Page 102 of Kingdom of Crowns and Daggers

Something Alyx and Joha talked about yesterday bugged me. I know Joha suspects Queen Mother killed his father, but how did she get away with it? No matter how well she covered it up, he was sick, and as king, he had to be seen. It just so happens the royal healer at that time, someone I thought was a loyal friend to the king, resigned and left after his death. Everyone thought it was due to grief, since they were like brothers and best friends since childhood, but what if it wasn’t because of that?

What if he knew something and was running?

Hence the sword. I need answers, and I grew tired of asking nicely.

“Let me ask one more time. You were his apprentice. You knew him better than anyone. Where did Healer Arbella go?” The man swallows hard. He was young when he was taken on and taught by the best healer in the kingdom for years. They had grown close, and then he was abandoned, just like that, but he is loyal to his old mentor even now.

“Why are you seeking him now? Leave him in peace,” he sneers, defiant even in the face of death.

“It is for the king,” I reply. This man owes him loyalty. He could warn the healer we are coming, but I have no choice. I need answers. “About his father.”

His eyes narrow, searching mine. “He finally wants answers? He has finally taken away their bindings,” he muses with a laugh. “Fine, you might not like the answers you get though. Master left years ago for a reason. He is hiding deep within Tundra Province, in a little village between the mountains called Fireheart.”

There is only one reason someone as high up as Arbella would hide, and that’s to escape someone’s clutches. Fireheart is a small village, but it lies deep within the Tundra Mountains and is nearly impossible to get to. Those who live there are poor yet happy and survive on the land.

He went there to hide, which means I’m right.

Removing my sword, I lean down and hand over a stack of coins. “For your trouble.”

I’m about to fade into the shadows when the young man’s voice rings out again. “Prepare yourself, guard dog. If you dig into this, you might end up the same as the old king.” I turn back to demand to know what he means, but he is gone, departed into the night along with his secrets.

“No,” Joha states. “Fireheart is at least a three days’ ride from here, and that is a hard ride at best. You told me that yourself. It’s too dangerous. What if he knows nothing?”

Sitting back heavily in my wooden chair, I meet Joha’s worried eyes. “Joha.” I cover his hand on the table. “I will be fine. I am more worried about you?—”

“I’m coming too,” Alyx says, and my head jerks around. She has one knee pressed to her chest, her other on the floor, wearing leather breeches and a loose shirt. Crux is in the other chair at the table in her rooms, cards spread before them since they were playing before I barged in.

“No!” we all protest at the same time.

Her eyebrow rises as she glances from her cards to us. “Yes. I’m perfectly healed now?—”

“You were dying,” Joha snaps.

“And now I’m not,” she argues. “You are right. Orion cannot go alone. If they find out where he’s going and why, they will hunt him down. He needs someone to watch his back, someone who can ride hard and fast and go undetected. That is me.”

“Or me,” Crux reminds her.

“No, you need to stay to protect the king. You’re the best—well, other than me. I’m still on bed rest,” she scoffs. “It’s the perfect time. They might even try to make another move, thinking the king is weak with Orion gone, and we can spring a trap.”

“Absolutely not,” Joha states.

“Are you telling me what to do, my king?” Her voice is low and sultry, danger in every word. He swallows, his eyes widening with desire, not fear.

“No?” It sounds like a question from him, and we all snort a laugh.

“I hate to admit it, but she could be right. If Crux and I go, we would probably kill each other. This way, we can spring a trap and get information. We just need to plan it well,” I mutter.

I’m definitely not siding with her just to spend time with her.

“I win.” She lays her cards out with a wicked grin, and we groan, knowing she is going to win this argument too.

It’s not in her nature to lose.

We spend an entire day prepping, every hand on deck. While I prepared two horses and supplies in secret, Crux and Alyx worked on laying a trap and planning for any possibilities—and probably fucking since he’s adamant she should not be out of his sight.

It doesn’t surprise me, however, when I go to find her that night and Joha has his arms wrapped around her in a tight hug. I slip into the shadows, giving them their privacy, but I end up peeking, my eyes widening as my king so blatantly cups her face and kisses her softly.

“Be safe and come back to me.”

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