Free Lord of the Shadows by Jennifer Fallon

Mil?”
    “The Goddess gave her the instructions to get through the Spakan River delta.”
    “But you told Alexin you would—” She stopped abruptly as she realized what his words meant. “Goddess! You told Marqel, didn't you? You told Alexin you were going to give Antonov the information, but you gave it to Marqel instead! Do you realize what you've done! You've made it seem as if the Goddess …”
    “The Goddess
has
spoken to Marqel, Alenor,” he insisted. “And if you have any brains at all you'll never even hint you suspect any different.”
    “Are you really going to do this, Dirk?” she asked, stunned by the depth of his treachery. “Are you really going to stand in the bow of a Senetian ship and lead Antonov into Mil to destroy your…
our
… friends?”
    “Yes.”
    “But you told them they had weeks to evacuate! They'll be trapped.”
    “At the time, I thought they
would
have time to get away. Misha's kidnapping forced a change of plans. I'm sorry, but it's unavoidable.”
    “Can't you get another message to them?”
    “Alexin is in Tolace with Kirsh and the rest of your guard. What do you suggest I do, Alenor? Issue a general bulletin asking if any Baenlander spies currently in the palace could please make an appointment with me to learn something to their advantage?”
    “Why are you being so cruel?”
    “I'm not being cruel. I'm being practical, which is more than I can say for you.”
    “You're supposed to be my friend.”
    “I am your friend, Allie,” he sighed. “But the one piece of good advice I offered, you ignored.”
    She wiped away unshed tears and looked down at her hands. “I know. You were right. I should have sent Alexin back to Kalarada.” She looked at him, searching his eyes for an answer she knew would not be there. “What am I going to do, Dirk?”
    “Get well, Alenor,” he advised. “As fast as you possibly can. Then get the hell out of Avacas. You're not safe here. Your guard isn't even here to protect you; they're off in Tolace helping Kirsh with his little reign of terror. As soon as your own people get here from Avacas, start making arrangements to go home.”
    “But Antonov won't let me leave. I asked him about it yesterdayand he gave me some excuse about caring for my health. I'm starting to fear I'm a prisoner here, Dirk.”
    “He'll be gone by the time your people get here, heading for Mil. I'll make sure nobody else in the palace stands in your way.”
    “Can you do that?” she asked doubtfully. “Have you that much power, Dirk?”
    He smiled wanly. “I got rid of Dorra for you, didn't I?”
    Alenor looked for some hint he spoke the truth, but she had no more chance of reading his thoughts than anybody else. “Dirk, promise me that what you're doing isn't going to hurt Dhevyn.”
    “I promise, Allie. You just have to trust me.”
    “Nobody else does.”
    “That doesn't matter if
you
still believe in me.”
    Alenor smiled faintly. She did trust him, and with good reason. He hadn't betrayed her secret. If Dirk had meant to do her or Dhevyn harm, he could have destroyed her weeks ago. He certainly had enough ammunition to ruin her. “I believe in you, Dirk. I just wish you'd make it a little easier for me.”
    “I wish I could make it a little easier for all of us,” he sighed.
    “Be careful.”
    “You're a great one to talk.” He rose to his feet and looked down at her with concern. “
You
be careful, Allie. Go home and keep Dhevyn safe.”
    “And what will you be doing in the meantime?”
    “Trying to stay alive,” he said with an unconvincing laugh.
    Alenor would have laughed, too, but she understood all too well that Dirk wasn't joking.

irk's visit with Alenor disturbed him more than he let her know. It was dangerous for her in Avacas, but not for the reasons she imagined. Alenor feared Antonov would learn her secret. She was frightened Kirsh might tell his father the child she lost was not his. But that danger paled into insignificance