The Kept

The Divide

Ideally, Nerys's announcement would have ended the matter. Instead, Nerys was forced to retreat to the galley with Xai until the ship was secured. The entire crew, including the captain, were being questioned by Enzo, while the princes and their newly appointed guardswomen searched the quarters of the would-be assassin for any other sabotage.

Nerys sat at the end of the table farthest from the door to the deck and tried to still the slight tremor in her hands. The experience had reminded her how easy it was to render her completely helpless. Arthes' words pervaded the fabric of her thoughts like the stench of mildew.

No matter your title, no matter what power you come to hold, you will never escape this truth...

"I found your messenger," Xai said. She sat diagonally from Nerys, facing the door leading to the kitchen.

"What? You found—" Nerys struggled to find meaning in Xai's words until she remembered the secret letter. "Who is it?"

"No one worth noting. More important is what they had to say."

Xai picked up a dull metal pitcher from the table and sniffed the contents. She set it back down with a look of disgust. "It would seem Vayk was not informed of Prince Ardin's intentions to meet with you.

"What does that mean?"

"That depends on how dangerous he considers you," Xai said.

"Dangerous enough to send you and after me."

Xai rolled her eyes.

"We didn't spend years infiltrating Ithaam's court just so we could kill half-sister on her wedding night. It's much easier, and cheaper, for a child to have an accident in the Esidiem."

"I know. That's why Trygve was in Ithaam. My mother sent him to protect me from those sorts of 'accidents'."

"Is that what Trygve told you?"

"Yes."

Xai smiled slightly and her gaze drifted past Nerys.

"When you're spending day in and day out with a body, you get to know them rather ...intimately. Trygve's reason were always less straightforward than he made them seem." Xai sighed and poured herself a helping from the pitcher she had rejected earlier. A look of disgust settled on her face before she quickly downed her cup. "I should have known he would be no different in his dealings with me."

"Any man with the sense the gods gave him would be wary of dealings with you," Dadien said from behind Nerys. "But, as the gods gave all of the sense to my brother and the good looks and curiosity to me..."

Dadien seated himself at the table, between Nerys and Xai.

"Would you care to elaborate on this intimate knowing between bodies?"

Dadien's teasing lilt seemed to hint at something illicit between Trygve and Xai, and now it was the only way Nerys could remember Xai having said it in the first place – a detail that bothered her to no end.

"You should take care not to eavesdrop," Nerys said, her agitation obvious. "It could get you killed."

"Who's eavesdropping?" Dadien asked with a smirk. "Your guard saw me come in and kept talking like I wasn't in the room."

"You knew he was there the whole time?"

Xai responded with a lazy lift of one shoulder.

"Not a threat, not my problem."

Gereon entered from the deck, flanked by Esteri and Nyx. Xai glanced over her shoulder and stood.

"And not enough wine in Haolaetia to stomach your unresolved 'political' tension."