Phalue frowned. “Is something wrong?” She tapped a finger to her chin. “You were going over our accounts, yes? Did you find a discrepancy? Some item on the list that will require more funds than we first thought?”

“I…” There really wasn’t a good way to say it, was there? “I saw Ayesh in the kitchen.”

“And? What does that have to do with anything? She’s allowed to be in there.”

“She came back after she left the palace. Why would she do that?”

“I told her to,” Phalue said. “I knew the shield would be coming today. She must have come back, realized I was still busy and then left again.”

Now Ranami was doubting herself – was there an easy explanation for everything she’d witnessed? But she’d learned to trust her instincts. Ayesh was hiding something, and neither Phalue nor she knew what it was. “She stole food from the kitchen. I don’t know what for. And I caught her in the hallway, listening in on a conversation between servants. They were talking about our contingency plan.”

Phalue tilted her head, her brows knit. “Were you following her?”

“No. Well, yes. Fine. I tailed her into the city and lost her. I wanted to know if she was taking that information anywhere and, if so, who she was taking it to. Phalue, if that got to the wrong people, they could use the information to damage you. Things are hard enough as it is.”

“No one seems dissatisfied with my rule,” Phalue said.

“No one says it to your face,” Ranami said. “But there are whispers. And it is so easy for whispers to become shouts with the right provocation. The stories may say that Gio took Khalute single-handedly, but I doubt they’re true. It’s clear he knows how to gather people to a cause. Look at how the Shardless Few follow him. I worry he’ll undermine you and try to take over.”

“He can try.”

“All it takes is one mistake, one misstep he can use against you. He’ll drive a wedge between you and this island.”

“Ranami, please.” Phalue set the shield against a pillar and took Ranami’s hands. “You’re right – I do need to be careful. And I appreciate you’re here looking out for me. But sometimes there are reasonable explanations for the shadows that you see.”

Maybe Phalue was right – maybe she was seeing sea serpents in the fog. She took a deep breath. “I don’t know who the girl is or what she truly wants.”