The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1)(100)

Tobiah closed my notebook, and his fingers stroked the worn leather cover as though it were a pet. “Do you think what you did mitigated the wraith’s approach any?”

“I don’t know.”

“Could you do it again?”

“Possibly.” Probably not. Just the once had nearly killed me; I’d never animated anything so large before, and giving life to something was completely new. “But I don’t know if it would help. I don’t know what the consequences would be.”

He nodded and studied the front cover of my notebook, as though deciding whether to open it and start from the beginning. What would he think, seeing the writing of a nine-year-old girl there? But he didn’t open it. He handed it back to me, and seemed suddenly unsure what to do with his hands. No notebook, no weapons, no one safe to touch. “I may be able to modify the language of the Wraith Alliance to allow for experimentation. It would cover what you did in the wraithland and the other night.”

“Would the other kingdoms sign it?”

“There aren’t many left. They’re as desperate as we are. They’d sign it.”

We sat in awkward silence for a minute before I said, “I know who killed your father.”

Tobiah jerked straight. “Who?”

“The same man I suspect tried to assassinate you.”

“Who?” The prince flashed a desperate look at his unconscious cousin.

“Patrick Lien, the son of the general who kidnapped you.” I rested my hands on my knees, forcing my voice even. “Patrick confessed that he assassinated your father, and that he intended to have you killed, too. The last time I saw him, he said he was heading to Aecor to amass an army. In my name. He’ll claim you’re holding me hostage.”

Tobiah stared at me.

I slumped, exasperated. “Obviously, this isn’t something I asked him to do.”

“Then he’s a traitor not only to the Indigo Kingdom, of which he is technically a citizen, but a traitor to the vermilion throne as well.” Tobiah rubbed his temples. “The guards I sent after the shooter never found anyone. You’ve heard nothing of your wraith boy?”

I swallowed hard. “I don’t know why he hasn’t returned yet.” There were too many options I didn’t like: that the wraith boy didn’t have to do my bidding, like I’d thought; that Patrick had been able to outrun the wraith boy; that the wraith boy had been captured. . . .

“Melanie is with Patrick. She’ll get word to me before he does anything else.” I hoped. I’d trusted her when she took that step toward Patrick but held my gaze, but I couldn’t forget how passionately she’d felt about him before.

“I’ll have my men begin searching for him. If I asked whether you know where he might be, would you tell me the truth?”

“I don’t want anything bad to happen to my people. Not the Ospreys who went with him, or whoever might be sheltering him. If you can promise their safety—”

“My orders will be to spare them.” Tobiah met my eyes. “I cannot promise more than that.”

It was better than I’d expected. “I’ll give you the locations I know about, but he might not go to them.”

Tobiah rose and pulled out the chair to a writing desk. “I want us to work together, Wil. I know you’re angry with me, and you have every right to be. I’m angry with myself, too.” He pulled out a few sheets of palace stationery and a writing box. “But I am willing to do whatever is required for my kingdom’s security, and I think you are, too.”

“I am.” I took the desk chair he offered and arranged the writing utensils. “Rather, I used to be. Now, I find myself butting up against lines I won’t cross, but Patrick will. He is the one who will do anything for Aecor. Revolutions. Regicide. Revenge. The end justifies the means for him. He sees the most direct path to his goal, and he takes it. He sheltered me from those decisions for so long; I never understood doing anything for one’s kingdom until I realized the lengths he was willing to go.”

Tobiah leaned on the corner of the desk, absorbing my words as I dipped my pen and began writing locations in his handwriting.

“How—” He shook his head. “The note I sent earlier.”

“You should be more careful about your messages, Your Highness. You never know who is paying attention to the way you write flourishes on your name.”

“First my vigilante identity, and now my handwriting.” He gave an exaggerated sigh, and a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. “You are incredible.”

I capped the ink and began cleaning the pen. “You should hear what else I’ve done in my time here.”

“I’m afraid to ask.” He took the list and studied it for a moment. “I’m going to have men sent immediately. I’ll be right back.”

When he left the room, I sat on the bed next to James and touched his hand. “You’re missing all the excitement.”

James’s fingers jumped, and he opened his eyes. “Julianna?”

I stood, stepped back, and my palms brushed my empty hips. “It’s Wilhelmina.”

He sat up and shook his head. “Of course . . . I’m sorry. Is Tobiah all right? Where is he?”

“He’s fine.” I forced myself to relax. “He stepped out for a moment, but he’ll return soon.”