Midnight Jewel (The Glittering Court #2)(26)

“Okay,” I murmured. “I know the how. But what’s the why?”

A leather-bound journal hinted at answers. I opened it eagerly, only to be faced with blank pages. As I started to shut the book, the faint scent of citrus wafted through the air. I double-checked for any missed writing but only noticed that many pages had been ripped from the beginning.

An old memory came back to me, my father sending and receiving messages from secret sources in his network. I uncovered the lantern and held the first page up to the flame, as close as I could without burning the paper.

Words slowly appeared.

These had been written with so-called invisible ink, made with lemon juice or some other acidic substance. It didn’t show up until exposed to heat. Triumphant, I turned the page and positioned the second one by the fire. Words appeared on that and on a third, but no more. I now had a letter and a list of names.

Mister Silas Garrett

Percival & Sons Tailoring

Cape Triumph

Denham Colony

My dearest Silas,

It was a delight to receive your letter. You’re as blunt as ever, a trait I see you’ve passed on to your protégé. I’ve enjoyed having him as a guest this winter, and I believe you’ll find him more polished. As much as it pains me to admit when you’re right, I agree that he’s been an excellent student of espionage. He easily learned all the old tricks—and a few new ones.

Our spies on this side of the water have continued investigating the conspiracy you and I communicated about last fall. Evidence suggests there’s still dissent brewing among some colonials. What makes them more dangerous is that they’re now receiving aid from the Lorandians in the form of supplies, both smuggled from the continent and stolen locally. Guns and rations can turn grumblers and whiners into a serious army. Lorandy has always eyed our territory; we can’t let this situation give them a foothold.

Cutting off the rebels’ resources is now our main objective. It will set back any other treasonous plans, and then we can chase those down as well. The attached list contains the names of individuals who are in positions capable of aiding the conspiracy, men with power or critical jobs. We also believe there is a Lorandian nobleman at work in the colonies who’s directly giving a substantial amount of gold to the traitors. Tracing that money will help find them.

Your protégé can fill you in on the rest of the mission’s details, as well as a unique opportunity. He’s also in possession of the Adorian McGraw branch’s annual stipend. This matter is of such urgency that His Majesty is offering an additional five-hundred-gold reward if the conspiracy can be stamped out by autumn. You may distribute that bonus as you like, either among your agents or perhaps to move your office out of a tailor’s shop.

Sincerely yours,

Sir Ronald Aspen

I had to steady my trembling hands as I read the letter again. The McGraw Agency! It was almost like something from the heroic stories I loved to read. Everyone knew about the McGraw Agency in Osfro, but few people knew anyone in the agency. They worked in law enforcement but not in the way the soldiers or watches did. Their cases were bigger. Osfrid’s elite hired them to investigate private matters. And the crown hired them for matters of national security. Some agents worked openly while conducting investigations and gathering intelligence. But others worked in secret, without anyone knowing their identities. Shadowmen, I’d once heard them called. That was where their mystique came from—that and alleged stories of death-defying heroics.

A rattling of the cabin’s door handle jerked me from my daydreams and brought me to my feet. I offered a prayer to any number of angels—six or twelve—that Cedric would walk through. He didn’t.

Grant moved faster than I could’ve imagined. He slammed the door and closed the distance between us in moments. In one swift motion, he grabbed hold of me and pushed me against the wall.

“What are you doing in here?” he demanded. “Who sent you?”

His hands gripped my wrists tightly, and his face was inches from mine. But even after a year of disuse, all of the old defense lessons tumbled back into my brain.

Avoid a fight if you can, my father would say. And if you can’t, then you put everything you’ve got into it. And then Lonzo: Don’t let their size fool you. The bigger they are, the easier of a target.

I kneed Grant in the leg, not enough to make him fall, but it surprised him so much that he eased up his hold. I yanked my arms free, swiped at his face with my nails, and then, when he took a step back, I followed through with an upward jab to the side of his neck. Heads are hard, little sister. Go for the stomach. Go for the neck.

Grant made a startled choking sound, and I sprang away, heading for the door. I made it halfway across the cabin before he tackled me from behind. I landed stomach first, the fall knocking the wind out of me. He threw himself onto my back, pinning me in place with his greater weight.

“Let me go!” I yelled, trying to crane my neck and look up at him.

“Hush, I don’t want to hurt you!”

“You slammed me against the wall!”

“I restrained you so I could find out why you’re robbing me! Who sent you?”

“No one sent me! I was trying to find out why you were stalking my best friend.”

That gave him pause, but he didn’t let up on me. “Stalking her?”