‘Gar’s breath!’ he forced out, making sure he sounded shocked and appropriately sorrowful. ‘She seemed in good health when I left.’
‘She was,’ the older man said, an edge of sarcasm in his voice. ‘And while nothing’s being said, we all think that’s why the empress has been banished.’
‘Banished?’ Kirin repeated, definitely surprised by this news and even more delighted. ‘Why?’
Kain winked. ‘It’s not for me to say. Let’s just agree that the emperor didn’t trust her story that his mother died of natural causes.’ He tapped his nose as though they were speaking in confidence.
Kirin felt his mouth drop open. Finally he said, ‘I’ve only been gone a short while. Any more death or drama to speak of?’ He said it lightly, as a means of extricating himself and Lily, expecting the guards would shake their heads and he could move on, but the soldier called Kain grew serious.
‘It sounds like you haven’t heard about Master Freath?’
Kirin felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. ‘Freath? No. What’s wrong with him? I was at his side just a few days ago.’
Kain nodded. ‘Yes, I thought so. I presume that’s why the general is keen to speak to you.’
‘What? Why?’
Kain shrugged. ‘To ask you who might have killed Freath.’
‘Killed … pardon?’ Kirin took a breath. ‘Freath is dead?’ he murmured, the final word catching in his throat.
‘Already buried, I believe.’
‘But why… who?… ‘ Kirin trailed off, feeling sick and frightened. ‘And the general thinks I had something to do with it?’ he continued, his throat feeling as though it were closing.
The man nodded. ‘Well, I think the emperor and our general believe that you might have some information that could help,’ he said carefully.
Kirin couldn’t speak for a few moments. Finally he stuttered, ‘Forgive me, this news is a shock.’
‘I know you and he were close. Anyway, I shall let General Stracker know you are returned. He will want to speak with you immediately.’
‘Excuse me, Kain. I… I need to… ‘ He didn’t finish his sentence. Grabbing Lily’s arm, he urged her away from theguards. ‘We have to get away from here,’ he growled beneath his breath.
‘What?’
‘Don’t react. Just walk. Smile at me. I said smile.’ She found one. ‘Good, well done. Now put your hand against my chest as though you’re concerned for me.’
She did as she was asked. ‘Believe me, I am concerned for you. What happens now?’
He turned to her and swallowed. ‘Freath’s dead. I don’t know what to do. He was our protection.’
Lily looked ahead, and he could tell her head was swimming with the same anxieties as his own.
‘We’re going to get some money and then we’re gone. All right?’
She nodded, looking frightened. ‘Are we in immediate danger here?’
‘Yes, we could be.’
‘Oh, Kirin —’
‘You have to trust me now. I won’t let anything happen to you, Lily.’
She didn’t look convinced. ‘You said I was a liability from the moment I opened my mouth and claimed to be your wife.’
‘None of this is your fault. And you are my wife, don’t forget that.’
She nodded, none of the fear leaving her expression.
‘I need you to force yourself to be calm and to just pretend. We will get through this.’
People nodded and smiled at them, some even stopped to pass a few words with Kirin, and Lily felt herself in a whirl of activity and congratulations as her husband put aside his fears and feigned precisely the right blend of charm and sorrow. Yes, he’d just received the terrible news of Freath, yes, they’d only just arrived back into the capital to hear the dire revelation, wasn’t itdreadful about Dara Negev — whoever she is, Lily thought — and this was his new wife. She found herself being admired, eyed up and down, even hugged by a very jolly woman, and all the time Kirin was dragging her gently forwards. They walked down corridors, up two
‘She was,’ the older man said, an edge of sarcasm in his voice. ‘And while nothing’s being said, we all think that’s why the empress has been banished.’
‘Banished?’ Kirin repeated, definitely surprised by this news and even more delighted. ‘Why?’
Kain winked. ‘It’s not for me to say. Let’s just agree that the emperor didn’t trust her story that his mother died of natural causes.’ He tapped his nose as though they were speaking in confidence.
Kirin felt his mouth drop open. Finally he said, ‘I’ve only been gone a short while. Any more death or drama to speak of?’ He said it lightly, as a means of extricating himself and Lily, expecting the guards would shake their heads and he could move on, but the soldier called Kain grew serious.
‘It sounds like you haven’t heard about Master Freath?’
Kirin felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. ‘Freath? No. What’s wrong with him? I was at his side just a few days ago.’
Kain nodded. ‘Yes, I thought so. I presume that’s why the general is keen to speak to you.’
‘What? Why?’
Kain shrugged. ‘To ask you who might have killed Freath.’
‘Killed … pardon?’ Kirin took a breath. ‘Freath is dead?’ he murmured, the final word catching in his throat.
‘Already buried, I believe.’
‘But why… who?… ‘ Kirin trailed off, feeling sick and frightened. ‘And the general thinks I had something to do with it?’ he continued, his throat feeling as though it were closing.
The man nodded. ‘Well, I think the emperor and our general believe that you might have some information that could help,’ he said carefully.
Kirin couldn’t speak for a few moments. Finally he stuttered, ‘Forgive me, this news is a shock.’
‘I know you and he were close. Anyway, I shall let General Stracker know you are returned. He will want to speak with you immediately.’
‘Excuse me, Kain. I… I need to… ‘ He didn’t finish his sentence. Grabbing Lily’s arm, he urged her away from theguards. ‘We have to get away from here,’ he growled beneath his breath.
‘What?’
‘Don’t react. Just walk. Smile at me. I said smile.’ She found one. ‘Good, well done. Now put your hand against my chest as though you’re concerned for me.’
She did as she was asked. ‘Believe me, I am concerned for you. What happens now?’
He turned to her and swallowed. ‘Freath’s dead. I don’t know what to do. He was our protection.’
Lily looked ahead, and he could tell her head was swimming with the same anxieties as his own.
‘We’re going to get some money and then we’re gone. All right?’
She nodded, looking frightened. ‘Are we in immediate danger here?’
‘Yes, we could be.’
‘Oh, Kirin —’
‘You have to trust me now. I won’t let anything happen to you, Lily.’
She didn’t look convinced. ‘You said I was a liability from the moment I opened my mouth and claimed to be your wife.’
‘None of this is your fault. And you are my wife, don’t forget that.’
She nodded, none of the fear leaving her expression.
‘I need you to force yourself to be calm and to just pretend. We will get through this.’
People nodded and smiled at them, some even stopped to pass a few words with Kirin, and Lily felt herself in a whirl of activity and congratulations as her husband put aside his fears and feigned precisely the right blend of charm and sorrow. Yes, he’d just received the terrible news of Freath, yes, they’d only just arrived back into the capital to hear the dire revelation, wasn’t itdreadful about Dara Negev — whoever she is, Lily thought — and this was his new wife. She found herself being admired, eyed up and down, even hugged by a very jolly woman, and all the time Kirin was dragging her gently forwards. They walked down corridors, up two
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