Free 06 - Rule of Thieves by C. Greenwood Page B

“Only if you consider traveling for pleasure in the company of friends official business for the Praetor.”
    She looked sorry to hear it. “You must at least have had some perilous encounters? Met formidable foes and lived to tell of it?”
    I said, “I suppose I almost died a few times, but that wasn’t as enjoyable as you seem to think.”
    I wondered if she was really asking these things out of innocent interest or whether there was specific information she hoped to get out of me.
    She said, “You will find it dull here, after the adventures you have had.”
    “I doubt that, now that hostilities are resuming with the Skeltai.”
    She shrugged a slender shoulder. “Oh, they cannot touch us here. I am less afraid of the Skeltai than of the civilized folk living among us.”
    “Who especially?” I asked. I might not like Morwena, but it occurred to me I would be a fool to pass up opportunities for information.
    She was willing enough to divulge it. “Counselor Torg Branek is the Praetor’s most influential advisor, but he has achieved that position by destroying all who oppose him. Then there’s the new Fist captain, Terrac. It is believed in some quarters that he is unqualified for his place, especially now he is crippled in his arm. There is speculation he received his advancement because of private connections.”
    I said, “Really? I’ve heard he is capable in his new command.”
    “There are those who believe him too young, too inexperienced, and weakened by the injury to his arm. For myself, I almost pity him, considering.”
    I bit back the response that Terrac would not need or want anyone’s pity and allowed her to continue.
    “Of course, the biggest mystery of all is my cousin.”
    “The Praetor? Why? What has he to hide?”
    She wavered visibly, as if suddenly doubting the wisdom of revealing too much. But it was obvious she could not help herself. In the torchlight, her eyes glittered with excitement at the thought of whatever it was she knew.
    “I will not speak the secret,” she decided. “But I will show it to you and leave you to judge for yourself. Come with me.”
    It was my turn to hesitate before giving in to curiosity and following her. She led me down lonely passages and through parts of the keep I had not guessed existed until, finally, we reached the foot of a narrow twisting set of steps leading up into a tower.
    As we ascended, I remarked, “You know your way around surprisingly well considering I heard you were new to the castle.”
    “I’ve had little enough to do but explore since I arrived,” she said. “I grew up in Celestianos, the greatest and most beautiful city in Camdon. After the deaths of my parents last year, I was made the ward of my cousin. Then I was brought here to Ellesus, the most ugly and rustic of all the provinces, and dumped into a horrid crumbling castle in a city too small to deserve the name.”
    Leading the way, she glanced back at me. “I envy you managing to escape this backwoods province, if only for a while.”
    “It wasn’t much of an escape,” I said. “I spent a lot of the time traversing deserts and dueling dragons. There was also an assassin who trailed me from home and made more than one attempt on my life.”
    I watched her closely for some reaction. But if she had heard rumors of the assassin, she gave nothing away.
    I tried again. “The assassin’s name was Martyn. Before his death, he told me he was sent to dispose of me by someone here in Selbius, someone close to the Praetor. But he died before he could give the name.”
    Before she could respond, we arrived at the top of the stairs to find a door blocking our way. Undeterred by the obstacle, Lady Morwena swept her fingers along the top of the doorframe, expertly retrieving a key from its hiding place. Clearly, this wasn’t her first time to use it.
    Inserting the key in the lock, she twisted and shoved. The door swung open with a deep groan, affording a view of the dark