Page 41 of Poisoned Kingdom (Secrets of Dagome #1)

Roksana

A few days later

T he day of the Mabon feast finally arrived, and despite my preparations, I was still daunted by the prospect of facing the chapter masters during the banquet.

Still, it wasn’t as stressful as my meeting with Tova had been. Lily’s prediction of my friend’s release was, of course, correct. In fact, he’d returned to The House of Lilies within hours of my strange encounter with Reynard.

I groaned at the memory of his return.

Gods, he’d been so angry, striding through the empty ballroom just after dawn. I’d rushed towards him, but he stopped me, his palm held out. His nostrils had flared, throat bobbing frantically as if he was trying to tame emotions that threatened to choke him.

Tova rarely displayed feelings other than joviality or anger. Pain, especially sadness, he hid deep in his heart, but this time, he was visibly shaken.

‘Did Reynard . . .? Gods, he swore he wouldn’t hurt you. I’m going to—’ I was fuming, embracing him despite his protests. We both needed it, even if the proud dwarf would never admit it.

‘He didn’t hurt me. It was the most comfortable dungeon I’ve ever been in.

Yet, the whole time I thought . . . M?ot’s been searching for you since your escape, but all they found were corpses.

I thought I’d lost you.’ He finally enveloped my shoulders with a vice-like strength.

‘That’s the last time I let you go into danger alone.

Last bloody time, drah’sa . . . I can’t lose my little sister. ’

Tova was true to his word, staying beside me until we settled into a more comfortable routine. One where I could walk out of The House of Lilies without a suspicious dwarf asking where I was going or insisting on escorting me.

I sighed heavily, focusing on the here and now, wondering how to convince Tova he couldn’t come to the Chapter House with me tonight as I stared in the mirror.

Thanks to Lily and two of her more mature entertainers, I was armed and ready to face my brethren—well, almost ready. There were still four women fussing around me, and after the third time they caught me sighing, Lily pinched my arm and narrowed her eyes.

‘I think I look good enough,’ I said, chuckling when one of the girls pulled my belt tighter for the hundredth time. ‘It’s a bunch of murderers and spies, not a royal ball.’

‘You’re walking into a den of wolves. Your outfit is your armour. The way you look and how you carry yourself tells them whether you’re predator or prey,’ Lily said, nodding with appreciation when I attached my weapon of choice, a custom-made poison-infused dagger, to my thigh holster.

I had no idea how she had obtained one in such a short period of time, but I had a feeling Tova was involved. The weapon, an Alchemist’s Fang, was famously difficult to make due to its unusual design, and had earned its name due to its slightly curved blade and the unique surprise it contained.

I drew the dagger, a delicate masterpiece forged from two leaves of metal, and slid my finger over the curved edge. I still needed to fill it with poison but wanted to test the needle first.

The woman helping me yelped, pulling away when it shot forward, and I chuckled, twisting it slowly back inside the blade.

‘Don’t worry, I didn’t add the poison yet,’ I said, patting her shoulder before turning to Lily. ‘My absence wasn’t so long that they’d forget the Deadly Nightshade.’

My smile widened as my hand glided over my midnight blue dress.

It was a practical outfit, similar to a battle mage’s robe.

Its worth was not in the cut or its embellishments, but in the choice of fabric.

The southern velvet could withstand fire for several minutes, and its interwoven silver threads worked almost as well as chain mail.

The vertical slits in the dress allowed me to hide my dagger whilst providing me freedom of movement, and the alchemist belt—with its loops for small vials and potions—was of the best dwarven design.

To the casual passerby, the dress didn’t betray the opulence behind it. To anyone knowledgeable, however, including those in the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves’ Guild, it was attire worthy of a queen.

‘Oh, I’m sure they remember, but in a good way?’ Lily asked as she wrapped a dark fae shadow cloak around me. ‘You did the unthinkable and burned your contract, leaving a position many would kill for. It’s best to remind them who you are.’

I admired the way the cloak absorbed the light, obscuring my form beneath its fabric. Lily hadn’t pulled any punches in her efforts.

Mischief danced in my eyes as I leapt forward and embraced her, whispering my thanks as I kissed her cheek. The blush rapidly spreading across her face made me giggle as we shared a moment until the door suddenly opened with such force that it bounced off the wall.

‘You sent me to look for a house because you wanted to sneak away?’ Tova pushed inside, huffing like a pissed-off badger, eyeing me suspiciously. ‘Tell me where you’re going! Right the fuck now!’

The worry on his face made me feel guilty for trying to deceive him. I’d tried to spare him, but it appeared I’d done more harm than good with my attempt.

‘I sent you out because we need a home with workshops for both of us. Or would you like me to choose your workspace? Fae style perhaps, with large windows?’ I answered, grinning at the tight set of his lips. ‘Did you find anything suitable?’

‘Maybe? There’s an empty townhouse that we can look over tomorrow. Now, tell me where you’re going.’ He sighed, dragging a hand down his face. ‘Please?’ he whispered.

His plea twisted something in my chest, making me sigh.

