Page 49 of The Uncrowned Prince

Past the lawns and the fountains, the perimeter nearest the wall was lined with trees, standing in tall, stately ranks that nearly hid the stone barrier from view. And in one corner, where the light of lanterns and torches did not reach at all, was a massive banyan—its aerial roots and low-hanging branches growing right up to the wall.

During her foray into the palace on the previous day, Karreya had confirmed that while the interior was oversupplied with self-important guards, only three pairs patrolled the lawns, circling the grounds at ten-minute intervals. It was almost as if they’d convinced themselves that intruders didn’t matter until they breached the palace itself.

Such provision was laughably insufficient, and Karreya was far less surprised that their king had been murdered than she was that they did not have a never-ending history of assassinations. A child could have climbed the wall and sauntered up to the portico without being caught.

But perhaps… perhaps they had never needed such precautions. It seemed almost beyond comprehension, but it was possible that these lands had not yet experienced long and bloody wars over succession. Perhaps the people were generally happy and had no reason to wish ill on their sovereigns.

Or perhaps they were simply naive and incompetent. The years since they left imperial shores had certainly diminished their sense of taste and culture—as evidenced by their preference for tea—so why should it not have affected them in other ways as well? Whatever the reason, it made her own task easier, so it was pointless to waste another thought on such questions.

Banyans were easy to climb, and Karreya scaled this one with ease, making her way to the top of the wall without much effort. She perched there, peering into the shadows on the other side, watching for movement and listening for the sound of breathing. Most people had no idea how to breathe quietly, and Niell would be no exception. Noble education or no, it seemed few of those in positions of power grasped how useful it could be to learn the skills of going unnoticed.

“How long were you planning to lurk up there in the dark?”

She did not fall off the wall, but she did drop flat with a dagger in her hand before she identified Niell’s voice and caught a glimpse of his pale features, grinning up at her from the darkness on the city side of the wall.

Apparently, she’d underestimated him.

“Until I was certain it is safe,” she replied stiffly. “Are you coming up, or not? We have five minutes until the next patrol passes by.”

“I’ll do my best,” he murmured in return, and pulled himself into the branches with considerably greater ease than she’d anticipated. He might be primarily a mage and a purveyor of information, but he had not neglected his fitness entirely.

That business about not having climbed trees since he was a boy did not seem to impede his progress in the slightest, though he did allow a single grunt of pain when using his left arm aggravated his injury from the day before.

“Well,” he said, as he joined her atop the wall a few moments later. “That was more fun than I remembered. Are you ready for the next part of the plan?”

“Nowyou wish for a plan?” She let out a soft huff of disbelief. “I thought your original idea was to improvise wildly and try not to get caught?”

“Making it up as we go is still a plan.” Niell’s wry grin flashed brightly in the dark. “And I believe we decided to leave the ‘not getting caught’ part up to you.”

Saving this man from himself was clearly a job for more than just one person. But she had promised to see to these arrangements, and she could not allow him to be hurt, so she simply nodded and jerked her head towards the ground.

“Follow me, then. And do exactly as I tell you, or I will stab you myself.”

“Noted,” he said, before adding cheekily, “but I believe that’s the first time you’ve actually lied to me.”

Karreya froze.

“But don’t worry, I promise to keep your secret.”

“What secret?”

“That you like me too much to stab me.”

He was over the wall and shimmying down the tree on the inside before she could come up with a suitable reply.

CHAPTER13

Was he trying to distract himself by flirting?

Well, maybe a little.

Did he mean every word?

Yes, in fact, he did. It occurred to Vaniell as his boots made a gentle thud on the ground beneath the tree that he’d never flirted quite so sincerely in his life. And apparently, he’d rendered Karreya speechless in the process.

“Now what?” he whispered, and as she materialized at his left elbow, a surge of happiness caught him by surprise. It was bizarrely comforting just to know that she was there. That no matter what happened, she and her daggers would have his back.

“Now you stop making as much noise as a troop of howler monkeys.” Karreya shot him a warning glance before peering around the shadowed lawn. “As soon as the guards pass by, you will use the collar and follow me back to the reception hall. The musicians were taking their places when I left, so I expect the dancing to begin soon.”

---