The Traitor by A. Lombardo (novels for beginners txt) 📗

in short spurts and her feverish ramblings continued. All Kai and Cazier could do was wait for her to recover—or hope a Katori healer was found.

“I thought I told you to stay away from Diu,” Cazier said through gritted teeth. “Did you not read my hidden warning?”

Kai nodded. “I saw the message, but I had to see my father. He is much worse than your letter implied.”

“His condition was better when I sent the letter. Iver gets worse by the day. I hate to say, but I am not sure how much longer your father has left, which means that my primary goal is now to keep you safe. If he does not recover . . .” Cazier looked away. “You are the future king.”

“Cousin, my father is strong,” Kai insisted, not wanting to believe anything else. “We need to find a cure for the poison Nola is using on him.”

“You don’t think we’ve tried?” Cazier huffed. “Sigry has tried to cure him, but the old man swears it is not poison, at least none he understands. And, of course, Nola holds a vigil of her own every night. She is rarely far from his side for more than a few hours. Even if Riome were well, she would be unable to get close to Iver to study him. I have no idea what ails him. The only time Nola leaves him is to hear the council instruct young Aaron. She aims to put him on the throne, you understand. Dante does whatever she commands.”

“So, Dante is her lap dog?” Kai curled his lip. “Explains why Dante allows her to keep me hostage in the palace.”

“He obeys his queen.” Cazier craned his neck to look outside. “The Grand Duke is no traitor—he is loyal to the crown and the Galloway name. But unlike you, Nola is here acting the part. Dante has no idea about our suspicions, and Nola paints you in a displeasing light. We still need real proof of her duplicity, something we both hoped Riome could discover.”

Riome sat up, clutching her head. “Must you two chatter all night?”

“You're awake!” Kai hurried to her side. “You have been in and out these two days.”

She scoffed. “It will take more than a few broken ribs, being stabbed in the leg, and nearly drowning to kill me.”

She looked at them both sternly. “My father is right, Kai. It would be best if you were not here. When your father dies, Nola will not let you become king. It’s not safe here. She spreads lies about your time in Katori. Even in the middle of the ocean, people talk of you and your disloyalty. You are no longer the beloved prince.”

Kai leaned away. “I have been gone too long, but I will stop Nola, one way or another.”

“Don’t be foolish,” Riome barked. “This conspiracy against you and Iver is big—Regent Maxwell and Milnos big. I would not be surprised if your friend Tolan and his bride Amelia are executed or imprisoned in the coming days. You remember your friend Tolan, right? The one meant to rule Milnos in your stead. My network has no news of their fate; I am currently cut out of events in Milnos.”

Kai waved her off. “Lucas Maxwell is a power-hungry tyrant, but he would never imprison or murder his own daughter. Tolan, maybe, but Diu would never stand for that. His death would start a war.”

“You think?” Riome clenched her fist. “Maxwell will not allow Tolan to be king of Milnos. Nola wants revenge for the death of her father, King Penier. Maxwell will help Nola if he gets what he wants, which is wealth and power. She wants Iver dead and Aaron on the Diu throne. The only person I could not find was Landon—the would-be heir to Milnos is still missing. He is a Penier, and I imagine he has a desire to reclaim his birthright. Given the military expenditures, Maxwell has overextended his city and they grow weary of his other spending habits.”

“Well, if Nola rules Diu through Aaron, and unites Diu with Milnos, there would be no war,” Cazier mused, interrupting their argument. “What proof do you have the city of Milnos is behind this?”

“Milnos steel,” she answered, pointing to the blade on the table.

Inspecting the blade, Cazier thumbed the pommel and traced the curve of the blade before passing it to her. “So, the knife came from Milnos?” he questioned. “And you suspect that Maxwell is behind this?”

She nodded. “The stamp on the blade and pommel is the iron skull, a blacksmith’s symbol in Milnos. Plus, the curve of the blade is most definitely Milnos. I took the weapon off an assassin spy. His tattoo—the Milnos raven and an iron skull. Foolish tradition. Gang tattoos. The Iron Skulls run a shipping trade between Milnos and Bangloo. Thieves and murderers, mostly.”

“What was this man doing on my father’s ship?” Kai interrupted.

“My guess, he was hired to kill Iver—on the ship or after they arrived in Bangloo. We were less than a mile out from Bangloo when I discovered the assassin onboard. We fought below deck. The man was good; I was better. I killed him, and as I tossed him overboard, a crewman called out. My only choice was to fall into the sea and swim for shore. I could not risk discovery with blood on my hands, plus I was not the cabin boy I pretended to be.” A fit of coughing overtook her, and she pointed to the water pitcher.

Kai offered her a glass but did not interrupt.

Riome took a sip and continued. “The ship I boarded to return with my proof was less-than-friendly—a slave ship from Bangloo to Milnos. The next two ships were not much nicer, smugglers and thieves. I spent most of the trip fighting for my position on the ship or defending my winning streak. I