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After a week of solid study, Ria could identify a couple of alteration-spell components in the magic that circled Tes in darkening swirls, but then the shield the other mages cast strengthened and grew more opaque, both physically and magically. As the spells reached their crescendo, Ria could barely make out the princess’s form at all.

Crack.

All at once, the magic inside the shield seemed to collapse in on itself like a trap—a deadly, horrific trap. Silence reigned a heartbeat before a hollow thud. Then the spells winked out, and all Ria could see was Tes’s body collapsed on the wood.

Lifeless.

* * *

Before Toren could stopto think, he pulled Ria into his arms, where she pressed her face against his chest. He should have stood firm, but her little, horrified cry had been his undoing. Inside, he cursed, even as he stroked his hand over the tumble of her hair. Hadn’t Mehl explained the mechanics of their plan? He was supposed to.

“Ria, be calm,”Toren sent into her mind.“That’s not Tes. It’s part of the illusion.”

Though she nodded, he felt her shiver.

But only a heartbeat later, she pulled free and took a step back. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” she said as she wiped away a tear. “I’m afraid I wasn’t prepared to see death so close. It was beyond kind for you to comfort me in the middle of your solemn duties.”

He wanted so badly to smile at the deft apology, but he would not ruin her return to formality by doing so. Mehl, on the other hand… He practically vibrated at Toren’s other side, no doubt prepared to hurry over to their wife’s side.

Ria leaned forward enough to give Mehl a small smile. “And thank you as well, King Mehl, for your obvious concern. Though I am happy to see my attacker gone, it was a shock nonetheless.”

The drums resumed, but Toren was close enough to hear his husband’s growl. Had they switched places? Toren could readily admit that he was more inclined to such grousing than Mehl, so the change lent an unusual lightness to an already strange event. A lightness that required hiding before anyone noticed his mismatched mood.

Fortunately, the head mage spun and bowed before Mehl could spoil Ria’s quick thinking with hasty action. “It is complete, Your Majesties. Your Grace.”

“Thank you.” Toren nodded toward the final piece in their plan—Vesset. “If the healer will confirm her death for the final record?”

Vesset hurried to comply, though the man knew the truth well enough. Even so, he made a good show of it, spending quite some time running his magic over the body. “No sign of life, Your Majesty.”

No surprise there, since the illusion had been cast on an assemblage of clothing, straw, and clay shaped to resemble a person. Some type of teleportation spell had swapped the decoy with the real Tes.

“Good,” Toren said. Then he gestured at Macoe. “See the body properly disposed of. We will begin morning court at half past the hour.”

He heard a ripple of shocked murmurs at his blunt statement as he headed up the stairs and back into the palace, and he was sorry for it. There would be a certain wariness for months after this, despite the clear charges of assault and attempted assassination he’d had read in front of the entire court. It was the main reason he’d waited to perform the “execution” that he’d initially planned to do at once. Haste would have only brought more fear.

As High King, his authority might be absolute, but acting cruelly wasn’t just wrong—it was a sure way to be assassinated in truth. Death was a sentence given sparingly, and one he often passed up even when their laws allowed it. Though his ancestors had deemed it a possible sentence for striking or, if one were particular,touchinga member of the royal family, Toren had never counted himself as precious as all that.

His apparent death sentence for their “assassin” would be analyzed at teas and dinners and balls for months. The older nobles would be perfectly aware that he would normally choose imprisonment for such a crime, and many would wonder why he’d executed a citizen of Centoi—partially at the requestofthe Centoi.

He needed to decide whether or not to sever their alliance soon. Doing so would suggest that there had been something worse behind Tes’s attack than had been announced, which might settle some of the speculation. But it also risked war. Of course, if Ber was named King Ryenil’s heir, war was almost inevitable. The longer he delayed the decision, the longer he would have to prepare.

So often, it was not good to be king.

* * *

Although Mehl had heardfrom Sir Macoe that Tes was safe, the week that followed her supposed death had made his nerves wind ever tighter. They couldn’t risk any unusual activity, so he, Toren, and Ria hadn’t seen the princess since she’d been whisked away by that spell. Not that Mehl had reason to doubt her safety. Sir Macoe hadn’t appeared to leave the castle, either, but his reports remained regular. A new letter had even arrived from Ria’s “cousin.”

But he wouldn’t rest easy until Tes was settled into the household, hopefully this very evening. According to their spies, Ber was a little over a week away if the good weather held. The longer Tes was part of the household before his arrival, the better. It would give her more time to fade from the courtiers’ thoughts—and gossip.

Restless, Mehl sought out Ria while he waited for word from Feref. He didn’t dare distract his husband. Toren was in his study, reading over the treaty between their kingdom and Centoi for anything useful. The alliance would surely be severed, but it was important they didn’t miss any stipulations that could bring harm to their kingdom if ignored.

Toren was nothing if not scrupulous.

Mehl entered the Mage’s Library, his gaze going directly to Ria’s usual table. But unlike most other days, Ria wasn’t there. Nor was she searching the bookshelves. Mehl frowned. Hadn’t he sensed her in this general area? His ability to find her and Toren through the link wasn’t as precise as hers, but it wasn’ttoofar off.

Fortunately, before he could rile himself into full worry, Sir Everot directed him to the Royal Archives. But why there? She’d been given permission, of course, but Mehl had no idea what she might find there about alteration. Had past monarchs kept records on magic? He had to admit that he hadn’t done much exploring in the archives, though he’d had access for over a century. There was simply never enough time.

But Ria would make time.