The Affiliate (Ascension Book 1)

by K. A. Linde

  Maelia’s mouth dropped open. “What do you need all of that for, Cyrene?”

  Cyrene didn’t want to tell Maelia her reasoning just yet—that she was doing it in part because of the King and in part because she wanted practical riding gear in case she was able to travel. Neither was something she could impart on someone she had only recently met.

  “I know you can do it faster. I want them for court. I need to make an impression,” Cyrene said. “Six weeks.”

  “Cyrene,” Maelia hissed.

  Lady Cauthorn shook her head. “Only for you, girl. Just don’t forget that favor.”

  Cyrene swallowed and nodded. She hadn’t forgotten, but the look on Lady Cauthorn’s face made her pause. How much will I regret the promise of these favors?

  “I haven’t forgotten.”

  “Good. Then, six weeks will be feasible for all, except for the ball gown. It will have to suffice for that to come after.”

  “I understand. Thank you.”

  She heard Lady Cauthorn mutter some unsavory comments as she and Maelia exited the house, but Cyrene ignored them. She had gotten what she wanted after all.

  Cyrene and Maelia walked back to Broad Street and then approached the entrance to the Laelish Market. An inner and outer circle of multicolored booths was compactly pressed together, and patrons busied themselves in the densely populated location. Objects of various sizes, shapes, and functions rested on tables, sat in carts, and dangled from overhangs that blocked the sun. The royal banner hung from a tall flagpole at the center of the market. The smell of freshly caught fish hit their nostrils along with the sweat of the horde surrounding them. Summer was already beating down, and the heat radiating off the Fallen Desert carried through the city.

  They picked their way through the crowds, stopping at nearly every shop along the way. All the while, Cyrene searched for Basille Selby, the merchant Elea had claimed sold her the mysterious book.

  Cyrene walked by a couple discussing the merits of various types of tea leaves when someone brushed against her shoulder. She turned quickly to make sure no one had tried to pickpocket her, but she didn’t see anyone suspicious. She checked her bag, and everything was still there. As she started walking again, someone whispered something to her, but she couldn’t quite decipher it. She pivoted but found no one close enough to her.

  What in the Creator’s name?

  Pushing past a group of Carharan merchants waving jewelry at her, she heard the whisper one more time. Like an idiot, she did a full circle in the middle of the market.

  Nothing.

  Something about this felt…wrong. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, and her pulse quickened. She suddenly didn’t feel safe being out in the market with Maelia while a murderer was on the loose. Maybe it wasn’t safe outside of court after all.

  “Maelia”—Cyrene caught her arm when she came out of the next tent—“I feel like…someone is following me.”

  Maelia’s eyes widened to saucers. “Do you want to go?”

  Cyrene looked around at the crowd one more time, but she still didn’t see anyone. “I just need to look at one more tent.”

  “All right. I’ll wait for you in this one then.”

  Cyrene nodded and then checked out one of the last canopies in a hurry.

  “Excuse me,” she anxiously called out.

  A rather bulky man with scars on his almost leathery tan hands and arms was seated in a chair. He had streaks of gray touching his temples, but his eyes were ever vigilant.

  “Hello. Sorry to disturb you, but I was looking for Basille Selby. Do you know him?”

  “Was it ta ya?” he drawled in his thick Eleysian accent.

  “Master Selby recently sold me a book, and I had a few questions about it.”

  “He won’t take returns if tha’s wha’ you’re af’er.”

  “No, no, I don’t want to return the book. I wish to speak with him.”

  “He ain’ here. He went ta Levin. Said da pickin’s good,” the man said.

  “Do you know when he will return?”

  He shrugged. “Coupa weeks. He say he be back when he be back.”

  “Wonderful,” Cyrene murmured dryly. “Thank you for your assistance.”

  As she left, she tried to be relieved that she hadn’t come back empty-handed. She was determined to return to meet Basille Selby as soon as she could, and hopefully, she would receive some answers about this damn book.

