Aharon smiled. “But can your pride swallow such a dismissal? I, for one, am anxious to know.”
The other man’s face assumed a glower. “You were always an ungrateful child, a shameful stance for any firstborn, noble son. Never have you shown the slightest gratitude for the blood I gave you, or the opportunities delivered by your very name. Instead, you choose to be hateful, and bemoan the savageries that are the reality of our world.”
Aharon rolled his eyes. “If that’s the case, I think it’s time relics such as yourself step aside, and allow us more civilized folk to begin making this world a little less savage.”
His father shook his head. “Still so naïve. Do you truly believe Neco is so unlike the king?”
“I know he is. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come.”
“That’s not true. You would’ve come for Aya, and you’d do well to protect her.”
“Right,” Aharon said, “because if she dies, it’ll ruin my chances for a union with royalty, and to further elevate the status of our line.”
His father nodded. “Your betrothal to her was the only thing you’ve ever done that I could be proud of.”
Despite his hatred for this man, and the fact that he’d long ago ceased seeking his approval, the comment still stung. Regardless, he gave no outward signs of this as he delivered his final, parting remark.
“Your time’s nearly done,” he said. “I suggest you enjoy what little you have left.”
Issuing the words in a menacing tone, Aharon heard no reply as he resumed his path down the steps. Typically, his temper was slow-burning, but interactions with his father had always proved the exception, something that clearly hadn’t changed over the past two years. Muttering angrily under his breath, he passed through the courtyard and continued off the grounds, emerging into the street beyond.
Making his way toward the shore, he kept his gaze on the blue-green waters of the distant bay, noting its calm appearance. Often, the surface would be riddled with bubbles and froth, a result of the underwater volcanic fields that ringed—and sat beneath—much of the continent. Without the near-constant eruptions, existence this far north would’ve been frigid, which was why few complained when these volcanoes occasionally detonated beneath a city and caused horrendous damage.
Along a stretch of Malat’s shore ran a line of merchant stalls, some selling fruits and vegetables but most offering varieties of fish caught fresh each day from the nearby waters. Considering the state of affairs at the palace, and the fact that Prince Borohm had somehow been poisoned despite using tasters, Aharon had been coming here each day to collect food for Neco and Aya. At least this way, he could be certain their meals were safe.
After gathering a sackful of fruit, he moved to select squid and oysters for tonight’s supper before starting back toward the palace. As he moved, he cursed the circumstances and the fact that they were demanding the totality of his time. Leaving the royal grounds as little as possible, and remaining with Aya at night, he’d yet spent almost no time with his brother, and only spoken with him twice. While Zaun understood the situation and why it was necessary, Aharon felt guilty for ignoring him and now made a silent vow to make up for it just as soon as the tumult had settled.
Reaching the palace, he made his way up to Aya’s rooms and found her pacing about the lounging area. “Something wrong?” he asked, taking in her worried frown.
“Siris was here,” she told him. “I don’t know how he got in, but we had an interesting conversation.”
“What do you mean, how he got in? He was here, in your chambers?”
After she explained the jester’s sudden appearance, Aharon immediately set to searching the entire apartment for Siris’s point of entry. Since the windows weren’t an option, the slabs of iron still all firmly bolted in place, he turned to the only other logical possibility, the fireplace.
Dropping down, he turned onto his back and began feeling about the inside of the hearth. “When’s the last time you set a fire?” he asked, noting the cleanliness of the space.
Crouched down before him, Aya shook her head. “Last winter was mild, so perhaps the year before? It’s been so long I can’t even remember for certain.”
Since it never really grew cold here, the many fireplaces within the palace were mostly decorative in nature. Fully functioning, yes, but rarely used. Aya’s response therefore wasn’t surprising.
Continuing to explore the hearth, a minute later Aharon’s fingers found a latch, and upon tugging on it a small section of the wall slid back. Peering into the darkness beyond—darkness that would be no hindrance to a light-bringer—he swore.
