Page 18 of Seven Ways to Kill a King
“This is a lovely shop,” Cass said smoothly, as if he’d not noticed the exchange. “We’ve been traveling the forests for ages, and I’ve not seen a single variety of hyssop and purslane to be had among other tradesmen.”
The woman nodded hastily and adjusted her apron then her hair. “Yes, of course. Get most of our stock from a farm outside of Blackstone. They’ve a hot house to be envious of, I’m sure.”
The girl added, “We grow all the common herbs ourselves. And Momma says that soon, we’ll have enough saved to build a hot house of our own.”
The woman’s eyes seemed to dim. The promise she’d made was clearly empty.
“It’s a pleasure to hear,” Miri said softly.
The girl glanced at her mother, but the woman only patted her shoulder absently. “Wrap up the vials, blossom. I’m sure these two have other places to be.”
Miri held the woman’s gaze, wanting to make a promise of her own. The secret beneath the woman’s sleeve that she was so clearly terrified of being found out would remain safely concealed—because the mark was one of loyalty to the Lion Queen.
Chapter 10
They made only a few more stops on their way out of the market: one for silks and scarves and one at a finery shop that sold utensils and metal jewelry. Miri was unsettled enough at the mention of Smithsport and the sight of the woman’s mark, but when they neared the edge of the crowds, Cass stilled her with a sudden too-firm grip on her elbow. Her eyes shot to him then followed his gaze to the edge of the throng. Against the backdrop of serene cottage-style houses on cobblestone streets, three massive figures in the kingsmen colors of dark brown and red stood in a row. Between them, a slender man in sorcerer’s robes eyed the crowd.
Miri’s blood ran cold. Cass squeezed her elbow tighter, and she dropped her gaze to her feet. Gods, she wanted to run at just the sight of him so near. A second icy stab of fear jolted through her, lingering on the back of her neck. She wanted to swat at it like a horse would a fly. Seven hells, she needed out. A small sound escaped her before Cass jerked her toward him and dragged her away from the soldiers and back into the crowd. They moved as swiftly as possible without drawing notice, and Miri’s hands trembled against the satchel of wrapped vials.
She wanted to look back and to see if they would follow. She wanted to bend over in the street and be sick onto the stone.
“Bean,” Cass said, tugging her into his side. “Keep moving. Nearly there.”
They ducked into a narrow alley between two buildings, their boots sloshing in a mud puddle.
Cass came to a stop and put his hands on Miri’s arms as he made her face him. “Look at me, Bean. Right here.”
She pushed against the dread, and whatever was swimming through her head seemed to clear, if just a bit.
“Two more streets, and we’re back at the manor. Safe.” He winced at whatever he saw in her eyes. “Can you make it?”
Miri considered that for a moment. The task of walking only two short blocks felt impossible for a reason she couldn’t quite identify. She should want to get away, but she couldn’t find her will to run. Cass was watching her and waiting. She managed a nod.
They moved with purpose, and before she had a chance to crawl from her skin or retch in the street, Miri was safely inside the walls of the benefactor’s manor. She could finally breathe.
“Are you well, miss?” one of the kitchen staff asked.
Cass brought Miri nearer still. “A bit under the weather, I’m afraid. Can you—” He pressed his lips together, as if considering what might help. “Do you mind sending up an early dinner?”
“Of course,” the woman said. “Poor dearie. We’ll have whatever it is sussed out with some hot tea.”
Cass said his thanks and led Miri wordlessly to their room, where he deposited her onto the narrow bed. She curled her legs to her chest to lean against the wall as he paced the room, none too subtly peering out the window on his route. He carefully unloaded the murder supplies he’d pilfered from the market.
A light knock sounded at the door, and Cass retrieved the tray of food. He deposited it onto the table in the front room and brought Miri a mug of steaming tea. The cup was laden with lemon and honey and several floating herbs. She breathed in the scent of it, wrapping her fingers cautiously around the mug. Her hands had seemed to stop their trembling, but she did not quite trust them.
Finally, he sat down beside her. “Tell me about your plans again, Miri. Tell me what happens in two days’ time.”
She nodded, understanding that he wanted her to discuss something she’d thought of a thousand times—not the new terror that had so unsettled them both. “I’ve been in the castle before, many times, when King Casper was no more than a lord. He’s too secure in his safety now that the Lion Queen is gone, and the lot of those lords turned kings have aimed more for palaces than fortresses. Pleasure over protection.” She swallowed against the lump in her throat, not mentioning the precautions Edwin had taken in the tower at Stormskeep. “As the years wear on, their confidence only grows. They’re selfish. Vain. Creatures of habit. And I know the secret faults of every single one.”
Cass nodded. “How do you know, Miri? How do you know Casper?”
“I befriended a serving girl while my mother met with the lord. She was tall for her age and had wide brown eyes and cropped hair. My attentions gave her leave to escape her chores, and she took me on a tour of the castle. We didn’t marvel at the art and sculptures the lord had amassed or the grand rooms meant to impress. The girl and I stole down to the basement cells to see the prisoners—which wasn’t allowed, by my mother’s own laws. We felt our way blindly through secret passages, held our hands over the steaming cauldrons of the castle laundry, and dipped our fingers into the dyes.”
Cass took the mug from Miri and set it onto the window’s ledge before facing her more fully. “Tell me about the stables.”
She stared into his eyes, felt the safety of telling him, and remembered that she’d told him the same only the night before. “The stables border the forest, but there is an old guard house nearby where deliveries used to be allowed through. The wall between the stables and the guard house is solid block, but the repairs were not kept up when the woods grew thick.”
“And what’s there, behind the trees?”
