Page 101 of The Twisted Throne
“I do.” He patted Maven on the neck. “But one curious individual isn’t going to attack this many soldiers. The greater risk is a well-placed arrow.”
Which was why he was riding alongside her, Ahnna realized. So they’d have to get through him to hit her.
“Georgie!” he called, and the other man turned his head. Ahnna didn’t miss the sour expression on his face, but it fell away as James added, “I think a pint is in order when we arrive. Fortitude for an unpleasant task.”
A code, she had no doubt, especially as Georgie moved his horse closer to Virginia’s small mount, even as she cast her brother a glare over her shoulder.
“How much farther?” Ahnna asked, tightening her grip on Dippy’s reins, then forcing herself to relax again. “And what sort of place is it?”
“Half an hour.” James glanced into the trees, face still unmoved. “The town is fortified and also has a garrison. A lot of wealth in Abertford.”
“Should we race?”
“The road isn’t good for it. Winding and muddy.”
Her lips parted to ask if they should go back, but the crawling sensation between her shoulder blades warned her that it would be a mistake. The only thing to do was to press onward and keep their eyes open.
They kept their pace down the road, the silence between them heavy, and every time they rounded a bend and crossed paths with a traveler, Ahnna tensed. She felt exposed and poorly equipped to fight in the dress with only her knives, when what she wanted was a sword and clothing that would allow her to disappear into the woods if she had to.
“Thank you,” she finally said, lest the tension be the thing that put her in a grave. “For training my horse.”
“Unnecessary, in hindsight,” James said, and Ahnna’s heart sank with certainty that he would reference her inevitable departure, but then he added, “I think you would have sorted him on your own if given the time.”
“Saved me bruising my ass again.”
The corner of his mouth turned up, though his eyes were on the trees. “Then I’ll consider it time well spent.”
A flicker of motion caught her eye. A horse, she thought, moving through the forest but far enough away that it was swiftly obscured by brush. “Who do you think it is?”
“Any number of possibilities,” he muttered. “Let’s hope it’s only a spy.”
Silence reigned once more, and Ahnna felt no small amount of relief when the walls of the town appeared ahead, the guards manning the gate drawing to attention as they recognized the royal banner at the head of the party.
“Stay with Virginia and Georgie,” James said as they passed through the gates, then fell back to speak to one of the guards.
Ahnna did as he asked, staying close to the princess as Georgie rode deeper into the town, the wide street having trees planted equidistant down the center, branches shading them as they rode beneath. The buildings to either side were three stories tall and made from stone, wrought-iron railings framing the front steps, all of it exuding wealth. He stopped in front of a large building. The stone above the door was carved with the namePartridge & Co.,which was familiar to Ahnna from her survey of accounts at the bank, for this was the jeweler that had paid Alexandra, presumably for the sale of something.
Perhaps she might kill two birds with one stone in this venture.
Stable boys appeared from around the building, taking the horses even as a man in a gray morning suit appeared on the steps. “Your Highness,” he said, bowing low. “This is an unexpected surprise. We would have been happy to have brought you a selection of our best—”
“I know, Lionel, but I feel you give better advice with less time to prepare,” Virginia interrupted.
The man, Lionel, gave a soft sigh as though already defeated, then bowed to Georgie. “My lord Cavendish, it is a pleasure.” Then his gaze settled on Ahnna, widening in surprise. “It is an honor, Your Highness. It has been many years since we’ve served the needs of the Ithicanian royal family. It was always a delight, for requests came by messenger, and it was always very cloak-and-dagger.”
“No longer any need for that.” Ahnna dismounted. “I’m of a mind to purchase a gift for Ithicana’s queen. Maridrinian rubies, if you have them.” She could feel the sharp look that Georgie cast her way, but she did not allow herself to react.
“Of course, of course.” He gestured for them to follow him inside, and Ahnna’s eyes skimmed over the heavy bars on the windows, alert guards with sharp blades standing to both sides of the large foyer.
“We have several pieces with stones from Maridrina in the gallery,” Lionel said, gesturing down the hallway.
“Let’s visit the vaults instead,” Virginia said. “This is for a queen, Lionel. Not just any queen, but also the woman who is half sister to the queen of Maridrina, as well as sister to the prince consort of Valcotta. Harendell must put its best foot forward, yes?”
The man paled. “Yes, of course. This way, my ladies.”
Ahnna glanced behind her, but James had not yet joined them, so she followed the jeweler down a wide set of stairs into asubterranean level. The walls were thick stone, Valcottan glass lamps burning every pace or so, and the carpet beneath her feet was so thick that her boots made almost no sound. They approached a heavy steel door flanked by two guards, who stepped aside, allowing Lionel to fiddle with some sort of mechanism, his motions obscured.
But not the loudclunkof a heavy lock disengaging.
