Free King by R. J. Larson Page B

workers. Not reverent enough to be worshipers . . .”
    Caitria followed the king’s gaze, eyeing the suspectednoblemen—for noblemen they were. They swaggered about, armed with swords and daggers, and . . . oh . . . was she imagining she’d seen them before?
    While she sifted through her memories, trying to recall faces and names, Akabe signaled to four of his guards. “Sirs, follow me.”
    Tucking her mantle close, Caitria started after her husband. But a guard stepped in front of her. “Majesty, please wait.”
    â€œVery well.” Curious, she leaned around her concerned guard and watched as the king hurried toward one particular supervisor, who’d been beckoned by the noblemen.
    Busy overseeing his workers, the supervisor shook his head, refusing to leave his task, which irritated the aristocrats. Caitria frowned. Where had she seen these men?
    Akabe called out, “Good sirs, allow him to do his job!”
    The troublemakers turned and gawked, obviously recognizing their king. One recovered and lunged for Akabe, dagger drawn.
    Assassins!
    Caitria struggled as the guards pulled her away.

 8 
    A kabe drew his dagger but had no chance to defend himself. Two royal guards tackled his foolhardy assailant, while the remainder chased down the man’s cohorts.
    Dan Roeh, who’d resisted speaking to these men and thereby escaped their trap, abandoned his work now and hurried toward the scuffle. “Majesty!”
    Akabe halted Dan, noting smears of blood on the ground from the skirmish. Had the attacker suffered a wound? It seemed so. Infinite, let there be no more bloodshed! He snapped a look at Dan. “Is the prophet here today?”
    â€œNo, sir. Lessons are tomorrow. She’s with her mother this morning.”
    â€œGood.” Akabe sighed his relief, refusing to think of Ela beyond her importance to this temple. “We’ll hire guards to protect you and your men. Until then, wear weapons as you work. That blood could very well have been yours, Roeh—bless the Infinite for His protection!”
    â€œBless Him, indeed,” Dan mumbled, staring as the guards lifted their bleeding prisoner. “I’ll tell my men about the weapons.”
    â€œThank you.” Akabe turned, glimpsing Caitria’s approach.
    She faltered, paling at the blood and the now-unconscious prisoner. “Majesty . . . sir . . .”
    Aware of Dan Roeh’s watchful gaze, Akabe gripped Caitria’s hand. Was she turning faint? “It’s not safe for you here, lady. Another time, perhaps. Where are your guards?”
    â€œI—I ran from them, sir.”
    Akabe looped an arm around his wife and swung her away. “We’re leaving. For now.”

    â€œSir,” Faine mourned amid the hastily assembled royal council, “bad news. It seems the Thaenfall family was involved. They are Atean. They worship the goddess and wear her coils.”
    â€œNot the entire family,” Akabe argued. “My wife hasn’t mentioned the goddess Atea to me. And she has no marks of Atean worship.” Only bruises from her lord-father.
    â€œNevertheless . . .” Faine reddened, betraying his annoyance. “Forgive me, Majesty, but we cannot trust the queen.” Faine removed a money pouch from his belt and overturned it on the council table, deliberate and dramatic. Two rings spilled out amid the jangling of silver coins. “Majesty, these are signets taken from the suicides this morning.”
    Akabe winced inwardly. Of three attackers, only one escaped. The other two knifed themselves. “Who were they?”
    Faine offered the larger signet to Akabe. “This was worn by Ison of Deerfeld. A Thaenfall cousin. His comrade was one Ezry Morside, a landholder of Deerfeld’s properties. Both have remained away from court as our opponents.”
    Chilled, Akabe accepted the signet. How