Page 50 of MidKnight
“Or puked,” Willard amended, staring at a rainbow that danced on the carpet. His eyes traced the rainbow to its source, a dancing tree and maiden figurine that sat on a windowsill.
“And … you lost?”
Willard glanced up. “No. I won. And that’s why I think Aiden’s the one betraying us all. First off, it’s near winter. Who goes spending their reserves like that? Secondly …” Willard pulled a pouch from his belt. He opened it and poured coins into his open palm. Then he stepped toward me. “Secondly,” he repeated, “take a look at those coins.”
I plucked several from his palm. Ryan did the same. I held a coin up and studied it. But it didn’t have my mother’s visage.
“What’s this?” I asked. The coin didn’t show the profile of any of the royals from any of the seven kingdoms. Occasionally, old coins still circulated. Those from my grandmother’s era popped up every now and again.
But Declan routinely gathered and traded out old coins with the annual tax collection. And I knew my grandmother’s profile. This wasn’t it. Was it an old coin from one of the other kingdoms? I flipped the coin over. The back was clearly stamped the burning rose, symbol of Evaness.
I glanced up at Ryan who shook his head. He didn’t recognize the profile either.
“Do you recognize the face?” I asked Willard.
He shook his head, jowls bouncing. “I don’t. That’s the question isn’t it? Is it even real money? Where’d it come from? He’s got loads of them.”
I studied the coin. A woman with a crooked nose peered off to the side of the gold piece, her curls flowing over a tiara that looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it.
“He’s been paying with these coins?”
Willard nodded. “All over the place. People see the burning rose and just take them.”
I glanced at Ryan and clamped the coin in my palm.
“Not bad, Willard. Better than I expected.”
Far better than I expected after the dismal information Ginnifer had given me about his performance with the servants. Willard had actually found something. Duke Aiden’s pockets overflowed with fake coins. But what did he do to get them? Where was he getting them from? Who?
There were still so many questions.
Willard smiled wide, bowed, and turned to leave. I waited until he reached the door. Mother taught me that. Let people think they were off the hook before you gutted them.
“Now I want you to follow him,” I called out just as Willard turned the knob.
Willard turned back, his eyes bulging. If his face had been red before, it was positively on fire now. “Wh-what?” he spluttered.
“I need you to follow Duke Aiden. I need you to find out where the money is coming from. Or is he minting these coins himself?”
Ryan bit one to test the gold. He looked at me and said, “It’s real.”
Real gold. A lot of it. Guiding a dragon through our lands might cost a lot.
“Follow him every day. Attach yourself at the hip. Whatever’s necessary.”
“I—Your Majesty,” I watched the wheels slowly turn in Willard’s brain. “Surely, I am not suited for such long-term subterfuge?”
“Nonsense. You’ve done so well already. Come back in a day or two and let me know what progress you’ve made.” I nodded and waved my hand, dismissing him.
Willard stood gaping just as a maid came in with a tea cart. I grabbed Ryan’s arm and pulled him toward the cart as Willard let himself out.
Once Willard was gone and the maid had left, I collapsed into the settee near the cart, tossing the coins onto it.
“Damn. How did I do?”
Ryan grinned. “Not bad. You pulled his strings well. He’s a good one to practice on. Others won’t break so easily.”
I grabbed a biscuit and shredded it. “What the sarding hell do you suppose that dung pile Aiden is up to?”
