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I look at Quint. “We’re going to leap out. Be ready to run.”

He glances at my injured leg. “Can you run?”

No. Even leaping is going to be a challenge. But I don’t say that. “Just be ready.”

“I’m not leaving our injured king—”

“I’morderingyou.”

The carriage slows further, but his eyes don’t leave mine. “Then I suppose you’ll have to have Corrick issue a decree of punishment, Your Majesty.”

“Quint!”

The carriage stops. He tightens his grip on the dagger and finally drags his eyes away from mine, but he doesn’t move.

Lord.I grit my teeth.

The door is flung open, and sunlight floods the gap, but I can’t see much more than that because Quint launches himself forward. A man swears, and there’s a scuffle, but by the time I make it to the doorway myself, Quint is in the dirt with a bloody nose. Thorin is standing over him, looking a bit bemused.

“Master Quint?” he says. “Exactly what was your plan?”

“In retrospect,” Quint says, wincing, “it’s unclear.”

“Defending me,” I say. I limp down from the carriage, then hold out a hand to Quint. I keep my eyes on Thorin. “We weren’t sure who had the carriage. Where’s Saeth?”

“Unharnessing the horses, Your Majesty. The road is too narrow to continue with the carriage, and it’s too obvious a target.”

I run a hand over the back of my neck. Sweat mixes with the dirt from last night, and I grimace. “And why am I atarget?”

“We don’t know,” Thorin says. “If they’d summoned the night patrol, we might not have been able to get away. As it is, they’re likelygiving chase. We should not delay.” He glances at my leg. “Can you walk, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, but not far.” I tuck the dusty dagger under my belt and look up and around. We’re deep in the woods, surrounded by trees, far off a worn path, but nothing seems familiar.

Still, four people and two horses won’t take long to spot. Especially not beside a carriage.

“Thorin,” I say. “Do you know the way to Tessa’s old workshop from here?”

He hesitates, then looks around the way I just did. When his gaze returns to meet mine, he nods. “I do.”

“Good.” I look past him, to where Saeth is leading the two horses away from the abandoned carriage. Their harness leather has been abandoned in the dirt beside the shaft, leaving the animals bareback, in nothing but driving bridles, complete with long reins and blinders. They’re already snatching at the reins, blowing anxiously, sweat-slick and confused by everything we’ve already done.

If we’re confronted by the night patrol, these horses aren’t going to get us far.

But standing here worrying about it won’t solve the problem. If this is the best we have, it’ll have to do.

I let out a long breath. “Thorin. Check the path ahead. We’ll follow.”

It’s only been a matter of weeks, but the trail leading to the workshop is overgrown, and once we get inside, we discover that a thick layer of dust clings to everything. I run a finger along the work table, then stifle a cough as a plume of dust lifts into the air. It’s clear no one has been here since the night the rebels attacked the palace.

It made for a good hiding place then, and it makes for a good one now.

A narrow cabinet is bolted into the wall near the cold hearth, and Quint is checking the drawers. I order Saeth to tether the horses and walk a perimeter, then call for Thorin to join us in the workshop.

When he does, I waste no time. “This is another act of insurrection,” I say. “Though this one appears to be more insidious. Do you think Saeth could be involved with whoever is working against me?”

If he’s surprised, it doesn’t show. “No.”

“Are you certain?”