Page 72 of The Concubine King
“Tell Lyrian he’s in danger,” he murmured into the guard’s ear, having to stand on his toes to do so.“Yorith is planning to have him murdered.”
“How do you know?”he asked.
“I overheard Yorith talking about it with someone.”Ethyr dropped back to his heels.Sabatus didn’t look at all surprised or disturbed, only pensive.“Will you get the message to him immediately?”
“Of course, Your Divinity.”He gave another deep bow.“Is there anything else you need me for?”
“No.Thank you.”
Sabatus straightened, gave a nod to Poyut, and walked out.
“Did I hear that right?”Poyut asked after watching him leave.“Did you say Yorith is going to—”
“Don’t!”Ethyr hissed.“We’ll never speak of this again, understand?”
Poyut blinked sadly at him.“Ethyr, I don’t believe the High Priest would do something like that.”
“You know he would!”he snapped.“He threatened to burn down my entire village!”
Poyut opened her mouth but Ethyr cut her off.
“I said we won’t speak anymore about this,” he said sternly.He didn’t know why she was still standing up for that old priest anyway.“If you tell anyone…”
“I won’t,” she said quietly.“I just hope you’re sure of what you’re doing.”
“I wouldn’t be doing it if I wasn’t,” Ethyr told her impatiently.What did she expect him to do?Sit back and let Yorith kill off his only ally?“Let’s go.I have to get back to the palace before anyone gets suspicious.”
The tailor and her assistants stood to the side as Ethyr surveyed the mock-outfits they had assembled.
“The under fabric will be silk?”he asked, lifting a hem of the rough, undyed cotton.
“Yes, Your Divinity,” Edora replied.“Red silk.”
“Make it cream.”
“That will make it harder to see the embroidery—”
“It is not a matter of discussion.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it.
“And line the inside with linen.”
“Yes, Your Divinity.”
Ethyr brushed the hem back down and stepped back.“I like this one.”
“Of course, Your Divinity.We will get to work on it immediately.”
He left them to it.
Gionan was waiting at his bedroom door.Ethyr turned on his heel but the man spotted him escaping around the corner and rushed to catch up.
“Your Divinity!”
He sighed and stopped.
“I spoke to the High Priest and he has denied your request to station guards directly outside your bedroom.”