  “Find anything?” Maelia asked when Cyrene reappeared.

  “Not a thing. Ready to go?”

  With excited eyes, Maelia glanced around the market once more, soaking it in, and then she nodded.

  The girls retrieved their horses and then trotted back onto the castle grounds.

  As soon as Cyrene handed over the reins to a stable hand, a guard appeared before them.

  “Affiliate Cyrene?”

  “Yes,” she said, stepping forward.

  “King Edric requests to speak with you.”

  “What is this in regard to?” she asked. Anxiety hit her in the stomach.

  “High Order Zorian’s murder,” he said. “Please follow me.”

  Cyrene saw that Maelia’s shocked features mirrored her own. The guard had confirmed what they had heard earlier today.

  Murder.

  “Honestly, Your Majesty, do you think I’m an idiot?” Ahlvie asked in exasperation.

  King Edric sighed and turned his head away from Ahlvie. He impatiently tapped his foot. Frustration was written on every line of his face.

  Prince Kael simply looked ready to punch Ahlvie in the face. That, at least, Ahlvie could handle. He had been in fistfights before.

  However, this absurd accusation about Zorian…well, Ahlvie wasn’t sure what to do about it, except continue to rebuff them.

  “Yes. Yes, we do,” Prince Kael grumbled.

  He stalked across the room and slammed his hands down on the sides of Ahlvie’s chair. His blue-gray eyes were menacing, but Ahlvie laughed in his face.

  “Find something funny?”

  “This whole situation actually.”

  “Zorian was a good man, and now, he’s dead because of you.”

  “Kael,” King Edric said sharply, “that’s enough. We need proof before we can incriminate High Order Ahlvie.”

  Prince Kael shoved away from Ahlvie. “He brought Zorian in. He has no alibi, and a servant found his clothes bloody and torn. How much more evidence do we need, Edric?”

  Ahlvie raised a finger to interject. “I have an alibi.”

  King Edric dragged his hand down his face. “Let’s start at the beginning, Ahlvie. Where were you last night? Who were you with? What were you doing?”

  “Like I said before, I went out on the town, as I do on most other nights. I left through the side exit by the High Order quarters around midnight. Two guards saw me leave—Maurus and Brenner. I was at the Howling Raven, dicing and meeting a lady I fancy. You can speak to people there to confirm that.”

  “Yes, we’ll send someone down there,” King Edric said.

  “Anyway, a man accused me of cheating.”

  “Were you?” Prince Kael interjected.

  Ahlvie shot them a toothy grin. “I would never.”

  Prince Kael blew out his breath. “Right.”

  “Continue,” King Edric said.

  “All right. We got into a fight. He pulled a knife on me, which explains the condition of my clothes. I returned late through the gate, and then I passed out in the stables.”

  “Can anyone attest to where you were you left the Howling Raven until you reported finding Zorian?” King Edric asked.

  Ahlvie sighed and sank further in his seat. “This whole thing is insane. I’ve been at court for over a year. Why would I suddenly start killing off people now?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Prince Kael said. He crossed his arms and stared down his nose at Ahlvie.

  “If I killed a guy, do you think I’d
be stupid enough to bring forward the evidence? I made it into First Class because I’m a genius.” He cracked a smug smile. “I wouldn’t suddenly slip up and do something this moronic. Whoever killed Zorian was either sloppy or wanted to be found.”

  “Exactly what the killer would say,” Prince Kael said.

  “You’re wasting your time!” Ahlvie cried.

  He leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on his knees. He didn’t care how long they kept him in here. He wasn’t going to suddenly confess to a murder that he hadn’t committed. He didn’t think the King even believed that he had done it. They just needed someone to pin it on.

  “We might be,” King Edric conceded. “But first, answer the question. Did you see anyone else after you supposedly left for the stables?”

  “Okay. Fine. Yes, I saw that new Affiliate. What’s her name?”

  “Cyrene?” King Edric and Prince Kael asked nearly at once.

  “That’s the one.”

