The knights let them pass but didn’t allow Aya’s handmaidens to follow, insisting that the women remain in the corridor. Aya didn’t challenge them and merely nodded her acceptance before leading the way into her brother’s apartment.
They found Neco pacing about his sitting room, his expression agitated. One look at him was enough to convince Aharon that he hadn’t been responsible for Buru’s murder.
“Aharon!” the prince then exclaimed, starting toward him and engulfing him in a welcoming embrace. More so than their actual blood siblings, the two had been as close as brothers since childhood.
Aharon returned the welcome and stepped back. “I came as soon as your message reached me.”
Neco shot a glance at his sister before donning a knowing smile. “I presume Aya has explained the situation? I can’t say I’m surprised to learn that you went to her first.”
Aharon gave him a dry look in response, for his and Aya’s relationship was something the prince enjoyed poking fun at, but very much approved of. “Sorry to damage your delicate feelings,” he then said, “but I think we have more important matters to discuss.”
Neco smirked before nodding and looking to his guards. “Leave us,” he ordered, “and shut the doors behind you.” Once the four knights had retreated from the room, he moved to the nearest chair and dropped himself down. “The circumstances have taken a worrying turn,” he began.
Aharon and Aya moved to sit on the sofa placed opposite him. “Do you know how Buru was killed?” Aya asked.
“It wasn’t because his behavior was reckless,” Neco replied. “Apparently, he was simply standing too near his bedroom window.”
“He was shot?” Aharon asked, while trying to recall the precise location of Buru’s rooms. He thought it was possible the position of the archer would tell them something.
Neco was nodding. “He had the window open, and the arrow took him straight through the head.”
“How did you learn this?” Aya asked.
“A member of Buru’s private guard came to inform me, I assume because I’m now the eldest son and foremost heir. Also,” he added, “I suspect the knights are running a betting pool.”
Aharon snorted. “An inspiration borne of my father, I suspect.” Pausing a moment, he then went on. “Can you figure where the shot was taken?”
Aya answered. “If Buru was killed in his bedroom, the archer had to be standing on either the solar terrace, or atop the roof. Neither location would make for an easy shot, so whoever’s responsible isn’t a novice.”
“Have any of your siblings been trained in archery?” Aharon asked.
Aya and Neco exchanged a look before they both shrugged.
“Not that I’m aware of,” Neco then said, “but most of us have little to do with each other, so concealing such training wouldn’t have been difficult.”
“Furthermore,” Aya went on, “we shouldn’t assume one of them actually took the shot. Perhaps Nevis or Padus ordered one of their knights to do it.”
Aharon looked to Neco. “Would your knights have complied, had you commanded them to carry out such a deed?”
The prince took him in with amusement. “What exactly are you asking?”
Aharon eyed him a moment, then shook his head. “I know it wasn’t you.”
Neco’s smile widened. “I truly have missed you, Aharon. Until recently, it’s been dreadfully dull here without you.”
Aya threw them an impatient look. “Indulge your sentiments later,” she told them, before focusing on her brother. “Answer Aharon’s question. Would your knights perform in this fashion, if you ordered it of them?”
Neco considered a moment. “Yes,” he then told them, “but only against a younger sibling. I don’t think they’d dare harm an elder.”
“A convenient response,” Aharon murmured, throwing him a pointed look.
Knowing this wasn’t a genuine accusation, Neco smiled again.
“That seems to exclude any of the knights from being the culprit,” Aya went on, ignoring their banter. “Although it’s always possible an assassin or mercenary was hired to enact the task.”
“No chance of that,” Neco denied, shaking his head. “Security about the palace is tighter than ever, and for this particular reason. If the archer isn’t a knight, it’s someone common to the grounds, and one who’s kept their talent hidden.”
Aya sighed. “That means it could be anyone.”
“Essentially,” Neco agreed.
Following a short silence, Aharon then spoke. “Let’s try a different approach,” he suggested. “Five of your siblings have now been murdered. Tell me how the others died.”
