Page 37 of Poisoned Kingdom (Secrets of Dagome #1)

Roksana

T he carriage taking us back to the House of Lilies bounced over the uneven cobblestones, making pretending to sleep impossible.

I was curled up in the corner, Lily’s gaze from the seat across from me drilling a hole into my head.

I ignored her, needing to gather my thoughts before our inevitable conversation.

‘What an utter mess,’ I snorted as I stared at the thin red line on my palm that tied me to the king. If I’d thought that healing Reynard would make him more lenient, he’d proved me wrong before the blood had even congealed.

‘Will you talk to me instead of muttering and huffing like a lunatic?’ Lily snapped, and I finally looked at her. ‘What happened? What went wrong?’

‘Everything. Oh Lily, I messed up so bad . . .’ I sighed, hiding my face in my hands.

Lily’s eyes kept widening as I regaled her with the story of Jagon’s visit to my cell, but it was my dealings with the king, from blinding him to that misbegotten blood oath, that made her clasp her hands to her chest and shake her head.

‘Sweet Makosh, Mother of Gods! Sana, what did you do to offend fate? That’s . . . I mean . . .’ Lily stuttered, gaping at me.

‘Utterly insane, impossible, and unworkable? Yes, but somehow, despite the drawbacks, I got what I wanted. Reynard will help me with Jagon, and Ciesko will teach me magic.’ I bit my tongue before I told her about the vivamancy. ‘It’s just, the price . . . I don’t know if I can handle it.’

‘At least you’re free.’

‘Free? It’s simply a longer leash.’ It was difficult to hide the bitterness in my voice as I showed her the cut on my palm.

‘I can only go as far as he allows. He’s watching me, too.

Didn’t you notice the guard nearly breaking his neck to follow us when we left?

’ I smirked when Lily leaned out the window to look back.

‘Oh, and Tova’s in prison, though that’s the least of my worries.

Maybe a night in a cell will cool his temper. Bloody dolt almost got himself killed.’

Lily’s eyebrows drew together in a deep frown. I knew she was about to lose her temper and give me a piece of her mind, but I was willing to listen and apologise for worrying her. I had Reynard’s oath that he’d protect them both from harm. That was all that mattered.

‘Anyway,’ I said, ‘if my impulsive friend doesn’t turn up by tomorrow, I’ll go back to the palace and make a fuss. Now, please tell me, how the fuck did you two get in there in the first place?’

‘Impulsive? That crazy dwarf turned up on my doorstep this morning, demanding to see you, and threatened my bouncer with an axe! My idiot guard told him you were in the palace, and that was it. There was no stopping him. Tova stormed off, and I followed, hoping to keep him from getting killed.’

I smiled involuntarily. ‘Tova is stubborn, hotheaded . . . and as loyal as a dragon. Give it time and you’ll end up liking him as much as I do.’

Lily smirked. ‘I doubt it. I prefer men who bring flowers. I’ll leave the ones swinging their big weapons to you. So, what now? We wait until the Mabon feast?’

‘I need to arrange some things before making my grand entrance at the Brotherhood,’ I said, biting my lip, wondering if I should tell her.

‘When Jagon visited me in my cell he told me that he has evidence that implicates you as the murderer of Tivala’s son, despite me doing the deed. So tonight, I’m going to retrieve it.’

Lily sat motionless, her face turning pale—a remarkable feat given her almost translucent complexion—before a determined expression crossed her features.

‘Sana, Jagon’s a manipulative liar. There’s a good chance he has nothing, and even if he does, I don’t want you to risk it.

He might want you alive, but there are plenty of others who would be happy to see you dead rather than returning to Boyan’s service.

’ She pursed her lips in a huff. ‘Besides, half of the City Council moan their pleasure in my basement. I also have something to trade with if it comes to buying their favour.’

I recognised that tone. Lily was all business.

She was a woman who had dragged herself up from the gutters of Truso with nothing but a shrewd mind and ethereal beauty.

She might play coy for her patrons, but the Lily I knew tackled problems head-on.

Still, I wouldn’t let her become collateral damage in my war.

