Queen of Secrets

by Elizabeth Briggs

  “An honor, your majesty,” the young prince said to Balsam.

  I wasn’t sure what Casnia’s intent was in coming here, but she knew we would never harm her with her son beside her. We were at war, but we weren’t monsters.

  Balsam barely spared the young boy a glance. “I want you to leave. Now.”

  “Already? A pity. I hoped we could discuss matters between our kingdoms in a cordial fashion over a glass of wine.” She glanced at Fellina, who was hobbling toward us, and another smile lit up her face. “If your child is a girl, perhaps we could arrange a marriage between her and Raith.”

  “I will never give up my heir to you,” Balsam practically spat.

  “No, of course not. Perhaps your second child then?”

  Fellina rested her hand on Balsam’s arm and said to her, “Thank you joining us tonight and for the offer. We will certainly consider it.”

  “I hope you do.” Casnia gestured toward her husband. “We’ve brought you a gift to show our blessings for your family are sincere.”

  “I appreciate your felicitations and the gift, but you are not welcome here,” Balsam said, in a more even voice now that Fellina was at his side. “We are at war, after all.”

  “Indeed. And when you’re ready to discuss the terms of your surrender, let me know.” She gave her husband a short nod and he handed me the present he was carrying. Without even lifting a finger, he gathered the shadows around him and the three of them vanished. Sun and Moon, he must be a powerful wizard to cast spells without drawing any runes. If the young prince had the same strength, Ilidan would become an even greater foe for the next generation.

  Balsam cast the gift a suspicious look. “Have the guards open that somewhere safe. I don’t trust her at all.”

  “I don’t think she meant us any harm,” Fellina said. “Perhaps we should consider her offer of an arranged marriage between our children once our second daughter is born.”

  Balsam’s eyes narrowed. “She wants to crush our kingdom and claim our lands for her own. I would never allow my child to wed into that family.”

  “You may not have a choice,” Fellina said softly.

  I could see they would continue arguing about this, so I found a nearby guard and handed him the gift with instructions to open it elsewhere. I briefly considered that the gift might be part of the impending assassination attempt, but quickly pushed that thought aside. That wasn’t how the Ravens worked, and Casnia would never be so obvious anyway.

  Once that was done I gave Garon a nod, then stepped outside and made my way to a shadowed part of the castle grounds to speak with him privately, though I regretted it once the freezing air hit my skin. I wore only a pale blue gown that was clasped at the shoulders with jewels and hung low in the front and back. It was certainly not suitable for this weather, but I’d been warm while inside with the torches, the throng of people, and the heat from dancing, so I hadn’t even considered grabbing my furs.

  A cloak came up around my shoulders, along with Garon’s voice. “You’ll catch your death out here.”

  “So I’ve been told,” I said. “Any word on when that will be happening? It’s nearly midnight. The guests are starting to leave the ball or return to their rooms.”

  He stood behind me with his hands on my upper arms. I couldn’t see his face, which was just as well since it still wore the illusion, but there was no disguising his low, masculine tone. “I haven’t seen anything yet. Have you?”

  “Not at all. It’s hard to believe Nial truly wants me dead either.”

  He ran his hands slowly up and down my bare arms, bringing warmth back to my skin and heat between my legs. “He’s a fool who will be brought to justice.”

  I leaned back into Garon’s touch as his mouth brushed against my neck, sending tingles down my spine. It was risky for us to touch this way even though we were alone and hidden by a line of trees, but the thrill of being caught only heightened my desire. It had been the same when we were younger, when we would find hidden corners of the castle to kiss in, or when he sneaked into my bed in the middle of the night.

  The faint rustle of leaves drew our attention and we quickly broke apart in anticipation of an attack. Garon disappeared into the shadows, while I hitched up my gown to remove my dagger from my ankle, my heart pounding in my chest. The enchanted dagger glowed faintly in my hand as I gripped it tight.

