The Deceiver's Heart (The Traitor's Game 2)

I looked over at Basil as we began saddling our horses. “Before we go to Reddengrad, you need to send word to Tenger about where the Olden Blade is.”

Before I’d finished speaking, Basil began shaking his head, as if he’d already known that request was coming. “I’ll reveal that after the Halderians agree to fight with my country. Not a moment before.”

I stopped working to stare at him openmouthed. “How can you be so stubborn? If Kestra’s alive, she needs to retrieve it.”

“How can you be so stubborn?” Basil countered. “You refuse to do your part to seal our agreement, and then—”

“What you and Tenger decided has never been my agreement!” I shouted. “I owe you nothing!”

“Enough!” Trina pushed between us, then in a calmer voice to Basil added, “We have our orders and not a lot of time. Huge will take Gabe to recover at the Lonetree Camp. The three of us need to be on our way to the Hiplands.”

I shook my head, transferring my anger from Basil to her. “I won’t obey your orders, Trina. Not when I know your betrayal!”

Her eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

“You sent a message to the Halderians, telling them where Kestra would be that day. That’s why they attacked!”

“I never—”

“I found the etchings in your notepad. I saw what you wrote to them.”

Trina shook her head. “I didn’t arrange that attack, Simon.”

“Then explain how they knew. Explain the note! Explain why your ears perk up every time the Olden Blade is mentioned. If Kestra dies, you will be first to try to claim it!”

“Yes, I would, and I probably would succeed this time. But that’s irrelevant, because as far as any of us knows, Kestra is still alive.”

“How disappointed you must be.”

Trina’s voice softened. “I knew Tenger’s note would upset you. Especially after your mother—”

“Did you send the Dominion there too?”

I advanced on her, but Basil cut between us. “Simon, stop. Why would she—”

“She wants Kestra dead. The Halderians failed, so she went to the Dominion.” I turned to her. “There are very few people who knew that was my mother’s home—Gabe didn’t know until we went there. But you knew.”

Trina’s face reddened. “And you think that I would work with the Dominion? That I would help them in any way?”

“Maybe you told yourself that Kestra was an Ironheart and couldn’t remember who she truly was. You’d have an easy time justifying what you did.”

“Except that I didn’t do it. Gabe was with me while we searched for you in the Drybelt. He would know how I felt about finding her safe!”

“If you fight any louder, the Dominion will hear us,” Huge said, walking over the hill with his horse already saddled and packed. “But I heard you.” He drew a slow breath. “And I will say this. When I was looking for Gabe last night in the Dominion camp, I heard one of the officers near his tent say they never thought they’d have worked with a Corack.”

“That could be anyone.” The waver in Trina’s voice made it clear how nervous she was.

“Not anyone.” Huge’s wide shoulders hunched and he seemed to be avoiding Trina’s eye. “They never mentioned a name, but they did say she would finally get the reward she wanted.”

That was enough for me. I turned to Trina. “Well?”

She squared her body to mine. “Simon, I have never pretended to like Kestra, and yes, I wish that I were the Infidante and not her. But I am supporting her. I am following the captain’s orders to fight so that she can get the Olden Blade back. And if something goes wrong, if she never made it to the Blue Caves, then I might be the next Infidante. You’ll have to support me the way you asked me to support Kestra.”

“Or the way you’re actually supporting her?”

Her hand shifted to her sword, and she made sure I noticed. “We’re going to the Halderians together. And when we’re there, you and I will stand before Commander Mindall and ask him if I’ve done anything to betray Kestra.”

My eyes narrowed. “The day the Halderians attacked Lonetree Camp, did you come out with us to negotiate?”