shoulders.
Raesinia sat in one of the big chairs, which made her feel tiny. Sothe stoodat her right hand, playing the dutiful servant. Marcus knew that Sothe was more than she seemedâheâd seen her cut down a half dozen Graysâbut not the full extent of her service. Most important, Janus had told her that Marcus didnât know about Raesiniaâs own secret. That made senseâthe fewer people who knew, the betterâbut it complicated the situation.
âYouâve heard what happened this afternoon?â Raesinia said.
âI had a report,â Marcus said. âI was glad to hear you were safe.â
âIt was closer than I would have liked. Directory President Maurisk has asked me to retire to the country for my own safety.â
âWhich sounds like a fine idea,â Marcus said. âForgive me, Your Majesty, butââ
âI cannot leave the city,â Raesinia said. âNot now, in the midst of the crisis. And thereâs the matter of discovering the identity of the bomber.â
âSurely you can leave that to the Patriot Guard?â There was a hint in Marcusâ voice that said he shared Raesiniaâs low opinion of that force.
âAt least some of the Patriot Guard must have been compromised, or the bomb could not have been planted. I need to discover how deep the corruption goes.â Raesinia looked him in the eye. âIâm asking for your help, Colonel.â
Marcus shifted uncomfortably when she mentioned his rank, clearly still unaccustomed to it. âYouâre placing me in a very awkward position, Your Majesty. I have very clear instructions as to my mission here, and getting involved in politics is definitely not a part of it.â
âYou wonât need to get involved, unless things go badly wrong,â Raesinia said.
âThatâs not very reassuring,â Marcus said. âIn my experience, things
always
go badly wrong eventually. It would be impossible to ensure your safety.â
Raesinia gritted her teeth. She was so,
so
sick of being treated like a fresh egg, to be wrapped in unspun wool and carried with bated breath.
If Iâd known being queen was going to be like this, I wouldnât have worked so damned hard to get here.
âNo one expects you to withstand a siege here,â she said. âBut Sothe will maintain the illusion that Iâm staying in the country, so my presence here should stay secret. That should be safe enough.â
âWeâd never be able to keep the truth from my own guards,â Marcus said.
âI think we can count on their discretion.â Janusâ personal troops were from his home county, deep in the mountains. They were clannish, insular and suspicious of outsiders, and devoted to their beloved count. Janus had brought them to the capital specifically because it would be difficult for Concordat agents to infiltrate their ranks. âAnd all the servants are Mierantai as well?â
âYes.â Marcus sighed. âIâm going to have to ask for instructions.â
âFrom Janus? Thatâll take weeks.â
âWe have . . . alternative channels,â Marcus said. âI should have an answer by the day after tomorrow.â
Raesinia glanced at Sothe, who gave a small nod. âIt will take that long to make the preparations, Your Majesty.â
âAll right.â Raesinia stood. âUntil then, Colonel.â
Marcus shot to his feet as soon as she did, and answered her nod with a bow. His expression was that of a man whoâd been handed a bomb with a hissing fuse. âOf course, Your Majesty.â
Chapter Three
WINTER
W inter awoke to the soft sound of shuffling paper, and opened her eyes to find soft morning light filtering through the canvas of her tent.
âSorry,â Jane said. âI was looking for a drink.â
âSâalright.â Winter yawned and rolled sideways on her narrow