Bolin
A commotion in the hall tore me away from the next lesson I’d been preparing. I exited the study. What was going on?
A man rushed toward me, and I glimpsed the blood splatter on his sleeves. Clamour increased somewhere beyond us, screams and metallic scrapes. I assumed he was involved.
I propped out my foot and sent him sprawling. His knee cracked against the floor and he muffled a shout. He struggled up, panting for breath. I stepped before him and blocked his path.
“Pardon me, are you alright?” I asked.
He grimaced as he bore his weight on one leg. “I’m fine. Let me pass and fetch the doctor.”
He spoke Astralini very well, but I caught the subtle roll on his ‘r’ pronunciation and a too-even cadence of syllables, revealing a slight Lisarean accent. I only detected it because of my linguistics expertise.
I switched to his language and muttered an insult.
His only reaction was a finger twitch. Impressive. But I knew all the tricks for adjusting inflections and body communication. He wasn’t supposed to be here.
I held up my palm and ordered, “stay here.”
He looked down and wobbled on his standing leg. In a flash, he pulled a red stained knife from his pocket and lunged at me.
I caught his wrist, but the force of his attack sent both of us rolling on the floor. I scrambled up, adrenaline pumping through me. This man was taller, broader, and most likely more skilled at fighting, considering he’d broken into the villa. What was I doing?
A curdling war shout made my ears ring as a guard rushed into the assailant. The sentry finagled the knife out of the intruder’s grip, shouting in a Celestian dialect.
I swallowed my surprise and watched as the criminal was restrained.
I recognized the closely cropped blond hair. Stella had healed this new recruit in the fighting yard. And he’d just saved my life.
Prince Fernando
Hours after the assassination attempt, my father called for me to join him. Stella was unconscious, and I feared for her recovery. Deidre was traumatized and hiding in her suite, and my eyes burned with phantom steam. Despite my frustration at being kept from questioning the murderer, anticipation made my heart thrum when I entered the royal study. Had they discovered who sent him? Could we avoid future attacks?
I lowered my head in a respectful greeting.
“Sit.” He motioned to the chair before his ornate, gold flecked desk.
No welcome. No pleasantries. His hard expression revealed nothing beyond a sour mood.
I obeyed.
“The assassin confessed, though it took more violence than I expected.”
I scowled, unconcerned with the torture it required to loosen his lips. “Who is behind this? Are we looking at war?”
My father closed his eyes and shook his head, as if the answer pained him to reveal.
“We discovered who is trying to kill you.”
My insides twisted, but I wanted for him to finish.
“Queen Catarina ordered this attempt on your life.”
My throat constricted. She did hate me. Part of me revolted at the truth. I’d hoped my suspicions were wrong.
Amidst scrambled thoughts, I asked, “Why?”
“You know why,” he responded. “She’s been pushing for Lorenzo, but I never suspected she’d try to take you from me.”
His gaze turned to ice. “She will be publicly executed. Then, after you marry Princess Deidre, and we can put this whole succession mess behind us.”
My gut roiled at his words. She planned to end my life, and now she’d pay with hers. But my siblings would suffer. I thought of Luca. He was only seven, so close to the age when I lost my mother.
“Spare her,” I choked out.
Rage burst through his frozen facade. “She murdered my son! If we didn’t have that healer, we’d be burying you!”
“Father,” I breathed. The anguish of the knife and burns pressed on my mind, but the broken heart I retained from my childhood pushed me to protect my siblings from a worse fate. “Banish her. Imprison her. She does not deserve freedom after this, but …” I struggled to find the words. “Please. Executing her will destroy your other three children, especially Luca.”
The emotion melted from his features as a stony mask took its place. “She should have considered that before she conspired to kill the future king of Astralind.”
I figured the queen was behind it, but this king is very ruthless!