Page 94 of Poisoned Kingdom
She didn’t try to stop him, and that alone told me how deeply she trusted him. Her brows drew tight with worry, but her acceptance made the dwarf smile.
‘Always, drah’sa. I knew you’d understand.’
Irsha slapped a hand on the table. ‘Good. We’ve got a plan.’
‘Not exactly,’ Sana said. ‘If Tivala’s behind this, we need proof. We can’t point fingers at men like him without evidence. They don’t just fall; they circle the wagons.’ She glanced towards the map. ‘I’ll return to the Brotherhood. Search Jagon’s workshop, his rooms—anything that might give us leverage. If that turns up nothing, I’ll go south.’
‘No.’ The word left me sharper than intended, everything inside me recoiling at the thought. If Tivala had dared attack herhere, what would stop him from killing herthere?
‘You can’t accuse him based on a dead mercenary’s words and my hunch,’ she said, gently but firmly. ‘I don’t know much about court politics, but I know enough to realise if you touch one of those arseholes, they will all rally against you. What you need is a signed order, something he can’t deny.’
She was right. I hated that she was right.
‘Sana, if he is behind all this, I’m not going to accuse him—I’m going to destroy him,’ I said. ‘But you’re right. I need time to prepare, and we need to find out what this . . . thing is, what it has to do with srebrec . . . and why the fuck he’s been digging into the ground alongside the border.’
Riordan gathered the plans. ‘Leave the device to Master Orenson and me,’ he said, and I had to fight a grin at the way Tova’s chest puffed with pride when he nodded.
‘Irsha?’ Sana asked quietly, and some understanding passed between them.
‘I don’t work for free sweetheart, even for you.’ He shook his head, but I had a remedy for that.
‘Then I’ll contract your chapter, just like I did before the rebellion,’ I said. ‘You’ll be my eyes and ears in Truso.’
He smirked. ‘You mistake my men for Observers. And I’ll have to think about it before I entangle my Blades in a quarrel between the nobles.’
‘I don’t make mistakes like that,’ I said evenly. ‘I don’t trust the Observers. I trust Sana. That’s why I’m hiringyou, Irsha Vilkor. You’ll take my coin—and you won’t fail me.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘For a man who tried to kill me a couple of hours ago, you have a lot of guts asking me to serve you. But fine. Send your man with the contract tomorrow.’
‘Guts? I’m holding a war council in a bloody kitchen. So maybe what I have is a lot of “guts”trustingyou all with the future of Dagome,’ I said, looking at the people gathered around me. ‘Though I recognise an opportunity when it arises.’
None of them knew how much was at stake. None of them sat on my royal council or held a military post. And yet—between a dwarf, a half-fae courtesan, and two assassins—I’d received more loyalty, more insight, and more solutions than from a hundred advisors trained in statecraft.
Meeting Roksana had cost me dearly. But now? It felt less like a price and more like fate—like the moment the tide turned, and I was gifted a woman who shifted everything. Including the company I kept.
‘Thank you,’ I said simply. ‘This . . . shadow council has been more enlightening than I could have imagined. Consider yourselves under the Crown’s protection. Now, Riordan, draft the letter to the Court of Mages and have it ready for me to sign. I want all their resources at your and Tova’s disposal. Irsha, the contract will be sent to your chapter tomorrow. Liliana, I’ll assign a handful of my veterans to your establishment. Hire them as staff. I’ll cover the cost from my personal accounts. Sana—’
‘Will do her own thing,’ she cut in before I could finish. ‘And right now, her own thing is sending everyone to bed.’ She stood and stretched, and Liliana instantly followed, giving a graceful curtsy.
‘Thank you, Your Majesty. I bid you goodnight. Sana, come and see me tomorrow. We need to talk.’
Irsha followed her out with very little pretence, and I was fairly certain I knew where he’d be sleeping tonight.
Riordan glanced my way before he grasped Tova’s elbow and asked him about his workshop. Both left, giving me a chance to talk to Sana.
‘Go home, Rey. I’m tired,’ she murmured, leaning against the doorframe.
I braced my hand on the wood above her head, refusing to let the moment slip past.
‘You didn’t let me finish, Sanika. I’m leaving, and I’m not sure for how long. Tova was right,’ I said. ‘I need to check on Tivalaran and its borders. Since the accident, I’ve hidden like a wounded boar, licking my wounds and neglecting my duty whilemy enemies exploited my weakness. I need to oversee the patrols and check the outposts.’
She nodded slowly, guilt flickering across her features. ‘I hope you have a peaceful journey. I’ll come with an update when you return—this time in person, I promise. Hopefully, Tova will have found out more about the strange diagram by then.’
She was all formal, distancing herself from me, but I wouldn’t leave until she knew exactly where I stood.
‘Kiss me, Sanika,’ I said, voice low. ‘I want to remember the taste of your lips while I’m in my cold tent on the dark fae border.’
Her pupils dilated, her breath catching as she placed a hand on her throat. She shook her head, but her voice lacked conviction.
