Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Author:Robin LaFevers [LaFevers, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Before the walls of the city come into sight, we are met by an outrider looking for Duval. Captain Dunois has sent him to tell us that the footpad has not only awakened, but escaped. I glance sharply at Duval, briefly wondering if that could have been his purpose, to lure me from the city long enough for our assailant to escape. But since he is doing a fine job of looking poleaxed by the news, I dismiss that idea.

We ride to Guérande with all due haste and hurry to the dungeons beneath the palace.

“How?” Duval asks as he steps inside the small prison chamber that is now empty. It is made of four solid walls with no window and only the one door. “How did he escape?”

The captain of the palace guard shrugs uncomfortably. “He was not bound or manacled, and the key hangs on the hook outside. Anyone could have opened the door.”

“But why, is the question.”

With reluctance, one of the guards steps aside so that I too may enter the chamber. The minute I am in the room, I know. Death has visited; the man did not walk out alive.

“My lord,” I murmur to Duval. “I would speak with you alone.”

His eyes widen in surprise. “Now?”

“Now.”

Understanding dawns and he pulls me away from the others.

“He did not escape,” I murmur. “He was killed first, then taken from here afterward.”

His dark eyebrows shoot up. “You can tell this merely from being in the room?”

I nod.

His eyes narrow in thought. “That at least makes more sense.” He turns back to the guards. “Find everyone who visited this room within the last two days, then bring a list of those names to me.” He sighs heavily. “Let us go speak to the duchess. At least we have one piece of good news to trade for this latest setback.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.