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When she takes the coins, I study her in the darkness. “I might not be able to come around very much for a while.”

Her eyes flash wide. “What? Why? Because of me? Did I—”

“No. Not because of you.” I hesitate. She’s already seen my face, and hopefully I won’t come to regret that. I can’t afford to give her much more information. “I will return as soon as I can, but for now, I have duties that will … that will keep me away for a matter of days. Possibly weeks.”

Possibly forever.But I don’t say that.

Her lips part. “But … but weneedyou.”

I flinch, then glance in the direction of the Royal Sector. “I know. But right now, there are others who need me more.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Tessa

I’m always surprised how quickly things can happen when people have money in hand. When I worked for Mistress Solomon, I remember she once had to wait four weeks to have a shipment of creams sent to a buyer in Sunkeep, just because she wasn’t willing to pay a wagoner to make a special trip. I thought for sure the creams would go rancid from sitting out in the summer heat, but Mistress Solomon sent them anyway, saying it wasn’t her fault that the buyer wasn’t willing to pay a premium for a faster delivery.

But in the Royal Sector, it seems like all someone has to do is make a decision, and they can have whatever they want at their door in a few hours. For the king, it’s sometimes a matter ofminutes. After meeting him, I never considered Harristan to be a frivolous man, but there are times that he requests something offhandedly, completely oblivious to the time and effort it must take to fulfill his wishes. He’ll call for tea, and it’ll appear more quickly than it’spossible to boil water. He’ll order an assessment of steel shipments across Kandala over the last fifty years, and advisers will have stacks of paperwork to review within an hour.

The king agreed to this mission to Ostriary, and the traveling party was arranged and outfitted within a few days. My trunks were packed before I was even aware that I was going. I don’t know many of the details, because Harristan and Corrick have been tied up for much of the week, but it’s clear that I’m to be included. Eagerness keeps making my heart skip.

But now it’s dusk on the third day since the ship arrived, and I’ve hardly laid eyes on Corrick since the dinner with Captain Blakemore. The prince’s tension was so potent at the table. It’s obvious he doesn’t like the other man, but it’s hard to argue with a supply of Moonflower petals when people are still dying and rebels are still calling for revolution. I know Corrick has been embroiled in planning with the king, but it’s left me with a lot of time to stare at the ceiling and replay the conversations over and over again. I keep remembering Rian’s voice when he said,You have toforceyour sectors to provide medicine?

The captain is so principled. His people are so loyal.

Kandala’s people are terrified of Prince Corrick. In the candy shop, for a spare moment,Iwas terrified of Prince Corrick. I wonder what that says abouthischaracter.

And my own.

I often wonder what my parents would think of where I am now. I know they would have supported the way I was stealing medicine to distribute among the Wilds. They were doing it first, after all. But then I ended up in the palace. I ended up working for the prince, and sometimes I wonder if I’m helping anyone at all.

I don’t like the direction of these thoughts. They always seem to travel in directions I don’t want to explore.

But I do think my parents would be proud of what I’m doing now. I’m going toOstriary. To help negotiate formedicine. I once stood in the shadows with Corrick and told him we should start a revolution—and later, I helped the king stop one. But since then, I’ve been stuck in stuffy rooms, working with physicians or trying to negotiate with Lochlan. Everything is so … soslow. So ineffective. I’ve missed my nightly runs with Wes so much that I sometimes wake in the middle of the night and worry that I’m going to be late to the workshop, before remembering that I’m in the palace—and Wes doesn’t exist.

A knock sounds at my door, and my heart leaps. Maybe he’s finally found some time to see me. As usual, my future feels so uncertain. I need to look into Corrick’s blue eyes and hear the warmth in his voice. I need to erase the memory of the man on the floor of the candy shop, Corrick’s dagger stealing blood from his throat. I need to remember why we’re doing this together—why I trust him at all.

But a guard calls out, “His Royal Majesty, King Harristan.”

WHAT.

I have to slap a hand over my mouth to keep from saying it out loud. The king never visits me personally. If he wants to see me, he sends a summons.

I all but choke on my breath and call out, “Come—come in!” I barely have a chance to get to my feet before the door swings wide, and then the king is in my room.

“Your Majesty,” I say, offering a curtsy.

The door swings shut behind him, and I can’t help but stare. We’ve always had a bit of an odd relationship. Even though we hikedthrough the Wilds together and faced down the rebels side by side, I sometimes forget all of that when he’s here in the palace being … theking. He’s Corrick’s brother, but he’s still the most imposing man I know. I don’t think I’ve been alone with Harristan since … well,ever.

Harristan doesn’t seem to notice—or care—because he wastes absolutely no time. “The winds have turned,” he says without preamble. “Captain Blakemore worries that a storm is brewing, and at this time of year, it could last for days. My advisers concur.” He pauses. “Rather than waiting to see how the storm manifests, you will be leaving this evening.”

I stare at him.This evening.I wish I could read something in his voice. I twist my hands together. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I will expect you to ensure everyone from Kandala continues to receive the correct measure of Moonflower elixir each day,” he says. “Quint is arranging for your apothecary tools to be on board the ship, along with a supply of Moonflower from the palace stores.” He pauses, and a new weight enters his voice. “I am entrusting you with this, Tessa.”

I take a deep breath, but nod. “Yes, of course.”

“We are all hopeful that Captain Blakemore has access to medicine that works equally as well, but we’ve been tricked before.”