Page 103 of Fall of the Ember Throne (Crown and Crest 3)

“My sealed knights.” Lawrence follows my eyes to the door, and then he shakes his head. “No, it’s impossible. I’ve known them all for years. I would trust them with my life—Ihavetrusted them with my life.”

“Camellia knows too much about our inner circle,” I argue. “She must be getting her information from somewhere.”

A knock sounds at the door, making me uneasy.

“Answer it.” Lawrence gestures listlessly toward the entrance.

I raise my eyebrows, not as eager to obey his every whim as I was for his father.

“Do you want to be a knight, or not?” he asks, not above lording it over me.

“You’ll give me my seal for answering your door?” I counter.

He smirks. “Not likely.”

But I go anyway and find Pranmore waiting in the hall with Denny and the door guard, looking uneasy.

“Henrik,” he says, perhaps relieved to see a friendly face. “I’ve come to speak with Lawrence.”

“That’s why I’m here as well.” I lead him inside.

“Are you here to tell me my sister was in cahoots with Ayan’s birthmother?” Lawrence asks, hiding his exhaustion with amusement. “Because if you are, Henrik already beat you to it.”

“Er...” Pranmore glances at me. “No. Actually, I thought you might like to speak with Mairea before she passes away. She doesn’t have much time left.”

I turn to Pranmore, genuinely shocked. “She died last night.”

The Woodmore’s face flushes red. “While that is what I wanted Camellia to believe…it’s not strictly true. She merely passed out again.”

I stare at him, surprised by his subterfuge. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“That would make two of us.” He wrings his hands, obviously uncomfortable. “Will you come?”

Lawrence is already on his feet.

Xander has joined Denny and the door guard now, and he greets Lawrence when we step out of the room.

He and Denny begin to follow us, but Lawrence looks back, hesitant. “Stay here for now. I’ll return soon.”

Denny turns his gaze on me. “Are you certain that is a good idea, Your Majesty? No offense to Henrik, but he is under Camellia’s command. It would be unwise to trust him.”

I want to roll my eyes, but I settle for a long-suffering sigh.

Xander watches, looking unsure but not as vocal about his doubts.

“At least tell us where you’re going,” Denny argues. “So we can look for you if you don’t return.”

A worm of doubt makes me pause and study Clover’s brother. And then guilt overtakes it. Denny isn’t the spy—surely not. He wouldn’t turn on his own sister, would he?

“I won’t be long,” Lawrence answers, avoiding the request.

Confused by the unease between Lawrence and his knights, Pranmore hesitates for a moment as we start down the hall, but he soon hurries after us.

Lawrence reaches the Woodmore’s quarters first. When he sets his hand on the doorknob, there’s a spark of light, and he hollers as if burned.

“Sorry,” Pranmore mutters. “I warded it when I left. You can’t be too careful these days.”

He steps inside, and Lawrence and I follow him into the side room. Hellebore lies on the bed…looking as dead as she did when Camellia and I left several hours ago.

---