  Two men in black hoods that covered everything except their eyes rushed toward me from the dark brush. One was tall and thin and moved like the wind, flashing two shorter swords, while the other was large and muscular and wielded one long blade that could cleave right through a horse. They surrounded me, thinking I was alone.

  Garon burst out of the darkness, taking the men by surprise. He stood between me and them, spinning and twisting to block both of their attacks with his sword while he yelled, “Get the guards!”

  I hesitated, afraid to leave him, but there was little I could do except watch him fight the assassins. I grabbed my skirts and ran across the grounds toward the castle, calling out for the guards. They rushed toward me, drawing their weapons, and I turned around and headed back to help Garon. As we neared the line of trees, the nearby clock tower began ringing, signaling that it was midnight—when Garon’s disguise would fade.

  But when I got there, he was gone.

  All that was left of Garon was a lone boot. Was this what Fellina had meant by ‘remember the shoes?’ I wasn’t sure how a scuffed-up boot could help me find him though.

  One of the attackers was on the ground with blood flowing from a gash in his stomach. The guards surrounded him with their swords but I held up a hand and ordered them to wait. It was the larger, muscular man, whose face looked like it had been crushed at some point in the past. I dipped my dagger into his blood and it glowed bright silver, while the guards gasped.

  “Who hired you?” I asked.

  The man’s eyes rolled toward me. “Prince Nial of Andaria.”

  The guards stiffened at my side, while ice gripped my heart. So it was true. My own fiancé wanted me dead. “Why?”

  “Don’t know. Don’t care.”

  I glanced at one of the guards. “Find Prince Nial and lock him up in the dungeon.”

  “Yes, your highness.” The guard bowed before departing.

  I soaked the blade in the man’s blood again. “Where is Garon?”

  A mean smile crossed his lips. “The Ravens took him. We knew he would be helping you tonight and planned this as a trap for him. Now he’s going to pay.”

  Fear trickled down my spine. “Where did they take him?”

  “Into Ralston. The Ravens have our headquarters there near the south market. But good luck finding it.”

  “Tell me how to get there.”

  He spat blood on the floor in response. I wanted to ram the dagger into his chest, but it would be better if we kept him alive for questioning. I was about to dip the blade into his blood again and make him tell me, when he suddenly lunched at me with a hidden knife. The guard at my side rammed the assassin through with his sword, protecting me and likely saving my life—but also killing the only person who knew where to find Garon,

  “Thank you,” I told the auburn-haired guard, who bowed low.

  Another guard retrieved the dagger in the assassin’s hand. “This knife has the crest of Ilidan on it.”

  I took it from him and frowned. “They probably hoped we would believe it was Ilidan who wanted me dead.”

  “Or perhaps it was Ilidan and the man was lying about Prince Nial?” the guard asked.

  “Maybe.” I handed him the assassin’s knife. “Lock Nial up anyway and inform my brother of what has occurred. I’ll be back soon to question the prince.”

  He nodded as the other guards hefted the dead assassin up, his head lolling to the side. The gash in his stomach was deep and seeped blood all over the ground. My brother would be furious when he saw the Ilidan crest, and would no doubt believe this was all the work of Queen Casnia.
I would have to get a confession out of Prince Nial to stop the war from escalating.

  But first I had more pressing concerns. I had to save Garon.

  Eight

  Garon

  Things had been going so well. I’d protected Dahlia, cut down Corgin, and had nearly defeated Vermot when five other Ravens had emerged from the darkness and surrounded me the second my disguise vanished. That was when I’d realized they weren’t after Dahlia anymore—they were after me.

  I’d managed to fight them off at first, but then they were on me. My sword was knocked from my hand and I lunged for it but was knocked down. I managed to slip away on my hands and knees, but a hand grabbed my ankle and held me back. I yanked hard and managed to free my foot from my boot, but then the others grabbed me moments later and threw a hood over my head. Something hard hit me, and everything went dark.

