Free Traitor's Chase by Stuart Gibbs

going,” Milady replied. “You all simply disappeared, almost no one knew where or why, and those few who did were determined to keep it a secret.”
    â€œHow’d you find out, then?” Porthos asked.
    â€œHow do you think?” Milady batted her eyes at him, showing off just the tiniest bit of the power her beauty had. “Most men are weak. They’ll tell you anything you need in return for a smile.”
    â€œNot me, sister,” Porthos said. “You want to learn anything from me, it’ll cost you at least a kiss.”
    Milady laughed—although Greg noticed that Athos and Aramis both looked annoyed at Porthos’s flirtation. Greg had hoped that the girls’ presence in camp might temper the antagonism between Athos and Aramis, but sadly, it had made things even worse. Both were constantly vying for Milady’s attention—and annoyed by any favoritism she showed the other.
    â€œAlso, I didn’t think you’d agree to let us join you.” While Milady addressed the entire group at once, the comment obviously was directed at Athos, who’d been glowering at the girls ever since they’d arrived.
    â€œAnd for good reason,” Athos said. “Ladies have no place on a journey such as this. It’s far too dangerous, even with warriors like us along. Pursuing us on your own was pure foolishness. You’re lucky to be alive.”
    Catherine bristled at this, though Milady simply shrugged off Athos’s comment. “Oh, we can handle ourselves all right.”
    â€œYou might have starved to death if you hadn’t caught up to us, though,” Athos said.
    â€œIt’s not that hard to kill a rabbit if you have the time,” Catherine said testily. “We simply didn’t.” To Greg, Catherine didn’t look capable of killing a fly, but she spoke with such confidence that he wondered if he’d underestimated her.
    â€œStill, you did put yourselves at risk,” Aramis told the girls. “Why did you feel it was so necessary to join our mission?”
    â€œBecause I’m in charge of anything that has to do with Anne of Austria,” Milady replied.
    â€œOnce she becomes the queen,” Athos put in. “Until then, your allegiance is to France.”
    â€œI’m here because of my allegiance to France,” Milady said curtly. “This wedding has been arranged to broker peace between France, Spain, and the Habsburgs. And now, less than two months before that is to take place, Spanish assassins make an assault on you just outside of Paris. I also understand that the messenger Dominic Richelieu sent me to meet was a Spanish emissary.”
    â€œThat’s correct,” Aramis said.
    â€œSo if the Spanish are about to broker a peace, why are they infiltrating our country like this?” Milady asked.
    â€œThat’s what the king sent us to find out,” Athos said pointedly.
    â€œWell, I’d like to know, too,” Milady stated.
    â€œFine,” Athos said. “Then go back to Paris and we’ll tell you what’s going on when we find out.”
    Milady fixed him with a hard stare. “We’re not dead weight, you know. We can contribute as much to this mission as you do.”
    â€œTwo girls?” Athos snorted. “Not a chance.”
    â€œDo any of you speak Spanish?” Milady asked.
    An uncomfortable silence fell over the Musketeers. “Do you ?” Aramis asked.
    â€œI wasn’t given the job of handmaiden to the future queen simply for my charming personality,” Milady said curtly. “Anne doesn’t speak a word of French. Pero hablo bien el español .”
    â€œWhat’s that mean?” Athos asked.
    â€œThat I’m going to be able to get along much better in Spain by knowing the language than you are by wielding a sword,” Milady replied. “What did you think you were going to do, barge around the country waving