Page 55 of Kingdom of Tomorrow (Book of Arden #1)

It took a moment for my brain to function properly.

The head of agriculture was speaking to me.

Looking at me. Most likely insulting me, considering those air quotes.

She was also frowning as she waited for me to respond.

Eek! “Yes,” I rushed out, “that’s me. The trainee. Though gardening is my passion.”

“A worthy pastime,” she said, returning her attention to Cyrus. “What’s this special assignment I keep hearing about, hmm? Rumors suggest it has something to do with your latest capture. Congratulations, by the way. The world is a much safer place with John Victors off the streets.”

He flashed a humorless smile. “I think yesterday’s death toll suggests otherwise.”

“Such a tragedy.” Countess Dills pressed a hand over her heart as her companions twittered their agreement. “I’ll never understand Soalians and their reverence for the source of the Madness.”

Here goes. “Speaking of the Rock, I’ve always wondered how it grows flowers without soil.” Not even Countess Dills was safe from my probing.

Like Count Folley, she blinked at me. “That isn’t something we’ve figured out yet.” A slight inflection of strain infiltrated her voice. “As you probably know, testing is limited for the safety of all mankind.”

“I’m sure you’ve considered propagating the buds in a contained area.”

“Yes, but it’s an impossible endeavor, considering the buds die as soon as they’re plucked,” she said, stumbling over her words. Not used to being grilled about her job after hours? “If you’ll excuse me, I see Cloward Bosworth.” Off she went, leaving me stewing in a fresh cauldron of frustration.

“Perfect timing,” Cyrus muttered. “I’ve been summoned.” He navigated the throng, bringing us to his father, who stood beside a stunning thirtysomething woman with a killer smile. “Arden, you know my father, Tagin. This is Madison, his wife.”

The woman who’d supposedly read my paper. “Hello. So wonderful to meet you,” I said.

“Wonderful to meet you, as well,” she replied with a welcoming grin.

“I’m told we have something in common,” I began, gearing up to grill her about soil and seeds.

“Oh?” Her brows furrowed together, a line forming between them.

“Madison wishes to know how you rate Cyrus as an instructor,” the king—Tagin—interjected with ease.

Talk about smooth. “He’s harsh but fair. Kind of dreamy.” The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I winced. “But. I mean. He is.” We were officially dating now, and I didn’t really care what anyone thought about the matter.

Madison laughed, while Tagin maintained a neutral expression.

“It pleased me to hear Cyrus assigned a guard to your mother,” Tagin stated with his usual politeness. “I’ve been in touch, and he assures me she’s doing well.”

I went cold inside, certain I’d detected a threat hidden within his words. That if I persisted with my investigation, Cured would use my mother to punish me. But. No way he’d suggested such a thing.

But what if he had?

No, no. Cyrus hadn’t reacted in the slightest, and he would’ve reacted. Unless his love for his father clouded his judgment and he’d missed the warning.

I gulped.

The questions I’d planned to ask Madison died a swift death.

In the name of damage control, I rested my palm against Cyrus’s heart and offered a sickly-sweet smile.

“Hopefully the guard is as diligent with my mother as I am with your son.” A threat of my own.

Not that I would ever harm Cyrus, but a point had to be made.

Touch what’s mine, and I’ll take what’s yours.

Cyrus tightened his hold on my waist. “Heads will roll if any harm comes to your mother.”

Oooh. Maybe he had detected the threat. Because he’d just issued one of his own.

“Your concern is unnecessary,” Tagin said, giving nothing away. “Stop by in the morning, Arden. I have a proposition for you. Something that will thrill you.” He shifted his gaze to his son. “You are invited, too, of course.”

Clear commands, not requests. Cyrus nodded.

I flashed an unconvincing smile and muttered, “How exciting.” What kind of proposition?

All girlfriend-like, I clasped Cyrus’s hand and signed the word go . Surely he understood.

He lifted our joined hands to his cheek and nuzzled. “I could use some fresh air.”

“Me too.” Excellent. He’d understood his assignment. That alone did wonders for my disposition.

The king blinked at us. “You let her touch your brand.”

“Did I?” Cyrus responded and led me away. “I’ll take you to my father’s office for fresh air. There’s a balcony.”

Ideas percolated, generating new excitement. “I’m suddenly very glad you shared the dirty tricks of the B and E trade.”

“You’re about to be gladder. While you were sleeping, I met with him in there, and he stored a chip I’d like to read.”

Well, well. Getting my hands on that chip shot to the top of my to-do list.

“Cyrus.”

The soft entreaty slowed our pace, allowing a beautiful woman to step in front of us.

“Nova,” he replied with zero inflection.