‘Don’t you dare huff at me, drah’sa,’ he said, raising a finger and shaking it at me. ‘Trouble follows you like the stench after an army. I have good reason to be concerned.’

‘That’s a truly colourful comparison.’ I chuckled, stroking my dress. ‘It’s the autumnal equinox. I’m going to the Mabon feast at the Chapter House.’

Tova’s eyebrows drew together. I could see that he was counting the days in his head until, with a deep sigh and a much calmer expression, he placed a hand on his axe. ‘I forgot that was today. Alright, let’s go—but you owe me a beer on the way back.’

‘You can’t come,’ I said. ‘Not this time.’ Tova opened his mouth to protest, but I shook my head. ‘My arrival will cause a dangerous upheaval. If I bring an outsider with me, it will weaken my position, and the weak die in the Brotherhood.’

‘So what do you want me to do? Sit here twiddling my thumbs? At least let me escort you to the door.’ Tova resisted until Lily’s hand on his shoulder forced him to look at her.

‘Master Orenson, I need your assistance tonight. A dwarven caravan purchased an entire night here, and the money they paid was . . . well, obscene. You don’t get that much from honest trade,’ she said.

‘And what does that have to do with me?’ Tova asked, moving closer to Lily.

‘Well, I need a distraction. Someone they can focus on while my entertainers fish for their secrets,’ she answered with a mischievous grin, and ever so slightly, Tova’s posture relaxed.

‘I’m sure you have a story or two to tell, and so interesting that my girls will fall over themselves fighting for your attention.

Men rarely appreciate such competition and like to boast about stories of their own, especially after being served dwarven spirits. ’

Lily had built her business on coaxing men into submitting to her every whim, and Tova—bless his heart—wasn’t immune to her charms. He glanced between us, loyalty fighting with the desire to prove himself to the woman who was currently looking at him as if he were a hero of legend.

I was so impressed that I wondered why no one had employed her as a spymaster yet.

‘Wonderful,’ I said. ‘You heard her, tinkerer. Only you can drink an entire tavern under the table. We need your very special talent to find out how these supposedly ordinary dwarven merchants can afford a night at Lily’s.’

Tova narrowed his eyes, looking between Lily and me again before shaking his head with a deep huff.

‘Why do I feel like this is just to keep me inside? Are you sure you’ll be alright alone, drah’sa? You’re the only family I have left; tell me the truth.’

‘The truth is I was raised there. I’m no innocent lamb waiting for slaughter. Trust me, I can manage,’ I said, tugging at the slit of my dress. ‘I can fight—you know this—and I’m not going there empty-handed.’

Tova nodded when my gesture revealed not just the dagger at my thigh but the pouches and vials I’d prepared. Each contained a potentially lethal substance, slightly altered by tinkering with my newly discovered abilities.

‘Fine, but if you’re not back by morning, I’m going there to bash in some heads. I mean it, Sana,’ Tova grumbled and turned to Lily, who, in the meantime, had been quietly conversing with one of her maids. ‘So, what exactly do you want me to do?’

The sway of Lily’s hips as she returned to Tova’s side had my poor friend utterly entranced. We all have our weaknesses, I thought as I stifled a laugh. Tova’s was that he loved beautiful women almost as much as he enjoyed creating his devices—and Lily was nothing short of a work of art.

She raised her hand, offering it for just a moment. Tova, ever the gentleman, wasted no time. He took it with surprising delicacy and kissed her fingers. When he looked up, Lily greeted him with a smile.

‘If you would be so kind as to escort me this evening,’ she said, ‘I’ll introduce you to the party.

As for your stories, well, I’m sure you’ve led a most interesting life, Master Inventor.

My girls will serve the liquor, and if a drinking competition starts, so much the better.

Once they’re relaxed, my entertainers will ask for more stories, and we’ll let the merchants talk. ’

She paused, a flicker of mischief lighting her expression. ‘If they are simply men who’ve had a lucky windfall, they’ll have the time of their lives. But if they’re some of the ones smuggling srebrec . . . well, perhaps we’ll get some answers.’

Tova’s eyes lit up, and I was happy to see him so animated. He started preening his kaftan and brushing his beard. Lily noticed and added smoothly, ‘That’s all I ask. Though I do hope we can enjoy each other’s company as well.’

She laughed softly, and Tova, entirely captivated, kissed her hand once more.

‘I won’t need to pretend to enjoy the company of such an exquisite beauty,’ he said with a flourish. ‘You, my lady, are the rarest of gems, adorned by the finest setting. If I could capture your radiance in a jewel, it would brighten the entire kingdom.’

I bit my lip to keep my shit-eating grin at bay. Tova’s swaggering flattery had earned him many a maiden’s blushing smile, and by helping me, Lily had exposed herself to the full force of his dwarven charm.

I wrapped my cloak tighter around me as warmth blossomed in my chest. Tova still held Lily’s hand, and she looked genuinely pleased by his compliment.

The feeling spread through my chest as I watched them together, easily picturing Irsha joining us.

I thanked the gods for my strange, mismatched family and vowed to protect them, whatever it took.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I waved goodbye.

‘I’ll see you both later,’ I said, slipping away with a smile—and praying I came back in one piece.