Page 10 of Esperance

They’d had this conversation before.

Jayveh claimed to have learned about the Rising when her uncle, King Jamir Umbar, had summoned her to the Xerra throne room about two months ago. He told her of the emperor’s edict—that the most notable, marriageable woman of Xerra must be presented to Esperance for an arranged marriage—and then he had told her that he’d received a letter from the Rising. The missive had detailed the beginnings of a plan, and she was told in no uncertain terms that she would join their ranks in Esperance and help bring down the empire with whatever mission she was given. If she refused, her younger brothers would be tortured until she changed her mind.

Jayveh could have bent to those threats. Instead, she’d secretly made her way to the capital so she could warn the emperor of the threat, and gain protection for herself and her brothers. The emperor had been grateful for her loyalty, and he’d asked her to tarry for a short time at the empirical palace as plans were made. That’s when she and Argent—once childhood friends—had become reacquainted, and it hadn’t taken long before they’d fallen in love.

At least, Argent had. Carver still wasn’t sure if Jayveh’s actions thus far were anything more than an act.

It didn’t matter that she’d been the one to warn them, or that she’d come to Esperance to infiltrate the Rising and be an informant for the empire. She had a dark history with Argent and the empire—a history the emperor and Argent had both set aside, apparently—and Jayveh now had unrivaled access to Argent.

What if she was actually loyal to the rebels, and her plan all along had been to seduce Argent and feed false information to them? It wasn’t such a stretch, considering she was already playing double agent for the empire; her uncle and the rebels thought she was on their side, and Argent was just a besotted prince, unaware of the Rising’s plot. Argent’s performance was convincing. Probably because it wasn’t a performance. Hewastotally besotted.

And that meant he wouldn’t be on guard with her.

Argent had bodyguards, of course. They were the only guards or servants in Esperance that wouldn’t be supplied by the church, but even if they were unerringly vigilant, Jayveh could kill Argent before any bodyguard could hope to reach them.

The thought made Carver’s gut clench. Until he understood Jayveh’s motivations, he would wonder if she was manipulating Argent. Manipulatingallof them.

“She’s not one of them,” Argent said quietly. “She’s never been one of them, Carve.”

He met his best friend’s stare. “Can we really know that for certain? She has reasons to carry a grudge against the empire.”

Lines drew across his forehead. “That’s all in the past. We’ve discussed it, and it’s not an issue.”

Carver barely held back a sigh.

Argent smiled faintly, though his tone remained serious. “I know this is difficult for you. But I need you to trust me.”

“Idotrust you.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “And I trust her. So . . .”

Carver gave him a dark look. “You’re not as clever as you think you are.”

“Ah, but I’m far more clever thanyouthink I am.”

He rolled his eyes.

Argent’s flash of amusement faded. “Carver, I didn’t want her to risk playing double agent for us. But she insisted on doing her part to protect the empire. To protect me.”

Carver exhaled slowly. “I know.”But all of that could have been a manipulation, too.

He bit his tongue to keep the words from escaping. He’d expressed all of this and more to Argent before, and his friend would not be swayed.

“Jamir told her that the Rising will give her specific instructions once Esperance is sealed,” Argent said. “Until she can prove herself to you, perhaps you can extend a little faith.”

Faith was not something he had a lot of these days, but he nodded once.

Argent straightened a little. “Your father is still planning to collect Jayveh’s brothers on his way back to the capital?”

“Yes. They’ll be safe in Westmont soon enough.”

Argent grunted. “Unless that miserable excuse for an uncle refuses to let them go.”

“Jamir won’t have a choice.” Most noble sons who lived in the south spent at least one year at Westmont, which was known for training the best soldiers in Craethen’s military. By many, it was considered a rite of passage. The fact that Jayveh’s brothers had not been allowed to go was just one more sign of their uncle’s negligence.

According to Jayveh, there had been many other abuses.

Carver’s father was a general and a politician; he would be able to successfully maneuver King Jamir into such a position that he would have to let his nephews go to Westmont or risk looking petty to his peers—or worse, miserly. With Jayveh successfully ensconced in Esperance, Jamir would be confident that she wouldn’t be the wiser about the location of her brothers.