Page 66 of Kingdom of Dance

“Not really, no,” she admitted. “I think Obsidian had better do that. Send a guard to fetch him. Hopefully it’s been long enough for him to get back to his room.”

Basil’s brows drew together. “What in dragon’s flame does that mean?”

Zinnia made an impatient chivvying motion with her hands. “Just fetch him.” It was too difficult to try to explain around the restrictions of Idric’s magic. Besides, she wanted to hear how Obsidian would tell it.

Looking utterly bewildered, Basil strode to the door, barking an order to one of the guards outside. The man took off down the corridor, and Basil pulled his head back in just as Wren slipped into the receiving room.

“Lieutenant Obsidian is coming,” Basil warned his wife, and she nodded, pulling her over-robe more securely around her before seating herself in Basil’s vacated chair. The young king didn’t join her. Instead he positioned himself by the window, feet apart and hands behind his back, his eyes troubled as they rested on Zinnia.

She could feel his gaze, but she didn’t look at him.

“Are you hurt, Zinnia?” Wren’s soft voice startled the princess into looking up.

“Nothing to signify,” she assured her sister-in-law. “I’m sorry about all the hassle.”

Wren gave an amused smile. “If we’re about to finally get some answers, I’d be willing to trade more than a few hours of sleep.”

Zinnia looked away, her stomach twisting. If only she could give them real answers. They were going to see only the smallest piece of the puzzle. The only piece she actuallywantedto keep a secret.

A firm tread sounded in the hall, loud in the silence of the night. After a smart rap on the door, Obsidian was ushered in. He was still in the clothes he’d worn on their trip into the city, and his eyes flew instantly to Zinnia. She grimaced back at him, acknowledging the awkwardness of it all.

“Lieutenant, I’m sincerely hoping you can illuminate me on what’s going on,” said Basil, as soon as the guards had withdrawn. “Because Zinnia either can’t or won’t.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” said Obsidian, with a quick bow. “I…” He glanced at Zinnia. “I formed the impression tonight that the princess wasn’t actually intending to sleep when she retreated to her bed. I made my way into the city and waited at the gate where I’d previously seen her enter, as you’re aware.”

“And?” Basil’s voice was grim.

“As I expected, she once again ventured into the city alone and wearing a disguise.”

“Just some of your old clothes,” Zinnia informed Basil helpfully.

He was frowning so heavily his brows met in the middle, and Wren just blinked at her. Clearly they’d both been aware of her activities, as Obsidian had suggested.

The soldier gave no response to her interruption, calmly continuing to report on everything that had occurred. Zinnia fidgeted uncomfortably at his description of her misadventures, but she couldn’t help going still as he described the conversation they’d both overheard.

“So the fugitive has surfaced,” Basil said, momentarily diverted from Zinnia’s activities. “And we have a name.” He ran a hand down his face. “We can’t leave the situation any longer. I’ll speak to the Enchanters’ Guild in the morning. They’ll have to combine with the guards to track him down.”

“You knew about him?” Zinnia asked, startled. “How? And why didn’t you try to catch him before?”

“As to how,” said Basil grimly. “I had my best man surveilling you, that’s how. If you realized from your last little jaunt that the man your informant mentioned was one of the fugitives, don’t you think Lieutenant Obsidian could connect the same dots?”

“Well, I didn’t know he’d been listening in,” Zinnia said reasonably.

“And I didn’t round him up,” Basil went on, sounding aggrieved, “because doing so might ruin my best chance of finding out what in Solstice my little sister is up to, running around in the night like she thinks she’s some kind of trained agent instead of an unarmed, untrained princess whose life means something to me if not to her!”

Zinnia winced as his voice rose. She’d rarely heard her brother so angry, although she didn’t blame him for a moment.

“I did have a small blade with me,” she said weakly.

“Oh?” Basil challenged. “And where is it now?”

She grimaced. “The enchanter from the prison—Lorne—knocked it out of my hand with his magic.”

“High quality protection, then,” said Basil dryly.

“Well, Obsidian was pretty good protection,” Zinnia pointed out, looking at the soldier, who had stood silent and unmoving through this exchange. She frowned. “How did you listen in from the same roof I was on without me seeing you?”

He gave a small sigh. “I had to use an invisibility enchantment. They’re complex, at least when done well. And mine was crude, because I never troubled to learn it properly. I was trying to hang far enough back to not be detected, but it’s not surprising that my clumsy magic drew Lorne’s attention. For which I apologize.”

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