Page 29 of The Winner's Crime
“No, Arin. I won’t have that look on your face. Thrynne knew what he risked when he came to the capital. He did it for Herran.”
“I asked him to.”
“We all make our choices. What would you choose: Herran’s sake, or yours?”
Arin’s answer was quick. “Herran’s.”
Tensen said nothing for a moment, only gazed up at him with the pensiveness of someone considering a question not so easily answered. Arin didn’t like that expression, he bristled at it, but before he could speak, Tensen said, “What would you have me choose?”
“I can’t tell you what to choose for yourself.”
“No, what would you have me choose for you? Say that you were in Thrynne’s position—imprisoned, worse—and my intervention could help you but hurt our country. What should I do?”
“Leave me there.”
“Yes,” Tensen said slowly. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”
Arin threaded fingers through his damp hair and tugged until his scalp hurt. “Are you sure of this news?”
“My source is good.”
“Who?”
Tensen waved a hand. “No one important.”
“But who?”
“I promised not to tell. Don’t make an old man break his promises.”
Arin frowned, but said only, “This isn’t the year of money. And what did Thrynne overhear the emperor and Senate leader say?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll find out.”
“Caution, Arin. I myself might have a way.”
“Oh?”
Tensen smiled. “A new recruit.” He refused to say anything more. He found a comfortable position in his chair and changed the subject in a way that spun Arin’s head. “Well, I think they make a charming couple.”
“What?”
“The prince and Lady Kestrel.”
Arin had known whom Tensen had meant.
“Their kiss was sweet,” said the spymaster. “One would assume their marriage was just a political alliance—I certainly did, until I saw them kiss.”
Arin stared.
“You must have missed it,” Tensen said. “It was at the beginning of the ball. But of course you were late.”
“Yes,” Arin said finally. “I was.”
10
Kestrel crept into bed at dawn, footsore from dancing. She hung her unbuckled dagger on its hook on the bedpost. She shivered, more from fatigue than cold, as she got beneath the blankets next to Jess. The other girl lay sleeping, curled on her side.