Aya shifted to regard him. “Predictably, Fermin was first. Not so predictably, he was poisoned during the very meal where our father announced this insanity.”
Aharon’s eyes widened. “Truly?”
She nodded. “This seems to imply one of us had forewarning of father’s intentions, and brought the poison along for this precise purpose. Or, someone just happened to be carrying poison and managed to slip it into Fermin’s food or drink without anyone noticing.”
“The first option seems more likely,” Neco said, “and frankly, less unsettling.”
Aharon had to agree. “Did anyone react suspiciously to Fermin’s death?”
Aya shook her head in frustration. “I was too taken aback to notice. From what I can recall, all of us, even father, appeared shocked.”
“This also served as a strict lesson to start using tasters,” Neco remarked dryly.
Aharon looked over at him. “And how has this fared for you?”
The other man paused a moment before answering. “I’ve lost six so far.”
While he shouldn’t have been surprised, Aharon nevertheless felt his stomach drop. And since Neco had just become first in line for the throne, little doubt the threats against him would now only increase.
Aya was watching him, and after a short moment she spoke. “Selmon was killed next, which I initially found baffling due to him being the second youngest male. However,” she went on, “I soon came to believe that his murder was simply a crime of opportunity.”
“How so?” Aharon asked.
“He snuck away from his guards to meet with one of the maids for a romantic encounter. She claims they parted directly afterward, but he never made it back to his rooms. He was found a few corridors from where they had their rendezvous, stabbed to death.”
“Where was he stabbed, and how many times?” Aharon asked.
“Twice, in the chest,” Neco told him.
“Was the weapon found at the scene?”
The prince shook his head. “No, but the royal Healers examined the body and claimed the damage was done by a dagger.”
Frowning, Aharon looked to Aya. “I’m definitely leaning toward a male assailant.”
She nodded. “I agree.”
Neco looked from one to the other. “Why’s that?”
“Selmon was seventeen and in prime physical condition,” Aya explained. “Were I the killer, and being a woman, I would need to ensure he couldn’t fight back and overpower me. This means I’d have to take him down on the first strike, and therefore would’ve aimed for his throat.”
“Perhaps that’s why there were two stab wounds,” Neco speculated. “The first could’ve been off its mark.”
Aharon nodded. “Yes, and if so, we’re likely dealing with a man, because Selmon probably could’ve defended himself against a woman, even if injured.”
“So either Buru, Nevis, Borohm or Padus killed him?” Neco said.
“Or possibly one of their knights,” Aya responded with a shrug.
Neco frowned, looking from one to the other. “I don’t see the point of this. What does it matter who did it?”
“The point,” Aharon returned, after exchanging another look with Aya, “is that by determining which of your siblings is enacting the murders, we’ll know who we need to defend against.”
�
�You mean, who we need to target,” Neco corrected.
Aharon hesitated, then gave a nod. “Yes. At this point, I don’t think there’s much choice in the matter.” Another glance at Aya showed she’d evidently accepted this as well, for her gaze had assumed a look of resolve.
Neco’s expression remained unconvinced. “You’re wasting your time,” he told them. “Even if all the murders were the work of a single perpetrator—which I very much doubt—eliminating him or her won’t halt the threat. This person has only lessened the competition for those of us who remain.”
Aharon frowned, mostly because the prince was right. In fact, sitting back and waiting for others to perform the bulk of the work was probably the precise strategy being implemented by at least a couple of the surviving siblings. Indeed, it was a smart move, provided one was able to keep themselves alive long enough to benefit from it.
“Besides which,” Neco went on to add, “you’re forgetting the simple fact that only my father needs to die for me to now ascend the throne.”
“There’s really nothing simple about that,” Aharon returned, “so I’ll ask you to continue indulging me. How did the final two die?”
“Borohm was poisoned, although like the rest of us he’d been using tasters, so no one’s quite sure how it happened,” Neco explained. “His knights simply found him in his bed one morning, deceased.”
