To Love a Prince (Knights of Valor Book 1)(27)

“Please, you have to believe me. I had no part in trying to kill you! None!.”

Eli ignored Rolland’s pleas. “I’ve given the method a lot of thought. I’ve learned things in my travels. Learned that each man has his pain threshold. The point at which he’d rather die than face another moment of agony.”

Rolland’s eyes widened. “I knew nothing about the plot!”

“Why kill me now?”

“It wasn’t me!” Fear and helplessness warred across Rolland’s face.

“Why did you wait so long?”

“I have no idea. Your Highness, please, you must believe me. I had nothing to do with any of this! It was Premal. I warned you about making such a powerful enemy.”

“Then what were you doing? You weren’t acting as my expert on Qumarefi culture, unless you’re somehow didn’t know it’s customary to wear a beard and give a gift when given one.”

“I...”

“The truth, Rolland, is your only chance. And I’m offering it once.” Eli arched a brow and waited.

Rolland tried to swallow, but his mouth was too dry. “I was asked to make the deliberations as short as possible. To get you home quickly.”

Eli’s eyes narrowed. “Who asked you to do that?”

“The Duke of Bridgeford.”

“Fredrick.” Eli rocked back on his heels.

“Who’s Fredrick?” Auburn asked.

“My cousin. My only cousin.” Eli’s eyes narrowed. “Interesting story, but I doubt Fredrick could find Qumaref on a map.”

“I swear, Your Highness. It was him. I’m telling you the truth.”

“And why should I believe you? You have done little to earn my trust.”

Rolland licked his lips.

Even as Eli kept his adviser pinned with a hard stare, thoughts of his cousin rolled through his mind. Fredrick. The name surprised Prince Eli.

He had only one living cousin, and Fredrick had always been far more concerned with balls, ladies, and the gaming tables than the future of Tamryn. While Fredrick shouldn’t be underestimated when he wanted something, Eli couldn’t conceive of what his cousin would want. Especially from him.

“What did my cousin offer you if you helped him?”

“A rich reward and full citizenship,” Rolland said.

“Just for getting me back early?”

“For the months I’d be away, for the risk I was taking...”

“Risk indeed.” Eli narrowed his eyes as his adviser fidgeted. “You will continue to attend meetings with me. No one else is to know you’re compromised. Go until I call for you again.”

Rolland nodded and walked to the door.

“You have not paid your debt,” Eli said. “And if I find out you’re lying again, we’ll learn exactly what your threshold is.”

The adviser swallowed and left the room.

Auburn waited for the door to close and lock behind Rolland. “That still leaves us with the question of who wants you dead.”

Eli’s gaze fixed on the hidden door. “My first, second and third thoughts are Premal.” But another name was twisting through his thoughts, and that name worried him a great deal more than an adviser to the Qumarefi sultan.





Chapter 19





Killing a foreign prince.” Auburn sucked in a breath. “Few would be so bold.”

“Premal?”

“He might, but something would drive him to it.”

Eli raised a brow.

“Something more than lust. The rewards would need to be worth the consequences.”

“He’s afraid, and whatever he’s afraid of is worse than the sultan’s wrath or war with Tamryn. What would scare him that much?”

Auburn lifted her shoulders. “He seems intent on these negotiations failing.”

“Like the negotiations with Arren and K’tel failed. Any unexpected deaths in either of those delegations?”

“No, but they didn’t make as much headway as you have.” Auburn bit her lower lip. “You mentioned war with Tamryn?”

“My father put the navy on high alert before we left. If anything happens to me...”

“Does the sultan know?”

“He wanted the meetings, and he assured my father of my safety.”

“Does Premal know that?” Auburn said.

“I can’t say.”

“A quiet whisper on the sea. Sleeping dragon, let him be,” Auburn said. “Though I doubt Premal would listen to the advice.”

“What’s that from?”

“Opening lines to a famous Qumarefi poem. Some suspect it refers to Tamryn.”

Eli glanced toward the thick curtain over the windows. “There’s a reason Premal wants you. It has to be for something more than your beauty and intelligence. Something game-changing for him. Like your visions.”

“You and Sligo are the only ones I’ve ever told about them.”

“Then something else.” Eli sat beside Auburn. “We’re missing something.”

“Perhaps your cousin’s behind it.”

“You see that in a vision?”

“No, but you looked disturbed when Rolland mentioned him.”