Ren's eyes narrowed. The only thing that didn't fit was himself. He was never supposed to have been at the party, and judging by Halvard's reaction when Ren had bumped into him in the dungeons, he hadn't expected to see Ren there either. Something like this must have required planning. It didn't add up.

Ren thought about King Callun looking stressed and tired in his chambers before the party. He had been so adamant that Ren should stay away. The horrible thought that Callun had known this was going to happen crossed his mind, but he violently brushed it aside. If Callun had known about Halvard's plans, he would have defended himself, defended Hellic. He would never have even let Halvard inside.

Going over to the window on stiff, clumsy legs, Ren leaned against the frame. Fraynean guards were stationed all around the courtyard. They stood uneasily, glancing at each other and talking to their partners. Whose command were they under? What was happening now? Golden ribbons still decorated the inner walls of the courtyard like a cruel kind of mockery. Ren turned his face away.

Thais, as Hellic's true-born younger brother, was currently the highest authority in the castle. Where was he? Where was Berin, the captain of the guard?

Going over to the door, Ren wiggled the handle and then pounded a fist against the wood. “Hey! Open the door. I need to talk to the captain. It's important.”

The other side remained silent. Ren knew Nathair had ordered two guards stationed at his door, but regardless of whether they were Fraynean or Skarlan, they clearly weren't going to take orders from him.

With a frustrated groan, he strode over to the garden-side window. There had to be a way out. He had to figure out what was going on. The king was dead and the country's greatest rival was within castle walls. Frayne had never before been in this much danger.

“Fuck,” Ren hissed, slamming his hand against the window sill. Tears welled in his eyes again, but he blinked them away furiously. The gardens were guarded too, by just two men, but they were both facing his way.

Hours passed. Three times, Ren banged on the door. All three times, he got only silence in response. He opened the window and shouted to the guards, but they didn't even look at him. If Thais was in charge, why didn't he order Ren released? Unless Thais wasn't in charge at all. Or worse yet, if he really believed Ren was behind the murder. Nathair had planted the seed of Ren's guilt when he had raised the slave's knife in the air for the entire court to see.