Page 64 of Rise of the Vicious Princess

Two additional guards took up their posts on the top of the carriage, while Charis, Holland, Nalani, and Tal climbed inside. Reuben and Elsbet took positions on the outside of the carriage—one at the back and one beside the door.

Holland raised a brow at Tal and looked to Charis. “You don’t usually let Reuben touch you. I thought that was Tal’s job.”

“Don’t be crass, Holland.” Nalani nudged her brother with her elbow slightly harder than was strictly necessary.

“Ouch.” He frowned at Nalani. “I wasn’t being crass. It’s a legitimate observation. They don’t even look like they can stand to be in the same carriage together.”

Charis held herself as still as possible and refused to look at Tal. She could only assume he was doing the same. The carriage rolled smoothly down the long drive that led from the palace and turned onto the street.

Nalani studied the two of them, and then gave Charis a worried look. “You know how much it pains me to say this, but Holland’s right. If this is none of our business, then just say so. But we’re about to go into a very busy area of town, and someone out there wants you dead. If Tal is distracted—”

“I’m not distracted.” Tal’s voice was steady.

“Of course not,” Nalani soothed. “But if you aren’t really feeling ready to be Charis’s shield today, then—”

“I’m more than ready to be her shield.”

Charis risked a glance at his face. He met her gaze and gave her a half smile. It didn’t exactly reach his eyes, but still, a tension within her uncoiled.

“Any progress on finding out who sank the ships?” Holland gestured at the ocean just visible in the spaces between brick buildings as the carriage wound its way down to the heart of the city.

“You heard about that already?” Not that Charis was surprised. She’d been sure the merchants arguing in the corner of the ballroom had already received reports from the docks.

“Everyone’s heard by this point,” Nalani said. “Lady Shawling got hold of the information last night.”

“Well, here’s some new information.” Charis folded her hands to keep herself still. “We sent more naval ships out at first light to find those responsible. But they were attacked and sunk just outside the harbor. The last three ships heading out of the harbor saw them go down and turned back. Unfortunately, they didn’t see who did the sinking.”

“How could they not see who did the sinking?” Holland demanded. “It’s daylight.”

“A good question, and not one I can answer,” Charis said. “We also lost two merchant vessels that left our harbor this morning. The only boats that haven’t been attacked are small fishing vessels and, according to Admiral Peyton’s reports, the smugglers who bring goods into smaller ports under cover of night.”

“I’m amazed anyone on the docks reported anything about the smugglers’ ships,” Holland said.

“We have far bigger problems than chasing down a few small ships that traffic surplus goods without paying tariffs, and I’m sure the dock officials and other workers realize it,” Charis said. “It’s in everyone’s best interest to get this solved quickly.”

“So none of our ships can leave the harbor?” Nalani’s knee bounced up and down, and her eyes were wide with worry.

“Yes.”

“And none of our allies can come help us?” Nalani asked.

“I wouldn’t help us,” Holland said. “I like not drowning.”

The carriage left the main road and turned down a narrow street that smelled of fish and salt. The buildings here were long rectangles with scrawny patches of grass growing out of the thin strips of sandy soil that stood between them.

“None of our allies would dare sail to us while this threat exists, which means no help and no trade. We’re cut off until we either find the attacking fleet and destroy it or learn which kingdom is behind the attacks and force them to stop.”

“Good luck with that,” Holland said. “It must be Montevallo, either by somehow building their own ships in a northern cove or something, or by bribing another sea kingdom to help them. And I don’t see us being able to force King Alaric to stop attacking by sea when we can’t even get him to stop attacking on land.”

“I have to agree with Holland,” Nalani said. “I don’t see how we can possibly convince Alaric to stop attacking us when he has us right where he wants us.”

Charis sat back and considered her cousins—the closest friends she had—as she chose her words carefully. It was time she told them about the potential peace treaty, but if the council’s response was anything to go by, the twins might react badly to the idea of giving Alaric both port access and entry into Calera’s royal family.

As the carriage rumbled over the cobblestones and the calls of merchants hawking their wares outside their shops drifted in, muffled by the mist that clung to the city, Charis said, “All we need to stop Alaric is the right leverage, and I think I’ve found it.”

The twins froze and looked at her—Nalani wearing her thinking frown while Holland leaned forward in eager anticipation. Tal looked swiftly to Charis, his shoulders tense.

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense,” Holland said. “What leverage do you have?”

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