Page 3 of The Rebel's Prize

He made a circling motion with one finger. "I'm going to need you to go a little further back in the story to start with. Because I doubt you've been struck by a sudden urge to take in the Parthan vineyards or any of its other sights."

He knew her too well for a man who hadn't seen her for many years. "I'm trying to find someone. I have reason to believe they may be heading for Partha."

"That explains the destination. Not so much the incognito part."

"This person may not want to be found."

"Sounds like you." He blew out a breath. "Let's cut to the chase, love. If you're here, looking for me, then something has gone wrong in Lumia."

She shrugged noncommittally.

"Does it have something to do with what happened at the palace?"

"The palace?" she squeaked. She'd avoided seeking out the news from Illvya. For the first week because she was too worried that anyone in possession of a newssheet might just recognize her. After that, as she'd moved farther away from Illvya, because she didn't want to stand out by seeking out an Illvyan newssheet specifically. But she'd checked the local noticeboards in the towns she'd passed through. There had been no announcement of Aristides dying.

Which was something of a relief. The mail moved slowly, but when there was news as vital to the people as the death of their emperor, the Imperial mages made sure it reached every end of the empire with speed. Perhaps she'd been in time and Imogene and Lucien had quelled the plot against Aristides.

"You don't know?"

"I've been chasing a—um, moving fast. I haven't had much time to catch up on the news. Did something happen to the emperor?"

"Someone tried to make something happen. The news is they failed. I guess time will tell whether that's the truth. But it happened nearly two weeks ago. Just about long enough for you to make your way here, in fact." He leaned back in the chair, folding his arms. "I'm not an idiot, love. Never have been."

She sighed. "Fine. Yes, something happened at the palace. The person I want to find may have had something to do with that."

"And the reason it's you rather than the Imperial army chasing after them is...?"

"It's in my best interests to do so." She lifted her chin. "And it's in your best interests for me to not tell you any more than that."

"Does that mean you think the Imperial army is also looking for them? Or you?"

"You're not an idiot, so don't ask questions that may just cause you trouble. I said I needed to be incognito. Make of that what you will. Now, I have gold. I need a merchant caravan or something like it that’s traveling to Partha. Is that something you can arrange for me, or do I need to look elsewhere?"

He scowled, shaking his head. "I can do it. It'll take a day or two for me to find out who's around and where they're headed. Partha is not the most common destination from Miseneia, though there are some caravans that travel that far."

If anyone should know the trade routes of any given place in the empire, it was him. "Good. I can wait. But not for too long."

He studied her a moment. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I'm sure. It's something I have to do."

"Very well." His expression suggested he thought she was being foolish. Based on what?

She resisted the urge to look away. He knew about the palace. How much more did he know? He hadn't said anything about her marriage, but that didn't mean he hadn't heard the news.

The weight of Lucien's ring on the chain around her neck was suddenly heavy. How closely was Samuel still watching the news and gossip from Lumia?

As he'd said, he was not an idiot. Indeed, he was a smuggler who'd run a dangerous line of work successfully for many years. You didn't survive so long in that game by being ill-informed. She knew that previously he'd followed the happenings of the Illvyan court, given that it was often those who fell afoul of politics who might need his services to leave the empire. But Illvya and Anglion were no longer staunch enemies. People could move freely between the two countries, so perhaps refugees weren't part of his business anymore. If he'd turned legitimate businessman—and the cargo he carried into port suggested he had—maybe he had no need to follow the court gossip and may not have heard the news that she had married again. To another aristo. Or maybe old habits died hard.

"I hope your family were glad to see you when you came home. They must have missed you." His expression softened slightly.

She nodded, suppressing a guilty wince. They wouldn't be so happy now that she'd fled again. She was bringing up all the old trauma she'd caused in the past just when they thought they had her safely home. It had been a cruel thing to do, but she figured it was better for them to have an alive daughter whom they didn't see than a grave to visit.

"They were well," she said. "And glad to see me, as you say. I'm looking forward to being home with them again once my travels are done."

"You're an easy woman to miss, love. I know I did." He flashed her a smile.

She lifted an eyebrow. It hadn't been so long that she couldn't spot him being deliberately charming. "That was your choice. And a long time ago."

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