“Strange,” Aharon murmured.
“Actually, Loh’s death is by far the strangest,” Aya spoke up. “He was standing on his terrace one afternoon, in clear view of his knights, when he suddenly pitched over the side. Because his apartment was located on the fifth floor, it was a lengthy fall.”
Aharon gave a slight frown. “He wasn’t struck by anything? An arrow or a blade?”
She shook her head. “The Healers saw no marks on his body to suggest this. The only injuries they found were obvious results of his fall.”
“What did he land on?” Aharon asked, morbidly curious.
“Mostly his skull,” Neco replied.
Since Loh and Neco had despised each other, Aharon wasn’t surprised to note the prince’s uncaring tone. “I meant—” he then started.
“He hit the courtyard,” Aya interrupted, shooting her brother an agitated look. “Perhaps if he’d fallen upon the sand, he would’ve survived.”
Aharon nodded. “Possibly, although it hardly matters now. Regardless, and given Buru’s location of death, you both need to board up your windows immediately, and avoid your own terraces.”
“I suppose temporary lack of sunlight is a small price to pay for survival,” Neco responded.
“Good,” Aharon told him, somewhat surprised he hadn’t argued. “Aya?” he then said.
“I’ll have it done once we’re finished here,” she vowed.
“All right,” Aharon went on. “It appears to me we’re dealing with three separate killers. The two poisonings were likely done by the same hand, as were the two involving Buru and Loh. As Aya suggested, Selmon’s death was probably a crime of opportunity and committed by a different assailant.”
She nodded. “I’ve concluded the same, and would further wager on our poisoner being a woman. Again, it speaks to avoiding a physical confrontation where she’d be unlikely to prevail.”
“Logical,” Aharon seconded.
A soft laugh then interrupted them, and they looked to see Neco observing them.
“Something funny?” Aya asked, somewhat sharply.
The prince grinned back at her. “The smartest kings are those who surround themselves with even smarter advisors, and I think I’m in good hands.”
“You’re not king yet,” Aharon reminded him.
“No,” Neco responded, “but should this all conclude in a battle of wits, I now willingly entrust you both with my life.”
“We’re honored. Now shut up and let us figure this out,” Aharon responded, but not without a slight nod to acknowledge the compliment.
Aya looked pensive. “Five potential threats remain,” she said. “Nevis and Seret are obviously the most worrisome.”
Aharon nodded, his lips curling slightly. Nevis was now next in line for the throne after Neco, and was probably responsible for at least one of the aforementioned murders. Seret was his twin sister, and the two had been near-inseparable since birth. Little doubt she was now aiding her brother in whatever ways were necessary to see him crowned, and Neco and the king were presently the only obstacles standing in their way. Moreover, the twins were a cunning and ruthless pair, and notoriously cruel to the palace staff. Aharon found the thought of Nevis as king alarming.
“I’m confident Seret’s our poisoner,” Aya now said, before looking to him. “Do you think Nevis is responsible for Buru and Loh?”
“Possibly, but until we figure out what caused Loh to fall, it’s hard to say,” he replied, thinking that he needed to speak with the late prince’s guards. “However,” he went on after a slight pause, “I do agree they’re the primary threat, and where we should now be focusing our…defense.”
Aya met his gaze, and at length issued a nod. “Once they learn you’ve returned, they’ll know we’re helping Neco. They’ll be expecting us.”
Unable to disagree, Aharon would’ve found this a lot more worrisome if not for Aya’s blessing of Magic. As it stood, her pyromancy talents and assassin-trained handmaidens lent a considerable assurance, although he still planned on keeping her in his sights as much as possible. However, Neco required his vigilance too, which left him to speculate that he wouldn’t be getting much rest until all this was over.
“Next to consider are Heni and Tosis,” Aya now went on, naming her two younger sisters. “Honestly, I’m uncertain if either is even participating in this, or merely holding back and waiting for the storm to pass.”
