Page 10 of To Dance with Death

I whip my gaze to Sundar, astonished. “You can’t—”

The Lord Sovereign tips his head. “Is that not an inappropriate request, as you are the son of the woman accused of murdering the king?”

“I have proclaimed our innocence, as has Vastianna. Regardless, I am no threat in a fortress teeming with Brisendali soldiers, and I wouldn’t dare harm anyone under the watchful eye of the Syndicate, especially when any action on my behalf would prove Razam’s guilt. Have me guarded, if you choose, but allow me to stay.”

“Me, too,” says Copelan, and my lips part once again. I shake my head, but he does not look at me. “I was never in league with anyone until I witnessed the events myself. Allow me to stay as Vastianna’s companion.”

Surely my father will never let it happen. And yet he stuns me into silence when he says, “I will allow it. They may reside here until the next Syndicate meeting in thirty days.”

He—

I bite my lip. Why isn’t he fighting this? There has to be a reason, an opportunity he sees. A way to set up a trap. I grip Sundar’s hand, trying to get his attention, but he doesn’t glance at me. He won’t budge—not when he thinks I’m trying to talk him out of it for the danger it would put him in.

Why? Why would he do this? What in the Fates is he thinking? I wish I could shake him, force the words back down his throat if only to spare him—

“I will also stay if it will bring the Syndicate peace of mind,” says Lord Dameron. “Another representative here to ensure fairness on all accounts.”

“Fine, then,” says the Lord Sovereign. “We may adjourn, and we will reconvene in thirty days.”

With the Syndicate meeting adjourned, the war room empties, many of the representatives and Crowns spilling out into the hall to prepare for the journey home. My father stays in conversation with a few Brisendali council members while Gustav guides Sundar, Copelan, and me out into the hall and away from the rest, hisforehead creased. “Vasalie, how can I, in good conscience, leave you here? Anton would have my head. And I—I consider you a friend. Seeing you in danger like this…”

“Exactly why Copelan and I are staying,” says Sundar.

“But even so, what could you do?” I ask. “Please, Sundar, youcan’tstay. My father agreed too quickly. He has a plan of some kind. He will use this to his benefit.”

“Of course he will,” says Sundar. “But at least I will have honored my vow. I promised Anton I would look after you. And besides, we have the Syndicate watching. He can’t just kill us.”

“Yet,” clarifies Gustav. “If Anton doesn’t regain his memories to testify before the deadline, Maksim will be granted permission to invade Razam—then find an excuse to push into Miridran shortly after. With you three here, practically in his lap…he will use you as leverage somehow, or worse. Don’t you realize? And I have no way to stop it.”

I try again. “He’s right, Sundar. He could use you against your mother to try to get her to lay down her arms.”

“She would never do that,” Sundar assures me, never mind what it would mean for him. As if he’s of little consequence. “It’s the benefit of having equal heirs, rather than one crown prince upon which the country relies.”

“Even so,” says Gustav, “I have no way to protect any of you after the thirty days are up.”

“No one will be safe if something happens to Anton,” says Sundar, his voice even lower. “Maksim’s first move will be to try to find him, and now he knows Anton is in Razam. He will want him dead so there’s no chance of him testifying. Send word to my mother. She can set up extra precautions to protect him.”

“But we have no way to break the curse,” I whisper, wringing my hands.

“I have several of my most trusted men scavenging the Temple of Mirin, with others traveling to every priest we can find in the hopesof finding some clue about the Fate of Morta, how to break a Fate’s curse—anything,” Gustav says.

“And if that fails?” I ask. Copelan comes up beside me.

“Then we’re going to have to convince him to work with us,” Gustav says. “Another reason I had hoped to keep you near him.” He swipes a hand across his brow, and only then do I notice how much he’s sweating.

“He’s less likely to be hostile with you, Vasalie,” Sundar says, then turns his attention to Gustav. “Maybe we can find a way to help her escape.”

“And risk you two being blamed for it?” I shake my head. “Not a chance.”

“Perhaps I’m being too optimistic,” Copelan interjects, “but I wonder if we aren’t alone here. You have at least one sympathizer on the Brisendali council.”

Rurik’s sister, he means.

“I’m going to see what I can find out about her,” Gustav says. “Perhaps I can find a way to communicate with you all in the meantime. Let me—”

“King Regent,” comes my father’s voice, “I do believe the Syndicate session is over. Kindly step away from my daughter.”

With pained reluctance, and then a sharper glare than I’ve ever seen him administer, Gustav rejoins his party, who are already being shown away from the war room.