Page 10

“Here. Let me,” Karl said. He dropped the soap container onto the rock next to Ama and gently gripped the hem of Ama’s shirt, lifting it slowly so Ama had time to adjust his arms without causing himself more pain.

Lurid red lines crisscrossed Ama’s back, angry looking and definitely extremely painful.

Like Emily had said, the wounds were closed and clean, but definitely not healed.

However, there was no sign of the additional wounds from red magic Karl had managed to heal the previous night.

Given enough time, Ama would certainly recover on his own, but getting him to a properly trained healer would speed the process and prevent any lasting damage.

“I’ve never met you, but I know who you both are,” Ama continued as if he needed the conversation to distract him.

He fumbled open the soap container and tipped himself forward so his scalp and hair were submerged in the water.

Ama’s hair looked like he usually kept it cut short, but it must have been a while since he’d had a chance to clip it, so it hung long over his ears.

He slowly and stiffly rubbed the soap through his hair, talking as he worked.

“Everyone in Toval knows about the three kids Prince Fenwick’s pet chef adopted.

Braxton filled me in a bit, and I’m perfectly capable of reading between the lines when it comes to political drama.

There’s no way a kid in Emily’s situation turned out to be an empty-headed fop, especially since she’s your sister, and I saw what you’re capable of last night.

You’re as qualified a spy for Toval as I am—more capable, since you managed not to get caught in Yari, and I blindly walked right into their trap. ”

Ama let out a breath and set the soap aside, now using both hands to rinse out the suds. It was hard to tell since the water was darkened by the shadows cast by the surrounding trees, but swirls of brown appeared to be flowing out from Ama’s hair like a teabag resting in a cup of water.

“We’re not out of the woods yet.” Karl paused on those words, glancing around at the forest they were in, then shook his head. “Literally. We’re definitely going to need you to get us to Toval again.”

Ama chuckled, and the grin he flashed Karl was full of mischief.

“Oh, don’t worry about my ego. I’ve been in this game from the moment I was born.

I’m mostly avoiding the actual subject I need to talk about.

” He squeezed the water out of his hair, using his hands to wick any remaining water droplets off his skin.

When he slowly levered himself upright again, he shifted so his head was silhouetted in one of the stray beams of sunlight that made it through the trees.

Even darkened by water, the shade of gold of his hair was unmistakable. Only one family in the world had hair that particular shade. Uncle Caro—Prince Caro of Namin, and Uncle Braxton’s husband of four years—had hair that exact shade, which belonged to the royal family of Namin exclusively.

“You’re—” Karl began, but then Ama tilted his head and his eyes caught the light, and Karl snapped his mouth shut.

Karl knew all about how eye color could be indicative of family lineage.

He and Emily both had golden-brown eyes that indicated who their shared father was.

Ama’s eyes were hazel, the exact same shade as Karl’s father Fen’s, as Braxton’s, and the same as every member of the royal family in Toval Karl had ever met.

Somehow, Ama had blood from two royal lines from this continent.

Asked a minute earlier, Karl would have been certain Ama’s eyes were brown. Karl frowned but helped Ama pull his shirt back over his head and slide his arms into the sleeves.

“How did you change your eye color?” Karl finally asked. That was the only question he felt was polite to ask. The rest was clearly a deep secret Ama no doubt wanted to keep hidden.

“Trade secret,” Ama replied, winking cheekily.

He staggered back to his feet, Karl helping with a hand on Ama’s elbow.

The smile faded and Ama sighed. “After this disaster, I somehow doubt I’ll have many secrets left.

It’s not as if I’ll be able to work again, not when Yaroi would do almost anything to ensure they can finish punishing me for my crimes.

Truthfully, the only way for me to survive is to end the secrecy. So, I guess I’ll tell you first.”

Ama started walking back toward where the caravan was waiting but stopped after only a few feet to turn and look at Karl. His hazel eyes were serious, far more stoic than Karl had ever seen from him. Even being half dead hadn’t made him this sober.