“What it is?” Aya asked.
“Some sort of tunnel. It’s small, and the Patrons only know where it leads, but little question it’s how he got in.” Continuing to eye the opening and space beyond, Aharon tried to calculate whether he could maneuver his way inside. While Siris was small and wiry and easily capable of traversing this path, Aharon thought he might find it a tight fit.
Now pushing himself back, he retreated from the hearth and rose to his feet. “I’ll have to explore where it leads, but we should first attend Neco. It’s entirely possible there’s another tunnel connecting to his fireplace.”
Looking alarmed, Aya merely issued a quick nod before hurrying from the room. Aharon followed, and didn’t speak again until they were moving along the corridors, trailed by Molli and Seta.
“The knights had a few things of interest to say,” he told her as they wound upward.
“So did Siris. I’m afraid we have much to discuss.”
He glanced over but withheld his questions, and maintained a careful watch on the nearby shadows as they neared Neco’s quarters. Seeing no one but for some of the prince’s knights, he ushered Aya inside and saw her breathe a sigh of relief upon finding her brother unharmed and waiting for them impatiently.
“Where have you been?” Neco demanded, coming forward to take the sack of food from Aharon’s grip. “Not only am I starving, but nearly bored out of my mind.”
Like those in Aya’s quarters, the windows here had also been covered over, forcing the prince to make use of several oil lamps. Deprived of any fresh air or breeze, the temperature within his rooms was almost stifling.
“There’s been some developments,” Aharon informed him, moving straightaway to the fireplace.
“Oh?” Neco asked, trailing after him.
Aharon didn’t reply and let Aya explain as he dropped down and wedged himself into the spotless hearth. It didn’t appear the prince had made use of this space for some time either.
As Aya next went on to relay her concerning discussion with the jester, Aharon listened with mounting worry as he prodded open another section of wall and gave a long look within. Unfortunately, he could again make out nothing but for blackness.
“After I explore, we’ll need to block this off,” he finally said, pushing up from the floor. “The easiest way is to keep a fire burning, but since the windows are blocked this isn’t an option. You’d swelter.”
Neco was now crouched down, staring into the opening with a frown. “All this time, such access existed? It’s shocking Siris hasn’t killed me already.”
“You’re probably first on his list,” Aharon told him, “but he’s likely wary of facing your knights.” Four of these men were present within the chamber, and they all appeared horrified as they stared at the fireplace from across the room.
Now moving into the dining area, Aharon, Neco, and Aya settled at the table and set to unpacking the sack of fruit and fish he’d brought. Aya finally spoke while slicing into a mango.
“Knowing Siris is involved changes matters,” she said. “In fact, he could very well be responsible for some of the murders already committed.”
“That’s definitely possible,” Aharon agreed, “but let’s come back to that. First, we need to determine who he’s helping.”
She nodded. “I’ve been thinking about that since he left me, and
have narrowed it to either Tosis or Padus. Nevis and Seret have always found pleasure in humiliating him, especially publicly, so it’s ludicrous to think he’d willingly be aiding either of the twins. As for Heni, Siris’s hatred for her is well-known, making her the last person he’d ever willingly align himself with.”
Aharon nodded. Like many in the palace, Princess Heni had taken an instant dislike to the jester, and she often exhibited this by throwing food at the man during mealtimes when he juggled and performed for the king. Having observed these antics personally, Aharon didn’t find Siris’s dislike of the woman remotely mysterious.
Neco dug his fork into an oyster before looking to his sister. “If Siris is helping Padus, he’d have no reason to worry for your safety, and wouldn’t have bothered coming to warn you. So it must be Tosis.”
“Not necessarily,” Aya told him. “They must all know I’m helping you, which makes me a threat.”
Aharon found himself agreeing with the prince. “Now we’ve discovered Siris’s tunnels, and learned he has a clear path to Neco, you wouldn’t present a threat, Aya. Not unless he’s helping Tosis, which means you’re a target.”
