“Neither do I,” I said, clenching the bed sheets in my hands. I’d rushed up to the open window as quickly as possible, hoping I could catch the assassin, or at least his scent. The window had been in an unused guestroom, which, unfortunately, had reeked of sulfur, masking the other scents in the room. It had been impossible to tell which of the human scents I’d caught had been there most recently, due to the gunpowder’s stench.

At my suggestion, we’d immediately called all the palace staff together for an inspection. Fenris and I had checked them for any sulfurous odor—surely, if the room smelled so strongly of it, the assassin would as well. But the majority of the staff had already gone home at the end of the day shift, and none of those who remained on duty smelled like sulfur. A thorough search of the Palace and grounds proved equally fruitless. Whoever the would-be assassin was, they’d been fast as well as clever.

“Don’t beat yourself up about it.” I reached out to squeeze his upper arm. “You’ve been neck deep in meetings, phone calls, and who knows what else. You can’t be expected to be on the lookout for bombers too.”

“No, but my guards should,” Iannis said, his tone almost a growl. He scooted closer to me, took my face in his hands, and stared at me for a long moment. “I insisted you live here so you would be safe. It is unconscionable that I have not been able to keep that promise.”

“Stop,” I said firmly, gripping his hand. “I didn’t agree to stay at the Palace because I wanted a hidey-hole. I agreed because we’re going to be married, and I love you.” I turned my face, so I could press a kiss into his palm.

Iannis gathered me up in his arms, and I sighed as he rolled onto his side, tucking me against his body. His strength and warmth eased more tension from my body, and my neck and shoulders relaxed.

“Whoever threw that bomb at me is probably the same person who’s been giving intel to the Resistance,” I muttered into his chest. “We have a spy in our midst.”

“Indeed.” Iannis stroked my hair softly, his hand skimming the newly shortened strands—I’d had to chop an inch off, as it had been burned by the fire and smelled like rotten eggs. My eyebrows had seen better days too, but they would grow back to normal overnight. “I wish I could continue the investigation tomorrow, but we cannot delay our trip to Dara. We will have to rely on Fenris to keep up the search in the meanwhile, and if he hasn’t found the culprit by the time we get back, I bloody damn will myself.”