Page 9 of Poisoned Kingdom (Secrets of Dagome #1)

A viper-shaped hairpin. Such a little thing to have brought me to my knees.

How fitting. The woman herself was a viper, a beautiful creature from the forest and equally deadly.

She would pay for this, even if her actions had earned her my reluctant respect.

She’d gotten closer than anyone to ending my life, and for that alone, I would grant her the rare courtesy of letting her explain why before I drew my blade.

You’ll rue not finishing the job, Viper. There’s nowhere in Dagome you can hide, and not even the mightiest of noble houses will shield you from me.

‘Fuck.’ I grasped Riordan’s arm as I realised something. ‘The council will want an explanation for my missing eye. Find me an excuse for it, before those idiots use it to harry me like a pack of wolves facing a wounded stag,’ I said, gesturing to my face.

My return to the capital half-blind and incapacitated would be the perfect opportunity for those who loathed the changes I had made to retaliate.

And there was another issue: Who was the traitor in my ranks?

Had rolling out my banner been an honest mistake, or a deliberate message letting my enemies know where to find me? Anything seemed possible now.

Anger contorted my features further when I noticed Riordan’s fingers dancing through the air. Without the second sight, I couldn’t see the aether, but judging by my fury—and his reaction—I’d bet he was drawing a sigil to contain me.

‘I’m fine,’ I snapped, inhaling deeply. ‘Find me an eyepatch to wear so that people don’t retch when they see my face.

And call the captain of the guard over,’ I said, sitting up and trying to get used to my new, altered vision.

Everything looked so different, and whenever I moved my head, a wave of nausea left me gasping.

A moment later, a veteran with a brutish face lifted the tent flap and climbed into the slow-moving wagon.

‘You wanted to see me, sire?’

‘Yes, whatever is whispered by the fire, not a word to anyone about what happened. I was hunting and was injured by—’ I paused, trying to find a convenient excuse for the injury.

‘By a wild boar, and it was a bloody huge cur. Send one or two hunters out to kill one and throw the carcass on a wagon in case anyone questions it,’ I said.

When he nodded, I exhaled, focusing on the here and now.

‘When we arrive at the capital, send for the garrison commanders. I want them to send a contingent of scouts to the northern borders.’

‘Yes, sire. Anything else?’ the captain asked, and all three men looked at me with interest.

‘No, you may go,’ I replied. When he left, I turned to Riordan. ‘How long was I unconscious?’

‘Five days,’ he answered. When I shot him a questioning look, he explained, ‘Two days to bring the healer, and another two days for Master Ciesko to stabilise you. Today is the fifth day since the attack.’

I ground my teeth, exhaling slowly. After five days, even a contingent of scouts might not be able to find her, but I had one more option: the Brotherhood she belonged to.

‘That’s . . . unfortunate. Let’s hope the grand master doesn’t try protecting her, or I’ll have his head on a spike,’ I said with such venom that my mage gave me a quizzical look.

‘Are you planning to interrogate him? What about the covenant?’ Riordan’s frown made me smirk, which only sent a wave of pain across my face.

‘The covenant is a worthless scrap of paper if they’ve deceived me. I will find the truth, Ri . . . and I’ll find her , whatever the cost.’

I had to face her again—because no matter how much I fought it, my mind dragged me back to that moment, replaying it on a loop until all I could see were her eyes, wide with terror, green lightning sparking in their hazel depths.

What pit of despair did you crawl out from, Viper?

I needed a name for her, and that one fit. She was a warning disguised as beauty—one I had noticed far too late.

We arrived in Truso the next afternoon. Master Ciesko had spent that time working his magic, quite literally, and had performed what Riordan described as a miracle, modifying and enhancing the spell he’d cast on my face.

The lattice he’d created to control the poison now also eased a significant amount of the pain.

It was a temporary measure, but it helped me appear normal even if I struggled with my depth perception.

The healer, however, looked like he’d been dragged through the Veil kicking and screaming before fighting his way back. I promised him he’d be well rewarded for his help, directing him to rest and replenish his aether reserves before I dismissed him.

Once he’d gone, I addressed Riordan. ‘Give me an hour to clean myself up, then call for the grand master—and send the description I gave you to the scouts. I want her found and brought to me unharmed.’

‘Are you sure? It can wait until tomorrow.’

‘Can it? You want me to rest knowing there’s an assassin with magic-resistant poison out there?’ I snapped as I entered my quarters, wincing at my servant’s sudden gasp when they saw my face.

‘Get the bath ready and lay out some casual clothes for me,’ I instructed the man. I turned back to Riordan, who was still standing there, his eyes fixed on me, thick with concern.

‘Please, don’t question me,’ I said quietly, offering a faint, apologetic smile that tugged at the edges of my healing scar.

‘As you wish,’ he answered, leaving me alone. I stripped quickly and stepped into the bath chamber, head bowed, trying not to glance at the mirror. But in the end, curiosity won.

My body was unchanged. Large and well-muscled, a thick layer of hair covered my chest, narrowing into a vertical band down my abdomen.

My face, though . . . I ran a hand through my thick black hair.

