Page 121 of The Sun King's Noon

Nyx’s expression was neither disappointment nor weariness. It was something older—the look of one, Richard thought, who had scattered the ashes of friends and would scatter more before she was done, and had taught herself not to flinch when doing so.

She sighed, squeezed Alaric’s shoulder and pushed herself up.

“Aye. Time you were gone, the both of you.” She adjusted her hood. “The soldiers above are likely still beating the bushes for your archer there. We’ve a passage that comes up through Lowmarket. You go up after dark, and you’d be wise to get out of the city.”

Richard managed a nod. Kaelen’s hand pressed firmer against his back.

Nyx gestured at an arched mouth in the nearby wall. “This way, then.”

Richard had turned to follow when Alaric’s voice resounded again.

“Your Majesty.” The prince sipped from his cup. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry for my father’s crime. Queen Aralynn did me a great kindness seven years ago when she broke our betrothal and gifted me her prophecy. I will not forget it.” He smiled mirthlessly and lifted the cup. “Safe travels.”

CHAPTER 44

The Lowmarket streets thronged with people—dockhands stumbling towards taverns, women cooing from brothel windows—and twice Richard and Kaelen had to press into doorways as guards marched past.

It was twilight by the time they slipped back into the Cup and Crook. The inn’s common room was a hubbub of chaos. The circus had taken over the long table near the hearth, and the lyre player was leading a song, stamping her feet to the jester’s drums. Tilda and Wren were singing along, Talia was coaxing Master Clemens to clap his hands to the beat, and Svetra was dancing on the table. And in the corner, ringed by bowls of stew, sat the five children.

Daisy spotted Richard as he sidled to the stairs. Her face brightened, and she rose onto her knees, mouth opening to call out.

Richard placed a finger to his lips, and with a confused tilt of her head, she sank back into the bench.

Guilt twisted Richard’s gut. No doubt the children had searched for him throughout the day. But their time together had come to an end. The mission awaited.

I shall inform Byrom.Richard climbed the stairs behind Kaelen.Mirthwell Circus may well perform in High Ardenia. We shall pay them double.

He’d barely cleared the threshold of his room when Flint was upon him.

“Where the ever-loving fuck have you been?”

Flint had his pack slung over a shoulder, his boots laced, and his cloak clasped. By the muddy prints on the floor, he’d been pacing.

“Flint—”

“Hours I’ve been waiting.Hours.We were meant to be slipping out the harbour by now. The tide doesn’t give a shit about your sightseeing schedule. There are guards crawling over the street, because some gods-forsaken lunatic put an arrow through the man on the pyre. Some prize specimen of a halfwit decided that what this city needed, on the very day of our exit, was for an arrow to come sailing into the chest of the king’s prisoner. Now every guard in Vexmara is hunting a bowman?—”

“That fool,” Richard said, crossing to his cot and dragging his pack out from underneath, “was Kaelen.”

Flint spluttered. “What?” He swung to face Kaelen, who had arrived at the door with his own pack. “You fucking, fuckety fuckwit.”

Kaelen lifted his chin. “I could not bear to do nothing.”

Flint made a shrill noise at the back of his throat. He threw his hands up and glowered at Richard.

“He’s going to get us killed, handsome.”

Richard hummed. “Maybe.” He yanked the drawstring of his pack tight. “It is fine. It is fine, Flint. Let us simply get on that ship.”

Flint cursed under his breath. “Fine. She’s already tied to the Eastern Harbour. The master’s on board. We walk down the dock as if we’re his hired help come to shift a few crates.”

“I suspect the master onboard will object somewhat to being robbed of his livelihood.”

Flint bared his teeth in a grin. “Don’t you worry your pretty head about that.”

* * *

The Eastern Harbourreeked of brine and rotting fish. Richard followed closely behind Flint along the seaward edge of the warehouses. Beyond the harbour wall, the open sea stretched endlessly, and along the curve of the beach, the surf glowed in rippling streaks of turquoise. Richard caught Kaelen staring and tugged at his sleeve to jolt his attention back. The man was absent of his bow, left hidden under the inn’s bed.