“I’ve seen that expression before. He’s plotting. He’s contemplating evil things,” Drayce announced, pointing at Rayne’s face. “The last time he made that look, he was trying to convince Caelan to meet secretly with a special trade envoy’s daughter so she could convince her daddy to go along with what the Erya trade commission wanted.”
Rayne rolled his eyes. “You make it sound so underhanded. It was an opportunity for the prince to get a better understanding of trade relations with Damardor.”
Eno had a feeling it had been more complicated than that, but this wasn’t the time to discuss it.
Luckily, Vitor saved them from going over the past. “You think the prime minister is being held prisoner, and that’s how the Empire has stolen control.”
“I do. If we were to set him free…” Rayne started.
Vitor nodded. “It might help get the Ilon army involved in kicking New Rosanthe out, but it will be tricky. Ilon has always been against any kind of significant confrontation. They prefer to handle all disagreements at the bargaining table.”
Eno grunted and flopped back on the sofa. “And they need to understand that New Rosanthe doesn’t give a shit about negotiations. If they can take something by force, they will.”
Rayne lowered his fingers from in front of his face and dropped his hands to his sides. “But if you take away the Empire’s key bargaining chip in the prime minister, Ilon might be willing to use a bit more force. Especially if we can promise that the King of Erya will be on hand to assist in dealing with the Empire.”
“It’s something to consider,” Vitor agreed.
There was one thing they hadn’t discussed yet, and they needed to consider it when it came to New Rosanthe.
“Has Safa been spotted in Brightspire?” Eno demanded.
Davi leaned forward to meet his older brother’s gaze. “The strange woman with the catlike eyes?”
“You’ve seen her?” Drayce gasped.
He winced. “Not me, but my partner has. She’s seen the woman from a distance. Scary as fuck. Walks around like she owns the place.”
Eno nodded. “Stay away from her. You see her, you run in the opposite direction.”
Davi rolled his eyes and looked as if he were about to blow off his comments, but Eno grabbed his forearm, stopping him.
“I am very serious. She slaughtered countless people in Zastrad. We were lucky to get out of there with our lives. The only person who can potentially handle her one-on-one is Caelan,” Eno continued.
“And even then, it’s best if he has some help watching his back,” Drayce tacked on.
“I’m confused, though,” Rayne suddenly stated. He leaned forward in his chair, his eyes locked on Vitor. “How long has New Rosanthe been here?”
“About a month.”
“Has the Empire invaded all the districts of Brightspire?”
Vitor and Davi exchanged a glance, but it was Davi who started shaking his head first. “All of Brightspire is under curfew and there’s no place that Erya people can hide safely, so everyone is feeling the impact. But the only place you can see the Empire forces is in Parliament Plaza. Ilon soldiers and police are monitoring the rest of the city.”
Eno frowned at Rayne. “That doesn’t make any sense. I thought they’d go straight for the Shrine District. Wouldn’t that be…” Eno’s voice drifted off, unwilling to say aloud what he was thinking. He was sure the spymaster knew most things, but had Rayne and Caelan confided in him about the coming Gods War and the godstones?
Prior to arriving in Brightspire, they’d all suspected that the Light Stone that held the God of Wisdom was in the Shrine District. Was the godstone actually hidden in Parliament Plaza?
“We need to speak with Caelan,” Rayne murmured. The king was supposed to be in the Shrine District with Adrian. With any luck, they’d located the godstone and the king was one step closer to bonding with the god well before Safa could get her hands on it.
But Eno wasn’t counting on them being that lucky.
“The other issue might also complicate matters when it comes to dealing with the Ilon government,” Vitor said in a low voice.
Eno frowned at Vitor, but it was the heavy sigh that slipped from Rayne that had his heart clenching. There was something dismal in his expression that had Eno almost afraid to ask. “What other issue?”
Rayne lifted sad eyes to Eno. “Ilon has been stealing children from Erya.”
EIGHT