  I came back to life when my feet banged against cobblestone and the cold air smelled of horses, piss, and chimney fire. We were in Ralston, where I assumed I was being dragged back to the Ravens’ headquarters for my punishment.

  We stopped and someone performed a series of knocks on the door. Thinking quickly, I kicked off my second boot, hoping Dahlia might be able to find it somehow. A foolish notion, but all I had at the moment was fear, anger, and a dash of hope.

  They dragged me inside and down the narrow halls, until I was tossed onto a cold floor, my hands bound behind my back and my ribs aching anew. Whatever tonic Fellina had given me must have worn off by now, along with my disguise.

  Was Dahlia safe? Had she taken Nial down? That was all that mattered. Except if they killed me now, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t go after Dahlia again. As long as Kabel was alive, he would be a threat to her.

  Someone ripped the hood off my head and I blinked at the sudden brightness from the torches on the wall. My stepfather stepped out of the shadows in front of me, while Vermot stood behind him. Other members of the Ravens watched from the sidelines, but didn’t interfere. Traya was one of them and she gave me a quick nod, reminding me of what she’d said earlier.

  Kabel loomed over me, rubbing his hands together. “We gave you a mission and you failed to complete it. Upon your return, you were punished for your insolence. But instead of accepting your punishment, you escaped and betrayed us.” He drew his sword, which was inlaid with onyx and had black birds flying across the metal—the sword of the Raven Master. “And now you must pay.”

  I glared up at him. “You betrayed us first. The Ravens used to work for the royal family of Talador. It was our duty to protect the kingdom from threats both within and without. But you’ve twisted our purpose in a quest for money and power. You’ve turned us into lowly mercenaries and thugs.” I forced myself to get to my knees, though it was difficult with my hands bound behind my back and my ribs still aching. “And you are no longer fit to lead. We’ve all seen it for years, but accepting a contract against the royal family was the final straw.”

  “I’ve made the Ravens greater than they ever were,” Kabel growled. The other Ravens in the room shifted, though I couldn’t see their faces behind their hoods. I had no idea if they agreed with me or with Kabel, though Traya looked proud at least.

  I straightened up as best I could and met my stepfather in the eye. “I challenge you for leadership of the Ravens.”

  The other Ravens muttered and whispered at this, while Kabel stared at me for a moment before laughing. “You wish to challenge me? You truly do have a death wish.”

  “You’re going to kill me anyway,” I said, though he had a point. Kabel had been challenged by six other Ravens in the past—and he’d defeated every single one of them. My odds of winning were low, but at least this way I had a chance.

  “True, but now I’m going to humiliate you too.” He towered over me with a menacing smile. “Very well. We’ll see which one of us is fit to lead.”

  He snapped his fingers and someone sliced through the bonds tying my hands back. I rubbed my wrists with relief and another hooded Raven brought me my sword with a quick nod. Kabel swung his own large blade as if testing the weight or trying to intimidate me with his size and strength. It didn’t work. I’d spent the last six years of my life training, fighting, and surviving, and it had all been leading up to this moment. I had to win this battle—not just to take back the Ravens, but to protect the woman I loved, along with the kingdom she served. And if I died doing it, at least I’d go out with a fight.

  Kabel suddenly rushed me with a loud roar that filled the room. I ducked and rolled out of the way, my side smarting painfully. I had no time to think about that, because he was instantly coming for me again. My blade met his with a loud clang, and I spun away and got back to my feet, just in time to swing at him myself.

  He moved fast, too fast for a man his size, and he had many more years of experience than I did. But I had one thing he didn’t: a purpose greater than myself and a love I would die to protect. And even though he kept coming for me, and my body screamed in protest every time I defended myself, I kept fighting back. Blow after blow, until it seemed there was no way I could get the upper hand.

  When his sword slashed into my arm, he laughed. “Give up. You know you can’t defeat me.”

