Page 58 of Of Glass and of Gold

“Of course, I already went to look into the issue. I confronted the treasurer, and, well…”

“Speak plainly,” I growled, my impatience thickening the tension between us.

“The treasurer claims he attempted to bring up the issue months ago, but that may have been the day I grew frustrated over the fund allotments you’d decided upon, and in my haste and irritation, apparently I’d snapped at him, claiming nothing should change.

“My childish outburst over not getting my way translated into a miscommunication between myself and the treasurer, to which he thought I was aware and compliant, and he did not pry further. That is why none of these discrepancies were brought to my attention. I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness.” His lips trembled, and he bowed before me.

I recollected the day he spoke of. He’d been trying to change my mind regarding the funds to the lower village in an attempt to try and offset some of the sinking businesses that wouldn’t survive another season. That was when Mira had been here, at a time when I naively thought she would bless this kingdom and solve all my problems. Before she was stolen away by that creature. Before her blessing had been broken.

My anger tore me in two different directions. I understood his explanation. It seemed rather reasonable, in fact. An admittance of human flaws. I’d never played my role as one to dole out punishments for not being blindly followed as my father had.

Ricks hadn’t agreed with me that day, but my say was final, and he had every right to be peeved about it. But suspecting there was a person, or persons, playing their own game within castle walls brought up the question of loyalty. Could he be playing against my good nature by fabricating a story that made it seem like a simple mistake? Or had the mistake been mine by ruling without instilling fear among my court.

He remained bowed in front of me, and I caught the tremble of his quaking knees. His old age started wearing out his body. My father would have made him hold the position until he collapsed, or simply sent him to the dungeons.

I was not, and would never be, my father. My mother’s heart in my chest wouldn’t allow it.

“Rise,” I whispered, heavy with defeat. It didn’t feel right to punish him. Not based on what I’d heard today. Maybe I just didn’t have what it takes to be the king Highcrest needed.

Ricks caught his stumbling rise on the edge of my desk and set himself upright. A sheen of sweat donned his forehead. So feeble a man couldn’t harbor a great level of deceit in his bones…could he? He removed a handkerchief from his chest pocket and dabbed along his brow.

“Also, Your Highness, the prisoner brought in for conspiracy of murder succumbed to his injuries, the healer confirmed it this morning.”

“What?” A steady beat drummed in my ears, drowning out Ricks’ ramblings on the subject. I’d wanted to question Heathson again, but with my business with Ella and gathering intel from Marco, I hadn’t made the time.

I slumped back in my chair. It felt like my head was being held under water. No matter how much I struggled against it, I could feel myself drowning, desperate for air, but finding none.

Ignoring what Ricks was saying, I ordered, “Retrieve the two guardsmen responsible for his capture and bring them to me with several of the on-duty royal escort.”

Ricks nodded, resting the stack of papers on my desk before swiftly heeding my command.

Exacting punishment on Ricks hadn’t seemed right, and instead of considering that my rising emotions could be clouding my judgment, I focused on how right it felt to bestow consequences for beating an elderly man so mercilessly that he died from it.

29

Nora

Wind howled through the rustling trees behind me as I peered over the village. The moonlight created silver slashes in the water, constantly bending from the restless sea. My bottom half chilled from the cold ground, and my upper half from the breeze. I’d been here for an hour and seriously considered going home. I had a bed and warm blankets beckoning from just a few blocks away.

“Been waiting long?”

I jolted, scrambling to my feet as my heart plummeted into my stomach. Chol’s lighthearted chuckle made me want to use the dagger already clutched in my palm.

“You scared me!” I growled, my words seething from the scare.

“You should be more aware of your surroundings. There’s dangerous people out here, you know.” His smooth cadence caressed me like silk, but his teasing reprimand had me squeezing the pommel.

“I’ve been waiting for an hour,” I snapped, rather than trying to defend myself that the wind and trees muted his steps I would have otherwise been paying attention for.

“Sorry, sometimes it’s hard for me to get away.” Any cheeriness faded, and his posture turned rigid. I stopped myself from asking what was wrong, curious to know what stress he so obviously carried.

Anonymity, I reminded myself. Finally lowering the dagger, I sheathed it back on my hip. “I have news.” This time, I took it upon myself to add a little lightheartedness to our exchange, probably in an attempt to help ease him out of whatever gripped him. For some reason, I cared.

“Oh yeah?” He remained stiff.

“You’d mentioned that boy, Clemmons Braht, disappeared during the day, changing the pattern of the attackers.”

He hummed his confirmation.

---