The walk to the library was uneventful, but the whole time my heart raced anyway. Finally moving my body, doing something. I didn't even run into a clerk in the library as I slipped into the dimly lit row of books that would let me slide the shelf open to the secret office and quietly shut it behind me.

"Sly, what are you doing out of the captain's rooms? Is everything alright?" Rorik stood up at his desk swiftly.

We hadn't seen each other since the night I fought Grethan. With the daggers pestering me at any given hour of the day, he couldn't come without revealing himself.

"Girault fled his own estates." I walked toward the desk, facing the prince who's face darkened.

"Dammit." Rorik fell back and thudded into his chair again. "Sit, sit, tell me what happened."

I obeyed, taking my usual seat, and retold everything Jexa and Grahm said as well as the captain's orders. Rorik sat in thought for a while after that with his eyes closed. He ran his fingers through his hair, which seemed to be a nervous habit of his I'd noticed on more than one occasion while he was deep in frustrated thought.

"He didn't miss anything, I don't know what I would have done differently. Thank you for telling me." He finally said, looking weary.

A quiet fell between us. One I was quite used to, letting the one before me absorb, process, contemplate. He wasn't Davery, not by any stretch of the imagination. But I could appreciate that they had that one thing in common. What they could have accomplished together . . . I wish I could have seen it.

"Sly, have you ever wanted a higher station in life? Desired everything the nobility takes for granted?"

The prince's question caught me off guard. Certainly, the food and warm bed would be nice, but I had never truly envied them beyond that. The greed I saw as they looked down their nose at a girl from Swamp was nothing to envy. Their excess, extravagance. The only thing a coin had worth coveting was the security in the way they lived. Always knowing their socks would be free of holes, their plate would be full, their roof wouldn't drip in the Midlands rain.

"No," I answered. Rorik raised an eyebrow, but waited for me to continue.

"I can't say I'd like to leave what I know behind. The few things I'd wish for probably aren't as much as you'd expect. More meat would be nice sometimes. And a bed. I did spend most of my life on a mat on the floor." Which was true enough, and sharing Orchid's bed had been an extravagance I didn't think I'd want to give up now that I'd experienced it. 

Rorik's mouth immediately jumped up at the corners and a blink later he burst into laughter.

"A fitting answer. You are pretty wise to stay away from this lot. More trouble than it's worth. More meat indeed." He was still chuckling to himself. Amusement was a good reaction, I suppose, considering how presumptuous I speak in front of him. He was too damn comfortable to speak around and in front of any other royals, I'd have earned a tour of the dungeons by now. I held my breath, debating on how much liberty I truly got with this young royal. And yet, I'd never been good about minding my mouth.

"This is the least composed I have ever seen you," I said.

"Less composed than being toppled to the floor by a ladymaid in the library?" he asked.

I turned deep red. I had nearly forgotten about that, and would have been just fine with it if Rorik had as well.

I cleared my throat and moved the topic at hand. "Is there nothing else that can be done right now then?"

"There isn't anything else to be done right now. All we can do is continue the search for anyone not loyal to Father right now and prepare for his arrival. Has Arden told you? Mason had a brilliant idea, some of his handpicked soldiers have been given temporary work as additional city guards to keep the peace until Father's return."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "That's brilliant. At least, that's a few more with food money, even if the food itself is becoming difficult to get."

"True, but even now Braeton is working with Selstad and Lolathia ambassadors on a large grain trade. Being nearly winter it's expensive, granted, but we hope to have a winter store to hand out to the temples who will in turn take care of the people on a more personal level. We can't claim food from every noble who hoarded it or we won't have a nobility anymore. I'm sure you must feel a certain way about them on whole, but there are good ones out there taking care of the land and the people, not to mention the military strength when needed. We can't lose that. I don't know how Girault spread the notion to horde food and grain to the nobility in the city this season without the castle hearing of the rumors for so long, but he did it. Lords and Ladys with no notion of the goings on have just taken up the trend."

"No word on Grethan still?" I asked solemnly.

His face fell, just enough to notice.

"I'm sorry. He's probably left the city by now to follow that snake of a spymaster. It's still safer here than at the inn."

I gave him an odd look until I realized I had never mentioned my new living arrangements.

"No, sir, I live at Panther House now. At least until I can afford a place of my own. I . . . couldn't stay where I was."

"Ah. I see." Rorik nodded. "Sly, would you consider a room in the servants' hall? It would be well within my abilities to settle you safely and comfortably within the palace, and no one would question it. I'd do more if I thought the chamberlain wouldn't notice."

"No! No, you do enough to pay me when I complete orders." Shaking my head, there was no way  I'd feel like I had earned such a thing. "Really, I'm better off in the city. Thank you for the kind offer but I will have enough soon I'm sure. That is, I will have a good amount if the housing market goes back down."

"When it goes back down. Trust me, this cannot be allowed to last," Rorik said. "Alright, but the offer still stands if you are ever in need." His expression was soft enough, caring, but then it turned into something more sinister. "Just don't go too far from the palace."

"What are you plotting now, highness?" I narrowed my gaze at him, earning a laugh.

"Nothing, nothing. Can't I miss a friend moving away? I don't want you to have a days walk if I invite you for tea, that's all." I gave him a look, there was no delusion from either of us that I believed him one bit.

