Page 9 of A Court of Truth and Thorns
Luca’s lip curls. “Get back to the cave, Rune. We may wish to sell you to Everett for their assistance.”
“Luca,” Trace starts again.
“No, traitor.” Luca points Trace’s own sword at his heart. “Walk.”
I sitwith my head bowed as Luca recounts every intimate detail that Trace and I shared in the dark’s deceptive privacy. In the light of the fire, sleepy faces stare from their blankets. Alexa and Jasmine, plainly confused as to the implication of Luca’s words, hug each other in fear. Wil and Calvin sit forward, weighing every revelation.
Leaning against the cave wall, Trace listens with a face of cool indifference, while each word Luca utters is a blade slicing into my soul. The only doubt his recounting leaves is whether I am an Everett accomplice or Trace’s plaything.
“Would you like me to weigh in on this,” I ask Luca once he wraps up the recitation, “or are you satisfied with your own personal account?”
Luca turns to me, his mouth twisting. “By all means, enlighten us, Kal. Or whatever your name is.”
I raise my chin. “My name is Kalianna and I am a trained scout that King Firehorn brought in to help understand the threats he might be facing. By living as both Kal, a male guardsman trainee, and the royal Lady Lianna, I was able to get access to a greater number of places then either persona alone would have allowed.”
Luca raises a brow. “The king brought you in to protect him, and upon discovering that his personal guard was an enemy spy, you proceeded to crawl into said spy’s breeches instead of reporting treason?” He snorts, shaking his head. “You’ll forgive me when I say that you may have been better off keeping your mouth shut just now.”
Put that way, I can’t exactly disagree.
I draw up my knees. This isn’t how my second-ever kiss was supposed to end. Not with humiliation and tears and utter aloneness. Lord Gapral never expected celibacy from his scouts, but he insisted that all pleasures of the flesh be acquired and paid for through his vetted network of courtesans. No entanglements. No mixed loyalties. I should have taken Gapral up on the offer to make the arrangements. Maybe then, these misplaced moments with Trace wouldn’t be tearing my insides to shreds. Maybe I’d have known better than to kiss Trace in the first place.
“At least we won’t be coming to Everett as emptyhanded beggars,” Luca finishes, glaring at Trace. “The only question is whether we’d do better presenting him as a goodwill offering or granting his life in exchange for assistance.”
Wil and Calvin trade uneasy glances, but I can’t tellwhether their dismay is rooted in the notion of selling Trace as a commodity, the practical difficulties of holding him hostage, or the general unpleasantness of spending time with an Everett spy.
Trace clears his throat. Even hunched over in deference to the low ceiling, he appears oblivious to either the hurtful words or the horrid plans. “One problem, Luca,” he says now. “Prince Rune has been dead for five years. How exactly do you imagine an Everett commander will respond to your claim that I am said corpse?”
Calvin raises a finger. “Who is aware of your... lack of death, Your Highness?”
Trace exhales. “My parents. My sister. Present company.”
I press further into the wall, the words reaching me through a fog.
“The envoy knew nothing?” asks Wil, speaking for the first time since Luca’s announcement.
“Envoy Jajack came into service after Rune’s death,” says Trace.
“Convenient,” Luca says, his nostrils flaring.
“No. Designed.” Trace turns to him. “I was seventeen and thought I knew better than the generals. I took a lot of men on a fool’s mission that ended very badly—enough to jeopardize the people’s faith in the throne. Rune’s death controlled the damage.”
“A prince whose stupidity kills his men is a disgrace. A prince dying at the enemy’s hands is a call to unity. Was that the theory?” asks Calvin.
“Yes. My father went to great lengths to ensure that Rune’s martyrdom stuck. Those who knew me well soon found themselves in other posts,” Trace continues. “My sister’s appearance in Dansil’s court was, well,unexpectedis anunderstatement.” As he answers Calvin’s question, Trace’s eyes remain on Luca. “Ask what you want to know.”
Luca’s back stiffens and it’s a few heartbeats before he manages the words. “All those plans and patrols you put in place in the name of safeguarding Firehorn, all those times I came with you because I trusted you—what were you really doing? What werewedoing?”
“We were safeguarding Firehorn,” Trace answers immediately. “Each and every time.”
“Because you’re a loyal Dansil subject?” demands Luca.
“Because I am loyal Everett subject,” Trace shoots back, pinning Luca with his glare. “Because Firehorn was the bridge to peace with Everett. The only bridge.” Silence settles over the cave as Trace’s words hang thick in the air.
Jasmine moans. Glancing at the young girl, I realize she must have given in to the fever sometime during the conversation.
Alexa scoots to her friend and touches her sweaty forehead. “She’s burning,” Alexa says quietly. “Badly.”
Luca pushes off the wall and kneels before the prone girl, cursing softly under his breath.