I usually kept it short, as the unruly waves were difficult to contain, but maybe that would change now.

I loosened the eyepatch Riordan had fashioned for me.

Beneath it, the empty socket and ugly red scar stood in stark contrast to my lone grey eye.

The scar began at my cheek, where the blade had first torn into my skin, and carved its way up to just above my brow.

I’d never been the most handsome of men—too sharp-featured, too heavily built, and no crown could soften that. But now, I looked downright terrifying.

‘There go my chances of luring pretty maidens to my bed,’ I muttered, easing into the large tub of hot water.

‘It’s not that bad, my liege. Some women like . . . ahh . . . danger.’

My servant’s words made me laugh. The poor man was trying to console me, but I knew the truth.

‘Yes, people are strange, and some find it thrilling to deal with monsters, but I won’t be some pity fuck or a deviant’s desire. Hurry and help me wash. I have a meeting in an hour.’

He did what I asked, and half an hour later, my hair still wet and plastered to the nape of my neck, I headed to the audience chamber.

Riordan was already there. Boyan, the grand master of the Dark Brotherhood, stood next to him. He was looking even sicker and thinner than the last time I’d seen him. I frowned when his body shook with a wracking cough.

‘Good to see you, Grand Master,’ I said, pointing to a chair before sitting.

‘Your Majesty, I heard about the accident . . .’ he started.

‘We both know it wasn’t an accident. Your assassins did this to me. I killed the men, but the woman escaped. I want to know her name and who paid her.’

The confusion in his eyes made me feel uneasy.

‘I wasn’t told of any assassination attempt on your person. Besides, the covenant strictly forbids it. If anyone took such a contract, I’d kill them myself.’

‘Would you tell me if you knew? Maybe the money was enough for your people to break the covenant,’ I said, gesturing to Riordan, and my mage’s hand instantly sketched out a familiar sigil.

When he was ready, I unwrapped the viper hairpin and passed it to Boyan. ‘Does this look familiar to you?’

He paled, and his back snapped straight as he looked me dead in the eye.

‘Your mage can interrogate me, but I assure you I know nothing of any contracts.’ His hand clenched the pin as Riordan’s spell wormed its way into his mind. I’d learned to recognise the signs—the slightly glassy eyes, the twitching—as Ri riffled through someone’s thoughts.

‘Then find out who knows. Who went behind your back and paid your men to attack me?’ I questioned.

His jaw tightened. ‘It would help me if you could describe your attacker. Who should I look for?’

I clamped my lips down on the words that came to mind— a woman as beautiful as the blush of dawn —before slowly exhaling.

I tried again. ‘She was blonde, quite short and . . . voluptuous.’ I nearly groaned when that last word slipped out.

My inability to give a better description made me curse under my breath, but as I closed my eye, the memory of her mesmerising gaze tightened something in my chest. ‘She has hazel eyes, and she’s bloody good with poison.

Even the arch healer had trouble with it. ’

It could have been a trick of light, but I was sure Boyan stiffened even further, his nostrils flaring. So, you do know something, I thought, frowning, when he suddenly declared, ‘My king, I swear on my life that there is no one in the Brotherhood who matches your description.’

He was lying to me, right to my face, his thumb stroking the pin’s head. My chair creaked ominously as I stood, my large body towering over the frail man. He knew I’d caught him, that I was going to pin his lying tongue to the wall and force his confession.

‘He’s telling the truth,’ Riordan said, making me freeze mid-step.

‘ What? Are you sure?’ I asked, staring at my friend in disbelief. ‘I know he recognised her description. Rip it from his mind if you have to, I want her name.’

Boyan exhaled, calm and composed despite Riordan’s spell holding him enthralled.

‘There’s no need, sire, but your mage is welcome to check.

However, it won’t change the fact that no one fitting your description is a member of the Dark Brotherhood.

You’re welcome to send your men to check the Chapter House’s records, but please be discreet for both our sakes. ’

‘He’s telling the truth. There is no such woman in his ranks. I’m sorry, Rey,’ Riordan reiterated, and I fell back into my chair, squeezing the armrests so hard the wood cracked.

‘Fine, send out your Observers. I want her found. You can name your price,’ I said, rubbing my temple as my earlier headache returned.

Was the mark on her temple fake? Another trick to sow discontent between the Crown and the Brotherhood? . . . Is someone trying to strip me of my allies, or was there another reason for her attack?

‘I’ll find out what happened free of charge as long as Your Majesty lets me do it my way,’ Boyan said.

I nodded. ‘Fine. Go, and return with results.’

I watched him leave. He walked slowly, his once powerful figure shaking from bouts of coughing. The grand master looked frail, but it was I who felt cornered, each lead falling apart as I reached for them.

The hope of finding her today had kept me going. But now, I had nothing. My Viper remained a mystery, and I was left with no choice but to bargain with fate.

Arachne, Goddess of Fate, bring her to me. Reveal to me who she is . . . who she truly is, and maybe I’ll let her live.

But mercy didn’t mean forgiveness. And letting her live didn’t mean that she wouldn’t wish I had killed her instead.