“What’s going on, Edmund? You’re asking me to trust you, so you need to trust me as well. Why do you need me? You work for the royal family. They have people at their beck and call. Or you could have some loyal Belaen take ship.”

Edmund leaned his head back against the wall. “You’re right.” He paused. “But I need someone who knows the streets of Madra. There is going to be a coup. They will overthrow the king.”

Chapter Five

Helena’s mother was not of Madran blood. As heir to the throne, her father had to marry a foreign woman of high importance. Cana didn’t have princesses or kings. The clans were not unified in their kingdom.

Queen Chloe was the daughter of a powerful Canan warlord who had kept other clans in check for many years.

But that wasn’t all she was. They had trained Chloe Rhodipus to be an assassin. It was the way of Cana. All highborn lads and ladies held skills in the art. Cana was a nest of snakes. None of the clans trusted any other. Being clan-leader was a dangerous position.

Helena flipped a knife in her hand, eying her target. Most in Madra—including the king himself—did not know of the queen’s talents. But she’d followed the traditions of her kingdom and brought her daughter up to know what it was to fight.

A cracked wooden post sat forty paces from Helena in the empty space. She practiced in a little-used training yard, hidden from the main training ground by a high partition. Her mother’s guards stood at the door, making sure unwelcome intruders would not find the princess there.

Helena bent her knees and tilted her shoulder down before lifting her arm and flicking her wrist to send the knife end over end. It collided with the wood, a soft thud reaching her ears. The corner of her mouth ticked up. Not even her brothers knew of the talents she’d practiced for years.

She considered seeking her mother to show her the improvements she’d made in the techniques she was learning, but today was not the day for that. A foreign princess would soon arrive at their shores. The queen would set out to meet her soon.

Helena sighed as she walked forward and bent to retrieve the knife.

One of the guards stepped up, and she handed the weapon to him. “Thanks, Kolettis.”

He dipped his head. “You’re improving, Princess.”

Pride bloomed within her at the recognition. Her brothers always proved their worthiness but as the hidden princess, she had little chance to be anything other than a mystery to most people.

“My mother is a good teacher,” she responded. “I’m going to find my brothers. You can return to my mother.”

“As you wish.”