Page 36 of The Prince and His Stolen Throne

Their eyes glimmered with avarice, but they played coy. “I’m not sure we can accommodate your highness’ request. Sir Almace is particular about perfection, and insists we measure all our clients for any custom pieces.”

“We don’t need custom, we’re happy to take whatever is readily available.”

Their shoulders drooped. “We do have a few items other customers did not come back for.”

“Perfect.”

“I don’t know, Fitz,” I said, casually examining my nails. “I don’t want cast-offs.”

Fitz quickly played along. “You have a point.”

A bead of sweat trickled down the salesperson’s brow. “They’re made from the highest quality materials—”

“Then why didn’t your customers want them?” I asked.

The salesperson straightened and proclaimed, “Once you see them, you won’t question Sir Almace’s skill ever again.” They swept through a door at the back, muttering about upstart nobility.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Fitz asked, “Why are we antagonizing the salesperson?”

“They already received a down payment for those abandoned weapons,” I explained. “If we don’t negotiate with them, they won’t just try to recoup their losses, they’ll charge us full price.”

Maximus eyed me for a moment. “You should have gone shopping with Angelica.”

“Why?”

“She said something similar,” Fitz replied. “While you were grabbing food. Delilah was impressed with her negotiation skills.”

Oh gods, do we actually have something in common?I shuddered at the thought.

“Here we are,” the salesperson said, bringing out several wrapped bundles. They laid the first on the counter and unwrapped it with a flourish. “This claymore was commissioned by the Duke of—”

“Too big,” Fitz said, waving his hand dismissively.

Thesalesperson sized him up, then Maximus and I, and decided Maximus was their best route to a sale. “Your friend could—”

“Doesn’t use swords,” Fitz interrupted. “Prince Treasure and I are your customers today.”

The salesperson’s eyes widened when they realized they were serving royalty from multiple kingdoms.

How long until they realize why we’re buying weapons together?I hoped we left town before rumors began to spread.

“Very well.” The salesperson re-wrapped the claymore. This time, they took more care choosing from the bundles of colorful fabric. “Aha!” Another flourish revealed twin sets of short swords. “One inlaid with silver, one with iron, these swords defend against fae and fiend alike.”

I picked them up, testing their weight in each hand. “Not bad.”

Seeing that we liked the twin swords, the salesperson put them to the side. “I know your preference for ranged weapons, Your Highness. It’s not Sir Almace’s specialty, but I have these enchanted arrows.” They unwrapped a quiver full of arrows with white fletching. “You alter the enchantment with five preset command words: fire, net, poison, seek, and sleep.” They pressed one finger to the arrow shaft as they spoke. With each new command, the fletching changed color, shifting from red to yellow to green to blue to purple.

Fitz’s eyes glimmered with desire as he watched the cycle. At the end of it, he stroked the shaft of the arrow. The salesperson smiled, secure in their commission.

I glanced at the clock on the counter and grimaced when I realized I was a few minutes late to my meeting with the apprentice. “I’ll let you handle this, Fitz.”

Startled, he looked up from the arrow he was fondling. “But what if you need—”

“I trust you,” I said, slipping out the door. A heavy gaze followed me, and I turned around to find Maximus lingering in the shop’s doorway.

“Should I come with you?” he asked, voice low and concerned.

“No, stay with Fitz. I need to—” I gestured vaguely, hoping he would fill in the blanks “—take care of something.”