“Sirscha, we both know you haven’t done anything to deserve imprisonment. At least not yet,” he says, a warning in his tone. Those brown eyes are much too perceptive. “And, as you say, with your training, I somehow doubt you would be here if this weren’t exactly where you wished to be.”

A bead of sweat slides down the back of my neck. If Prince Meilek suspects my purpose here, he could ruin everything. And yet, what can I possibly say in my defense? Vos Gillis’s guards are well trained, but they’re not Blades, and they’re certainly not a match for one of Kendara’s pupils. Prince Meilek knows that as well as I do.

In this instance, the truth will serve me best. “I’m here to find Kendara.”

His brows furrow. “Why would you think she’s in Vos Gillis?”

“I heard a rumor. I need to speak to her. It’s urgent.”

“I’m sorry, but I highly doubt she’s here.”

“She has to be.”

I’m not sure he’s being truthful, but I don’t see why he’d lie. He knows what Kendara means to me—we share that in common, at least. He wouldn’t deliberately shield me from her if he knows anything, would he?

A pit opens up in my stomach. What if I’m wrong? What if Theyen had been lying or misinformed?

“It was foolish to risk coming here. Hasn’t Ronin told you that the queen has declared you a Nuvali spy?”

His words pull me out of my dismal thoughts. “That’s ridiculous.”

“She’s decided that you infiltrated our military to send its secrets back to the Empire and that your friend Saengo may have collaborated with you.”

My mouth opens and closes, not even sure how to respond to such absurd allegations.

“Will House Phang be punished for this?” The thought of Saengo and her family suffering even more for my mistakes sends dread skittering through me.

“No,” he says, sensing my alarm. “House Phang has been a longtime ally of House Sancor, and she wouldn’t risk losing their support. She believes Saengo was coerced.” He winces apologetically.

What a load of drake dung. The queen knows I was Kendara’s apprentice. If anyone can verify I’m not a spy, it’s the queen’s own Shadow.

“It isn’t true,” I say, just in case Prince Meilek has doubts.

“Of course it isn’t. But I expected you to be at Spinner’s End, out of my sister’s reach.”

Why would the queen fabricate such a story about me? Once we go north and Ronin proclaims my role as soulguide, I can tell my side of the story.

But if I expose Queen Meilyr for a liar, it might enrage the Nuvali and make me the queen’s eternal enemy. Saengo and I could never hope to find a home in Evewyn again.