Page 56 of The Queen's Crown
He leaned back in his chair. “I have it narrowed down to a few suspects.”
“Are they citizens of Lynk?”
“No,” he said, not breaking eye contact with her. “They’re from other kingdoms, though we believe one could be in Lynk at the moment. We’re trying to locate him.”
Thrilled he was sharing this information with her, she asked, “Who are they?”
“The first is a group of soldiers from Carlon who have been very vocal about not wanting your sister and I to marry. They don’t want Lynk and Bakley forming any sort of an alliance. Another suspect is one of Carlon’s well-known assassins. He was seen spending an obscene amount of money at a brothel a week ago. We haven’t been able to link him to anyone though, so we have no idea who hired him.”
“Any others?”
“A powerful noblewoman from Nisk has also expressed her displeasure with Lynk uniting with Bakley. She threatened to stop the wedding but gave no specifics beyond that. However, she is quite wealthy and has extensive resources.”
“Who do you believe is in Lynk?”
“The assassin from Carlon has a brother who hasn’t been seen since the assassination. The two men usually work together. I believe he may have stayed behind to ensure the job was complete, or he may be here now for you. I don’t have proof—it’s just a feeling. There have been a few odd things that have happened which is why I’ve kept the palace closed to outsiders, why I sent your men home, and why I have six guards assigned to you.”
At least he seemed to be taking her safety seriously. “Once you discover who killed my sister, what do you plan to do with him?”
“I’ll discuss the matter with your father and then decide how to proceed with his recommendations.”
Tears filled her eyes. When her sister had first left Bakley to marry Rainer, Sabine hadn’t once considered other kingdoms would be opposed to the union and her sister would end up dead. Even when she offered to take her sister’s place, her only thought had been seeking the killer and getting revenge.
“Do you have any other questions?”
“You’ve ruled out everyone here in Lynk?” she asked. There had to be at least one person from this kingdom who opposed the marriage and had the means to pull off an assassination.
“While I am sure there are some who’d love to see this union fail, I do not believe any of them would have killed your sister.”
“Why is that?”
“Because if one of my own people killed her, the punishment would be the death of the killer’s entire bloodline.”
Silence hung in the room. An extreme punishment for the family, especially if they weren’t corrupt like the killer.
“Thank you,” she said. “For telling me all of this.” She needed to write to her mother, letting her know all she’d learned.
Rainer stood and walked around the desk, perching on the edge of it near Sabine. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” She sat back, trying to figure out why he’d moved so close to her.
“Will you promise to answer honestly?” he asked, his voice low and rumbling like water over stones.
“Yes,” Sabine replied, her own voice coming out breathy, “as long as I can ask something in return.” She had no idea why this man had this effect on her. Whenever he looked at her, his eyes seemed to be undressing her, making her body ache in a way no one else ever had. Even though she had a desire to touch him, to run a finger along his arm, she refrained from doing so and instead, tried her hardest to pretend she wasn’t attracted to him.
“That’s only fair.” He clasped his hands together and asked, “What is your relationship with Markis?”
“My guard, Markis?” She’d never considered defining her friendship with a soldier in her father’s army.
“Yes.”
And then it dawned on her what he was insinuating. Her face heated with the implication. She decided to play dumb. “What do you mean by our relationship? He’s my guard.”
“Forgive me, but he seems like more.” He reached out, placing his warm hand on her knee, practically making her jump from the contact.
She crossed her legs, forcing him to remove his hand. “I hadn’t met Markis until the day I left my home to journey here to Lynk. After my carriage was attacked, the two of us traveled together. I trust him to keep me safe.”
Rainer rubbed the back of his neck. “You don’t fancy him as something more?”
