Page 38 of Harbinger

Every guard was watching me. Everyone was focused on me. An innocent man is dead, and it’s my fault.

My knees buckle, and I brace a hand on the wall, pretty sure I’m about to vomit.

“No time for that now.” Bishop grabs my sleeve and pulls me back to standing. “I’d summon some of that self-righteous recklessness if I were you.”

“Self-righteous?” I consider shoving him down the stairs. Since I’ll probably be blamed for the king’s murder, what’s one more?

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” He rolls his eyes up like he’s imploring the heavens themselves for patience. “I don’t know if you’re courageous or incredibly reckless, but whatever it is that keeps getting you into trouble, you’re going to need a lot of it.”

The pit in my stomach grows. “Where are you taking me?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” he asks.

I swallow before nodding. “Tonight hasn’t been full of good surprises.”

He finally smiles, but it’s gone in an instant. “The queen wants to see you. She’s called for a meeting of the patrons.”

The woman sitting a few seats from King Ophelian at dinner isn’t just his sister anymore. Now that she’s queen, my fate is likely in her hands. But the patrons are what worries me.

Because that means that Broderic will be there.

I really need to vomit.

“What are they going to do to me?” I ask, my voice ragged.

Bishop hasn’t lied to me yet. He won’t pull punches. No, whatever gruesome fate awaits me, he will lay it out in simple, factual terms like a healer setting out his instruments.

He takes a deep breath before he answers, “That will largely depend on you.”

Somehow—and it amazes even me—that’s the worst news of the night.

“I thought you told me to be reckless,” I grumble. “How is that going to help me?”

“No.” His voice drops as we approach a corridor swarming with nobles. Half of them are drunk, and the other half are in their nightclothes. “I told you to be brave.”

“It’s not quite the same thing, don’t you think?”

He snorts. “Trust me, there’s not much of a difference.”

A noble at the end of the hall catches sight of us and elbows his companion. Panic cinches my chest like a vise as we continue toward the gawking men.

“What do I have to do?” I ask.

“Convince them you didn’t have anything to do with it.”

“Half of them think I’m a witch,” I remind him. Seven hells, even Bishop accused me. I tear my attention from the men and turn it on him. “They’re not going to believe anything I say.”

A muscle works in his jaw. “You won’t have to convince all of them.”

Does that mean he’s on my side? I’m about to ask him when someone touches my shoulder from behind. A shriek jumps to my lips before I realize it’s Broderic.

“Are you okay?” My brother’s arms wrap around me before I fully process that he’s here.

I dissolve against him. “Yes.”

Not even a little.

Broderic pulls back just enough to study my face. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he promises, and warmth floods through me. “We’ll be back in Damalis before you know it.”