Ackley entered the office with Colbert.

“Markis is on his way up with a messenger,” Colbert said, taking a seat.

Dexter moved around to the other side of his desk, shifting through some papers. “Excellent. Once we have confirmation, we can proceed with taking care of Melenia.”

Ackley meandered around the room.

The door burst open. Markis entered with a man covered head to toe in gray. It looked like he was wearing some sort of skin suit that would blend in with rocky terrain.

“Thank you, Markis,” Dexter said. “You may leave.”

Once Markis shut the door, the man in gray said, “The king is alive. He had a decoy in his place. We killed the decoy.”

Ackley swore. “And now Eldon knows someone’s trying to kill him. Where’s the king?”

“He was not with royal convoy,” the man said.

“Blast it. We don’t even know where he is.” Ackley gripped the back of Reid’s chair.

“We’ll have to kill him here,” Dexter said. “It’ll be trickier and harder to keep our hands clean, but not impossible.”

“What about Melenia?” Colbert asked.

“We can’t do anything about them until the king is dead.”

“I’m trying to figure out why my brother had a decoy in the first place,” Ackley said, his words clipped. “He’s never used one before.”

“There are two options,” Colbert said. “Either someone tipped him off or he had a clandestine meeting to attend and he didn’t want anyone to know about it.”

“I can assure you no one here tipped him off,” Dexter said.

“Then we must assume he left the royal convoy to meet with the soldiers from Melenia,” Colbert stated.

Reid couldn’t believe they’d killed an innocent man pretending to be the king. Which meant she was going to have to see Eldon again. Unless he rode in with the Melenia soldiers and flat-out declared war. “How do you think the dukes will respond once they learn Melania soldiers are here?” She didn’t think they would take the news well—even if the Melenia soldiers were there to help the dukes maintain control over Marsden.

“We must proceed as if we have no idea what just happened,” Dexter said. “The king knows he can’t use the Melenia soldiers without the dukes rising together to fight him. We have to assume he’ll arrive and pretend to know nothing about the foreign soldiers. The wedding will take place. Then everyone will return home.”

“I agree,” Ackley said. “When everyone returns home, that’s when Eldon will use the soldiers to take over Axian. Once he has control of Axian, he will invade northern Marsden.” He cursed. “I should have seen his plan earlier.” He resumed pacing. “I need to spar. Reid, where’s your guard?”

“Gytha? She’s around here somewhere.”

Ackley stalked from the room without another word.