Ah. Nova Soti. The ex. She wore a slinky white dress that molded to her hourglass figure.

“I’m glad you’re here.” She kissed his unscarred cheek, near the corner of his mouth. “I’ve missed you.”

“Arden, this is Countess Soti’s daughter,” he said, drawing me closer. “Nova, this is my girlfriend, Arden.”

Just as he’d understood my request for help, I understood his. Petting his chest, I rested my head on his shoulder. “Nice to meet you. I wish we had time to chat, but my Cyrus is taking me for some air. Shall we, sugar bear?”

“Yes, kitten, we shall.”

Her mouth formed a small O as we maneuvered around her.

“I did good,” I said, giving myself an evaluation.

His answering half grin suggested I’d earned extra credit. He steered me into a hallway guarded by two armed soldiers. They allowed us passage, and we sailed by without incident.

We stopped at a locked entrance that required a palm scan to enter.

He pushed open the door, revealing a spacious office with a shockingly plain desk.

Supplies were organized in rows of three on the surface.

The only decoration was a portrait of Tagin Dolion himself, decked out in his uniform.

No files were out and about, ready for a quick glance.

Bet the computer dock activated only with his chip.

The scent of cigar smoke and whiskey thickened when we reached the sitting area in back, where a worn sofa and coffee table waited. A highly frequented area, no doubt.

Towering double doors led to a balcony, as promised. Interesting. The king had a perfect view of the Rock.

“The office is available to me and my guest only.” Cyrus opened the balcony doors, allowing cool fresh air to wisp inside. “There are no voice recorders here, but there are multiple cameras hidden throughout, and they are being monitored by several viscounts.”

Well, of course there were hidden cameras. “We’ll find a way.” Because we must.

“Not we . You. Now is probably a good time to tell you that your dress renders you invisible to cameras.”

I squealed a little and threw my arms around his shoulders to hug him. Although. “Won’t my invisibility rouse suspicions?”

“Not necessarily. The people my father deals with wear the same material all the time.”

So, the higher-ups. Those who might have something to hide. “You always think of everything.”

“I’m going to sit on the couch and pretend you’re sitting with me.

” He kissed my brow, awakening a deeper ache in me, then strode to the couch, as if he still led me about, and sat.

He fiddled with the band around his wrist, then pretended to wind his arm around my shoulders.

“You have five minutes. Look anywhere. I won’t stop you. ”

“But you watched him store the chip.”

“Yes, and telling you where it is violates a vow I made.”

“But covering for me while I search doesn’t?” Wait. Cyrus had taught me to break into the guy’s drawers. Therefore, it stood to reason it occupied a drawer. Duh! Except. “The camera feed will show drawers opening on their own. Someone will understand what’s happening.”

The look he gave me. Lady, please. “Do I always think of everything or not?”

In other words, keep trusting him. I sighed, and leaped into action, using different pieces of my special jewelry to open locks without leaving a smidge of evidence.

“Three minutes,” Cyrus piped up.

I riffled through the contents of a drawer at a swifter clip. A digital reader without a chip. A loaded handgun. A box of ammo. A tin of candies only the upper class could afford. Guess the king had a sweet tooth.

“You could help, you know,” I grumbled.

“Very well. Look harder. Faster. You can do it, Arden. I believe in you,” he deadpanned.

I rolled my eyes. “You are so irritating sometimes.”

“Only sometimes is a vast improvement from always. Is someone falling for me, perhaps?”

Yes! “There’s obviously a safe in here, and you must know where it is,” I hedged. “I get that you aren’t comfortable betraying your dad and everything, but could you give me a hint?”

“Of course. Ready? Here goes. There’s only so many places a safe can be hidden.”

“ So irritating,” I reiterated.

“Because I like you, I’ll give you a second tip free of charge. Not everything is what it seems.”

“That’s the story of my life,” I muttered. Think! Chips required minimal space for storing. They were tiny. Could be taped to anything. Or hidden within.

“Two minutes.”

Gah! I opened the ammo box, searched the bullets. Studied the candy tin, on the hunt for—jackpot! A small panel on the bottom, used for reading a fingerprint. More specifically, the king’s personal fingertip. It must be the key to opening the tin.

“Thanks to the gloves, your prints will register as his,” Cyrus informed me. “The greatest difficulty will be the code.” Trusting him once again, I pressed my index finger within the allotted lines.

Numbers lit up, awaiting said code.

“How am I supposed to know—” I sucked air between my teeth. The code. Which I might have. Because Soal had given it to me.

Could it be?

Pressing my tongue against the back of my teeth, I typed in the numbers now flashing inside my head. 80630941507.

My breath caught as I waited. Then, I heard it. A click sounded as the lock disengaged.