‘I’ll be fine. Don’t forget—I know the Chapter House like the back of my hand. Plus, I’m good friends with Dagome’s best assassin. With Irsha guarding my back, it’ll be child’s play.’

‘Oh, the same friend who sat by my side these last days like a bloody gargoyle, scaring my customers away?’ Lily said, rolling her eyes in such an exaggerated way that I chuckled, and she soon joined me.

‘Be kind to him, Ice Queen. He likes you, and it is nice to have your own personal gargoyle with twin daggers in hand,’ I said, and her gaze softened before a faint blush tinted her cheeks.

‘He hasn’t even touched me.’

‘And he won’t. His mother was a courtesan, and he learned early on that even if she allowed something to happen, it didn’t mean she wanted it. He’ll flirt, but if you want something more, you’ll need to make the first move.’

It was more than I should have said, but I didn’t feel like it betrayed Irsha’s trust. My heart had broken for him every time he’d been pushed aside thanks to women misunderstanding his intentions.

‘That explains so many things . . .’ Lily said with a small smile, and I wondered whether there was more to her cryptic statement.

True to my word, as soon as we were back, I changed into some practical clothing, then sent Lily’s errand boy to shops around the city.

I didn’t have the time, money, or a workshop to create anything elaborate for my planned heist, so I just made a few simple potions and powders that would increase my chances of escape from the Chapter House should something go wrong.

The youngster returned with everything I had asked for, as well as some interesting gossip from the market square.

‘It looks like Jagon’s going to make his grand move, thinking I’m stuck in the palace dungeons. The Mabon feast this year is going to be epic,’ I said to Lily, who had entered my room and instantly started fanning herself. ‘Oh, sorry about the fumes.’

‘Sana, if I knew you were going to turn your room into a poisoner’s workshop, I would’ve locked you in the basement,’ she said, coughing into her sleeve.

‘I came to tell you a friend in the palace has informed me that your dwarf will be released sooner rather than later because, to quote her, “even the truthseeker thinks he’s a belligerent bastard.”’

I burst out laughing, spilling a few drops of my potion on the table. The wood blackened instantly, and my eyebrows shot up at the effect.

‘Was that supposed to happen?’ Lily asked, and I shook my head.

‘No, but since the arch healer told me I had some rare type of ability, I thought I’d experiment a little.

I was trying to make it stronger by manipulating the aether.

It was supposed to be a skin irritant for your girls to use to deal with unwanted admirers, but I think it’s a little too strong for that. ’

‘Teaching them a lesson probably shouldn’t end with burning their prick off.’ Lily chuckled as we both observed the fizzling until it stopped.

‘It was just a little clover oil; it shouldn’t fizzle,’ I said, trying to remember what I had done with the energy contained within the fluid.

Lily bent over the table and inhaled before looking at me with a broad smile. ‘It smells divine. If it can somehow be stored, I can ask the artisans to create something to fragrance a room with it. The men will love it—especially those who like to play with their swords.’

‘Why sword . . .’ I frowned because it made little sense. ‘Ohh.’ I understood when she wriggled her pinkies and crossed them.

‘So, Mabon’s feast. What do you want to do?’ she asked after we stopped laughing, and I realised she must have heard the gossip.

I pulled out the letter she had given me earlier, showing her the broken seal. Despite the cracks, a wax crow figure was still visible, marking it as an official invitation from the grand master.

‘I have a free pass to make my grand entrance,’ I said. ‘I intend to make it so spectacular that no one will dare think I ignored Boyan or came for his position by using my status as his former shadow.’

‘Now that, I can help with!’ Lily smiled before gesturing to my little workshop. ‘Finish whatever you’re doing and come downstairs. We’ll need to take your measurements. If the Deadly Nightshade is returning home, we must make her entrance one they’ll never forget.’

‘Are you sure I’ll survive your ladies dolling me up? And please remember, I need something functional. Things could get ugly in there, so I need to be able to fight.’

She just smirked before leaving the room, and a mild feeling of panic settled in. Now that Lily was involved, I’d better get ready for fireworks . . . and expenses.