“Why, only to help you!” He spread his free hand. “I was thinking of our conversation earlier, you see. And I thought perhaps it would be useful to show you how good it is to have me on your side. How fortuitous that this boy gave me the opportunity to present you with an example!” Ruven patted Aleki’s unresponsive head. “By returning him to you, of course.”

“Then return him.” I shoved the words through my teeth.

Ruven laughed. “My, my. Such a lovely glare you have. Here, take the child, then.”

He released Aleki’s hand. Immediately, the boy’s face crumpled into pure terror, and he began wailing.

I ran up and snatched him into my arms, barely remembering to throw down my dagger first, anxious to get him out of Ruven’s reach. Aleki planted his face in my shoulder and howled stickily into my hair. He was fine, thank the Graces.

“I’m taking him back to his parents now,” I said, as much for Aleki’s benefit as for Ruven’s.

Ruven shrugged. He seemed about to speak when the man who’d attacked Foss came stumbling up the path, still bleeding from his shoulder and arm, his face pale and waxy. I stepped back, angling Aleki away from him, but the man merely threw himself to his knees at Ruven’s feet.

“My lord,” he began. “I have a report—”

Ruven reached out and laid a hand on the man’s head, as if in benediction.

A spasm shook the wounded man, head to toe, and he clutched his chest with his working arm. He dropped to the path, landing on his face, and lay still as a stone.

Dead.

Ruven recoiled with a mild pretense of alarm. “Oh, dear, this man has attacked us. What a terrible fellow. I’m so glad I was here to save us.”

“You killed him. You killed your own man.”

“My lady, I’m sure I have no idea what you mean.” Ruven raised his eyebrows. “I have never seen this man before in my life. I am quite shaken, I assure you.”

I’d had enough. I clasped Aleki to me with one arm and scooped up my dagger with the other. “Prince Ruven. I am going now.” I wiped the dagger clean on my own silk skirts and jammed it home in its sheath. “I suggest you stay away from my friends in the future, because if you come near this child again, I am going to do everything in my considerable power to have you arrested.”

Ruven bowed, smiling. “I will bear that in mind, my lady.”

“I suggest you do. Good day, Your Highness.”

I turned my back on him. I prayed to the Graces my gown hid the trembling in my legs as I walked away.

Chapter Twenty-Two