Page 23 of The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom 2)

“Servants work for the king for years before they’re allowed to take duties within the inner sanctum,” Nana interrupted. “And years we do not have.”

“What about as a servant to someone in the nobility?” Lara suggested. “They seem to come and go as they please.”

“Personal servants are only allowed within the outer walls.” Nana rested her elbows on the table, eyeing the rough schematics Bronwyn had drawn sitting on the top of a hill with a spyglass. “And the viziers have no freedom within the inner walls. They are brought where their presence is required, then escorted out.”

“Unless they’re blindfolded, they’ll still see things,” Sarhina said. “Can any of them be bought?”

“Not with the funds we have at our disposal,” Jor replied. “Silas cleaned out the coffers at Northwatch and Southwatch, along with those at Midwatch. Risking a trip back to Eranahl poses its own set of risks.”

“What about the ambassador from Harendell?”

Jor snorted. “Impossible. They don’t even allow him to piss in private.”

Pushing away the schematics, Nana leaned back in her chair. “Did you think this would be easy, girls? I didn’t whore myself to your smelly old grandfather because I was charmed by him. It was theonlyway in. And the only reason I was able to get out was that I had somewhere to go that I knew would be safe. We no longer have that.” She glared at Lara, her resentment palpable.

Lara had known this wouldn’t be easy, but now, faced with a ticking clock and so many seemingly insurmountable hurdles, the impossibility of the task hollowed out her stomach. Strategy after strategy circled through her mind, considered, then cast away. The Ithicanians were excellent with explosives, but the palace was full of women and children, never mind that they might accidentally kill Aren in the blasts. They could bring in reinforcements from Ithicana, but the death toll would be astronomical with no assurances of success. She and her sisters could try to infiltrate the palace blind, but that was likely to get more than a few of them killed, and the fact was, she wasn’t willing to risk them on a flimsy plan. Casualties every which way she looked, bodies to stack upon the bodies of all those who’d already died because of her mistakes.

“Suggestions?” she asked.

Everyone stared silently at the schematic until the sound of loud knocking saved them from having to answer.

“Beth has the ‘closed’ sign up,” Jor said. “Whoever it is will have to wait.”

Another loud knock, and the faint sound of a voice from outside demanding to be let into the shop.

“Damnable Maridrinians,” Nana muttered. “Never take no for an answer.”

“Beth will have to—” Jor was interrupted by the click of a latch and a soft chiming as the front door was opened.

“You said this woman was loyal to Ithicana,” Sarhina hissed at Jor, who gave a panicked nod even as he inched over to the doorway. Easing the curtain open a crack, he peeked out, while Bronwyn and Cresta went to the rear of the building, checking for any sign that the meeting had been compromised.

From out front, the jeweler said loudly, “It is an honor to have one of His Majesty’s wives in my establishment, my lady. How might I assist you this fine morning?”

Shit.Beth hadn’t had a choice. Not opening the doors for one of the harem wives would’ve drawn all sorts of trouble down upon them, but it was still a fine bit of bad luck.

“You lot wait outside,” an unfamiliar voice said, the timbre that of an older woman. “I don’t need you peering over my shoulder so you can spy on how much of Silas’s money I spend.”

“My lady—” a man started to respond, but was cut off with a fierce “Out!”

The door slammed shut. Cresta reappeared from the rear, whispering, “Six-guard escort. Seems like an unfortunate coincidence.”

Which meant they had no choice but to wait it out.

“I was led to believe this was a flower shop,” the harem wife said. “And thatyouwere a florist, not a jeweler.”

Jor’s hand went to the knife at his waist and Lia drew hers, both their expressions grim.

“That’s her code name,” Lia said softly. “We’ve been made. Time to go.”

Bronwyn returned, shaking her head. “Two guards came around back to smoke. Can’t get past without killing them.”

“I specialize in jewelry set in the shape of flowers,” Beth responded. “Perhaps that was the cause for the miscommunication.”

“It wasn’t a miscommunication,” the wife said. “It was a misdirection. There’s a difference, you see.”

The two guards were likely decoys meant to appear as easy marks. There’d be others waiting. Dread pooled in Lara’s gut. She’d brought her sisters here, had risked them all for the sake of saving Aren.Another mistake. She’d made another mistake.

“Of course. I see.” There was a faint shake to the jeweler’s voice. “Might I show you some of my work, or do you wish for me to direct you to a reputable florist nearby?”

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