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He lifted a brow. “You recognize me?”

“Oh, yes. I’ve helped carry crates to the palace, and you’re so han—” Her face flamed red. “So distinguished. Such a distinguished personage. Please forgive my awkwardness, Your Highness. I really must fetch Cairi. She will wish to help you personally.”

“Please do,” Ber said before the poor assistant combusted from the heat of her blush.

After an awkward curtsy, the girl darted through a door in the back, leaving Ber and Halueth alone. Ber wasted no time. “What did you learn?” he murmured.

“Arranged,” the guard answered softly. “I overheard three bragging they’d been told to stand down. Three others knew nothing, myself included. I have the details for you here.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Ber spotted Halueth’s quick motion as he slipped a scrap of paper from beneath his sleeve. Ber snatched it into his own palm in a blink, then tucked it into a pocket of his tunic before anyone could see. Just in time, too. The door opened with a soft tinkle behind them, and two women entered. They wore average quality clothes and cast him the wary looks of people who could tell he was important but didn’t know who he was.

“I should purchase a gift for my father, Halueth,” Ber said, moving toward one of the fancier displays. “Do you think any of these would suffice?”

The guard caught on quickly. “I’m not certain. You should see if the globemaker has something more…exclusive. These are quite simple.”

Ber heard an indignanthmphfrom one of the ladies on the other side of the room. They perused the more modest globes of the middle class, while Halueth made a mockery of the exclusive and expensive globes in front of them. But it was an excellent cover that would give them a solid reason to speak to Cairi in private.

“Far too simple,” Ber said, his voice taking on the obnoxious lilt of some of their most over-indulged courtiers. “I’m afraid I must insist on better.”

“Better? Your—”

“Yes, better,” Ber drawled as he turned toward the woman who’d spoken. Cairi. Thinning his lips, he cut his eyes toward the two ladies currently trying not to glare in his direction. “Do you have anything more exclusive in the back? If so, I mustinsistupon seeing it.”

Like Halueth, Cairi caught on quickly. “Of course, my lord. If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you my best. If those don’t suffice, I’ll happily consult with you on something custom.”

Ber nodded sharply. “Let us do that.”

Then he and Halueth followed her into the quiet—and private—storeroom beyond.

Perfect.

Chapter 28

Unexpected Meetings

As soon as the door closed behind Ber, Cairi spun to face him. He expected her to question him immediately, but instead, she placed a finger over her lips and shook her head. Though he lifted a brow, he remained silent and waited for her to speak.

“I hope you’ll forgive my meager display, my lord,” she said. “I had a dreadful assistant who broke quite a few pieces before I dismissed her. I’ve been gathering some of my finer globes in here to replenish them. Would you like to see?”

He cared nothing for light globes, but he nodded. “Naturally.”

Cairi opened several velvet-lined trunks, describing in detail the various enchantments on each piece. Keeping to his role, Ber pursed his lips in distaste and asked snide questions, though he knew little about the described spells regardless of his guise. It was at least more fascinating than listening to a courtier debate the merits of blue versus purple shoes.

“My lord, please forgive me,” the globemaker finally said. “It is clear that these don’t meet your expectations. However, if you would be willing to indulge me by accompanying me upstairs, I do have one very special piece locked away there.”

“I will give you this one last chance,” Ber replied, letting a sneer enter his voice. “My father must only have the best.”

She inclined her head. “Of course. If you’ll follow me?”

Though Halueth tensed beside him, Ber allowed the woman to lead them up a small set of stairs into her private domain. He could understand the bodyguard’s worry. If she were to set a trap for him, it would be a fine location. Yet he still found the risk low. She couldn’t have anticipated if or when he would’ve come, and she seemed too savvy to risk all she’d built here in such a strike.

As he stepped across the threshold, magic washed over him, its strength obvious even with his lack of skill, and a trickle of doubt danced down his spine. This was serious shielding. What would a globemaker need with such protection? Unwittingly, his hand fell to the hilt of his knife, and Halueth slipped in front of him with his own dagger drawn.

Cairi chuckled. “Sorry, but I couldn’t warn you about the shield. I have no ill will toward you, Prince Ber.”

“Why should I believe you?” Ber asked.

“You will or you won’t,” the globemaker said, shrugging. “Honestly, I bring few people here, but these protections block anyone from using magic to listen to what we say. I suspect that is not the case in the storeroom.”