Page 126 of The Ragpicker King
“Merren,” said Ji-An. “Heleftus.”
“Only because I shouted at him,” said Merren glumly.
“No,” said Andreyen, passing a hand over his pained face. “He left to rejoin Prosper Beck’s ranks, which he would have done whether you’d shouted at him or not. At least he has promised that Beck will not be using his storehouse full of weapons against us, which gives us one less thing to worry about.”
“Then what should we worry about?” said Ji-An.
“Elsabet Belmany,” said Andreyen. “I do not know her, but I know people like her. She has lost two of her conspirators, and she will begin to feel backed into a corner. In that position, she will pivot to a more swift and violent solution to her troubles rather than depending on the slow treachery of the nobles.” Andreyen looked down at the magpie ring on his finger. “She has said she needs Conor, presumably alive. And that the King must die. I fear, though I cannot say precisely why, that if she accomplishes either of those things, it will go very badly for us.”
“I think you are right.” It was Lin. She had just come into the room. She wore a cloak of soft blue wool, a brooch pinned to her shoulder. The stone set in the brooch seemed to wink brightly in the firelight.
“Do you?” Andreyen said to her, his sleepy green eyes curious.
“Yes,” she said slowly. “The Prince brought me to the Palace to have me cure his father, who has been ill. He put me under a royal order not to speak of it, or I would have told you before. But I have learned a great deal about the Blood Royal. I think—I am almost sure that if the Malgasi get hold of the King and Prince Conor, it will be deadly for the rest of us.”
Andreyen’s eyes went to the brooch at Lin’s shoulder, and then to her face. “But,” he observed, “you will not tell us what you’ve learned?”
“Not yet. I need to go to Marivent. I must see the King. Only then can I be sure.” She turned to Kel. “I need you to bring me to the Palace again.”
Kel looked at her, puzzled. How many times had she been to the Palace before? “Did Conor not invite you?”
“Today I am not going at his request,” she said. “I am going at the King’s. But the guards at the gate will not know that.”
“The King?” Kel said slowly. “He spoke to you? Lin, he has not spoken to anyone in months.”
“He sent a message,” she said, though there was something shadowed in her eyes that made Kel think this was not the whole truth. “All this has something to do with his fostering at the Malgasi Court. Something terrible happened there. Something that had to do with burning, with fire. Something he was persuaded to do.”
It was not his fault. He did only what he was persuaded to do.Fausten’s words, spoken to Kel in the Trick so many months ago, echoed in his head. “Atma az dóta,” he murmured. “Fire and shadow.” He sat up straight. “She is telling the truth.”
“Well,” said Lin, looking offended. “As if I wouldn’t.”
“Kellian, is it safe to bring her to Marivent right now?”Andreyen asked. “If the Prince did not request her presence, he may be startled to find her there. Startled enough to ask questions.”
“We will have to be careful,” Kel said. “But all the nobles will be closeted in the Dial Chamber, discussing the deaths of Gremont and Cabrol. It is not the worst time to sneak around Marivent.”
“And if you find the answers you seek, you will come and tell us?” Andreyen said.
“Yes. As soon as I am done with my trial.”
Kel rose to his feet. “We have lost Cabrol. We have no plan. And if what you believe about Belmany’s nature is correct, Conor is in danger at this moment. Not at some time in the future—now.” He took a deep breath. “I’m going to tell them. Jolivet, Bensimon, and Conor. They need to know everything we have learned.”
“Jolivet, maybe,” Andreyen said. “Conor may not forgive you for lying to him all this time.”
“That may be so, but to save his life, it will be worth it.” He heard Lin inhale, a short, sharp breath of relief.
“Thank you,” she said in a low voice. She had been twisting a piece of her blue cloak between her fingers. She released it now. “We ought to go quickly,” she said. “I will have to get to the Sault by sundown.”
No one spoke. Kel glanced at the three inhabitants of the Black Mansion. Andreyen, as always, a closed book. Ji-An staring at the ground. And Merren, his face troubled.
“Are we done, then?” said Merren. “No more investigation? No more reason for you to come to the mansion?”
“I’ll be back, Merren,” Kel said gently. “Of course I will.”
He looked at Ji-An, but she said nothing. He went to join Lin, and as he escorted her from the room, he realized he was pacing along slowly, waiting for one of his friends to call out to him. To summon him back, to ask him when he would return. To wish him good luck.
But they made no sound.
“Where does he think you are?” Lin said.
