure on them to overlook things, but still. Wheels within wheels, always with my father, which is what brought us here.

“Poisoning,” Father announced, now that it was just me sitting in his office.

The others had been offered drink and women to pass the time, but Roan and Arik stared at Father blankly. The idea of staying true to one woman—all four of us doing that—was so far beyond my father’s comprehension that there was no explaining this to him. Instead they’d just filed back to the rooms we were sharing within Guild headquarters, while I was brought here.

“Again, Father?” I rolled my eyes. “Your ham-fisted attempts at that before have made it clear that route is not possible.”

“When have you known me to do anything without purpose?”

That sharp look, that idle smile, made clear what I always remembered when I was within these walls, but quickly forgot once outside of them. Most people were ruled by random urges dictated by their personality or the environment around them, but not my father. His control was almost inhuman. He bared his teeth as I had this realisation.

“I have created an environment of both paranoia about being poisoned and forced the king to take great measures to ensure he never is so affected again.” Father reached over and selected a cigar from an ornately carved box that smelled sweetly of the matured tobacco. He tamped the end on the desk. “He’s built walls of tasters and testers around him and sacrificed stupid kitchen boys on a pyre to satisfy his need for revenge. Magnus imagines himself safe, sure that all the measures he has now taken will prevent anyone from daring to poison him again.”

“You’ve lulled him into a false sense of security.” My mind raced. “You own at least half of his tasters, his kitchen staff.” Father shot me a measuring look as he reached over and cut the end of his cigar off. I watched the tip roll free, then shook my head. “You’ve forced him to trust the very people that…”

My heart beat too hard, too fast, because it was then I felt it. Relief that this was all finally coming to an end, then fury—

“Why now?” I jerked myself to my feet, which was my first mistake. One did not stand in the Raven of Khean’s presence, not without his leave. “Why now, Father? Why not when we brought Princess Tiana or Rochelle or…” My throat closed up, able to see each one of the princesses we had brought here. “Why not when Magnus killed Ariel?”

“The boy was too green then. He would’ve made a terrible king. Impetuous enough to tackle me head on. Stupid enough to make a bloody mess of it.” Father lit the cigar, sucking on it until the tip began to glow red, then exhaling smoke like some kind of malignant dragon. “Stupid enough that I’d be forced to kill him and then where would we be? I told the old king he needed to have more children and not with that damn whoring bitch of a queen he married, but he didn’t listen…”

He shook his head.

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