Page 141 of With Wing And Claw

How—

Her Lord Protector didn’t speak, next to her. Didn’t even glance her way. Just rested his pointy elbows on the balustrade and watched the crowd below them with a faint, content smile on his equally pointy face.

‘Nicanor?’ she said, unsure of what she was supposed to be seeing.

He didn’t turn. ‘Hmm?’

‘Who— Who exactly are—’

‘I told you.’ He canted his head just a fraction. ‘Our army.’

She opened her mouth to ask the questions.

Then shut it again, because the answers were already rising.

And slowly, ever so slowly, the ground started sinking away beneath her feet – the wooden walkway tilting, swaying, as if they were standing on the open ocean. Because this shouldn’t be their army. This shouldn’t beherarmy, in any case. And if it washis…

No.

Dead and living gods, no.

‘You’ve been working with them.’ It wasn’t even a question. ‘Youhave been …’

He leaned against the wood even more gracefully. ‘Mm-hmm.’

‘You— No. No, that’s impossible.’ A feeble, lightheaded laugh stumbled past her lips. ‘You made a bargain of loyalty to—’

‘To the crown.’ He clicked his tongue. ‘Whomever that may belong to. Did you really think I’d so easily accept an Alliance-backed claim as legitimate,Thys?’

She stared at him. ‘To … to keep the court under …’

‘Control,’ he finished, throwing her a glance as he nodded. It was almostcheerful, the quirk of his eyebrow – as if this was some harmless, mischievous trick he’d played on her. ‘Didn’t mentionwhosecontrol it would be, though, did I?’

His own.

He’d bargained to get the court under hisowncontrol.

Too many locks were clicking open in her mind at once, too many thoughts hurtling in for her to be able to distinguish one from the other; she staggered through the sea of them like a ship caught in a sudden summer storm, swept in all directions at once. ‘And Bereas knew—’

He gave a shrug. ‘It’s rather convenient that you killed him, I must admit. If I’d done it myself, it might have caused somewhat of a loyalty divide within our forces.’

She barely even heard that.

You’re fucking the wrong person, love.

‘He …’ The gall rose again, overwhelming in its acid bitterness. ‘Bereas— He thought we—’

‘Oh, that,’ Nicanor said dryly, turning back to the fields. ‘Frankly, I can’t fault him for it. History and everything. Never confirmed it, never contradicted it – I assumed you’d prefer that approach, given that their assumptions at least kept them from realising who wasactuallyspending her nights in your rooms.’

There was no leering innuendo in his voice. No triumphant mockery. Just the simple, matter-of-fact observation, and it was that pragmatic dispassion that truly made her heart go cold in her chest.

‘You knew.’

‘Of course I bloody knew, Thys.’ A sliver of exasperation in his voice. ‘If you’re aiming for a secret tryst, try to avoid any canoodling in mid-air next time. You’re lucky most people were distracted at the time.’

Naxi.

Oh, gods,Naxi.