Page 236 of The War God’s Favorite

Then, Shareen accompanied her mother back inside, followed closely by Anour.

“So, Brother really doesn’t know what happened here?”

“How could he? Vrehan killed all of my couriers and spies before I had a chance, not even a fly could have gotten out of this place before today! I bet Krai was able to sense his egg hatching though, he’s always been very sensitive.”

The Imperial Concubine seemed to be back in charge as she was hurrying through her Palace’s halls. Shareen knew her mother well enough to know that, despite Vrehan’s siege, there was no way Kareen had completely run out of resources. The little dragon still followed her closely, as Kareen walked to where a door was hidden, which opened into another secret hideout. Shareen raised an eyebrow. She had spent half of her childhood in this Palace, but there were apparently still many things she had never seen before. Through the hidden door, they climbed some very narrow stairs all the way to the top of a secret tower.

It was a room filled with birds, including a couple of falcons. Kareen whistled, and one of them flew to her wrist. She rolled up a small note she had taken the time to write while Shareen was getting rid of the soldiers and tied it to the bird’s foot. The falcon left the tower with the message, clearly heading towards the Capital.

“Mother, I thought all your spies were dead?”

“Those who were supposed to return! However, I of course do still have many friends in the Palace. That was my fastest bird, we’ll get news quicker this way.”

“I see... Mother, you never told Cassandra about Dahlia being one of your people, did you?”

“She didn’t need to know and now it’s irrelevant... Poor girl. Come on, let’s go back downstairs. I want to get the production of the medical kits back on track to help your brother, and I need to recruit more people as soon as possible.”

“What are you talking about? Medical kits?”

While they walked back down into the Diamond Palace, Kareen quickly explained everything Cassandra and Missandra had been doing to help Kairen’s army while staying here. In a few words, she let her know about the production of medical kits and the feedback they had received from the front before Vrehan’s arrival. Shareen nodded.

“Oh! I was getting fed up with all those officials praising her all the time back at the Northern Camp as if she was some Messiah, and now the girl has done it again. Kairen really knows how to pick them. Does that woman ever stop?”

“As if. But it’s not like everyone can go around playing with a sword to solve their problems!”

Shareen rolled her eyes again, exasperated. Her mother had been very happy to see her and her sword just minutes ago to clear her Palace of all of Vrehan’s men, hadn’t she?!

“Anyway, we still need to figure out where the girls might go once they reach the Capital,” said Kareen. “They probably won’t be able to enter the Imperial Palace without us, and we might not get to the Capital before they do, but we can find ways to help them before that. If only I knew exactly where they would go.”

“Missandra mentioned an... an ex-husband,” said Anour, a little bitter.

“I have one better than that,” said Shareen with a smirk. “I had almost forgotten about the guy before you mentioned the medical kits and all of Cassandra’s doings, but...”

The Princess walked back to the entrance of the castle, where the man she had arrived with was still looking a bit sick. He was standing very straight, and trying to look anywhere but at the bodies Shareen had left behind during her cleaning episode earlier.

Kareen looked at the man, a bit confused. She had never seen him before, but he was obviously dressed as an Imperial Servant and had the demeanor of a man who had been trained for that role as well. He kneeled respectfully as soon as the Imperial Concubine, Princess and Prince were in sight.

“Greetings, Imperial Concubine Kareen.”

“Who is this?”

“Cassie’s former babysitter,” said Shareen.

“My name is Evin, Your Highness. I was indeed Lady Cassandra’s escort and assistant back when she resided in the Northern Camp with his Highness, a few months ago.”

“Oh. Why did you bring the man here then?” asked the Imperial Concubine Kareen, still refusing to acknowledge the servant.

“Tell her.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” said Evin, bowing again. “This humble servant happens to have exchanged a flattering number of letters with Lady Cassandra over the last few weeks. I mentioned our close relationship to her Highness, Princess Shareen, and she politely agreed to bring me here to see the Lady again.”

Kareen exchanged a look with Shareen, but the Princess immediately turned to Evin again.

“You know where Cassie would go in the Capital, don’t you?”

“Yes, Your Highness. In her latest letters, Lady Cassandra happened to mention a residence she had acquired in the Capital recently, thanks to His Highness the Third Prince. As a suggestion to Her Highness Princess Shareen, I strongly believe Lady Cassandra will be very likely to go there first.”

Kareen was baffled for a few seconds.

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