Page 69 of Healer to the Ash King
“What favor?”
“You told me how you got interrupted when you and your friend in the alley were—” He waggles his eyebrows significantly. “Well, I figured you deserve another chance at—ahem,connecting—with your old lover.”
“Old lover?” I echo, confused—and then his meaning clarifies in my mind.
The mosaic supplies—art—portraits—my friend from the alley—
Oh gods.
Rince. My former lover, my friend, zealous servant of the Undoing, advocate for the death of the King…
Rince is here, in the palace.
23
I hear voices behind me, entering the gallery, and I turn, my heart dropping like a stone into my stomach. One of the King’s stewards is escorting Rince into the room.
“We have everything set up, just as you requested,” says the steward. “You’ll sit here, and the ladies will sit there, one at a time, to have their portraits made. Meanwhile the other ladies will be working on mosaics of their own.”
“That’s fantastic. Everything is exactly right.” Rince’s dark eyes have already locked with mine. “Will His Majesty be joining us?”
“A bit later, yes. He’s still with one of the Favored.”
The Ash King is still with Teagan? That’s a long lunch. What are they talking about? Or maybe they aren’t talking at all. Is he kissing her? Touching her?
I haul my thoughts away from that subject and focus on Rince. He’s my immediate problem.
Rince wants to kill the Ash King, and today is the perfect opportunity.
He can’t kill the King. I’m not done with the King yet.
Rince is still watching me, walking toward me. Owin backs away, nodding encouragingly before jamming the helmet back on his head and retreating to his post by the wall.
“Cailin the Healer.” Rince bows to me. “I am a great admirer of yours. I wonder if I might have a few moments of your time?”
“The Healer of the Favored is very busy,” begins the steward, but I interrupt him. “I can spare a few moments. The ladies are finishing their tea anyway.” I smile ingratiatingly at the steward.
“You’re from the borderlands, yes?” says Rince to me. “I have some very fine obsidian glass here from your region. Would you like to see?” He lifts the satchel he’s carrying.
A leather satchel. Anything could be sewn into it—explosives, knives, poisoned darts. I hope the King’s guards checked it thoroughly before they let Rince bring it in here.
“Of course I’d like to see. Let’s go nearer to the windows. Better light.” Keeping my face neutrally pleasant, I take Rince’s elbow and guide him toward a window far from the steward and the Favored and Owin.
We stand facing the light with our backs to the room, and he pulls out a palmful of gleaming obsidian. Under his breath he says, “It’s wonderful that you’re here. I wasn’t sure I’d see you. But this is perfect. Now we don’t have to meet at the tea shop. I heard you got in trouble for going into the city alone.” He presses a hand over mine briefly. “Did they really use you for target practice? Heartsfire, Cailin. But it all ends today. You’ll get to witness his final moments.”
My heart jerks. “How did you know about the target practice? That happened this morning.”
Rince only smiles.
There can be no doubt now. One of the Favored is with the Undoing, and she has spoken to Rince today.
But he just arrived, and all the Favored appear to have been in this room together for a while. The only one absent is Teagan. Is she really with the Ash King, or did she and Rince manage a brief meeting right before he entered the gallery?
No, it can’t be Teagan. Maybe one of the ladies told a maid about the archery incident, and the news traveled through the palace to Rince’s contact. Or maybe—
“Cailin.” Rince is frowning at me now. “Did you hear me? It ends today.”
A sick chill floods my body. “Keep your voice down. The Ash King has magically gifted hearing.”