Aya frowned. “That would also mean anyone could be the next victim. To win the crown, Tosis needs all six of us to die.”
Remaining silent, Neco’s gaze turned to Aharon.
Holding the look, Aharon eventually replied with a nod. To keep both Aya and the prince safe, he would now have to eliminate Tosis, and quickly.
Aya was watching them, and apparently understood their wordless exchange. “Removing Tosis might further award us Siris’s support,” she said, before turning her focus on her brother. “Although given your treatment of him, I’m not sure there’s any real hope of this happening.”
Neco shrugged. “Once Tosis is removed we won’t need him, so it doesn’t matter.”
Aharon frowned. “We may not need him, but we could certainly use him.” He paused a moment before continuing. “But this would further imply we’d have to trust him, which I’m not particularly inclined to do.”
“Forget the damn jester,” Neco snapped. “We’ll block his tunnels so he can’t reach us, and then kill Tosis. Deprived of his cause, Siris will become irrelevant.”
Aharon wanted to argue but wasn’t sure what to say. “There’s something we’re not seeing,” he finally murmured.
“Or perhaps you’re just looking for mystery where none exists,” the prince replied. “Siris slipped up by inadvertently revealing those tunnels, it’s as simple as that. Now, let us take advantage.”
Glancing to Aya, Aharon didn’t think she was completely satisfied with their conclusions either, but he figured they could revisit the matter later. As it stood, he still had his own findings to relay.
“I spoke with the knights today,” he began, cutting off a piece of squid, “and a few of their remarks were noteworthy.”
Neco sighed. “Why are you still wasting your time on this? There are only two ways for this to end in my favor, and we have to choose one. We’ve already pressed our luck too far by doing nothing these past three days.”
“I’ve hardly been doing nothing,” Aharon returned, somewhat harshly. “Furthermore, you agreed to trust Aya and I with your life, so perhaps you should honor your word and allow us to do this our way.”
The prince gave him a long stare before finally inclining his head. “You’re right,” he said. “Obviously, the situation is beginning to take a toll.”
This was hardly surprising. Just sitting around, waiting for one of your siblings to try and kill you, had to be nerve-wracking. Particularly after weeks of this, during which time five of your brothers had been slain.
“Let’s start with Borohm,” Aharon said now, referring to the nineteen year old prince who’d been poisoned and found in his bed. “His knights,” he went on, “are convinced that whatever poisoned him wasn’t ingested. They say Borohm was intensely paranoid about his food, and used multiple tasters before he’d chance eating anything.”
“If he didn’t swallow whatever killed him, his body needs to be examined for marks,” Aya said. “Perhaps someone pricked him with a poisoned barb or needle while he slept.”
Aharon gave her a look of frustration. “He’s been dead more than a week, and is now properly entombed. Apparently your father isn’t bothering with funerals, since most of you wouldn’t dare attend and place yourselves in further jeopardy.”
She frowned. “Without the body, we’ll likely never know precisely what killed him. Perhaps we should be focusing on who might’ve gotten into his rooms and carried out the task.”
“Considering today’s events, Siris seems a likely candidate,” Aharon said.
Neco shrugged. “Only if there’s another tunnel leading to Borohm’s fireplace.”
Aharon nodded at him. “I plan on discovering that answer just as soon as we’re finished here.”
“Also,” Neco went on, “there are more ways to poison someone than only by food or barb. Perhaps someone found a way to release a scorpion into his rooms, for instance.”
Aya grimaced. “That’s an uncomfortable thought.”
“But without observing the body, we’ll never know,” Aharon added, shaking his head.
Aya looked to him. “What else did you learn?”
“I spoke to Loh’s private guard about his fall,” he answered, “and discovered that one of these men was standing just paces away when it happened.” He paused a moment and shook his head again. “The knight remains dumbfounded. He said Loh was simply standing there, looking down into the courtyard, when he suddenly pitched forward and toppled headfirst over the railing. The knight is convinced nothing struck him, since he would’ve seen it, and can’t explain what happened.”
