Page 107 of The Dragon King's Assassin

Chapter Forty-Three

I crept about, peering through windows and listening in on conversations for the next few hours. The palace never slept, not fully. Someone was always wandering about. I had learned long ago that patience pays off. Still, I heard nothing incriminating, nothing even interesting, until I found Dr. Chisuren.

He was having a drink with his nurse in one of the side gardens. I'd been making my way slowly around the palace when I heard them speaking and crept closer.

“—should have told him the truth,” the nurse was saying.

“I couldn't. I was under orders not to.”

“Then you should have kept your mouth shut about the theft. He wouldn't have taken it if you hadn't told him it was magical!”

“I didn't force him to steal! The theft had to be reported. And I could have gone to His Majesty, but I didn't.”

“Telling the Captain was nearly as bad, maybe even worse. You know he ran straight to the King. He probably hummed a tune as he went.”

“Not my business.”

“His Majesty is in love with that man, and you just tore them apart!”

“You don't know that and if he is, then it's even more imperative that he knows the man he loves is a thief.”

“All you have to do is see them together to know it's true. Everyone in this damn court knows it. Those fucking Dragons were shaking in their boots, thinking he'd become the King's—”

“He would never.”

“Well, not anymore. It was one stupid bottle of srapa venom. You couldn't have just turned a blind eye?”

“He made me feel foolish!” The doctor crossed his arms. “Stealing right under my nose. And after we had such a nice conversation.”

“You ruined the King's happiness because of some hurt feelings?” The nurse shook her head and stood. “You are a healer, not a Talon of the law.” She took her drink and left. But she looked back once to add, “Now we shall all pay for it.”

The doctor sighed, slumped, and stared into his drink.

I left him to it, caught up in my own thoughts. But before I could take a single distracted step, I mentally slapped myself. I couldn't afford to get caught there, and if I wasn't careful, I would. Vettan had sent men to the royal garden. I'd have to abandon my cloak and leave via another route. I turned, veered around the doctor, and went to the nearest wall. There would be plenty of time to wonder over his words later.

#

---