The Desert King's Spy by Eve Langlais

Author:Eve Langlais
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eve Langlais

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The gradeena was close to my location, but the plan I’d hatched with the others to excuse my absence while at the castle was that I was recovering from an illness that kept me from the stage at Qynn’s. But first I had to get into her place without being seen. It required me to climb to the roof of the baker and then traverse it. Qynn owned a large apartment above a clothing shop—which she also happened to own. The peaked windows were locked from the outside unless you knew the trick to their puzzle.

I slipped in while it was still dark, unseen by anyone outside. The moment my feet hit the floor in Qynn’s main living space, a sword pressed against my back.

Since the person obviously couldn’t see me in the dark, I hastily exclaimed, “It’s me!”

“Were you followed?” Kya asked, dropping the point of her blade.

I shook my head then realized she couldn’t actually see it. “I don’t think so. I was stopped by some soldiers looking for a foreigner, but they released me once they saw my face.”

“Is that Ash I hear?” Qynn asked from the bedroom.

“It’s me. I’m back.” And feeling discombobulated.

Kya latched the window and pulled the shutters over. The others in the room were already latched. A click of a flint led to a small flame that Kya used to light a few lamps.

Qynn appeared in the bedroom door, tying the sash to her robe. “You’re back sooner than expected. Is everything okay?”

I pulled off the cloak and nodded. “Yes and no. The King found out I was sent there to spy. I left abruptly, but good thing, as my disguise wore off.”

“Where is Jrijori?” Qynn asked.

“Still a guest of the King who claimed ‘Uncle’ would remain safe because of his daughter.”

“And you believed him?”

Oddly, I did. “I think he means it for the moment, but that could change. There are things afoot.”

“To do with the monsters?”

“Yes. While my potions didn’t work on the King, he did spill some of his secrets. Such as the monsters started appearing decades ago and they’ve gotten much worse of late. It’s why he’s recruited so many soldiers and why they’ve disappeared. He’s been using them to keep the monsters away from the city. But he says it won’t be long before they’re here.”

To that, Kya snorted. “If there were monsters close to the city we’d know.”

“Not if he’s handled it before it was noticeable. I wonder if they’re in the tunnels under the city,” Qynn mused aloud.

“More tunnels?” I asked. Just how woefully uninformed was I?

Qynn waved. “Old ones long closed off. What else did he say?”

“He admitted that his method of throwing soldiers at the problem is no longer working well for him.”

“What’s his plan to fix it?” Qynn asked.

“I don’t know. He didn’t say, other than allude to the fact he had one.”

That pursed Qynn’s lips. “And he told you this without the drugs?”

I nodded. “He was immune.”

“Are you sure he was immune? Could be you missed.

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