  I grit my teeth and pushed the pain to the back of my mind. He was right, I’d never be able to beat him like this. I had to find another way, but how? Kabel had raised me. He’d trained me. He’d taught me how to fight. And he knew all my strengths and weaknesses.

  Maybe I could use that against him.

  When he came for me again, I did the opposite of what he’d taught me and let down my guard. I allowed him to slash the back of my other forearm as I barely dodged his blow, and when he hurtled past me, I readied my blade. He spun toward me and my sword struck his chest, going deep thanks to his own momentum. His eyes widened as he stared at me, his mouth open in shock. Then his body slumped to the ground.

  I gazed down at my stepfather, finding it hard to believe that he’d truly been defeated, this man who had ruled my life for the last six years. I searched my soul for any regret or sorrow, but felt none. He’d brought this upon himself.

  I yanked my sword free while the other Ravens murmured and shifted but did nothing to help their fallen leader. Not that there was anything they could do for him at this point.

  “You killed him,” Vermot growled from behind me. “But you’ll never have the Ravens.”

  I spun to face this new threat just as he raised his sword to strike me down. But then he froze, his mouth hanging open, his eyes wide with shock. He slowly turned and I saw a glowing dagger stuck in the back of his neck. Killed by a single blow that was worthy of one of the Ravens.

  “I don’t think so,” Dahlia said, as he crumpled to the floor in front of her.

  “Dahlia!” Relief and pride filled me as I rushed forward and took her in my arms. Her dark hair was flecked with snow and she still wore her sleeveless gown from the ball, though she still had my cloak at least. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to rescue you,” she said with a smile. “Although it seems you didn’t need my help after all.”

  “You protected me from Vermot,” I said, as I pressed a kiss to her temple. “But how did you find me?”

  “Corgin gave me some hints before he died, and then I happened to stumble across these.” She held up my worn, black boots with a grin. “Think they’ll fit you?”

  “I do.” I took them from her and began yanking them on slowly. “What of Prince Nial?”

  “He’s in custody. I plan to speak to him when we get back.” She investigated my arms, which were both bleeding. “Are you well?”

  I nodded while the Ravens began to kneel in front of us. At first I thought it was because a princess was in their midst, but then I realized they were kneeling for me.

  Traya stepped forward and offered me Kabel’s sword, before dropping to her knees in front of me. “All hail the new Raven Master.”

  The other Ravens al
l repeated her words as they bowed their heads. I gazed at the sword, watching the way the birds on the blade glinted under the torchlight. Dahlia glanced around before asking, “What is this about?”

  I swept my gaze across the kneeling assassins as I sheathed the blade. “I’m the new Raven Master,” I said with a slow smile. “And I have some big changes in mind.”

  Nine

  Dahlia

  I insisted Garon return with me to the castle, where the physician tended to his wounds and Fellina gave him another tonic for the pain. None of his injuries were very serious, thank the Sun and Moon. A few cuts, including a long slash on his forearm, plus a bruised rib or two. Nothing he wouldn’t recover from, assuming he actually stayed in bed for any amount of time.

  Ever since he’d joined the Ravens as a youth I’d been terrified he would be killed. Now that he was the Raven Master I wasn’t sure that worry would ever go away, but I also trusted in his skills and resolve. I also knew Talador was in good hands with him in charge of the Ravens.

  As Garon slept off his injuries, I slipped away to deal with my other problem. Morning light filtered through the castle and I yawned, but there was no time to sleep. Not yet.

  When I reached the dungeon door, my brother was already there waiting for me. “Care to tell me where you’ve been for the last few hours?”

  “Good morning to you too brother,” I said, suppressing another yawn. “I’ve been dealing with the Ravens who tried to kill me. I’ll tell you more later.”

  His formidable presence blocked me from the door. “You were attacked at the ball and then you disappeared. You had Prince Nial locked up with no evidence. This could ruin our alliance and sabotage your wedding. What were you thinking?”