Faust’s hand shook. “Why would Emoris order her death?”
“Whose death?” Ignas asked as he stood.
“Queen Arleen,” Faust whispered. “My brother’s wife.”
Ignas’s eyes narrowed. “It was reported as a rumor, but we heard she was killed because King Konrad was stepping out of line with the deities. The wives of Prince Takis and Prince Nik were said to be with her at the wrong time.”
Faust pursed his lips. Emoris was attempting to repeat the matter with him this time. It was no wonder Konrad expelled him from the castle once he had the chance. Emoris must have suspected Konrad would repeat what he did with Takis. Konrad sent Takis out with the children of the crown under the guise of a retreat, but they didn’t return.
“Perhaps we should get word to him soon,” Rene said with a frown.
Faust nodded. He didn’t like the idea of Konrad being alone in Limorous. Konrad was without his most trusted knight, Lukas, and his brother’s allies were limited. “I will contact him as soon as I can,” Faust said. “First, we need to secure a meeting with Lord Clare. If we are taking on the deities, I want that knight at our side. There aren’t many strong sky stone users left. It’s even possible they are being killed off if they are linked to Linos. Emoris has gone out of his way to hide information about the other deities from the people, and if we can find out why, it will give Konrad a fair advantage.”
“You have put much thought into this,” Rene said.
“I was sitting on a horse for days. I had plenty of time to think.”
Rene continued to smile. “The king would be proud.”
Faust gave a small smile despite himself.
“Ignas told me that you’ve mentioned Linos before, but what do you mean other deities, Lord Arcus?” Zara asked.
Faust shared a glance with Rene, who nodded. “There seem to be three other deities besides Emoris and Lathil. The chests we have secured have revealed Linos to be a rather important deity. Whoever finds him first ascends.”
“Are there any clues about their whereabouts?” Zara asked.
Faust probably should’ve shared that information with Ignas while they were on the road, but constantly looking over his shoulder for enemies kept him occupied. “No one knows where they are, but there is one called the Commandant and one called the Clairvoyant.”
“Curious,” Zara said. “I suppose we have one of these deities then.”
Faust nodded. “The Commandant hails from Windilum from what we have gathered.”
Zara grinned, sharing a quick glance with Ignas. “How fitting.”
Ignas remained strangely quiet during the whole matter, and he refused to meet Faust’s gaze. “I believe Emoris and Lathil hid this information for a reason, and if we find them before they do, we might gain ourselves an advantage,” Faust added.
“That we would,” Ignas said, his gaze distant.
“Perhaps we can find more clues in these contracts,” Rene said. “There are some old ones in there.”
Faust sorted through the last of the contracts in hopes Rene was right and paused when he came across one about Terrence Clare. “This would be another reason to meet with Lord Clare,” Faust said. “Look.” He showed the others the contract. “This one states that Lord Clare was to be brought to Emoris, complete with a reward and who he hired.” Faust pointed to the name Kios Heath.
“Isn’t that the current ruler of Akarvine?” Zara asked.
“It is,” Rene said.
Faust was puzzled. Emoris abandoned this order, and they needed to find out why. “This contract is not that old, but it is current enough. It should have been upheld.”
“This contract is dated a few weeks before King Konrad’s presence was requested in Roltan years ago,” Rene explained. “Our king couldn’t figure out why the King of Roltan demanded he tell Emoris that if he continued to meddle with his people, they would reveal the truth of Alimphis. Emoris backed off not long after that.”
The truth of Alimphis. Konrad wanted that information, and Faust would get it for him. “So, luring Lord Clare to Akarvine was a ploy. They were trying to obtain him another way—with a legal contract.”
“That is how it appears,” Rene agreed. “We must thank this mysterious knight when we see him. The king will be pleased to have the pieces fall into place.”
Faust looked to Ignas. “I need a meeting with Lord Clare immediately.”
Ignas gave a mock bow.
“We shall get started,” Zara said with a smirk.
“Rest a few hours, and we’ll see what we can dig up,” Ignas said and stood with a stretch.
Faust pouted. “I will—"
Rene clapped a hand on Faust’s shoulder. “He is right. I can see your fatigue, and you are far too pale.”
Faust’s shoulders sagged in defeat.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Faust watched the shop door close behind Rene, scowling.
“Perhaps the next shop will grant us an audience,” Rene suggested with a weak smile.
“That was the tenth shop.” Faust glanced to Ignas.
Ignas put up his hands in defeat. “I don’t have ties here. It’s nearly impossible to get a shop in Haven.”
“Lord Clare is quite perceptive,” Zara added. “He vets his merchants personally.”
Faust didn’t think Lord Clare would have the time, but then again, Konrad ran the Guild of Artisans. “The merchants keep redirecting us to take it up with the King of Roltan,” Faust said. Konrad must have encountered the same problem.
“It is strange that the merchants insist that we meet with King Roland.” Rene scribbled a note in his journal. “It’s possible he is reigning Lord Clare back in.”
Faust could understand that. The guild master was almost taken by Alios with a simple contract, but the threat to Lord Clare wasn’t gone. Faust’s false position as a court merchant worked against him in this case. He’d have to blow his cover to warrant a meeting on such short notice, and that wasn’t a great option. He couldn’t risk messing up Konrad’s plan, but it was possible he was too far ahead of his brother’s plan.
Ignas touched Faust’s lower back and steered Faust to his left. Faust sidestepped the young man he’d almost run into and flashed a grin at his mercenary.
Ignas shook his head. “You should be aware of your surroundings.”
“That is why I have you,” Faust said. “I am formulating a plan.”
Rene sighed. “A plan I can only hope will not place you in danger.”
Zara snickered.
“And why, pray tell, would I do such a thing?”
“You will be the death of me,” Rene said.
Faust ignored the historian’s melodramatics and scanned the shops. No doubt others were directed to tell him the same thing. His gaze stopped on an antique shop, and a slow smile worked its way onto his lips. “I want to go in there next.” He pointed to the old shop. It was possible this shop would part with other answers he wanted.
“Please keep your spending to a minimum,” Rene said. “We haven’t been able to retrieve any coin. I will check the next shop over.”