Chapters (46)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
In addition to the attack logs, there were patrol schedules, some of which he had helped draw out. They were set only a few days in advance and purposely changed from week to week. Tristam laid the patrol schedules on the table next to the attack logs. At first glance, there didn’t seem to be any pattern between patrols and attacks. But then…He stopped and checked the last four attacks. They all occurred in regions for which there had been no patrol assigned that day.
Tristam jumped as the door opened and Malikel walked in. “Did you find anything?” the older man asked.
He related his findings. “The pattern only holds for the past four attacks, so I can’t be sure. But it’s suspicious.”
Malikel lowered himself into a chair, face grim. “You realize what this would mean, if what you say is true?”
Tristam nodded, fighting a rising dread. Patrol schedules were a closely guarded secret, set a few days beforehand and known only to a select few. This was far more serious than a low-level servant informing on daily activities. If the barbarians had known the patrol schedules, then the Assassins Guild’s reach was much, much, deeper. “It could still be a coincidence,” he said, though his voice lacked conviction.
Malikel shook his head. “It isn’t. Think about the way the attacks have changed recently. How their targets have changed.”
“The trade caravans.” The realization killed any remaining hope he had of being wrong. “The barbarians are focusing on trade caravans because they now have their schedules.” Schedules that were again known only to select Palace officials.
“We need to know everyone who is privy to this information,” said Malikel.
Tristam nodded. “I will compile a list of all knights and officials who are informed of the patrol schedules. We can start questioning people tomorrow.”
Fourteen
F O U R T E E N
“Kyra, Flick, look!” Idalee stood with a bowl in her right hand. Behind it, she had stacked two plates along the length of her arm. Now the girl was taking careful steps around the kitchen, hovering her other hand over the dishes to keep them from falling.
Flick applauded. “You’ll be helping out in the dining room in no time.” Idalee beamed and continued her slow circle.
Kyra forced a short smile and tried not to think about paying for broken dishes. She turned back to the kettle where Lettie’s herbs were boiling. “I think this is the last batch she’ll need,” she said to Flick. “She’s hardly had trouble lately.”
“Moving here has been good for her.” He reached for an empty bowl and held it steady as Kyra poured water into it.