Neco chewed thoughtfully on another oyster. “Did Loh make any manner of noise before he fell? A scream of surprise or pain, perhaps?”
Aharon met his look. “I asked that too, and the answer is no—not until he was already falling. The knight said he was about halfway down when he started screaming.”
“It sounds as though it happened so quickly that even Loh was taken by surprise,” Aya mused. Stopping a moment, she then looked over. “Is it possible he was struck by lightning?”
Aharon’s eyebrows rose. “That’s an interesting theory, but I imagine the knight would’ve seen it. As I said, he claimed he was only steps from Loh when this happened.”
“I’ve seen Siris call lightning dozens of times,” Neco added, “and it’s always visible.”
Aya issued them a flat look. “He’s a light-bringer. One who manipulates light. You think he couldn’t have disguised the glow of his own lightning?”
“You have a point,” Neco admitted.
Aharon considered. “You’re probably right in thinking he’s capable,” he then told her, “but it’s difficult to believe the knight could’ve been so close but failed to feel it.”
“Also, wouldn’t there have been some sign of this on Loh’s body?” Neco asked. “Whenever Siris executes someone, the corpse is mostly charred.”
“Perhaps he emitted just enough power to stun him?” Aya suggested.
Aharon shrugged. “I can’t say it’s not possible, which only makes another murder Siris could theoretically be responsible for.”
“He might’ve killed Selmon too, given he’s well-known for prowling the corridors at night,” Neco added.
Aharon sighed. “Perhaps we are seeking a single perpetrator. Tell me, was Siris present at the meal where your father incited this craziness, when Fermin was poisoned?”
“Yes,” Aya told him, “although he wasn’t performing. It would’ve been strange, even for him, if he’d started tumbling about following such an announcement.”
“So what was he doing there?” Aharon asked.
“Just lurking around, and being his usual nosy and annoying self,” Neco answered.
“Could he have slipped the poison to Fermin?”
“The opportuni
ty was there,” the prince told him.
Aharon nodded. “So he’s a viable suspect in four of your siblings’ murders. I can’t say I’m all that surprised.”
“What about Buru?” Neco asked. “Can we finger him for that death too?”
“Unlikely,” Aharon said, “unless he’s secretly a master archer, which I highly doubt.”
Aya glanced at him. “Did you learn anything more of Buru’s death?”
“I spoke to his knights,” Aharon replied, “but they claimed to have caught no sight of the archer. This means he or she had to be on the solar terrace, otherwise they would’ve been spotted fleeing across the roof.”
She shook her head. “Unfortunately, that doesn’t help narrow their identity.”
Aharon reached to help himself to another piece of squid. “No, but the knights did confirm that the archer has to possess an expert skill, for it was a difficult shot.”
“That still doesn’t help,” Aya said.
Aharon nodded. “I know. Here’s hoping I find better luck in the tunnels.”
Chapter 6
After finishing their meal, they returned to the fireplace where Aharon once again lowered himself to the floor and gave another look inside the shaft. Not only would it be a tight squeeze crawling within, he determined, but he’d also be moving into complete darkness without any idea of what might lie ahead. To say nothing of the possibly-murderous light-bringer who made use of these tunnels.
Aya looked worried as he straightened back to his feet and began unbuckling his sword harness. “Are you certain you should do this?” she asked.
“I’m certain I need to,” he replied.
Once free of his weapon, he handed the blade over to Neco. Still armed with two daggers, the blades both hanging from his belt, he collected a short, thin candle from the mantle and stowed it into his pocket alongside his steel and flint. He was assuming the tunnel widened farther within, and if so, he’d be stupid not to bring along a light source.
Edging back to the hearth, he then looked to the four knights who stood grouped along the far wall, all of them watching him. “Don’t block me in unless you have to,” he told them. “If this does become necessary, I’m sure I can find another exit.” Aya’s room presumably, so long as this tunnel did in fact connect to her chambers, which were one floor below.
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