Page 33 of Gilded Crown

“I have to check. I didn’t think before.” Aurelius raced ahead and through the open doors. Jari hurried after him and across the room.

“Hey!”

Jari skidded to a stop, but it was only the librarian who’d left her desk. He looked down the aisle where the Prince was abouttwenty feet away and climbing onto a side table. Two swords hung on the wall.

“You didn’t bring those books back!” The librarian shook a finger at him as she approached. “If you lost them, you’ll be paying for them!”

Jari was about to tell her where to shove her books, but she’d only get in his face. “They’re back in the side room where I got them.”

“No, they’re not!”

“I might have put them in the wrong spot, but I swear I did. It was to save you the trouble since I took so long.” He tacked on a stiff smile. “I promise. They’re on the bottom shelf.”

“They better be in there!” She threw her hands up and moved surprisingly fast to go check for her precious books. “You can’t just put them wherever! I have a whole bloody system, and it needs to be followed. I swear, you young people have no respect for anything.”

Aurelius was sliding one sword out of its scabbard, and he touched the blade before he rammed it back in and set it back on the rack. “Neither of these is it. I honestly can’t think of anything else in here.” He jumped down and scurried back toward him.

“We have to go,” hissed Jari. “The fourth item won’t mean shit if we’re dead.”

As they hastened out of the library, Jari heard a shout from the side room where he’d gotten the books.

“The books aren't there! You’re lying to me! I swear by Elira and Ymir-”

They ignored her. Aurelius only slowed when they heard voices ahead, and a few courtiers came around a corner as they laughed over something. Aurelius said something about the swallowers being plump at this time of year. Jari agreed and tried not to look guilty as he stayed alongside the Prince. With others around, they didn't get to run again until they were on themain stairs. Jari immediately headed for the entrance doors, but Aurelius jumped up on the lion’s plinth.

“What are you doing?”

“I hid the key separately from the hand. It was safer.”

He’d fibbed about it being in his lock box, but Jari could let that slide. Maybe splitting them up was better. Aurelius grabbed one of the lion’s outstretched arms, braced a boot on its back knee, and boosted himself up. He still had to strain to stick his hand in the lion’s mouth, and he appeared to be pushing on something inside.

Still, should Jari be surprised about the fib? No.

A faint scream came up from upstairs. Dear Elira, he could picture a panicked servant running down a hall and shrieking about the King. Others would realize what was going on.

“You need to be a little bit faster.”

“I’m trying!”

A male voice yelled something, and Jari was positive someone was on the stairs above them.

“Would you hurry the fuck up?!” Jari snapped.

“The King is dead! The King is dead!”

“Guards!”

The whole palace would be panicking and passing it along now. Someone must have already gotten to the tower with the bells since abongsounded from above. A sharper bell started to ring while the steady bong kept up. Something clicked in the lion’s mouth, and Aurelius frantically grabbed at the insides.

“I got it.”

Jari caught a glimpse of the key as he got down and put it in his pocket. Jari snatched his arm and practically dragged him from the plinth. Aurelius stumbled but kept his footing as they raced through the entrance hall.

The grounds were mostly deserted, and guards were running along the wall. Those in the guardhouse would have heard thebells too. In the stable, a few men backed up at the sight of them when they ran in.

“What’s going on?”

“Trouble in the city,” Jari fibbed.

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