Page 59 of The Omega Thief

Alongernapwouldhave been nice, Attiker thought as the rap at the door woke them both up. Raz called whoever to enter, and Pinkerton appeared.

“Highnesses, I wondered if you had any particular instructions for me today?” Attiker grinned at the tactful way Pinkerton had just told them to get their arses out of bed.

“Yes, please,” Attiker said and sat up, making sure Pinkerton didn’t get an eyeful. “Could you ask Her Highness if she has time to join us for breakfast, and could you arrange a meeting of thenestfor this afternoon?”

Pinkerton’s lips twitched, and he glanced at Raz. “What he said,” Raz instructed cheekily.

“And do you require me to fetch Benta?” Pinkerton inquired innocently. “I believe Raynard has left the palace?”

“We’ll manage,” Attiker insisted. Pinkerton bowed and closed the door behind him. Attiker took great delight in dressing Raz even though Raz complained at the end that whoever had done his laundry had shrunk his breeches. Attiker chuckled and pointed out it was more likely something had grown and that he was only trying to help.

“We’ll never get out of here if you keep being so helpful,” Raz warned, but finally, they were ready and walked to Grandmother’s private sitting room, where she was drinking tea and eating her favorite elderberry scones. Attiker walked right up to her and clasped her tight. They were both silent for a moment, but then maids came in and brought more food. Attiker helped himself to some eggs and ham tarts and munched while they all updated each other.

When the food had been cleared away, Attiker said he hoped theViperwould call a meeting of her Den later that day because their biggest problem was going to be trying to guess the second trial, and he had no idea what counted as the rules of the challenge surrounding it. He would be foolish not to accept any help he could get.

“Has Harcourt been seen?” Grandmother asked quietly.

Raz shook his head. “He was sighted at the docks the evening after Attiker left, and personally, I think he’s hiding on the emperor’s ship, but I don’t have a reason while the challenge is on to search it.” Attiker saw Raz’s eyes flash and knew that would be his first job as soon as…

“But what if I don’t win?”

Grandmother scoffed, but really, Attiker was asking Raz.

“Then we leave,” he said. He smirked. “Plot our revenge quietly and return to take back the throne.”

“But the succession rules,” Attiker protested.

Raz nodded. “I was thinking about that. Tell me, People’s Champion, what would you want most? Markell, who only wants power and money and will enslave anyone for profit, or us?”

Grandmother nodded. “You have a valid point.”

Raz blotted his mouth with the napkin and stood. “I think we need a plan for if we lose, as well, but for now”—he looked regretfully at Attiker—“I have to at least spend an hour with Pinkerton.” Attiker stood as well. He had his own plans.

“A full bell. In here?” Grandmother asked.

“Make it two,” Attiker said. “Messages need to be sent, and people need time to get here.”

Attiker kissed them both and went to find Ash.

After asking, he found Ash in a tiny room not big enough to swing a cat in, and the closest bathroom was three corridors away. In fact, this was a storage area. He took one look and sent one of his guards, who had insisted on trailing after him, to fetch the housekeeper. The same older woman with all the keys he’d seen comforting the maid who had found Azrael’s body appeared after a few minutes while he stood in silence and watched Ash try to get comfortable in a room not even big enough for a full bed.

She curtseyed when she saw Attiker and introduced herself as Martha.

“Martha,” Attiker said. “I need help,” he said and took her hand. She arched a brow, and Attiker chuckled, knowing he wasn’t fooling her for one second.

“Ashford Enberry is my new assistant. I will need close access to him, and I’m afraid this won’t do.”

She turned her gaze on Ash, and he practically withered under it. “I agree, Your Highness, which is why I offered Master Enberry a suite of rooms in the royal wing.”

Attiker turned and stared at Ash, who turned a rather fetching shade of pink. “Didn’t want to inconvenience anyone,” Ash muttered.

“And you think that’s unlikely when, for cleaning day, I’ll need one of my maids to walk three corridors just to find your hidey-hole?”

Attiker grinned. Really, Martha should be in the army. She could eviscerate their enemies with one sentence.

“I wasn’t planning on, well, I don’t need someone to clean,” Ash stammered.

Marth nodded as if that was reasonable and inquired silkily, “So when His Highness needs you for some important matter, you’re going to refuse because you have some light dusting to do?”

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