  Their eyes met, and something passed between them. If Ahlvie didn’t know better, he’d say it was almost…jealousy. But while the Prince bedded nearly every Affiliate who walked, the King normally steered clear of them. Ahlvie wondered if they’d be looking at each other like that now if they had seen the drowned rat wandering around the stable yard before he had helped her.

  “What was she doing out on the night of her Presenting?” King Edric asked. His hands fisted at his sides, and he blatantly ignored the hard stare from his brother.

  Ahlvie shrugged and analyzed the two of them with interest. “No idea. I didn’t ask questions. Just helped her back to her rooms, changed my clothes, talked to Reeve for a minute, and then left.”

  “High Order Reeve? Cyrene’s brother?” King Edric asked.

  “Yeah, sure.”

  The King sighed heavily. “We’ll have to bring them both in to confirm this. Kael, have a guard bring them in and send someone down to the Howling Raven to inquire about Ahlvie’s dicing.”

  The Prince glared at his brother’s command, but he left the room without a word.

  “Let’s hope that all of this holds up,” King Edric said to Ahlvie candidly.

  “What good would it do for me to lie?”

  “That is an excellent question and one I intend to get an answer to.”

  Cyrene trudged behind the guard. As soon as she had overheard Jardana talking about how Ahlvie was somehow involved in the death of High Order Zorian, Cyrene had known she was going to get summoned.

  It was by complete chance that she had found Ahlvie in the stables that morning. She had been so happy when he offered to help her back to her rooms after her warrior ceremony. It was hard to believe the man who had vomited at her feet from intoxication would have had enough coherence or forethought to murder someone. He seemed an unlikely candidate, but she would wait to pass judgment after hearing what he had told the King.

  The guard finally stopped in front of a plain wooden door where two more guards stood in position. “Here you are, Affiliate.” He opened the door and leaned inside. “Affiliate Cyrene has arrived.”

  “Let her in,” King Edric called.

  The guard creaked open the door the rest of the way and allowed her to pass. Cyrene entered a rectangular room bare of decoration, save for a few hard wooden chairs and a small square window.

  The King sat regally, facing a lone chair. Prince Kael stood against the far wall. He followed her every move as she glided inside and curtsied.

  “Your Majesties.”

  “Affiliate Cyrene,” King Edric said with a broad smile.

  His blue-gray eyes rested on her face, and her heart lurched. How can I be so nervous about the investigation and still have this electricity surge up through me at his nearness?

  “Cyrene,” Prince Kael said.

  She startled at the familiar tone, and her eyes darted to his face. His lips were pressed into a firm line, but he perused her face with an intimacy that was unsettling.

  She returned her attention to King Edric.

  He gestured in front of him. “Please take a seat. This shouldn’t take too long.”

  Cyrene crossed the room and sank into the seat facing the King. She crossed her feet at her ankles and lightly rested her hands in her lap. She wanted to look relaxed, not as stressed as she felt.

  King Edric began speaking, “We want to ease your mind about the circumstances. We are just going to ask you a few questions regarding your whereabouts since you’ve become an Affiliate.”

  “Okay,” she said uncertainly.

  “Do you mind telling us where you were the night and morning after your Presenting ball?” King Edric asked.

  She peeked up at Prince Kael and then down at her clasped hands. Her cheeks heated. She tried desperately not to think about the Prince escorting her back to her room and pressing her up against the wall with his lips and hands on her, but it only made her think about it more.

  King Edric’s eyes moved from Cyrene to Prince Kael and then back to her. She swallowed and ignored the Prince’s smirk.

  The door burst open in that moment, saving her from answering.

  “Edric!” Queen Kaliana cried.

  “Kaliana?” the King said, his voice holding a hint of confusion.

  All traces that the Queen had rushed over here out of nowhere were wiped from her face as she flowed into the room. “I’m here for the questioning of the Affiliate as I’m sure you were not going to do it without her Receiver present,” Queen Kaliana said.

  She sank effortlessly into the seat next to King Edric, who looked nonplussed at her appearance.

