Free Shadows of the Realm (The Circle of Talia) by Dionne Lister Page B

forehead.
    "I'm so glad you feel that way."
    "No need to get all funny with me."
    "Would I do anything to upset his highness?"  She looked up at him through long, dark lashes. He laughed and kissed her mouth. He slowly unwrapped her arms from his waist and stepped back to the door.
    “That was a quick visit. A re you sure you won’t stay longer?” Gabrielle pouted.
    "Off to talk trade with an emissary from Wyrden. Apparently a hailstorm has ruined seventy percent of their fruit crop and they want some of ours. Their beef has always been quite good, however I hate to say that Veresia’s population are close to being vegetarians. I just don't know if I can make my subjects eat all that beef. There’s only so much I can order people to do." He winked and rubbed his hands together. In most other countries the minister for trade would conduct negotiations, but his love of economics drove the king to participate in such dealings whenever he had time.
    "You bad, bad man." Gabrielle shook her head. He was usually known for his generosity, however, his competitive nature sometimes got the better of him. After he left, a spring in his step, Gabrielle re-locked the door. There were two guards standing at the doors to the reception room that led to her bed chamber. Unfortunately, Gabrielle knew the guards would not only obey her husband but Leon as well, so she left nothing to chance.
    Gabrielle moved to the window. Her chambers overlooked the east gardens, numerous fields, and in the distance, the river, which flowed to the Pearl Sea. The ancient stone wall that separated the castle from the vista was as tall as ten men. There was a system of underground stone tunnels, which diverted some of the water to the city. Her husband’s great, great grandfather had built a large dam under the city for use in any protracted siege to guard against the water being poisoned or cut off. The castle and city were well protected.
    Winter was ending. The days had started to warm up, although nights and early mornings were bitterly cold. The queen happily noticed newly-formed buds on the Azaris tree that would explode into purple flowers when spring finally matured, and down in the garden beds small green shoots were fighting their way out of the near frozen earth. For a moment she forgot her troubles, imagining the colour and warmth spring would bring.
    Unseen by the queen, the young boy stood behind a wall, in a secret corridor. He looked through a strat egically placed crack in time to see the king leave after his short visit. So far there was nothing to report. The only people who had visited the queen were the crazy man and the king. Tired after standing there for the past hour, he wished he were tall enough to sit on a chair and look through the stupid crack, but he wasn’t. Although he was supposed to make sure he didn’t miss anything, he didn't think it would hurt to sit on the floor and rest his feet for five minutes. He sat on the ground in the dark. Nobody used torches in the secret passageway lest someone see the light shining from any number of spy holes. He wasn't a timid boy by nature, however sitting in the pitch black was not his idea of fun. At least he wasn't hungry these days. Ever since he had started spying for Prince Leon he was never hungry. And he had a comfortable bed to sleep on, even if it was in the stables.
    He carried out odds and ends for the prince, things he knew Leon didn’t want anyone else knowing about—especially his brother. His days and nights consisted of running secret messages to certain people the prince did not wish to be seen to be associated with, spying on others, and occasionally taking a beating simply because the prince enjoyed inflicting pain. The boy figured a few scars were a small price to pay. If the great prince had not saved him from the brothel where he had lived with his mother, he would have eventually been sold as a slave, or worse. He knew of other boys who were sold to men for