“My mother was Queen Carmillian’s youngest sister.

The current queen of Namin,” Ama clarified.

Even though Karl already knew that, Karl let Ama talk.

There was no point in interrupting Ama’s flow as he forced out what was no doubt a difficult topic.

“I am part of the line of royalty who fled Namin after the coup all those years ago. They established a village in Toval, near the border with Namin. About thirty years ago, a young Prince Randolph had a hunting accident in the Spikehorn Mountains. His attendants brought him to the nearest village for healing, but they concealed his identity by claiming he was only a minor noble. He and my mother had a whirlwind romance during the months he was recuperating, and eventually she ended up pregnant with me. Talks of marriage were held off until after my father healed. Except, the moment Randolph was better, he and his retinue left the village without any explanation. My mother didn’t survive my birth.

I was breech and Randolph had taken our only healer with the ability to help her with him. Aunt Millie raised me instead.”

Ama tilted his head back, staring up at the leaf canopy as if he could find answers there.

“Isn’t Prince Randolph the one who…” Karl trailed off, uncertain how to say the words to Randolph’s son.

“Threw the attempted coup to overthrow the current king of Toval—his older brother? Yes. That’s my father.

He was married with a five-year-old son at the time he romanced my mother.

During the coup, years later, that son was part of the assassination group that attacked Crown Prince Ayer.

He died along with just about everyone else in that battle.

Ayer barely survived, it was so bloody. Or so I’ve heard.

“The coup failed and Randolph fled, but his aspirations weren’t over.

However, he now needed an heir to aid in his claim to the throne, proof that his line would be able to continue leading the country for generations to come, and he remembered he had a kid with my mother.

When he fled Etoval after the coup failed, he came to my village hoping to find that child.

He had no idea we were Namanese; he only cared about finding his kid.

They managed to hide me from him until Braxton arrived and beheaded Randolph. ”

Ama shook his head and started walking again. Karl stayed close, in case Ama needed him, but it seemed all Ama wanted was to tell his story.

“I was helpless, and I had to watch as other people were hurt in his anger when he found out I wasn’t there.

I couldn’t do anything. And then this handsome prince appeared and slew our enemy.

I swore right then I would find a way to repay Braxton, and a few months later I entered his service as a spy.

“I have spent my entire life hiding who I am,” Ama continued.

“And now, the only way for me to survive to live the rest of my life is to stop hiding.” He ran his fingers through his damp hair as if to emphasize the most obvious evidence of that change.

“The story I just told you will need to be told and retold over and over until I go crazy.”

“Does anyone aside from your aunt know the truth?” Karl asked, wondering if Ama might have more support able to help him.

Ama shrugged. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Braxton and Caro know. They certainly suspect. Fen and Char might know, too, since they met me when my aunt retook Namin. I doubt anyone else knows since I’ve lived in the shadows all this time.”

“Couldn’t we just dye your hair a different color?” Karl stopped just inside the tree line, the wagon and the waiting group just barely visible through the leaves. “There’s no need to announce who you are if we can give you a different appearance instead.”

Ama shook his head. “Hair dye won’t fool a Yarokian assassin. The only way to avoid death is to convince Yaroi killing me will cause them more problems than they want to deal with. My having ties to two different royal families will go a long way toward persuading them.”

“But we first have to get you over the border where that protection is in effect,” Karl finished. “Shouldn’t we keep your identity hidden until then?”

“I’ll just hide in the wagon compartment any time we need to be out of sight,” Ama explained. He slipped past Karl and strode back onto the road.

“How did the wolves not smell you in those compartments, by the way?” Karl asked, following Ama.

“That’s because the Yarokai aren’t as smart as they think,” Ralph said, turning around from where he had been helping Marc stow away lunch. Then he caught sight of Ama. “Well, shit.”