Confused, I follow Odette’s gaze and stare up at the huge stained-glass window. It must face south-west; the colours of the glass are glowing as if lit by fire. The window shows a map of the kingdom, but instead of the familiar borders of the dominions and the Crown Estates there are pictures: tiny, frozen images of Solanum. A snow-capped mountain; a green meadow; a turquoise lake; a golden-leafed oak tree. Too many for me to take them all in.
‘Our kingdom is beautiful, is it not?’ my cousin asks.
‘Yes. It is.’
She turns to face me. ‘You tell me to protect myself. But who will protect the people of the kingdom, if I do not?’
‘Aron actually wishes to rule. If we could convince Convocation –’
Odette shakes her head. ‘You know the Decrees, cousin. If I refuse to marry, I cannot rule. Aron cannot fly, so he cannot rule. And now you tell me that you too are flightless. If my father dies and I am not wed, or I refuse the throne, who will Convocation turn to? Who is next in line?’
I mutter the answer. ‘Aurik of Olorys. And after him, Siegfried.’
‘Exactly. Siegfried.’ Her voice hardens. ‘And I could name you a dozen courtiers who will be willing to marry him, murderer or not, for the chance to wear the crown.’ She takes my hands. ‘As I said before, I’m not blind, cousin. I know that my betrothed is not the kind of man I would wish him to be. I accept that you are trying to help me. And if you had this evidence of which you speak –’
‘But if we tell Convocation, they could help. There is a body somewhere below the Citadel –’
‘Cousin, you are a newly anointed Protector who cannot fly and who has spent only a few weeks at court. You have no support outside your own dominion. Convocation will not believe you.’ She sighs. ‘They will be too afraid of Siegfried to believe you. Unless the queen steps in, I will marry him. If what you say is true, once I am queen I will have the power to stop him. I hope.’
One of the Venerable Sisters comes in and starts adding more oil to the lamps. She smiles at us and inclines her head.
‘As you wish, Odette. But if you think of any way in which I can help you …’
‘Stay here. Don’t return to Atratys. Don’t leave Aron and me alone.’
Does she understand what she’s asking of me? Perhaps not. But I cannot abandon her.
The castle bell sounds.
‘Again?’ Odette frowns. ‘Not more arrests. Or –’ she swallows, and quickens her pace – ‘perhaps it is my father …’
Together we retrace our steps to the Citadel. The high-ceilinged entrance hall is full of courtiers, huddled in knots or glancing nervously around, while up above us the bell still clangs. A few people notice me and begin whispering.
‘Look.’ Odette points to the stairs: Aron is coming to meet us. ‘Brother, what’s amiss? Is Father worse?’
‘No, his condition is unchanged.’ Aron glances at me. ‘But the members of Convocation who were convicted of treason have volunteered some additional details of this supposed plot, apparently. No arrests, not yet, but some people have been taken in for questioning.’
Odette slips her hand into mine. I ask the question, even though I am certain of the answer.
‘Lucien?’
He nods, and my heart races in a sharp spike of panic …
But panic is not going to help. I take a deep breath. ‘Where are they being questioned? And by whom?’
‘Up on the top floor, south wing. There’s a small hall, the Sun Chamber. The master secretary is conducting the interviews, assisted, apparently –’ he raises an eyebrow at his sister – ‘by Lord Redwing.’
Siegfried. If he is up in this Sun Chamber, he is not in his apartment.
‘How long, do you think, before they are allowed to leave?’
‘I’ve no idea. Some hours, I would imagine.’
‘Thank you, Aron. If you’ll excuse me …’ I bow to my cousins and hurry as fast as I can, without attracting undue attention, back to my rooms.
By the time Letya arrives, a few minutes later, out of breath – I guess she ran, after I jerked so viciously on the bell pull – I have my plan clear in my mind.
‘Aderyn, I heard about Lord Lucien –’
‘I know, but we have something to do that can’t wait.’ She looks startled, but I press on. ‘You mentioned housemaids to me the other day. They all wear uniform, don’t they? Are they all exactly the same?’
She nods. ‘Shades of grey. Dark grey gown, light grey cap and apron.’
‘Do you think you could get hold of one of the uniforms?’
‘I should think so – I know the laundry mistress. But what would you do with one?’
‘People don’t pay any attention to servants.’ Hurt flickers in Letya’s eyes; I correct myself. ‘I’m sorry, my friend. What I meant to say is, nobles – courtiers – we’re used to not really seeing the people other nobles employ as servants. The housemaids in particular: all dressed the same, present in every part of the Citadel … No noble would give a second glance at a housemaid. I doubt many of the more senior servants would either.’
‘True enough.’
‘I need to get back into Lord Siegfried’s rooms. I managed to keep a key, and I know that right now he is upstairs questioning people – it’s the perfect time. If you can get me a uniform, even if someone does come in, it will just look as if I’m dusting.’
Letya’s expression is sceptical. ‘Aderyn, I love you, but you’ve never dusted anything in your life.’ She grins. ‘I have a better idea … I’ll be back directly.’
While I wait for Letya’s return, I consider potential allies among my fellow Protectors and the other courtiers. Patrus – were he here – would presumably side with Siegfried, out of spite if nothing else. Grayling Wren will probably feel he needs to write to his father for instructions. If he doesn’t just fly away. But Lancorphys, given Nyssa and Lucien are related, will undoubtedly align with Atratys. And Arden of Dacia might also think twice about allowing Olorys to control the crown; although I don’t know exactly what kind of pressure is being put on him by his cousin’s arrest. I decide to start with Arden. Tomorrow is the bridesday, and there is to be a tournament in the morning, but after that I will find a way to talk to him privately. Perhaps Odette is right – perhaps he will not believe me. But I am learning that, sometimes, truth matters less than convenience. Especially here.
‘Here we are.’ Letya puts a large sack down on the floor. ‘Some cloths, and a broom, and two uniforms.’
‘Two?’ I begin to shake my head, but Letya just laughs. ‘You’ve never swept anything either. At least one of us should look as if she knows what she’s doing. It will be just like being back at Merl, when we used to dress up in old clothes and hide from your tutor.’
I doubt it’s going to be anything like that. But still, this is not an argument I can – or want to – win.
By mid-afternoon the pair of us are making our way to the north wing. I’m already grateful to Letya: she stops me going up the wide, ornately carved staircase I usually take and guides me to Siegfried’s floor using one of the servants’ staircases (‘menial stairs’ she calls them) instead. Still, my theory is proving correct. In the main corridors no one gives us a second glance; we may as well be invisible. Reaching Siegfried’s door, Letya knocks, but there’s no response, so she lets us both in.