Forbidden Forest by Tenaya Jayne

  ****

  Kindel paced a rut in his sitting room floor. He didn’t like how complicated his life had become in the course of the last few days. His house was darkened and the only light in the sitting room came from the flickering fireplace. When Kindel’s secret guest opened the door and walked into the room, he had to remind himself that it was an honor. Situations that were supposed to make him feel honored and important always made him feel queasy instead.

  King Zeren dressed plainly and discreetly in a black hooded cloak. What amazed Kindel was that he was completely alone. There wasn’t even a single guard standing outside. Secrecy was all well and good, but the king was being downright reckless.

  “What have you learned?” Zeren asked without preamble.

  “Our suspicions have mostly led me to more suspicions, my King. There is a mole within Fortress though I have yet to learn their identity. But they are a large spider and have been threading Fortress with their web for a long time. I catch tail ends of web and then it turns to smoke in my hands.”

  Zeren sighed. “Is there anything that you can tell me for sure?”

  Kindel began to shake ever so slightly. He took a deep steadying breath before plunging ahead. “The hit on Syrus five years ago was not contracted by Philippe.”

  “What?” In the dim light Kindel could see the king’s jaw clench.

  “No, my King. The hit was contracted by a member of the Rune-dy.”

  Zeren looked like he’d been slapped in the face. But the shock quickly gave way to rage.

  “I don’t yet know if the Rune-dy as a whole is responsible. It may have been a rogue action.”

  Zeren’s flashing eyes stared deep into the fire. “This gives me much to think on,” he whispered, and without another, word he turned on his heels and left.

  Chapter Thirteen