"Right . . . on another note about the palace though, I'm planning on practicing with Arden tomorrow if that doesn't pose a problem. He offered to use the palace training grounds."

"Of course. You are free to roam within the palace, you still seem to be a major target for Grethan but I believe you are more than safe enough within the walls. And your arm, Arden tells me it's been healing well." 

My face broke out into a grin at the thought of doing something. "I look forward to it."

"Wouldn't want your skills to fall rusty, right?" He chuckled. "I have to go attend to this whole Girault mess, why don't you go enjoy the grounds?"

"That I can do." With a nod, Rorik went back to his desk and I slipped out of the office.

~

I breathed in the fresh air that swept over the elevated grounds of the palace. Lake Unays below sparkled like jewels as the wind danced across the rippling surface in the first rays of the sun. I was too excited to be tired despite being awake hours earlier than usual. The practice grounds had only a dedicated few people at this hour. Everyone else was either asleep or on duty and with the leader of the council missing as well as an escaped prisoner, there were a lot of guards needed.

Studying the faces that were present, they were focused, hardened, weary. The rumors of the council leader disappearing and the still wholly unresolved housing problem kept everyone on edge. The rumors of the incoming winter food supply did combat it a little, but there was still a strain.

"Miss Aylward?" The captain's call drew me back to the present. This was the first time I had ever seen him out of uniform, he dawned a pale yellow tunic and very worn gray breaches. This showed off more of his arms than normal and I was surprised to find how muscled he was, thought I suppose I shouldn't be considering his occupation and self-discipline.

"Are you ready?" he asked again patiently.

"Yes," I called back from across the yard. 

He wanted to assess my skills this morning and if I had any proficiency in an area he could help with. What that meant I wasn't entirely sure, probably a weapon not commonly found in the streets. Whatever he meant by it, I'd be a fool not to take the offer to learn.

I stood opposite the ranged targets, throwing knives in hand. I was able to pick a dozen odd knives of the same rough shape and weight from the supply rooms under Pettypiece's discretion. What I'd grabbed weren't made for throwing but you can't be that picky on the streets, and Dirk made sure I could throw an assortment of things with moderate accuracy. These weren't perfect, but they were far from stolen kitchen knives I'd started with.

I inhaled and held the fresh morning air, eyes closed. Calm. Focus. Exhaling, I opened my eyes and released the first knife. One after another they flew across the courtyard while Pettypiece watched on in silent concentration. Thud, thud, thud, they landed in neat rows as I walked down the lanes. My good left arm was still bandaged tightly, but the adrenaline let me forget the wound for a little while. No one else was even at the target range and I had free reign to go for each painted bulls-eye, there were more than enough targets. A rare treat, using the quality items at the palace. By the time I depleted the supply of knives, I was breathing heavy but smiling brightly.

"By Blade . . ." The captain startled me from behind again. I bit back a sound of exclamation and turned to face him, renewing my vow to become as quiet as he was. "How long have you practiced this?"

"Nearly a decade or so. I was nine, I think." I looked back at my work now, the elation of the challenge settling down. I only hit about a third of the centers, but all of the knives bit deep into the mounted wooden discs at least. A disappointing result. "I must be out of practice."

"Miss Aylward, I don't expect those results from my guardsmen with arrows. The distance is shorter than a bow, granted, but this is a more traditional distance for thrown weapons, is it not?"

I nodded. At least, to my knowledge. I was about as far away as Dirk would normally have me be. We went to the lines of wooden boards and began to gather the knives in silence, starting at  opposite ends and meeting in the middle.

"I'm afraid your wound could have been strained, we should finish for today," the captain said, leading us back inside.

"It isn't bad," I protested. If this dampened my chances of coming out here for fresh air and stretching my muscles again, I'd be pretty upset.

"Don't fret, I have tomorrow morning free as well. Let's go back and check your arm." 

And if I'd come to any conclusions about Pettypiece by now, it was that he could be stuborn as a goat. Sighing, there was nothing left to do but follow him back inside. my eyes were still adjusting to the darker indoors when I ran into the captain's back.

"Oof-" I was stopped. The captain was saluting Prince General Mason. My heart shot into my throat seeing him so close, knowing what I must look like with no proper palace grooming or clothes. Ducking my gaze out of the way, I quickly bowed.

"At ease, captain." Mason was bigger up close. He could almost dwarf even Jexa. I was happy to keep my head bowed and be ignored.

"We're expecting our important company back earlier than planned. Probably two days, a day and a half at the earliest. Plan accordingly." Mason's deep tones were strict and orderly, every bit the soldier he was rumored to be. He continued walking as soon as he was finished. My eyebrows shot up as I saw a mark on the back of his hand as he passed. It was a godsmark, and it wasn't Blade's. An owl. Sage the thinker. I supposed Sage could favor a strategist, a general.

Drawing me out of those thoughts, the captain spoke and began walking as soon as Mason was out of sight.

"That would be the royal legion. Sorry to cut this short, but I'll have to be off."

"I understand," I said. My stomach became knotted. Two days? Was the city ready for the king to come back yet? Did Rorik already know? The daggers certainly didn't. Maybe tonight I could sneak out and 'feel the waters' in the city.