  “Edric would never do anything without speaking with you first,” Prince Kael said with enough sarcasm to make Queen Kaliana narrow her eyes at him.

  King Edric cut in, “We had simply asked Affiliate Cyrene about her whereabouts the night and morning after of her Presenting.”

  “Yes, Affiliate, do tell us where you were,” Prince Kael prodded.

  Cyrene wanted to glare at Prince Kael, but she held her composure. She couldn’t seem frazzled. It was even more pressing now that the Queen was there.

  “After my Presenting ball, I returned to my rooms to sleep. I was awoken in the middle of the night and went through the warrior ceremony.”

  The royalty before her stiffened.

  “The warrior ceremony?” King Edric asked cautiously.

  “Um…yes,” she said. “I was left on a platform in the underground lake and had to find a way to escape.”

  “Kaliana,” the King snapped. He glared at her with open disdain. “You said they had stopped.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” she whispered.

  “I won’t have any more of these pranks taking place,” he told her.

  “I said I’d take care of it.”

  “Good,” he said dismissively.

  Cyrene tried to remain outwardly calm throughout what had just occurred. But had they honestly said that what I had gone through was nothing more than a prank?

  “A prank?” she asked in disbelief.

  “Other High Order and Affiliates have been known to play tricks on each other on the night of their Presenting. It’s almost an initiation into their ranks,” the King explained.

  I could have died that night! All for a stupid prank. Just thinking about it made her blood boil.

  “I see.”

  “My apologies, Affiliate. Please continue with your story,” King Edric said.

  “Of course,” Cyrene said, covering up her frustration. Then, she recounted the tale of how she’d found Ahlvie in the stable yard, the state of his attire, and how he helped her home.

  “Yes, but why did he do that?” Queen Kaliana asked. “He could have just helped you with the hopes that he would have someone to act as an alibi after he’d already committed the murder.”

  “Pardon, Your Highness, but if you had seen the state of his intoxication, then you would not think he would have had the forethought to use me for that. Not to mention,
I had been there entirely by chance.”

  “But,” Queen Kaliana said, facing the King, “she confirmed the state of his dress, including the blood on him, and that she wasn’t there the whole time. He could have killed Zorian the night before and then pretended to find him the next morning.”

  King Edric listened to his Queen without a word and then turned back to Cyrene. “What do you think, Affiliate?” he asked.

  Cyrene swallowed. King Edric was asking for her opinion on the matter. Queen Kaliana looked at her in a manner that said Cyrene had better agree with her, and Prince Kael stared at her as if she were a puzzle he was trying to figure out how to put together.

  “To be honest, I can’t see how Ahlvie had anything to do with this. The evidence is circumstantial at best. Ahlvie and I are only recently acquainted, but I don’t think the killer would have brought forward the body.”

  Queen Kaliana raised her nose in disagreement, but the King just nodded.

  “Without more evidence, I’m going to have to agree with you. Thank you for your time, Affiliate. Hopefully, this case will be closed before High Order Zorian’s funeral.”

  Cyrene took that as her cue to go, and she hurried out of the room. She had only made it a few steps before she heard someone following her. She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin.

  “Why are you following me?” she snapped before she could think better of holding in her temper.

  “I simply came to make sure you were all right,” Prince Kael said with that devious smile. “It’s not every day you’re involved in a murder investigation.”

  She shivered. “I’m quite all right. Thank you.”

  He took a step closer until he was speaking only for her ears despite the fact that they were nearly alone in the corridor, “Why have you not heeded my advice?”

  “Your advice?” She arched an eyebrow in question.

  “You left the grounds. You went into the city when you knew it was not safe.”

  Cyrene took a step back. “How do you know that?”

  “I’m well-informed on what goes on in and out of the castle.”

  “Did you have me followed?” she demanded. Did I scare myself in the Laelish Market over nothing?

  He smirked but ignored her question. “Just stay in the court like a good little Affiliate,” he said, patting her shoulder.