“Or, they’re waiting for the rest of us to thin the competition before actively joining in,” Neco interjected.
Aya nodded back at him. “That’s a possibility, particularly with Tosis. I can’t envision her letting such an opportunity slip away.”
Aharon shook his head. “She’s the youngest female, so she needs to kill all six of you to gain the crown. I agree she’s likely vicious enough to try, but this only makes her a threat to—and target of—everyone else. She’d be a lot smarter to just lay low.”
“True, but I imagine her ambition is outweighing her sense,” Aya returned. “Perhaps she, and not Seret, is our poisoner.”
The prince apparently disagreed. “I still favor Seret,” he told them. “Poison seems precisely her style.”
Aharon withheld a sigh, starting to feel like they were getting nowhere. “This leaves us with Padus,” he said, looking to Neco. “He’s now third in line, so only you and Nevis remain in his path.”
“Perhaps I should try speaking with him again,” Aya mused.
“No,” Aharon told her. “With the obvious exception of Neco, you need to stay away from them all. Since we don’t truly know where any of your brothers or sisters stand, it’s simply too dangerous for you to approach any of them. Don’t forget—you’re a target too.”
“To some, yes,” she agreed.
“No, to all,” he corrected. “Once they know you’re helping Neco—if they haven’t already discerned this—you’ll be in everyone’s way too.” Aharon stopped a moment to look from one to the other. “I have some ideas about how to protect you, and perhaps lure out those looking to harm you.”
Neco smiled at him. “Again, Aharon—it’s wonderful having you home.”
“Then I hope you intend to listen to what I tell you, and accept my advice,” he replied.
The prince nodded. “I’m not an idiot. Nor do I wish to die.”
Looking back, Aharon could only hope he followed through on this.
The next hour was spent discussing and plotting out various scenarios, those of both a defensive and offensive nature. The discussion ultimately left Aharon thinking that there was almost no chance he wouldn’t be spilling roy
al blood in the very near future, and while this wasn’t a pleasant thought, given the circumstances he didn’t appear to have much choice. To keep Neco and Aya safe, and for the well-being of Ceja itself, he would take whatever actions were necessary.
Finally leaving the prince in his chambers, he walked Aya back to her rooms, then promised to return in a couple of hours before descending to the ground floor and making his way outside. Approaching the generous stretch of sand that served as the knights’ practice area, he saw the day’s drills were just concluding as he glanced about for his brother.
Purposefully ignoring his father, he eventually spotted Zaun toward the rear of the group and started toward him. Weaving about the knights as they began retreating from the field, he tried to suppress his many unpleasant memories of his own time here, of being made to train as one of these men despite not sharing their aims and ambitions. His father had first put a sword in his hand when he’d been only seven, and then proceeded to instruct him relentlessly all throughout his youth. While hating the process, Aharon couldn’t refute the fact that it had shaped him into a proficient fighter, and equipped him with skills that had come in useful on countless occasions.
Zaun, he now saw, had dropped to the sand, his sword discarded beside him as he fought to catch his breath. Drawing near, Aharon found himself startled by how much the boy had grown, and how their resemblance had sharpened. Unlike their brother Turo, Aharon and Zaun both favored their mother, who’d died during childbirth. Their father had always blamed Zaun for her death, and caused him to live under a permanent shadow of undeserved guilt.
Finally glancing up, Zaun caught sight of him and seemed to freeze in disbelief for a moment. Springing to his feet, he then lunged toward him with a huge grin.
“Aharon!” he cried, throwing out his arms. “You’ve finally returned!”
Smiling, Aharon received his embrace, inwardly relieved to find him in seemingly fine health. Pulling back, he then gave his brother a closer inspection. “You’re nearly as tall as I am,” he noted. “You’ll be a man in no time at all.”
Rather than please him, the comment made Zaun frown. “You’ve been gone a long time,” he pointedly returned.
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