They stopped outside the door. There were four knights collapsed in front of it, spears splayed out haphazardly. Trynne gripped the cold handle with her free hand, the other still gripping the Tay al-Ard. She was so tempted to reach out with her magic, but she knew it would immediately reveal her to whoever lurked on the other side of that door. Much better for them to crack the door open and take a look. Carefully, she and Lady Evie pulled on the heavy door, Trynne praying all the while the hinges wouldn’t squeak.

The door resisted at first, but then it relented and opened, bringing a crack of light from the audience hall. There were torches lit inside and people were moving around urgently. Trynne blinked and pressed her eye to the slit.

Rucrius stood in the center of the room, his hand resting on the king’s empty chair. He was still wearing the clothes in which he’d been rescued, but he was no longer a prisoner. He was the one barking orders.

“Change into their tunics quickly!” he said impatiently. Trynne saw that there were several warriors in the hall, quickly donning tunics of the Sun and Rose. She recognized their leaf armor from the Battle of Guilme. Her heart shriveled as she realized the palace was being stolen right under their noses. “Then return to the guard posts and pretend to be asleep like the others. When dawn comes, the people will see the treasure ship moored in the harbor. It will cause panic.”

Another Wizr spoke up. Trynne hadn’t noticed him because he was standing before Rucrius, who was much taller. “You know Gahalatine would not wish to win this way.”

“Gahalatine will conquer Kingfountain as he desires,” Rucrius snapped. “Is that not what matters? Their confusion will give us an easy path to victory. The city will fall. Then the king’s champion will lose to our champion, and Gahalatine will challenge the king in combat. Without the Kiskaddon brat, the king will succumb to our power and relinquish the hollow crown.”

“But this is sooner than we agreed upon, Rucrius!” the other Wizr said. She could not see him well, but she recognized him from the Battle of Guilme. He was one of the three Wizrs who had brought Gahalatine to King Drew on the hilltop.

“Events are already in motion, Astorel,” Rucrius said dismissively. “The game goes on. The poisoner is in the Forbidden Court as we speak. She brought our enemy with her.”

The other Wizr chuffed. “Maybe we should just kill the king now and be done with it.”